bribery bribery

bribery bribery

Acts 8 : 18 - " And when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands , he offered them money . "
Somehow purge the country of corruption . Despite all the pros and cons , eradicating corruption agencies in Indonesia continue to round up those who could harm the state and mengemplang public money for personal or group interests . We continue to see new suspects , new inmates even often surprised to see the names of the famous are caught , either by examination of witnesses , gathering evidence is direct or caught while transactions . Ironically , almost all of them received sentences far below the sense of justice . It turns out in addition to corruption , bribery was a scourge that has been rooted to the joints of the general public .
Judges can be bribed , law can be bought , even bureaucratic system deliberately created so that the necessary lubricant in any point that matters is stuck and can not slide smoothly without a hitch . There are elements that squeeze so we were forced to bribe if you do not want to get into trouble , there is a chance that complicates matters bribed open . Congratulations or thank you was already represented by the envelope in order to get ease later in life . Calo , jockey , insiders , all of these are intermediaries who are ready to help matters by funneling kickbacks or bribes to the authorities which must be shared with the profits for himself .
A passage in Acts records the bribery issue , namely in Article 8 : 4-25 . One day Peter and John were sent GOD visited Samaria to serve . Both the direct apostles laid their hands busy working so that all the people of Samaria who had converted to Jesus Christ hath received the Holy Spirit .
In that city lived a famous magician named Simon who is already declared repent and accept Jesus Christ who see how the miracle power of God fell upon many extraordinary people . As a person who has a background of magician , of what he saw looked so amazing . Although he works as a great magician , but it seems what the apostle greater than what he could do , especially when looking at how the Holy Spirit flow to the Samaritans who had been baptized so that he was interested in increasing their knowledge .
He wanted to have that kind of power . When desire is unbearable , he was offered a bribe . " When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands , he offered them money " Acts 8 : 18
He said : "Give me also this power , so that when I lay my hands upon a person , he may receive the Holy Spirit . " Acts 8 : 19
Such mindsets that exist in today's society , as well as Simon thinks that money can buy everything , including the gift of GOD . Apostle bribed to buy the gift GOD ? It was thought that outrageous . Obviously both strongly rejected the apostles directly . Peter immediately rebuked him hard . " But Peter said to him," Thy money perish with thee , because thou hast thought that the gift of GOD you can buy with money . " Acts 8 : 20
Peter continues by giving rebuke will be error assertion Simon and told him to repent . " There is no section or your rights in this matter , for your heart is not straight in front of GOD . So repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord , so that the intention of your heart to forgive this IA ; For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity . " Acts 8 : 21-23
Fortunately Simon is not stubborn and immediately regretted it . We can imagine if he did not do it , the wrath of GOD will destroy the very pathetic .
If we step back , bribery case this has happened before . In the book of Ecclesiastes we can find it . " There's more that I saw under the sun : in the courts , behold, there is injustice , and in the place of justice , behold, there is injustice . " Ecclesiastes 3 ​​: 16
Did not we see the same thing now anyway ?Justice into the superficial because they can be bought . Facts can be twisted and he evidently considered one else could change completely . In a place where we should be able to seek justice , even there is often the hub of all injustice . It happened in the past, it's still going on today .
Let us return to the story of Peter and John who met Simon the magician in Samaria above . Simon was fortunate because he immediately regretted his actions . But there are so many people today are still compromised by bribery , and even consider it as a life style that it has become something reasonable .
Later became sinful affair , which is important now licinkan first business. Though the problem of bribery is not messing around , even an insult to the Lord , "Who goes with honest , fear the LORD , but the perverse way , insulting him . " Proverbs 14 : 2
In addition to the humiliation , the Lord also consider this as an abomination to HIM . " because of the perverse is an abomination to the LORD , but the upright IA intimate . " Proverbs 3 : 32
Cheat by bribing to worldly interests alone is wrong , especially if it thought that the gift of God could be purchased . The gift of God can not be bought . Salvation can not be bought , God can not be bribed in any way . All of this can lead us to destruction . Remember that in this case the fault is not just one party but two parties . The giver and the receiver , the briber and the bribed are equally wrong and will receive the same punishment as well .
In a series of regulations on human rights are recorded in Exodus , we read one of them talked about the bribery case . " Bribes do not acceptable to you , for bribes blind the eyes make people look and people twisting case that is true. " Exodus 23 : 8
Bribery could distort the truth and injured sense of justice . And it all will never be pleasing to the Lord . We might be able to find it easier this time , things could be much faster, especially when a process is deliberately complicated so that people would not want to have to bribe so smoothly .
We may lose time and energy , we may have to learn to be patient and steadfast when it gets complicated and injustice if no bribe , but it's much better , because the actual bribe we were doing abomination and an insult to the Lord .
Maybe we cornered because colleagues at work taking bribes , maybe we got a lot of trouble for choosing clean , but somehow it is not an excuse for cheating bandwagon .
Titus warned thus: "Servants obey his master shall in all respects and acceptable to them , do not argue , do not cheat , but be always sincere and faithful , so that they thus in all things glorifying the doctrine of God our Savior . " Titus 2 : 9-10
By doing bribe means we do not glorify GOD , but of the Lord . Of course none of us are deliberately not dare to insult God ?
Therefore , avoid bribery practices in both the briber or the bribed position .
Be honest and clean whatever the cost , because that is pleasing to the Lord .
Bribery means no insult even glorify the Lord , AMEN .

Bless the LORD JESUS ​​.