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Jeff Joish
Growing up in a Christian home with Christian parents and relatives, I have regularly attended church since I was young. I also had the privilege of attending Junior Worship and Gethsemane Children’s Ministry. Through these services, I learnt that I must believe in God and was taught many Bible truths. I also learnt that Jesus is the Son of God, who came to earth to save us from our sins. I believe that Jesus is my Saviour who died on the cross and rose again on the third day, defeating death and giving us everlasting life.

During the start of my first year in secondary school, I had difficulty making friends. I saw that my new classmates constantly did ungodly things that contradict the Scriptures. However, I sought God’s advice by praying, and I eventually discovered other Christians in my school. Through regularly attending worship services, singing hymns, praying every day and listening to God’s Word being preached by Pastor, I realised that God was testing me if I would give in to temptation and follow ungodly ways. However, God guided me and led me not to succumb to temptation, but to follow godly ways.

I thank God that He opened a way for me to attend the Catechism class. I thank Him for my loving and godly parents who brought me to church regularly and taught me about the Gospel. I pray that I can always bear a good testimony for Christ. I pray that God will continue leading me to worship and serve Him to the end.

Joel Tan
The Bible teaches us to worship in a church and to be a regular part of its membership and activities, so that we may progress in our Christian journey: “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” (Hebrews 10:25). Likewise, the Bible also teaches us – through the examples of various characters, such as Nathan the prophet, John the Baptist and our Lord Himself – to seek strong and sound preaching, and apply their lessons, as a remedy against sin and falling by the wayside in our walk with God.

I was born in a Christian home; my parents knew the Lord and regularly worshipped in Bethesda Frankel Estate Church. Like many other Christian parents, they brought me to church. I attended Sunday School and the Junior Youth Service. Having had special-needs issues since I was young, it was difficult to focus and sit by myself. One of my parents had to sit with me. As we grew up, the schedules of me and my elder sister changed frequently, and my parents had to find a church that could accommodate our rapidly-changing schedules. Hence, for a time, we attended the Saturday service of Trinity Christian Centre. However, due to my hearing problems, I could not tolerate the loud music and their way of worship.

I was blessed with knowledge of Gethsemane BPC’s doctrines and practices even before I stepped foot in Gethsemane. While my parents were looking for a solution to my problems, Sis Cecile let me listen to Bible Witness Web Radio and read Bible Witness Magazine. When Sis Cecile brought my sister to her tuition classes in Raffles Place, she also brought me to the former Bible Witness Bookroom in Chinatown while waiting for her class to finish. We would read some of the books there and browse through others. Eventually, she asked my parents if she could bring me to the “Scripture in Song” musical in 2013, and they agreed.

Since coming to Gethsemane, I have greatly benefited from the spiritual nourishment through the strong preaching of God’s Word. It is truly the case that I have learnt the “great and mighty things” of God (Jeremiah 33:3), through the sermons and exhortations that I had not known before coming to Gethsemane. While the preaching and exposition of God’s Word in Gethsemane can prick souls, I am grateful for the constant reminders to live by God’s Word and not fall into the trap of sin. In the modern world, it is very easy to lose sight of the ultimate prize that awaits every believer at the end of time, and do things the way we want and not what God would have wanted.

I also thank God for the many blessings I have received during my time in Youth Fellowship. While the preaching is just as strong, it is also quite relatable to me as the preachers seek to show how God’s Word can be applied to address issues faced by youths and young people of today, such as problems that come from academic studies and by ongoing trends in the modern world.

I praise God for the fellowship that I have experienced in both the Main Service, as well as the Youth Fellowship. Despite my condition, the congregants have come to accept me as I am, and not pass judgment or make fun of me. I am blessed by the concern and mutual encouragement shown to me by congregants and committee members alike, both in conversation with them as well as in presenting our prayers and requests to God.

In conclusion, I have truly benefited much from my learning in Gethsemane. May God continue to guide me and help me to walk close to Him even amid the trials I face now, and those that have yet to come. All glory and honour be to the Lord. Amen.

Nehemiah dela Cruz
Born into a Christian family, God had always been the centre of our house. I was granted the privilege of being born into a missionary family that served in the mission stations in Bogo and San Antonio. This allowed me to grow up witnessing the power of God’s saving grace first-hand, and seeing how God was the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. However, I was still young and immature in the faith, and never really took the messages and devotions I heard seriously until much later.

When I was three years old, my father passed away, and the incident instilled great grief within my family. I was too young to understand the situation then, but when I grew older, I gradually understood it. This caused my mum and I to move back to Singapore. When we came back to Singapore, we started attending Gethsemane BPC. My mind was soon filled with doubts and questions. Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do wrong?

The question in my head soon caused me to, unfortunately, doubt God’s goodness and grace. I started to lose trust in God and His will for me. However, the messages preached in the church and in the children’s ministry reminded me that God is always in control, and that all are according to His marvellous will and plan. As I grew in age and went to public schools, I began to feel the world’s influence on me. However, I am glad for the strict reminders from my family and the preachers of the church that managed to keep me on the straight and narrow path through all the various temptations.

Although I cannot remember the exact date of my salvation, I am glad that I have been called from darkness into God’s marvellous light. I am thankful for the bountiful grace God has shown to me by sustaining me and my family. I am also glad that I can now confidently declare that I am a sinner saved by grace. My prayer is that I will continue to grow in the Lord, and serve my Saviour fruitfully in the years to come.

Ryan Skariah
By the grace of God, I was born into a Christian family. I thank God for godly parents who taught me God’s Word daily. From a very young age, I started to attend Gethsemane Children’s Ministry and Gethsemane Children’s Choir. I thank God for helping me to learn about Him and to understand that Jesus died for us to save us from our sins.

I thank God for my Junior Worship teachers and my GCM teachers, who taught me God’s Word faithfully. After listening to the Sunday sermons preached by Pastor and the regular GYF messages preached by Pr Cornelius and Pastor Koshy, I was convicted that I was a sinner and that all have come short of the glory of God. I realised that I had not been walking close with God, and that I did not pray to him with a true spirit. I have been attending church worship services and fellowship meetings regularly, but still did not obey God’s Word, and I was constantly sinning. I thank the Lord for Pastor Koshy’s messages that rebuked me, which made me ask the Lord for forgiveness for all my sins. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). I prayed to the Lord for grace and strength to be able to walk closer with Him. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour and decided to go through the Catechism class.

Through the Catechism class, I was able to further understand the doctrines of the church, the Bible and God. I thank God for Elder Choy and Elder Francis, who taught us on these important topics. I pray that the Lord will help me grow spiritually and love Him even more. I pray for strength to serve Him and worship Him wholeheartedly. All glory be to God!

