PASTORAL CHAT

My Dear Readers

A POSITIVE TSUNAMI OUTCOME – The International Jerusalem Post January 7, 2005 featured a touching story of an Israeli and Palestinian couple brought together by the roaring waters of the Tsunami. The four, isolated for hours on the roof of a van, with deep concern for each other’s survival, became great friends. When rescued and safe, the Israelis, a honeymoon couple, had no money or ID cards so the Palestinian couple paid for the Israelis to get home to Israel, and all firmly emphasised they would be friends for life.

A TV report featured an Indonesian survivor from a devastated community solemnly declaring, “I think God has  reminded us that we have forgotten Him and that we should remember Him properly now.” Hopefully, the world at large has received that message also and will act upon it!

Thus saith the Lord: “For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hidden from my face, neither is their iniquity hidden from my eyes.” (Jeremiah 16:17) (Manna International News, Australia)

In Jan 25, 05 Straits Times Life! there is more talk about the Tsunami in Phuket. The Thai Resort which has 4 million visitors a year has 260 dead and 2,000 injured. Though 460 hotels out of over 500 are now cleaned up and functioning, 10,000 still have lost their jobs for tourists now return number only 20 percent. There is also the problem of ghosts crying and wailing when the dark night comes.

Singaporeans who attended a memorial service for the Tsunami numbered 7,300, just a short while ago, had no idea what happens when they died. What do you say brothers and sisters who attend True Life Church? “There shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” What is Jesus talking about? It is in answer to His disciples about His coming and of the end of the world (Matt. 24:3). The Tsunami that struck Aceh, Indonesia this time (undersea earthquake) released such a force that the killer waves travelled 800 km an hour Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya.

Jesus is coming again and very soon. Rev. 9:13-16 speaks of the third World War which will break out from the Euphrates, which is Iraq. Rev. 16:12-16 tells how the last battle will be fought at Armageddon that leads to Jerusalem and Mount of Olives.

Dearly beloved, all these things can happen in our lifetime. There is only one way of salvation – Our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only Virgin born Son who died for our sins and rose again from the dead. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Rom. 10:9)

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matt. 24:14) Our FEBC is in a Bible College movement helping two African Colleges whereby many nationalities are involved. Every week when you come to church think of Christ’s coming.

Your affectionate pastor
T T

 

THE GOSPEL OF LIFE: Chapter X

John 10:1-6
What’s in a Parable?

A parable, according to Chambers Dictionary, is a comparison; a fable or story of something which might have happened, told to illustrate true doctrine, or to make some duty clear. (The word parable is made up of two Greek words: para = beside + ballein = to throw).

Scofield lists 40 parables from the Synoptic Gospels, but leaves out this only “parable” in John. John’s parable is more
of a “similitude”.

Can you identify the characters and objects in this parable? How many categories?

1. Our Saviour is the Good Shepherd, the Door, the Pasture.

2. The undershepherd, the pastor, is the porter; the sheepfold the Church, the sheep are the saved ones, believers. Other sheep are the Gentiles afar off who are to be evangelised and brought into the Church.

3. The false teachers are the thieves and robbers, the strangers, the wolves.

4. The professionals are hirelings. Bishop Ryle in his day says, “Thousands of ordained in the present know nothing whatsoever about Christ, except His name.”

What are the characteristics of the four categories above?

1. The Saviour invites us to come to and through Himself (the Door). He calls us by name and leads us to pasture, to more abundant life. He gives His life to save His sheep. He is concerned for other sheep to be brought into the Church.

2. The pastor who opens the Door serves the local church faithfully and waits on the Chief Shepherd. He opens the Door that the sheep might come in and out. Every pastor should be a soul winner.

3. The false teachers take preeminence over the Master, or steal into the Church by climbing over the fence or breaking through, in order to destroy the flock (Jude 4). They are also wolves (Acts 20:29).

4. The professionals, hirelings, when they see the church attacked by the false teachers could not care less for the souls of the members. They run away when the going is rough.

Every true member of the Church of Jesus Christ has an unction from the Holy Spirit so that they can recognise who’s who is the Church, for good or for bad. Memorise I John 2:20 and read v. 27. This is what is meant by “my sheep hear my voice” and “a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him” (v 5). Every Christian has a duty to keep heretical teachers from the pulpit.

 

John 10:28, 29
What is Eternal Life?

According to Chambers Dictionary, eternal means “without beginning or end of existence”; everlasting; ceaseless. The eternal life that our Lord gives to those who hear His voice (v 27), that is, who believe in Him and obey Him, is life that has no end, everlasting. Some Christian teachers, however, say we can lose that life when we sin again.

Sin, of course, is a terrible thing. It brought us into the misery of death and hell when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Can a Christian lose his salvation when he falls into sin again? Hebrews 10:26 does warn against wilful sin which seems to be connected to v 29 with those “who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace.” Will a truly born again Christian revile His Saviour as stated above? If so, he is in the gravest danger. But we think not. A truly born again Christian must love His Lord, and when he sins, he has “an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And He is the propitiation for our sins . . . ” I Jn 2:1, 2. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I Jn 1:9). We do not think a Christian will lose his salvation, for the life given him is eternal, everlasting.

Therefore eternal life is everlasting life, and everlasting life is life that continues forever and ever without being cut off even for a short duration. Therefore Christians have, in theological language, “eternal security”. This is what Jesus means when he says, “And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” To doubly assure us of His keeping power that we should not be lost, He adds, “My Father which gave them me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (v 28, 29).

Let us conclude with Calvin’s quotation of Jonah 2:9, “Salvation is of the Lord.” Praise the Lord, we are saved  not because we are good enough, but because He is good to us. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us . . . ” (Titus 3:5). Memorise this verse.

FORGIVEN
By Dr Jeffrey Khoo

Sins Forgiven
Heaven to See
Sins Forgiven
Not Hell ’twill Be
Sins Forgiven
Forever to Live
Sins Forgiven
Only Jesus can Give
“For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.”
(John 3:16)