The Logic Of Intellect vs The Logic Of Faith
(Message delivered by Pastor at the RELC 10.30 am Service, Feb 22, 04)
Text: Matt. 21:23-32
This first paragraph of Scripture tells us how the chief priests and elders rebel against Jesus’ teaching and their logic of intellect was condemned.
The second paragraph tells us how the publicans and harlots repented of their sins and their logic of faith was accepted.
By way of application there has arisen two pastors and some elders against a perfect Bible because by their intellectual study they have found some mistakes. The Bible is 99.9% but the mistakes do not affect doctrine. So to them it is also perfect! What double talk from the hiss of the snake.
For the defence of His own Word God has raised three Churches that the Bible is 100% perfect without any mistake. This is not a local matter but a universal question for the church of the whole world to answer.
Dr Jeffrey Khoo, Academic Dean of the Far Eastern Bible College has written a book “KJV Questions and Answers” and I concur with him. And Dr Arthur Steele, Chancellor of Clearwater Christian College has written a foreword to that book.
Now God has declared that His glory will He not give to another (Isa. 42:8). Those who are zealous for God’s glory will heartily support Dr Jeffrey Khoo and Dr Arthur Steele. They will not be on the side of those who cunningly castigate the Word of God from their own intellect for Jesus says these are in fact seeking their own glory. “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory.” (Jn. 7:18)
Here are seven verses that declare God’s Word perfect without any mistake.
1. The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. Ps 12:6-7
2. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matt 5:18
3. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matt 24:35
4. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. Mark 13:31
5. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. Luke 21:33
6. The scripture cannot be broken. John 10:35b
7. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Tim 3:16
But we have 300 who believe with us here that the Bible is perfect without any mistake. By their logic of faith, they believe in an Almighty God so He can preserved for us a perfect Bible without mistake.
Hebrews 11:6 says “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
To this adds Calvin, “Faith is far superior to human intellect. It comes from the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Faith thus given by God has a twofold aspect. It enlightens the mind to understand the truth of God and establishes the heart in it. And the Holy Spirit not only originates faith but increases it by degrees till He conducts us by it all the way to heaven (2 Tim. 1:14).”
The logic of intellect that glorifies self is indeed condemned but the logic of faith that glorifies God is well accepted.
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SERMONS FROM THE EIGHT-PEAKED MOUNTAIN OF BLESSING V
The Lord’s Prayer
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matt 6:9-15
A graduate student of mine has dismissed the repeating of the Lord’s Prayer as being useful because he says we just mumble, mumble through, but the Luke account (11:1) says our Lord was asked to teach the disciples as John the Baptist taught his disciples. Does he know the further qualification? I particularly treasure the Lord’s Prayer when He says we must forgive others if we want God to forgive us.
This prayer is the believers’ prayer and the Person we address is our Father who lives in heaven. But He is everywhere.
The Prayer consists of six petitions. The first three are devoted particularly to the glory of God. The remaining three concern ourselves. The first petition is that God’s name may be hallowed. By this we wish God to receive all honour and reverence. The second petition is that the Kingdom of Heaven may come. That we subdue our hearts and minds to a voluntary obedience to His commands. That He would enlarge churches with the pure doctrines and religion against His enemies.
The third petition is that the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven. In praying for this, we renounce our carnal desires, that God may rule us according to His pleasure.
Now the second three of our petitions in which we descend to our own interests. Give us this day our daily bread. We surrender ourselves to His care down to a crumb of bread and to a drop of water. “This day” should point us to “man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4). It teaches us to acquire by just and
honest labour and not by acts of deception.
Forgive us our debts. But Singapore being a British colony before, we inherited “Forgive us our trespasses” taken from the Common Prayer Book. Yet v.14 says, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (v. 15)
The third and last petition of the second series is to lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Our petition is that we may not be overwhelmed by any temptation but that with God’s help we may conquer sin, death and hell.
His is the Kingdom and the power and the glory is an appropriate conclusion, though not found in the Latin’s manuscripts.
Truly when we have analysed the substance of this Prayer it is a wonderful model Prayer from the mouth of God. It is most helpful to us in our worship service on the Lord’s Day.
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