LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him….” (Hebrews 11:6, the Holy Bible).

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CONG. PEPING LAMBASTS LP: Calling news reports and opinion columns naming him as the leader of an opposition group against President Aquino as “miserably misleading”, former Tarlac Rep. Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. said Sunday he is not involved in any way with any opposition force against the President.

In a press statement, the presidential uncle also lambasted the Liberal Party headed by its President Mar Roxas for putting the blame on ex-Rep. Cojuangco for their loss in the May 2010 elections, saying it was the Filipino people who “emphatically rejected LP’s unacceptable candidates, including  Mar Roxas for vice president.”

We are reproducing the entire press statement here, and here is the first part: “I used to be more widely known as the bayaw of Ninoy. Then as the husband of Tingting. Then as the brother of President Cory. Then as the Dad of Mikee. And now course, as the uncle of President Aquino.

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CONG. PEPING’S PRESS STATEMENT, PART I: “I also know that my name is one of those inevitably mentioned whenever critics of our family bring up their well worn smear word as their all-purpose demolition device - Kamaganak, Inc.

“The notion of a Kamaganak Inc is as revolting and repulsive to me as it is to everyone, and even more so to all of our family members who have had to bear this unfair and unfounded burden that has come with the territory of having a President in the family. And now, two Presidents.

“The fact is that we Pilipinos overwhelmingly elected Cory's only son because we want her courage and honesty to continue guiding our leaders in governing the country, regardless of the qualifications, experience, or abilities of her senator child…” More of this next time. Watch out for it.

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WORKS THAT MAKE OUR FAITH ALIVE AND OUR SALVATION ASSURED: We have often heard that “faith without works is dead”, which is actually a quotation lifted from James 2:17 and 26 of the Bible. But do we really understand what this quotation means? Does it mean that to show our faith to God, we should be able to do good things and be able to follow God’s laws all the time?

That does not seem to be the case, in view of what Ephesians 2:8-9 is telling us: “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith---and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God---not by works, so that no one can boast.”

To me, the only “works” that would make our faith alive---and our life hereafter assured in the presence of God---is that mentioned under John 1:12 of the Bible, which says: “Yet to all those who received Him (the Word became flesh, or Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…” 

Receiving Jesus and believing in His name, therefore, are the works that make our faith alive and our salvation assured.