Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost Sunday
Today - 11th May - is the Pentecost Sunday. What is its significance to us?

In the Old Testament, as an annual festival, Pentecost is the second of the great Jewish national festivals. It was observed on the 50th day, or 7 weeks, from the Paschal Feast, and was also called “the feast of weeks” or “harvest feast.” The festival begins when the first sheaf is offered at the Passover and ends with the offering of two leavened loaves at Pentecost. These events mark the beginning and ending of the grain harvest, and the period in between is the Pentecostal season.

Pentecost commemorates the giving of the law on Sinai (Exodus 12:2,9), the 50th day after the Exodus. It is also considered the birthday of the Christian church (Acts 2:1, 20:16, 1 Cor 16:8) through the Holy Spirit, who writes Christ’s new law on the heart.

The great feature of the celebration was the presentation of the two loaves made from the first-fruits of the wheat harvest. With the loaves, two lambs were offered as a Peace Offering, and all were waved before Jehovah, and given to the priests; the loaves being leavened, could not be offered on the altar. The other sacrifices were a Burnt Offering of a young bullock, two rams, and seven lambs, with a meat and drink offering, and a kid for a Sin Offering (Leviticus 23:18 – 19). The whole ceremony was a dedication of the harvest to God as its giver, and to whom both the land and the people were holy.

The lesson to Israel was, God “maketh peace in thy borders, He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat” (Psalm 147:14). The people were especially exhorted to rejoice before Jehovah with their families, their servants, the Levite within their gates, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, in the place chosen by God, for his name, as they brought a free-will offering, of their hand to Jehovah their God (Deut. 16:10 – 11).

In the Exodus, the people were offered to God as living first fruits; at Sinai, their consecration to him as a nation was completed. The typical significance of the Pentecost is made clear, from the events of the day recorded in the Acts chapter 2. Just as the appearance of God on Sinai was the birthday of the Jewish nation, so Pentecost was the birthday of the Christian Church.

The Christian Pentecost marks the official end of the 50 days of the Easter Season (hence “Pente”). It celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples and into the world. It is formally known as the “Birthday of the Christian Church.”

The key lesson at Pentecost is: the disciples were empowered by the Spirit to share the Gospel. Up until then, they had been keeping it to themselves. It is the gift of sharing the Good News boldy, and in such a way as it makes sense to those who hear it. It is not the gift of “speaking in tongues” as some mistakenly think. The apostles spoke in known languages. It is a powerful metaphor for the Church today - it is about who we are supposed to be toward others and what we’re supposed to be doing - its about sharing the Good News.

In Christ,
Rev Robert Chew

Youths For Missions

Youths For Missions

In Matthew 9:35 we learn from Jesus the pattern for missions. Jesus reached not only to the neglected people who lived in concrete jungles of cities but also the neglected people in the real jungles. Youth Fellowship of Moriah B-P Church had tried to fulfill Jesus pattern both locally and globally. Locally, they spread the gospel in the Simei neighborhood every Sunday and globally, by going for the Youth Mission Trip.

This year’s Youth Mission Trip is our 6th attempt to involve our young people to acquire a love and skill for the global mission work of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank God that in a short time after the announcement was given our 22 youths responded so quickly to the call to mission work. On this 8-day mission trip we will be reaching out with the gospel to the Cambodian people in Kompong Som and Battambung. Our first stop will be Kompong Som. Rev Moses Hahn, a Life BPC missionary and also a Korean has sacrificed tremendously to start the Kompong Som Bible School. Today the fruits of his labor are evident. Many hundreds came to know Jesus Christ and 17 BP churches planted throughout Cambodia. Our second stop will be Battambang. Evangelist Paul Sokha, our missionary based there from 2001 is doing a great youth work for the Lord and has started 2 mission stations.

The Youth Mission team will have a full week packed with many activities. One of the highlights is for the young people to do hands-on work in the fields erecting fencing and painting the mission house, swings, building hut of straw. We will also be conducting a 2-day seminar for 40 youths in Battambung. Our youth will also be leading children in songs, games and story-telling, house-to-house evangelism and sharing of testimonies & teaching English lessons to school children.This trip which will further develop many aspects of our youth’s availability, capabilities and abilities to reach out.

While God has opened this wonderful door for us to develop a greater heart of compassion for His people around the world, the exciting part is that you will be able to share in this compassion in two ways. First, you can help pray for us that God will grant us journey mercies, good health, and bless all our efforts as we minister to the people of Cambodia. We will also need prayers that our financial needs will be met. The total cost of the Youth Mission trip is above $10,000. We pray and hope to raise $6000/- to cover the expenses on travel. Another way you can be involved is to help provide that financial support.

Whether you feel led to contribute financially, through prayer, or both, all of your support is appreciated. We thank God for our members and friends usual support for missions.

The Great Commission in Mt 28:19,20 is an everyday commission. No matter where we are we should be involved in reaching out to the unreached. As some one has said ‘ Every heart with Jesus Christ is a missionary and every heart without Jesus Christ is the mission field’. May God bless our mission endeavours.

In Christ, we serve together,
Pr. Mathews Abraham

"Occupy Till I Come" Luke 19:13

“Occupy till I come”
Luke 19:13

All ability and talent come from God and are to be used to gain more.

In the parables of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11 - 27) and the Talents (Matt. 25:14 – 30), the servants given the “minas” and the “talents” who did not produce the expected gain were respectively described by Jesus as “worthless” and “lazy.” This is not something sincerely enthusiastic believers of the Lord Jesus Christ would like to hear about themselves. But there it is, as clear as daylight. Those who do not use their God-given ability to produce more gain are worthless and lazy! Why?

First, let us recognize that all ability and “talent” come from God; given to us out of His mercy and grace: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights...” (James 1:17). These grace gifts are dispensed according to His sovereign will, Ecclesiastes 2:26 and Romans 12:6 confirm this truth: “For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight...” and “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.” And they all come through Jesus Christ, as the verse “unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Eph. 4:7) confirms.

Regrettably, there is an inward looking aspect to the God-given “talents” to which we fall easy prey. Ecclesiastes 5:19 says that they are also given to man for him to “eat thereof ... and to rejoice ... it is the gift of God.” However, if we stop there selfishly, then I fear the words “worthless” and “lazy” would be apt descriptions of our stewardship.

For us, undeserving believer recipients of His grace and blessings, there is a grand, noble purpose which we have to rise to. All our God-given ability and talent are to be used and directed to two areas. Internally, (i.e., within the Church, the body of Christ) to “minister one to another” (1 Peter 4: 10), and externally (i.e., to those outside the church) to “go ... teach ... baptise...” (Matt. 28: 19).

In summary, that is the purpose of the God-given ability and talent (spiritual gifts) - to be used in ministry to one another. They are not given to us so that we will have a spiritual superiority complex nor to draw attention to ourselves. None of us can ever say that he is more spiritual than a Christian brother or sister simply because God has given us a gift which they do not possess.

“Minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” That is the highest calling of the Christian—to so live under the lordship of Jesus Christ that we acknowledge that He alone is our Master. Then we are called to serve Him and His people. We are the willing servants of Christ who have the delight of dispensing His grace in its varied forms. We minister to each other and build up the body of Christ by using the grace gifts that God has entrusted to us.

