In the blink of an eye, the Pastoral Epistle class has come
to an end. It has been an enriching two weeks for me, even though I had to balance
a family, work and bible-school life. Nevertheless, the lessons I learned from
this class, and the new friendships formed will be the things I treasure.
Reflecting on my own journey in this class, I would like to
share 3 thoughts with everyone.
One practice that I struggle with
In this class, one practice that I struggle with is structural
diagramming. This technique is difficult for me as I find it hard to follow the
readings because my foundation for the language is weak. Growing up, I was a
wayward child and teenager, and I did not study hard. I spoke mainly dialects
and very little English. Terminologies such as subordinate clauses, verbs,
conjunctions, verbals, etc., made me stressed because I felt that I was going
back to my primary school days where I had to learn English. Forcing myself to
practice the diagramming in class and outside of class, I learned how to use
and appreciate the benefits of using this technique to prepare messages.
One lesson for life
In Titus 2:1, Paul told Timothy that he must teach “what is
accord with sound doctrines.” The teachings in Titus 2 hit me hard because in all
the letters that Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus, false teachings was one of
his concerns. As I reflect on Paul’s letters on this concern, I began to
understand that as a believer, we must make sure that we are well-versed with
the Scriptures, so that we will not be swayed by false teachers, stumble new
believers, and cause disunity in the Body of Christ. This lesson is
particularly important to me because I remember that my faith was shaken when I
picked up a book at an airport that was written by a new-age author. The book
advocates that Jesus uses mind power to heal the sick. The book affected me
because it was so convincing. Coupled with the fact that my knowledge of the
Bible was not strong enough, I was confused. Thankfully, I read the Bible and
Christian books which helped me to understand that the Scriptures were not
correctly interpreted by the new-age author. In short, I managed to uncover the
truth in the author’s claims, which were lies.
One idea/practice/experience that I found useful
I found that the topic on ‘right living’ in chapter 2 of
Titus very useful. This is also the portion that my group used for our group skit.
The teachings to the various groups on holy living can help to reduce conflicts
and potential problems in the Christian community, where right values are
passed from one family to the next. I feel that this is a topic that is seldom discussed
in-depth, and this can lead to many believers sweeping worldly practices, such
as co-habitation, under the carpet. As believers, we need to ensure that the
next generation (and future ones to come) continue to uphold and project
Christian values. If necessary, we should uphold Christ’s values by equipping ourselves
with knowledge of the Scriptures, and having the courage to engage boldly in difficult
conversations.
Thank you everyone for being a part of my life!
