Dear Brethren,
“Who is on the LORD’s side?” Exodus 32:26
This was the message topic in the Ebenezer meeting 2 Saturdays ago preached by Bro. Clement, a FEBC student who is a True Life BP Church member. He recounted the Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) doctrine in which many families in True Life BP Church were divided and many tears shed as a result of the split. There is a price to pay for holding on to the truth of God’s Word and be faithful in preaching and defending the truth. The doctrine of VPP is biblical and it is absurd to say that VPP is a heresy because we believe that God has preserved 100% of His words.
I can recall at the height of the VPP doctrinal issue that Tabernacle BP Church has to decide on which side we are. We want to be on the Lord’s side and by God’s grace, we stated our position clearly in our Church constitution that we believe in the VPP doctrine. If it is taught in God’s Word, we must not be afraid of the majority who is against it. Yes, we are in the minority of the BP Churches who hold to the VPP doctrine but we are not ashamed of it. We thank God for the strength and grace that Tabernacle BP Church is stedfast in earnestly contending for the faith.
Will our Sons continue to defend the Faith?
This question rings in me when I think of the next generation leaders in Tabernacle BP Church. Will they continue to defend the Faith? Sadly, history has generally shown that Churches and Bible Colleges crumple and fall away after 2 to 3 generations. The BP Church with a history of 61 years since it started in 1950 is a classic example of such falling away to depart from the truth.
I heard this remark which describes the attitude of each generation:
Forefathers: The Church is an experience of God’s power
Grand fathers: The Church is an inheritance
Fathers: The Church is a convenience
Children: The Church is a nuisance
The only way to ensure our next generation leaders are faithful is to follow the biblical pattern as laid down in 2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” May we be faithful to teach our younger ones the Word of God and be examples to them in living out the Word of God.
“The love of many shall wax cold” Matthew 24:12
The sign of the end times is a coldness towards the things of God. We are indifferent and have no zeal in the Kingdom of God. Sadly, it is the things of the world that excite us a lot. Do we not see this even in our Church today? How about you? Pray that God will revive our hearts and have mercy upon us.
Elder John Leong