In Christ,
Rev Robert Chew

Exercising Your Right As Members of A Presbyterian Church

Exercising Your Right As Members
of A Presbyterian Church

Today members will be called to attend the church’s Annual Congregation Meeting, in which they will exercise their right to vote for church leaders, approve the revised Constitution of the church, and the annual budget. I pray that they will exercise this right with diligence and understanding.

It may thus be appropriate for me to say a few words to you on Presbyterianism (our denominational structure) and what is the basis for it. This I hope will provide the background to what you are called to do today. I’ll be as brief and simple as possible.

There are three basic types of church government: Episcopalian (e.g. Anglicans), Presbyterian (Rule by Ministers and Elders), and Congregational (Independent, rule by members). They all agree that Jesus Christ is the King and Head of the Church, but they differ on how Christ, who is now in heaven, administers His headship.

Episcopalians hold that authority comes from Christ, through the Bible, and is administered by a hierarchy of Archbishops, Bishops, and lesser subordinate officers, and finally governs the laity (members of the churches). Presbyterians hold the view that, under Christ the Head and King of the Church, there is but one class of rulers – Elders and Ministers (who are also the ordained teachers of the church). “Presbyterian” comes from the Greek “presbuteros” which is translated “elder” in English.

Obviously, we hold the view that Presbyterianism is closer than the others to the biblical model. Here is one reason why.

Rule by elders alone is found in the Bible. Of course, after Christ’s resurrection and His ascension shortly after Pentecost (Acts chapters 1 and 2), the Apostles ruled. The Apostle Paul took it upon himself to declare what the will of Christ was for the church. In Ephesians 4:11& 12 he says, He (Christ) gave (to the church) some as apostles, some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. These were the gifted men that Jesus raised up to build the New Testament Church.

In true Presbyterian churches, all rule is by elders (including ministers or “teaching elders” and non-teaching elders). The only higher office in the church is that of Head of the Church, held by Jesus Christ. And under the teachers and elders (the “Sessions” of the church) are the members, including teachers and elders.

So it goes without saying, all elders need to be well qualified and to know the Bible in order to honour Christ in their office. They must know the Scriptures so as to rule righteously. Some elders, however, are called to teach or preach the Word. The distinction is clearly set forth in 1 Tim. 5:17.

Therefore, this is the part you play in exercising your right in our church: you choose, support, vote for, and more importantly, pray for people who give their lives and time to serve you.


In Christ,
Rev Robert Chew

Idolatry, Pride, And The Lesson of Babel

Idolatry, Pride, And The Lesson of Babel
The Apostle Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Romans 1: 21 as: “when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Idolatry originally meant the worship of idols, or the worship of false gods by means of idols, but came to mean in the Old Testament any worship of false gods, whether by images or otherwise, and finally the worship of Yahweh through visible symbols. In the New Testament idolatry came to mean, not only the giving to any creature or human creation the honour or devotion which belonged to God alone, but giving precedence to any human desire over God’s will.

Pride on the other hand is a hindrance to seeking God; Psalm 10:4 states: “The wicked, through the pride of his counternance, will not seek after God.”

When left to themselves, men seek their own glory. Anxious to gain power and be remembered, they build cities, fashion artefacts, and congratulate each other. But fame is fleeting. Memories fade, people scatter, and the achievements of today become tomorrow’s ruins.

Genesis 11 tells the tale of the rise of a great metropolis. Babel, founded by Nimrod the “mighty man,” enjoyed success as a cultural centre. One language and group thinking produced an impressive collective identity. As a result, it also gave men undue pride. Pride gave way to arrogance which led to the cheer “let us make us a name” (v. 4). The chosen mechanism for human glory was a tower. By building up and out, these people sought to preserve their own legacy and cultural power.

By building the tower and centralizing their cultural efforts, the people of Babel defied God. In the creation ordinance, God mandated that humans should multiply, spread out, and cultivate the earth. The Lord intended that the earth be filled with representations of His glory; but men despised this desire and shunned dispersal. Concentrating in Babel alone, they demonstrated contempt for the divine cultural agenda.

The architects of Babel quickly found themselves opposed by God. By seeking to exalt their own name, they elicited a divine response. God intervened in the midst of Babel’s self-glorifying plans, confused their ability to communicate, and dispersed them throughout the earth. God’s act of judgment was also an act of grace. Had the sons of Nimrod succeeded in their bid for human glory, they would have believed the lie that human beings are sovereign and not God. Under such conditions, no sin would be unthinkable for them. God does not share His glory with men, but rather displays His glory among the nations for His own name’s sake.

The story of Babel holds a lesson for modern man. God will oppose those who are puffed up (James 4: 6). The term James uses means God will “range in battle against” the proud – a frightening thought!

In Christ,
Rev Robert Chew

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? -Matthew 16:26

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26


What do Jesus’ words in the verse mean in the light of our church theme for this year – Walk Worthily?

The verse here is Jesus’ call to us to a cross-bearing discipleship. It was uttered in the context of verses 24 to 28 of chapter 16 of Matthew’s gospel. The context of this paragraph of scripture is Jesus’ counsel to us that if we were to follow after Him, we ought to “deny” ourselves and “take up” our crosses.

The lifestyle of the people of God, the church, is to be aligned with Christ in His suffering. The disciple is called to be a servant, to bear the identity of the Cross in living for Christ and His kingdom. Peter wrote later of our taking the “death route” saying, “He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God” (1 Pet 4:2). And Paul writes of our break with the old man, a break as decisive as death, and of the old man being replaced by a new man (Col 3: 9 – 10). This break from the old life he calls the crucifixion of the old man. As we read in Romans 6:6, our old man is crucified by identification with Him, so that the sin-nature may be “destroyed.” These references deal with the nature of the inner transformation wrought by the grace of Christ. But in the passage in Matthew 16: 24 – 28 Jesus is expressing the nature of His calling to discipleship.

Discipleship, in the sphere of conduct, means saying no to the sinful ego; it means being prepared to suffer in the company of Christ; it means giving up selfish ambition and, in so doing, finding one’s true self in the fellowship of Christ.

On these verses, Mathew Henry, the classic bible teacher says, “A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall follow him to glory. He is one that walks in the same way Christ walked in, is led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoever he goes.”

If self-denial is a hard demand, it is no more than what our Lord learned and practised to redeem us and to teach us.

The world, the devil, and a man’s own heart are opposed to his salvation; therefore it is difficult. The soul was made for God, and can never be united to him, nor be happy, till saved from sin: therefore it is necessary.

In Christ,
Rev Robert Chew

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. Corinthians 1:18

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18


Today is the second Sunday of Easter; and with the historical events of Christ’s death on Good Friday and His resurrection on Sunday, it is perhaps appropriate for us to take stock of where we are today, and on what do we stand.

In the verse above, Paul says, “the preaching of the cross” is “foolishness” to “them that perish”, but it is “the power of God” to those who are saved.

In making this argument, the apostle Paul is reminding the church that while its gospel does not measure up to the world’s standards (that is why it is “foolishness”), it is nonetheless the only word of salvation to those who believe.

