Burning Bush Cover
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE BURNING BUSH Theological Journal of the FAR EASTERN BIBLE COLLEGE Edited for the Faculty Rev Jeffrey Khoo, BTh, MDiv, STM, PhD Principal, and Lecturer in Systematic Theology Mrs Ivy Tow, BTh Rev Stephen Khoo, BTh, MDiv, MA Matron, and Lecturer in Greek Lecturer in Biblical Studies Rev Quek Suan Yew, BArch, BTh, MDiv, STM, ThD Rev Tan Kian Sing, BEng, GDBA, MDiv Academic Dean, and Lecturer in Old Testament Lecturer in New Testament Rev Prabhudas Koshy, BSc, BTh, MDiv, ThM, ThD Mrs Jemima Khoo, BTh, MA, MRE Dean of Students, and Lecturer in Hebrew Lecturer in Christian Education Rev Dr Koa Keng Woo, BTh, DD Miss Carol Lee, BBA, DipEd, MEd, MDiv Lecturer in Bible Geography and Church Music Lecturer in Christian Education Editor : Jeffrey Khoo Publisher : Far Eastern Bible College Website : www.febc.edu.sg Permit : MICA (P) 057/03/2012 Printer : Ee Tai Press Pte Ltd The Burning Bush (ISSN 0219-5984) is published bi-annually in January and July, and contains theological papers, sermons, testimonies, book reviews, College news, and alumni reports. Articles are indexed in the Christian Periodical Index. The journal is distributed gratis to the FEBC family and Bible-Presbyterian churches, and available online at www.febc.edu.sg. Local/Foreign subscription rates in Singapore dollars: one year—$8/ $16; two years—$15/$30; back issues—$4/$8 per copy. Make cheques payable to “Far Eastern Bible College.” Please direct all correspondence to: The Editor, The Burning Bush Far Eastern Bible College 9A Gilstead Road, Singapore 309063 Republic of Singapore The Burning Bush ISSN 0219-5984 January 2013 Volume 19 Number 1 FROM FAITH TO FAITH................................................................ 2 Jeffrey Khoo THE NEED FOR GODLINESS IN MINISTRY .............................. 7 Keng-Woo Koa SON OF A MOTHER’S VOW: A BOOK SUMMARY ................... 15 Kit-Hoong Leong FAITHFULNESS OF GOD IN PRESERVING FEBC AND HIS WORD .......................................................................... 23 Sok-Sin Chan and Kay-Heem Chan THE FEBC STORY RETOLD ........................................................ 27 Siang-Hwa Tow GOLDEN JUBILEE THANKSGIVING RETREAT ....................... 33 Ruth Mei-Ern Low WHAT A GOLDEN JUBILEE! ....................................................... 43 College News .................................................................................. 59 1 The Burning Bush 19/1 (January 2013) FROM FAITH TO FAITH Jeffrey Khoo Romans 1:17, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” What does it mean to live by faith? In the light of God’s Word, living by faith means to put our trust: In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Not Our Own Goodness How to get to heaven? “Do good,” “Be a good person” are the answers we often get. All the religions of the world talk about being good or doing good to enter heaven. Only the Christian Faith teaches differently. According to the Holy Scriptures, our goodness or good deeds can only get us to hell. Why are we all on our way to hell? God tells us why: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Man is a sinner from day one; he is born in sin and is living in sin (Ps 51:5, Rom 3:10-18). Every human being born into this world is disqualified from heaven and condemned to hell the very day he came into existence. All of us fall infinitely short of God’s perfect standard of holiness, and are woefully lacking in the perfect righteousness God requires of us. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isa 64:6). Galatians 2:16 says, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Proof of this is man’s transgression of the Ten Commandments, every one of them. No one on earth can say he has kept the Ten Commandments perfectly. Consider Jesus’ standards of ethical perfection: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But 2 FROM FAITH TO FAITH I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matt 5:21-22). “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matt 5:27-28). Some might say, “I have broken one or two of the commandments, but not all ten; surely I am better than others.” God says everyone is the same, whether you have broken one, two, or all Ten Commandments, all are equally sinful and stand condemned by the law. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (Jas 2:10). How then can my sins be forgiven? How can I be saved? How can I get to heaven? There is only one way to truth and life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Salvation cannot be found in any religion or in any human being, but only in the Lord Jesus Christ who is both God and Man, and the only Saviour of the world. 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” What did Jesus do to save us from our sins? He died for our sins on the cross, shedding His precious blood, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead (1 Cor 15:1-4). If we want to be saved, we need to trust in the goodness of Christ, and His good works for us in His life, His death, and His life again. Titus 3:5-6 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” Now, how do we know that all this is true, that Jesus died for our sins and rose again from the dead? We know this because God’s Word says so. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 says, “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Note the words, “according to 3 The Burning Bush 19/1 (January 2013) the scriptures.” The Holy Scriptures are not the words of fallible and finite men; they are the infallible and inerrant words of the infinite God our Creator. If we believe in Christ and His words, we live; if we reject His words, we die! John 3:18 says, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” In Divine Revelation, Not Human Reasoning “[A]s it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Why must we live by faith? We must live by faith simply because God tells us to, “as it is written.” Our faith is not based on tradition, opinion, or experience, but on the Written Word of God. John 20:31 tells us the purpose of God’s written Revelation, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Our faith is not blind faith or foolish faith, but Biblical faith. Biblical faith is a faith that is based not at all on fallible and depraved human reasoning, but only on the infallible and inerrant words of the Holy Scriptures. Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” It is significant to note that in the Greek Scriptures, “it is written” (gegraptai), is in the perfect tense. This tells us that the words of the Holy Scriptures stand perfectly written for all time. The words were written in the past, they stand written in the present, and will remain written in the future. God saw to the perfect preservation of His words so that His people in every age might live by faith always and not by sight. How do we know for sure that Jesus died for us on the cross, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead? There is a hymn that goes like this, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord? … Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? … Were you there when they pierced Him in the side? … Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?” No, we were not there when it all happened.