|
A CRITIQUE OF "MARK THEM WHICH CAUSE DIVISIONS"
Written
by the Rev Charles Seet and Elders of
Life Bible-Presbyterian Church, Singapore, January 2008 (http://www.lifebpc.com/ourstand/markthem.htm)
Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew
(
Printable Version )
INTRODUCTION
The Disciples of Jesus Christ remained resolute
and steadfast and continued to testify in the Name of Jesus Christ no matter
what the threats were. Can the disciples of Christ today do less? God forbid!
Acts 5:41-42 says, “And they departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and
preach Jesus Christ.” The disciples were harassed and imprisoned because
they refused to heed the threats of the Sanhedrin Council to “not speak in the
name of Jesus.” We are facing similar threats [of harassment only and thank
God no imprisonment] today and from a church council!
What has happened and continue to happen today
are signs of the end times that we are living in. God has already warned us in
2 Timothy 3:1-5, “This know also, that in the last days perilous
times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof: from such turn away.”
Therefore as disciples of Christ, thank God that
He counts us worthy to suffer for His Name’s sake! Be encouraged from our
perfect Bible which says in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Let us now evaluate the above paper and see if
it really has any justification. On the surface the above paper seems to have
some credence. But on closer examination we find that it is another attempt
used by Satan to pull the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting disciples of
Christ into believing that the Bible we have in our hands has mistakes.
The purpose and hope of this critique of the
above paper is that readers might be warned and perchance even the writers of
the paper might repent and turn from their sins and return to the Lord Jesus
Christ who died for them.
I.
IS THE DOCTRINE OF VPP REALLY A HERESY?
It is not uncommon or surprising to be labeled a
heretic for preaching Christ and defending the Bible. The apostle Paul endured
the same charge for preaching Christ in Acts 24:14, “But this I
confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so
worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the
law and in the prophets:” [emphasis added] All we are doing is believe in
ALL the things that are written in the perfect Bible, just like the apostle
did.
Is it so heretical to believe that no words of
God are lost as Jesus Christ Himself has testified? Is it heretical to believe
that God who has inspired all His perfect Word has also preserved all of them
perfectly?
God Himself testified and said in Psalm 19:7,
“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the
LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalm 12:6-7, “The words
of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified
seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this
generation for ever.” Deuteronomy 8:3, “And he humbled thee, and
suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not,
neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not
live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the
LORD doth man live.” Proverbs 30:5, “Every word of God is pure:
he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”
These are some of the Bible verses from the New
Testament on the doctrine of VPP which teach that God’s Word will not be lost!
Matthew 4:4, “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Luke 4:4, “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Matthew 5:18,
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one
tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall
not pass away.” Luke 16:17, “And it is easier for heaven and
earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 21:33, “Heaven
and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” John
10:35, “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the
scripture cannot be broken;” Revelation 22:18-19, “For I testify
unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man
shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are
written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the
book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life,
and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
The proponents of the doctrine of VPP believe
that the Bible is perfect because the Bible teaches this doctrine (see
above citation) and God has providentially preserved all His perfectly words.
God makes no mistakes. The alternate view is that the Bible has mistakes.
There is no third view. Let us compare the two views against the three
characteristics of heresy as defined by the paper: It is new; infectious;
destructive.
a. It
is new –
For VPP (an identifiable perfect Bible
with no mistakes) more than 3,400 years old –
Founded in God’s perfect Word. Only the
existence of a perfect Bible today can teach that God had inspired a perfect
Bible in the past. The reason is that only a good tree can give me good fruit!
This means that this doctrine is more than 3,400 years old. God gave us the
Pentateuch after Moses came out of Egypt in 1445 B.C.
Against
VPP (every Bible has mistakes) slightly more than 100 years old
— This is a new attack on God’s Word.
This view of a Bible with mistakes surfaced after the period of German
Rationalism (late 19th Century) where reason surpasses faith in
Scriptures. In the early 20th Century the attack was on
inspiration. Today the attack is on preservation. This view is slightly over
100 years old.
b. It
is infectious –
For VPP (An identifiable Bible with no
mistakes) – The B-P Movement from its
inception has always believed that the Bible is perfect. This is a fundamental
belief from the beginning of time. Without this doctrine of an identifiable
perfect Bible today all our doctrines will be in jeopardy. Every time you use
or read a verse you have to ask yourself “is it perfect?” But with this
doctrine which is given to us by God we need not fear and have any doubt.
