In Contemplation of Singapore’s 59th National Day
If You Also Love Singapore
Written by Elder Li Huan, translated by Huang Qiyuan
“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7)
Every August, the nation of Singapore celebrates – schools, government institutions and the general public express their blessings for Singapore and their hopes for the nation’s future in their own ways. As Christians, in addition to being thankful to God for the peace and stability that we enjoy in Singapore, we should also ponder more deeply about our duty and mission as Christians living in Singapore.
The recent Paris Olympics opening ceremony sounded another alarm of the end times. What should have been a globally celebrated sports event turned into an LGBTQ+ revelry, a display of indulgent desires, bloody scenes, and vulgar language. The event featured drag queens imitating “The Last Supper” and a nearly naked god of wine at the table, as well as references to the Bible such as the golden calf in Exodus that tempted Israel to sin and the rider on a pale horse in Revelation. This chaotic spectacle was like a Satanic party, a feast of Sodom, a blatant declaration of the Antichrist. It not only brought about shock and anger, but also filled us with sorrow and anguish for the fallen state of the world.
The “chaos” in Western society today began with moral decline, which in turn started with the decline of faith. The French Revolution in 1789, which championed “liberty”, “equality”, and “fraternity”—slogans that are considered “politically correct” today—devolved into a bloody revolution because of the weakening faith in French society, resulting in the death of many. Later on, the Marxist ideology inspired by the Paris Commune plunged humanity into a large-scale communist movement, ultimately leading to the death of nearly 100 million people worldwide and the rise of authoritarian governments that cruelly persecuted citizens and Christians.
Today, Christianity is generally in decline across Europe. Many grand cathedrals have been converted into bars and entertainment venues. The Catholic population in France, which once boasted the largest number of believers, is now less than 30%, and less than 8% of them regularly attend church. Many other European countries are also experiencing a strong trend of secularisation. The arts presented in Europe today are no longer the splendid, brilliant, noble and elegant arts of the past but more often decadent, absurd, violent and indulgent arts. The shocking performance at the 2024 Olympics is a confession of secularism! The Europe that once brought the gospel of Christ and Christian civilisation to the world is now accelerating its “de-Christianisation” process.
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, the U.S. is still living in the shadows of Marxism. We see a deep division in the U.S. since the 2020 presidential election, which stems from differences in faith and ideology. Tracing back to post-WWII, Cultural Marxism started to emerge in the U.S., it deliberately created sharp divisions in race and culture, sparking the “woke” movement and promoting so-called “political correctness”, and became so prominent in the U.S. like the Ten Commandments in the Bible. Various “politically correct” movements—such as LGBT rights, radical feminism, and Black Lives Matter—have deeply torn American society and gradually steered the country, founded by Puritans and rooted in Calvinist theology, away from Christ.
This phenomenon has already begun to overflow and impact Singapore, particularly the younger generation who primarily speaks English. The values and information they receive from social media and the digital world are mostly from Western society. The impact of this trend will be swift and powerful! Yet, many Christians are the “silent” community, either fearful or disdainful, to express our faith stance and values publicly or on social media and in society. Consequently, God’s justice and love, Christian values and the precious truth of the Bible diminish their influence on this world, and the “city on a hill” slowly dims its light.
Dear brothers and sisters, if you, like me, deeply love this nation of Singapore, then you must stay vigilant! We must not be the ten virgins without oil but instead, be like Nehemiah who led the Israelites to rebuild the wall—working and fighting at the same time. In our fight we use not a sword, gun, or internet violence, but the gospel of Christ, the Bible in our hands, and courage to speak up for the Lord, resisting the attacks of the evil one and defending the truth!
Dear brothers and sisters, if you also love Singapore, then lift up your hands in prayer! Pray for this fallen generation, for lost souls, and for our descendants. In Israel’s first battle after the exodus, Israel prevailed whenever Moses lifted his hands in prayer. Likewise, our prayers are the battle cry on the battlefield, the most lethal attack against Satan and the devil!
Dear brothers and sisters, if you also love Singapore, then you should love the Kingdom of God even more! For this world and its desires will pass away, nations, wealth and fame will all eventually become dust. Only the Kingdom of God will last forever! No matter how good the earthly kingdom may be, it is not our ultimate hope, so seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness!
Dear brothers and sisters, if you also love Singapore, then rise up with zeal for God’s Kingdom! When Paul saw the city full of idols in Athens, he was deeply troubled and boldly proclaimed the way of the Kingdom! Today, we face an even more corrupt era. How can we remain silent? We must be united, serve diligently, sow seed earnestly, and actively spread the gospel so that the gospel of Christ can be proclaimed in Singapore and all around the world. As Christians obey God to do His will, may God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
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