Rom 7:8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.

When the director Xtron (appointed by CHC) finally admitted that 13 million funds from CHC were actually used for the promotion of Sun Ho's career was "completely honest", and an open matter, it finally dawned upon me, the power of a law based religious faith to act in lawlessness.

People under a strong religious law cannot see themselves even when it is obvious that they are committing sin. In the case of CHC, it was said that the church building funds were for investments, audited as such, and redeemed back into the fund. Yet the real intention appears to be different. 

When a friend was complaining about City Harvest, I lamented that who are we to be perturbed, for they are so rich and of faith, whilst our faith level and wealth is thinking on the cheap economical rice for dinner! In terms of economic scale and faith in the eyes of Christianity, we would be like a wanderer in the desert eating bees and locust for food!

Surely, CHC is not alone when such practices are common in other faiths with stories of amounts donated for the poor to temples/faith institution only being partially used to help the poor. Alas, the temptation and power of money is stronger than some of our faith.

The more money is handled, the stronger the temptations. If we pride ourselves that we are able to follow the religious laws, the sooner we will fall and cover up our deeds to maintain our outward righteousness.

Does faith equates to blessings and riches until we cover up our losses at all cost!

Surely Christianity should be the opposite, that it is all by God's grace, even our faith in Christ. Many times, we are faithless but Jesus is faithful holding us up.

When we emphasised on our ability to follow the religious laws:-

a. We don't see our own sins even if they are in front of us.

b. We tend to hide our sins in our dark closets when no one sees.

c. We see ourselves totally clean, and completely honest and of integrity and could do no wrong.

d. We are puffed up in pride of our self righteousness in our ability to follow the religious laws, hence this pride makes us immune even when our hands are filled with dirt.

e. We pride ourselves and our faith, that our faith results in blessings and riches, until we could not loose face and admit of failings. For failure is equated to a lack of faith. Therefore, when CHC/ Pastor Sun was faced with a lost of millions for their albums in Hollywood, it is hard to be honest and admit failure because this is tantamount to a failure of faith.

The strong emphasis on the teaching of religious laws and for some others acts of good works to reflect our faith takes our eyes of God's grace, mercy and love.

It is odd that the facebook posting by Pastor Khong of Love Singapore/FCBC to support CHC in dark times, turned out to be a discussion on how the church has a whole treated gays. However, when we are law minded, the outside world sees us through filtered glasses which emphasised our sins and hypocrisy.

We we don't see anywrong with our soiled hands, we have a problem of sight, because dark in our body within. That is why we need the grace of God, for Jesus to cover our sins through His blood at the Cross of Calvary.

As the best legal counsels are used, the trial has a very long way to go until early next year, and there are two sides of the story and they are still innocent until pronounced guilty! But the real problem is seeing grey as white, in seeing black as white rather than being humble and having a contrite and clean heart.

Surely, we should pray for peace and the joy of God in all circumstances that something good will come out, and that there will be comfort, restoration and an assurance of faith for the members of City Harvest during this difficult time. At the end, all that matters, is that our faith, hope and trust in God's redeeming glory be strong, not in our strenght, but Christ working in us, the Hope of Glory.