We praise the Lord that Tabernacle BPC can have the privilege of witnessing for the Lord Jesus Christ for
36 good years. God has showered us with His love and care. As the church theme this year is, “Loving
God with My All”, it is most appropriate for us to meditate on how God has loved His children.
Firstly, we are predestined in His love. We were chosen by God before the creation of this world to be His
children. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Eph. 1:4-5)
Secondly, God calls effectively in His love. He was the One to reach out to us with the gospel and to
deliver us from our sins. Thus Romans 1:7 declares that we are, “beloved of God, called to be his saints”.
Thirdly, we are born again in His love. Thus, Titus 3:4-7 declares, “But after that the kindness and love
of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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; That being justified by his grace,
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” “But God commendeth his love toward
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8)
Finally, we are preserved in His love. Romans 8:28-30 reveals how God who begun the work of salvation
in us will see it to the very end. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” This truth causes Paul to break out in effusive
praise of God’s love – “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved
us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:37-39)
How marvellous is God’s love to His children! “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you,
according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That
Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to
comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the
love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto
him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power
that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without
end. Amen.” (Eph. 3:14-21)
Yours affectionately,
Pastor Clement Chew