Titus Lim Rui Heng
I was raised in a Christian family from the day I was born. My parents brought my sister and I to church from a very young age. Throughout my childhood, I had the privilege of hearing numerous sermons and attending Vacation Bible School camps where I learned about the concept of salvation, such as the ABC acronym - Accept, Believe, Confess. I also learned many Bible verses, e.g. Romans 6:23 - “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”; and 1 John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
In 2019, during one of the youth camps, a question was posed during one of the invitations - “Raise up your hand if you know that you will be in heaven if you were to die right now.” This question left me deeply conflicted about the certainty of my salvation, and I approached my pastor for guidance after the service. He shared with me that if I was saved, the Holy Spirit would be the One who confirms and grants me inner peace about my salvation. We prayed together, but I left that evening still wrestling with doubt. It was during my devotion that night that I realised I was still a sinner in need of salvation. The many years of following my parents to church and the many sermons preached to me did not mean I was saved. That night, I confessed my sins and accepted Christ as my personal Saviour.

From 2019 to 2022, my family continued to attend church regularly, but it eventually became a routine for me—going to church on Sunday mornings and then heading home. Youth meetings were scarce, and my spiritual growth stagnated.

In mid-2022, my mum talked to me about our spiritual growth in the church, and asked if we wanted to visit another church where we could grow and serve God effectively. By God’s grace and providence, my family came to Gethsemane BPC through Aunty Annie’s invitation. Listening to the sermons and attending the many weekly activities, such as the YF, rejuvenated me and aided me in my spiritual walk with the Lord. I also thank the Lord for allowing me to attend this year’s Church Camp, where I learned about cultivating spiritual mindedness and living for Christ in these last days.

Earlier this year, my family and I attended the Catechism classes, where we delved into various topics, from God’s creation to Christ’s second coming. Coming from a Baptist background, I notice differences in practices between the Baptists and Presbyterians, such as infant baptism, baptism by sprinkling, and open communion. However, through the catechism class, I understood and accepted these differences, and have been assured that my salvation is only by faith in Christ. What is more important is the mutual love and respect we show to one another in the church, and not causing divisions so that we may all grow as one body in Christ. I pray for the Lord’s continual working in my life so that I may serve Him in spirit and in truth.

Phoebe Lim Jun Yu
I was born into a Christian family, and since our respective births, my brother and I have faithfully attended church at Ambassador Baptist Church with our parents. During the children’s Sunday School, I was curious and eager to learn more about God’s Word concerning creation, Ten Commandments, and Jesus’ parables. However, I did not understand much about salvation, and I had many questions pertaining to repentance from sins and being born again as a Christian.

In 2016, during the youth camp at Maranatha Baptist Church, I was deeply moved by the preaching on “Life’s Greatest Choice”, taken from Matthew 6:24 – “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” I realised that we were created by God and our allegiance should be to our Heavenly Father (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). I raised my hand when the preacher asked if any unbeliever was interested in learning more about salvation. It was at this moment that a fellow sister-in-Christ approached me, prayed with me and shared the significance of salvation and the importance of repentance.

• Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
• Romans 10:9 – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
• John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
• John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

As I went home to ponder about it, I realised how sinful I was, and that my current way of life was filled with fleshly desires, which God hates, and would only lead to an eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. I cried out to God during that night, acknowledging that I was a sinner and asking Him to come into my heart to save me. I understand that doing good works doesn’t save and that I am a sinner in need of God’s love, forgiveness and mercy. Salvation is freely given to all those who genuinely believe and trust in Jesus. Only by faith through Him can I be free from the bondage of sins. As Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

From 2016 to 2022, my family had been attending church regularly, but over time it started feeling like a routine for me. Youth meetings were scarce, and I faced a period of spiritual stagnation, where I felt that I wasn’t growing much as a young Christian.

In mid-2022, my family and I were extended a warm invitation by Auntie Annie to Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church, where we have been attending since then. Through my time in Gethsemane BPC, I felt that the church was of biblically sound doctrine, and was a God-fearing and God-honouring church. I was deeply encouraged by the warm fellowship, unity and encouragement of the brothers and sisters in Gethsemane BPC, and their yearning to learn and seek the Lord and serve Him in the different areas of service! I was immensely thankful that my brother and I were able to attend this year’s Church Camp, where we learned how we ought to be spiritually minded – to put off our fleshly desires and to put on the new man, which is to live by God’s desire and purpose for our lives. It reminded me of the importance of daily prayer and having a close walk and relationship with Him.

My prayer is that God will guide me, help me grow in my faith, and deepen my trust in Him as I continue to serve Him and be a beacon of light to the people around me in my words and actions. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

“Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD” (Psalm 34:11). It is a divine mandate to teach our children the Word of God with all dedication. As a church, we prayerfully commit ourselves to making every effort to teach our children to fear the Lord and walk in His ways. May God be pleased to bless our efforts at home and in the church to nurture our children in the Lord. 

Daily Vacation Bible School, held a week ago (29 Nov - 01 Dec 2023), has been a joyful and blessed event for about 45 children who gathered. They were nourished in the Gospel truths through the Bible lessons, spiritual songs and other activities prepared for them. Many brothers and sisters co-laboured with the GCM committee. The GCM Committee’s meticulous efforts in organising this event are praiseworthy. Our preachers, together with other GCM teachers, laboured to bring the Word of God to the children. We also rejoice in the labour of many in various areas – transportation, refreshments and meals, art and craft, singing, media presentations, etc. – for the smooth and efficient running of the DVBS. We also thank God that through this event, we could reach children from outside our church with the Gospel. May the Spirit of God work in the children’s hearts to grant them regeneration and sanctification through His Word which they heard in the DVBS. 

Annabelle’s Testimony

Psalm 100:1, 3 – “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands... Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

I thank God for another opportunity to attend DVBS, with the theme for 2023 as: “Be Strong in the Lord”. I wish to testify of God’s goodness towards me through the lessons I learnt from our preachers. 

On Day 1, in the morning session (taught by Pr Kelvin Lim), the main focus was on the words, “Finally, my brethren” in Ephesians 6:10. They remind us that God has saved us and called us out of sin. Therefore, we can call one another brothers and sisters in Christ. We also have a unique relationship with God, whereby we can be strengthened in Him. 

In the afternoon session, Pr Ho taught us from Matthew 13:1-8 on the Parable of the Sower. Jesus taught by the seashore, and told the people a parable of a sower who sowed seeds on a farm. Some seeds fell on the wayside, and the birds came and ate them up. Some fell onto the stony places where there was not much water and minerals. When the sun rose, the plants’ roots died because it was too hot for them. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and when the plants grew, the thorns choked them until they died. But the seeds which fell on the good ground bore fruit. The seed represents God’s Word, and the grounds represent the hearers’ hearts. The wayside refers to people whose heart is hardened, while the birds represent the devil. The stony places refer to people who have a shallow response to God’s Word. They are very excited to hear the Word of God, but they have no interest in God controlling their hearts wholly. When they are under pressure, they give up. The thorny places represent those who are over-worried and too concerned about things in this world that their interest in God’s Word dies off. The good ground denotes those who hear God’s Word with a receptive heart and, hence, are enlightened by it. From this parable, I learnt that we must fight sin and not let sin control us. We must not be overly worried about the world, but we must be concerned about the things of God (because He will provide for all our needs). We must ask ourselves 2 questions: 1) Do we have time for God? 2) How do we accept God’s Word? Let us put aside time for God and accept His Word wholeheartedly. 

