By God's grace, I was instrumental in gathering the Ipoh East church. The church was covenanted in Nov 2001. I ministered to the church for several years, and taught the church the gospel of grace. Towards the end of 2006, the church invited a Rev Keith from Sydney to minister for a month. After that I was informed that the church had decided to reject my pastoral oversight because of doctrinal differences. I respected their choice. The church had chosen to believe what the other RBs also believe... a summary of which can be seen here.
So we parted way. This letter was written to remind them of the gospel truth of justification by the free grace of God... i.e without faith, the believing act of man. Believing is EVIDENCE of justification by God's free grace. Instead, they along with the RBs insisted that their faith is the instrumental cause of their legal justification before God.
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February 2, 2007 11:31:41 PM GMT+07:00
Members of Ipoh East Church, and Brother T particularly,
You may wish to read a Circular Letter on Justification issued by the Philadelphia Baptist Association (with the 1689 BCoF as its doctrinal standard) - the first and the most influential Baptist Association of Particular Baptist churches in North America - to all its member churches in Oct 1785. The whole Letter is pasted below after my signature. It is also attached.
I quote a short and pertinent paragraph here:
"Third. Our justification is by some ascribed to faith as an instrumental cause. Strictly speaking, we apprehend faith as no cause at all in this momentous procedure, but rather AN EFFECT. It is true, the scriptures frequently mention a justification by faith. By such expressions it is evident the object, and not the act, of faith is designed; the object of faith is Christ and his righteousness; this the believing soul lays fast hold on. Faith is the eye which discovers, the hand which receives; espying a Saviour's worth, charmed with his merit, the believer is so enraptured as to cast away all his heavy burden, falls at Messiah's feet, confides in the promise, and pleads atoning blood: "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness," Rom. x. 10. It is beautifully noticed by one of our very first and most orthodox writers. "The reason why any are justified is not because they have faith; but the reason why they have faith is because they are justified." If justified faith as a work performed by us or a grace wrought within us; where would have been the necessity of the death and resurrection of Jesus? Faith is that precious grace, by which we do in a certain manner put on the righteousness of the Lord's anointed, and receive the greatest of all blessings from the God of our salvation. "It is grace (saith one) which quarrels much with human pride and make its only boast of Sharon's rose; and never was meant to be our justifying righteousness in the sight of God, else it would learn to boast." Faith says, "In the Lord have I righteousness;" and tells a sinner, "I cannot save thee; thou are saved by grace through faith." The grace of Jesus, and that alone brings salvation; and the sinner, through faith as an instrument, puts in his hand, is enabled to reach the rich donation; just as a beggar, by his empty cap stretched forth, receives an alms. We proceed,"
[red bold emphasis mine, sing]
May the Lord enlighten you what the Particular Baptist forefather DID ACTUALLY believe. Whether you agree with them or not is a separate matter.
The OLD SCHOOL Particular Baptists believed Forensic Justification BEFORE faith. Faith is an effect of forensic justification.
Their new school stepchildren believe Forensic Justification by their faith!
They OLD SCHOOL Particular Baptists believed ONLY the justified can exercise faith.
Their step-children believe one must have faith to be justified!
Benjamin Keach described such as 'woefully blind.'
By grace, I remain
your brother in Christ,
sing
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Below is the Circular issued by the Philadelphia Baptist Association in 1785.
October 4th, 1785 JUSTIFICATION By Elder William Rogers
The ministers and messengers of the several Baptist churches, convened in Association, at Philadelphia, October 4, 1785.
To the respective churches, with whom we are connected, send Christian salutation.
Dearly beloved in our Lord Jesus Christ,
The subject, which we are to address you upon, is contained in Chapter IX, of our Confession of faith, which treats of Justification. A subject truly important! One of the fundamental articles of our holy religion! As such, demands our very particular attention. Therefore, wherein we are obliged, owing to the confined limits of our annual epistle, to study brevity, our hope and expectation is, that you will individually make up such deficiency by serious meditation.
Perspicuity being our aim, we shall,
I. Explain the term.
II. Consider the Author.
III. The objects interested.
IV. The blessings resulting.
The full article can be read here:
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Date: April 20, 2007 12:46:54 PM GMT+07:00
Brethren of Ipoh East Church,
Since you are so hesitant to provide me the Church account number for me to revert the fund, I would just buy a bank cheque payable to 'Ipoh East Church' this coming Monday, and send it to Brother Larry's address. Someone would need to deposit the bank cheque at your end too! We can all save ourselves such hassles. Petrol is not any cheaper at the pump either... though I go about by motorbike in Penang.
"Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir up by putting you in remembrance... that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour."
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The new birth from above that bestows eternal life is the absolute prerequisite to perceiving and believing the things of the Spirit of God. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. Natural man, being dead in trespasses and sins, cannot see, much less receives the things of the Spirit of God. Eternal life MUST PRECEDE faith. Faith is certainly NOT a condition of eternal life, though it is certainly a condition to evidence eternal life.
"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."
Natural man, being spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, except he be quickened and given eternal life by the Spirit of Christ, cannot see the kingdom of God. A quickened man possesses eternal life because God has acquitted him of the condemnation of death by forgiving him all his sins, and by imputing to him the righteousness of Christ unto justification of life. The removal of the condemnation of death by the Father based solely on the righteousness of Christ alone logically precedes the bestowal of the eternal life by the Spirit of Christ.
"Whosoever believes HAS eternal life."
Eternal life is the effect of the new birth by the free and sovereign grace of God. Believing is a spiritual activity of the eternal life that has been bestowed by the free and sovereign grace of God. Believing manifests the presence and possession of that eternal life that has been bestowed freely by the sovereign grace of God when he was dead in trespasses and sins.
