Asian Beacon

Violence in the Home
Asian Beacon
February-March 2014 Vol 46 No.1
Asian Beacon
Y o u r C o n t e m p o r a r y C h r i s t i a n M a g a z i n e Established 1969
PP2007/10/2012(031036) MCI (P) 064/09/2013
Crime
times
Gangsterism’s
Good Values
Five Crimes
Christians
Should Avoid
From Prison to Petros
Watchful in a
Watching World
From Curse to
Blessing
Don’t be a Shellfish
You and Your
Household
Art by Ernest Zacharevic

Asian Beacon
Editorial
Editorial Board
Ms Mok Shi-Lynn (Editor)
Ms Jhong (Sub-editor)
Dr Lim Poh Ann
Dr Wong Lock Jam
Ms Goldie Chong
Advisors
Pas Dr Chew Weng Chee
Rev. Loh Soon Choy
Mr Wong Young Soon
Mr Eugene Yapp
Pas Dr Daniel Ho
Legal Advisor
Mr Steven Fung
Sales & Marketing Manager
Mr Steven Teo
Administration and Finance
Ms Suet Cheng Lai
Executive Committee
Chairman
Mr Goh Khoon Seng
Vice-Chairman
Dr Wong Lock Jam
Hon Secretary
Mr Lee Poay Keong
Hon Treasurer
Ms Loke Che Ching
Committee Member
Mr William Tan
Ms Charmain Sim
Mr Robert Mah
Publisher
Persaudaraan Asian Beacon Malaysia
P O Box 240, Jalan Kelang Lama, 58700 Kuala Lumpur
An inter-denominational Christian magazine, Asian Beacon is published six times a year by
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Crime is never a pleasant topic. And
because February is the month of some major
celebrations (Chinese New Year and Valentine’s
Day), the question I was frequently asked: “why
talk about such a disheartening topic during these
happy occasions?” was not at all unexpected.
The answer is simple: because crime has unfortunately
become a part of our everyday lives. Most of us have been, or know
people who have been, victims of crime. It may not be as bad for
our readers in Singapore or Australia, but if you’re residing in any
of the major cities in Malaysia, you probably live with the spectre
of crime and violence every single day.
Surrounding ourselves with high walls, boom gates, CCTV
and private security is one way to tackle the problem. But that’s just
managing the symptoms of the problem. At the risk of sounding
simplistic, real change – the kind that comes from the inside out,
at a national level and for individuals – can only come from the
Gospel and a relationship with Jesus Christ.
No, don’t take it from me. Hear from our featured personalities
Philip Mok and Jonah Chan who had their lives turned around, in
From Curse to Blessing and Gangsterism’s Good Values. Domestic
violence is a serious crime not often talked about within Christian
circles. Our regular columnist Dr William Wan sheds some light on
the issue in Violence in the Home. With such sky-high crime rates,
how are we supposed to live ‘victorious lives’? Our contributor
ponders this question in How Not to be a Hermit.
Moving away from crime, we have a heart-warming testimony
of salvation in You and Your Household; and the story of a man’s
journey to understanding eternal truths when faced with his
mortality in Facing Life’s Toughest Battle.
Finally, if you’re wondering why this issue of Asian Beacon
is thinner than usual, it’s because we have done away with
advertisements starting from this issue. This is also the first issue
that is free of charge. Get the details on page 5: Asian Beacon
Enters Bold New Phase. As always, we want to hear from you, so
write to us at asianbeacon@yahoo.com.
Stay safe and enjoy the issue!
Shi-Lynn
http://www.facebook.com/AsianBeacon
A r t b y E r n e s t Z a c h a r e v i c
MISSION
• z To help readers understand contemporary issues in the light of God’s word and to apply it to life’s challenges.
• z To testify to God’s love and power in transforming lives, families and communities.
• z To contextualise biblical principles within the Asian culture.
• z To be an agent of change in making our world a better place.
VISION
Your Beacon of Hope

contents
9
COVER STORIES
9 From Curse to Blessing
By Mok Shi-Lynn
12 How Not to be a Hermit
By Ngui Yuen Loong
14 Violence in the Home
By Rev Dr William Wan
16 Gangsterism’s
Good Values
By Jonah Chan
17 From Prison to Petros
By Rev Pax Tan
20 From Divine Grace
to Criminal Law
By Rev Dr William Wan
FEATURES
8 The Emerald Promise
By Charmain and Chester Fernandez
24 Watchful in a Watching World
By Dr Lim Poh Ann
26 Reflections... Facing Life’s
Toughest Battle
By Mee-Lok Teng
28 You and Your Household
By Rosalind Oh Leo
30 A Christian’s Confession:
I Suffer from Depression (Part 2)
By Mok Shi-Lynn
22
Don’t Be a Shellfish
By Veronica Wee
12
14
20
REGULARS
4 Letters
7 News
31 Dear Goldie
By Goldie Chong
32 m o n e y m a t t e r s
Five Crimes Christians
Should Avoid
By Rajen Devadason
34 m a k i n g s e n s e o f s c r i p t u r e s
Do We Have a Choice?
From Project Barnabas
32
February-March 2014 Vol 46 No. 1

L e t t e r s
Letters have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Your issue on fitness and health is a timely reminder to me. I
am encouraged by the write-up on Isaiah Kee and his partner that
you can still have a kingdom mindset in doing something you
love. Rev Dr William Wan’s Huff and Puff and Staying Strong in
his ‘senior citizen’ age alerted me that if I want to live well into my
senior years, I better shape up physically now.
Cheu KY
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
Write To Us
We would like to hear from you. Please include your name
and address. Letters will be edited.
Email: asianbeacon@yahoo.com / shilynnab@gmail.com
Fax: (603) 7726 1740
I read the article about Your Incredible Mind and Dr Caroline
Leaf. Shi-Lynn took a very complex topic and boiled it down to the
most important parts. What a great two-page article! It’s practical,
and I hope that other people are encouraged by it as much as I
have been.
Ellen Elwell
Illinois, USA
Thank you very much for the article, Your Incredible Mind. More
of such articles in the future, please.
Thank you also for the many useful and interesting articles in
Vol 45 No 5 [Health issue], especially the testimonies of Dr Tan
Chong Tin and Rev Dr William Wan.
Chow Chan Yoke
Bentong, Pahang
Thank you for the wonderful work you are doing through Asian
Beacon. The magazine is really transformed and is so much more
engaging than it ever was, particularly for this generation.
I popped into your Facebook page recently and was amazed by
the number of likes, and also by all the comments and activities.
Good job!
Lincoln Wee
Kyoto, Japan
Thanks for the wonderful work at AB. I especially enjoyed the
Missions issue. The stories were captivating and inspiring. I’m sure
they were not easy to come by. It would have been really helpful
to those interested in missions if small asides could be added to
inform of areas where they could be directly involved.
Thanks too for the honour of participating in AB sometimes
with my stories.
Keep up the good work. AB is indeed a blessing to readers.
Goh Bee Lee
Batu Pahat, Johor
ASIAN BEACON is hiring. Think you’ve got the
write stuff? Write in right now!
WRITER
{ Full time position}
You should…
• Be passionate about writing, reading and are widely read
• Be creative and curious
• Be persistent and determined to get a good story
• Possess analytical skills and solid thought processes
• Be aware of current issues that affect the Church in Malaysia
Requirements
• Must be a Christian
• Actively involved in a local church
• Excellent command of both written and spoken English
• Willing to travel around Klang Valley (or beyond) on assignment
• Willing to occasionally work beyond standard working hours
(evenings and weekends)
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A reference from your church pastor/elder or letter of
recommendation from the church may be requested.
Fresh graduates with strong writing skills are
encouraged to apply.
Please send in your resume and samples of your work to
asianbeacon@yahoo.com and shilynnab@gmail.com
or call 03-77254109 for enquiries.
4 a s i a n b e a c o n

Asian Beacon
enters bold
new phase.
Asian Beacon is a non-profit interdenominational
Christian magazine,
established in 1969, to encourage readers
towards a deeper walk in their faith and to
share the good news of Jesus Christ.
With the rapid advancement in digital
technology over recent years, Asian Beacon
responded accordingly in order to remain
relevant. In September 2013, we kick-started
our digital strategy with the launch of two
digital initiatives – an electronic version
of the magazine through an e-publication
platform and a freshly revamped website.
Through the use of electronic media, Asian
Beacon has been made more accessible via
different platforms in order to reach a wider
spectrum of readers, without the restraint
of borders or logistical challenges. Readers
can now search three years of articles in our
online archives, and we aim to have all 45
years of Asian Beacon content available online in the future.
Commencing January 2014, our bi-monthly printed magazine
will be distributed to all interested parties without any charge or
subscription fee. In addition, there will be no advertisements in
both the printed and digital versions of the magazine. This step
was taken after much prayer and deliberation, and in consultation
with church leaders and our advisers.
Asian Beacon remains committed in being a full-fledged
literature ministry in support of churches and Christian-based
organisations to reach out and testify to God’s love and power in
transforming lives, families and communities. The magazine is
currently serving a readership of 15,000 across Asia, and we aspire
to raise this figure to 50,000 with the rollout of our digital strategy.
As Asian Beacon moves into the digital arena, our goals have
also expanded – we seek to be more than just a magazine. Our
revamped website aims to be a central hub for Christian resources.
With the following services provided free of charge, we seek to be a
collaborator among the Christian community:
E-Magazine Publication Platform: E-newsletter (Churches
and Christian-based organisations), magazines, books and other
Christian publications
Events: Listing of Christian seminars, conferences, workshops,
camps, concerts, etc
Classified: Listing of services and needs
Vacancy: Job listings from Christian-based organisations
We are very grateful to all our supporters, such as donors,
subscribers, churches, advertisers and distributors, for their
contribution and support to the Asian Beacon ministry over the
past many years. We are also thankful to our advisers for their
godly counsel and encouragement in our new direction. From
2014 onwards, with our new direction for the ministry, we look
forward to the continuing partnership of our supporters to bring
this ministry to greater heights in serving the Christian community.
Once again, thank you for your support and prayers.
Executive Committee, Asian Beacon
Online Articles and Archives: www.asianbeacon.org
E-magazine and e-library: www.asianbeacon.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AsianBeacon
a s i a n b e a c o n
5

news
The people of Setapak were treated
to a unique Christmas celebration when
local Chinese churches came together
for the Christmas Joy Setapak Jubilee
Malaysia. Co-organised by a network
of Chinese churches in Setapak (Muk
En Methodist Church, Melawati
Chinese Methodist Church, Praise
Sanctuary AOG, Tabernacle of David,
KL Christian Fellowship, Church of
Living Streams, Logos Presbyterian
Church) and Muk En Community Care
Centre, the event which was held from
December 20 th to 22 nd , attracted more
than 2,000 people over three nights.
The purpose of the event was to
Christmas Joy in Setapak
proclaim that Christmas is about the
birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour and
King. It also highlighted that Christmas
is a season of love, peace, joy and hope.
There was a lively Christmas Street
Bazaar that had more than 30 stalls
selling food, beverages and merchandise,
and 13 game booths. The night of the
21 st was particularly festive thanks to
a Christmas float parade, where five
beautifully decorated floats cruised the
streets accompanied by cyclists and teams
dressed in different costumes. There were
also stage performances, carollers, even a
performance by a local artiste.
In the spirit of Christmas, all proceeds
from the Christmas Street Bazaar sales
were donated to SJK (C) Wangsa Maju,
a Chinese primary school that required
funds to complete construction. The
event raised RM20,000 for the school.
Dato’ Dr Tan Kee Kwong, Member
of Parliament for Wangsa Maju, was
present to flag off the float parade. In
his speech, he said that it was good
that churches could work together for
the benefit of the community, and that
all citizens ought to contribute toward
better education in our country. He
hoped that more such activities could
be held in order to build a healthy and
compassionate community.
Church members joyfully walked the streets
despite the wet weather.
The float from Muk En Methodist Church
with a reindeer sleigh theme.
The float from Tabernacle of David
showcased the Wise Men bearing gifts.
Students from Eaglekids Education Centre gave an
adorable performance.
Christmas carollers from Melawati Chinese Methodist Church.
Photos by Joseph Hong.
The Christmas Float Parade flagged off by Dato Dr Tan Kee Kwong (right).
All kinds of tasty and interesting foods were available at the
street bazaar.
6 a s i a n b e a c o n