Against
VPP (every Bible has mistakes) – This
view has travelled round the world affecting churches, seminaries and Bible
Colleges. In the Singapore B-P Church context, the attack on God’s perfect
Bible reared its ugly head when the book, “One Bible Only?” began circulating
amongst BP churches. FEBC had to write a critique to refute it to protect
the flock. Those who supported this book resisted and attacked FEBC in return.
Proponents of this view continue to add more and more names of people onto
their list.
c. It is
destructive –
For
VPP (an identifiable Bible with no mistakes)
– How could the belief of a wonderful faith-filled doctrine that God has given
us a perfect Bible and has also preserved all His inspired words for us be
destructive? Every child of God who loves God will love this most reassuring
doctrine. Have we not all been taught that the Bible is perfect from the day
we became Christians? Ask any child and you will find that their child-like
faith would say to you that they believe that the Bible is perfect. Would you
really believe in Jesus Christ if you were told that the gospel you are about
to believe in comes from a Bible with mistakes? Read what God’s Word say the
perfect Bible can do to a person’s heart and soul! Psalms 19:7-9, “The
law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of Jehovah is
sure, making wise the simple; The precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the
heart; the commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of
Jehovah is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they
are righteous altogether:”
Against
VPP (every Bible has mistakes) – When
this doctrine entered into the B-P movement, polarization took place. Faith
was shaken to the very core! Doubts set in immediately! Before the attack on
the perfect Bible came we were at peace because all of us believed that the
Bible is perfect. The seed of doubt was sown when books like “One Bible
Only?” crept in. Then proponents of this evil attack took advantage of the
confusion to spread all sorts of lies. The wonderful doctrine of VPP was hated
because of these lies. Rumours as ridiculous as “VPP teaches that KJV is
inspired”! [This implies that God spoke to Moses up on Mount Sinai in KJV
English!] Or “those who read any translation other than the KJV cannot be
saved”! [A child could read a children’s Bible and be saved!] What lies were
spun to distort the truth about God’s perfect Word. Talebearers caught on to
these lies and spread them like wildfire. Proverbs 26:20 warns, “Where
no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the
contention ceaseth.” The saddest part was that many believe these
lies. How true is God’s perfect Word, “A lying tongue hateth those that are
injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.” [Proverbs 26:28].
Dear Reader, open your heart and eyes and see
for yourself. The doctrine of VPP builds up and strengthens your faith in
Christ the Living Word and the Bible His Written Word.
Conversely, the rejection of the doctrine of
VPP destroys faith!
The doctrine of VPP teaches that God has
preserved all the inspired words of God perfectly in the Bible, NOT a
translation of the Bible. The identity of the perfectly preserved texts would
be the Hebrew and Greek texts underlying the KJV. Why? The reason is that God
has preserved them i.e. kept pure throughout the ages as He promised in a
plethora of Bible verses and that these were the texts that were in continuous
circulation throughout the ages unlike Westcott and Hort’s texts that were
buried and one of them was found in the trash bin of a Roman Catholic
monastery, about to be thrown into the fire.
Readers please decide for yourself which is
heresy – FOR YOUR FAITH DEPENDS ON IT:
HOLDING A PERFECT BIBLE IN YOUR HANDS?
OR
HOLDING A BIBLE WITH MISTAKES IN YOUR HANDS?
II.
WHAT OR WHO REALLY CAUSES DIVISION IN THE
CHURCH?
A.
Life BPC and True Life BPC
True Life BPC was born AFTER the ministry of
Rev Timothy Tow was wrestled from his hands by the present leaders of Life BPC.
Rev Tow was the founder of both the Far Eastern Bible College and Life
Bible-Presbyterian Church. He is the LORD’s anointed, not any one of them. It
is said that Rev Tow resigned on his own. Please think carefully dear reader,
why would Rev Tow resign from a church that he loved and which God had caused
him to found 56 years ago? Then at the age of 83 years he started a new church
from scratch! Are we really so blind that we cannot see or are we so
self-absorbed in our own comforts that we refuse to see?