The church in every century has had to resist, sometimes not too successfully, the temptation to try to augment the gospel. For the first-century Jew, dying on a cross signified that one was under God’s curse. The Old Testament idea was that God showed His happiness with an individual by pouring out material blessings and His unhappiness by sending judgment in the form of illness, loss, or trouble. The ultimate form of loss was death, and only criminals of the worst sort were crucified. Then Paul came along and proclaimed that the Cross was not a curse but God’s special revelation of His love and grace. Quite naturally the Jews stumbled over this.

What is meant by “the preaching of the cross...is the power of God”?

Adam Clarke, the classic Bible commentator, says that where the preaching of the gospel is concerned, there are tow classes of people: first, the unbelievers and gainsayers (those who speak against or dispute the gospel); and second, the obedient believers, those “who are in a state of salvation.”

Therefore, the “preaching of the cross” must mean two things: (1) That Christ died as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of people; and, (2) That people can be reconciled to God, pardoned, and saved only by the merits and influence of this atoning sacrifice.

The expression “the power of God” means that it is the way in which God exerts his power in the salvation of people. It is the power which goes forth to save, and by which all the obstacles of man’s redemption are taken away.

After the first resurrection Sunday, all believers are equipped with this power to preach the cross.

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

The Resurrection: A Witnessing Power !

The Resurrection:
A Witnessing Power!

Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!

Today we can with grateful hearts exclaim that !

Let me adapt a lesson from John Wright’s book, Golden Grain, to share with you on what practically the resurrection means to all of us.

The resurrection of Jesus was God’s seal and act of approval signifying that His death was sufficient. God the Father was pleased, and satisfied with His victorious life and death. In raising Him from the dead, God gave testimony that all was satisfactory.

In 1 Cor 15:51, Paul, in speaking of the resurrection says, “Behold, I show you a mystery...” He did not try to define or explain it. It is a mystery that is meant to be shown.

In Acts 1:8, the Lord does not use the word “witness” to just mean someone who gives a testimony. He is saying “witness” is a person who, with the power of the Holy Spirit, is willing to let his life be slain in order that the life of the Christ may be lived through him. He becomes a witness, a testimony of the power of God. That is when the individual life becomes a witness, a testimony. The word “witness” here means “martyr”; one who is willing to let his very life go for the sake of the Truth.

The power of His resurrection possessed the disciples, and the power of the resurrection is always a witnessing power. The resurrection is a witness. The power that God uses in raising Jesus from the dead is resurrection power unto a witness. When does He say, “I will pour the Holy Spirit upon you”? After the resurrection, for now there is resurrection quality in the power that is to come upon them. They are now ministering in resurrection power.

The Lord’s Supper provides another indication of this. It is a type of regeneration and resurrection. The emblems of bread and wine decompose and ferment, speaking of death. Then comes a higher form of life both in the bread and wine. The process is the same in both. In the bread we have the yeast, the leaven, which speaks of sin. This is no longer active as it decomposes, and is changed. In the wine there is also fermentation - death, showing that its old form is changed.

The Lord’s Spirit is given for a very special purpose. Jesus now makes that clear: “Ye shall receive power … and ye shall be witnesses unto me.” The power would be given specifically for being witnesses. Power here means supernatural power of the quality revealed in Jesus’ own life. Why do we need that kind of power? Look at His own awesome promise in John 14:12 – 14. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

He clearly tells us that He will continue to do what He did in His ministry. That means love without limits; primary concern for people; communication of truth; healing of minds, emotions and bodies; and foot-washing practical service.

May this Easter be truly a blessed one for you.

A Message From Our Pastor

Good Friday is a time for deep contemplation and reflection. It is a time for us to exclaim boldly with John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Our finite minds grasp and understand difficult things better with pictures and mental images. To help us understand the deeper significance of the “Lamb which taketh away the sin of the world,” our wise and merciful God gave us in the Old Testament the elaborate feast of the Passover.
The Passover was a kind of sacrament, uniting the nation of Israel to God on the ground of God's grace to them. The slain lamb typified the "Lamb,” the unleavened loaves, called "bread of affliction" (Deut 16:3) reminds them of past affliction and symbolizes the new life cleansed from the leaven of the old Egyptian-like nature (1 Cor 5:8). A strict ritual must be followed to celebrate it.
The Passover is not only commemorative (to mark the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt), but also typical (i.e. it typifies the great salvation that was to come.) I would like to share its characteristics and significance (adapted from Smith’s Bible Dictionary) for our contemplation this Good Friday.
(1) The Paschal Lamb typifies Christ, the "Lamb of God." According to the divine purpose, the true Lamb of God was slain, at nearly the same time as, "the Lord's Passover" at the same season of the year; and at the same time of the day, as the daily sacrifice at the Temple. (2) The unleavened bread ranks, next in importance to the Paschal Lamb. While it may stand for several things, the best is given by the apostle Paul in 1 Cor 5:6-8: that it is an emblem of purity. (3) The offering of the omer, or first sheaf of the harvest (Lev 23:10-14) signifies deliverance from winter: the bondage of Egypt being considered as a winter in the history of the nation. (4) The consecration of the first-fruits, the firstborn of the soil, is an easy type of the consecration of the first born of the Israelites, and of our own best selves, to God.
For the early Israelite the Passover was useless unless eaten. For us Good Friday would be useless if we do not live upon the Lord Jesus Christ. It was eaten with bitter herbs, as we must also eat ours with the bitter herbs of repentance and confession. As the Israelites ate the Passover all prepared for the journey, so do we with a readiness and desire to enter the active service of Christ, and to go on the journey toward heaven.
Would you “behold” and let Him “take away your sin?”
In Christ,
Rev Robert Chew

Prayer & Fasting in the New Testament

Praying and Fasting Part II - Practice and Purpose in the New Testament.

“Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast” (Matt 9:15).

That is the answer Jesus gives to the disciples of John the Baptist when they ask Him (in v 14) why His disciples do not fast like they and even the Pharisees do.

Note two things in Jesus’ answer. First, it is not a question of “if” but “when.” He just assumes that the time will come when His disciples will fast. Secondly, He links “fast” to “mourn.” This suggests clearly that fasting is an outward expression of mourning.

A quick survey of the New Testament will indicate the following about fasting:

· Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness. He was “tempted of the devil” (Luke 4:2). Throughout that period, Jesus felt it appropriate to fast.
· Jesus taught fasting in His “Sermon on the Mount.” He likens fasting to prayers and the giving of alms. That is, it is an act of righteousness done to please the Father, which is expected of those who would be citizens of the Kingdom
· He says “when” not “if” to the disciples of John the Baptist; thus, indicating that fasting would have a place in the disciples’ lives on appropriate occasions, but not as a ceremonial rite (Luke 5:33-39).
· At special times prayer joined with fasting is necessary to accomplish things which normal faith may not (Matt 17:14-21; Mark 9:14-29).
· However, Jesus warns that fasting should never be made a subject of outward display (Matt 6:16 – 18).
· Both the churches in Antioch and Galatia fast (Acts 13:1-3; 14:21-23). Both are examples of fasting as a group. The former are when they are preparing to send out Barnabas and Saul, and the latter is in conjunction with the serious task of appointing elders. Notice here that it is done “in every church.”
· And finally, fasting is a very prominent fact in the ministry of the apostle Paul. See for example, 2 Cor. 6:4 – 10; 11: 23 – 28. In these passages, Paul mentions fasting as a mark of his ministry and of his good standing as a minister of Christ. He also taught that fasting might have a place in the lives of others (See for example 1 Cor. 7:5).