news
Congratulations
To
Executive Committee member of Asian Beacon, Charmain Sim, and Chester Anthony Fernandez
on your marriage. Wishing you a blessed, joyful and God-glorifying life together.
P h oto s by Shafiq and Adrian Hoe of iSimplez photo g r a p h y.
Asian Beacon
wishes you a blessed and joyous Chinese New Year.
“True humility and respect for the Lord
lead a man to riches, honour, and long life.”
Proverbs 22:4
a s i a n b e a c o n
7

feature
The Emerald Promise
By Charmain and Chester Fernandez
Asian Beacon’s very own Executive Committee member,
Charmain Sim, recently wed her sweetheart Chester Fernandez.
Here is the story of Asian Beacon’s amusingly fortuitous role in
Chester’s search for the perfect engagement ring.
Charmain: An
evergreen love
Chester and I had known each
other for some eight years, were
corresponding friends for six
years, and had been a couple
for almost a year. Marriage was
in mind, so I knew a proposal
was due. What I didn’t expect
was Chester asking if I had a
preferred engagement ring. So
I said, “An emerald ring would
be nice.”
I had my reasons: diamonds
are overrated; diamonds are
not exclusive to engagement
rings; green is a unique color;
emeralds are classic; and the
emerald happens to be my
birthstone. Last but not least,
the stone was to be a reminder
to nurture an evergreen love. An utter
romantic, I hoped the ring would carry
greater meaning than a mere status symbol.
I guessed that an emerald would be
slightly harder to find than diamonds,
but my seemingly innocuous request sent
Chester on a whirlwind of a search.
Chester: My ring hunt
I knew nothing about diamonds; I knew
less than nothing about emeralds. This one
was definitely a bombshell. My adorably
naïve plan to walk into a jewellery store,
pretend like I knew what I was doing, and
walk out with something perfect was out
the window.
Because of my career as a marine
engineer, I sail often and have limited time
on land. Friends were roped in to help; I
took a trip to Singapore and secret drives
to KL from Malacca. But my ring hunt
was fruitless. Even if there were emeralds,
they weren’t ‘right’, and it took too long to
A mysterious emerald rainbow arced in front Chester and Charmain
custom make a ring. Weeks passed, and I
grew despondent.
Then, one day, while browsing a copy
of Asian Beacon with Charmain, I spotted
an advertisement by a store called Hong
Kong Gem. I was so excited I almost
shouted, “Hey, gems!”
But I wisely kept quiet. I later called
the store and reached the owner’s wife,
Ms Choi, and set up an appointment.
Cue another secret drive! At the store, Ms
Choi showed me a particular emerald. All
the ones I had previously viewed paled in
comparison to this gem: it was beautiful,
it was resplendent, it was perfect. She
promised to finish the ring in two weeks,
faster than any other jeweller I visited, but
she went the extra mile and finished it in
a week.
When I collected the ring, Ms. Choi
said, “It’s amazing how this has panned out:
I’m rarely at the store, but it so happened
that I was here to answer your call. At the
end of this week, I’ll be in Hong Kong, so
you’ve got this perfect window
before I leave. I really believe
that God has a hand in this ring.”
Awed, I could only concur with
her at this divine favour.
Charmain: The
emerald rainbow
That same week, Chester
asked my father for my hand in
marriage. Days after, he set up
a beautiful, quiet and intimate
proposal in my garden one
night that had him on one knee,
holding the emerald ring, asking
me to be his wife. Of course, I
said, “Yes.”
After hearing about his long
search, I felt guilty. But he turned
to me and said, “You’re worth it.”
Chester went above and beyond
my expectations. The effort that went into
attaining the gem on my hand made it even
more valuable in my eyes.
Upon our announcement, a friend
wrote, “Did you know that in the book
of Revelation, John saw a cloud around
the throne of God and described it as
an emerald rainbow?” He pointed to
Revelation 4:3: “And the one who sat
there had the appearance of jasper and
ruby. A rainbow that shone like an
emerald encircled the throne.”
This story is not just about an
emerald ring. It is about the love of our
Father in heaven who had watched over
our lives from time unknown up until our
season of courtship. And now, looking
on hindsight at the circumstances of the
ring hunt, we know that God has set an
emerald rainbow as a promise to continue
watching over us as we commit to each
other and to Him on our new journey
as one.
8
a s i a n b e a c o n

COVER STORY
Photos by Kevin Thomas
From
Curse
to
Blessing
By Mok Shi-Lynn
a s i a n b e a c o n
9

COVER STORY
Philip Mok Sew Kwong is the
founder of Rumah Victory, which currently
consists of 12 homes dedicated to helping
drug addicts, orphans, delinquents and
others. Looking at him, you may not guess
that he was once deeply immersed in the
violent and shadowy world of gangs and
drugs. Now in his sixties, his passion is to
help others who live the hopeless lifestyle
that he once did.
“When I was young, I was frequently
beaten by my father. I never knew why as
neither my father nor mother ever gave
a reason. I often wondered if I was their
biological child; I even asked my mother
once. She told me off and said that I was
crazy,” he shared.
The mistreatment at the hands of
his father planted a deep hatred in him.
“I promised myself that when I grew up,
I would take revenge on my number one
enemy. And that enemy was my father,” he
revealed.
The absence of love and comfort at his
home made Mok seek affection elsewhere.
He dropped out of primary school and
sought the company of friends. By the
time he was a teenager, they had started
committing minor crimes.
However, the resentment that Mok felt
for his father continued to grow. One day,
he snapped and beat his father repeatedly
with a bamboo pole, injuring him severely.
“The villagers were shouting at me to stop.
‘Don’t hit him, he’s your dad!’ they yelled.
I couldn’t hear them and I couldn’t stop
beating my father. I unleashed all the hurt
and anger that I had kept inside for more
than a decade. I hit him so hard until the
bamboo pole broke,” he revealed.
Mok then turned to his friends for
shelter. “All my friends were gangsters
and they supported me by providing food
and a roof over my head. Eventually, I
joined them and became a member of
a gang called Hong Clan (Hong Men in
Mandarin). Even in those early days, I was
eyeing the position of gang leader.”
Being part of a gang provided Mok
with a sense of security. “I had a Tai Kor
(big brother or gang leader) to protect me.
I didn’t have to worry about making ends
meet since food, accommodation and even
living expenses were taken care of. I just
followed the group and did what they did,
which included getting into fights.”
When he was 19, the gang’s Tai Kor
was hacked to death. Many gang members
swore vengeance, but first, a new leader had
From gang leader and drug addict to a leader in the
drug rehabilitation ministry, Philip Mok’s story is a
testament to the Gospel’s life-changing power.
to be chosen. Senior members selected five
candidates for the position, and Mok was
one of them. He won the vote and became
the next Tai Kor. Mok was elated and
spread the word about his new position
and the increased power he wielded. But
the time soon came when he had to prove
his mettle.
“One day, one of my subordinates was
attacked and injured by a member of a rival
gang,” he shared. “Of course, he couldn’t be
admitted to a hospital for treatment. Our
gang members were calling for blood. And
in order to prove I was a strong leader, I
had to act. But I also knew that wisdom and
clever tactics were necessary for survival. I
stopped my members from charging into a
fight with the other gang and told them to
wait for my instruction.”
A week later, Mok saw the culprit
together with three members of the rival
gang. He informed his subordinates of his
plan, then took a machete, hid it in a rolledup
newspaper and rode on his motorcycle
toward the rival group. When he neared the
group, he took out his machete and slashed
the culprit across the torso. That was the
sign to his subordinates: in the chaos, they
charged in and attacked the four men while
Mok rode away.
As an act of vengeance, it was deemed
a success and Mok earned the respect of his
gang members.
The slide into drug addiction
“My father passed away in 1971,” Mok
said. “Immediately after the funeral, the
chief inspector of the police came and
brought me in for questioning. They
questioned me for more than 10 hours.
I was eventually released, but this made
me worry more because I knew they were
following me and monitoring my every
move. The pressure began to wear on me
and I started taking drugs and a lot of
alcohol.”
When he was 22, Mok met a young
lady and fell head over heels for her.
However, when the girl’s family discovered
that he was a gang leader, the girl’s father
took her away in the night, putting an
end to their eight-month courtship. Mok
was devastated as it was the first time he
was in a romantic relationship, and had
been getting ready to marry his girlfriend
and start a new life. To deal with the
disappointment, he took even more drugs.
Mok could still fight and lead the
gang for a few years after taking drugs.
Soon, however, he started taking money
from the gang’s coffers to support his drug
habit. The senior members of the gang
told him to quit, so he tried all means to
rid himself of the addiction. He went to a
temple in Thailand then a Hindu temple,
had verses chanted over him, read the
Quran, even had cow dung smeared on
his body, to no avail.
“No matter what I did, I just could not
stop craving drugs,” Mok shared. “Once, my
mother locked me at home to prevent me
from obtaining drugs. But when the craving
started, I kicked the door down and left.”
Some years later, he was caught in
possession of drugs and sentenced to
a year in jail. While in jail, he started
thinking about going to church. “I felt
ashamed because I used to hit my sister
and yell at her when she talked to me about
Christianity. Our family had always been
Taoist.” But his sister persisted. When he
came out from prison, she suggested a
Christian rehabilitation centre in Klang.
Mok agreed to go, but his goal was only to
quit drugs; he wanted nothing to do with
Jesus or the Christian faith.
On his third day of abstinence at
the centre, Mok experienced the worst
suffering he had ever felt in his life. “I
cannot begin to describe how terrible it
felt,” he said. In the midst of his withdrawal
symptoms, seven men came into his room
and told him that they wanted to pray for
him. “When they started praying, I felt
like I was being burnt by fire. I felt so very
hot and starting shouting. I didn’t know
what was going on, only that it felt like I
was dying.”
The next morning, Mok awoke early
and felt relaxed and refreshed, having
awoke from the best sleep he had had
in a long while. He discovered that the
10 a s i a n b e a c o n

