Is it a Pentecostal church?"

 

I received this inquiry:

"I need to know more about this church - is it a Pentecostal church?"

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Dear Ma'am,

Thank you for your question.

The short answer is: No, SDC is not a Pentecostal church.

And since you have asked, you deserve more than a short answer.

Here is a less short answer.

i. The day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2 is a UNIQUE event in the history of God’s redemptive purpose.

- It was an event prophesied in the OT; see Joel 2:28.

- What happened on the day of Pentecost was a SPECIAL and IMPORTANT SIGN to the Jewish believers.

ii. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, devout Jewish men “out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:6) were gathered at Jerusalem.

- The Jews had been scattered throughout the whole known world, first by the Assyrians, and later exiled by the Babylonians.

- Then, Cyrus, king of the Medo-Persian empire, issued an imperial edict to allow all the Jews to return to Judah. Many did not return but remained where they were. But many of those Jews did not forget their old covenant religion; they continued to make the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to fulfil their religious duties.

iii. What happened on the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2 (the first Pentecost after the crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ) was a SPECIAL and SPECIFIC sign-message to the Jewish believers.

- Their old covenant religion based on the law of Moses was fast coming to an end. The new covenant religion based on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ has been inaugurated.

- Apostle Peter said, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” The word  “this” refers to the unique phenomena of “… every man heard them speak in his own tongue… we do hear them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God” Acts 2:6b,11b.

- This was a specific sign prophesied by Prophet Joel, a sign that marks the dawning of the new covenant religion in Jesus Christ and "the last days", the passing of the old covenant religion in Moses.

- THAT IS, in Jesus Christ, the old covenant religion based on the ceremonial laws of Moses was being abolished. They are now called upon to believe in the promised Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the fulfilment of all that were foreshadowed by the old covenant religion.

iv. The phenomenon of speaking in tongues (PLURAL, ONE singular gift enabled a man/woman to speak MANY languages) continued during the 40-year transitional period from the old covenant religion to the new covenant religion, i.e. AD30-AD70.

- In AD70, as prophesied by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Jerusalem with the Temple (the heart and centre of the old covenant religion of ceremonies and sacrifices) was completely razed to the ground by the imperial Roman armies; THIS officially and finally brought the thousands-year-old old covenant religion to an end.

- The long-suffering LORD God gave His children among the Jews 40 long years to transition into the new covenant religion. It was SO HARD for many to give up their ritual/ceremonial religion they had been brought up with!

- Many preferred to stay put in their dilapidated hut instead of moving into the new mansion!

v. The unique gift of tongues, that enabled the recipient of the gift to speak different languages that he/she had never learned before, continued during the transitional period to facilitate and expedite the spread of the gospel during the Apostles' time. It has CEASED with the passing away of the Apostles. 1Cor 13:8.

-  The gibberish of the modern Pentecostals/charismatics is remotely related to the tongues we read of in the Bible. They are quite misguided.

I hope this enlightens you somewhat about your question.

Do visit our church blog here.

There are over a thousand notes and articles on biblical matters.

https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the son of God...

#Cause_n_Effect

1 John 4:15 KJV — Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

This above Scripture is a statement declaring a wonderful truth: all those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, SUCH have the Spirit of God dwelling in them. Without the Spirit of God dwelling in them, there is absolutely no possibility of them confessing the truth that Jesus is the Son of God.

Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God is the effect of God's indwelling the confessor; God's indwelling enables the confession of Jesus as the Son of God; the former is the cause of the latter. Confession of Jesus as the Son of God evidences that a man has been brought into union with God.

Sadly, many will teach and believe that the confession of Jesus is the Son of God as the CONDITION to have God dwelling in them.

Putting the cart before the horse is a common but grievous error; in other words, just plain stupidity (i.e. completely lacking common sense),  just forget about being politically correct.

1 John 2:23 KJV — Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

Matthew 16 KJV
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Attend to the word; be instant in season, out of season.

https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid02c1jLcgikjrFwWwubDPvHuKS3FJ8LWBk5EeFkyFE2aJR6Cvi5mU3sDqCBgJrtoGBYl

Attend to the word; be instant in season, out of season.

1 Timothy 4:16 KJT
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

2Timothy 4 KJT
1 ¶I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Psalms 23 KJV
1 ¶[[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

The ministry of the word faithfully attended* to is your precious soul rightly shepherded by Christ's under-shepherds.

Being physically present at a service is not the same as ATTENDING to the ministry of the word.  That explains the scathing censure: "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Timothy 3:7 KJT

Few think much of this divine ordinance because it's unspectacular and unglamorous.

*attend -  verb, to pay attention; listen or watch attentively; direct one's thought; pay heed.

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Mark Thomas
For those with seeing eyes it’s the highest office on earth.