On Day 2 (morning), I learnt from Pr Kelvin that the phrase, “Be Strong in the Lord”, is a command to be strong in the Lord, resist temptation, read the Bible and pray. “Be Strong in the Lord” also involves a combat. We must put on the whole armour of God so that we can withstand in the evil day and prepare for the spiritual battle. God gave His children a command to combat the evilness of their day. In the afternoon session, Pr Jeremiah taught us the Parable of the Wheat and Tares (from Matthew 13:24-30, 34-43). In this parable, a sower sowed good seeds in the field. While people were sleeping, his enemy sowed tares among the wheat. In due time, both wheat and tares sprung up. The servants of the sower were very curious about where the tares came from. The sower explained that an enemy had secretly sown the tares. The servants then asked whether to pluck out the tares. The sower said no because they might accidentally pluck out the wheat. Instead, they should only gather the tares at harvest time to burn them up. The sower is Jesus, while the good seeds are Christians. The field is the world, the enemy is the devil, and the tares are ungodly people. From this parable, I learnt that when Jesus Christ returns, He will separate the godly from the ungodly. He will judge the ungodly, and will no more show them grace and mercy. There will be punishment, judgment and hellfire for eternity. God gives us chances to repent. When we do something wrong, we must repent quickly. 

In the morning of Day 3, Pr Kelvin gave us 3 points to remember the DVBS theme. First, I learnt that “Be Strong in the Lord” is to make Christ known (Ephesians 6:19), and to make known the truth about the Gospel. The truth of the Gospel is the greatest knowledge that anyone can have. Second, it is for the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:20; Romans 1:16). We must not be ashamed to stand up for Jesus, as it is the divine duty of Christians to speak a word for Christ. Third, it is for the praying for the saints regarding the work of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:18), so that more souls can be added to heaven. In the last session, Pr Samson taught us from Matthew 13:47-52 on the Parable of the Dragnet. This parable is about a fishing net that was used in the olden days (still in use today). The dragnet is a gigantic net that is pulled by the boats and is used to catch fish. The fishermen would bring the net to the shore when the net was full. Not every fish they caught was good, as there were also other sea creatures like squid, prawns, and even much dirt! The good would be separated from the bad. If you repent of your sins and believe in the Lord, you are the good fish. Those who believe in Christ will inherit the kingdom of God (Matthew 25:34). Those who reject God will be thrown into the fire (Matthew 25:41). We have to repent now (Matthew 4:17)! Jesus is coming soon! 

I look forward to DVBS 2024, and pray for more children to join us for a blessed time of spiritual nourishment, God willing!

The Devil’s Diabolical Instigation of Believers’ Distrust of God

In this battle of Satan against God’s sovereignty, he often targets God’s dear servants. In the case of Job, he schemed to “touch all that he hath” (Job 1:11), and later to “touch his bone and his flesh” (Job 2:5). His intent of “touching Job” in order to cause trouble in his life was that he may turn Job against God by causing him to curse God! Usually, with most believers, he would try to “take them out” through sinful temptations. He does this relentlessly through the allurement of sensual living and the unholy pursuit of creature comforts through affluent lifestyles, which many – even godly people – find so hard to resist. However, sometimes the devil may find it difficult to trap believers by temptation alone, as in the case of godly and spiritually well-exercised saints (like Job). When he can’t get a foothold in their spiritual lives to cause damage to their testimony, he would unleash his second ploy, i.e. through unimaginable pain and sorrow. The ultimate intent of such fiery trial was to turn people against God. In one way or the other, the devil is constantly trying to instigate believers’ distrust of God’s sovereignty.

In the case of Job, the cruelty and sadism of the devil was clearly seen when he challenged God to grant him permission to attack Job concerning his possessions and his body. In one day, all his vast numbers of sheep, camels, oxen and asses were wiped off, and all his ten children were crushed to death in a collapsed house caused by a whirlwind (Job 1:13-19). In another day, his whole body was wrecked with sore boils, resulting in excruciating pain and agony, so much so that his abode became next to a heap of ashes outside as he could not stay in the house due to his disease (Job 2:7-8). Through all these, the devil was instigating Job to curse God “to thy face” (Job 2:5b) and bring dishonour to His name! Thank God Job endured – in all this Job neither “charged God foolishly” nor did he “sin with his lips” (Job 1:22b; 2:10c).

Dear Christians, truly there are times when we struggle to explain the cause of our sufferings. Frankly, so many types of trials and calamities befall God’s people that we can’t fathom the exact cause(s). But would there ever be a trial upon God’s people if God does not permit it? It is important to understand that God always has a hand in the troubles we experience. In God’s sovereignty, He “opens the floodgates” of trials for you to suffer. You become, as it were, the “battle front” being engaged by the merciless devil. This is not because God has abandoned you, but rather, He counts you worthy to suffer to prove His supreme point that His arch-enemy cannot do anything to completely usurp His authority.

Oh, this is a most formidable “battlefield”! But beloved believer, persevere and stand firm. Knowing that God allows your trials, may you “watch thou in all things, endure afflictions” (2 Timothy 4:5a) and “greatly rejoice … through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7). So, if you are in the midst of some unexplainable trouble, be assured that God’s sovereign hand is there. It is not that He has turned against you, but He has only taken away your “fence” which has protected you all this while. By God’s sovereign will, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”, being “persuaded, that neither death, nor life … nor principalities, nor powers … nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39)!

The Devil’s Subversive Undermining of Believers’ “Integrity”

Unfortunately, the reality is that many who suffer horrendously or see the righteous suffer undeservedly may conclude in their heart that there is no God; or if God exists, He is one with limited power. Their initial enthusiastic faith in a loving God quickly “vaporises” in the fiery furnace of sufferings. Many such professing believers end up as agnostics. They fail to “hold fast their integrity”, unlike Job (cf. Job 2:3), and lose trust in a sovereign God. That is exactly Satan’s diabolical objective – to prod believers to defy God’s sovereignty.

To thwart the devil’s undermining of our “integrity” (through the use of intense sufferings upon believers), we do well to consider Job’s reaction. Job’s horrendous trials did not distract him from the sovereignty of God; God was still the object of his heart’s love. He cherished and worshipped God even in his abject poverty and suffering. Take note of his heart’s confession in Job 1:21, “the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” He didn’t utter these words out of bitterness that God did not care for him, but out of worship and deference to – not in defiance of – God’s sovereignty (cf. Job 1:20). Scripture says “he holdeth fast his integrity”.

