My Journal

I have the recording.

This is the summary of the Mandarin version.

The Law reveals 3 natures of God: Justice, Holiness, Kindness (motive of the law giving of the law giver).

From the Law, if one sees God's heart, he surpasses the Law.

Augustine & Martin Luther's righteous war concept allowed killing.

John 8:11 on "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.", NT reveals that the salvation of Jesus is here and he wasn't condemning but to forgive at the time.

Contrasting v. 21: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill" vs. the 6th Commandment:
Same but not the same. One of men (i.e. Moses, preachers, man's interpretations), the other of God. Do not absolutize the word of man using the Word of God.

Example of Copernicus vs. The Church on heliocentric was brought up on the Church's false interpretation of the Word.

1905 The revival of Azusa Street from 5 people to 238 millions of the fake holy spirit revival also brought up as the fake apostolic revival, against the True Word of God. Resulting in the spread of Prosperity Gospel. And now God is using Covid19 to deal with them because when they stream live, they have no good sermons to preach, as they've shortened their sermons for entertainments. And GRII now has 8k-9k local viewers online (foreign viewers number cannot be determined?).

How can any religion teach proper human inter-relationship, unless it learn it from above - The Trinity example!
(My thought: Many American preachers now focus on respecting human rights based on the doctrine of Imago Dei But this is less than the Trinity!!!)

Jean-Paul Sartre was mentioned. His famous principle: Do not let others determine your value, you determine it yourself! Thus, he refused the Nobel prize, because, according to Tong, he refused his value to be determined by the Nobel. Tong admired him able to do what he preaches. But Tong said that he learned later that the true motive of Sartre's refusal of the Nobel was due to his jealousy of his rival Albert Camus who won the Nobel before him. Thus, showing his famous philosophy: "L'enfer, c'est les autres", usually translated as "Hell is other people." Fitting verse 22.

Sartre's "every existence is a lonely island" -> individualism. He said one should run over a old lady who's in the way if you're driving in heavy rain, because of the risk of accident that's going to cause you harm, per Tong on one of Sartre's writings.

Covid19 taught us much lessons. It forces us into separate "islands". Tong has phoned old members (and donating to those of musicians who obviously have no job now) to check on them. We must have interpersonal relationship, to care one another.

v. 22, now we can touch on imago dei. (Although Tong never used imago dei in this sermon, but simply, "created by God") Treating a person so low is not just insult to him, but actually an insult to God, for God created him. Raca is the insult to the person's mind, while Moros is an insult to the person's heart. When one devalues a person as such, it's equivalent to killing.

Jesus already corrected this: Do not use your love for God to love others (for our love for God changes often). But use God's love for us to love others. Another principle better than imago dei on loving others.

v. 23-24. Tong's hymn: 無論何處去我心已備妥, was based on a reminder of him seeing a British missionary lady bathing in the river, as he recollect her love for the locals, and himself following the example in his missions where on one occasion he was nearly bitten by a cobra as he came out of the waters had not someone threw a rock at the snake, as he was walking in the forest studying the Bible pondering on the love of God, the tune of that song came to him, as a principle, when one thought of a tune or some important idea, it must be taken down immediately or else one will lose it in a short time. But Tong couldn't find papers in his Bible to write with his pen on, so he wrote on a leaf, which he had wished to keep for good for sentimental value but it's gone now. So likewise, reconcile with your brother QUICKLY!

Why Jesus mentioned sacrificial altar along with "thou shalt not kill"? Because the first murder of a BROTHER is committed due to the sacrificial altar.

Tong: If you don't like a person, you can dislike him, but you cannot unreasonably scold him. You should see him as God's creation and value him as such. Jesus, unlike us, when seeing a lame, a blind, we call them the blind is here, behold the lame, etc. In John 9:1 "he saw a man...blind". Parents should also refrain from scolding their children as such (raca, moros).

Carlos Kleiber mentioned. Famous conductor, a match for Herbert von Karajan (Karajan even gave his spot to Kleiber when Kleiber showed up in public) or Leonard Bernstein. Living poorly due to his refusal to conduct much, because his father despised him.

Reflection: I certainly should try my best to reconcile with anyone I've harmed in such manner. And to show love and care to those around me, starting with church members and family. May God have mercy upon me. Amen.

Today, my wife and I as usual in these past weeks, did online service via Redeemer's LSQ's online. Chuck Armstrong was the one preaching. I won't comment this time on Chuck's sermon as it's similar to the majority of Redeemer. I would add that I still think Joe Yu's foundation is firmer and has better message.

I've enjoyed their Q&R in these last 2 weeks, and have recorded them. Today, Jeff Yu answered a question (regarding his stands against "Jesus does not picket against the government") beautifully.

We visited Holmdel Park for the first time. About 10 min drive from home. Google Map shows that this park would look great in the Fall with the Fall color. It has a clean lake, which we walked around after a full meal of fried chicken from Walmart. It has a hiking trail which we didn't try but I intend to next time. Lots of families doing fishing by the lake. There's an interesting majority of Jews.

Recalling we've also visited Cheesequake Park a day before (Saturday), doing the Blue Trail (3rd longest = 2 miles). We did the shortest (Yellow), Red trail, and now the Blue one. Last one, Green Trail, will we attempt next time, as it's the last trail and the longest (3 miles).

Also recalling, about a week ago, we went to Gasko's Family Farm for the first time and bought some plants for outside our house. Joe our neighbor was right indeed, Gasko's the greatest in the area...the space is just like Costco, if not bigger.