seven men who had prayed for him had
once suffered the same addiction and
withdrawal symptoms as he, and that God
had saved them.
A new beginning
After some time had passed, the leader
at the centre asked Mok if he would like
to accept Jesus Christ. He repeated the
sinner’s prayer after the leader, but about
two-thirds of the way through, Mok began
crying and could not stop. “Even when I
was five years old and my father hit me, I
never cried. But this time, I sobbed for two
hours. I cried and pleaded my guilt before
God. Later, I felt so relieved, like I had put
down a heavy burden. I tasted what the
Bible said, that God will give you rest. Jesus
Christ is indeed the real God,” he shared.
June 1, 1979 marked the day when
Mok was reborn.
The Bible was invaluable to him, but
he had to first learn how to read. “I asked
God for help. I also drew a lot of pictures
to represent the words in the Bible. And I
told myself that I must learn to read, write
and memorise three words a day,” he said.
He was also placed in charge of the kitchen
at the rehabilitation centre. “They love me
because I can cook, whereas they can’t.
And my cooking is good,” he laughed.
When he felt he was ready, Mok prayed
to God for a wife. Three years after he quit
drugs, he met his future wife and was soon
married. Furthermore, his wife’s family was
very accepting of him, despite knowing of
his past.
When he was 37, God gave Mok his
first child. “I kept praying when my wife
was in labour that my wife would be well
and the child healthy,” he said. “When I saw
my firstborn smile at me for the first time, I
started to cry. I told God ‘I made the right
choice in believing in You’.” Mok has three
happy, healthy children whom he described
as “good kids”.
He now heads a Christian non-profit
organisation called Rumah Victory, which
runs 12 homes all over Malaysia with the
chief aim of rehabilitating drug abusers.
In the 25 years of running Rumah Victory,
Mok has seen many lives turned around
from self-destruction and hopelessness
to become wholesome, healthy, and Godfearing.
Ironically for someone who is a blessing
to many, Mok was once considered a
cursed child who would bring bad luck and
misfortune to his family. “Shortly after I
was born, my grandfather passed away. My
family consulted a fortune teller who said I
was born under a ‘cursed star’. According to
the charts, I would bring misfortune upon
my family. My parents never told me. They
went from temple to temple, praying and
hoping to change my cursed status.”
“Only in 2004, when my mother was
suffering from cancer, did she hold my hand
and tell me in tears that she was sorry for the
bad treatment I received. After more than
60 years, I finally found out why I was often
beaten and scolded by my father, why I was
treated with such hostility and animosity,”
he shared.
From gang leader and drug addict to a
leader in the drug rehabilitation ministry,
Philip Mok’s story is a testament to the
Gospel’s life-changing power – that a child
once considered a curse can become a
blessing to so many.
Interview by Liew Wai Li, translation by Sally Yeow.
To find out more about Rumah Victory, go to
www.rumahvictory.org.my
a s i a n b e a c o n
11

COVER STORY
How
Not
To
Be
A
Imagine – an eight-year-old
boy traveling all alone on an
hour-long ride to a city full of
people in a bus full of people.
By Ngui Yuen Loong
Hermit
12 a s i a n b e a c o n

how not to be a hermit
Our beloved nation
is poised to become a
developed nation by
2020. Some say we are
on track while others say
otherwise. One thing most agree on is
that tanah tumpahnya darahku (my land)
has its fair share of challenges. Amidst all
the allegations of corruption and cronyism
is a high crime rate, which some perceive
as a perception issue. Hardly a day goes
by without a heinous act of crime being
reported.
I remember when I was in Primary 2
(more than three decades ago). I stayed
in Kepong Baru then and would walk a
distance to take a mini-bus from home to
Shanghai Book Shop in Kuala Lumpur to
buy books. Imagine – an eight-year-old
boy traveling all alone on an hour-long
ride to a city full of people in a bus full of
people. Then I would make my way back,
alone again, in another hour-long ride in a
bus full of people, followed by a 20-minute
walk home. Was I brave? I didn’t have
much to be afraid of. Today, we would
worry about a son or daughter coming
home from college.
I once heard that no matter what year it
is, it’s always better 20 years ago. That was
33 years ago (ok, now you know my age.)
Surely, it’s much better than today? Does
it work that way? If this rule is followed,
I shudder to think of our society 10 years
from now. Will we go to work in armoured
cars? Will we tell the social status of a
person by the number of bodyguards
flanking him wherever he goes? You
have only four? Look at that uncle, he
has 16! And who is going to protect the
bodyguards?
Hot topic
In a nation where capital punishment
is allowed, the criminals seem unfazed.
Snatch thefts, burglaries, kidnappings,
murders and rapes have become
commonplace. When we sit down to
have a meal, we seem to want to one-up
another with crime stories, in between
our discussion of which Android phone is
better or why Manchester United would
not win the British Premier League this
year.
I want to believe we don’t relish our
crime stories. How do we face a society
where fear is the order of the day? We
read/hear about joggers being robbed or
even killed. We hear of snatch theft victims
dying in the hospital. We hear of robbers
Many friends now think it’s better safe
than sorry, so, sorry hah, if you genuinely
get hit by a car and no one stops to help.
adopting a slash-first-rob-later mentality.
So, what do we do? We stay at home. That’s
safer, isn’t it? No, it isn’t. I have heard of
a dear old couple who never wear their
Rolex watches outside their house. They
only wear them when they go to bed. One
night, robbers broke into their house and
took away the precious Rolex watches on
their wrists. They have since migrated.
We also hear of criminals getting more
creative. They may cause accidents on the
road just to create an opportunity to rob
you. Many friends now think it’s better safe
than sorry, so, sorry hah, if you genuinely
get hit by a car and no one stops to help.
We see video clip after video clip that seem
to suggest one central message – no one is
safe and nowhere is safe. I have naively
thought I should join RELA so I can carry
a gun with me.
The high crime rate and all the scary
stories have changed the way we live. We
are less trusting, less helpful and we tend to
keep to ourselves. That’s not the way to live
a life, much less a life given by God.
How now?
Do we arm ourselves and fight back? This
is not advisable, unless your name is John
McClane, James Bond or Ellen Ripley, i.e.
you cannot die and you will not die. The
30% gun ownership and low crime rate in
Iceland could be more of an exception than
the rule. We mere mortals best don’t try to
fight fire with fire. More importantly, God
has said vengeance is His.
Do we go out in groups? By all means,
do that. Your chances of being picked will
be lower. But do remember that an entire
restaurant has been robbed before. And
don’t think dashing into a 7-Eleven will
save your skin (or the RM85 you have
in your wallet). They rob 7-Eleven when
‘business is bad’. What makes you think you
are safe in there? You probably carry more
money than the shop till. We see security
patrols in larger groups now. When will the
criminals catch up? You have four people?
Look at them, there are 16 of them!
Don’t go out after dark. Makes
sense. Most criminals come out to ‘work’
after dark, like some mythical creatures.
Except this isn’t quite true anymore. The
robbers and thieves now believe in equal
opportunity. They don’t want you early
birds and daytime dwellers to feel left out.
You will get the privilege. And criminals
need to sleep too, you know?
True security
Do we share stories? By all means. Tell
others so they can be careful. Tell them
where, when, how to watch out for bad
people. We care, we share. But don’t add
unnecessary fear. The purpose is for the
safety and wellbeing of our loved ones. It
is not to make them lose sleep at night or
encourage them to become hermits.
I genuinely feel safe when I am on the
streets of a foreign country at night, even
when alone. No one bothers me. It is so
in Singapore, Bangkok and Shenzhen. In
these foreign places, I don’t feel scared. In
Malaysia, we probably scramble for home
immediately after cell group meetings.
Fear not! Instead of being afraid, we
can take courage in the Lord. We don’t go
looking for trouble but we should not be
afraid. If anything, those who break the
law are the ones who should be afraid.
We do our part in educating our younger
generation. We do our part by being good
examples of honest and hardworking
people who earn our keeps. Be an influence
instead of being influenced.
Such is the land we live in. The police
are there. (I can imagine the obvious oneliner
you have in mind in response to this.)
The security people are there, in almost
every residential area. The doors are
locked. Most important of all, God is here.
He is our only source of peace and security.
So, please go to sleep. It’s late. Stop looking
out the window to make sure your new car
is still there.
Ngui Yuen Loong has served in the church in all
three languages – Malay, English and Chinese.
A social media and technology enthusiast, he
and his wife, Kathleen, and their son, Jesse,
worship in DUMC. He works as the Senior MIS
Manager in a local healthcare distributor. He is
also a tutor with Project Barnabas.
a s i a n b e a c o n
13

COVER STORY
VIOLENCE IN THE HOME
By Rev. Dr William Wan
14 a s i a n b e a c o n

violence in the home
What is domestic violence?
One definition of spousal violence is ‘the
use of force to inflict injury, either emotional
or physical, upon another person with whom
he or she has a relationship.’ According to The
Women’s Charter in 1996, domestic violence
goes beyond physical violence to include sexual and psychological
abuse. This may even include acts such as trying to control
someone’s life by constant humiliation, or controlling someone’s
money, time, car or contact with friends as a way of having power
over that person.
The Christian faith acknowledges that humans are the only
beings specifically said to be created in God’s image (Gen 1:26-
27). A person has intrinsic value regardless of his ability, wealth or
contribution to society. It follows that people are responsible for
their conduct towards their fellow human beings.
The Bible even forbids verbal violence of cursing others: “With
the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human
beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth
come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
( James 3:9-10) For the Lord Jesus, the thought is as bad as the act,
internal attitude as important as external action. He said, “But I tell
you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to
judgment. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire
of hell.” (Matthew 5:22)
Of Submission and Abuse
In a dated study on spousal abuse in the United States, it was
found that husbands who batter their wives more often claim to
be Protestant or Catholic. The frightening inference that could
be drawn from this study is that coming from religious homes is
certainly no guarantee of freedom from spousal abuse!
The natural question we need to ask is: Why is this so? Has
it anything to do with the way we teach the doctrine of marriage,
specifically the relationship between husband and wife? Is there a
problem in our pre-marital counselling with the strong emphasis
on “Wives, submit to your husband as to the Lord. For the husband
is the head of the wife…”?
Perhaps a brief look at the history of spousal abuse would
be instructive. Both in ancient Greece and Rome, the place of
women in the marital household was always in the subordinate
position. The man was not only the head of the household, he was
the household! In Greece, for example, the order of hierarchy of
values was father, cattle, mother, and children. It is not difficult to
see how when a wife is of lesser value than a cow, violence towards
wives was tolerated.
Among the Jews, a common prayer of a Jewish man was: “I
thank God that He did not make me a Gentile, a slave or a woman.”
Jewish divorce law was heavily weighed in favour of the man.
In Europe, in spite of Christian influence (or perhaps because
of Christian influence), women were subjugated for centuries. The
so-called “law of chastisement” allowed women to be physically
punished by their husbands without question since the women
were considered to be of inferior status in the divine order of
things.
Sin of violence
Violence is the effect of rebellion against God. It is the price of
rejecting God. The Apostle Paul affirmed this basic understanding
in Romans 1:21, 29: “For although they knew God, they neither
glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became
futile and their foolish hearts were darkened… They have become
filled with every kind of wickedness… They are full of envy, murder,
strife…” James seconds Paul in his view of violence: “What causes
fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires
that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You
covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.”
( James 4:1-2)
In the context of domestic violence, the desired end of the
dominant party is the exercise of power. Violence is the means to
get to that desired end, namely the submission of the wife to the
husband by all means.
The text “and he will rule over you” (Gen 3:16) in the context
of man-woman/husband-wife relationship is descriptive and not
prescriptive. God is not commanding man to rule over woman. He
is simply stating the result of sin.
Christians cannot afford to condone or take violence lightly.
The human is a divine image-bearer and his personhood (physical,
intellectual, psychological, emotional, spiritual) ought not to be
violated. To violate God’s image bearer is to insult the Creator God
himself. It is an affront to human dignity and denies the value and
integrity of the victim. It is a total contradiction to the Christian
message of “loving God and loving our fellow human being”. (Matt
22:37-40)
My wife, my body
Husbands are admonished to love their wives just as Christ loved
the church (Eph. 5:25-33). In becoming “one flesh”, the man must
treat his wife as if she is part of him. As he treats himself well,
therefore he must treat her well; as he would not abuse himself,
so he should not abuse her.
More significantly, Paul uses the analogy of Christ and the
Church to describe the relationship between the man and his
wife. And as we reflect on the way Christ came for his Church and
prepared his Church, there is no doubt that domestic violence is
a complete contradiction to this teaching. A physically bruised,
psychologically damaged, mentally intimidated and emotionally
scarred wife cannot possibly be “a radiant wife without stain or
wrinkle or any other blemish”.
Even more significantly, Christ died for the Church. Violence
was done to him in order that the Church may be “holy, cleansing
her by the washing with water through the word.” Christ allowed
violence to be done to him in order to protect the Church. And
if one of the ultimate goals of every Christian is to have “Christ
formed in us” (Gal 4:19), then there is no way the abusive
Christian husband can claim to be Christ-like.
Conclusion
I have no doubt that spousal violence of any form is not to be
tolerated in the Christian Church. To some extent, if violence is
a function of the need to maintain control over another human
being, then we as a Church may be guilty of contributing to spousal
abuse by perpetuating a doctrine of domination over woman. Even
if this is taught in the limited confines of the hierarchy of roles
and not inherent inequality, the fact of dominant role is still about
control and power. It is about time that we as the male Christian
species start to revisit our doctrine of man-woman relationship. It
is time to rethink and repent.
This article has been edited from the original work, entitled “Toward
a Theology of Domestic Violence”, published in Church & Society in
Asia Today, Vol. 3, No. 1 (April 2000), a theological magazine of Trinity
Theological College, Singapore. Reprinted with permission.
a s i a n b e a c o n
15

