Many different sins are destroying PNG. Which one do you think is the worst?

The staff at Lae City Mission and Reformed Ministries answered this question.

Patrick Willie says that sexual unfaithfulness is the greatest evil in PNG.  People are breaking up their marriages and the gift of sex by having sex outside of marriage. This can happen at school, in the work place and even along the road, it seems.  Patrick recently heard that some school-teachers say that they will give better grades to students who will have sex with them. Also at work, managers are offering money to female workers if they meet them for sex.  But did God make men and women for this sinful purpose? Did God say go have sex with whomever you want? No! The Lord says in Genesis 2:24-25, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh.”  Sex is for marriage only! Hebrew 13:4 says, “Marriage should be respected by all, and keep the marriage bed pure.”  The gift of sex has become an idol and it is destroying PNG. 

Hendry Paul, Francis Andrew and Samantha Orere say that the love of money or greed is destroying PNG. People have turned away from God and worship money instead. Hendry argues that Sunday is the Lord’s Day (Rev 1:10) but people are always ‘busy’ buying and selling on Sunday. He says that the love of money is the god that keeps people away from true worship. Francis agrees with Hendry. He says that companies that work seven days a week are going against God’s plan. They are breaking the commandment to rest one day each week. Finally, Samantha says that people are not trusting God and following His commands. She understands that it is hard when your fortnight is too small to pay for the daily cost of living. But people do not turn to God for help. Instead they become involved in petty crimes, prostitution, robbery and drug dealings to make some extra toea. This is against God’s will. This is greed and it is a sin that is destroying PNG. 

Chris Steenhof and Lorrane Ababa say that selfishness causes many problems in society, families and the government of PNG.  Chris says that selfishness is what causes the corruption we read about in the papers. It does not matter if it is millions of kina, or a few toea, whether it is cheating or helping your wantok over more qualified people – selfishness is the cause of it all.  For example, men who beat their wives are only thinking about themselves. They are selfish men!  Men who spend their fortnight on beer, buai or drugs while their wives and children are hungry at home are only thinking of their own joy and not their family’s needs.  Lorrane says that PNG is a slave to the so-called wantok system. Helping friends, relatives and clansmen find work even if they are not qualified is one example of the terrible effects of the wantok system. At the heart of these issues is selfishness, but Christ calls us to be selfless (Philippians 2). 

Ricky Sibby says that idolatry is the biggest sin in PNG. People put their idols above all things and cannot see clearly. The Government recently bought a King James Bible that was written in the 1600s. They believe that because we have this Bible, PNG will prosper. They make an idol of the Bible itself to gain prosperity! Many people go to church, thinking it is a good thing to do, but they do not study God’s Word or apply the teachings of the Bible to their daily lives. We also see that the love of money is an idol. Many so-called Christians love their money, their jobs, their culture and their status more than they love their Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is destroying PNG.

Winston Orere says that drunkenness is the cause of many problems. The word drunkenness is used a lot in the Scriptures. It is one of the sins that will stop us from going to heaven. Galatians 5:21 reads, “Envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these, I warn you, that people who do these things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”  When you are drunk, it can make you do other sins. For example, when you fight or stab someone they might die. When you hit your wife you can hurt her badly. Sexual sins, including incest, can cause HIV/ AIDS, accidental pregnancies and lots of shame. Even driving dangerously because of beer can cause car accidents and kill people. Winston believes that alcohol and drugs bring two lies: the lie that problems and pains will go away with drinking, and the lie that drugs and alcohol can make you happy. These are untrue and the problems only get worse. For this reason the Apostle Paul says, “Do not get drunk on wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Drunkenness is destroying the nation of PNG. 

Freddie Walis says it is the use of steam or homebrew. Steam is destroying many youth in PNG, especially in the settlements. Many people are involved in making steam and drinking this poison too. Freddie, who used to be involved in drinking steam, says that people drink steam because they are trying to find happiness. But instead of finding happiness they find a lot of pain and problems: abusive language (tok nogut), fights, sexual sins like rape and pasin pamuk, disobedience and threats to parents, stealing and holding up cars, and sometimes blindness, sickness and death. This seems to be God’s curse against this sin. Sadly, this evil is passed on from one generation to the next. The problems are getting worse in the settlements.  Freddie says, “If people would know Jesus Christ and His ways, and understand the mercy and love God has for them, they would leave this idol that is destroying PNG; and then the settlements would become peaceful places to live.”

Conclusion: All these sins are destroying this great nation and each of them and more reach God’s throne of judgment. God will not ignore and turn His eyes from seeing these sins or His ears from hearing them. No! He is very angry with unrepentant sins. The only way we can be saved from the penalty of these sins both individually and as a nation is through repentance. Christ came to redeem us, and every square kilometer of PNG, as well! We need to take stock of how we are rejecting God’s ways. We need to look to Christ (Hebrews 12:1-3) and let Christ wash us clean by His Spirit and Word – every day! There is no other way for the Lord to heal this land, this great country, Papua New Guinea!