From all these we can conclude that:

1. Unlike prayer, fasting is not commanded, though it is often joined to it.
2. Fasting is a voluntary act on the part of every beliver when he/she realizes his/her inadequancy.
3. Fasting is a legitimate response to dangers, to hardships, to sadness, to mourning, or to confession of sin and to a time of misfortune and misery.
4. Fasting does indeed have a place in the lives of Christians today.

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Praying and Fasting Part 1 - The Origin and Significance

Praying and Fasting
Part 1 - The Origin and Significance

The church is calling you to a day of praying and fasting and then to come join us on the evening of 19 March at our Central Prayer Meeting. I encourage you all to participate in this.

Reformed Churches nowadays do not have a tradition of fasting; so to borrow from Shakespeare, the question is: to fast or not to fast?

Over the next two weeks, I’d like to consider with you the subject of fasting. This week we’ll look at the origin and significance, and in Part II next week, we’ll consider the practice and purpose of fasting in the New Testament.

The word “fast” (abstaining from food) is not mentioned in the five books of Moses. While the Mosaic Law prescribes minutely the foods to be eaten and to be shunned, it did not enjoin fasting. The false doctrine of pagan practices of asceticism (renouncing worldly pleasures in order to try to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state) was carefully avoided. On the yearly Day of Atonement, Israelites were directed to “afflict the soul” (Lev 16:29-31; 23:27; Num 30:13). This significant term implies that the essence of scriptural “fasting” lies in self humiliation, penitence, and the expression of sorrow for sin.

In the Old Testament, the discipline of fasting was observed by the people for several reasons. For example, when there was public calamity (2 Sam 1:12), or when there were times of affliction (Ps 35: 13, Dan 6:18), or when there was approaching danger (Est 4:16).

As it was practised then, fasting was always accompanied by three other things: prayer (Dan 9:3), confession of sin (1 Sam 7:6, Neh 9:1~2), and humiliation (Deut 9:18, Neh 9:1)

The significance of all this is this. While God does not discourage outward acts of sorrow that are expressive of inward penitence, He does however declare, “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? (Isa 58: 6-7 NKJV). And elsewhere there are similar warnings against mistaking outward fasting as meritorious before God (Mal 3:14; Matt 6:16).

The “fasting” that God is looking for here is as what Albert Barnes had noted: “Fasting is right and proper; but that which God approves will prompt to, and will be followed by, deeds of justice, kindness, charity.”

We can therefore conclude with a clear principle taught by the apostle Paul: “one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord...while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord” and “food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do” (Rom 14:6; 1 Cor 8:8 ESV).

Hence, we can say that one end of fasting is to temporarily give up something in order to have a sharper focus on God in our prayers.

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

The Sabbath - A Conenant Sign

The Sabbath - A Conenant Sign

The Hebrew verb shabbath means “to rest from labour.” So we have simplistically come to think of it as a day of rest. The idea first mentioned in the Garden of Eden, when man was in innocence. “On the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made” (Gen 2:2)

In the New Testament, in one incident, when Jesus and His disciples were deemed by the Pharisees to have done something that was considered unlawful to be done on Sabbath, He retorted: “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath” (Mark 2:23-28).

What are we to make of this? First, let us consider two O.T. scriptures on the Sabbath. In Exodus 31:13, 17 we are taught that the Sabbath is a sign of the covenant: “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever…”

Second, we are commanded very clearly to “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). Here, it would appear the injunction is straightforward. To us the prescription is: “Remember” and “keep holy.”

But how do we remember and keep holy? A couple of observances are to be made if we are to remember and keep holy this “sign of the covenant.”

Worship. Divine worship is to be celebrated. Two scriptures inform us of this. Ezekiel 46:3,”Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths…” And Acts 16:13, “On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.” (ESV)

Word. The Scriptures are to be read. “For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day…” (Acts 13:27) and “Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day” (Acts 15:21).

Preaching. Finally, the word of God is not only to be read, but it is to be preached as well. In Acts 13, after “the reading of the law and the prophets,” the rulers of the synagogue will ask for a “word of exhortation for the people” (v 15). The practice was entrenched when, “the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God” (v 44).

These observances, which we need to continuously uphold, serve to show God’s continuing creative power mediated by Jesus through the Word. It is the only means to heal and to cleanse – to make you more like Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath.

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

The Fear Of The Lord Is The Beginning Of Knowledge

The Fear Of The Lord Is The beginning Of knowledge
Proverbs 1:7

The Bible makes a radical claim about the nature of ultimate reality. It asserts that apart from the acknowledgement of its Divine origin, the universe remains an unsolvable puzzle. As theologian Carl Henry has put it, “All merely human affirmations about God curl into a question mark.” Solomon—an impressive philosopher in his own right—boiled the issue down to the following proposition: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” This reverent recognition of the Creator (note: “fear” in this passage does not equal fright) provides the necessary foundation for education (Ecc 12:13; Ps. 2:11; Isa. 11:2-3).

Attentive readers will note that the “fear of the Lord” is not just the starting point for spiritual axioms. The proverb states that it is the beginning of all knowledge. The Hebrew word used for knowledge here covers the entire scope of human inquiry. Presupposing the God of the Bible offers the only sensible way to begin uncovering the true and unified Meaning of things. The apostle Paul explained why: “For by him [i.e., Christ] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible [e.g., planets, plants, animals, material things] and invisible [e.g., numbers, laws, aesthetic and economic principles] … Reinforcing the point, he concluded that “in [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 1:16; 2:3).

All, of course, means all. “All” is an audacious word for the apostle to use and Solomon to imply. The claim, however, does not mean that pagans never get anything right. After all, Solomon admired the king of Tyre’s expertise with architecture and construction (2 Chron 2:3). Paul appreciated the writings of the Greek philosopher/poets (Acts 17:28). Non-believers will continue to make singular advances in their individual modes of expertise whether that be in mathematics, medicine, or other disciplines. But until they come to terms with the transcendent Ruler, they will never understand the “uni” in the word “universe.”

Only the biblical account of the creation of every aspect of existence, the fall into sin and disorder, and redemption through the gospel of Jesus Christ provides a satisfactory “big picture.” Critics of Christianity say that God’s people are anti-intellectual. Quite to the contrary, the Church is the only earthly institution poised to pose the toughest question of all: how does one explain the beautiful but baffling complexity of the world without reference to God? The answer to that question must be as bold as the Bible’s claim about knowledge itself.

  Rev Robert Chew
[This article was adapted from Kairos Biblical Journal/Education/Teaching & learning]

LENT, REPENTANCE AND LIVING THE GODLY LIFE

LENT, REPENTANCE AND LIVING THE GODLY LIFE

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance”“
Matthew 3:8 “

In the ancient church, the period of forty days before Easter (not counting Sundays) is referred to as “Lent.” Hence, if this was observed today, Lent this year would be from 6 February to 22 March 2008.

Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the believers rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days, where He fasted, and prayed and endured the temptations of Satan. The idea behind Lent is for the believer to spend a season of time in soul-searching and repentance, and in reflection and prayer.

We “lost” this practice (and many other “holy days” traditions) because in the 16th Century, many Reformed Christians (Calvinists, Baptists, and others) discarded all Christian holy days, on the assumption that they were “Roman” innovations. However, later discoveries of ancient documents showed that some of these practices and traditions went back to the days of the apostles and therefore were not Roman inventions. While we may not observe Lent these days, the idea behind it is sound and is worthy of embrace.

When John the Baptist burst upon the Jewish nation, he came preaching a simple, fiery message in the wilderness of Judea. His message was a call to repentance, a genuine renewal of piety, in the context of preparing for the Kingdom of Heaven. His first words to the people who came out to him seeking to confess their sins and baptism was: “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.”

According to Albert Barnes, the classic Bible commentator, “to bring forth therefore fruits…” means “the proper fruits of reformation; the proper evidence that you are sincere. Do not bring your cunning and dissimulation [insincerity] to this work; do not carry your hypocrisy into your professed repentance, but evince your sincerity by forsaking sin…” (emphasis added).

John the Baptist’s message is a call to repentance - a turning away from sin and turning towards God. He was a stern realist regarding right and wrong,calling for public confession and integrity in daily life. His was the voice to prepare the way – for the kingdom was at hand.

While it is a reminder, we do not need Lent to uphold this principle – for to repent means to live the life that God means for us to live – all year round, not just for forty days on a calendar.

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Guò nián and the Christian

Guò nián and the Christian

In Chinese culture, the Lunar New Year is the most prominent day in the Chinese calendar. The beginning of the lunar year traditionally has come to symbolise the act of starting over with renewed hopes for happiness and prosperity. It is also a time to renew ties with family and friends, through family reunion dinners and social visits.

In Singapore today, we welcome it (gladly!) as a holiday and celebrate it with a few commonly practised symbolic “traditions.” It is marked with reunion dinners, “ang pows,” the eating of special foods, social visits, and the customary exchange of oranges. It is all done in an atmosphere of festivity and gaiety. The significance behind such practices may not be fully understood and certainly not adequately explained to the young Christian.

So, a little bit of historical background might be useful for the young Christian.

The roots of the Chinese New Year are pagan. And the things that tradition dictates for the celebration of the New Year on the Chinese lunar calendar basically amount to superstition. Everything from the foods you eat to the lion dances and to the decorations, come from superstitions about what brings luck, wealth, happiness, and what drives away evil.

According to one legend, in ancient China, the Nián was a man-eating beast from the mountains (in other versions from under the sea), which came out every 12 months somewhere close to winter to prey on humans. The people later believed that the Nian was sensitive to loud noises and the colour red, so they scared it away with fireworks and the liberal use of the colour red. These customs led to the first New Year celebrations – Guò nián, which means literally the passover of the Nian.

All cultures have activities that originally are based on superstition. For example, even birthday cakes and candles originally expressed cultural superstitions. So are many of the traditions done during Christmas. For the Christian who has the need to engage in such occasional traditions, he has to be careful to do them without indicating that he embraces the superstition behind them.

However, if the superstitions are widely embraced, and your practising them would cause your brother to stumble, then for the sake of loving your Christian brethren dont’ do them.

The best teaching on this principle comes from Paul in Romans 14:13 - 23. To paraphrase him, he says: let us stop condemning each other and decide instead to live in such a way that we will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. And he goes on to say on the authority of the Lord Jesus, that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The principle and standard is whether or not what you do causes another believer to stumble. If there is any chance that it might stumble your brethren don’t do it.
If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and be approved by others too.


  In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

For to be carnally minded is death;
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Philippians 2:3

It is February and I hope you are still with us on the church theme. In case you forgot, the theme for the year is: Walk Worthily. And from Ephesians 4:1 and 2, we learnt that to “walk worthy” is to walk with “all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” We have touched on each of these virtues in previous articles. I hope they were useful for you.

Paul says in the verse above, “To be spiritually minded is life and peace.” There are two more thoughts that I would like to share with you on our theme in order to complete the picture of what walking worthily entails. These are: a) We need to live by the Spirit; and b) We need to live in the light.

Living by the Spirit. In Romans 8:4, Paul wrote: “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” That text in Romans contrasts two kinds of people: they who are “after the flesh,” and they who are “after the Spirit.” The former lives according to their sinful nature and the latter, in accordance with the Spirit. One seeks the desires of sin; the other seeks the desires of the Spirit.

The two kinds of people are characterised by the controlling centre of life: Those who are controlled by their sinful nature “cannot please God.” Those not “in the flesh, but in the Spirit” have the Spirit of God dwelling in them (Rom 8: 8-9). To be “in the Spirit” is to be spiritually minded and be under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit. That is how to live by the Spirit.

Living in the Light. We are called and made to be the “light of the world” (Matt 5:14), and therefore the simple truth is we need to “walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8). The standard here is: “what is acceptable unto the Lord” (Eph 5:10). Any other standard is unacceptable – the standard is Christ! To live in the light to this standard means to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph 5:11).

Ours is a world of darkness, but the light of the world is Jesus Christ. Out of our love relationship with Him we are called to live as children of light. There is a big difference between those in darkness and those in the light.The former love darkness, practises evil and generally live in darkness, while the person who knows Christ follows him, does the truth, and walks in the light.

To walk in the light, you must experience the radical transformation of the Holy Spirit. He saves us out of sin and enables us to walk in the light of Christ’s new life. The truth of this transformation is expressed in Ephesians: you “walked according to the course of this world” (2:2); but you should now “walk not” (4:17) according to your old ways.

To walk worthily therefore is to live by the Spirit and to live in the light – this is the “highway” – the “way of holiness” (Isa 35:8) that is “life and peace” in this dark world of ours.

  In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Pursue A Lowliness Of Mind!

Pursue A Lowliness of Mind!

let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Philippians 2:3

“Lowliness of mind” basically is “humility” as it is so translated elsewhere in the New Testament. The Christian idea behind this word is: lowliness of mind must become those who are “called.” And those who are called must show it visibly in their lives.

The opposite is pride. And pride is a big bad sin! How bad is it? Let me let Thomas Brooks (1655) answer. In his book The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Brooks wrote a little poem about pride. Here are two stanzas of it:

Pride sets itself against the honour, being, and sovereignty of God. Other sins strike at the word of God, the people of God, and the creatures of God – but pride strikes directly at the very being of God. He bears a special hatred against pride.

Humility makes a man like to angels – and pride makes an angel a devil. Pride is worse than the devil, for the devil cannot hurt you until pride has possessed you.

Is it really that bad? You might be tempted to think. Well, don’t! Don’t even entertain the idea. The clear warning is set in Proverbs 16:5, “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

Pride is the mother of all sins. For a Christian, it corrupts and spoils everything. Thus, the humble mind is the root of all other graces and virtues. There can be no real love without humility. Love, says Paul, does not boast and is not proud (see 1 Cor 13:4).

