Quarterly Newsletter 2007/1 (Jan – Mar)
churches were started through the
Christian Worship
(Part II)
By:
Rev Tan
Kian Sing
PRIVATE FAMILY WORSHIP
During the New Testament time
family worship was also a common
practice. In Acts 16:34 we read – “And
when he had brought them into his
house, he set meat before them, and
rejoiced, believing in God with all his
house.” This is the case of the
Philippian jailor who was marvellously
converted and the Apostle Paul then
conducted a family worship in the
jailor’s home.
Also in many private homes,
worship in a Christian home
environment is evident in the New
Testament. As a result many house
family worship. It clearly reminds us of
God’s presence everywhere at any one
time. We can therefore worship Him
acceptably in spirit and in truth in our
homes and at every workplace.
PUBLIC CONGREGATIONAL
WORSHIP
As much as family worship is
important, public congregational
worship is still a necessity. Please do
not say that it would suffice us to have
family worship and therefore there is no
need for believers to go to church to
participate in the worship of God in a
church environment. Family worship
does not replace public worship.
Neither does public worship replace
family worship. They complement each
other.
When Israel became a nation the style
of worship was fixed and regulated. But
it does not mean that Moses had
introduced an entirely new system of
worship. The system of worship
practised by the patriarchs, like Job and
Abraham, were still in place. It is just
that now the worship system is more
complete comprising the priesthood, the
sacrifices and the Tabernacle.
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Distinctly, God gave precise directions
as to the place of worship, that is, the
Tabernacle. It is an indication of His
presence with His own chosen people.
The Lord God commanded that the
whole nation, including men, women,
children, servants, and foreigners, were
required to assemble for worship at
God’s appointed place. In Deuteronomy
16:11 we read: “And thou shalt rejoice
before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy
son, and thy daughter, and thy
manservant, and thy maidservant, and
the Levite that is within thy gates, and
the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the
widow, that are among you, in the place
which the LORD thy God hath chosen
to place his name there.”
And when they gathered at the place of
worship which God had ordained, they
were to worship God in the reading and
hearing of the law that they might learn
and fear the Lord their God and to do
what that is instructed in the law (Deut
31:11-13: “When all Israel is come to
appear before the LORD thy God in the
place which he shall choose, thou shalt
read this law before all Israel in their
hearing. Gather the people together,
men, and women, and children, and thy
stranger that is within thy gates, that
they may hear, and that they may learn,
and fear the LORD your God, and
observe to do all the words of this law:
And that their children, which have not
known any thing, may hear, and learn
to fear the LORD your God, as long as
ye live in the land whither ye go o
In the New Testament, worship in
the temple continued as a practice. The
saints always gathered at the temple in
Jerusalem to worship, praising and
blessing God. Jesus Himself held the
temple in high honor. He loved to
frequent it as His Father’s house. Our
Lord also visited the temple to teach the
Scriptures (Matt 21:23 – “And when he
was come into the temple, the chief
priests and the elders of the people
came unto him as he was teaching”).
Our public Christian worship
today is developed along the lines of
the synagogue and not the temple
worship, since the whole sacrificial and
ceremonial system terminated for
Christianity with the life, death and
resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
In place of the sacrifices of animals and
rituals, today we gather to worship God
in spirit and in truth. Nevertheless our
order of worship that we use is similar
to the Jew’s synagogue worship which
our Lord participated in Luke 4:16 –
“And he came to Nazareth, where he
had been brought up: and, as his
custom was, he went into the
synagogue on
the sabbath day,
and stood up for
to read.”
PREACHING IN
WORSHIP
Note that in our
worship of God, attendance must be
given to reading, to exhortation, and to
the doctrine of the Word of God. The
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Lord Jesus “preached in their
synagogues throughout all Galilee” (Mk
1:39).
The Word of God was to be
preached when the people came to
worship in the house of God. The Lord
instructed Jeremiah in Jeremiah 26:2 –
“Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the
court of the LORD's house, and speak
unto all the cities of Judah, which come
to worship in the LORD's house, all the
words that I command thee to speak
unto them; diminish not a word.”
The Apostle Paul exhorts
believers in Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And
let us consider one another to provoke
unto love and to good works: Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the
more, as ye see the day approaching.”
So let us always assemble ourselves
together that we may be taught the
precious Word of God through the
preaching at worship services and
Sunday School lessons.
We need to make all conscious
efforts to come to the house of worship
to worship the Lord and to receive the
Word of God that we may grow in the
grace and knowledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. Do not stay away
from corporate worship. It is God’s will
that Christian
brethren should
gather as often as
they can to come
and worship Him,
to have the Word
preached to them
that they may know
the precepts of
God and live a life
that is God-fearing.
Now, since the preaching of the
Word of God is essential in public
worship, how is it then that there are
some churches that claim worship of
God but do not expound the Word of
God to the congregation? Instead of the
faithful expository preaching of God’s
Word they replace the exhortation from
the Word of God with entertaining and
humorous stories. Many of these stories
or testimonies, as they claim, are
centred on the creature than the
Creator who is rightly the focus of
worship. Instead of the expository
preaching of the Word, the emphasis is
on loud and noisy singing, dancing,
magic shows, and man-centred stage
presentations.
Once while as a student in FEBC,
I was to do an assignment to critique a
sermon preached by a charismatic
preacher. As I listened to the message,
very quickly it became obvious that the
preaching was full of testimonies and
illustrations. There was not much of the
exposition of the Bible. As the preacher
shared the testimonies, he went into
great details. At one point, he was
telling so much about how he and his
wife were preparing for another child.
And he went on and on relating about it
just to illustrate a point. It might be
