Date: January 11, 2018

To: Br. Rey Allan B. Balderosa, Sc

By: Mario M. Bello, Jr.
Re: Reflection Paper 5 – Ethics in Daily Life: How to treat other human beings (Exodus
20:12-17)

1. Is there positive biblical teaching in your church regarding the role of our society and
the Christian's responsibility toward it?

Yes. My church teaches that the society and the persons leading it were instituted
by God to govern the people. In one instance in the Bible, when Jesus was confronted with
the issue on tax, He said that give to Caesar what is due to Caesar. It goes without saying
that during the time of Jesus, the Roman Empire is not a perfect government. There were
many records showing the flaws of the empire and the injustices it inflicted not only to Israel
but also to the other lands they conquered. However, despite all these, Jesus paid his taxes.
This only shows that Jesus himself teaches us to respect the government God instituted over
us. It is but fitting therefore that Christians should pay utmost respect to the leaders of the
land and the laws and regulations imposed by it so as to create a more peaceful and orderly
society for everyone. In as much as Jesus himself showed how the government is to be
treated, as disciples of Christ, the same is also required from us. It is necessary that as
Christians we are to do our responsibilities as good citizens of the land just as what Jesus
did.

2. What documents and people are available to assist Christians in better understanding
their privileges, protections and responsibilities as citizens of your country?

The Bible is the holistic supreme authority as to how are we to live our lives as
Christians and that includes instructions and teachings of becoming a good citizen. In fact
many of our laws today emanated from the moral law taught by the Bible. Also, it is
important to underscore that the 1987 Philippine Constitution starts with proclaiming its
reverence to God. This can be seen in the Constitution’s Preamble. As to the people who
could assist Christians fully understand their privileges, protections and responsibilities as
citizens of our country, the ministers are first in the line, the teachers are also mandated to
teach love of God in the school and how to become a better citizen, all government
employees are required to live a life with high moral standards whole serving the people.
And there are many others in our country who has the capacity to lead us live a life both in
accordance to the laws of the land and the will of God.
3. How can the church as a community of God’s people support the principle of the Society
and its constitutional role while avoiding dangers of participation in the politics of a
particular party? What can individual Christians do that the church cannot do?

One principle being upheld by the Constitution is equal protection for all people
which means that when it was crafted, the makers were intricately careful not to incorporate
biases in the meaning of the law. And so merely following the letters of the law will not
lead one to become bias, and so it is very possible to follow the laws as mandated and become
a good citizen without being politically bias to one party. It is when one interprets the law
in favor of his political inclination where issue on politicking and biases arise.

4. In light of Paul's teaching, how do you feel about your own level of conformity to the
laws of your Community? Are you satisfied with your actions as a citizen? Explain.

Yes, I am satisfied with my actions as a citizen. Primarily, the law is not designed
to make us puritans and self-righteous. In fact, the Bible even teaches that the law is not
perfect and so Jesus came to show a different understanding and paradigm of living a godly
life. Also, the Philippine laws are not opposite to my faith as a Christian and so I see no
conflict obeying the laws of the land and living a godly life all at the same time.