COVER STORY
These two stories were first published in Care Contact, a publication of
Malaysian Care which is published four times a year. Reprinted with permission.
GANGSTERISM’S
GOOD VALUES
I
stopped schooling and left my Family bond
family when I was 12 years old as We valued “family” and when any of our
I couldn’t bear seeing my parents friends were imprisoned or had to go
struggle daily for money to put food into hiding, we would do whatever was
on the table and to bring up my four necessary to care for their families. We
siblings and me. I decided to ‘help’ them were filial and respectful to the families of
reduce their burden by leaving home. the gang, especially the wives or girlfriends
by Jonah Chan
At this tender age, I got involved in of gang members. We would make sure
a Chinese triad, “Loong Foo Tong” (The that they were not disturbed or bothered.
Dragon Tiger Gang). I believed that this Our gang believed and held on to an
triad was honourable and would protect old Cantonese saying: “Only in times of
and care for me. Eventually, I learnt the difficulty and suffering that we see true
truth that the gang was involved in criminal love and friendship”. We believed that
activities in the Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan courage was evident only in times of
Chow Kit areas.
trouble. We were faithful to our oaths and
I have since left the gang and am beliefs. We were faithful to our gang. We
“transformed”. However, I learned some held on to the principles of protecting our
positive values from gangsterism which I community from the scourge of drugs or
think that God would want us to apply in the evil influences of the world, which may
our lives. These attributes include courage, sound surprising to some.
faithfulness and sacrifice to the point of Unfortunately, drugs got into the gang
being willing to lay down our lives for from prison, and that was the beginning of
other gang members and their families. the end of the gang and its principles.
New family
Released from prison in 1991,
Malaysian Care, through their
Crisis Centre in Klang, took me
in with unconditional love and
took care of my needs. I started to
learn to read the Bible and sought
to know this God who sacrificed
his life for me, and loved me
when I was a sinner. These things
rang true to me for I understood
sacrifice and faithfulness in the
midst of difficulties.
“But God demonstrates his own
love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
“Greater love has no one than
this: that he lay down his life for his
friends.” John 15:13
Through the unconditional
yet practical love that I
experienced during my times of
difficulty, I learnt about the God of the
Bible and His love for me. Just like what
I had learned from gangsterism, true love
is an action, and faith is about acting
according to God’s principles.
I am now a community worker of
Malaysian Care – Prison, Drugs & AIDS
services. My desire and prayer is to be
willing to sacrifice for the love of God
through serving the people who come
from all walks of life, including those of
my background.
“This is how we know what love is:
Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we
ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
1 John 3:16
Published in Care Contact June –
August 2013
16 a s i a n b e a c o n

FROM PRISON TO
PETROS
each 20 years,
they need grace
not judgment.”
With that, we
“Give
submitted to the
fact that rehabilitation and restoration
will take a long time for people who have
been incarcerated, both in prisons and in
government drug rehabilitation centres
– drug dependants, street people, sex
workers and the very marginalised. Of
course, we meant that it may take as long as
20 years; hopefully it would take a shorter
time. Nonetheless, we are realistic that it
is a process which will involve a number
of people and parties who are for the
transformation and betterment of those
who ask for and need the help.
Grace is sometimes defined as
‘getting something you do not deserve’ or
‘unmerited favour’ – something which God
specialises in. And that’s what Malaysian
Care’s Petros Residential (PR or Rumah
Petros) is all about. This halfway home is
dedicated to helping discharged prisoners
and hard core ex-drug dependants, a
homely place offering a chance (for many,
additional chances) of rest, hope, a process
for change and new life.
The process of change and rehabilitation
can begin in prison or a rehab centre or in
the street, but it does not stop there. Sharing
the gospel or believing in God happens
continuously. Thank God for the faithful and
persevering volunteers and staff who are there
week after week, rain or shine, preaching and
teaching, and promising the love of God.
The aftercare and follow-up of discharged
prisoners and ex-drug dependants must be
available and accessible.
Channelling His love
When we celebrated the 20 th anniversary of
Petros (‘rock’ in Greek) Residential on Sept.
10, 2011, we announced and proclaimed
“good news to the poor, freedom for
prisoners, liberty for the oppressed; this is
by Rev. Pax Tan
the Lord’s favour upon the people” (Luke
4:18-19) clearly, authentically, practically
and faithfully. Over the past 20 years, we
have served the hungry, the thirsty, the
sick, the stranger, the naked (Matt. 25),
all personified in the prisoners and drug
users who walked through the door of PR,
giving us opportunities to be neighbours
unto others, to be salt and light, and a lamp
on a stand.
There were numerous testimonies on
that day as the many who had stayed in PR
over the years recalled their experiences
with gratitude, giving thanks to God, the
staff and the volunteers.
Grace and mercy were first shown to
us by Jesus, who came and lived among us.
He had compassion for the “sinners” of His
day. He welcomed, ate with and befriended
the condemned and the outcasts. We
decided to follow Him, to serve those Jesus
served. PR’s 20-year record of clientele/
resident files totals 1,767 people. (Actually,
the overall Drug and Prison work dates
back 30 years.)
Many have come and gone – some
unaccounted for, others had relapsed, a
number have passed on. Many more remain
in contact, accounted for, alive and well as
living witnesses to the grace and mercy of
this loving, forgiving and powerful God.
Twenty years is not a long time but it is
not short either. God has not finished the
work yet. He is patient and full of grace.
Thousands have been saved, hundreds are
struggling, scores have relapsed, dozens
are lost. But praise the Lord, there will be
20 more years and beyond to serve the old
and the new, of open doors and willing
hearts, of multiple chances and hope. It
was great, yet humbling, to recall the many
lives transformed by the Gospel through a
lighted home built upon the Rock.
Published in Care Contact Dec 2011
– Feb 2012
INTRODUCTION TO MALAYSIAN CARE
Malaysian Care is a non-profit
Christian social work organisation,
committed to being the visible
expression of the holistic mission
of Christ to the poor and needy. It
focuses on empowering communities,
aims for long-term development and
sees itself as partners to the local
church and people it is serving.
Started in 1979 with a children’s
home, its services today are in three
core areas:
1. Prison, Drugs & AIDS
2. Rural & Urban Community
Development
3. People with Special Needs
With a team of 60 staff supported
by some 200 volunteers, Malaysian
Care touches over 4,000 lives
annually through its direct services,
partnership projects, awareness
campaigns and trainings.
For more information, visit
www.malaysiancare.org or call tel:
03-90582102.
a s i a n b e a c o n
17

Thank You!
Acts Church
Aenon
Agrifert Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Alpha Malaysia
Alpha Omega International College
Archipelago Insurance Limited
Arrow Resource Center
Asbury Theological Seminary
Asia Pacific Consultation on Discipleship
Bayu Beach Resort, Port Dickson
Bethel Church AG Melaka
Bookways
Borneo Eco Tours Sdn Bhd
Burning Bush
Calvary Memorial Sdn Bhd
Canaanland Bookstore Sdn Bhd
Capernwray (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
Chosen Treasure
Christian Education Network
Christian Life Centre
ChristianityMalaysia.com
Cziplee
Dommal Food Services Sdn Bhd
Dr Chong Kwong-Tek & Goldie Chong
English Edge Sdn Bhd
Europcar Malaysia
Evangelical Free Church of Malaysia
Focus on the Family
Fook Yee Casket & Funeral Services
Further Advance Sdn Bhd
Glad Sounds Bookstore
GlucosCare International Pte Ltd
Gospel Keyboard Music Studio
Grand Saisaki Sdn Bhd
His Sanctuary of Glory Kuala Lumpur
Healing Rooms Ministries
Holy Light Church (E) JB
Hong Kong Gem Sdn bhd
Kelab Pidato Perdana
Khmer Homestay
Kingdom Women Conference
Kuala Lumpur Baptist Church
L’Abri Music Academy
18 a s i a n b e a c o n

Asian Beacon wishes to thank our generous advertisers, distributors
and supporters of the past three years. The publication of this
magazine would have been extremely difficult without your
partnership. Listed below are the advertisers and bookstores that
have supported Asian Beacon from 2011 to 2013.
Malaysia Bible Seminary
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Messiah College
Methodist College Kuala Lumpur
MPH Distribution Sdn Bhd
Mr and Mrs BH Tan
My Lamb
National Association of Christian Counsellors, Malaysia
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Network J International
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Odmal Services Berhad
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Scripture Union
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Square Art
St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
Switched-on Resources Sdn Bhd
Taman Midah Lutheran Church (Tadika Mighty Kidz)
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Taska Luther
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The Oasis SIB
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Thumbprint Utd Sdn Bhd
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Tupperware Brands Maaysia Sdn Bhd
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a s i a n b e a c o n
19