What is Job’s “integrity”? It is his firm belief that God is sovereign, even in his troubles. Things had not spun out of control; nor had God difficulty in keeping chaotic situations in check. He refused to react according to his downcast emotions. Job’s integrity is that he had always ordered his life by subjecting it to God’s sovereignty. His was not a mere intellectual faith; his was a faith with works (cf. James 2:17-18). He had experiential faith, hence he spoke with experiential knowledge that God is sovereign. His unshakeable conviction of God’s absolute sovereignty in all aspects of his life and the world around him, helps him to have proper behaviour in his doings and dealings. That is the believers’ integrity, which the devil is constantly trying to undermine.

Conclusion

The apostle Paul hits the nail on the head when he warns Christians in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. The devil is constantly on the prowl. He is not going to stop his attack just because his wicked ploys were thwarted from time to time by godly saints who, like Job, hold fast to their integrity amidst their suffering. He is going to take this battle till the end of time; in the meantime, you and I are his targets. The way to continue to fight the battle when the devil, by God’s permission, comes to “touch” or trouble us, is to stay in submission to God. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). That’s where our safety is. Even if he would tear us apart, stay under the mighty hand of God in total submission to Him, knowing that God will not allow the devil to utterly destroy us.

Thank God, there is ultimate victory for us, for God is still in control. We cannot be subdued because our sovereign God is watching over us! Remember, Satan is already a defeated foe. The devil can battle against God’s dear child, but not beyond what God allows (cf. Job 1:12; Job 2:6). May we then, by faith, continually trust in and uphold God’s sovereignty over our lives, come what may – that is how we glorify God in this formidable but conquerable “battle front”.

Apart from God and Job, the one major character in the first two chapters of the Book of Job is, undeniably, Satan. In these first two chapters alone, Satan is referred to some 13 times. Thus, Christians cannot just pass over this character. We need to take a good look at this character and the way he functions.

The name “Satan” in Hebrew means “adversary”. He is God’s enemy, as well as the enemy of God’s people. He is the unceasing, untiring adversary of both God and man. His hatred towards God knows no bounds. He has no regard for God and would throw any challenge at Him, as demonstrated in his temptation of Christ in the wilderness (cf. Matthew 4:1-11). That is how cunning and wicked this adversary is. He would go against God to the very end, as is clearly seen even at the end of Christ’s millennial reign on earth, when the Lord would chain him and cast him into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Meanwhile, there is a cosmic battle (of cosmic proportions) being raged by Satan against God, whereby believers often get “caught in the crossfire” (cf. Job 1:8-19)!

So, whether we understand it or not, we are all caught up in this great battle that the devil is waging against God. Yet God is not a helpless onlooker who could only stand idly by and watch as events unfold. He is actively involved in defending, protecting and guiding us in the midst of this terrible battle. No evil (whether natural or man-made or satanic) may encroach upon us outside of His jurisdiction (cf. Job 1:12).

Be Not Ignorant of the Devil’s Devices

Be that as it may, the devil is constantly trying his level best to deal a “knockout blow” to believers that would keep them downcast and in deep despair, and ultimately instigate them to deny God’s sovereignty (cf. Job 1:11b; 2:5b). As the apostle Paul warns us, we must not be “ignorant of his devices”, lest “Satan should get an advantage of us” (2 Corinthians 2:11). From the episode of Job’s sufferings, we see in a very clear manner how the devil uses us as his “arena” in his battle against God. One of his most diabolical and favourite tactics is to turn the ones whom God has created in His own image (even mankind) against Him. Oh, we must not be ignorant of this cunning device of the devil, which he tried viciously against Job! From our biblical understanding of the Book of Job, the devil is trying to challenge the sovereignty of God over Job’s life. This should not surprise us as he has always been a “challenger” and usurper since time immemorial, soon after he was created. He had been an angelic being of heaven, one of God’s created angels; in fact, he was the chief of the cherubims.

In Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-17, we read of the condemnation and downfall of the devil. When he, being lifted up with pride, rebelled against God and tried to usurp God’s authority, he was cast down to this earth (cf. Revelation 12:9). Since the day he was cast out of heaven, he has been constantly trying to usurp God’s glory. According to his warped and malicious mind, the best possible way to usurp God’s glory is through mankind by instigating their defiance of God’s authority. That’s disobedience, which was the first sin of mankind! Having succeeded with Adam and Eve, the devil is still trying to do the same with their descendants – but in different ways. He uses different things in different people’s lives to bring about defiance of God’s sovereignty.

In a myriad of ways, the devil is trying to captivate believers’ souls to love things other than God. Whether it be our studies and scholastic pursuits, our job, profession and career prospects, our children, our house, or even our physical appearance, the devil wants to take our allegiance away from God through all these distractions. His is a twisted theology – “worship God in order to get the things that you love”. That is precisely the “prosperity theology” promoted in Charismatic circles. Worship God to be rich, powerful, famous, prominent. That’s false religion! Rather, true religion is coming to God as our true wealth, He being the greatest Lover of our infinitely precious souls. We cannot love anything more than God if we put God as the object of our heart’s devotion. Didn’t Jesus say, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30)? In getting believers to love material things, possessions, position, status, relationships, etc. more than God, Satan’s ultimate objective is to usurp God’s sovereignty over believers’ lives. Oh, be not ignorant of the devil’s devices!

The Devil’s Malicious Disdain of Believers’ Submission to God’s Sovereignty

Now, it must be categorically stated that God has no problem giving material prosperity and abundance to His children, if He so chooses. This is reflected in Job’s possession of great substance and his prominent status in the society of his time (Job 1:3). But that is not what God is most happy about with His children – not wealth and health. There is something else that He is more concerned with. In commending Job before the devil, God said, “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8). God specifically mentioned four outstanding spiritual virtues of Job, namely his blameless life (“perfect”), his righteous character (“upright”), his reverence of God (“feareth God”), and his careful shunning of sin (“escheweth evil”) which reflects his purity of heart. Instructively, God did not commend Job regarding his material abundance, house and animals, or his efficiency in managing wealth. But look who’s talking about all these? “Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land” (Job 1:9-10).

In his reply, the devil blatantly sidestepped God’s focus of His discussion. God is talking about Job’s spiritual maturity, well-being, wholeness, integrity. But the devil wanted to draw attention away towards material things – “his house”, “all that he hath”, “work of his hands”, “his substance”. The devil was saying that everything was going well for Job – his business was good, his family was flourishing, he was in good health. His insinuation was that Job’s piety was all because God had put a protective “fence” around him. Malicious as he is, the devil then put forward a challenge to God. He sadistically added that if God were to “touch” (i.e. to destroy, to cause maximum damage to) all that Job had, Job will defy, rebel against and “curse” God, not fear and worship Him (Job 1:11)!

