Pastor Ed Lapiz...>>> Isang Tanong Isang Sagot

Q - Tito pano po ba malalaman kung sino ang false teachers? A - Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng "false teacher"? Alin ang false? Yung - content ng teaching? - method of scholarship/study/research?


- yung motives ng teacher? Because no one is perfect, and even Paul says "our prophecy/teaching is imperfect... 1 Corinthians 13:9 (RSV) For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; ...SINO ANG PERFECT AT MAY KARAPATANG MAGSABI NA TRUE TEACHER SYA AT FALSE TEACHER ANG IBA? One has to be so self-centered, self-absorbed and delusional to proudly and arrogantly think of himself as perfect enough to have the right/authority to label others as false. "False" must have a basis/reference. Usually the basis/reference of judgmental teachers is their own teaching. When they say this or that teacher is false, they only mean that the content, method of scholarship or stand of the "false teacher" is DIFFERENT FROM THEIRS. And because they are THE TRUE teachers, then those with a different point of view could only be "false"! The tendency to make such labeling is more rampant among those who do not have enough balanced, broad and decent education, especially among those whose only education and training come from narrow-theologies of religious/ sectarian schools.



 Q - How come there is only one Bible yet various Christian churches have variant interpretations and teachings, often opposing one another?
A - 1. Many congregations were founded BY leaders OR are founded ON the core beliefs/treachings of specific thinkers/theologians/theorists who have different life contexts, degrees of understanding, perspectives and sense of mission. Naturally, their followers who crystallize, formalize and interpret and apply their teachings would take different ways/directions down the road.
 2. Churches are led by persons who were/are A. formally "educated" by sectarian schools, usually founded and financed by religious congregations that create and use the school as training ground for their leaders and teachers. The teachings in those seminaries are usually dictated by the supporting church's theology. The school is there to produce graduates who would eat, live, teach and promote THEIR theology. Such schools are usually NOT known to be objective arenas of free and creative thinking. Students passed if they memorized, parroted and robotically applied the official dogma/articles of faith. They are not encouraged to think differently or to critique their school's official theology. In many ways, seminaries serve as brainwashing machines to produce like-minded missionaries, teachers and shepherds. B. taught and trained personally and informally by their respective shepherds who could be products of the school mentioned above or some similar "trainor". Naturally, "graduates" of schools A or B above would tend to oppose, fight, destroy or try to decimate one another in the same mission field turned battle ground where they COMPETE for converts, followers, disciples and supporters ---all in the name of the same ONE God and inspired by the same ONE Bible. AS LONG as these leaders 1. THINK and believe that they are the only "true" teachers and those with different ideas (who, like them, are only products of their respective schools) could only be "false" teachers, and 2. COMPETE for the same audience, they and the flocks they lead would tend to consider the other groups as competitors that must be overtaken or outright enemies that must be vanquished ---in the "name of God, for the sake of THE truth", and in ways that betray the kind and loving ways of the God they profess to serve.



 Q - Bakit po ang daming pagkakaiba-iba ng paniniwala at ang daming pagtatalu-talo sa matter of faith while there is only one God and one Bible? Paano po matatahimik at mananahimik ang mga believers?

A - Because people treat God and faith like objects of Philosophy, Logic, Reason, Scrutiny, Discourse and even Debate. naturally, there would be a lot of openings for differences of perspective, understanding and interpretation. Paano matatahimik ang belivers? MANAHIMIK. TUMIGIL NG KAIISIP AT KAPIPILIT PAGKASYAHIN ANG ETERNAL GOD SA MGA KAHON NG HUMAN CONSTRUCTS, REASONING, THEORIZING AND THEOLOGIZING. God cannot be studied; how could a finite human mind understand an infinite Divine? Before the eternal and majestic God, the most profound and unifying theology is AWE and SILENCE. Daldalan kasi ng daladalan, pagalingan, paligsaan, etc; lalu lang tuloy lumalabo ang isip at usapan. Habakkuk 2:20New International Version (NIV) The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.




 Q - Nakita ko po kasi yung post niyo about sa "once saved, always saved" Pwede ko po ba na malaman po ang supporting verses at bakit po naging truth po ito biblically. Makakatulong po ito sa pag-end ng condemnation about sa mga taong 'nawalan' daw ng salvation.


