Which is GOD’S first commandment: honor or obedience? (Part 2)

Going back to the issue at hand, what is now greater or higher? Which takes precedence over the other? Should Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo honor first his mother, Mrs. Tenny before the mother is expected to obey his son as the Executive Minister? Or must Mrs. Tenny obey his son as her Executive Minister before Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo accords the honor due to her?

Actually, Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo honored and obeyed both of his parents. Else, Bro. Erdy would not have consented then to Bro. Eduardo’s election as Deputy Executive Minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. He honored and obeyed Bro. Erdy up to the time of his departure. Until now, he honors the memories and legacy of his father, Bro. Erdy and continues to obey the teachings of God that he taught him.

In the case of his mother, Mrs. Tenny, even after the passing away of Bro. Erdy, Bro. Eduardo honored her and obeyed her within the limits of obedience set forth by Christ (Matt. 10:37).

Even with the evidences of dissidence on the part of her mother and brothers when Bro. Eduardo began to fulfill his function as Executive Minister, he gave her due honor by not immediately imposing upon her aggressive sanctions hoping that such dissidence would gradually fade away. One could understand such act of leniency and clemency taken by Bro. Eduardo by taking into account that a transition is taking place in the history of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. Bro. Eduardo gave her mother and his siblings time to absorb the fact that her husband and their father is now gone and that he (Bro. Eduardo) is now the present Executive Minister of the Church.

But that hope for a positive change did not come to reality. Instead of realizing their mistakes and reforming their ways, Mrs. Tenny with her children, Lottie, Angel, and Marc went further (by going into the open with the exception of Marc who is working “behind the scene”) attempting to create divisions within the Church. This prompted Bro. Eduardo to render a decision which was both difficult and crucial.

It was difficult in the sense that such decision would terminate his mother’s relationship with the Church Of Christ, revoking her rights and privileges as a member of the Church Of Christ. It was more difficult than the decision a policeman has to make when arresting and booking his own mother wanted for a crime. Moreover, a policeman ought to fulfill his duty without considering family ties as he pledged allegiance to the laws of the state.

As difficult as it may seem, but Bro. Eduardo having pledged allegiance to the laws of God, rendered a crucial and necessary decision to expel Mrs. Tenny including his siblings Lottie, Angel and Marc from the Church for rebelling against the Church Administration and sowing divisions within the Church. This act of Bro. Eduardo to expel them was misconstrued by the sympathizers of Mrs. Tenny and company as an act of dishonoring his mother. Would they also say that to the policeman who arrested and book his own mother wanted for a crime when in truth he was just upholding his duty to the state?

Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, as the present Executive Minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo would never allow anyone, not even his own mother to undermine his authority and God-given duty to care for the Church and protect its unity. He would not allow the past history of God’s people to be repeated in our time.

 
Many of you are aware of Jezebel but perhaps only in the perspective of a manipulative wife. But as she was a manipulative wife of Ahab, the king of Israel then, she was also a manipulative mother to his sons, from King Ahaziah to King Jehoram. Even those who studied the history of Israel can attest to the influence that Jezebel had over her children Ahaziah and Joram:

Jezebel

“She survived Ahab 14 years, and still as queen mother exercised an evil influence in the courts of her sons Ahaziah and Joram of Israel, and in that of her daughter Athaliah’s husband Jehoram (2Ch 21:6; 2Ch 22:2). But judgment was executed upon her by Jehu for all her whoredoms and witchcrafts, which had become proverbial (2Kings 9:22-30-37)” (Fausset’s Bible Dictionary).

Bible history proves that the influence of Jezebel transcended to the time of the monarchical rule of her children—King Ahaziah (successor of King Ahab) to King Joram or Jehoram (successor of King Ahaziah). With this in mind, we can understand why King Jehu (the King of Judah, Southern Kingdom) asked this to King Joram or Jehoram (King of Israel, Northern Kingdom):

“Are you coming in peace?” Joram asked him. “How can there be peace,” Jehu answered, “when we still have all the witchcraft and idolatry that your mother Jezebel started?” (2 Kings 9:22 TEV, emphasis mine)

Why must this story be retold? This is what is bound to happen to the Church had Bro. Eduardo gave in to the wishes and dictates of his mother, Mrs. Tenny. Her sympathizers would understandably disagree to this, highlighting the good side and intentions of Mrs. Tenny, but as what happened to many of her sympathizers, they eventually came to the realization of truth with the uncovering of her letters presenting a totally different portrayal of who Mrs. Tenny really is—from a kind and supportive wife and a loving mother to a manipulative wife and mother to her sons. But I believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg and many more letters will be revealed in due time.

Bro. Eduardo and the rest of the ministers and evangelical workers know clearly the limits of honoring and obeying their parents. Yes, it is their God-given duty as children to honor and obey their parents but not to the point of giving in to their whims or caprices or allowing them to interfere in their ministerial functions.

Consider this for a moment, had Bro. Felix Y. Manalo give in to the wish of his mother just because of the commandment to honor one’s father and mother, would he had pursued his calling to preach about the Iglesia Ni Cristo? As painful as it seems to not give in to his mother’s wish which was misconstrued by others as an act of defiance and rebellion, but Bro. Felix Y. Manalo chose not to defy God’s call just like Apostle Paul. He said this to King Agrippa when explaining his calling and conversion:

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,” (Act 26:19)

When Mrs. Tenny came into the open attempting to cause divisions within the Church, Bro. Eduardo was only presented with two choices which was either he obey God (by obeying His command to expel the wicked from among His people) or honor his mother (by not imposing the sanction that has to be imposed). From these two choices, he chose to obey God to expel Mrs. Tenny even if it would be misconstrued as an act of dishonoring his mother.

For Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo and for all faithful members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, obedience to God is higher than honoring one’s parents.

Just like what the Apostles said:

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’” (Acts 5:29 NKJV).

To be continued.

  

Lowell Menorca: Ang Sagot

“We didn’t try to BURY you, because we know that you are WEEDS.”