interesting storytelling to some, but it
definitely was not spiritually edifying.
MUSIC IN WORSHIP
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 Singing has a place in holy
worship of God. It was very much part
of worship in OT times, especially in the
Temple worship.
The music of the Temple owed its
origin to King David, who was not only a
poet and a musical composer, but who
also invented musical instruments.
From the Book of Chronicles we know
how fully this part of the service by the
Levites, other than the service of
sacrifices by the priests, in the Temple
was cultivated.
The music ministry in the Temple
was carefully organised and rigidly
controlled. And this is true not only of
the Temple but true also of the
synagogue and the early church later.
The Book of Chronicles describes
with considerable details how David
organised the music ministry of the
Levites. To ensure that there would be
no confusion or
conflict between the
sacrificial ministry of
the priests and the
music ministry of the
Levites, David
carefully delineated
the position, rank and
scope of the ministry
of the musicians. The
purpose of their
ministry was to thank
and praise the Lord. They announced
the Lord’s presence to His assembled
people
The performance of the ministry
of music was subordinate to the priests.
Just like our music ministry today is
secondary to the preaching ministry or
the ministry of the Word. Martin Luther
said, “Music is next to Theology,” not
“Music is Theology.”
The function of the music during
the sacrificial ritual was therefore not to
overshadow or replace the sacrifice
itself, but to enlist the involvement of
the congregation at certain designated
moments during the service. In other
words, the Israelites did not go to the
Temple to hear the Levite bands of
singers performing in sacred concert.
Instead, they went to the Temple to
witness and experience God’s
atonement for their sins. The music that
accompanied the atoning sacrifice
invited them to accept and celebrate
God’s gracious provision of salvation.
Now in the New Testament, the
Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:19 and
Colossians 3:16 have clearly taught the
ministry of music in our worship. In
Ephesians 5:19, Paul writes: “Speaking
to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord;” and in
Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts
to the Lord.”
“Speaking to yourselves” does
not mean talking to oneself but
speaking one to another. Also “singing”
and “making melody” means “psalming”
and “choral singing”. Paul is exhorting
Christians to admonish and edify one
another through the ministry of music
even in worship like the preacher would
admonish and edify the congregation
with the preaching of God’s Word.
Hence there is a place for the service of
the choir and congregational singing in
worship. The psalmist says in Psalm
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149:1 – “Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto
the LORD a new song, and his praise in
the congregation of saints.” Do we sing
our hearts out in praise and adoration of
the Almighty when we worship? There
are some who keep quiet rather than to
praise God through singing. Instead of
singing, they are scrutinising the lyrics
and looking for theological flaws in the
hymn. These are legalistic Christians
who are always finding fault with the
church.
So music is indeed important in
worship. How is it then that there are
churches which disallow the ministry of
instrumental and choir in worship?
These churches allow only the singing
of the Psalter without the
accompaniment of even the piano. If we
were to look carefully at the Psalter, we
will realise that it does not mention the
name of our Lord. The Psalms do
depict the Lord and His redemptive
work of salvation, but only as a shadow.
It is in some sense concealed. God’s
plan of salvation is perfectly revealed in
the Lord Jesus Christ only in the NT
(Heb 1:1-2). Based on the teachings of
the NT, many men and women of God
had been illuminated by the Holy Ghost
to write wonderful hymns and spiritual
songs concerning the Lord Jesus and
His ministry. If we sing only the Psalter
and not those hymns and spiritual
songs written by men, will we not miss
out greatly on singing of the Lord’s
name and of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ?
HEAVENLY WORSHIP
John in writing the
book of Revelation
portrays heavenly
realities and the
final triumph of
Church just as that
of the service of
praise in the Temple
of Solomon. In
Revelation 5:8, we read, “And when he
had taken the book, the four beasts and
four and twenty elders fell down before
the Lamb, having every one of them
harps, and golden vials full of odours,
which are the prayers of saints.” Also in
Revelation 14:2-3, the apostle writes,
“And I heard a voice from heaven, as
the voice of many waters, and as the
voice of a great thunder: and I heard
the voice of harpers harping with their
harps: And they sung as it were a new
song before the throne, and before the
four beasts, and the elders: and no man
could learn that song but the hundred
and forty and four thousand, which
were redeemed from the earth.”
Yes, in heaven, the saints who
have gone before us are singing day
and night in worship to the Almighty
with choral singing and harping with
harps. And one day we will join them to
do the same in worshipping, singing
and praising God in the beauty of
holiness day and night.
Our worship here on earth is a
replica of how the Almighty receives in
heaven. So let us learn how we should
worship God and let us worship Him
always – in our family, together with our
fellow brethren as a large scale church
family, for in heaven we will be
worshipping the Lord day and night.
John saw in heaven in Revelation 4:8-
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11: “And the four beasts had each of
them six wings about him; and they
were full of eyes within: and they rest
not day and night, saying, Holy, holy,
holy, Lord God Almighty, which was,
and is, and is to come. And when those
beasts give glory and honour and
thanks to him that sat on the throne,
who liveth for ever and ever, The four
and twenty elders fall down before him
that sat on the throne, and worship him
that liveth for ever and ever, and cast
their crowns before the throne, saying,
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive
glory and honour and power: for thou
hast created all things, and for thy
pleasure they are and were created.”
CONCLUSION
Truly the Scripture, beginning in
Genesis and all the way through to
Revelation, is so full of worship. And as
John has written, we are created for
God’s pleasure to worship our Creator
day and night, so let us heed the
exhortation of the psalmist: “O come, let
us worship and bow down: let us kneel
before the LORD our maker. For he is
our God; and we are the people of his
pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” Let
us worship Him always in the beauty of
holiness.