A - Citing Bible verses won't/cant settle the opposing points of view tungkol sa "eternal vs non-eternal salvation" kasi both camps cite. hold on to and cling to Bible verses they believe teach/support their stand! smile emoticon Kaya nga hindi matapos ang issue na yan ay parehong humuhugot sa/ng verses ang magkabilang panig. So, just consider other collateral issues which are as important:
 1. What is the best and worst scenario kung a. ETERNAL / HINDI nawawala ang salvation no matter what? BEST: Secure ang lahat ng believers, no matter their last/latest moral performance. God's love, forgiveness, grace really SAVE. Jesus' love and sacrifice, death and resurrection is never wasted. Tahimik at payapa ang loob. Peace is achievable. WORST: Baka abusuhin ng ilan at maging careless and sinful sila kasi very secure? Sa eternal salvation, GOD/JESUS SAVE the sinner who does not deserve salvation but believes in Jesus' saving ministry. b. NON-ETERNAL /NAWAWALA ang salvation?
 BEST: Believers will always be watchful, ever careful not to commit sin. WORST: Believer ka na, condemned ka pa rin in the end pag nagkasala ka. There will never be genuine peace and joy because believers will live in constant fear. Laging stressed kasi nagkakasala pa rin naman talaga habang buhay sa mundo. LAGI KANG NATATAKOT --- AT TINATAKOT AT HINUHUSGAHAN NG KAPWA BELIEVERS.
 Sa non-eternal/losing salvation, it is the sinner who saves himself, kasi sa performance nya naka-asa ang security ng salvation nya. Kaya lang, kaya ba talaga ng tao, no matter how much they believe, to be sinless and to be at performance level every moment of their earthly life?
AT THE END OF THE DAY, HINDI ANG VERSES ANG BASIS NG STAND, kasi nga pareho lang may verses na hawak ang magkabilang panig. PILIIN NA LANG NG TAO KUNG ALING ARRANGEMENT ANG GUSTO NYA PARA SA BUHAY NYA. One's stand on this divided issue cannot change the fact that Jesus came to save. Sayang naman at imperfect pala at kulang ang sacrifice nya kung kailnagan pang laging i-maintain at punuan ng tao ng sarili nyang input/righteousness.



 Q - Bakit po kaya iisa naman ang Bible ay iba-iba ang interpretations at applications ng mga believers?

A - Iba-iba kasi ang 1. pakahuluganng readers to the the same word/s. Many "interpreters" attach different meanings to the same word.
2. knowledge levels ng mga "interpreters"; may mga talagang nag-aaral, mayron namang ang beliefs nila ay namana lang --- naipasa lang sa kanila ng naunang nagturo at kumapit na sila forever sa namanang "kaalaman". May mga nag-aaral talaga at may lumulon na lang ng buung-buo sa unang narinig at wala namang personal scholarly studies.
3. sentiments, mentality and aspirations of the "believers"; they tend to favor the interpretation that best express their own feelings, aspirations, fears and BIASES.
4. theological color ng mga tao; they tend to favor the interpretation that adheres most closely to the articles of faith ng local congregation nila.
5. layunin ng mga "interpreters", but many of them are competing for members/ supporters/ believers kaya ine-emphasize nila ang kanilang "kaibahan" o "correctness" o "katangian". AS LONG AS THESE FACTORS ARE AT PLAY, TALAGANG MAGKAKA-IBA-IBA ANG INTERPRETATIONS NG BIBLE.



 Q - Tito gulong-gulo po ako. Ang dami kong probemang dapat harapin at decisions na dapat gawin. Ano po ang dapat unahin?

A - Unahin mong magpahinga, manahimik at manalangin. Hwag kang gagawa ng decisions kung magulo ang isip, pagod at stressed. Baka marami kang magawang mali and your situation would only get worse!



 Q - Sino po ang dapat kong pahalagahan, nanay ko o wife ko? Ang hirap pong pagsabayin kasi para silang magka-away na mortal.


A - Pareho! Puede at dapat lang na pareho silang pahalagahan. Kaya lang mahirap pagsabayin ay pag may duplication sila ng roles or function. Clearly define to youself, to them and to all concerned kung ano ang magkaiba nilang roles sa buhay mo. Clarify that there would be no need for them to compete with each other as long as they keep to their correct places. Lumugar sila ---o ilagay mo sila sa lugar. Nasa pag-handle at pag-manage mo sa kanila ang malaking bahagi ng solution. If you are not loving, especially of you are cruel in the name of God or religious belief, you disqualify yourself from all claims to godliness or correctness and you should inhibit yourself from all discourses on spirituality. Luke 6:41-43 (NIV) 41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.



 Q - Tito ano po ang pwedeng gawin para iwasan ang lustful thoughts na lagi na lang laman ng utak ko? I'm in my early 20's and I am also sexually obsesed.

A - Una, normal naman yan kasi napakaraming testosterone na nasa system mo at nagpupumiglas makawala. So dont' demonize what is biologically natural and expected. FOCUS on activities that will - get your mind off that singular preoccupation - expend your physical energies in activiies that make you perspire like sports para maubos ang lakas mo sa ibang makabuluhang bagay. - pray and focus on spirituality that transcends physical obsessions Live with that reality. Pag dumarating ang temptation, itaboy mo with prayer and other productive, enjoyable activities.



 Q - Hindi daw po "authorized" by God ang churches na hindi galing sa church namin o hindi kaanib sa church system namin kasi KAMI LANG DAW PO ang tunay na church. Kailangan daw po ay anak, apo o kaapu-apuhan ng mother church namin ang ano mang congregation para maituring na authorized at tunay na church? Pag daw po walang direct connection sa amin, hindi totoong church at wala doon ang pagpapala ng Diyos?