Since the Scriptures repeatedly declares 'whoever believes HAS eternal life' then whoever believes (present tense) is declared/justified/vindicated that he has been given (perfect tense), and does possess eternal life. Therefore whosoever believes in Christ has warrant to believe that has eternal life by the free and sovereign grace of God.
Believing is the condition/instrument to make manifest and demonstrate that the bestowal of eternal life be God's free and sovereign grace HAS taken place.
"The just shall live by faith."
Since, the Scriptures repeatedly declares, 'the just shall live by faith,' then whosoever lives (present tense) by faith declares and demonstrates that he has been justified (perfect tense) by the free grace of God. His faith justifies (present tense) evidentially that he has been justified legally by God free and sovereign grace. The justified ones, by God's free and sovereign grace, shall live by faith. Therefore whosoever lives by faith in Christ has warrant to believe that he has been justified by the free and sovereign grace of God.
Conditions to evidence
Believing is the condition/instrument to manifest and evident the justification and eternal life that God, by His free and sovereign grace alone through the righteousness of Christ, has accomplished all by Himself without the aid or cooperation of man.
And this faith comes by hearing, even the hearing the word of truth. The preaching of the word of truth draws forth the grace of faith worked in the heart by the indwelling Spirit. For that reason, 'preach the word, be instant in season, and out of season.'
They who insist that believing is the condition to be justified by God and in order to obtain eternal life are woefully blind to the gospel truth of their salvation. (Benjamin Keach)
putting you in remembrance of BASIC gospel truth,
sing
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[After rejecting my spiritual oversight over them they considered me erroneous, if not heretical, they insist continuing their monthly gift, which was previously intended for traveling allowance.]
On Apr 20, 2007, at 12:43 PM, wrote:
Hi Pastor Lau,
The silence is not avoidance! I've been swamped with things to do this first quarter- hopefully it will taper off back to baseline. We remember you and the church in Penang at our prayer meetings.
The money given is not issue with us. Although we disagree on some areas of doctrine, I do not see any issue with giving gifts as the Lord enable us. I see it this way:
1. If I can donate to my daughter's school building fund etc which enables them to teach evolution in school and other ungodly (who knows what else) ideas
2. If I can donate to the salvation army orphanage (which we do occasionally, in kind) that is probably doctrinally quite a distance from us
3. If we can consciously pay tax to the ruling islamic govt (although this one is req by scripture) for building mosques and supporting corruption
4. If we (in P..'s time) can support a missionary (arminian-ish) in part of russia. Surely we see you closer in fellowship that all the above four - (at least we do!!)
Will you not accept the monthly gift as coming from our hearts and not out of merely 'doing things in accordance to procedures'?
a Christian, a baptist, a reformed baptist (in that order)
T
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On Apr 21, 2007, at 11:34 PM, sing wrote:
Brother T...,
Thanks for your reply above. I do understand that the monthly support is not an issue with you... the way you see the issue in the 4 illustrations. I am actually very weary of the pragmatism - which hardly deal with the issue at hand biblically.
I have no use for 'doing things in accordance to procedures' or being political correct or being nice. However, I do wish that IEC as a Church should learn to conduct herself according to biblical principles, not pragmatism. I request you to be clear minded and appreciate the vast difference between what you as a generous, large-hearted and broad-minded individual may wish to do with your own money, and what a confessional church of Jesus Christ may do with her fund.
A church is duty bound to observe the biblical principles. A church of Jesus Christ has no liberty to support a man whose teaching the church has resolved as erroneous. Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "Mark them... avoid them." Romans 16:17. Read Eph 5:11, Titus 3:10, 2Jn 10, etc. If Ipoh East Church wish to observe what Christ has commanded, then Ipoh East Church has no liberty to support me. All I desire is that Ipoh East Church observes Christ's commandment and be consistent. For that reason I don't wish to be a party to this disobedience and misguided kindness.
Under the present situation, I won't receive the gift from Ipoh East Church. I have stated the principle and reason clear enough. It is not because of disrespect or ill-will toward anyone or IEC. I am only practicing what I teach. I do oppose from the pulpit the perverse and irrational error that "faith is a condition of justification and eternal life" - the same error that the Ipoh East Church has publicly RESOLVED to embrace. I would be a shameless hypocrite to receive support from a church that knowingly choose to embrace such irrational and perverse and anti-grace error.
And just because an Arminian is happy to receive support from some RB churches does not make it right for Sungai Dua Church to accept support from your church. I wouldn't appeal to P..'s bad example for my guidance. There was a sharp disagreement on that issue - I told him the principle: "We have the right, as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right so to appropriate a dollar of the public money." ---Davy Crockett. Some men are more prone to money-based mission, it is alright (with me) if it is money from their own wallets, and not the church's coffer or the MSF's account! Why denounce the errors of the Arminians from the church pulpit and then get the church [sic] to support them at the same time. You see that as honorable and wonderful and loving. I see that as sheer hypocrisy and schizophrenic!
I am now convinced, after these few years of interaction with RBs worldwide, that the RBs are really CLOSER to the Arminians than they would admit... both the Arminians and the RBs insist that faith is the condition of justification and eternal life. After all, RBs were really Arminians in the 1960's, who began to reform their Arminian errors in order to return to their historical root - that's how recent the RB's origin was!
They never quite return to where their Particular Baptist forefathers were. But they are so sincere in believing that have returned to their root... and so proud of their 'Reformed' label. But they fall far short... and censure their forefathers as hyper!
Do remember that Ipoh East Church is confessionally a 1689 CoF church - whatever type of christian you personally wish to be known as.
Thanks for bearing with me. I am a man under authority, and I wish to keep a clear conscience.
I will send Brother Lee a bank cheque in the post on Monday.
with love and affection for Christ's sake,
sing
