Pastoral Letter 06 May 2018

Obedience and giving honour to our parents must always be done in the Lord (Eph 6:1). This means that if what our parents want us to do undermines our faith or causes us to sin, we must not obey. However, I must remind all Christian children and youths that in making your stand for your Christian faith, you must never shout at your parents or be rude to them. What if they stop you from coming to church or they take away your Bible? By all means persuade them gently in love not to do so, but do not “bang table” or use any form of threat to force them to change their mind. If they refused to be persuaded, then honour their decision. If you are below 21 years old (i.e. below the age of independence), you are obligated to come under the control and discipline of your parents.

Since obedience and giving honour to our parents are to be done in the Lord, is it not contradictory if we submit to them when they keep our Bible or forbid us to go to church? There is no contradiction at all. Having our Bible with us and attending church are external actions which are visible, but they do not make us Christians. What makes us a Christian is our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must not at any time deny our Christian faith. If known to us, we must not eat food that has been offered to idols. This is because in so doing, we are considered to be participating in idol-worship which God deems an abomination. If we do not know if the food has been offered to idols, we can eat all things without question. If we are told to bow down or offer joss sticks to idols, we must not do it as it concerns our testimony for our Lord Jesus Christ. As for having a Bible, there are other ways to read God’s Word without owning a hard copy. You can read God’s Word online or on your smartphone or tablet. (Many Bible apps are easily available today for downloading.) You may be forbidden to own a physical copy of the Bible, but you can still access a virtual one.

There are many challenges when our parents are unbelievers, especially if they are strongly against our Christian faith. We must keep praying and believing in God and give our best at home. Be the best Christian son or the best Christian daughter at home. Study hard. Be responsible. Be filial. Let your light so shine in your own home. If your parents finally allow you to have a Bible or to go to church, be sure to thank them, appreciate them, and continue to shine at home and be a blessing to your family. Do not rebel. Do not be lazy. Do not be a disappointment to your parents by wasting away your time and life. Honour your parents for the Lord’s sake. Your Christian testimony at home is extremely important. You may never know how God can use you to lead your unbelieving parents to Christ. May you be a channel of blessing at home. Amen.


Yours in Christ,
Pastor Dennis Kwok



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