If a son disagrees with his father who do you
think should leave the father’s house? We have Rev Seet and the elders of Life
BPC disagreeing with the founding father, and now the founding father, Rev
Tow, had to leave! In arrogance and shameless audacity they dare to write and
blame Rev Tow and those who support him for causing division in the church?
Weren’t Rev Seet and the Life BPC elders all once-upon-a-time the “spiritual
sons of Rev Tow”? Have they no shame?
There was no schism as they portrayed in their
letter. There was only the ousting of the LORD’s anointed from a ministry for
which the LORD had used him to bless so many for more than 50 years!
Take heed from God’s holy and perfect Word—1
Samuel 26:9, “. . . Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his
hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?” The LORD sees from
heaven exactly what is happening in Life BPC and FEBC. We are sure He cannot
be impressed nor mocked by this spinning of facts to cover up what they did to
Rev Tow and continue to do to God’s Bible College, the FEBC. To them I would
say, please repent of your sins and return Life BPC to Rev Tow. This is the
only way left for you. Only the LORD who anointed Rev Tow can remove Rev Tow
and no one else! Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC have transgressed
grievously when they touched the Lord’s anointed!
Can you the leaders of Life BPC really have a
clear conscience before God and dare to preach God’s Word standing from the
pulpit that they have wrestled from the Lord’s anointed? What kind of people,
having a conscience, would do such a thing?
B.
Calvary Pandan BPC (Jurong) and Truth
BPC
Truth BPC came out of Calvary Jurong AFTER the
pastor Rev J Chan openly rejected the doctrine of VPP, an implication that the
KJV Bible has mistakes, since KJV is the church’s official Bible.
Truth BPC did the honourable thing which is in
accordance with their membership vow and Christian principles, they quietly
left the church and formed Truth BPC.
There was no schism. They did not oust Rev J
Chan from Calvary Jurong.
Perhaps the leaders of Life BPC could follow in
the honourable footsteps of Truth BPC for they are honourable. They did not
build on another man’s foundation. Can the leaders of Life BPC claim the same?
C.
Calvary Jaya BP Fellowship and Evangel
BP Fellowship
The Session and Pastor of Calvary Jaya BP
Fellowship declared their stand for the doctrine of VPP. Eld Lim Yew Cheng did
not wish to take this stand. He resigned and founded Evangel BP Fellowship.
It was a peaceful and quiet exit. Again there
was no schism.
Eld Lim Yew Cheng did the honourable thing. Did
Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC?
III. WHAT
IS TRULY THE VIEW OF REV CHARLES SEET AND ELDERS OF LIFE BPC
ON THE KJV AND
THE BIBLE?
1. Distortion
of Life BPC’s position? – They wrote
that I have distorted Life BPC’s position on FEBC because I wrote, “They have
stated that FEBC would be allowed to use the sanctuary if she would sign an
undertaking that she will teach that the Bible has mistakes and that God has
not preserved all His words perfectly for us today.” (page 6)
They wrote, “please give us written
unconditional undertaking that the college would not promote the VPP
doctrine in night classes, failing which we regret to inform you that this
[church sanctuary] will no longer be available to the college from January
2008.” (page 6)
QUESTION
– What do they mean when they write “not promote the VPP doctrine in night
classes”? Do they mean that FEBC cannot teach that the Bible is perfect i.e.
has no mistakes? If that is so, then conversely FEBC would have “to teach that
the Bible has mistakes” wouldn’t they? If FEBC teaches that the Bible has
mistakes, does it not mean that God has not preserved His holy and perfect
Word, and God cannot make mistakes right?
If this is true then I have not distorted what
they wrote. I merely stated what they demanded of FEBC in the positive sense;
whereas they stated their demand negatively. They mean the same thing do they
not?
How can they expect FEBC to teach the Bible and
not talk about the Bible! This is ridiculous. FEBC stands for Far Eastern
BIBLE College! The BIBLE is the cornerstone of our Faith and Life
and Practice! Please check Life BP Church’s Constitution for I believe that is
what it says too, unless it has been changed!
Please do not play semantic games. Jesus warns
us in Matthew 5:37, “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay,
nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”
2. Are
the Scriptures that Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC quoted and cited
perfect or imperfect?—If I have truly
distorted Rev Charles Seet and the elders of Life BPC’s position, then please
answer this question—Concerning the Bible verses that they quoted in the
above paper, —Romans 10:2; Jeremiah 6:16; 2 Timothy 2:16-17; Matthew 7:16
and 1 Corinthians 2:2 – and taken from the KJV, do they have mistakes or
are they perfect?