COVER STORY
From Divine
Grace To
Criminal Law
I
live my life in multivocational
chapters as the Lord
leads. In the early ’70s, I practised
law. I returned to practice in the
’90s and retired in 2007.
When I was studying law, I was
fascinated by the principles of criminal
law. The idea that we are moral beings,
having a sense of right and wrong yet often
tempted or led to do the wrong, intrigued
me. It confirmed my understanding of the
theology of creation found in the first three
chapters of Genesis – we are created in
God’s image and are aware of what is good
and right. Yet, at the same time, we are
fallen creatures – sinful and depraved. My
Christian perspective naturally led me to
see the close link between law and morality
and question to what extent morality can
be legislated.
Two books at that time informed my
understanding. On one side was Lord
Devlin’s work, The Enforcement of Morals
(1959), and on the other side was H.L.A.
Hart’s The Concept of Law (1961). The
famous Hart-Devlin Debate is precisely
about the extent to which morality can
be embodied in the law. And that debate
continues today, especially on the issue of
the criminalisation of homosexual acts.
As a student, I was also influenced
by Professor Tommy Koh’s humanitarian
perspective in the Administration of
Criminal Justice. At the same time, I was
also influenced by the late David Marshall,
the dean of criminal lawyers.
In 1973, New Nation interviewed us
about our views on capital punishment.
Prof. Tommy Koh represented the
By Rev. Dr William Wan
academia; David Marshall, the senior
members of the bar; and I, the junior
members. Not surprisingly, I shared the
same aversion to capital punishment. At
that time many conservative Christians
thought that I had become “liberal” in my
theological orientation.
Purpose of punishment
My interest in law and morality also led
me to reflect on law and punishment. In
this regard, I was profoundly influenced
by C.S. Lewis’ essay on The Humanitarian
Theory of Punishment in God in the Dock:
Essays on Theology and Ethics (1979). In it,
Lewis critiques the humanitarian theory
of punishment where to punish a person
because he deserves it and as much as he
deserves it is mere revenge and therefore
immoral and barbarous. The only
humanitarian justification for punishment
according to this theory is for the purpose
of deterrence or rehabilitation.
Lewis’ contention, which I subscribe
to, is that desert (something that is
deserved, especially a punishment) is the
only link to justice. While we may properly
ask whether a specific punishment is
likely to deter or reform, these questions
have nothing to do with justice. The only
question linked to justice is whether the
person punished deserves it.
My interest in criminal law and justice
led me to contribute an essay on Criminal
Law, Punishment and the Christian in
Issues of Law and Justice in Singapore:
Some Christian Reflections (2007). In
it, I affirmed with Christian jurist Lord
Denning on “the emphatic denunciation
by the community of a crime.”
Punishment is therefore a form of
moral retribution. It is my view that the
retributivist’s position, especially when the
emphasis is on desert, is the most aligned
with the biblical idea of a just God who
created man in His own image (imago dei).
A just and righteous God requires wrongs
to be righted, and a crime is essentially a
wrong against a fellow human being that
has to be righted. Criminal laws are human
legislation governing human conduct
requiring such wrongful conduct to be
righted by some form of punishment.
Following Lewis, the convicted should
be treated with respect and dignity as the
bearer of God’s image, and therefore should
be punished primarily for his own sake
and not as a means to an end. Therefore
deterrent and rehabilitation are not the
primary reasons for punishment, whereas
desert is.
Righting the wrong
In my view, compensation is probably most
in line with the notion that man in the
image of God should take responsibility for
his action. One way to take responsibility
is to own the wrong by personally righting
it. Restitution, in cases of robbery or
other property offences, is a direct way
of righting a wrong. Compensation may
not be adequate to pay back what is taken
because some of that, like a sense of safety
and security, may never be fully restored.
But it is a physical and tangible way to
taking ownership and paying something
back. It is a way of giving the offender his
self-respect back (part of His imago dei)
20 a s i a n b e a c o n

A just and righteous God requires wrongs to be righted, and a crime is essentially
a wrong against a fellow human being that has to be righted.
and in so doing, enabling him to restore to
his victims their imago dei.
From the Christian perspective, to
punish because the offender deserves
to be punished is to respect him as a
bearer of God’s image. Better still, if he is
also required to make restitution for his
wrongdoing, he will be taking personal
responsibility for the consequences of his
wrong and in so doing, he will be true to
his personhood as one created in the image
of God.
Of course, as a Christian, I am very
much committed to practising the ethos
of Micah 6:8. The Old Testament prophet
indicted the people of Israel for their sins
declaring, “He has showed you, O man, what
is good. And what does the Lord require of
you? To act justly and to love mercy and to
walk humbly with your God.”
In 2004, I spoke on “Acting Justly”,
based on this text, at the Annual
Dedication Service of the Lawyers
Christian Fellowship during the opening
of the legal year. I reminded them that, as
Christians who are also lawyers, we are
called to uphold justice not only in the
courts of law but also in the way we live
our lives before the watching world.
Defending the accused
I am often asked how it is just for a Christian
to defend someone who is guilty of a crime.
The question belies a misunderstanding of
the role of a criminal lawyer.
In the first place, everyone is presumed
innocent until proven guilty. It is not for
the defence counsel to act as a judge. That
is the job of the courts. It is the job of the
prosecutor to prove his crime to the court.
The defence lawyer, as David Marshall
often told his students, is to fight for his
client’s best interest, no matter how odious
he is, because justice demands that he is
given his day in court and gets the benefit
of the best counsel available to speak on his
behalf.
As a lawyer, I am an officer of the
court and it is my job to take my client’s
instruction to defend him to the best of
my ability. If he tells me that he did the
criminal act, it will be my duty to advise
him to plead guilty and my duty will be to
mitigate for him.
Some believe that lawyers defend
criminals at all cost, including lying to
court. On the contrary, I am duty-bound
as an officer of the court to assist the court
in arriving at the truth. The challenge is
to do your utmost for your client and for
the court in my dual capacity as defence
counsel and officer of the court at the
same time.
To be a Christian lawyer is truly to
“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to
God what is God’s” (Matt. 22:21).
Dr William Wan, a retired lawyer and pastor, is
a pioneer member of the Asian Beacon Editorial
Board (in the late 1960s). He is currently the
General Secretary of the Singapore Kindness
Movement and Chairman of Prison Fellowship
Singapore. A grand-dad of three teenagers, he
is an ambassador for active aging and is on the
board of several non-profit organisations. He is
a published author and speaks and preaches
regularly.
a s i a n b e a c o n
21

speak
Special Pages to Exercise Adolescent Kung-fu
B y Vero n i c a Wee
In 2008, a remake of an
old TV movie, Watashi wa
kai ni naritai (I Want to be a
Shellfish), was released. The
movie is about an unassuming
Japanese barber who is drafted
into the army during World
War II. During the war, he was
ordered to kill an American
prisoner of war. However, as
the barber was too weak, the
prisoner was only wounded.
After the war, the barber
returns home, only to get
arrested and tried as a war
criminal.
During the trial, he is told
that even if he were merely
following orders and obeying
his emperor, he has to make
his own decision based on his
morals and values. Eventually,
he is sentenced to death and
he reveals his frustration in a
final letter to his family, “When
I am reborn, I don’t want to
be a human... I want to be a
shellfish at the bottom of the
ocean that doesn’t need to
think.”
The barber in the movie
is caught in a conflict between
two countries and two vastly
different ways of thinking –
individual responsibility versus
obedience to his superiors.
In the end, he refuses to
choose either. He neither takes
responsibility nor stands by his
emperor. He just wants to be
a shellfish which doesn’t need
to think nor decide. This man is
not alone.
Don’t Be A
Shellfish
Sitting on the fence
A few days ago, I asked
two Japanese friends what
they thought of pachinko
parlours (Japanese pinball
gambling). One girl responded
immediately with a loud
“They’re awful! They should
just disappear!”, but the
other friend wasn’t so sure.
She carefully considered the
question for a while, before
answering, “Well... I guess it
depends.” Even after further
questioning, she responded
with little more than “hmm” or
“maybe”.
Apathy is a huge problem
my family faces with the
Japanese. Their refusal to take
a definite stand and defend
their position on issues has
often been frustrating. In an
English conversation class, my
parents asked the university
students where they would like
to travel. These students were
from one of the top universities
in Japan. One student had
absolutely no interest in ever
leaving Japan. To him, deciding
where to go was “mendokusai”
(troublesome), even if the trip
were completely free.
Another example – a
veterinarian who attends our
church to practise English.
When the topic of pre-marital
sex came up, he said it was
22 a s i a n b e a c o n

One of many pachinko parlours across Japan.
Often, the stand we must take
on these issues is not popular.
It would be so easy to just
follow the crowd or refuse to
talk about it.
The veterinarian then decided that when
he’s out in society, he would agree with
society’s view on pre-marital sex, but
when he’s with the “Jesus-man” (my
father), he would follow the Bible’s
view on the matter.
totally fine. Why? Because
society said so. My father
pointed out that according
to the Bible, pre-marital sex
(sexual immorality) was a sin.
The veterinarian then decided
that when he’s out in society,
he would agree with society’s
view on pre-marital sex, but
when he’s with the “Jesusman”
(my father), he would
follow the Bible’s view on the
matter.
In a way, not taking a
stand is good. It keeps the
peace. If you don’t care or
have any views on a topic, you
won’t get into arguments over
differences in opinion. Like the
veterinarian who comes to our
church or the barber from the
movie, it is so much easier to
just not take a stand. But is it
the right thing to do?
Jesus said, “Whoever is
not with me is against me, and
whoever does not gather with
me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).
There is no sitting on the fence.
We, especially Christians, must
choose our side.
Courage to stand
The Bible is pretty clear about
most issues, especially with
regard to controversial issues
like abortion or homosexuality.
Often, the stand we must take
on these issues is not popular.
It would be so easy to just
follow the crowd or refuse to
talk about it.
But you can’t run forever.
The author of Hebrews
rebukes the believers, saying,
“In fact, though by this time
you ought to be teachers, you
need someone to teach you
the elementary truths of God’s
word all over again. You need
milk, not solid food! Anyone
who lives on milk, being still
an infant, is not acquainted
with the teaching about
righteousness. But solid food
is for the mature, who by
constant use have trained
themselves to distinguish good
from evil (Hebrews 5:12-14).
We need to be able to know
which side to take on an issue,
and then, we must stand up for
our side.
It’s hard to pull ourselves
away from the crowd to take a
stand. It’s terrifying. That made
this article particularly hard to
write because taking a stand
has, and still is, something
I’m trying to figure out as
well. Even now, I have no idea
what to do. How bold can I
be? Should I purposely bring
up these issues to make my
position clear, or should I just
add in my opinion when asked?
What if I offend someone?
For now, I will just try to
be like Jesus. I will try to be
gentle as a dove, and wise as
a serpent. To hate sin but love
the sinner. To just keep praying
for God to give me wisdom
each day. I will take a stand for
my faith and I invite you to join
me.
Maybe being a shellfish
would be nice. But we aren’t
shellfish, we are children of
God. If for nothing else, let’s
stand for Him.
Veronica Wee is a 15-year-old
missionary kid (MK) serving with her
family in Kyoto prefecture, Japan.
a s i a n b e a c o n
23

feature
WATCHFUL
IN A
WATCHING
WORLD
When we spend a lot of time watching, we tend to forget to
be watchful. What does it mean to be watchful?
I
love to watch movies that
have a delightful mix of drama,
love, action and history such
as Gladiator and The Last of the
Mohicans.
Millions all over the world love to watch
a ball being dribbled and kicked around in
a stadium. Some are bird watchers while
others watch the latest fashion trends.
We all like to watch sensational and
exciting videos on YouTube. The latest
images our friends share on Facebook
captivate us. At times, we love to watch
By Dr Lim Poh Ann
the world go by as we enjoy a cuppa with
our friends.
It is not that these habits in themselves
are wrong (1 Cor. 6:12). “What is this life
if, full of care, we have no time to stand and
stare?” wrote William Henry Davies. But
don’t you think we spend too much time
watching – much of which is trivia – in a
highly spectator-oriented world?
But there is a different kind of ‘keeping
watch’. Jesus reminds us to be watchful on
several occasions. We have to be prepared
for Christ’s second coming:
• “Be always on the watch, and pray that
you may be able to escape all that is
about to happen, and that you may be
able to stand before the Son of Man.”
(Luke 21:36)
• The parable of the ten virgins (Matt.
25:1-13) warns us to be numbered
among the wise virgins who,
ever watchful of the bridegroom’s
return, had oil in their lamps.
24 a s i a n b e a c o n