Herein is the intense and fierce conflict between God and Satan. God is watching over His servant and rejoices in His servant’s recognition of His sovereignty over his life, as well as his complete surrender to God as his Master. This harmonious and perfectly maintained “Master-servant” relationship provokes Satan. How vicious Satan is! He cannot stand the sight of God’s servant being at peace with his heavenly Master. He is full of jealousy, wrath and hatred. “Sovereign God and submissive servant” – this is the relationship that is under attack! Satan regards it with contempt and disdain: “Doth Job fear God for nought?” He could not – and will never – accept that anyone could love God so intrinsically without thinking of getting any external benefit in return. He wanted to prove God wrong.

(To be continued next week)

Teaching Children God's Word

For more than three decades, our church has been organising the yearly Daily Vacation Bible School (DVBS), with two primary goals – (i) salvation of children, and (ii) spiritual nurture of the believing children. The best way to achieve this goal is to teach the truths of Holy Scripture to children with love, faithfulness and fervour. 

The importance of teaching children God’s Word is repeatedly emphasised in Scripture. One biblical passage that testifies to the necessity and urgency of teaching children God’s truth is 2 Timothy 3:15, where Paul powerfully (though very briefly) narrates Timothy’s salvation and spiritual nurture from his childhood. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” The Greek word for “child” (bréphos), used by Paul, denotes “infants” or “babes”. So, at a very early stage of childhood, Timothy was being instructed in the Scriptures. It is such early, sustained instruction of the Word that granted Timothy the biblical wisdom of salvation to put his faith in Christ. 

Such a clear biblical admonition and example must surely instil in us the earnestness to teach our children both at home and in the church. We covet all the church members to pray for and participate in bringing children to the upcoming DVBS. Parents must not let this opportunity slip by. This is more important than all other educational and leisure activities. I urge all the members and friends of the church to invite and bring children to the DVBS. Please do not delay any further. 

Let us pray for all our preachers and sisters, who are involved in the DVBS as teachers of God’s Word to the children. Let us also uphold the Children’s Ministry Committee members who have laboured in organising this event for the spiritual benefit of our children. Praying for all serving and contributing to this particular programme is a great need. “Brethren,” as Paul said, “pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you” (2 Thess 3:1).

Updates from Gethsemane BPC, Cebu

Dear Pastor,

Greetings to you in our Lord’s most blessed Name! I am writing this email to share with you some updates from our side.

Last week, we had a long holiday here in the Philippines. On October 30, we had the Barangay Elections, and then Oct 31 was declared a holiday in view of the “All Saints’ Day” and “All Souls’ Day” on November 1 and 2, respectively. It somehow gave us the opportunity to spend some profitable time with our families and loved ones, especially the opportunity to share with them the truth about the commonly practised observance of holidays by the Roman Catholics. I thank God also for the time to reconnect with my siblings as they came over during the holidays…

By God’s grace, we are pressing on in the work of the ministry. Thank God for the completion of the repair works at the Care Ministry. Praise God for the labours of our Care Ministry brothers in assisting the carpenter that we had commissioned for the job. We hired only one carpenter to save on the cost of labour, and he was assisted by all our Care brothers under the supervision of Dn Samuel Mingo. I have some photos to share with you.

As to the Sae Young property, the Korean owner arrived around the third week of October but has gone back again to Korea, as what we learned is that she is undergoing treatment. The agent told us that she was not in favour of our offer for the property.

Also, I would like to inform you that Rev. Lagapa has invited us (Rev. Donald, Eld. Eli, Pr Edsel and myself) to attend the Bible Conference to be held in Bukidnon on December 4-6 with the theme: “The Reformed and Premillennial Faith”, with Dr Jeffrey Khoo as the speaker. Rev. Donald and I will share God’s Word in the morning devotions while Eld. Eli and Pr Edsel will facilitate some activities planned.

We are now in the month of November, barely 2 months to the combined Youth and Bible Witness retreat. We have been in prayer as we look forward to your and the brethren’s coming, looking forward to a blessed time of hearing and learning God’s Word, as well as a time to fellowship among brethren.

We are in constant communication with Dn Norefel, trying as much as possible to assist and facilitate the ongoing preparations, particularly in the transport arrangement among others. Thank God for the opportunity to co-labour with all of you in this special activity.

On behalf of the church and my family, thank you for your prayers and support. Please do extend our greetings to your family and the church. Thank you!

Respectfully,
Rev. Reggor

Brethren, Christians are exhorted not to be earthly-minded, but be heavenly-minded.

Seek Christ Above

Paul said in Colossians 3:1, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

The opening words of the verse – “If ye then be risen with Christ” – assume that the readers are those who have experienced new life in Christ (i.e. those who are born again). The word “if” is used logically, as a means of argument, not a means of doubt.

Representatively, all the elect of God died with Christ unto sin and resurrected with Him unto newness of life. Dying and rising with Christ is a spiritual reality that they also personally experience. In an earlier chapter, Paul told the believers that “you, being dead in your sins… hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13). So those who are “risen with Christ” are no more dead in their sins, but they “are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12b). Our faith in Christ, the joy of forgiveness, sanctification and all other spiritual realities which we enjoy are abundant evidence of the power of His resurrection that is at work in our lives (cf. Ephesians 1:19-20).

In our text, Paul speaks of the new spiritual pursuit of those who are risen with Christ, as they “seek” (zēteite) or strive earnestly for those things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. The phrase, “those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God”, points us to all things with reference to Christ’s present exalted state.

Since He is interceding for us as our Advocate at His Father’s side, we must seek His forgiveness and sanctification (cf. 1 John 2:1).

Since Christ reigns in heaven as the Head of the church, we must submit to His headship (Ephesians 1:20-22; 5:23-24); we must give Him pre-eminence in all the affairs of our life (Colossians 1:18); we must seek to be nourished up in the fullness that He grants us as our Head (cf. Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 2:10, 19); we must seek to grow unto the Head, even our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:15); and we must seek to be knitted together as His body (Colossians 2:19).

Since He is preparing a place for us in heaven, let us be ready for His coming, and for the heaven and the rewards which He is preparing for us (John 14:1-3; Colossians 3:24; Hebrews 10:35).

Seek the Things Above

Paul continued his exhortation to be heavenly-minded by instructing Christians to “set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). Those who are risen with Christ have not only a new spiritual pursuit (Colossians 3:1), but also a new passion, which Paul describes here.

The verb “set your affection” (phroneo) means “direct your mind to something”. A Christian’s thoughts should be directed to Christ and the things associated with where He now dwells. That is our ultimate destination; hence it must be our preoccupation while we live on this earth. We are to be heavenly-minded (“on things above”) because, as Paul says in Philippians 3:20, “For our conversation (or citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ”.