A - KAGILAGILALAS AT NAPAKA PANGAHAS na self-promotion yan! Jesus said in
 Matthew 18:20 King James Version (KJV) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Pag may dalawa o tatlong nagtitipon sa pangalan ni Jesus, nananalig at tumatawag sa kanya, naroon sya! At basta may taong nagtitipon at naroon si Jesus,
MAYROONG CHURCH! Hindi kailngang ang FRANCHISE mula sa sinumang group na gustong solihin ang pagiging kaisa-isa at tamang church! Paano naman lilikha ang Diyos ng isa lang na group para yun lang ang pagpalain nya? Tapos lahat sa labas noon ay illegitimate at hindi tunay? Come on! Many conservative, restrictive, controlling and suffocating TEACHINGS do not come from GOD but from conservative, restrictive, controlling and suffocating TEACHERS who look at, read, interpret and apply Scripture through their conservative, restrictive, controlling and suffocating mindsets. Unknown to people, COMPLAINTS are PRAYERS.
What you complain about, you actually pray for/about! That is why what you complain about keeps happening/repeating. Change your thoughts and verbal pronoucements (They are prayers!) and what happens around/to you will change too! DOUBLY PRODUCTIVE PASTORS How could pastors - become/remain financially productive and independent from the church which cannot/ usually does not give significant salaries? - do their spiritual ministry AND continue to pursue their other professional/creative interests? - avoid becoming a major recipient of usually limited church finances? The Answer: DOUBLY PRODUCTIVE PASTORS!


 Q -Love doesn't keep a record of wrongs. Pero Tito, bakit po kaya naaalala pa rin natin ang sakit na idinulot sa atin ng mga mahal natin, at sa tuwing naaalala ay may kirot pa rin?

 A - natural lang yun. ibig sabihin lang nung verse, hindi ka na gaganti o patuloy na makiki-away. pero hindi naman ibig sabihin na nawalan ka na ng memory!



 Q - Is too much of everything bad? Including too much prayer? Hyper faith in prayer where one stops all the daily necessary routine to support life & all the time just pray and pray?

A - Ecclesiastes 7:18 (NIV) ....
Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. Pastors who - keep their non-church employment or businesses. - continue to pursue/practice their other vocations while serving as pastors.
- DO NOT need to RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT SALARIES from the church because they have other sources of income.
PUEDE YAN. KAYA YAN. HINDI KAILANGANG MAGING "FULLTIME" ang pastors basta mag-develop ng team of gifted, dedicated people who will share leadership and ministries. Hindi kailangang solohin/balikatin ng pastor ang lahat ng ministries. Bagong pauso lang ang ganyan. Noong first-generation church, SHARED ang leadership; SHARED ang ministrations according to spiritual gifts/capacities. The one-man/pastor rule is a departure from the original church model.

Ephesians 4:11-13Contemporary English Version (CEV) 11 Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, 12 so that his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. 13 This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him.


 Q - Naponood nyo po ba yong news about po dun s strange sounds (like trumpet sounds ) from heaven? Ano po ba ang opinion nyo tungkol dun?

 A - Natural occurrence yun! Every effect has a cause. May scientific explanation yun. I won't attach religious value to that, except for the reminder for us to read the teachings of Jesus in the Bible.
 KUNG KAKAUSAPIN TAYO NG DIYOS, YUNG AY SA PAMAMAGITAN NG MGA TURO NI JESUS, hindi sa mga kulug-kulog, kidlat-kidlat, bula-bulaklak, at mga kwento ng mga "namatay, nakarating sa kabilang buhay at bumalik ng may mensahe para sa sangkatauhan".
 ANG ATUPAGIN NATIN AY PAG-ARALAN AT SUNDIN ANG MGA TURO NG JESUS NA NASA BIBLIA.
Hebrews 1:2 (NIV) 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
John 14:6 (NIV) 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 20:31 (NIV) 31 But these are written that you may believe[a] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. Intelligent, informed and progressive faith does not need theatrical props to receive messages from God. < MAG-INGAT sa religious leaders na - sobrang focused sa "Tithes, Offerings, First Fruits, Etc ++" para magkapera ang organization pero halos nagpopromote ng poverty among members, especially sa workers, dahil ang ibig sabihin sa kanila ng "living by faith" ay "living in want". - sobra ang pressure sa followers na laging bumabad sa "ministry" kahit napapabayaan na ang kani-kanyang familes, studies o hanapbuhay. - pinanghihimasukan hanggang very private lives/decisions ng followers. In other words, "shepherds" na - nakakapagpa-pobre ng followers/workers habang pinayayaman ang "church". - nakakasakal. - nakakapagpakitid ng isip. JESUS SAYS:
John 10:10 (NIV) 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. KAY JESUS, FULL AND ABUNDANT LIFE. SA PHARISEES, TIIS, HIRAP AT GUTOM.
Matthew 11:28-30Contemporary English Version (CEV) 28 If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke[a] I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. 30 This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light. KAY JESUS, RESTFUL AND EASY sa kalooban. SA PHARISEES, HIRAP AT PAGOD sa kalooban --- at sa katawan at bulsa.
Matthew 23:1-5 (CEV) Jesus Condemns the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law of Moses 23 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. 3 ...but don’t do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else. 4 They pile heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and won’t lift a finger to help. MAG-INGAT AT UMIWAS SA MGA MODERN-DAY PHARISEES.