WATCHFUL IN A WATCHING WORLD
• “Watch and pray that you may not enter
into temptation. The spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt.
26:41).
Watching doesn’t mean we just
twiddle our thumbs as we gaze towards
heaven. It implies a God-consciousness in
our lives; not just doing our own thing.
The ones who were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage
in the days of Noah before the flood had
clearly excluded God in their lives. They
were swept away when the great deluge
came. And Jesus warns us not to have that
same spirit of reckless abandon so that
we won’t be caught off guard when He
returns.
All these words have a similar
connotation: be watchful; be alert; be
vigilant; wake up. They remind us to be
on our toes, spiritually-speaking.
Spiritual Blindness
Tragedy strikes when we think we’re
in tip-top shape spiritually when we’re
actually not. Such was the case of the
church in Sardis. The warning to this
church was: “Wake up, and strengthen
what remains and is about to die, for I
have not found your works complete in
the sight of my God. Remember, then,
what you received and heard. Keep it,
and repent. If you will not wake up, I will
come like a thief, and you will not know
at what hour I will come against you.”
(Rev. 3:2-3)
Similarly, the church in Laodicea was
warned: “I know your deeds, that you are
neither cold nor hot. I wish you were
either one or the other! So, because you
are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I
am about to spit you out of my mouth.
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth
and do not need a thing.’ But you do not
realise that you are wretched, pitiful,
poor, blind and naked. Those whom I
love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest
and repent.” (Rev. 3:15-17, 19)
Don’t you think that being spiritually
bankrupt, without realising it, is the
ultimate tragedy?
Jesus warns of the danger of spiritual
blindness and arrogance in the parable of
the tax collector and the Pharisee (Luke
18:10-14). The Pharisee was confident in
his own righteousness and despised the
tax collector who had humbled himself
before God, asking for mercy.
Self-Examination
And that brings us to the topic of selfexamination.
We need to watch out for sins
such as pride, self-sufficiency, immorality
as well as love of money, fame and power.
Unless we’re aware of our true spiritual
state, we cannot change. “Examine
yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.
Test yourselves.” (2 Cor. 13:5a)
Don’t you think
that being
spiritually
bankrupt,
without
realising it, is
the ultimate
tragedy?
As Socrates said, “The unexamined
life is not worth living.”
Are we watchful concerning what
we view (Psalm 101:3) and think about
(Philippians 4:8)? Have we examined the
purity of our affections? “Above all else,
guard your affections, for they influence
everything else in your life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
“Search me, O God, and know my
heart; try me, and know my thoughts. And
see if there is any wicked way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm
139:23-24) Here the psalmist asks God
to examine him for anything offensive,
knowing well the corruption of his own
heart ( Jer. 17:9).
He asks God to scrutinise not only his
outward conduct but innermost thoughts.
What are his motives and goals? What
occupies the forefront of his thoughts
and imagination? What is the focus of his
affections?
Elsewhere in Psalm 19:12, he
acknowledges his hidden faults and seeks
forgiveness. When we come into God’s
presence, the Holy Spirit convicts us as
to where we have gone wrong. Often this
comes about when a particular verse or
passage speaks to us directly (2 Tim. 3:16).
The Role of Conscience
No discussion on self-examination will
be complete without alluding to the role
of conscience, a God-given faculty that
tells us whether our thoughts, feelings
or actions are morally right or not. It has
no executive powers; it does not cause a
person to do the right thing or cease doing
the wrong thing.
Yet conscience has a place in our lives
for it triggers alarm bells when something is
morally amiss. “If our hearts (conscience)
do not condemn us, we have confidence
before God” (1 John 3:21). If we reject the
voice of our conscience, our faith will be
shipwrecked (1 Tim. 1:19).
But conscience has to be continually
sharpened by Scripture so that its
standards remain consistently high. A clear
conscience is reliable only if the heart is
feeding on truth. “Sanctify them by Your
truth. Your word is truth.” ( John 17:17)
If we continually suppress the voice of
conscience though it tells us we’re heading
the wrong way, a seared conscience will
result. It is then no longer effective as a
moral plumb line.
Be Watchful and Vigilant
Like Ezekiel, we are called to
be watchmen who warn others of danger
and the need to repent (Ezek. 33:7-9). But,
to be credible, we too need to be watchful
as to how we live. Those who oversee the
flock need to ask, “Have we loved and fed
the sheep placed under our care?” (Ezek.
34:3-4)
Satan accomplishes his purposes
through false teaching and counterfeit
signs and wonders. We need to be aware
that deception is one of the favourite tools
in his armamentarium. “Stay alert! Watch
out for your great enemy, the devil. He
prowls around like a roaring lion, looking
for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).
As we begin a new year, may we
discover afresh what it means to be
watchful. “Keep a close watch on how you
live and on your teaching. Stay true to
what is right because if you do, you will
save both yourself and your hearers.”
(1Tim. 4:16)
Dr Lim Poh Ann is a
medical practitioner. He
was the former editor of
Asian Beacon magazine
(December 2008 –
October 2011). He can
be reached at his blog,
Porridge for the Soul.
a s i a n b e a c o n
25

feature
Reflections…
Facing Life’s
Toughest Battle
In February 2013, MEE-LOK TENG learned that he was suffering from stage 4 cancer,
and the disease had spread. He was only 62 years of age. Conventional treatments had
failed, so he travelled from his home in Melbourne for a last-ditch experimental treatment
in Singapore. During these trying times, he penned his feelings, thoughts and hopes and
relayed them to his family and close relatives. Following are excerpts from his writings.
Someone commented
recently that I looked 10
years older now with all
the chemotherapy and
radiation. Chemotherapy
and radiotherapy are likened to terrorist
bombs, killing everyone within range,
whether good or bad. This is in stark
contrast to God’s grace: “He causes his sun
to rise on the evil and the good, and sends
rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
(Matthew 5:45)
But God’s salvation invitation is not
forever, and time is running out. I am
reminded of 2 Cor. 6:2, “For he says, “In the
time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of
salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time
of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.”
And again in Hebrews 4:7: “Today, if you hear
his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
I am learning to have a deeper
understanding of what it means by “our life
is not our own, our life is in God’s hand”.
We are chosen for His purpose and by
His will. We are the means by which the
Lord Jesus is going to do His work on this
earth. In Ephesians 1:11-12, it says “In him
we were also chosen, having been predestined
according to the plan of him who works out
everything in conformity with the purpose of
his will, in order that we, who were the first to
put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise
of his glory.”
Our life on this earth can be likened
to being tourists or temporary residents
in a country; our desire is to go home
to where we truly belong. As I waited in
the departure lounge to return home to
Melbourne, I am reminded of our final
days on this earth.
As Paul said, “For we know that if the
earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have
a building from God, an eternal house in
heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile
we groan, longing to be clothed instead with
our heavenly dwelling, because when we are
clothed, we will not be found naked. For while
we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened,
because we do not wish to be unclothed but to
be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,
so that what is mortal may be swallowed up
by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for
this very purpose is God, who has given us the
Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to
come.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
A better future
Despite knowing this, we seem to be
more focused on this earthly life instead
of the heavenly realm; we set our sights
26 a s i a n b e a c o n

REFLECTIONS… FACING LIFE’S TOUGHEST BATTLE
on temporal things rather than things that
are eternal. I recall my grand plans for
retirement – to travel, extend and renovate
my house, turn my backyard into a selfsufficient
vegetable garden and orchard,
etc. Alas, all these are no longer important.
Why channel all your energy and time on
things that will perish and fade? Why are
our visions so near sighted?
Since events unfolded in February
2013, I can now say that I am coming to
understand and appreciate what Apostle
Paul said in Philipipians12: “I have learned
the secret of being content in any and every
situation”. I had read this passage many
times in the past and thought I knew
and appreciated Paul’s situations when I
actually didn’t.
Humanly speaking, 2013 has been
a locust year for me. It was a 180 degreeturn
in my life. While 2012 ended on a
high note with three wedding dinners in
three different cities and a memorable,
once-in-a-lifetime family reunion at
Pangkor Laut Resort, 2013 began and
ended with frequent visits to hospitals
from Melbourne to Singapore. In the
midst of all this, I finally called it a day as a
chartered professional engineer and closed
the chapter on my working life.
May 2014 be a new beginning for
many of us – a new year of peace, joy, hope
and thanksgiving. If 2013 is likened to how
the Old Testament ended (some 400 years
of darkness with no words from God), may
2014 represent the last words of the New
Testament: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be
with God’s people. Amen.” (Rev. 22:21) Or
Isaiah 43:19: “See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am
making a way in the wilderness and streams
in the wasteland.”
Looking ahead
God’s love and faithfulness are unfailing,
even though we can neither see nor
understand, and at times we may even
question. But we see only the underside
of the tapestry, while God looks from the
front side. I am reminded of what God told
Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s
foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who
marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?”
( Job 38:4-5)
Therefore shouldn’t the name of the
Lord be praised? Like Habakkuk said,
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there
are no grapes on the vines, though the olive
crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and
no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the
Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The
Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my
feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to
tread on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)
In this new year of 2014, may we too
be like Paul, “forgetting what is behind
and straining toward what is ahead” (Phil.
3:13). Let’s look more to Christ and less
to ourselves, place our hope not on things
of this earth but things that are eternal,
seek not happiness that lasts a moment
but joy that is everlasting, to give, rather
than receive (even though I have received
much), and ask God to give us a renewed
desire for a closer relationship with Him.
I would like to end with a song:
When It’s All Been Said And Done
When it’s all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth?
Did I live my life for you?
When it’s all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I have done
For love’s rewards
Will stand the test of time
Lord, your mercy is so great
That you look beyond our weakness
That you found purest gold in miry clay
Turning sinners into saints
I will always sing your praise
Here on earth and in heaven after
For you’ve joined me at my true home
When it’s all been said and done
You’re my life when life is gone.
a s i a n b e a c o n
27

feature
You and Your
Household
Will God’s promises really come true in the face of stubborn opposition?
My father was an
executive for a large
multinational company,
was on the prestigious
board of trustees of
a large, well known temple in Melaka,
and a respected elder among the many
worshippers there. He had received
awards from the Governor of Melaka and
even from the King in recognition of his
contributions to school boards and the
Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).
My parents were staunch, devout Taoists.
When I became a Christian at a youth
camp, I repeatedly claimed the promise
the Lord gave in Acts 16:31: “Believe in
the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you
and your household.” Coupled with this
were assurances from Jer. 24:7: “I will
give Oh Bah Chee and Chua Geok Bee (I
substituted with the names of my dad and
mum) a heart to know me, that I am the
Lord. They will be my people, and I will be
their God, for they will return to me with all
their heart.” And 2 Cor. 10:5: “We demolish
arguments and every pretension that sets itself
up against the knowledge of God, and we
take captive every thought of Oh Bah Chee
and Chua Geok Bee to make it obedient to
Christ.”
I had no idea how much my patience
would be tested.
Resistance from all sides
In December 1999, my father who
was diabetic and due for a bypass, was
diagnosed with liver cancer. He was 79
years of age.
Four years later, as the growth in his
liver became bigger, he was admitted to
Rosalind (left), her husband Michael, and their daughter.
By Rosalind Oh Leo
hospital with severe back pain. He lost his
appetite and had difficulty swallowing food
even in liquid form. I urged my church to
pray with me for his salvation.
Opposition abounded in my family,
mainly from Mum who was very unhappy
about me being a Christian and trying to
share my faith with Dad. He said, “I want
to believe but I don’t want to offend Mum.
She has been a good mother and wife.” I
assured him, “God understands. You just
go ahead and make your peace with God
and ask Him for strength to stand firm.” He
accepted Jesus when my pastor led him in
prayer in the hospital.
After that he prayed a few times,
always repeating after us. One day, he
prayed aloud by himself for the first time.
That night, he went to heaven. We did not
have a Christian funeral because of strong
opposition from my mother and the rest of
the family, but I had assured Dad that it did
not matter what they did with his body as
long as he was reconciled to God.
One week after Dad’s death, Mum
underwent a gastroscopy and was given
the sad news that she had a cancerous
growth in her stomach. That caused me to
28 a s i a n b e a c o n