What are your great interests? The great object of our contemplation should be the celestial city that Jesus is preparing for us. Readiness for that final home must be our greatest passion on earth.

While we are exhorted to be heavenly-minded, we are also cautioned not to be earthly-minded – “not on things on the earth”. Our affections should not be placed on wealth and health, houses and lands, honour and pleasure, etc. Neither should our passions be the worldly fashions and corrupting entertainment of this world. Worldly lust must be denied. The deeds of the flesh, which are sinful, must be mortified. No provision should be made for the encroachment of worldly allurements.

While Christ and heaven draw us upwards, the world and its charms draw us downwards. Let us not yield to the pull of earthly things, but earnestly pursue heavenly things. Let us not love things that are earthly and perishing, but rather those that are heavenly and everlasting. The apostle John admonishes us in 1 John 2:15-16, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Christians must always be conscious and deliberate to prefer and pursue heavenly and eternal matters above earthly and carnal matters. Unless our affections are set on heavenly matters, we will never appropriately seek after them. Let Christ and heavenly things be our greatest concern, passion and pursuit. Let us be desirous of everything that fixes us to heaven and its eternal glory.

As announced over the past few Sundays, our church’s ACM 2023 will be held today at 4p.m. in SingPost L5 Auditorium. The ACM documents have been uploaded to our church website for all the church members’ perusal. I urge all church members to be present, as this meeting is to be held, according to our church constitution, at least once annually to consider our congregation’s affairs.

How to Prepare for the ACM:

Pray for reverential and orderly conduct by all participants of the ACM, for the Bible instructs us concerning all church meetings, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). 

Please plan and make necessary arrangements to attend the ACM, and come to the venue 15-20 minutes early to sign in to enter the auditorium. This would help towards the counting of participants and the determining of the quorum to proceed with the meeting.

Let us pray for the Pastor and Elders (office bearers of the church), that the Spirit of God would empower them to conduct the meeting with wisdom, and present all reports of the past year as well as plans for the upcoming year faithfully and skilfully. 

If church members have any questions on the reports or plans, please submit the questions early for the office bearers to provide studied answers. 

Though ACM is a business / administrative church meeting, we must be mindful to do all things according to the counsels of God’s Word with great reverence and thanksgiving to God, who has blessed the church spiritually and physically. Let us all gather together with boundless praise for the Lord. “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31). May our thoughts be about His goodness. Let every heart rejoice and give thanks unto the Lord. “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:7). 

The church leaders and members must participate in the meeting with mutual love and respect. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6). We must avoid all belligerent, fault-finding, slanderous, provocative, and quarrelsome attitudes. 

Let us not forget the biblical admonition that we should be “endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). “A house divided cannot stand.”

Our recollection and evaluation of the past year’s ministries (local and overseas), as well as our awareness of the needs and burdens of the present and new ministries, must create within us a humble and ready spirit to serve the Lord faithfully and fervently in the coming year. May we renew our commitment, and consecrate ourselves to serve Him joyfully and enthusiastically.

May the Lord bless our gathering together. May we acknowledge and carry out our stewardship responsibilities faithfully, as we joyfully seek to serve our God out of hearts full of gratitude in thanksgiving for the indescribable gift given to us in His Son!

Biblical Guidelines for Orderly Worship

Paul has laid down much-needed principles for orderly worship services. Sadly, the Corinthian church had been conducting their worship services as they felt best - a kind of free, spontaneous worship service where anyone could sing a hymn, prophesy or speak in tongues. However, Paul sharply rebuked such a disorderly, chaotic conduct of worship and instructed the church with some guidelines. Paul insisted on orderliness and purpose in the church’s public gatherings, as attested to in 1 Corinthians 14:26-40.

Worship must not consist of free-for-all, spontaneous activities: The Corinthian church had not maintained order when they gathered for worship. Everyone did as he liked – hence, Paul asked, “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying” (v. 26). Our conduct should not distract other worshippers from truly worshipping the Lord in spirit and truth.

Worship services must be edifying: Everything done during public worship must be intended to bring about the building up of the church. Promoting spiritual growth and maturity of the church must be the chief concern of all in the worship services. Nothing should be done with personal promotion or prominence in view but with others’ edification. “Let all things be done unto edifying” (v.26b).

Worship services should not be haphazardly put together: Even if several people have the same spiritual gifts in a local church, Paul did not permit them to exercise their gifts simultaneously. Paul urged that each service element should not be haphazardly thrown together with no order, but with meticulous deliberateness so there will be no confusion (vv. 29-33). We are reminded that “God is not the author of confusion but of peace.” Disorganised services can distract the worshippers from fully focusing on God. Those who plan the worship services must deliberate on what they include and how they order them.

Worship services should be led by those in the church leadership: Women in the church are advised to submit to men of leadership and not to speak in public worship (vv. 34-38). The principle of prohibiting women from questioning their leadership applies to all the leadership realms of the church, especially regarding the worship service. Neither men nor women in the worship should challenge or disrupt the church leaders who lead the worship service. Public worship services and other church activities must be planned and led by church leaders, and all worshippers and members should respect and submit to their authority regarding the worship service.

Worship services should be Word-focused: In vv. 36-38, Paul emphasised the declaration of God’s revelation. Today, the divine revelation received through prophecy is complete and is given to us in the Bible (cf. 1 Cor. 13:9-10; Rev. 22:18-19). So, the declaration and practice of the Word in the church worship service are paramount to God-honouring worship service.

It is instructive to note that Jesus, when He was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, declared unequivocally, “…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Now, how can we obey this injunction to live by every word of God that “proceedeth out of the mouth of God” unless we have all of God’s revealed words (kept intact) available to us? And as Dr D. A. Waite in his book, Defending the King James Bible, puts it: we who speak English and who may not know the original languages in which the Holy Scriptures were first given by inspiration of God, “how will we know God’s Word unless He has preserved it … and then we have it accurately and faithfully translated … into (in our case) English”? Undeniably, this intimates God’s preservation of His inspired words.

Thus, the crucial question, which is the crux of the matter, is: “which English Bible truly is the very Word of God?” The answer to this question can spell the difference between life and death, nay, between eternal life and eternal death!

Translation from the Infallible, Inerrant Texts

Hebrews 1:1-2b tell us that “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son …” Truly, God has spoken to His chosen people, the Jews, through chosen holy men, namely the prophets (“Thus saith the LORD”) throughout the Old Testament (that is, “in time past”). Such progressively given revelation has been preserved through writing; hence giving rise to the law, the prophets, and the psalms (cf. Luke 24:44). We see the culmination of all these revelations in the incarnation of Christ “when the fullness of the time was come” (Galatians 4:4). Together with the New Testament writings [referring to the NT books written under inspiration of God during the course of the first century, shortly after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (cf. John 16:13-15)], “We have also a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19a), namely the Bible, which is God’s special revelation to us.

