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FEBC Under Siege by Life BPC:
Pray for Peace and Unity Based on
Truth and Charity
WHY UNDERTAKING NOT UNDERTAKEN BY REV DR JEFFREY
KHOO
We do respect the right of
the Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (Life BPC) Board of Elders (BOE) to believe
what they want to believe, and to propagate their beliefs. They are also free
to criticise Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) and Far Eastern Bible College
(FEBC), but it is only fair that we be granted the right of reply or rebuttal.
Let it be known that FEBC, as an autonomous institution, is under no
obligation to sign an undertaking demanded by the Life BOE not to teach VPP.
Nevertheless, we are not averse to respecting the position of the Life
BOE if it is a biblical and truthful one. But before we can make a statement
on whether their position is acceptable or not, we need to be very sure, for
conscience’s sake, what their position is, that it be according to the Truth
as laid down in the Bible, in history and in their constitution (especially
article 4.2.1, and article 6). It is vital today to know what is meant by what
is said because many today say yes when they mean no, and vice versa. So, in
our October 24, 2007 letter to the BOE of Life BPC (in reply to theirs dated
October 5, 2007 concerning the use of the sanctuary for night classes), we
posed a number of reasonable questions to ascertain the meaning/intent of
their 2004 statement on preservation.
Up till now, they have yet to
answer those 12 relevant questions. Why are they so fearful of those questions
if their position is so right and ours so wrong? What have they got to hide?
Why will not the Board of Elders of Life BPC sit with the Board of Directors
of FEBC to discuss doctrinal matters in a spirit of truth and love with the
Holy Scriptures as our supreme and final authority? Why was such a meeting
between Life BPC elders and FEBC faculty cancelled by the former at the last
minute back in 2003 when the Rev Dr Timothy Tow was still their pastor? Our
Lord has warned, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the
world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were
evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the
light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to
the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God”
(John 3:19-21).
What really puzzles me is this: The
Pastor and Elders of Life BPC say the KJV is “the best” and its underlying
text is “the best.” But if this is the case, then why are they attacking FEBC
which is doing its best to defend the KJV from its attackers like BJU, Central
Baptist Seminary and James D Price who deny that the KJV and its underlying
texts are the best? Why do they think we are opposing them when we are
actually defending their beloved Bible and its underlying texts? Why do they
not honour the VPP and KJV position their own fathers (viz Timothy Tow and S H
Tow) have taken? Why do they shoot their own soldiers for upholding and
defending the KJV on the basis of VPP which is the Bible and the Biblical
authority of the BP movement since the beginning? It just does not make sense!
Do they really love the KJV as they say or do they have two loves? They say
Burgon and Hills, ICCC and TBS etc are for them, and it is the position of the
old BPC. The old BPC was and is still led by the old guards—Timothy Tow, Quek
Kiok Chiang, S H Tow. Are they for the modern versions, or only the KJV? If
the Pastor and Elders of Life BPC truly love the KJV and say it is “the best,”
why do they not take a stand against certain American fundamentalists,
neo-evangelicals, ecumenists, modernists, and agnostics who criticise the KJV
and support Westcott and Hort and the modern versions? Who is departing from
the “godly path” here?
Their statement on preservation
issued in their 2004 ACM (Annual Congregational Meeting) contained a most
charitable declaration, “However, for the sake of brotherly love and harmony,
we do not want to discriminate against any persons who, on the grounds of
their own personal conviction, would choose to believe that the texts or
copies underlying the KJV are an exact replica of the original autographs.”
Our question to them is: If you do not discriminate, why then this letter of
discrimination to forbid FEBC to preach and teach what we believe to be the
truth, and ban FEBC from using the sanctuary and now this threat to evict us
from our birthplace and home? The reason given by the Life BOE in their
January 5, 2008 statement is that FEBC identifies those who deny VPI and/or
VPP as “Neo-evangelicals, Neo-fundamentalists, Agnostics and Modernists.”
Actually this is what they, namely, Harold Ockenga, Thomas Pryde III, Bart
Ehrman, label themselves respectively. Why are the leaders of Life BPC so
upset with me for calling a spade a spade? The Biblical duty to warn by
identifying the authors and publishers of error is a godly ethos of the BP
faith. We have not departed from this godly path our founding fathers have set
for us.
