Kong Hee Podcast

Isn’t it immoral for God to punish an innocent person, namely Jesus Christ, for our sins? Isn’t the atonement of the cross a form of cosmic child abuse – God the Father violently abusing His Son for something He didn’t do? Doesn’t it violate God’s own rules of justice that He has set up in the universe?

Here is my answer …

As Christians, are we still sinners? Or are we already saints? This is the answer …

Are all human beings God’s children? What does the Bible say, especially Jn 1:12? This is a short but fascinating subject. Enjoy …

Jesus always showed honour to the down-and-outers. Even when there was nothing to celebrate in their lives and they achieved nothing of worth, 𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗱. Even when He was superior over them morally, socially, spiritually, and intellectually, Jesus was always honouring.

We can learn so much through Jesus’s example in honouring Zacchaeus, the Jewish tax collector (Lk 19:1-10). 𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗯𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲. Like us, Zacchaeus had a deep need and strong desire for recognition, and Jesus met that need. Jesus bothered to ask around and find out more about Zacchaeus. He wasn’t only interested in His own ministry and vision, He also showed interest in this sinful chief tax collector. He was preferring him over Himself (Phil 2:3; Rom 12:10).

Jesus was very friendly with Zacchaeus. Learn to smile when you meet people. It takes fewer facial muscles to smile than to frown. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘂𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗺 (Num 6:25). We live in a world that is already so stressed and unhappy, so let our smiles communicate the love, joy and peace of God; and they go straight into people’s hearts.

It is always easy to honour people who are already honourable. But God wants us to prefer the weaker, the slower, the less attractive, those less capable and less accomplished than us, as well as those under our leadership and care. 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀. Let us learn to honor those under our care – our subordinates, CG or church members, and domestic helpers. Will you decide to be like Jesus in showing honour today?

Jesus is always honouring, especially towards those who have fallen from grace. He will not condone their sins or unrighteousness, but He is always patient and kind to sinners. 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀.

Like Jesus, we honour others when we choose not to listen to gossips about them, and when we choose not to engage in gossip. We honour people when we move in the power of forgiveness, and by openly identifying with them in their shame and humiliation. Don’t cut off your ties with people. Don’t become a “stranger” when a relationship feels like a liability. By “stooping down” to be with people in their seasons of humiliation, we ease their embarrassment.

When we need to speak the truth, as much as possible, we should speak it privately, out of the earshot of others, with a lot of love, sensitivity and tact. Help those who have fallen to confront their sins and encourage them to repent. Very often, it may be a long journey to recovery and restoration. However, keep giving them hope, just like God always thinks the best about us and is always hopeful about our future (Jer 29:11).

Jesus carries a strong spirit of honour (Is 11:2). Honour gives us access to the power of God – to His blessing and favour. Jesus says that honour is the key to experiencing miracles in our lives. When there was a lack of honour, He couldn’t work miracles (Mk 6:4-6). 𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼u𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. Everyone is a person of value and worth to God.

Jesus shows honour by being a very encouraging person. Make it a point to encourage the people you meet every day. The word “encourage” means to “put in courage”. When we believe in people, telling them that they can do whatever God has put in their hearts, we put faith into them. Then, they will start believing in God and in themselves, and ordinary people are transformed into extraordinary ones.

Learn to think the best of others. Remember that God is always thinking the best about us (Jer 29:11). He is a very encouraging Father, and He wants us to do the same. The spirit of honour is the spirit of encouragement!

We have always believed that God is almighty, all-powerful, and that He is totally sovereign. When it comes to the doctrine of predestination, however, we believe that the God of holy love wants a relationship with us that is real and genuine. As such, in His predestination, He allows the following 5 things:

(1) Universal free will
(2) Conditional election
(3) Unlimited atonement
(4) Resistible grace
(5) Conditional perseverance

Here is the explanation why …

We believe in the sovereignty and glory of God. We believe that in our total depravity (fallen nature), we cannot save ourselves apart from grace. However, when it comes to the doctrine of predestination, we must be clear. We don’t accept predestination to mean that before we were born, or even before the world was created, God had already predetermined, solely and unilaterally, who will go to heaven and who will go to hell. (And that He doesn’t give us a real, free choice in this matter!)

This is because when we talk about God’s sovereignty, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 (Col 1:13). God is love (1 Jn 4:8). He is not only full of grace to save, He is also full of mercy, compassion and lovingkindness (Ex 34:6). 𝗛𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 (Jn 3:16). Therefore, although He is almighty, 𝗛𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆. He is a God who limits His own power to permit human beings to freely choose, even if it means we oppose His will. He gives each one the freedom to decide whether to have a personal relationship with Him or not (Josh 24:15; Mk 1:15; Acts 2:38; 16:31 17:30). God wants His relationship with us to be genuine (Jer 29:11-14a; Mt 22:37), and only with free will can it be real. 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗺 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.

Sometimes, people ask, “Why do we teach faith and not the sovereignty of God? When we are sick, why do we keep praying for healing? Why can’t we just accept that God sovereignly wants us to be sick? And if people have serious illnesses, we should be preparing them for death. Their dying (from sickness) is also a sovereign act of God’s power meant for His glory!”

Here is my reply …

In Lk 7, John the Baptist was languishing in prison. He was very discouraged and began to doubt if Jesus was truly the Messiah. He sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He was indeed the Saviour. To be perfectly honest, it was quite an offensive question. Jesus then had a conversation in 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 with the two disciples. He gave a gentle word of correction for them to pass on to John the Baptist. However, not for a moment was Jesus angry or condemning. He had to speak the truth, but He did so with a lot of love, care, tact, and sensitivity.

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆, Jesus had a gentle word of correction for John the Baptist, but 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗹𝘆, he was full of honour for John. He praised John for being a man who was strong in his conviction of God’s Word. He honoured him for his life of self-denial and obedience. He praised him for being so specially appointed and anointed by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. Jesus 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆, but 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗹𝘆.

This is the general rule of thumb in dealing with a difficult relationship situation: W𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰. Jesus was full of honour for His cousin, as imperfect as he may be. Part of maturity in Christlikeness is learning to be loving, forgiving and honouring, just like Jesus is!