Act 20:33 "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel."
I was going through some old mails and these caught my attention. It involved an awkward matter; a church which had dismissed an overseeing elder on doctrinal grounds insisted on continuing her financial support for the same man. I wasn’t amused at all.
The background to these mails:
1. I was instrumental, together with BS Poh, in preparing a group of believers in Ipoh, after years of visiting them regularly, to covenant themselves into Ipoh East Church in Dec 2001. A few were former members under the ministry of Poh. The newly constituted church officially invited me to provide the church the pastoral oversight. I continued visiting the church regularly, fulfilling all the functions of a minister of the gospel.
2. Not long after Dec 2001, the Lord was pleased to open my heart and mind to understand the gospel of grace more perfectly, after personally struggling with those issues for some time. When the whole matter was firmly understood and settled in my own mind, in early 2003, I began to raise those issues related to the doctrine of salvation with the leaders of the other reformed baptist churches at their regular pastors’ meetings. To cut the story short, seven of those churches issued a formal letter to censure my errors and severed fellowship with Sungai Dua Church. You find all the details and the major doctrinal issues involved here https://pruning-deformed-branches.blogspot.my/
3. The Sungai Dua Church, by God’s grace and mercy, was slowly but surely turned around. It was quite different for Ipoh East Church. I traveled there only one Sunday a month to minister the word of God, and to administer the Lord’s Supper, and other usual matters. We patiently deal with the various issues, experiencing some resistance. Eventually in Dec 2006, the IEC at its church members meeting, officially moved to remove me as their overseeing pastor, on the ground that I have seriously erred in doctrines. They also decided to continue their monthly financial support for Jan-Jun 2007. The church credited the support into my account without my knowledge but I found out.
Forwarded message ----------
From: sing
Date: Fri, Apr 20, 2007 at 1:46 PM
Subject: putting you in remembrance
To: Lee, Loh, Hew
Cc: SDC
Brethren of IEC,
Since you are so hesitant to provide me the IEC account number for me to revert the fund, I would just buy a banker cheque payable to 'Ipoh East Church' this coming Monday, and send it to Brother L'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.
Thanks. May the Lord bless and keep you all.
sing
----
p/s
"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. The 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."
The natural man, being spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, except he is 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 by 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,
sin
Forwarded message ----------
From: Lee
Date: Fri, Apr 20, 2007, at 1:43 PM
Subject: Re: putting you in remembrance
To: sing
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 an 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 Poh'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)
Lee
Forwarded message ----------
From: sing
Date: Sun, Apr 22, 2007 at 12:34 AM
Subject: Re: putting you in remembrance
To: Lee, Hew, Loh
Cc: SDC
Brother Lee,
Thanks for your reply below. 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 deals with the issue at hand biblically.
I have no use for 'doing things in accordance to procedures' or being politically 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 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 IEC wishes to observe what Christ has commanded, then IEC has no liberty to support me. All I desire is that IEC 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 IEC. 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 IEC has publicly RESOLVED to embrace. I would be a shameless hypocrite to receive support from a church that knowingly chooses 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. I wouldn't appeal to Poh'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 the money-based mission, it is alright 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.
Do remember that IEC 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 Larry a bank cheque in the post on Monday.
with love and affection for Christ's sake,
sing
======
A church member inquired about the matter, and I responded.
Forwarded message ----------
From: sing
Date: April 25, 2007 12:48:08 PM GMT+07:00
To: KL
Subject: Re: putting you in remembrance
Dear Brother KL,
It is good to hear from you.
You are constantly remembered before the throne of grace by the brethren here and in our home. May our Lord blesses you richly as you share the gospel of free grace wherever there is an opportunity.
Thanks for your inquiry concerning the situation with Ipoh. I am glad you are concerned enough to inquire and to highlight some points of concern.