The Bible reveals to us the mind of the infinite, eternal, unchangeable God, whose “ways (are) past finding out” (Romans 11:33b). While “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God … those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever” (Deuteronomy 29:29). Indeed, in the Bible is contained all that we need to know to gain salvation into God’s kingdom, all the godly principles to live a victorious Christian life in this sin-darkened, trouble-filled world, as well as all that we need to know to “occupy” ourselves as we await Christ’s second coming. All these precious truths – and more – have been revealed to us through God’s Word being recorded in the Bible. Our eternal destiny hangs in the balance, depending on how we respond to its sacred contents. Thus, it is imperative to know which Bible is God’s Word kept intact in English. God has spoken, and His words have been recorded in the original languages, i.e. “the Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of God’s people of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of writing, was most generally known to the nations)” (Westminster Confession of Faith I:VIII).

These original texts, being “by (God’s) singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages”, were used and recognised by the New Testament churches down through the ages. As copies of the Scriptures were carefully made and faithfully transmitted from church to church and from generation to generation (being widely used by the church community), “the pure Scripture texts were preserved, and only a small minority (of corrupted text) would have escaped detection. Thus the majority text came to be acknowledged as the accepted text to be received by the churches … therefore acquir(ing) the names Textus Receptus, Majority Text and Traditional Text” (Jeffrey Khoo). These providentially preserved traditional texts had been identified and accepted by the Reformers and the Puritans as the very Word of God, infallible and inerrant. They came to be known as the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus, which would be the very texts underlying the King James Version (KJV), the latter being commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611. As opposed to the modern English versions, the KJV is the only translation of the Bible that accurately preserves the original Hebrew / Aramaic and Greek words in English. This is due to its superiority not only in the texts underlying it, but also in its translators, techniques of translation, and theology.

Godly, Scholarly Translators

Besides its being translated from the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus, the KJV is superior in that it was undertaken by faithful, scholarly, godly translators – a total of about fifty of them who worked in six companies. These men were the best biblical scholars and linguists of their day, with exceptional ability in their various fields of knowledge. One was conversant in 15 languages; another was an eminent scholar in Oriental studies; another an expert in Aramaic who had Hebrew at his fingertips; yet another was so distinguished in Greek and Hebrew that he read through the whole Old Testament in Hebrew at the age of 5. Among the rest were several King’s Professors of Hebrew and of Greek respectively, a university chief examiner of Hebrew / Greek professors, a renowned textualist, as well as one whose “memory and reading were near to a miracle”.

Above all, they were godly men with a deep reverence for God’s Word. They were not wont to criticise God’s Word; they were men with a mission, committed to the awesome task of providing a good and faithful English translation that could be trusted as the very Word of God. One would probably never find another devout group as gifted and elite as these, whom God – in the early 17th century, by His appointment and providence – had assembled for His higher purpose and plan. By logic of argument, there will never again be a Bible like that of the KJV!

Rigorous / Meticulous Translation Technique

The KJV was given the best translation from the godly collaboration of the best minds available (in an age untainted by rationalism, deism and evolutionism, which only reared their ugly heads in the 18th and 19th centuries). This team technique is unequalled by any modern translation method. Every translator of each company (there were 6 companies as mentioned) was to translate every chapter and verse of the biblical books assigned to his particular company, after which all the fellow translators of each company would gather and decide among themselves which translation was the best. Then they would pass that translation to the other 5 companies respectively for another round of vetting / translation. A joint committee (made up of two members from each company) would be formed to arrive at a final translation! This most meticulous team effort sought to produce the best translation ever to the glory of God.

Furthermore, the KJV translators adhered strictly to the “verbal equivalence” or word-for-word technique, which ensured an exact and faithful translation, free from the corruption of men’s fallible, prejudiced thoughts. This is opposed to “dynamic equivalence”, the technique used by modern versions, which is thought-for-thought translation that allows translators to rephrase God’s Word according to their, at best, imperfect understanding. In so doing, they take liberty to add to, subtract from and change God’s revealed words, which God specifically warns against (cf. Revelation 22:18-19). The verbally inspired nature of Scripture demands “verbal equivalence” to be the only acceptable method in Bible translation. KJV is superior because of its correspondence with the Hebrew / Aramaic and Greek words, not just thoughts or concepts, thanks to its faithful, rigorous and thorough techniques of translation.

Sound Theology Behind Translation

The faithful and sound theology of the KJV is plain for all to see, reflective of the God-fearing translators who were all contenders of God’s Word. The KJV gives pre-eminence to the Lord Jesus Christ by faithfully translating key words which declare the incommunicable attributes of Christ, such as His omnipresence, His omnipotence, His sinlessness, and His eternality, while eschewing textual changes that might effectively attack Christ’s Deity, among other things.

This is in contrast to the liberal changes to and even deletions from the underlying texts that modern versions make at will, whereby a number of vital doctrines are affected, such as the Virgin Birth and the Blood Atonement of Christ, which have been undermined by the preclusion of some (doctrinally rich) word/s. Truth be told, the modern versions all use as their source texts, the corrupt Westcott and Hort Greek Text – the fruit of 20 years’ collaborative doctoring by the said diabolical duo. By their evil genius of textual criticism (which manipulatively cuts out many parts of God’s Word affecting theology), Westcott and Hort displaced the traditional Textus Receptus with their doctored Greek Text (which heavily relied on the Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, two of the “most scandalously corrupt” and “shamefully mutilated” extant manuscripts, according to Dean Burgon). Whereas the modern versions attack fundamental doctrines, the KJV gives evidence of its superiority in its preserving of these Biblical truths, thereby upholding the authority of God’s Word.

No Reliable Alternative to KJV

There simply is no good alternative to the KJV. The proliferation of modern English versions of the Bible (arisen purportedly due to perceived obsolete words and grammatical errors in the KJV), as well as the growing universal desire to replace the KJV with them, is not simply a matter of linguistic preference. This label of “language and readability” masks a real hidden agenda. Deeper issues are at stake. In the light of long-held biblical truths now being systematically distorted, ridiculed and misrepresented by all these versions, it is very unsafe to turn to any of them for an accurate understanding of the words of the Bible.

Incidentally, the different modern Bible versions do not read the same. The unmistakable consensus among the modern versions seems to be that “God preserves His message and doctrines, but not necessarily the words, and certainly not every word.” But as has been pointed out, words do affect how the doctrines are perceived. Moreover, this does not square with Matthew 4:4 and Matthew 5:18, among other key Bible verses. Such an equivocal stand allows the different English versions to be embraced, variations notwithstanding. But Scripture warns us to “believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God” (I John 4:1). The conscientious Bible-reader must not continue to “sit on the fence” and think sentimentally of the insidious modern versions. There is no neutral ground; our most holy faith is at stake (cf. Jude 1:20)!