Humility is absolutely required before you can begin to serve God honourably. It is the only pathway to “riches, honour, and life” (Proverbs 22:4). That’s why, Micah 6:8tells you the first requirement is “to walk humbly” with Him, without which, you can’t even be in His presence (Isaiah 57:15).

Jesus not only strongly impressed on His disciples the need of humility, but was in Himself its supreme example. He described Himself as “meek and lowly in heart” (Matt 11:29). Hence, the apostle Paul makes an earnest appeal to Christians (Phil 2:1-11) that they should have the same mind as was in Christ.

God knows the proud “from afar” (Ps 138:6) and has regard only for those who in “lowliness of mind” esteem others better than themselves.

Let us all beware! Unless we make the increase of humility our goal we may not have the presence of God with us.

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Seeking Meekness

Seeking Meekness

Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may by ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.
Zephaniah 2:3

“Lowliness,” “meekness,” and “longsuffering” are the three “graces” that the apostle Paul mentioned in Ephesians 4:1 – 7 as ways in which we can walk worthy of our calling as Christians. Last week, we considered lowliness; this week we will look at “meekness.”

In the Old Testament “meekness” comes from a root word carrying the ideas of “suffering,” “oppression,” and “affliction.” These ideas denote the spirit produced under such experiences. In the New Testament, “meekness” is viewed as a Christian “grace”; it is one of the “fruits of the Spirit.” It was the spirit of the Saviour Himself: “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt 11:29). Hence, the gospel idea of meekness presupposes humility; flows from it, and finds expression in moderation. In this respect, one specific Christian behavioural characteristic is: “To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men” (Titus 3:2)

Meekness is a grace that we are to “put on” together with kindness and patience (see Col 3:12) and to show to all: “Let your moderation be known unto all men” (Phil 4:5). To those who embrace and cultivate this grace, God promises great blessings. “The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live forever” (Ps 22:26) and “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” (Ps 25:9) are two examples.

A.W. Tozer once wrote that the meek man is one “who has accepted God’s estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is in the sight of God of more importance than angels.”

What are some of the characteristics of meekness? A cursory survey of the gospel’s teachings on meekness points out at least four, they are:

1) The ability to relingquish one’s rights. A meek person is a wise person who can judge what is right, and is capable of standing up for his rights. If however, there are matters in which he may yield, then he would rather do so than to gain that which is his ultimate right by fighting for it.

2) The willingness to endure injustice. A meek person neither wishes to get even nor to avenge himself - even if he were able to do so.

3) The willingness to forgive injustice. Forgiveness does not merely consist in a refraining from taking vengeance while harbouring animosity and hatred in the heart. Instead, it consists in not holding the offender accountable and in loving him no less than before.

4) The ability to reward evil with good. Someone once said: “To render evil for evil is carnal, to reward good with eveil is devilish, but to reward evil with good is Christian.” The later is true of the meek person.

Beloved, this is the path of wisdom. And if you were to embark upon it, do what the apostle James tells you to do: “show it ... by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” (James 3:13 niv)

  In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

With All Lowliness

With All Lowliness

“But He Giveth more Grace...unto the Humble”
James 4:6

Last week I introduced you to our theme of the year – walk worthily – with the weekly bulletin article and a sermon of the same title taken from Ephesians 4:1 – 7. Three Christian graces were mentioned, “lowliness,” “meekness,” and “longsuffering,” as some of the particulars of how to walk worthily. Over the next three weeks I would like to examine with you in greater depth each of these graces with the hope and prayer that you will pursue their further development in your lives and in your walk with the Lord.

“Lowliness” is basically humility, and is a prominent Christian grace. It is a state of mind, which in the sight of God is “of great price” (1 Pet 3:4). It preserves the soul in tranquillity (Ps 69:32), and makes us patient under trials (Job 1:22).

It is a great paradox, but unsurprisingly in Christianity, this hard-to-have virtue is the avenue to glory. The greatest promises are made to the humble (for example, see Ps 147:6), and it is absolutely necessary to the service of God. Micah 6:8 tells us, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to ... walk humbly with thy God.” Christians who want to be worthy are to “be clothed” with it (1 Pet 5:5).

So necessary is this grace in the life of the child of God that He would send afflictions on them in order to produce it. Deuteronomy 8:3, “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna ... that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (esv).

On this point, a Puritan theologian and author wrote, “Man is naturally a proud, selfish creature. Morality may teach him the badness of such a character, but can never produce in him any principle of renovation ... It is only when the divine Spirit puts forth his new-creating power, through the instrumentality of the everlasting Gospel, that the proud selfish sinner becomes the lowly follower of the Lamb.”

Therefore, beloved, we see that humility is the work of grace. Without it, there can be no salvation; for God resists the proud, and sends them away empty.The sweet grace of humility is sent from heaven, and the man who, humbly by faith, receives it will be enabled and made ready for every good work.

Lowliness or humility is a state of mind into which God, by His grace can bring us to. In this state, there is no room for pride. Pride is not made for man, and yet it is in all men. And it is the chief cause of human problems, simply because pride is sin (Prov 21:4)

Without lowliness or humility, you cannot walk worthily; let it be seen by others in your life and conduct, it is your duty. When it is evident it will have a good and positive influence over your interactions with others, and it will render your character and manners loving and amiable.
 
In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Walk Worthily!

Walk Worthily!

“Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”
Mark 12:34

Walk Worthily! We have chosen this as our theme for the year. And here is why...

In Mark 12: 28 – 34, the evangelist narrates an exchange between a scribe and Jesus. The topic of that conversation is the “greatest commandment.” The scribe, the most learned man of Jewish law and religion in ancient Israel, wants to know what it is.

Jesus told him it is: love God and love men. The scribe agrees and adds that to obey this commandment is “more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:33). Hearing this wise answer, Jesus said to him, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.”

To me those are very frightening words. “Not far” means that the scribe, the most knowledgeable man in Israel, is not in the kingdom! Why is he not “in?” The answer is simple: the scribe is full of knowledge but has no faith. He knows of, and perhaps does all the ritual sacrifices but there is no obedience in his heart.

One famous Christian author and professor of spiritual theology says that today “we have too much Bible study and too little Bible living.”

Think about it. Too much Bible study and too little Bible living! You read your Bible; you know your Bible (at least that’s what I hope of you)...but do you live your Bible? Do you...really?

In 1 Samuel 15:22, the prophet told Saul, the first king of Israel, “Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

Beloved, as we begin this new year, let us examine our position. Are we like the scribe, “not far” from the kingdom? Or are we really in the kingdom? To be “in” means we really have to walk as children of the kingdom. In Ephesians 4:1, Paul asks us earnestly to “walk worthy” of our calling. He repeats this call three times in Ephesians: “walk in love” (5:2); “walk as children of light” (5:8); “walk … not as fools but as wise” (5:15). We have here a fundamental truth for a Christian. Christianity is a way to walk.