Rev Tan is pastor of Berean Bible-Presbyterian Church and lecturer

in biblical studies in the Far Eastern Bible College

KNOWLEGDE IS POWER
(John Calvin’s Introduction to the highest knowledge in the first three chapters of
“An Abridgement of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion”)

By Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow

Chapter I – The Connection

Between the Knowledge of God
and the Knowledge of Ourselves

1. True wisdom principally consists of

two parts – the knowledge of God,
and the knowledge of ourselves.
Which of these two branches of
knowledge comes first, it is hard to
determine. They are intimately
bound together. For, our very
existence is nothing but a
subsistence in God.
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 We begin to discover God when we
are plunged into misery. Our poverty
and woes, caused by Adam’s sin,
compel us to seek God’s help. This
is the first step towards knowing
God. Our poverty, infirmity, and
depravity lead us to perceive and
acknowledge that God is all
strength, wisdom, goodness.
Through our imperfections we are
made to realise His perfections.
A self-complacent man, content with
his own endowment but blind to his
wretched conditions, does not aspire
to God.
2. When we are self-satisfied in our
own goodness by a natural
proneness to hypocrisy, and
compare ourselves with our
neighbours, we tend to think
ourselves holy and righteous. We
judge ourselves by our own
standards. Such judgment is as
erroneous as by those who, being
accustomed to seeing nothing but
black, would call brown white. Such
judgment is like the false confidence
one has in one’s eyes who is
accustomed merely to an earthward
vision until dazzled by the noonday
sun. Thus, being satisfied with our
own goodness, we flatter ourselves.
We fancy we are demigods. A true
vision of God and His perfections,
however, casts us flat to the ground.
We begin then to see our
hypocritical righteousness and
loathe it as the greatest iniquity.
3. The Bible consistently records the
awe that overwhelms the souls of
saints, upon every discovery of
God’s presence. “We shall surely
die, because we have seen God:
(Judg 13:22), “I … am but dust and
ashes” (Gen 18:27), are some of the
expressions of the patriarchs who
saw God. Elijah “wrapped his face in
his mantle” (1 Kgs 19:13), as he
came into the presence of the
Almighty.
In showing up man’s pollution and
impotence, Job brings him to the
presence of the Divine purity, power
and wisdom.
Thus, we perceive
man knows not his
own meanness
until he comes into
God’s majesty.
Not only man
becomes humbled
before God, the
cherubim, in holy
awe, veil their
faces too (Isa 6:2). Isaiah, indeed,
puts down the whole universe under
His feet – “the moon shall be
confounded, and the sun ashamed,
when the LORD of hosts shall reign”
(Isa 24:23).
In conclusion, we see that the
knowledge of God and the
knowledge of ourselves are
intimately connected. The proper
order of instruction requires us,
however, to treat the subject of the
knowledge of God first.
Chapter II – The Nature and
Tendency of the Knowledge of
God
1. By the knowledge of God is not
meant merely a notion that there is
such a Being. The knowledge of
God should tend to bring us into
pious and religious communication
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 with God. We perceive in such a
relationship a two-fold knowledge –
1) of Him as Author of Salvation and
Redeemer through the person of
Jesus Christ; 2) of Him as Creator.
In this preliminary study, we
shall see what our
knowledge of God as Creator
results. As we discover Him
to be not only our Creator of
the universe, but also its
Provider and Governor, with
infinite power, wisdom and
goodness; and that He rules
over the affairs of men with
righteousness and judgment,
we should give Him our
worship. This knowledge
should tend to lead us into a
life entirely dependent on Him – the
fountain of all goodness. This
knowledge should tend to produce a
life of constant communion with Him,
in supplication and thanksgiving. In
short, we should have a reverential
love of God arising from such a
knowledge. For, till men come to
such enlightened senses that they
owe everything to God, in life and
death, in great and small, they will
not voluntarily serve Him.
1. Without controversy, the human
2. Cold speculations merely on the
essence of God without warm
understanding of God’s benign
character, whatever they may be,
are therefore refuted. For example,
there is the doctrine of Epicurus, of a
God not concerned about the world,
who remains in a state of perpetual
inactivity, as if He went to sleep.