Prior to that, probably on a Saturday (I think we visited Gasko on Sunday), we visited a new farm just slightly further than the one we checked out last year (Giamarese Farm & Orchards: for weighted strawberry & sugar pea picking). We visited the Von Thun's Country Farm this time. Bought the reservation online as it's claimed to be required on the website (not sure if that's true as I had the feeling not everyone reserved and paid online). $18 total ($6 each of 2 bucket that holds a bit more than 1 lb, $3 each for entrance). Flat fee, not weighted like Giamarese.

Now before I sleep, I listen to catch up with Dr. Tong's 5/31 Chinese sermon in GRII and here's some brief notes:
3 phases of change in convert's life:

1. knowing Christ. Accepting Christ. Become spiritual. All Christians should experience this. Jesus is the Savior in one's heart, the authority of one's heart. (Christians)
2. Change of life, love studying Bible, prayer. Having relationship with the Lord. (Growing Christians)
3. Following reformed principle. Most Christians don't have this as they don't care too much about the truth. (Reformed Christians), a life that's in union with Christ.
4. Filled with the Holy Spirit.
   

"The spirit is willing but not the flesh": Getting the calling of becoming a preacher vs. not actually doing it. A sign of not being filled by the Holy Spirit. ~ Tong.

Any one who doesn't focus his work/message on glorifying Jesus, is not filled by the Holy Spirit ~Tong.

Did the government shut the door of the Gospel? Not it's internal, Christians' fault for shutting their door from outside ~Tong.

A week before that, 5/24, Tong's Bahasa sermon mentioned Tim Keller, DA Carson in KL which he also attended (around January 2020). And that Tong objected to Keller and Carson's assessment that Christians can live without suffering today. Tong claimed that Keller and Carson, after listening to Tong's sermon criticizing this point, changed their teaching to adhere to Tong's "suffering is a necessity to a Christian life". The Mandarin service did not have this part about Keller in KL. I sure hope I could find that KL recording. Already emailed info@kl2020.com for possible recordings to purchase.

First of all, there is no such person who judges not. But why some thinks otherwise? Why the twisting of Matthew 7? The motive comes from the unwilling desire for the SELF to be holy and righteous before God. Why not? It's not practical enough. It's not right to be self-humbling.

One need not be surprised, especially when those who love to tell others "NOT TO JUDGE OTHERS" change their doctrine (e.g. from calling homosexuality a sin to not-sin like Obama). They may not now, but they will change their doctrines.

Because when they say that "Thou shalt not judge", they do not want to listen. They do not wish to be taught by others. They would say...Only God can teach them, not people. Or they may not say that. Because bottom line, they care about what's pragmatic - that which is good for them. Some would struggle a bit, trying to live as of God would want them to, but in the end, when some twisted preacher come along, showing that them "Did God actually say that?" as the serpent did, they would falter because the desire that the serpent offers is far too practical not to ignore. They just needed a permission from someone that seems to have the authority, such as someone with a title of a minister. Some would say, if the minister preached wrongly, it's not the listener's fault...heck, maybe it's not even the preacher's fault, but God's fault, if the listeners were to falter. God's fault in allow such title to be carried by his enemies. Those who knew better, they know that they have run into their own folly. Then there may be some grace of God left in them, for them to repent.

Of course, the other reason, the traditional reason, when one says "Do not judge". But being that by saying that, one has already judged. They say it out of pride.

Conclusion:

The "gods" of these, though they may still be shown God's grace and thus repent, are pride and pragmatism. Thus they MUST always change their theological stands to keep their "gods" happy. They would not allow a 30 year old man who surrounds himself with sinners teach them anything, if that man just a mere carpenter. No, that would not be pragmatic enough. If it were to be a lesson from God, they would need it to be very officially made, publicly proven and accepted, heck, they would call God to display Himself in a supernatural manner, in order for them to confirm a lesson from God. Otherwise...JUDGE NOT, or face crucifixion!

Lesson:

Easy - This type of people is easy to identify: They love the material world (pragmatism), they may claim the love of God, they may even believe it. They would seek after preachers that preaches both mammon and God, to get approval from "god" in their desire. What they would not do: They would not truly be able to be Gospel centered. They cannot truly show love in reach those who need the Gospel. They may support, but cannot do it themselves. Not because God calls not them as they may wish to claim, but because they DO NOT WANT this calling.

I have taught my wife how the fundamentalists aren't truly reformed. For they are anti-intellectuals. That's why B.B. Warfield disassociated himself from the F-group.

Now, I've heard some of them said of those refusing gathering (social) in churches. In the argument of saving lives, these fundamentalists, love to chant: "Why are you so afraid to die, everyone's going to die anyway." I thought to myself, funny why they wouldn't apply their own medicinal statement to themselves in the anti-abortion march - "Why protect babies? they are all going to die anyway one day." The idea is not to challenge their anti-abortionist march, but to ridicule their poor defense.

Yet another occasion, I chanced upon a Facebook posting, how an anti-intellectual was looking arguing with someone who defended how church services could temporarily be held online during this pandemic. The fundamentalist's response was: "But what if we don't have internet anymore?" I thought to myself: I never thought that the Drowning Man fable which I once despised (due to its often use in evangelism) could be so apt in responding to this fundamentalist: That when you die and ask God why didn't you allow me to worship you congregationally? God answers: I gave you the internet!