In Colossians 1:10, we have Paul’s prayer that Christians “might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Here Paul is talking about holiness, a holiness that is personal and social. The person who would walk worthy of the Lord boldly orders his life in obedience to God, seeking what is pleasing to God, thus doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with the Lord (Micah 6:8).

In the New Testament obedience is greatly emphasized. Christ Himself is its one great illustration of obedience. He ‘humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross” (Phi 2:8). By obedience to Him we are through Him made partakers of His salvation (Heb 5:9). Peter designates believers in Christ as “obedient children” (1 Pet 1:14). The bond of union with Christ is obedience through faith. By this we are identified with Him; and it is by this that we become true disciples.

So let us walk worthily - that’s the only way to bring Him honour and glory.
 

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Out With The Old, In With The New

Out With The Old, In With The New

Well, beloved … we have come once again to that time of the year… yes! that time of year when we will hear again the trite cliché, “Out with the old and in with the new.”

But is that true of the life “of the world?” Can the old really be “out” and the new “in” ?

The Preacher in Ecclesiastes concludes his poem in 1:4 – 11 with a strong denial that new things happen in life. “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun” he says.

The denial is based on two arguments: “… there is nothing new under the sun” and “there is no remembrance of former things …” (Ecc 1:9, 11). To the Preacher, any notion of newness is an illusion. For him, to call something “new” in this world of ours (“under the sun”) is to display an appalling lack of knowledge of what has gone on in the past (“ancient times”) and perhaps to insult the sages of bygone days who “already” knew about such things.

The word “already” is a favourite word of the Preacher. He alone uses it in the Old Testament. Often it underscores his view that no change is possible because the matter has “already” and unalterably been settled. (If you want some references, check Ecc 2:12, 16 [here translated as “now” in the KJV]; 3:15; 4:2; 6:10; 9:6, 7 [here also translated as “now” in the KJV]).

However, the new is possible...and real! It is only possible with God...

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Cor 5:17)

There are few words in the Scripture filled with more hope than those from Paul in this verse. In it Paul relates his feeling about growing older and about the age to come. He felt that this world, as we know it, had “had” it and that the new order that would last forever had already begun. His gospel was that when any person became a Christian then God made him a part of that new creation.

Paul was not discussing a newness that was merely cosmetic, like a new hairdo or new clothes. Rather, he was talking about an inner change that only God could make. It was a newness that ties together our past, our present, and our future. It was a newness that, while not seen immediately,would eventually reflect itself in every area of life. Christ’s coming into our lives creates a new unity, a new direction, new goals, and a new commitment.

In Christ, God reaches out in love to establish a new relationship - a relationship in which His people can lvie in trust and obedience.

Will you invest time in the coming year to growing in that relationship?  

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

This Christmas, my thoughts. Rejoice ? or Beware?

This Christmas, my thoughts...
Rejoice? or Beware?

When the organising committee of this year’s Christmas musical asked me to write a short pastoral note for it, I remember writing “The season of Christmas has always descended on me with mixed emotions – joy and concern.” This has always been my emotions at this time of the year. Concern because the true message (of Christmas that is) is obscured by the loud sound and rumble of modern presentations of it in and by commercial entities. Joy, because of the hope that the message itself brings – a hope the world desperately needs to hear, a hope we crucially need to live in our lives.

God tells Ahaz in Isaiah 7:14, “The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” It is a sign and the sign is “Immanuel” – God is with us! And the consequences are altogether ambiguous. Christmas is a time when we mark Christ’s coming into the world. The ambiguity is this - is it “God is coming: Rejoice!” or is it, “God is coming: Beware!”

I remember Professor Fred Gaiser (professor of Old Testament, Luther Seminary) once wrote, “Both responses are appropriate and true, and both mark the observance of Advent.” God is coming, says Isaiah, and He is bringing a kingdom of peace and prosperity, equality and justice, where all creation joins humanity’s voice in songs of praise. So Rejoice !

But on the other hand, God is coming, says John the Baptist: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7). So Beware!

The angel announces that he brings us “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” This is the fulfilment of the promise of Immanuel! God is with us, from heaven to earth! What this means for me is that the time has come. It means that I can now live life based on hope in God. And that is the basis of this joy – hope in God! When the wise men went searching for this Immanuel, and when they saw His star, the divine record says they “rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

Christmas promises joy – and peace and love and nostalgia and hope and wonder; but Christmas brings God to earth in human form, which will change everything we thought about God and challenge everything we thought about ourselves.

Jesus is God with us, bringing both the wonder and the worry of that reality. God is in Christ – so close we can touch him and taste him; so real he can forgive and make us new. God is in Christ – so close we cannot escape his scrutiny; so real he cannot escape the world’s suffering. Jesus is God with us, and every day we are amazed.

Rejoice or Beware. Where do you fit in?

We should be prepared to be overtaken by the joy that is Immanuel – we can, if we accept and believe the message the angel brought.

A blessed Christmas to one and all.

Rev Robert Chew

Chapter 16 - On Good Works

Understanding The Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 16 - On Good Works

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
James 2:17

There is an old objection against the doctrine of salvation by grace. It is that it does away with the necessity of good works and lowers the sense of their importance. This has been answered a thousand times, but still it is remarked on sometimes by many – they say if men are not saved by works, then works are not necessary.

The objection has no validity. The gospel of salvation by grace shows that good works are necessary. In the scriptural epigraph, James says faith without works is dead, “being alone.” The phrase “being alone” is used here in the sense of “being by itself.” That is, it’s a faith that is destitute of any accompanying fruits or results. It shows that it is dead. Something which is alive produces effects; it makes itself visible; that which is dead produces no effect, and is as if it was non existent.

In John the Baptist’s ministry, when the people came to him for the baptism of repentance, he told them to bring forth “fruits meet (or worthy) for repentance.” Much later, the apostle Paul calls these fruits the “fruits of righteousness,” which are “by Jesus Christ”. And the object of which is the “glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1:11) These kinds of fruits can only be performed by those who abide in Christ – the branch cannot bear fruits of itself.

What are “good works”? It is commonly thought that anything done out of charity or kindness qualifies as a “good work.” But according to the Scripture it is not so. Two requirements are set forth in Scripture in order that a work may be truly “good.” (1) It must be in conformity with the revealed will of God. It must be that which God himself has commanded in his Holy word. (2) It must also spring from a “good conscience.” It must be that which is done with sincerity of heart as an act of service to God.

The WCF makes it clear that works done by an unsaved person, though they may be of good use both to himself and others, but because they do not proceed from a heart purified by faith, nor are done in a right manner(according to the Word), nor to a right end (the glory of God), they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God.

Good works are an expression of gratitude in the believer’s heart (John 14:15, 23; Gal 5:6). They are the fruits of the Spirit (Tit 2:10 – 12), and thus spring from grace, which they illustrate and strengthen in the heart. The good works of sincere believers are all imperfect, yet like their persons they are accepted through the mediation of Jesus Christ (Col 3:17), and are rewarded wholly of grace.

  In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Chapter 15 - On Repentance Unto Life

Understanding The Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 15 - On Repentance Unto Life

Ever since our first parents, Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God has insisted on repentance.

Job in the days of the patriarchs, said, “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).