For several years IEC gave me the traveling expenses whenever I go to Ipoh - initially RM50 and then later RM 70 - to cover for toll and petrol. Then IEC was constituted in Dec 2001. Sometimes later (probably in 2003) the IEC decided to contribute to my monthly support because the monthly stipend from SDC was inadequate to meet my stipend. This is NOT because the folks in SDC were not giving... most were giving generously and cheerfully - that's what I believe. The church was simply too small. I was receiving RM400 less than the recommended Stipend Schedule [by Poh for the RB churches] The stipend schedule recommended by Poh for 1995 was like this: Basic: RM1600, each child: RM200, first 2 schooling children: RM200 each, and subsequent schooling children RM100 each. Prior to that, the basic was RM1400, each child, RM200, each schooling child, RM100. The 1998 stipend schedule was - basic: RM1600, each child: RM200, primary schooling: RM 200, secondary schooling children: RM400]. I say all this to explain why IEC decided to contribute to my monthly support - which helps to reduce the substantial shortfall. The Lord took care of us - we learned to live within the means all these years. We took the deprivation as part of my calling. The Lord has been and is good to us, we lack nothing, and we are still alive to this day. You have been very kind to us. May our Lord bless you richly!
Concerning the present matter with IEC's support - the issue of the SDC members' decision concerning the support from IEC does not arise. The support from IEC was NOT to the SDC - as was the support from the GMF, so I did not raise the issue with SDC because SDC's decision on the acceptance or non-acceptance of the support does not arise. Also this personal decision to decline IEC support does not mean additional financial obligation from SDC's towards me. If it does, then consent from the SDC would be proper.
That IEC's support is out of her genuine love and fellowship without expecting any strings or obligations attached is NOT doubted at all. I am quite sure they do so out of their tender affection towards me - who have ministered to them these man years, though most inadequately.
In Dec 2006, IEC publicly resolved to reject the truth I have so patiently endeavoured to teach them, and instead resolved publicly to embrace 'faith is the condition of justification AND eternal life' - which to put it in the mildest manner possible, is just plain irrational and perverse lies. IEC also resolved that they don't want my pastoral oversight anymore because I am in serious error. They also resolved to continue to support me for Jan -Jun 2007, among other things. I knew for a while, there were much scheming... with Ho involved... but I overlooked that. Kok Kin could not stomach the scheming and politicking and left earlier.
As their former pastor and teacher, I need to teach the IEC the biblical principles in dealing with such issues. Biblically, it is no business of a church to support a man whom the church has publicly dissociated with (discontinued pastoral oversight), and publicly declared as teaching serious error, nothing less than the doctrine of justification! [These people know how to mouth and give lips service that the doctrine of justification determines the standing or the falling of a church. When they denounce a man in serious error concerning the doctrine of justification, they continue to act as though it is a minor matter.] Doing so is going against plain biblical commands. So, IEC shouldn't do it... even though in this case I am the beneficiary of such inconsistent act. How easy to be pragmatic and just accept the support, and buy a nice trumpet for my Jo-Hanan! But IEC's understanding and practicing a biblical principle is of greater concern to me. I have discharged my duty in teaching IEC to observe apostolic commands... though to my material loss... but my conscience is clear.
I hope these clears your mind. I thank you for the reminder to be gracious with my words. IEC's decision [sic] to continue to support me and their belief in faith as the condition for justification and eternal life are in the same category: irrational and unbiblical.
I will write about the fathers' in Romans 11:28 in a separate mail. Interesting subject. Keep studying.
your brother and servant in Christ,
sing
(p/s I don't remember Jamey Tucker or any Primitive Baptist Church sending support to us. They helped to collect some funds for forwarding to Sri Lanka after the tsunami disaster. The fund later returned – because one pastor in NZ insisted that the fund intended for the Sri Lankan brethren need to go through him. I insisted that SDC remits the fund directly to the intended recipients. When we disagreed, I returned the funds back to the US… more than US$10k).
========
=======