What benefit to mankind does such
doctrine bring? Our knowledge of
God should rather inspire fear and
reverence, reliance upon His loving
care, with rendering of thanks and
praise. Our knowledge of God
should inspire and personal devotion
and submission to His rule and
authority. Our knowledge of God
should lead us to revere Him as
Judge, rewarding the pious and
punishing the wicked.
We should therefore
restrain ourselves from
sin, not merely from a
dread of vengeance, but
rather from loving
consecration. Because
we love Him as our
Father and Lord, even
though there were no
hell, we should shudder
at the thought of
offending Him. We fear
not so much His hurting
us as our hurting Him. We give Him,
as a result of such enlightened
knowledge, heart-worship which is
that pure religion so hard to find.
For, what we see mostly in worship
is formality and great ostentation in
ceremonies.
Chapter III – The Human Mind
Naturally Endued with the
Knowledge of God
mind is naturally endued with the
knowledge of God. According to
Romans 1:20, God the Creator has
given to all some knowledge of His
existence through the things He has
made. Cicero observes, that there is
no nation so barbarous, no race so
savage, as not to be firmly
persuaded of the being of God. Such
knowledge should induce men to
worship God, and consecrate their
lives to His service. Thus those who
are endued with such knowledge,
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 but do not serve Him, are
condemned by their own testimony!
That man is naturally endued with
the knowledge is amply proved by
the retention of some religious sense
in the most barbarous who, in other
aspects, appear to differ little from
brutes. That man is naturally endued
with the knowledge of God is also
amply proved by idolatry. Though a
corrupted form of worship of the
Deity, it nevertheless evinces a
strong impression of the knowledge
of God upon the human mind.
2. It is, therefore, a most absurd
assertion, that religion was the
invention of a few cunning men, a
political machine to confine the
common people to their duty, while
these inventors of religion
disbelieved the existence of God. It
is true that cunning men have
introduced many inventions into
religion to overawe the simple, that
they might control their minds. But
such craftiness could not have been
practised, if the minds of men had
not previously been possessed with
a firm persuasion of the existence of
God.
Under such circumstances, it is
incredible to say that the cunning
minds, who have used religion for
their own ends, are themselves
devoid of any knowledge of God.
The case of Caligula should prove
our diagnosis. The Roman Emperor
was notorious for his audacious
contempt of the Deity. Yet, no man
trembled with greater distress at any
occasion of Divine judgment, for he
became ultimately fearful of the
Divine Power, whom he earlier
despised. This phenomenon of fear
of the Almighty by the ungodly must
be traced to God’s vengeance,
smiting their consciences the more
as they seek to fly away from Him.
These hauntings from God upon the
harassed consciences of the
impious is further proof that the idea
of God is never lost in the human
mind.
3. By way of recapitulation, the idea of
God impressed on the human mind
is indelible. This, it has been
observed, is evidenced by the futile
struggle of the wicked mind to rid
itself of it. Thus, Dionysius’ scoff at
the judgment of Heaven is but forced
laughter; while the worm of a guilty
conscience gnaws within. I,
therefore, cannot agree with Cicero
that religion is getting better and
better, for the world, as we shall
soon discover, uses every method to
corrupt this worship.
The knowledge of God, far from
being learnt in the schools, is self-
taught from birth. Nature permits no
one to forget it. Now, the knowledge
of God that we should have is: We
are born to know Him, and live for
Him. Unless our understanding has
reached this point, it is uncertain and
useless. This truth is reflected in
Plato’s teaching, that the chief good
of the soul consists in similitude to
God, when the soul, having a clear
knowledge of Him, is wholly
transformed into His likeness.
The knowledge of God, that induces
men to worship the Creator, is what
renders men superior to beasts. It
makes them aspire to immortality.
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 Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow is pastor of True Life Bible-Presbyterian
Church and principal of the Far Eastern Bible College

Get a copy of “An Abridgement of Calvin’s Institutes

of the Christian Religion” by Rev Timothy Tow at the
FEBC Bookroom in FEBC, 9A, Gilstead Road