One more point is worthy of mention. The KJV had the benefit of the fruits of the translation works of the Reformation, including the works of Tyndale, Erasmus, as well as the Coverdale Bible, Matthew Bible, Geneva Bible and Bishops Bible. These Reformation Bibles, in effect, served as useful “forerunners” of the KJV in providing “a wealth of refined texts”, all reliable translations based on the providentially preserved traditional texts. We would rather have the KJV with all its archaic words (which are not that many nor difficult to understand really) than the modern English versions with their diluted and adulterated doctrines. Why settle for “second-best” (which is a far “second”) when we can have the best, namely the KJV?

Conclusion

As a parting shot, the Bible is God’s special revelation to man; in it contains the way of salvation and the doom of sinners. It goes without saying that all who trifle with its sacred contents stand to be divinely condemned. May the discerning Christian beware of the pernicious modern versions which, through their irreverent “trifling” with the texts and their consequent liberal, unfaithful translations, “privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them”, and “by reason of (which) the way of truth shall be evil spoken of” (2 Peter 2:1b, 2b). These have the effect of subverting our precious faith, no less! In contrast, we have the very words of God (kept intact) in the King James Version, which is the most accurate and faithful English translation of the Bible, thanks to its fourfold superiority in its texts, translators, techniques and theology.

Gethsemane Filipino Fellowship (GFF) has been a ministry of the Gethsemane B-P Church since 2001 to reach out to Filipinos in Singapore with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Right from the beginning, GFF has made evangelistic efforts to win Filipinos for the Lord and nurture them in sound biblical faith. Through the members of GFF, GBPC has been led to the Philippines to begin 5 mission stations (Cebu, Bogo, San Antonio, Bohol and Pangasinan). All the pastors and preachers labouring in those stations were once part of GFF, who upon being trained in FEBC, had returned to serve the Lord in those places. We also remember, before the Lord in prayer, scores of Filipinos who have either returned to their native places in the Philippines or migrated to other countries, that they will continue to love and serve our Lord Jesus fervently. 

We praise God that brothers and sisters in GFF continue to be a zealous group of believers in our midst. We pray that they will persevere in their faith and love towards Christ and towards one another, despite the hardships and temptations that each of them is faced with. Their participation and contributions to the ministries of our church are praiseworthy, and may the Lord who worketh in and through them be praised. Two from GFF, Dn Norefel Resuma and Bro Jordan Ballega, serve as full-time staff of GBWL, a ministry arm of our church. Let us thank the Lord for all who are part of GFF, rejoicing and serving the Lord as they grow in the Word, prayer and fellowship.

On Sundays, GFF meet at 3:30pm, where they are instructed from the Word by the preachers of our church. To further foster their fellowship and the knowledge of the Word, they meet every first Friday of the month for Kababayan Bible Study (Kababayan means ‘countrymen’ in Tagalog). Pr Jeremiah Sim ministers God’s Word to this monthly fellowship gathering. They also frequently attempt to bring the Gospel to their countrymen who gather in the Orchard Road area. 

As a word of exhortation to all our dear Filipino brethren, I quote the inspired words of the apostle Paul to the church in Thessalonica: “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost” (1 Thess 1:2-6). 

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:12-14).

Trials Prove Our Blessedness

There is a widespread misconception that a person blessed by the Lord with happiness and peace shall not have any temptation or trial. Many modern-day false teachers claim that genuine faith would guarantee a life free from sickness, financial trouble, and all other kinds of distress. However, the Word of God here teaches us that the blessedness of a man of faith is not in the absence of temptation and trial in his life, but in his endurance in the midst of them.

A believer should not frown on the divine providence that permits trying circumstances. Instead, he must persevere happily even when his faith and commitment to God are tested, knowing that God’s providence is giving him an opportunity to prove the genuineness of his faith. This is why James urged believers in an earlier verse, saying, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2).

A person undergoing trials may not feel “blessed” or happy. The difficulties would affect him emotionally, causing him to feel frustrated, fearful, or forlorn. Nonetheless, if he steadfastly believes in the promises and presence of God while remaining committed to doing His will, he will experience the great spiritual joy of an overcomer.

Every Christian needs to know that all sorts of circumstances will test his faith and devotion to Christ. So, he is required to be ready to endure the temptation that will inevitably come his way. In order to endure testing, one must cultivate a spirit of total dependence on and total obedience to God. Temptations and trials can conspire to make one falter in faithfulness to Christ. One can prevail over temptations and trials only with a spirit of unflinching devoutness and undaunted fortitude.

Blessedness of Those who Endure Trials

Let us note that the blessed man does not just suffer but endures his suffering and testing. He “shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12b). The word “crown” conveys the idea of reward, and the word “life” indicates that the reward is life evermore. Jesus also said to the suffering Christians, “… be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). The sacred promises of such “crowns” reserved for the children of God are also mentioned in 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 5:4; Rev 3:11; 4:4.

Amidst the trials, the Lord will manifest His pleasure in those who endure and prove their love for Him. He will assure and cheer them on with His promise of eternal rewards. His promise will strengthen their hearts and assure them that the trials are not a sign of His displeasure. His promise of reward will show that His love and commitment to them will never wither. They who love and honour the Lord in their trials have the assurance that the Lord will honour them through thick and thin.  

Refuse to Blame God amidst Trials

We must note James’ caution: “Let no man say … I am tempted of God”. Some believers tend to misinterpret God-sent trials as God tempting them with opportunities to sin. Such a notion is far from the truth. So, James sternly warns those who may try to pin the blame on God and hold God responsible for their temptation to sin. James is very concerned about such an idea of God and desires that his readers will reject the suggestion that God has a hand in inducing people to sin.

One’s thoughts about God affect one’s decisions and responses to life’s experiences. If one presumes that the temptations of sin that he experiences are from God, he will then have an ill-conceived excuse for the sins he would commit. As James noted, he would then say impious and despicable things, such as “God tempted me with sins.”

To say that “I am tempted of God” is, first of all, to make a false claim about God. It is a heresy to say that God tempts us with sin. Any thought or statement that depicts God as the author of sin is contrary to the unmistakable teaching of the Holy Scriptures that all of God’s works are holy. In Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses avows that God “is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” Psalm 145:17 declares that “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” Likewise, Psalm 92:15 affirms that “the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him” (cf. 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalms 111:3; 119:137; Zephaniah 3:5; Revelation 4:8).

Secondly, such a statement deceives the heart to consider sin as an unavoidable matter that God has laid on him. Such a belief stands contrary to all the counsels and admonitions of God in His Word. God commands us to depart and be separate from everything unholy. For instance, 2 Corinthians 6:17 admonishes us, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” The LORD God would have nothing to do with those who follow the way of sin. He calls all His people to “come out” away from all sorts of unclean and false people and their ways.

How scandalous and diabolical it is then to say, “I am tempted of God”!