They also made reference to
– 2 Peter 3:16; Acts 15:24; Romans 16:17; Titus 3:10; and Titus 1:1 – are
these verses perfect or do they have mistakes?
NOTE: These are Bible verses translated from
the Hebrew and Greek texts which you described as having “no biblical
authority” and “purely human conjecture” to say that they are perfect.
If there are mistakes how do they know that they
are mistakes if they have not seen the original autographs? If they believe
that these Bible verses have mistakes then the authority which they hope to
gain by using them is rendered null and void. Every time they cite the Bible,
which they believe has mistakes, their authority is questioned. How can anyone
believe them?!
By the way, if they decide to say that the
verses are perfect how do they know that they are since they do not believe
that all the inspired Words of God are preserved perfectly by God Himself?
If there are no mistakes in them, are they
saying that these portions of the biblical Hebrew and Greek texts are perfect?
So if I hold in my hands these verses in the original languages, I would be
holding the perfect Word of God? Yes or No?
Is it so wrong to hold in our hands the Bible
and say that it is perfect and has no mistakes? If this is heretical then
would Rev Seet and his elders consider the prophets and the apostles heretical
as well? They held in their hands the perfect Word of God did they not?
Let us demonstrate this truth. Now I hold in my
hands the TEN COMMANDMENTS in Hebrew which I copied in my own hand
writing and taken from the Masoretic Texts which is the Text underlying the
King James Bible. I copied them without any mistakes. Now I would like to ask
Rev Charles Seet and the elders of Life BPC whether the Ten Commandments that
I now hold in my hands are perfect or not?
Problem # 1:
If they say there are mistakes then I would like to ask them to identify the
mistakes and how they know that they are mistakes because unless they have
seen the original they would not be able to know. Even if there are “mistakes”
as they allege, and if I were to correct all of them, would the Ten
Commandments be perfect then?
Problem # 2:
If they say that the Ten Commandments are perfect, how do they know that they
are perfect since they do not believe that all the inspired words have been
preserved by God?
Let us apply this to the whole Old Testament,
one verse at a time! Would I have in my hands a perfect OT or would I not?
Now I do the same with the New Testament. I
copied in my own hand writing the entire Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 to 7)
in Greek according to the Textus Receptus underlying the KJV. I have checked
them and they are exactly the same. The same questions would be asked of Rev
Charles Seet and the elders of Life BPC. Are there any mistakes? If there are
mistakes then how do they know what and where the mistakes are, unless they
have seen the original? If there are no mistakes, then apply this to the whole
New Testament. I would then hold in my hands the perfect NT.
Combining the two together — do I not have the
perfect Bible in my hands?
3. Can
Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC answer these questions?
– They are based upon the above paper — Could Rev Charles Seet and elders of
Life BPC please furnish the answers to the following questions:
a. Does
Life BPC believe that the KJV has mistakes?
b. Can
they please list out all the mistakes in the KJV or the Bible and explain how
they know that they are mistakes? Have they seen the original autographs
before and compared them with all the 5,000 over manuscripts?
c. Do
they have a solution to correct these mistakes?
d. Will
they be incorporating this “Bible with mistakes” into their Church’s
Constitution or Basic Bible Knowledge notes or notes they use in church for
catechism or onto their website?
e. Will
they now instruct their Sunday School teachers to teach the children in Life
BPC that the KJV or Bible has mistakes? If not why not? Are they afraid that
the members might know that they are teaching their children that the Bible
has mistakes?
f. Has
Rev Charles Seet written, taught or said to anyone that the KJV or the Bible
has mistakes and that they are of “no consequence”? How does he know whether
they are of no consequence? Does he not believe in perfect inspiration where
every jot and tittle is equally inspired by God, not some more and some less
inspired? The perfect Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
[emphasis added]. Does Rev Seet believe that names of people and places and
numbers in the Bible are less inspired than other portions of the Bible such
as the epistles? If so what is his biblical basis?
g. Rev
Seet and the elders of Life BPC say that they believe in the preservation of
the Scriptures, can they please cite one or some Bible verses to support their
position? If they cannot, then does it mean that Rev Seet and the elders of
Life BPC will cease to base their faith “solely on the divine authority of the
Bible” (page 3) as they claim in their paper?
