Jack Neo should seek God’s grace not law

 

"I'm deeply sorry and sad and I regret what I did. … And I will be careful to behave with girls, to avoid any misunderstandings, and I'll be loyal to my wife …. I cannot undo my mistakes. I'm only human, I err. Although I've ... admitted to my wrongdoings, I still hope for your forgiveness, that you'll give me a chance.” [Jack Neo’s Blog]

“There is a saying: You reap what you sow……..What Man does, Heaven sees. Do no think that Heaven will not see if you hide in a dark place and do bad things.” [Jack Neo’s Blog]

“I had only one affair, for which I am totally repentant and totally remorseful,” As for the others who have surfaced to make all kinds of claims, I wonder what their motives are. Is it because they think I am down-and-out now that they can join in to cast stones at me?” [Jack Neo interview with New Paper]

“Jack said he had intended to apologize after she spoke, but she stood up to leave, then collapsed into his arms.” [Jack Neo interview with New Paper]

In the continuing saga of Singapore's Movie director, Jack Neo, a member of City Harvest Church, still appears to be living in some denial rather than asking forgiveness from God and for God's grace and mercy to reign in his life rather than judgement. It appears that he now intends to fight it out with his accusers which can be a long drama series fit for a movie.

What Jack Neo said

What he Should have said

“Careful to behave with girls”

“Careful not to have extramarital relationships”

“ Had only one affair”

“Had many affairs, and for forgiveness”

“Intended to apologize … but [wife] stood up to leave”

“I Stood up first to leave, as couldn’t bear using wife’s suffering to ask for mercy”

It is amazing that Jack Neo even after he had lost much of his reputation, admits to only one affair, still denies the other 10 affairs and uses the wife as a shield to blame when he did not apologize at the press conference. At the press conference, Jack actually stood up first to leave and helped his wife along the way, and not the other way around as claimed by him. If it is true repentance, it must be truthful.

Jack had never apologized to the women he had all the affairs with and worst still he claimed to have one affair, and blame the others for taking advantage of the situation. It was all fair play. The reason may be very simple, that there may be many more than just 11 mentioned, and so these revelations denied as to limit the damage done. Also, if guilt was admitted in pubic, he may be exposed to claims.

(Mal 3:5 NKJV) And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien; Because they do not fear Me," Says the LORD of hosts.

(John 8:4,5 NKJV) they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"

The argument here is one of Grace versus the Law. Jack Neo had taken his suffering as retribution under God’s moral law for all the bad things done. Nothing can be hidden from God even bad things done in dark places, he said. But we do not live under the law, we live under grace. If he was truly insisting of God’s punishment under the law, then for every instance of his 11 cases of infidelity, he should have been stoned metaphorically in public. Thus truly by law, one press conference will not be enough; he should have had 11, one for each affair. His earlier divorce of his first marriage would also be considered as adultery both for Jack Neo and the current 2nd wife.

The church is so eager to cherry pick from the bible to quote against gays even though entirely out of the historical and cultural context, to bring it into a same sex love context which was never the context of the bible. There are two major themes running through the bible, the worship of other gods characterized by their gross adultery, and the grace and mercy of God instead of punishing us under the Mosaic Law. Without understanding the Grace of God in our lives, it is difficult to turn back. What a wonderful family, Jack have had, who stood by him through this saga even defending him in a press conference when he should have spoken solely instead.

Jack Neo should be mindful that he has not reaped what he sowed. He could have lost much more, his family included. He took the grace of God for granted, had one too many affairs, and it all was out in public when his last mistress Wendy Chong decided to tell the media. It was an open secret after all, the wife knew about it and so would his friends and colleagues. Even after his fall, he is still taking God’s grace for granted by insisting on proof from the other 10 previous affairs on allegations of sexual indiscretion, knowing that after so many years, all evidence would be lost.

We need a deeper appreciation of God’s Amazing grace, and the resultant grateful attitude. We don’t deserve anything; all is by God’s grace and mercy. It is a reminder for us to be grateful to the many blessings we have, our family, friends, and partners, not to take them for granted or make use of them for our own ends.

Locations of visitors to this page