After some 20 years abroad, the Apostle to the Gentiles returned to the city of his youth on a home mission of peace and unity. He came to present alms from the Gentile churches to the poor in Judea (Acts 24:17).

This errand of mercy preoccupied Paul during his third missionary journey. It would be a cornerstone of his career and a sacrament of unity between the Jewish and Gentile branches of the Early Church (1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Romans 15:25-33).

But in just a few days, this noble dream crashed. Thanks to fake news.

First, the Messianic Jews in Jerusalem heard that Paul was going around teaching the Jews of the Diaspora to abandon the Law and stop circumcising their sons. Fake news, folks. Check it out. Paul still worshipped God in Jewish ways, especially among Jews (1 Corinthians 9:20). He even had Timothy circumcised to avoid scandalising the Jews in Lycaonia (Acts 16:3).

Next, when Paul entered the temple to worship God in Jewish ways, some Asian Jews accused him of bringing Gentiles in and defiling the holy place. Fake news again. And this time, most vicious. Profaning the temple was the one crime for which the Jews had the right to execute the offender without referring the case to a Roman court.

A riot ensued. The whole city was thrown into confusion. Paul would have been lynched like Stephen if the Romans hadn’t intervened. The officer-in-charge couldn’t make heads or tails of the situation because of the shouting match in the crowd.

So much for the collection. We don’t even hear a Thank You from Jerusalem. So much for the mission of peace and unity between Jewish and Gentile believers. The situation got as complicated as the war in Syria is today. Gentiles had to rescue Paul from his own people. The local Messianic Jews apparently kept a safe distance.

In the long-drawn ordeal that follows, there is no evidence that the church in Jerusalem stood in solidarity with Paul. In seven previous attacks while abroad, Luke has repeatedly shown how believers and pre-believers rallied to Paul’s side (Acts 9:23-25; 9:29-30; 14:19-20; 16:33-34; 17:9; 17:13-15; 19:29-31).

So in this case, the silence is deafening. Perhaps too much was at stake. And too much was fake news.

Fake news is a global crisis. Around the world, falsehoods are being deliberately spread online, to attack public institutions and individuals. The aim is to sow discord amongst racial and religious communities, exploit fault lines, undermine public institutions, interfere in elections as well as other democratic processes, and weaken countries (Green Paper, Ministry of Communications and Information, and Ministry of Law). 

• Satan is the father of lies. Social media is the mother of fake news. They make a charming couple. They breed chaos and confusion. They are masters of agitation. Satan’s aim is to destroy the unity of the Church. His allies are always around. Liars, opportunists, attention addicts. Petty. Divisive. Vindictive. Peddling lies, rumours, accusations, innuendo. Judgment begins in the house of God. Fall down flat on your face in repentance if you have become the devil’s mouthpiece. Refuse to spread deliberate falsehood to slander the Church, poison minds, fuel hate, incite rebellion, confuse and demoralise the camp. Pray for purified lips that we may be heard in heaven and serve God shoulder to shoulder (Zephaniah 3:9).

• Singapore is an attractive target of fake news. We are the most wired nation under the sun, the most globally-connected. We are easily caught in the web of fake news and disinformation. Our racial and religious diversity makes us vulnerable to attacks that exploit our fault lines. Through many dangers, toils and snares we have already come, thanks to amazing grace. Give thanks to God for our vigilant government. For wise and discerning leaders. For new legislation as a national security measure. Most of all, thank God that in this post-truth era, the vast majority of Singaporeans are clear-minded and consistently in favour of our government’s move to curb fake news.

• Carl Jung wondered – will the world end through evil or stupidity? Unhappily, at this chaotic moment in history, we see both destructive forces hard at work – the evil of radical extremism and stupid expression unbridled – and not much in the way of counter-forces of equal power pushing back (Carla Seaquist, HuffPost). Wake up, Church. This is end-time spiritual warfare. Push back through mighty prayer in Jesus’ name – a greater power, the highest authority! For the weapons of our warfare… have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). This Year of Prayer, saturate our city with prayer and praise anywhere and everywhere. Let incense arise day and night. Confess divine favour for this Little Red Dot: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows (Psalm 23:5). Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me (Psalm 17:8-9).