4. What
basis do Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC have for using the KJV?
– They wrote on page 3, “For the past 57 years, Life BPC has been upholding
the use of the KJV because we believe that it is the best English translation
of the Scriptures, made by godly translators from the best Greek and Hebrew
texts. As the Westminster Confession of Faith states in chapter 8, article 1
[sic], these have been ‘by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all
ages.’”
Questions for them
–
a.
On what basis do they say they
“believe” that the KJV is the best English translation?
— Did they not say that the Hebrew and Greek underlying the KJV have mistakes?
If the foundation is corrupt can the building stand? If the tree is corrupt
can the fruit be good?
b. On
what basis do they say that the Greek and Hebrew texts underlying the KJV are
the “best”? — Have they seen the
original? Since they claim that they believe that “God has providentially
preserved His Word in the body of manuscripts,” which numbers more than 5,000,
what criteria do they use to “find” these God preserved texts?
c. What
is their opinion of Westcott and Hort’s texts?
— They are also part of the 5,000 plus manuscripts. Are they of equal value
and importance as the Greek texts underlying the KJV New Testament?
d. How
do they choose the texts for the Hebrew OT?
— They have to choose between the Biblia
Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS—used by all modern English Translations including
the NKJV) and the Ben Chayyim Masoretic Texts used by the KJV. How do they
know which is correct? [Note to reader — The MT underlying the KJV has been in
circulation whereas the BHS was discovered much later.]
e. On
what basis do they claim that “there is maximum certainty that what we have
today is the very Word of God and fully reliable”?
— They did say that they do not have the perfect Word of God today, then on
what basis do they claim “maximum certainty”?
f. Can
they explain their use of the word “very” in the phrase “very Word of God,”
— is it perfect or with
mistakes?
g. Can
they explain their use of the word “reliable” in the phrase “Word of God and
fully reliable,” - is it perfect or with mistakes?
— If it has mistakes then in what sense
is it reliable? If I accept what Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC say, then
each time I read the Bible I have to ask myself whether what I have just read
is reliable or not because it might have mistakes. If I accept what they
write, here my faith in God’s Word would be questioned. I would feel like I
have listened to the serpent who said to Eve in the Garden of Eden, “Yea hath
God said?” (Genesis 3:1).
h. They
wrote, “we are committed to Christ-centered preaching of the Gospel, to the
saving of souls, and to build up God’s kingdom according to the truth of God’s
Word.” — This sounds very noble. Can they be Christ-centered when they
proclaim Christ from a Bible with mistakes? Can they really be saving souls
when the souls they intend to save will have to be told that the gospel they
preach comes from a Bible with mistakes? Can they really be building God’s
kingdom when the foundation they built upon, which is the Word of God, has
mistakes? Borrowing their words, “But as noble as the intention may be . . .
we must realize that it is untenable.”
i. They
claim, they believe in the WCF which states, “By His singular care, kept pure
in all ages.” — Can they explain who
the “His” refers to? Does it refer to God? If it does then are there mistakes
in their claim of “God has providentially preserved”? Did God then
providentially preserve ALL the words perfectly or not?
5. After
reading the paper and having known the truth I can’t help but feel that the
paper Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC wrote is an exact description of
themselves – Who are the ones who
really brought division into Life BPC? Who are the ones who opposed the
founder of Life BPC, Rev Timothy Tow, the Lord’s anointed and “ousted” him?
Who are the ones who do not believe that we have a perfect Bible in our hands
today? Who are the ones that spin tales and hide behind semantic games and
dare not let their yea be yea and their nay, nay? Who are the ones who signed
and distributed papers declaring that the KJV has mistakes and in the same
breath say that the KJV is most reliable hence casting doubt on the
Christian’s faith in God’s Word? Who are the ones who threatened Rev Tow and
God’s College, FEBC, with “we would not hesitate to take necessary actions
against trespassers” (ref. letter dated 5th January 2008 from Rev
Seet to Rev Tow)?
CONCLUSION
Do not take what Spurgeon wrote out of context.
His statement, “there is nothing new in theology save that which is false”
applies to those who teach falsehood that is not based upon the Bible. This
would include those who practise textual criticism, invented by German
rationalists (whom Spurgeon alluded to in his paper). Textual criticism
originated and became very popular in the late 19th century and
early 20th century. Spurgeon lived during that period. It was new
then and the attack on the veracity of the Bible began and continues even till
today. Quoting Spurgeon, “No man can add anything to the religion of Jesus.