Sincere offer to the Dead is Sincerely Misguided

September 27, 2010

https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid0o3GRDxzEYW8tW3zRyhLf9ixXuAM5DgLG3TTRc7QfgnxL7RUJWS92KfJB15KxcULQl

FB reminds me of this exchange that took place nine years ago. A Professor of Theology asked, somewhat rhetorically, based on his teaching that God sincerely offers eternal salvation to those dead in trespasses and sins.

John 3:10 KJV — Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Offering salvation - obviously to those without salvation, therefore still in their native state of sin and death - is like offering food to the dead, no matter how sincerely and earnestly and passionately and zealously offered.

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Prof Morrow inquired:
21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. Romans 10:18-21 (KJV)

Was God insincere when he stretched forth his hand to this disobedient people? Why would God stretch forth his hand to those he knew would reject him?

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Prof. Morrow, that's an interesting question. What was God sincerely doing?  Was He offering salvation to those who were dead in trespasses and sins, or was He rebuking His stiff-necked and disobedient people?

But I don't know what exactly the difficulty is.

If there is any, I don't see it yet.

Maybe the difficulty arises because we don't rightly divide the word of truth.

I take it as an established truth that God NEVER hold forth eternal salvation conditioned upon man's obedience or acceptance. This fable is plainly contrary to His moral character, contrary to His revelation, contrary to reason and common sense, etc.

I believe what is involved here is the temporal salvation of God's people which demands and requires the obedience of God's people. It has nothing to do with their eternal salvation - being saved from the eternal condemnation due to their sins. It has to do with their deliverance from the judgment threatened against them for their unbelief and disobedience. God is dealing with His people, whom He has made His own by free and sovereign grace, for their unbelief and disobedience.

This is confirmed because, in the previous verses, the Apostle Paul is also speaking of the temporal salvation that comes to those who do believe the gospel. Believing the gospel truth will save GOD'S CHILDREN and will bring them much deliverance, temporal salvation.

Eternal salvation came through Christ's finished work alone, and is applied FREELY by the Spirit alone... all completed by free grace alone. Temporal salvation - related to our well-being as God's children - is conditioned upon our obedience to the gospel. IF YOU APPRECIATE THIS BIT, MUCH CONFUSION WOULD NOT ARISE.

After I have read enough of the Bible for myself, the FALSITY of the new school Calvinistic doctrine of the perseverance of the saints in a life of faith and obedience and holiness to the end of their life becomes SO PLAIN! There is no such thing in the Scriptures.

God, Himself said, "MY PEOPLE ARE BENT ON BACKSLIDING!"

Remember this:

Isaiah 1:18-20 KJV
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

It is all about temporal salvation: eating the good of the land, or suffering temporal judgement of being devoured.

God would be VERY insincere if He is holding forth eternal salvation to those whom He knew very well had absolutely no capability to receive it; in fact, positively hostile towards God in their inward man. In reality, it would amount to a cruel and injurious mocking and taunting them.

But that is not true when God called His people to turn from their evil ways. They are able to, they have an obligation too; in this, they were able to exercise a choice... but they disobeyed. Disobedience would bring severe punishment here in the present life.

God did stretch forth His hand to His people, calling them to turn from their waywardness, sending them prophets after prophets... but they rejected God's Fatherly call to make amends.

They suffered for their disobedience throughout their history! 

"EVEN SO" - Pay close attention to these little words.

#evenso

Pay attention, close attention, to little words.

Romans 5:18 - KJT
"Therefore as
by the offence of one
judgment came upon all men to condemnation;
EVEN SO
by the righteousness of one
the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." 

If sincere folks and their intelligent theologians had paid attention to those two small words 'EVEN SO' they wouldn't have ended up believing the fiction or fable of their legal justification by their faith!

Your legal condemnation was brought about by the act of your divinely appointed representative head of the human race, Adam;

EVEN SO,

your legal justification was brought about by the act of your divinely appointed representative head of His people, Christ Jesus.

Your vital/personal condemnation was brought about when you were brought into being through your conception in the womb of your mother;

EVEN SO,

your vital/personal justification is brought about when God effectually called you out of your native state of condemnation and death to that of justification and life.

Your practical/experiential condemnation is brought about by your actual acts of sins; they evidence your state of condemnation, and defile and condemn your conscience;

EVEN SO,

your practical/experiential justification is brought about by your acts of believing, they certify your justified state, your faith vindicates your justified state by God's free and sovereign grace.

EVEN SO, i.e. in the exact parallel manner...

Your justified state by the free grace of God is experienced by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone! It's not by observing the ceremonial laws as the Judaizers insisted; Apostle Paul marshalled Father Abraham to slap the Judaizer kids in their faces for such a silly nonsense..

Your justification by the free grace of God (the MANNER of your justification) is based solely upon Christ's righteousness and blood (the BASIS of your justification), i.e. His faithfulness in executing the work of redeeming all those whom God to Father had given to Him.

"You are justified by faith alone" (the popular sola fideism)
is vastly different from saying
"Your justification by the free grace of God can be experienced by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone!"