It is very strange that the Life
BOE should be so upset that I have written critical reviews of the following
books which undermine the KJV and promote the modern versions, viz, From
the Mind of God to the Mind of Man (see
http://www.wholesomewords.org/resources/critique.html), One Bible
Only? (http://www.febc.edu.sg/VPP7.htm),
God’s Word in Our Hands (http://www.febc.edu.sg/
VPP14.htm), and King James Onlyism: A New Sect (http://www.deanburgonsociety.org/
KJBible/multiversions.htm). Again, note that these are books which
attack the KJV—the “Very Word of God”—which the Life BPC Pastor and Elders
claim to love and uphold. Here, I am defending the KJV against those who
attack the KJV, but instead of being commended, I am condemned as “a heretic”
for defending their beloved Bible. They warn against bearing false witness,
but calling us “heretics” is true witness?
It is always the desire of the Rev
Dr Timothy Tow to pastor the church the Lord had used him to found until the
day the Lord calls Him home. But in the years 2002-2003, he was subjected to
heavy criticisms by the majority of his session with meetings ending late into
the night, and into the wee hours of the morning. Not able to bear it any
longer, he resigned as pastor of Life BPC after serving her most faithfully
and sacrificially for 53 years to start True Life BPC in October the same
year, not forsaking the flock as alleged. Read his testimony in the very first
weekly of True Life BPC (see below or
http://www.febc.edu.sg/assets/weekly2004/weekly1.htm). Now, they blame
him—their founding pastor—for allowing “the College to destroy the ‘landmarks’
of the Bible-Presbyterian Movement” (their letter of January 5, 2008). Is it
not the right and privilege of the father, not the children, to set the
“landmarks” and even new ones to strengthen old ones when necessary? What
moral right have the Pastor and Elders of Life BPC to tell the Lord’s anointed
and their spiritual father who has faithfully and sacrificially built God’s
church and college by his blood, sweat and tears for over five decades that he
is trespassing on “our property?” Did they not say it is “God’s house”
or “God’s church” and not Rev Tow’s? How is it now “our property”? To
add insult to injury, they now label him a heretic! Who has changed? The Rev
Dr Timothy Tow and FEBC or the current leaders of Life BPC?
The Life BOE not only asks us to
sign an undertaking to “respect their position” (October 5, 2007), they now
require us to sign an undertaking “not to teach and promote VPP” (January 28,
2008). I wonder if they know what they are saying. Are they telling us that
when we preach and teach from our Hebrew and Greek Bibles (ie the Hebrew
Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus), and from our English Bible (ie
the KJV which is a faithful and accurate translation of its underlying texts),
we cannot say that we are teaching the “very Word of God,” absolutely
infallible, inerrant, 100% perfect without any mistake? But they deny that
they are telling us to say the Bible has mistakes! So, we say the Bible has no
mistakes—that is VPP! Why then do they tell us not to teach VPP? Do they not
want Christians to believe that the Bible we have today is 100% perfect,
without any mistakes? Do they not say in Life BPC that the KJV is the “very
Word of God” and “without mistakes?” If the KJV is the “very (ie 100%) Word of
God” and “without mistakes” because it is “the best” (ie most faithful and
accurate) translation of “the best” (ie infallible and inerrant Hebrew and
Greek texts/words), then is that not VPP? If we cannot say that the Bible we
have today is infallible and inerrant, we might as well stop preaching the
Gospel, for what Gospel can we preach if we cannot say our Bible is 100%
perfect without any mistakes? Why then do they want to stop us from teaching
VPP, the Bible we have in our hands is infallible and inerrant, without any
mistakes? Their words and actions do not agree. It is very confusing, and
creates a lot of doubts and questions.