INTRODUCTION
QUID EST
“Quid est veritas?” so asked the
great and powerful Roman procurator VERITAS?
Pontius Pilate of a lowly Galilean by
carpenter named Jesus. This famous
question runs like an irresistible Jason Liew
undercurrent throughout the course of
human history and remains relevant
even for postmoderns today. When
translated into English, this unanswered
question found in John 18:38 of the
Latin Vulgate literally asks, “What is
truth?” what is true from what is untrue? Is
humankind any better equipped to
This seemingly simple question provide an answer now, at the end of
had long agitated the world. Many have the second millennium, than we were at
spent an entire lifetime searching and the beginning of the first? And why
yearning for the truth. Some eventually should we, as Christians, be concerned
found it, but some never did. Some are about the answer?
“ever learning, and never able to come
to the knowledge of the truth” (2
Timothy 3:7). Today, the world
desperately cries out for an answer.
What is truth? How do we discriminate
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 THE DEFINITION OF TRUTH
To give a thoughtful response to
these questions requires us to separate
the different senses of the word. “Truth”
is used in different ways. We know, of
course, that Jesus declared himself to
be the truth – “I am the way, the truth
and the life” (John 14:6). Moreover,
when he prayed on behalf of his
followers, he not only identified truth
with himself but also with the Scriptures
– “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy
word is truth” (John 17:17). From the
Christian’s standpoint, these two
Johannine verses reveal to us that
the Word of God, both living and
written, is GOD’S TRUTH.
However, the word “truth” has
other uses too. When we say “He is a
true friend”, we mean that the person in
question is really a friend, not someone
who merely pretends to be one. “She
was true to her word” means that she
kept her word. We also say statements
that are factually true: “What you just
said is true”; “Truer words were never
spoken”; “Do you swear that the
testimony you are about to give is the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth?”
It is important for one to realise
that such statements are relative truth.
Take the Law of the Conservation of
Mass for example, i.e. “matter cannot
be created or destroyed; it just changed
from one form into another”. This truth
is dependant of earth’s existence.
Matter will be destroyed when the earth
is destroyed. What a stark difference
when compared to the words of God –
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but
my words shall not pass away”
(Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke
21:33)!!! God’s Word is absolute truth. It
is an objective truth. It is also a truth
which a lot of people objects; or rather,
rejects. How did these people end up
rejecting or denying the truth? What
should we, as Christians, do to avoid
this path of foolishness?
THE DENIAL OF TRUTH
Like many of us, Pontius Pilate
wanted to know the truth. Incidentally,
he accomplished something that few
were able to do. He asked the right
person at the right time and at the
right place. Wow! What a privilege!
Surely this person must have found the
truth… but sadly, he didn’t.
Let’s take a look at this scene
recorded in John 18:33-38, “… 33Then
Pilate entered into the judgment hall
again, and called Jesus, and said unto
him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
34
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this
thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee
of me? 35Pilate answered, Am I a Jew?
Thine own nation and the chief priests
have delivered thee unto me: what hast
thou done? 36Jesus answered, My
kingdom is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world, then would
my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my
kingdom not from hence. 37Pilate
therefore said unto him, Art thou a king
then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest
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that I am a king. To this end was I born,
and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the
truth. Every one that is of the truth
heareth my voice. 38Pilate saith unto
him, What is truth? And when he had
said this, he went out again unto the
Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him
no fault at all.”
Satisfied with Jesus’ reply that he
was not a king in the sense in which the
Jews accused
him and hence
of no threat to
the Roman
government
(vv36-37),
Pilate sought
to release the
forlorn figure
before him. He
probably
regarded
Jesus as a fanatic -- poor, ignorant, and
deluded; but harmless and innocent. In
derision, he asked him this question
(v38), and immediately went out, not
expecting an answer. By his
contempt, Pilate had denied the
truth. Had the question been sincere,
just as Nicodemus had done in John
chapter 3, Jesus would not have
hesitated to reveal the truth to him.
Barnes rightly identified men’s
response with Pilate’s plight when he
wrote, “Had he patiently waited in
sincerity, Jesus would have told him
what it was. Thousands ask the
question in the same way. They have
a fixed contempt for the Bible; they
deride the instructions of religion;
they are unwilling to investigate and
to wait at the gates of wisdom; and
hence, like Pilate, they remain
ignorant of the great Source of truth,
and die in darkness and in error. All
might find truth if they would seek it;
none ever will find it if they do not apply
for it to the great source of light--the
God of truth, and seek it patiently in the
way in which he has chosen to
communicate it to mankind.” [Emphasis
added--Albert Barnes’ Notes on the
New Testament, SwordSearcher 4.2]
THE DISCOVERY OF TRUTH
In this world of smoke and
mirrors, is the truth closer than we
think? It may surprise you that medieval
theologians rejoiced in the observation
that when Pilate asked “what is truth”,
the answer was contained in an
anagram in Latin of the words he
uttered. The letters in “quid est
veritas” can be rearranged to form “vir
est qui adest”, i.e. “it is the man before
thee” (Michael Curl, The Wordsworth
Dictionary of Anagrams, p11). As in the
case of the Roman governor, is the
answer right in front of us?
According to Jesus, we should be
closer to the truth now than we were
before Pentecost, because He
promised the presence
of a Comforter, the
Spirit of truth. John
14:16-17, “And I will
pray the Father, and he
shall give you another
Comforter, that he may
abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth;
whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him: but ye know him; for he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
This is consistent with the words of
Christ in John 18:37b, “Every one that
is of the truth heareth my voice”. “My
sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27) is
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the lesson. Where is God’s voice life; and they shall never perish, neither
today? HIS VOICE IS HIS WORDS. Are shall any man [ALWAYS] pluck them
we still able to hear God’s voice if we out of my hand.” Has the meaning
do not have all of God’s words today?? changed? Man can now pluck believers
According to some seminary scholars, out of the hand of God. “Once saved,
the answer is in the affirmative. “Has always saved” can no longer be true.
God perfectly preserved His Word so How frightening!
that no words have been lost? The
evidence from the OT Text suggests Thank God that this is not the
that such is not the case. They opined case. His Word is divinely inspired,
that we might have lost a few words inerrant and infallible, perfectly
through negligence, but the amount preserved for us down through the ages
that has been lost is so that we might have it
minimal that it has no in our hands today.
effect on overall doctrine God is Truth. We
and little, if any, on discover the truth
historical or other details.” by reading the Word
(Roy E Beacham and of Truth with
Kevin T Bauder, One humility. The result?
Bible Only?, p121) Glorious salvation!
[Emphasis mine] However, it is
lamentable to note
If some words are that those without the
lost, will not the voice of truth will suffer the
the Almighty God be eternal torment of
distorted? If it is distorted, hellfire. The truth
how can Christians obey? hurts, but I speak the
And how can Christians truth in love (Eph
be blessed by obeying, if 4:15). The Lord has
they can’t obey because shown us the truth, by
the message is distorted? showing us His love,
It is hilarious how these people insist through the redemptive work of Christ.
that there is no effect on overall Truth and love are inseparable.
doctrine at all. Those who line up and
play the game of passing down the THE DEFENCE OF TRUTH
message will know that the slightest
change or omission (albeit through Some Christians believe “Love
negligence!) will have a huge effect on Unites, Truth Divides”. They eschew
the overall result. Allow me to illustrate bitter doctrines such as “Biblical
with John 10:28, “And I give unto them Separation” and embrace sweet ones
eternal life; and they shall never perish, like “Loving One Another”. The late Dr
neither shall any man pluck them out of Carl McIntire (1906-2002), founding
my hand”, which speaks of the father of the American BP movement
believer’s assurance of salvation. and previously president of the ICCC,
Suppose I tell you the word “ALWAYS” had this to say regarding the
had been added, the verse would then relationship between truth and unity –
read -- “And I give unto them eternal “If there is to be unity, it has to be on
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the basis of truth, nothing more,
nothing less - not a semblance of
truth, not a compromise of truth. To
seek unity on any other basis does
not produce real unity; in fact, it can
never produce unity. It produces
only confusion. ... the International
Council of Christian Churches, started
with truth; the other, the World Council
of Churches, with unity” (quoted in
Timothy Tow, McIntire Maxims, p41).
Today, we see a great effort
made by church leaders around the
world to attack the truth. These
multitudes attack the Word of God with
their long strings of qualifications and
hide behind the name of love to
promote an ungodly unity. Only a small
band remains adhering to the truth
where churches capitulate on a global
scale. The time has come “when they
will not endure sound doctrine; but after
their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching
ears; And they shall turn away their
ears from the truth, and shall be turned
unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Now the
battle rages relentlessly into the 21st
Century, in the defence of the
preserved Word of God and against the
liberal, ecumenical, occultic and cultic
influences of our time. Dearly beloved,
what will you do after you have
discovered the truth? Will you defend
it? The choice is yours. Choose well.
Cowardice is not an option. There
will come a time when every man and
nation would have to make a choice.
May the lyrics of the following hymn,
“Once To Every Man and Nation”,
penned by James R Lowell (1819-
1891), bring you much enlightenment
and encouragement.
Once to every man and nation, comes
the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood, for
the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great
decision, offering each the bloom or
blight,
And the choice goes by forever, ’twixt
that darkness and that light.
Then to side with truth is noble, when
we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
and ’tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses while
the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue of the faith
they had denied.
By the light of burning martyrs, Christ,
Thy bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calv’ries ever with the
cross that turns not back;
New occasions teach new duties, time
makes ancient good uncouth,
They must upward still and onward,
who would keep abreast of truth.
Though the cause of evil prosper, yet
the truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold, and
upon the throne be wrong;
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and
behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
keeping watch above His own.
CONCLUSION
“What is truth?” The living and
written Word is truth. The contempt will
deny, but truth stands forever with the
earnest and humble. All truth is
summed up in God for God is truth, and
He has manifested truth to us through
His Son, Jesus Christ, and has shown
us His love in showing us the truth by
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making His Son the propitiation for our
sins, who is the embodiment of all truth.
We killed truth, but truth lives
because Christ rose. Thus we pursue
Christ. 3 John 4, “I have no greater joy
than to hear that my children walk in
truth.” Children of Light are to walk in
the light and the truth. May Psalm
43:3 be the heart’s cry of every man
and woman who desires the truth – “O
send out thy light and thy truth: let
them lead me; let them bring me unto
thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles”!
AMEN.