All that is consistent with truth is already incorporated in it, and with that
which is not true it can form no alliance. There is nothing new in
theology except that which is false. Those who seek to improve the
Gospel of Jesus only deface it. It is so perfect in itself that all additions
to it are but outgrowths of error; and it renders us so complete that
anything, whatever, we join with it, is superfluous, or worse than that. . .
. .One of the most evil signs of our day is its tendency to rationalism,
spiritualism, and multitudes of other means of obscuring the simple faith of
our Lord Jesus: but the Lord's chosen family will not be beguiled from
their steadfastness, which is the only hope of an heretical generation; for
they know whom they have believed, and will not renounce their confidence in
him for the plausible but fallacious arguments of ‘the wise and prudent.’”
[From “Complete in Christ” by Charles Spurgeon] (Emphasis added).
Spurgeon’s quote is not against a doctrine like
VPP that is founded in Holy Scriptures. Just because a Christian learns a
doctrine of God late does not mean it is a new doctrine. It might be new to
him because he just learned it but that does not make it a new doctrine.
Do Rev Charles Seet and the elders of Life BPC
practise textual criticism to determine where the “preserved” texts are
located? If they do, then it is the pot calling the kettle black, do you
readers not agree? They are the ones who are teaching that which is new, that
the Bible has mistakes today!
The doctrine of VPP is as old as the Bible
itself for it is taught in God’s perfect Bible. The moment the Word of God was
inspired preservation set in. That is why this doctrine of VPP is more than
3,400 years old; God inspired Moses to write the Pentateuch after he left
Egypt in 1445 B.C. That is why we now still have the Books and Words of
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy perfectly preserved for us
till today and until Christ returns. God is the ONE who did the preserving and
He makes no mistakes!
Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC believe
their Bible has mistakes. This new “doctrine” came about when German
Rationalists (which Spurgeon referred to in his paper) who were
unbelievers invented textual criticism and other criticisms of the Bible.
Since then the attack on the Bible began afresh. Rev Seet and the elders of
Life BPC believe in a “doctrine” of “a Bible with mistakes today” which is
only about 100 plus years old!
In fact we should be marking them for causing
division instead of them marking us. Do you readers not agree?
Are they not the ones who have wrestled from the
Lord’s anointed, Rev Tow, his life’s work and ministry? Should they not be
marked for this?
Dear Reader, ask yourself the following
questions, for your souls and that of your children depend on it — Did Life
BPC ever teach that the Bible has mistakes in the past? When Life Church
members became Christians and joined Life BPC as members, were they ever
taught that the Bible has mistakes? Would Rev Seet and the elders of Life BPC
put their hands on the Bible to swear to tell the truth the whole truth and
nothing but the truth when the Bible they believe in has mistakes? Do you
really want your Sunday School teachers to teach your children that the Bible
has mistakes?
Think carefully readers – Would the God of the
Bible, who took the trouble to inspire all His words perfectly throughout more
than 1,500 years, and then as it were “went to sleep” and did not also
preserve all the same inspired words perfectly? Do you readers really believe
that we have a God of the Bible that is so myopic? Did God not say that
without His word my people perish? Of course He did. If so He must have
preserved all of His words perfectly and not left it to chance, as the non-VPP
proponents contend.
Do you readers really believe “Christians who
believe that they have God’s perfect Word in their hands” are heretics? Moses
had in his hands the Ten Commandments. So did the prophets and apostles in the
Bible! Were they all heretics?
Some words of encouragement to ALL WHO HOLD
STEDFASTLY TO THE DOCTRINE OF VPP, taken from the KJB translated from the
perfect Word of God –
The Apostle wrote to encourage young Timothy
and all of us today who are earnestly contending God’s battle for the perfect
Bible . . . 2 Timothy 1:7-9, “For
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a
sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, . . .
: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power
of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us
in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
2 Timothy 1:12-13,
“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not
ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form
of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus.”
May the LORD return soon!
AMEN.
For the defence of God’s perfect Word in these last days of compromise,
Rev (Dr) Quek Suan Yew
(January 2008)
Top
/ Back
|
