My dear readers,

Be Subject to the Higher Powers!

We thank God for preserving, protecting and prospering Singapore these past 60 years since her founding. God raised men and women to found this island state during turmoil and great uncertainty. No one gave Singapore any hope for survival, as it has no natural resources, and surely no hope of flourishing from third-world to first-world status. Yet God did it. God enabled the people, born in His time and brought together by His omnipotent power, giving them talents to make Singapore what it is today for His glory.

The glory of God includes the founding of sound Christian churches to defend His holy and perfect Word, extending His kingdom to other parts of the world with a strong economy, and helping His children grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ through the preaching and teaching of His Truths with the fear of God in their hearts. We thank and praise God for His goodness, grace and mercy toward Singapore these past 60 years. We also thank God for the successive leaders He gave to Singapore. God gave them wisdom to rule the country with equity, justice and peace, and brought prosperity to Singapore for the furtherance of the gospel, the defence of the Faith and the spiritual growth and well-being of His beloved children.

However, no government is perfect because no man is perfect. We must never forget that behind all governments is the hand of the almighty sovereign God of the Bible. He sovereignly controls all things! Isn’t He the God of heaven and earth? Heaven and earth are the domain of His absolute control. He created the heavens and the earth and all things answer to Him. Regardless of what the sinful world may delusionally deny, even the existence of the almighty God is visibly manifested in His creation; they do so to their own hurt and ultimate destruction. But for God's children, we must not lose heart even when we see the world in great chaos and when evil seems to abound without control and to be unstoppable. We must only interpret all the events of the world, good and evil, from His perspective to know God’s will in our lives.

I suppose some of us might feel upset and disheartened by the rise of evil global powers and the legalisation of sinful behaviour. In that case, we need to know His teaching concerning the powers of man over His beloved children.

Concerning the authorities of man over God’s children, our heavenly Father reveals in Romans 13:1-6, “¹Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. ²Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. ³For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: ⁴For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. ⁵Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. ⁶For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.”

The reasons for submitting include:

• There is No Power but of God – Because our heavenly Father is all-powerful, there is no power on earth that He did not permit and has total control over. For example, powerful men's lives are in God’s hands, for He decides when and where they are born. He determines what talents to give them, from IQ to EQ. He controls who their parents are and all the people in their lives who shape and impact their growth and maturity. How long any man lives is also in God's hand alone. These leaders include all the wicked despots and dictators who have ever lived, not just the good leaders.

• When They Resist Authorities, They Resist God – Since God permits all powers, anyone who resists authorities is, in reality, resisting God. The resistance here refers to all unlawful behaviours. As citizens, Christians may do what is lawful and permitted within the country's law, as long as their witness for Christ is not compromised. Is it lawful to go on strike? If it is lawful, they must only do so as citizens, not Christians. They must not sing hymns while on strike, as this will send the wrong message that Christianity is some political party, which it is not. After Christ was arrested, He said to Pilate in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” Singing hymns during a secular and legal protest hurts the image and witness of Christ. If it is unlawful, then Christians cannot participate.

• Obey Authorities for Conscience' Sake as well – When we break the law, we are punished for our wrongdoing. The law of man is to curb wrongdoings. However, in some instances when one thinks no one is watching and can get away with breaking the law, God says that for His children, they are to let their conscience be the voice that stops them from breaking any law. Christians must have a higher standard because of their Christian witness, for Christ’s holy name is at stake. All Christians bear the holy name of Christ everywhere they go. What they say and do reflect their Saviour, Jesus Christ. The world sees and knows about Christ through the lives of Christians. Therefore, as children of God, we are to pay all taxes dutifully and obey the laws of God for conscience’ sake.

When the laws of man do not cross the line and interfere with what God’s Word teaches, all Christians must obey dutifully, for they are obeying God. However, when the laws of man impact Christians' obedience to God’s Word, they must obey God and bear the consequences of disobeying them. Many Christians lost properties, their families, freedom and their lives because they chose to obey God rather than man. An example is found in Acts 5:26-29: “²⁶Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. ²⁷And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, ²⁸Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. ²⁹Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”