Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano urged Christians to become a counterculture that shapes society according to the values of God’s kingdom, rather than allowing prevailing social values to shape their beliefs and actions.
Speaking before around 2,000 members of the Blessed Hope Christian Community Church in Cagayan de Oro City during its 40th anniversary celebration, Cayetano said culture plays a critical role in whether individuals and institutions remain faithful to their ideals.
“Do we beat the system? Or does the system beat us?”
“Every single politician, including myself, has this challenge. We enter (politics) very idealistic, but the question is, do we beat the system? Or does the system beat us?” the veteran legislator said.
“And you know what plays a role there? It’s culture. And culture is active. If as Christians we do not change the culture, the culture will change us,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
The senator cited corruption, revenge, abortion, and other social problems to illustrate how culture can influence people’s values and behavior.
He said Christians must not simply condemn these issues but should also address the circumstances that allow harmful practices and attitudes to take root in society.
“Ang kingdom ni God ay may culture. Ang kingdom ng demonyo, may culture — ‘yung culture ng sakit, culture ng korapsyon, culture ng revenge, culture ng abortion, of death. (This) is the culture of the kingdom of the devil,” Cayetano said.
“If they look at our churches and they cannot see the kingdom of heaven, we cannot provide an alternative.”
“So if they look at our churches and they cannot see the kingdom of heaven, we cannot provide an alternative,” he added.
Cayetano challenged the Blessed Hope Christian Community Church to extend its mission beyond its members and become a source of hope in the wider community and the nation.
He said Christians can counter harmful culture by living out their faith in their communities and demonstrating the values of God’s kingdom through their actions.
At the same time, Cayetano urged Christians to anchor their hope in God rather than in political circumstances, institutions, or people, particularly amid uncertainty and fear.
Speaking about uncertainties surrounding his political life, including the possibility of imprisonment, he said his security cannot ultimately depend on people or institutions.
“Where is my hope? My hope is in the living God. My hope is that, ‘Lord, wherever you put me, that’s where you meant me to be,’” Cayetano said.
He stressed that faith does not mean the absence of fear, but refusing to allow fear to become paralyzing or cause people to lose their trust in God.
“Please share the blessed hope in the Lord Jesus Christ to the rest of the country,” Cayetano said, challenging the church community to carry its message of hope beyond its congregation.