Jason Liew (FCM Poly, 2003-2006) is currently serving the Lord as a

member in Truth Bible-Presbyterian Church Youth Fellowship

Bible
1. In the Bible, who lived for the most number of years and how many years was that?
2. What is the name of Abraham’s wife before God changed her name to Sarah?
3. Where did Moses die and how old was he when he died?
4. What was the accusation Satan laid against Job when God commended Job?
5. Where did the prophet Micah prophesy that the Lord Jesus Christ would be born in?
6. How many souls were converted when Peter preached Christ and the need of
forgiveness at Jerusalem in the day of Pentecost? (Acts 2:14)
7. Where was the Apostle Paul when he received a vision in the night to go to
Macedonia instead of Bithynia?
8. Why did the barbarous people of Melita say that “Paul was a god”? (Acts 28:6)
9. In which book of the Bible is this verse taken from?
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men,
I should not be the servant of Christ.”
10. What reward will God give to those who love His appearing?

1st FCM Combined Meeting 2007!!!

Message: Evangelism: The Biblical Separation Perspective
Speaker: Rev. Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 23 Feb 2007 (Fri)
Time: 6.45pm (Dinner), 7.30pm (Message)
Venue: Calvary Pandan B-P Church, AV Studio, Level 2
Contact Joseph at 96611548 for more details or if you need dinner!

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“Let my mouth be filled with thy some has gone through or are going
praise and with thy honour all through similar situations and
the day.” Psalm 71: 8 difficulties. Thus we are better able to
help one another and encourage one
FCM has been a wonderful another in the Lord. Furthermore, when
blessing to me and I praise the I first joined FCM during the
Lord for this ministry. FCM 2004 camp, I was
My three and a half blessed by the
and coming four years messages and the
in university has been warm and sweet
fulfilling with the help fellowship of like-
and minded brethren.
encouragement Graduating
from like-minded Testimonies! I thank
Christian brethren God that through
and from the study FCM, I have learnt
of God’s Word. I to trust in the Lord
thank God for the and grown to live a life
faithful preaching of His of faith. FCM has also
Word and I must admit given me the opportunity
that I enjoy the Bible study to serve the Lord and through
and look forward to every FCM serving I have learnt to depend
meeting. FCM is a haven of spiritual and rely on the Lord. Truly, it is the
rest each week Lord who sustains
and a time of His work and I pray
spiritual that FCM will
refreshment. It continue to remain as
is also a time a God-honouring and
of reflection faithful ministry to the
and reminder tertiary students. It is
to retreat from my prayer that
my busyness FCMers will also
of school to grow in faith and trust
seek the Lord. in the Lord.
At times, school can be discouraging or
difficult but I thank God that I have “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
always drawn much strength and Just to take Him at His word,
comfort from the study of God’s Word Just to rest upon His promise,
and the encouragement and prayers of Just to know, ‘Thus saith the Lord’.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
the Christian brethren in FCM.
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
When I first attended FCM, I was O for grace to trust Him more!”
very encouraged by the testimonies of - Louisa M.R.Stead.
the FCM brethren; their love for the
Word of God and how they strive to live Lee Yu Jie
out God’s Word in their lives. It is a FCM Science (NUS)
ministry to tertiary students of which Calvary Pandan BP Church
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“The LORD hath done great co-labour with me,
things for us; whereof we are to fulfill and do of
glad” His good pleasure.
Psalm 126:3 The most
remarkable thing is
I sincerely praise the Lord for that He graciously
every thing He has done in my life! One bestows His joy
of which is to place me in the FCM unspeakable
where I am thoroughly blessed and through every
have learnt and grown so much in moment of service despite all the
the Word of God. Thank God difficulties. This is something which I
also for the wonderful privilege am deeply thankful for.
to be enlisted in His
service. Praise God also
for blessing the FCM
Service in the with such sweet
FCM is not without fellowship! Honestly,
much struggle, before I came to
sweat and FCM, I had
labour, Graduating always thought
especially when Testimonies! that the life in
school work heaven will be
becomes hectic rather boring or dull.
with numerous However, after I joined
assignment deadlines the FCM and especially
to meet. There were after my first FCM
times I had to stay up camp, my perspective of
late to complete my duties heaven changed. The
for the Lord; there were times tremendous blessedness and joy of
when I had forgotten about a certain Christian fellowship in the FCM has
deadline or task due to my headaches, made me long for heaven! It still does
negligence, busyness and the cares of even today! The only regret I have
the world; there were times whereby leaving the FCM camp then and the
certain tasks were beyond my own FCM after I graduate (God-willing) is
ability to accomplish. Yet despite all my the sweet fellowship I am going to miss.
weaknesses and faithlessness, the Lord Truly no matter how sweet Christian
proved Himself faithful and merciful fellowship on earth may be, there will
time and time always be a parting cry. But thanks be
again. The to God the blessed fellowship in heaven
Lord never will continue for eternity without end. =)
ceases to be
gracious. Not I would like to express my
only does He heartfelt thanks especially to Elder
give strength Boaz Boon, Rev Wee Eng Moh (BS
to carry me leader for NTU/NIE FCM) and Auntie
through each step of the way, He also Helen (Rev Wee’s wife). Thank God for
sends brothers and sisters in Christ to Elder Boon for all his advice with regard
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to serving our matchless King and for “O come, let us sing unto the
his love and patience. Praise God also LORD: let us make a joyful
for Rev Wee and Auntie Helen for their noise to the rock of our
kindness, guidance and instruction on salvation.
the precious Word of God. Without a Let us come before his presence
doubt, the selfless love of Christ is with thanksgiving, and
reflected by their lives and received make a joyful noise unto
warmly and gratefully into the heart of him with psalms.
this person. Really praise and thank the For the LORD is a great God,
Lord for their example and testimony for and a great King above all
our Lord Jesus Christ! gods.”