You and Your Household
increase my efforts in prayer. Knowing her
hostile attitude toward Dad’s conversion, I
knew we had to demolish the stronghold of
anti-Christian mindsets built up through
the many years of following her family’s
religious traditions.
Mom was a diabetic and her cancer
caused blood loss so that she became
very anaemic. The cancer caused fluid to
collect in her lungs. She became breathless
and could not swallow solid food. Even
morphine could not relieve her pain.
My Aunt Alice talked to her and led
her in the prayer of salvation. Mum told
her that a doctor in her palliative ward had
also suggested she call on Jesus. In this way,
God sent different people to sow the seed
of salvation.
However, when my pastor visited,
Mum told her, “I want to remain a
Buddhist. I pray to my Goddess of Mercy
twice a month and she helps me. I don’t
want to be a Christian.” When she reported
the pastor’s visit to my brother he flared
up, “You Christians are taking advantage
of sick people!” Though terribly upset, I
managed to keep my mouth shut.
Our prayers for Mum intensified. The
brethren in my church waged spiritual
warfare to demolish the strongholds
surrounding her. One night, I heard Mum
pleading agitatedly to her deities, “Go away,
don’t disturb me!” She asked me, “What
are you doing? Are you praying for me?” I
told her that I was. Unlike before, she did
not resist. Unprepared and inexperienced,
I could only pray to calm her.
By the next morning, she was very
quiet, tired and did not say much. At 3am
the following day, my husband, Michael,
and I prayed for her and shared verses of
assurance with her. We told her, “Don’t
worry about where you’ll be buried and
what they’ll do with your body. Dad has
gone to be with Jesus and will be waiting
for you. We will all meet again in Heaven
one day.” She did not resist.
By 5am, she experienced difficulty
breathing and went into a coma. I
summoned all the family members.
Hearing how people prayed for those on
their deathbed even when they were in
a coma taught me that hearing is the last
faculty to go. So I told Mum the story
of the thief on the cross; how at the last
moment of his life, Jesus received him
when he cried out to Him. Michael and I
continued to speak assurance into her ears:
The only time Rosalind’s parents went to church was at Rosalind’s wedding.
I see now that
Mum wanted to
believe in Jesus, but
because of fear, she
dared not admit it
publicly.
“Do not fear men. Don’t worry about my
brother. We will be reconciled. Everything
will be all right.”
I was desperate to know if Mum was
truly saved so I asked the Lord for a sign.
At 8pm that same night, Mum suddenly
gripped my hand tightly, pulled off her
oxygen mask and tried to speak. Even
though no words came, I believed this
was the confirmation I had asked for. Half
an hour later she passed away peacefully,
fulfilling her wish that she be surrounded
by her children, their spouses and her
loved ones. She was 81.
Reconciled
The next morning, I told my pastor that
I needed confirmation about Mum’s
salvation. God gave me more than I
requested. During her family devotion
time a few days earlier, my aunt saw Mum
on her back, her hands reaching up to
Jesus’ hands. Another sign was given when
my uncle was in a prayer meeting. He saw
a vision of Mum smiling, surrounded by
angels. A third confirmation came when
another aunt who was not at the hospital
kept praying, “Lord, receive her soul” at
the exact moment Mum breathed her last.
I see now that Mum wanted to believe
in Jesus but because of the fear of men,
she dared not admit it publicly. God, who
knew her spirit was willing even though
her flesh was weak, mercifully received her.
Not only was Mum reconciled with her
Creator, my brother was also reconciled
with me. On the day of the funeral he
called me to Mum’s coffin, hugged me
and apologised. I assured him, “You are
my brother and I love you very much.
I’ve already forgiven you.” I added, “I told
Mum that we will be reconciled. She will
be very happy to know we are.” Our family
has promised to meet at least two to three
times a year even though our parents are
no longer here. I am assured that God’s
promise that the whole Oh clan will come
to know the Lord will come to pass one day.
Epilogue
Since then, two of Rosalind’s brothers and
a sister-in-law accepted Jesus Christ and
were baptized.
Rosalind Oh Leo was a London-trained secretary
who held various administrative posts in the
marketplace and church organisations. She is
now retired.
a s i a n b e a c o n
29

feature
A CHRISTIAN’S
CONFESSION: I SUFFER
FROM DEPRESSION
In Part 1 of this story, we learn that Janey (not her
real name) has had depression and panic attacks
since she was 11 years of age. Now in her 30s,
she has learned to manage her condition better,
thanks to her faith in God and acceptance of
herself. In this final part of her story, she shares
how her difficult experiences honed her character
and sharpened her faith. By Mok Shi-Lynn
is an
ongoing process,”
Janey says. “My
depression is not
“Healing
gone. It’s still my
temperament: I’m anxious and prone to
stress and worry. But I’ve come to realise
that acceptance is very important. I used to
blame myself and tell myself ‘you should’
or ‘you shouldn’t’, or compare myself
with others and wonder why I couldn’t
be like them. But when I accept it, I’m
acknowledging that this is me.
“I read a book in which the author
asked, ‘Who are you to belittle yourself
– someone whom God loves so much?
Who are you to say that you’re not good
enough when God provided so much for
you?’ That’s when I truly saw God’s love.
So I accepted all my flaws and weaknesses
– that I am a worrier, anxious, panicky,
fearful, depressed – and I thought, ok, now
I’ll deal with it.”
Naturally, Janey used to pray for God
to get rid of her condition. However, with
self-discovery, knowledge and acceptance,
she has arrived at a remarkable conclusion
that speaks of confidence and faith in God.
“Asking God to get rid of the problem is the
easy way out. If God makes my problems
simply disappear without me working
through them and dealing with them, then
what will I have learned? As I work through
my depression, I realise that it has made me
stronger. God will get rid of my depression
when He sees fit, and I am ok with that.”
Drawing strength and reassurance
Part 2
from God, Janey has a perspective on faith
and suffering that has been refined by her
personal experiences. “Whatever happens,
there’s a reason for it. I might hate what I’m
going through, but God has a better purpose.
At the end of the day, our moods, emotions
or circumstances should not dictate our
faith. A mature Christian does not base
his faith on his feelings. After all, we know
that our God has already conquered death,
defeated Satan and won the victory. Real joy
and hope is readily available to us, and these
are not based on external factors.
“Strong, experienced Christians are not
happy-go-lucky all the time. They have their
bad moments too. But how do they handle it
and still feel joy? It’s because they know who
God is, where God stands and where they
stand with God. This is their assurance and
security. And for me, this is the difference
between having God and not knowing Him.
When I battle depression and panic attacks,
I know I have one true God who cares for
me and I am in safe hands.”
How to support people with mental conditions
1. Don’t be judgmental. “Get to know the person. Some people earn good
salaries, have great friends, a loving family and a generally rosy life, yet suffer
depression. Most people will say, ‘That’s so silly. You have everything. Are
you not content with life? You probably brought it on yourself.’ That is really
demeaning. Understand that a ‘normal person’, such as myself with a close-knit,
happy family, friends and a regular job, can have depression. I didn’t ask for it.
And please don’t say that Christians should not have depression.”
2. Listen without giving advice.“People always think they need to say something
when it’s really more important to just listen. And as Christians, we somehow think
that if we put God into our advice, then everything will be fine. They tend to say
‘God knows what you’re going through’ or ‘your depression will be lifted because
God is good!’ It doesn’t work that way and I really don’t need to hear that. I just
need you to sit down, listen to what I have to say, allow me to pour out my feelings,
cry with me, then pat me on the back and say, ‘Things might not get better, but I am
here for you. Whenever you need help, just call me.’ I just need the assurance that
you are available, you care and I can count on you.”
30 a s i a n b e a c o n

Dear Goldie
Dear Goldie,
I’m a doctor in my 50s. Of late, God has been impressing on me to
serve Him more. I’m not sure whether I should go to Bible School,
become a fulltime pastor, continue to practise medicine and take up
more responsibilities in the church, or what? How much should my
circumstances, e.g. finances and family, affect my decision?
Contemplating
Dear Contemplating,
It’s wonderful you’re obedient in
responding to God’s call to serve Him
more. I will share some principles gleaned
from our own experience on how to be
sure of your decision.
1 | Your calling
What is your gifting? Is He calling you
to be a pastor, an evangelist, a teacher, an
administrator, give hospitality, provide
help…? (See the gifts listed in Eph. 4:11, 1
Cor.12:4-11, Rom. 12:6-8.) How effective
are you? Are your giftings recognised by
others? A friend of ours gave up medicine
to be an itinerant evangelist after his call
was confirmed through leading 80 people
to salvation in that one year he was praying
about going fulltime. He also knew he was a
teacher when he received many invitations
to teach in China.
2 | Inside or outside church
walls
Some people think that God loves fulltime
church workers more than marketplace
workers. All can serve God in whatever job
they do and all work is equally important
to God. We once advised a successful real
estate agent who wanted to join our church
as a pastor to remain in his job of selling
houses to new migrants. Being hospitable
and caring, he went out of his way to help
them settle in, became their friend and was
able to bring them to church. We pointed
out to him that he could reach more nonbelievers
in his work than in the church.
Is it Time to Go Full-Time?
He took our advice and continues to this
day to reach out to those who would never
think of going to church. So his service to
God is evangelism using his gift of helping
and meeting needs to connect people
with God. So ask yourself: will I be more
effective inside the church or outside. You
can serve God in your field of profession
and be the salt and light there.
3 | Full time or part-time
Tek was co-pastoring a church while
working as a government doctor. A time
came when he felt uneasy that the office
telephone receptionist was passing on
calls, not from patients, but from church
members. He felt it was not fair for him
to take the government’s salary while
spending so much time working for the
church. So he resigned to serve fulltime
in the church. You may want to remain bivocational
and transit gradually.
4 | Salaried or voluntary
Tek told the real estate agent, “Not only
are you are more effective in the business
world than in the church, the church will
have to pay you if you become a pastor.
But if you are a businessman, you will pay
tithes to the church.” On resigning from
doctoring, Tek told the church that we had
savings and would not need a salary as yet.
That was 20 years ago and till today, we’ve
not received a salary from anyone except
God who is the best employer and whose
salary package included abundant finances
(investments, unsolicited love gifts from
relatives and friends), robust health, family
harmony, ministries in different countries,
etc. Truly God is no man’s debtor.
5 | Confirmation
Discuss your decision with your spouse
and children. You need their support. You
should also have confirmation from your
Christian brethren and church leaders.
Find out if your church requires Bible
School qualifications. You will be assured
of hearing clearly from God when you
see evidence of people attracted to God
through your ministry. God will also give
you unmistakably clear supernatural signs
of confirmation, so ask Him for them.
Your service starts now, not when
you go fulltime. As you strengthen your
stakes in what you are already doing, God
will extend your tent. As you are faithful
in little so He will add more and bigger
assignments. Remember, “Bloom where
you are planted”.
Goldie
Do you have an issue you need advice on?
Write to Asian Beacon’s Goldie Chong at
aboffice@asianbeacon.org for her godly
counsel.
Selected questions may be featured in
this column. If you leave an email address,
you will have your question answered,
whether it’s published or not.
a s i a n b e a c o n
31

