The reflecting theologian

I once remember a JC classmate posting on Facebook, saying that he knew why Christianity is so popular in Singapore - because the Scripture is written in English... *facepalm... Immediately, a few people replied in the post to correct the misperception. The thing unfortunately is that today, most Christians don't even realise that the Bible is a translated text. The Bible in English we have today, depending on the translation you use, is normally translated by a group of Biblical scholars who are well-versed in the original language of the original texts. For the Old Testament, it was the Hebrew manuscripts and for the New Testament, it was the Greek manuscript. And I would suppose I need to elaborate more about the world behind and that shaped the New Testament to qualify my comments in my previous post on Galatians 4:4. Particularly zooming in, with relations to where we started off, is the point on the Greek language. One needs to take note that when Alexander the Great, thr...

A passenger to stewardess: Hallo Miss, just want to ask you ah, who and where is this Kevin Khoo ah? He seem to be a very busy man. Everyone is looking for him... Stewardess: Sorry, Kevin Khoo? Not sure what you mean sir.. Passenger: You know Kevin Khoo la.. even the Captain is always looking for him. Kevin Khoo, please be sitted for take off... Kevin Khoo, please return to your station... Kevin Khoo p..lease disarm all doors.. Kevin Khoo, please be sitted for landing.. aiyo! he's so busy la.. why you all never help him one?? Stewardess: Sir, there are 12 of us Kevin Khoos on this flight.. and it's cabin crew.. not Kevin Khoo!!

一對情侶吵架。 女：「你每一樣東西都比不上別人! 男：「對，尤其是女朋友！ --------------------------------------------------------------- 女：你喜歡我天使的臉孔，還是魔鬼的身材？ 男：我。。。我喜歡你的幽默感。 --------------------------------------------------------------- 情人節時。。。 女：親愛的。。。！我喜歡大大的玩偶！ 七夕時。。。 女：親愛的。。。！我喜歡法國香水！ 生日時。。。 女：親愛的。。。！鑽石代表永遠。。。！ 聖誕節時。。。 女：親愛的。。。！我。。。 男：等一下，寶貝。。。！有沒有什麼便宜的東西是你喜歡的啊？ 女：有啊！我最喜歡你了！！！ --------------------------------------------------------------- 男職員向女主管請假。 男職員：「經理，我想請假去向我女友求婚。」 女主管：「（鄙視）難道你沒聽過婚姻是愛情的墳墓？」 男職員想了一想。 男職員：「那麼我請喪假。」 ----------------- ---------------------------------------------- 一天有一對非常要好的朋友一起喝酒。 A突然對B說：「哎。。。你老婆不是不讓你喝酒嗎？怎麼。」 B答：「我在家就像是奔馳在沙漠中的老虎。我會怕她！哈哈。」 不久他老婆從外買菜回來！ B突然大叫：「快。。。武松回來了！幫我把桌子收拾一下！」 --------------------------------------------------------------- 阿山在金門當兵時，慘遭兵變，女朋友要和別人結婚了， 希望阿山能將她的照片寄還給她。 阿山悲痛之際，向戰友們借了二、三十張女孩子的照片， 連同女友的照片一起裝進紙盒裡，寄給移情別戀的女友。 他在信上如此寫著：請挑出自己的照片，其餘的再寄還給我。 --------------------------------------------------------------- 小明：「妹...

In Galatians 4:4, it says that when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son... The timing of Jesus' sending was indeed right. Between the book of Malachi and the book of Matthew, there was a period of around 400 years or so that God prepared the way for Jesus. Briefly speaking, by 6 B.C, the known world then was under Roman control and there was military peace around the land. Roads were built to facilitate transportation. And people then were unified by one language, Koine Greek. In fact, this means that anyone who carries the Gospel would be able to spread the message without need for translation and the fear for their lives in double quick time (by the standards then). What struck me most when I was reflecting on these historical developments (what do you expect a historian to do) is that all these developments were governmental decisions for the purpose of governance and ruling. Little did Alexander the Great and the Caesars to come know, their policy decisions inadve...

For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies a...

You always say I'm unromantic Don't know ways to make a girl tick I must say you're right about it For I am truly unpoetic But I am not dumb And not that stupid It's just that sometimes brain not working So I didn't sleep Used my little wit To write this little bit  (Yai yai yai yai yai yai yai...) You are my ice kachang (ice kachang) In this tropical heat (my heart melts for you...) You are my favourite dessert (ooh la la) So inviting, so sweet Would you like to bo bo cha cha (cha cha cha) Come along and dance with me (shoo bee doo wap shoo bee doo wap) You are my love My tutti fruitti Someone I'd like to eat Every time when we go dating First the movies then go shopping You always hint I'm unexciting It has been so since the beginning But I am not dumb And not so stupid 'Tis just that sometimes I'm a blur king So I didn't eat Used my little wit To write this little bit  (Yai yai yai yai yai yai ya...) You are my ice kachang (ice kachang) In ...

I blogged about myself being a full time minister of God and part time civil servant before. Since then, I have been thinking about this. I think the best way to look at the whole thing and to explain to any other people is that we need to realise our (referring to all people who proclaim Christ as their Lord and Saviour) ultimate employer is God Himself. Hence, whatever work that we undertake, we report ultimately to God. For me, this means that the time I have in waking hours belongs to God, whether I am in work or not. It also means, to put it in the terms of a particular PS in my workplace, we are all knowledge workers and we need to be independent in managing our time. Hence, applying this beyond the workplace, how I manage my life is entirely up to me, whether I am 'professional' when it comes to God's work. The question then directs to my brothers and sisters, if God is our CEO/Boss, then what have He given us in our portfolio that we need to manage? And the work...

I was just reflecting on what happened over the past one week. Last Saturday during service, there was this first time visitor who stepped into our service. He was not invited by any members in the service and walked in because his aunt, who was an ex-member, recommended him to come to our church. He was an honest seeker who was already believing in the existence of God and was close to receiving Christ. And the ushers ushered him to our group. The whole incident was quite amusing but yet divine - we don't know where this guy appears from but he got connected with our group. He is a forex trader, and it happens that two brothers in my group are also doing trading and they clicked at the first instance. During dinner, I was seated at a separate table with him alone and he began to share his background and some of his past struggles and current obstacles in accepting Christ with me. And I didn't know how, but something I said with regard to the book of Job, somehow answered his...