All in all, praise the Lord for the May God’s name alone be praised and
FCM! May the Lord continue to exalted! Soli DEO Gloria!
preserve and keep this ministry faithful,
fruitful and fervent for His own praise Herbert Goh
and glory! Indeed, no amount of words FCM NTU/NIE
could express the bubbling and True Life BP Church
overflowing joy and gratitude I have
within me. What else can I say but to
echo the words of the Psalmist in Psalm
95:1-3:

Bible Baffle
Answers!!

1. Methuselah; He lived for 969 years (Gen 5:27)

2. Sarai (Gen 17:15)
3. Moses died in the land of Moab at the age of 120 years old (Deu 34:5,7)
4. “Doth Job fear God for nought?” (Job 1:9)
5. Bethlehem Ephratah, Judah (Mic 5:2)
6. 3000 souls (Acts 2:41)
7. Troas (Acts 16:7-9)
8. Paul was bitten by a venomous viper and yet did not die (Acts 28:1-6)
9. Galatians (Gal 1:10)
10. A crown of righteousness (2 Tim 4:8)

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Overall FCM Coordinator:
Elder Boaz Boon (Calvary Tengah BP Church)
Tel: 9824 7681 (HP)
E-mail: boaz.boon@capitaland.com.sg

Nanyang Technological University/ National Institute of Education

1. NTU/NIE Group
Comprising students in all the faculties of NTU & NIE

Bible Study Leader : Rev Wee Eng Moh (Pastor of Berith B-P Church)
E-mail: emwee@singnet.com.sg
Student Coordinator : Low Boon Siang [9183 1750 (HP)]
E-mail: lbs83@yahoo.com
Meeting Place : North Spine, N3, Level 5, TR 1-10 (any of the rooms)
Meeting Time : Every Wednesday, 6.30pm
Dinner : Canteen A, 5.30pm

National University of Singapore

2. Science Group
Comprising students of the Science, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Information
& Computer Science Faculties

Bible Study Leader : Bro. Ko Lingkang (Calvary Pandan BP Church)

Email: kolingkang@gmail.com
Student Coordinator : Lee Yujie [9107 7470 (HP)]
E-mail: yujie05@gmail.com
Meeting Place : Science Blk 13, 5th Floor, one of the Tutorial Rooms,
NUS Science Faculty
Meeting Time : Every Wednesday, 5.15pm

3. Arts/ Engineering Group

Comprising students from the Arts, Engineering, Architecture, Building & Real
Estate, Law & Business Administration Faculties

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 Bible Study Leader : Rev Ronny Khoo [9411 1120 (PG)]
Student Coordinator : Joseph Ng [9661 1548 (HP)]
E-mail: nwsjoseph@yahoo.com.sg
Meeting Place : Engineering Block E1, Level 6th, NUS Eng. Faculty
(E1-06 tutorial room)
Meeting Time : Every Friday, 6.15pm

Polytechnics

4. Comprising students from Ngee Ann, Singapore, Nanyang and Temasek

Polytechnics

Bible Study Leaders : Pr. Ho Chee Lai (Gospel Light BP Church)

E-mail: cheelai@starhub.net.sg
Dn Peter Phoa (Calvary Tengah BP Church)
E-mail: Peter_PHOA@NYP.gov.sg
Student Coordinator : Clarice Lim [9363 6276 (HP)]
E-mail: mon_amie1986@hotmail.com
Meeting Place : Life B-P Church (Alternate Friday) or
Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Alternate Thursday)
Meeting Time : 6.30pm (Dinner), 7.20pm (Bible Study)

Singapore Management University

5. Comprising students from Accounting, Business Administration & Arts Faculties

Bible Study Leaders : Bro. Wee Hian Kok (Berean BP Church)

E-mail: wee8k@yahoo.com.sg
Student Coordinator : Esther Huang [92383015 (HP)]
E-mail: esther.huang.2003@business.smu.edu.sg
Meeting Place : School of Economic and Social Sciences, Group Study
Room to be confirmed though Email or SMS
Meeting Time : Every Tuesday 5.00pm

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The
just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

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