Big idea:
Preserving Godly values begins with God's people and families
What is Section 377A?
"Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years."
377A existed since year 1938
This petition to repeal became more intense when western countries start to accept LGBT relationships, while Singapore criminalise it.
The Government retained Section 377A for its "symbolic" value without "proactive enforcement" in 2007.
The judicial court may become the battleground for more legal challenges against Section 377A, resulting in other polarizing issues.
1st Learning Point:
Be aware of our society's cultural shift towards liberal western values.
There is a shift within the last decade in Singapore accepting LGBT
Our kids are desensitizing to behaviours, liberal worldview, through social media etc.
What does the Bible says to what's happening around us?
This is not new even in Paul's days
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
The Jews are looking for outward signs, Greeks seeking for world wisdom. Christ gospel could not be understood by the world, yet Paul continue to preach.
Only the gospel can counter the cultural shift toward ungodliness.
2nd Learning Point:
Strengthen family discipleship
The law of the land cannot be the only safeguard against ungodly.
Your choice:
Embrace Godliness or Liberal society?
The society we want in 10 years time begins with us now
The more Scriptural way is to entrench the belief of traditional family in our homes by teaching and living it out.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
A biblical example of young people who persist in the belief:
Daniel 1:8-16
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king. 11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. 13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. 14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
Above is a generational who lives in a babylonians cultural and yet honor God through Godly convictions, who loves and fear God in all of their hearts.
3rd Learning Point:
Live courageously as Christ's imagers in society.
Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Everyone is created in God's image even though we may not share the same values with every group.
All human beings are created in God's image. The status of representing the creator by having dominion over all creation. The different is that believers have Christ to model after and live like Christ. We live like kingdom values, at same time, we know many don't share the same kingdom values like us. These people who oppose are also created in God's image. We must learn to disagree respectfully and yet stand firm in our Godly values. We must allow differing groups to speak, until it reaches against our convictions. Be courageous to speak out our convictions and live out christlikeness, do so without demeaning fellow imagers of God. We are to influence them to become like Christ.
The enemy is already in our home through social media and wifi. Our children must still be in the world yet to disciple them not to live like the world. Not to rely solely on the "moat" (picture above) of the law to deal with issues, but it must be entrenched through discipleship of God's values in our family.
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