They say we can freely use the
premises at Gilstead Road (which is, by the way, our birthplace and home) only
if we give them a written undertaking not to confess VPP. This is no different
from the devil tempting Jesus, “All these things will I give thee, if thou
wilt fall down and worship me” (Matt 4:9). Why do they afflict and tempt FEBC
like this? As far as we are concerned, we can only respond with the verbally
and plenarily inspired/preserved words of Jesus, “Get thee hence, Satan: for
it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve” (Matt 4:10). God forbid that we sell our souls to the devil by denying
the present perfection of the Holy Scriptures (Matt 4:4, 5:18, 24:35). Now,
this is not to say they are devils or reprobates for only God can tell and
judge the hearts of men for sure (cf Matt 16:23), though given enough time,
one might be able to tell or discern by the fruits produced (Matt 7:15-20).
“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that
accompany salvation, though we thus speak” (Heb 6:9).
The Life BOE has taken over Beulah
House at 10 Gilstead Road which was originally meant for FEBC. Now, they
threaten to take over FEBC’s birthplace and home on the other side of Gilstead.
Are such actions just and fair, peaceable and reasonable? Not only is Life BPC
the life-blood of their founding pastor—Timothy Tow—the Lord’s anointed,
substantial sums have also been given by FEBC, her students and supporters to
acquire and build the properties at 9, 9A, and 10 Gilstead Road. Two passages
from the Holy Scriptures come to mind: the command against removing property
landmarks which God has laid for His people by the hand of their fathers,
“Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set” (Prov
22:28),
and its consequent
warning, “Cursed be he that removeth
his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen” (Deut 27:17).
Here is another command and warning
from God to cease and desist from maligning the Rev Dr Timothy Tow and FEBC by
calling us “heretics,” breaking the ninth commandment (Exod 20:16). “Touch
not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (1 Chron
16:22), “for who can stretch forth
his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?” (1 Sam 26:9).
FEBC has always been an independent
institution free from ecclesiastical control and governed solely by its duly
elected Board of Directors. This is recorded for posterity in the history
books of Life BPC and FEBC. Life BPC and FEBC are married together by the
promised land at 9 and 9A Gilstead Road as well as Beulah House, 10 Gilstead
Road. “Beulah” by the way means “married.” The property landmarks on both
sides of Gilstead Road are undeniably God’s gracious gifts to both church and
college to inherit and possess from the beginning. We do not believe in a
divorce. FEBC cannot deny the present perfection of the Holy Scriptures
without any mistake. Neither would FEBC deny the right of the leaders of Life
BPC to believe and promote what they want to their congregation. Freedom of
faith and freedom of speech are principles upheld and respected by any
civilised society. Despite the doctrinal differences, both sides can still
live peaceably together on the basis of Christian love and kindness. FEBC also
prays to our Almighty God for “an amicable resolution” but not one based on
intolerance, false accusations and threats, but one that is based on truth,
justice and equity. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov
9:10).
With many tears I have prayed the
prayer of Luther, “O God, my God, be with me and protect me against my enemies
of the world. Thou must do it, Thou alone, for in me is no strength. It is thy
cause, O God, not mine. On thee I rely, not on man, for that would be in vain.
O God, dost Thou not hear? Do not hide thy face from me. Thou hast called me,
now be my stay. I ask it in the Name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, my protector,
my shield and my defence.” On April 18, 1521, Luther was ordered by the Diet
of Worms to retract all his doctrines and writings disapproved by the Church.
He replied, “Unless I am convinced by testimonies of the Scriptures or by
clear arguments that I am in error—for popes and councils have often erred and
contradicted themselves—I cannot withdraw, for I am subject to the Scriptures
I have quoted; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. It is unsafe and
dangerous to do anything against one’s conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do
otherwise. So help me God.”
We stand by the biblical doctrine
of the verbal and plenary preservation of the Holy Scriptures, that every
book, every chapter, every verse, every word, every syllable, every letter of
God’s verbally and plenarily inspired Word in the original languages has been
preserved exact and intact in the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus
Receptus on which the Authorised or King James Version is based, our sole and
supreme authority of faith and practice. We stand by our biblical right and
birthright to possess and use 9, 9A, and 10 Gilstead Road which is our
inheritance from the Lord through the hand of His anointed—our founding
father, the Rev Dr Timothy Tow—on the basis of divine law and justice. VPP is
not “heresy,” and we are not “tenants.” May the Lord our God who is our
Perfect Judge, by means of His Perfect Law, deliver us from evil and error!
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