Under the Law, David the psalmist of Israel, wrote Psalm 32 saying, “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD…” (verse 5). Also, in Psalm 51, “I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me” (verse 3).

At the close of the Old Testament and beginning of the New, John the Baptist cries, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). Christ’s account of Himself is that He “came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17).

Just before His ascension, Christ commanded “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). And the Apostles taught the same doctrine “testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).

So, any religious tradition among men (including modern “Christianity”) which do not include repentance in their teaching is false.

Repentance is called an “evangelical grace” by the WCF. And indeed it is! By it one “grieves for and hates his sins.” The penitent sinner would turn from his sins unto God. He would “purpose and endeavour to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.” That is true and sincere repentance.

But you might ask: what is true repentance? Well… the puritan theologians describe true repentance as, “sorrow for sin, ending in reformation.” Therefore, mere regret is not repentance, neither is mere outward reformation.


To put it simply, genuine repentance must produce a holy life. “If I have done iniquity, I will do no more” (Job 34:32).

There can be no evangelical repentance without saving faith. “Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15), though distinct, are not separate duties. He who sincerely does one never fails to do the other.

The comfort of repentance is in knowing that, “As there is no sin so small but it deserves damnation, so there is no sin so great that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.” (WCF 15 [4])


  In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Chapter 14 - Saving Faith

Understanding The Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 14 - Saving Faith

The word “faith” in general is the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true. Behind it lies the idea of trust. When a thing is true, it is worthy of our trust.

“Saving” faith on the other hand is so called because it has the promise of eternal life inseparably connected with it. This is best defined by the words in the Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q86): “Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.” On this subject, the WCF begins by referring to it as ”the grace of faith”. This suggests that “saving faith” is a gift, which is of course consistent with the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. By this faith the “elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls.” The writer of Hebrews points this out in 10:39 - “We are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Furthermore, Ephesians 1:17 – 19; 2:8; and 2 Corinthians 4:13 indicate that this faith is the work of the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. This work itself is in turn brought about by the ministry of the Word (see Romans 10:14, 17). One noteworthy teaching on this by the WCF is this: saving faith can be increased and strengthened by the ministry of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments (baptism and Holy Communion) and prayer. In Luke 17:5, the apostles ask Jesus to “increase our faith.” And Paul in Acts 20:32, when commending the elders of Ephesus to God and to the word of his grace, says that it “is able to build” them up.

Section 2 of this chapter of the WCF states: “By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word…”

The Reformed theologian Hodge, in commenting on this section says that it teaches that “this saving faith rests upon the truth of the testimony of God speaking in his Word; and, it respects as its object all the contents of God’s Word, without exception.” He goes on to say that the specific act of saving faith “unites us to Christ, and is the sole condition or instrument of justification.” He concludes by teaching that this involves two essential elements: 1) Assent to what the Scriptures reveal to usconcerning the person, offices, and work of Christ; and 2) Trust or
implicit reliance upon Christ, and upon Christ alone, for all that is involved in a complete salvation.

Faith in Christ (that is, saving faith) therefore frees the believer from condemnation, and justifies him or her before God. The believer is bestowed an “inheritance” – a participation in the divine life that is in Christ. And, being thus justified, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). All who thus believe in Christ are certainly saved. Praise Him!

  In Him,
Rev Robert Chew

Making Holidays Holy

Making Holidays Holy

It’s back! The long awaited year end holidays and a well deserved break. Some have planned it for fun with friends, entertainment, leisure activities, computer games, etc., and others have planned to spend it on holidays and tours. Recreation is necessary for well-balanced lives. As Christians, we must seek to refresh our spirits and bodies by recreation for the glory of God. It is observed that many times, recreation brings out the worst in us and not the best. Some have engaged in unprofitable conduct, putting themselves in harm’s way of temptation and sin. Sinful pleasures are dangerous to the body and damning to the soul.

Dear brethren, I encourage you to make your holidays a blessing. “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Eph 5:15-16. God is not protesting against the innocent recreational activities but the sinful ones. In making our holidays a blessing we need to identify our motives behind recreational activities. Here are some guidelines on what may constitute proper recreation for the believer.
* Will Jesus Christ forbid me from doing it, if he were personally present on earth?
* Is the recreation beneficial in making me stronger in body, happier in mind and purer in heart?
* Does my engagement in the recreational activity hinder me later from alertly turning to the Bible and to prayer? Will this activity violate my conscience? Romans 14:22, 23.
* Will this weaken my influence as a Christian? Or will my doing it cause others to fall or stumble in their faith? I Corinthians 10:23-33.
* Can I glorify God in my body while doing it? Can I do it for the glory of God? I Corinthians 6:19, 20.

There is a place for legitimate recreation – after all God’s creation is meant for us to enjoy. But let this be done with God as our guide. The Westminster Catechism of faith, Q1 re-affirms this truth. What is the chief end of man?” “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” Let me close with 19th century author T. L. Cuyler’s quote“All work makes a man a sorry slave. All play makes him a sorrier fool. The wise person avoids both extremes. When at work, they work like men and Christians. When at play, they relax and sport like little children. That is human nature; that is wise; that is beautiful.” Christian recreations must be right, proper, commendable, and beneficial.
 

Have a Blessed Holiday
Pr. Mathews Abraham

Chapter 13: Of Sanctification

Understanding The Westminister Confession of Faith
Chapter 13: Of Sanctification

SANCTIFICATION is described as “the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration.” This extends to the whole man (see Rom 6:13 and Col 3:10). And it is the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption who carries on this work. He does this by “bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration” (Easton).

The WCF teaches that, “Christians have a new heart and a new spirit created in them, and are further “sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them … and strengthened, in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

This is the spiritual direction we are to embark on and continue to move in, so that we can “…grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

While sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, practically we are to look at it as an injunction to separate ourselves to the service of God. Psalm 4:3 teaches that, “The LORD has set apart the godly for himself.” And Paul reminds us that we are the temple of the living God, so therefore we are to “separate from” the ungodly. Then he says, God “will welcome you” (2 Cor 6:17).

All this should lead to the mortification of sin. (Mortification here means to exercise discipline to overcome the desire for sin and to strengthen the will.) That is why Paul calls us to “know how to control [our] own body in holiness and honour” (1 Thess 4:4).

This is referred to as “the practice of the law” by Walter Marshall, an English Presbyterian minister in his excellent work on sanctification first published in 1692. In his book, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, he says that “several endowments and qualifications are necessary to enable us” to do this. He says, “for the immediate practice of the law … we must have an inclination and propensity of our hearts thereunto; and therefore we must be well persuaded of our reconciliation with God, and of our future enjoyment of the everlasting heavenly happenings, and of sufficient strength both to will and perform all duties acceptably, until we come to the enjoyment of that happiness.”


These holy “endowments and qualifications” necessary for the practice of the law can only be received from the fullness of Christ. We do this by constantly fellowshipping with Him – we must be in Christ, and have Christ Himself in us!

“Be sanctified in truth” (John 17:19) therefore is a call to endeavour diligently to make the right use of all means appointed in the Word of God for the obtaining and practising of holiness according our faith.
 

In Him,
Rev Robert Chew