money matters
FIVE CRIMES
CHRISTIANS SHOULD
AVOID
by Rajen Devadason
A
friend
recently joined
countless Malaysian victims of snatch thieves.
It happened in Seremban near a bank. She was
attacked in daylight and shoved to the ground. The
force of her fall cracked five teeth and tore her lower lip.
Soon after that, a Good Samaritan found her handbag
and scattered business cards. My injured friend then took the
trouble to follow up on her police report and suggested to them
which CCTV cameras might have picked up the robbery.
When she recounted the ordeal, she was livid because of her perception
of the lack of official initiative to act on the information she provided.
Many reading this have either experienced such crimes or know those
who have. As I write this, I am also reminded of what happened to
the late mother of the pastor of a church situated across the road
from my home. Several years ago during the Chinese New Year
public holidays, the pastor’s mother was slashed to death by
snatch thieves. She had been dropped off by her husband
at the side of the road as he drove forward a short
distance to park the car. He had wanted to save
her the walk from the car. The barbarism of
those vile thieves-turned-murderers still
makes me sick to my stomach.
The rage within the hearts
of Christians and non-
Christians alike at the
rampant evil on
our streets is
intensifying.
However,
while
32 a s i a n b e a c o n

FIVE CRIMES CHRISTIANS SHOULD AVOID
Ultimate security lies only in Jesus Christ,
and that isn’t merely a Christian platitude but an eternal truth!
righteous indignation has its place amidst
worsening crime rates that fly in the face
of laughably doctored statistics that crime
rates are falling, I want to radically shift
focus to personal crimes Christians are
guilty of harbouring and nurturing in our
hearts.
Consider these offences:
1. Looking to our money for security
2. Looking to our profession for our
identity
3. Looking to our leaders for
promotion and favour
4. Robbing God of our tithe
5. Discontentment
I am not simply pointing an accusatory
finger at you; I have been guilty of all
five crimes!
Looking to our money
for security
Anyone who says money isn’t important is
either deluded or lying.
Money is important. Just ask a single
mother who has to decide between buying
higher quality milk powder for her toddler
or a pair of work shoes to replace her
current one with holes but no discernible
soles; or the ageing retiree of modest
means who has to choose between paying
for his own knee replacement or for his
grey-haired wife’s melanoma removal; or
the outwardly successful businessman who
inwardly contemplates suicide because he
is suffocating under a mountain of debt.
We all need some money to function
in this world. But ultimate security lies
only in Jesus Christ, and that isn’t merely
a Christian platitude but an eternal truth!
All the money in the world cannot
insulate us from all the problems in the
world. So we mustn’t look to our bank
balance or investment portfolio for
ultimate protection. We should instead
rely on Jesus for… everything always,
while acting on wisdom from His Word.
Looking to our profession
for our identity
I think more men than women are guilty
of this crime.
Speaking personally, a large part of my
self-worth and internal identity is fused to
my profession as a financial planner. And
right up to his death on April 4, 2008, my
father was a lawyer to his core. Are you
guilty of equating your personal identity
with what you do for a living?
I sometimes wonder if there are pastors
who fall into this same trap, looking to
their job title within a church or ministry
for their personal identity.
Whether we function economically
within the secular sphere or the religious
realm, our core identity should be –
yes, once again – centred on Jesus and
hinged upon our recollection of how
He lifted us from the miry clay. Paul’s
words in 1Timothy 1:15 remind us of the
attitude God deems appropriate: “Here
is a trustworthy saying that deserves full
acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners – of whom I am the
worst.”
Vocationally, Paul was a tentmaker.
He used his work skills to earn a living that
allowed him to focus on the bigger mission
of ensuring that in and through his life,
Christ increased and he decreased.
Looking to our leaders
for promotion and favour
Regardless of which country in Asia – or
outside it – you reside, it is likely your
newspapers and portals are filled with the
shortcomings of elected officials or, worse
yet, unelected despots. While Christians
aren’t called to be hermits who ignore
the realities of living in a (hopefully) civil
society, we should remember that on this
side of eternity, political leaders are more
apt to disappoint than inspire us.
Psalm 75:7 says, “It is God who judges:
He brings one down, he exalts another.” In
other words, God chooses to promote us
or to humble us. A close examination of the
life of Joseph shows the best we can do is
to work diligently and trust God to raise us
up in His time.
Robbing God of our tithe
To the best of my knowledge the
only time God says it is OK to test Him is
in Malachi 3, the most pertinent portion of
Scripture concerning the ancient practice
of tithing. I suggest you read its still relevant
words slowly, repeatedly, prayerfully.
Focus on verses 9 and 10:
“You are under a curse – your whole
nation – because you are robbing me. Bring
the whole tithe into the storehouse, that
there may be food in my house. Test me
in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see
if I will not throw open the floodgates of
heaven and pour out so much blessing that
there will not be room enough to store it.”
God honours His Word.
I urge you to bring your full tithe
(10% off the top of any income) into God’s
storehouse (the local church where you
receive your primary spiritual sustenance)
to meet its internal and external funding
needs.
Discontentment
It is difficult to strike a healthy
balance between ‘honouring God by
turning our backs on laziness by working
hard and smart to better our circumstances’
and ‘living happily and contentedly’. So I
won’t try to give you a framework for doing
so in case I cause you to veer too much to
one direction. Instead, I will end with two
familiar Scripture references for you to
work through concerning the crucial issue
of balancing diligence and contentment:
Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do,
work at it with all your heart, as working
for the Lord, not for human masters…”
1Timothy 6:6, 10-11, “But godliness
with contentment is great gain… For
the love of money is a root of all kinds
of evil. Some people, eager for money,
have wandered from the faith and pierced
themselves with many griefs. But you,
man of God, flee from all this, and pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
endurance and gentleness.”
© 2014 Rajen Devadason
Rajen Devadason, CFP, is
a Securities Commissionlicensed
financial planner,
professional speaker and
author. Read his free articles
at www.FreeCoolArticles.
com; he may be contacted at
rajen@RajenDevadason.com.
a s i a n b e a c o n
33

MAKING SENSE OF SCRIPTURES
DO WE HAVE A
CHOICE?
By Project Barnabas
French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said,
“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.”
In Romans 8, Paul proclaims Christian liberty in a world of sin.
Christians are not obliged to live a life of the flesh (v12) but are
free to live a life of the Spirit (v9). Yet, all of creation groans
with the imperfection of nature (v22) until its anticipated
renewal. Then, Paul further compares nature with no choice
(v20) to Christians with the freedom to choose to live beyond the
conditioning of our circumstances. What exactly did Paul mean
by that and how can we apply this to our lives today?
The church in Rome was a mix
of Jews and Gentile Christians
who sometimes disagreed about
what made a person acceptable
to God and how the followers of
Christ should live. With this in mind, Paul
wrote a letter which encompassed most
aspects of Christian living, ranging from
theology to practical application.
The apostle showed that the Law was
incapable of producing sanctification or
peace of mind but teaches that it was faith
which made a person acceptable to God.
This did not mean the Law was useless or
that the people who followed it were no
longer part of God’s people. Paul wanted
to stress that only faith in Christ and the
gift of the Spirit, rather than the Law, can
cope with human sinfulness.
To the cultural Jews, Paul was trying to
explain that the gospel of Christ effected
what the Law was incapable of doing
in giving life (Christ came to fulfill the
requirements of the Law!) and delivering
from condemnation (8:1-13). The Law
emphasised the soul’s captivity to sin.
Christ’s sacrifice changed that and they
now had a choice of living according to
the sinful nature or according to the Spirit
(8:4). Whatever they chose would have
consequences of either death or life (8:13).
We are slaves
Basically, we get to choose whom we want
to control us (8:6-8), whether to be a slave
to sin or slave to righteousness. And that’s
about as much freedom as we’re ever
going to get in this life. But according to
Paul, that’s not bad because it also means
we get to taste what it is to live
beyond the conditioning of
our circumstances that is
a life NOT under the
control of the law of
sin and death.
Nature (either
Jews who still live
by the Law, or
unbelievers who
have God’s law
written in their
hearts) does not
know the work of
Christ and does
not know there is
an option to choose
from. No matter how hard he tries, he will
still fail and feel condemned by the Law.
The condition of all creation is one of
bondage and servitude – associated with
imperfection, pain, sorrow, and death.
It is just the way things are and we
should not be surprised, therefore, if it is
the condition of us Christians as well (8:22-
23). But Christians have hope. Practical
reality shows us that the Christian is not
immediately delivered from this but it is a
working through which takes a lifetime of
willful doggedness and daily dying to self
through the renewal of our mind (12:2).
No excuse
Christians have no excuse to say “I can’t
help it” because they have the availability of
the Spirit who helps them in their weakness
by interceding for them according to God’s
will (8:26−27). Christian liberty comes
from the knowledge and acceptance of the
work of Christ on the cross, that is, Christ
fulfilling the requirements of the Law.
A Christian who lives by the Spirit
chooses not to fulfill the desires of the flesh
because he knows that it leads to life, versus
living by the flesh that leads to death. The
knowledge of this and the power to choose
is the liberty that Christians have.
According to Paul, the Spirit dwells in
us and His indwelling is designed to help
us live as sons and heirs of God and coheirs
with Christ (8:17). We can therefore
choose not to indulge in the desires of the
flesh’s corrupt propensities and passions.
Although the believer has present sufferings
(8:18), he can experience joy and peace
that transcends all understanding AND he
has hope of complete deliverance from sin
and death also known as the anticipated
renewal. The Law no longer has power
over a Christian who accepts the grace of
Christ.
Project Barnabas is a global online programme
to study every book of the Bible in the
context of its genres, intended messages and
applications for our lives today. It is divided
into two 20-week semesters a year and is
suitable for individual quiet time or cell group
studies. For more information, go to http://
www.actministry.org/project-barnabas/
34 a s i a n b e a c o n

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