A PERFECT BIBLE: DREAM OR REALITY? (II)

Jeffrey Khoo

“Canon III: Therefore, we are not able to approve of the opinion of those who believe that the text which the Hebrew Original exhibits was determined by man’s will alone, and do not hesitate at all to remodel a Hebrew reading which they consider unsuitable, and amend it from the versions of the LXX and other Greek versions, the Samaritan Pentateuch, by the Chaldaic Targums, or even from other sources. They go even to the point of following the corrections that their own rational powers dictate from the various readings of the Hebrew Original itself which, they maintain, has been corrupted in various ways; and finally, they affirm that besides the Hebrew edition of the present time, there are in the versions of the ancient interpreters which differ from our Hebrew text, other Hebrew Originals. Since these versions are also indicative of ancient Hebrew Originals differing from each other, they thus bring the foundation of our faith and its sacred authority into perilous danger.”

The Helvetica Consensus Formula rightly warned that textual criticism that sought to change the perfect text denies the Bible’s total infallibility and inerrancy, and “brings the foundation of our faith and its sacred authority into perilous danger”. Hence, we reject all the modern versions and perversions of the Bible today which are based on corrupt manuscripts produced and promoted by humanistic and rationalistic textual critics of this apostate age. We should have no confidence in textual criticism at all. Indeed, Hendel himself admits, “The dream of a perfect text is simply that, a dream. None of our texts are perfect and textual criticism is not an inquiry that yields perfect results. … Textual critics do what we can, but it is wrong to expect or demand a perfect text. If a doctrine of biblical inerrancy requires a perfect text, then this requirement cannot be met by textual critics or a modern critical edition.”

Hendel as an unbeliever is of course not bothered by the absence of a perfect text. But believers appreciate the perfection of God and the consequent perfection of His words: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor 2:12–14).

There are professing fundamentalists who say the Bible is infallible and inerrant only in its doctrines but not in its words, who say there are some mistakes in the Bible but they are insignificant. Swiss Reformed theologian Francis Turretin (1623–1687) in his Institutes of Elenctic Theology refuted such a view, “Unless unimpaired integrity is attributed to Scripture, it cannot be regarded as the sole rule of faith and practice, and a wide door is opened to atheists, libertines, enthusiasts, and others of that sort of profane people to undermine its authority and overthrow the foundation of salvation. Since error cannot be part of the faith, how can a Scripture which is weakened by contradictions and corruptions be regarded as authentic and divine? Nor should it be said that these corruptions are only in matters of little significance, which do not affect the fundamentals of faith. For as soon as the authenticity of Scripture has been found wanting even if it be a single corruption that cannot be corrected, how can our faith any longer be sustained? If corruption is conceded in matters of little importance, why not also in others of more significance?”

Hendel is correct to conclude that “Turretin’s orthodoxy requires an inerrant text.” A perfect text in our hands today is most vital for the credibility of the Christian Faith in this present apostate age. As Christians we are assured by the Author of the Bible Himself that the Bible He has given to us was and still is 100% perfect without any mistake regardless of what the liberal, Catholic and fundamentalist textual critics today might say; “yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom 3:4). “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Ps 119:89).

FEBC and VPP

That Christians have a perfect text in their hands is precisely what FEBC has been advocating since 2002 in the face of Fundamental Baptists in the United States and certain Bible-Presbyterians in Singapore who deny VPP and promote textual criticism, who say that the perfection of the original text lies only in the autographs (the inspired originals or initial manuscripts) and not the apographs (the divinely preserved copies of the inspired originals).

Is the autographs-only view the old historical view? No, it is a new, modern view. It is important to note that the high orthodoxy of the Protestant Reformers as regards a perfect original text has to do mainly with the apographs and not merely the autographs. Richard A Muller, Zondervan Professor of Historical Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, states the case most succinctly, “The Protestant scholastics do not press the point made by their nineteenth-century followers that the infallibility of Scripture and the freedom of Scripture from error reside absolutely in the autographa and only in a derivative sense in the apographa; rather, the scholastics argue positively that the apographa preserve intact the true words of the prophets and the apostles and that the God-breathed (theopneustos) character of Scripture is manifest in the apographa as well as in the autographa.” It must be emphasised that this is precisely the VPP position of FEBC as stated in its Constitution, “We believe in the divine, Verbal Plenary Inspiration (Autographs) and Verbal Plenary Preservation (Apographs) of the Scriptures in the original languages, their consequent inerrancy and infallibility, and as the perfect Word of God, the supreme and final authority in faith and life (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:20–21, Ps 12:6–7, Matt 5:18, 24:35).”

The Rev Dr Timothy Tow, founding pastor of Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (LBPC) and founding principal of FEBC believed in VPP and upheld the Bible in the Traditional, Reformation, and Received Text upon which the KJV is based to be 100% perfect without any mistake. In the years 2002 and 2003, his high Biblical orthodoxy was met with great opposition by his two assistant pastors and their supporters who have been in one way or another influenced by the Fundamental Baptists of Bob Jones University, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, and Temple Baptist Seminary. After pastoring LBPC for over five decades, the Rev Tow finally resigned from LBPC because he could no longer take, in his own words, “their lambasting without a drop of brotherly love”. Although the Rev Tow resigned as pastor of LBPC, he remained as principal of FEBC. LBPC then targeted FEBC.

In 2007 and 2008, LBPC demanded that FEBC cease and desist from teaching VPP or face eviction. FEBC refused to accede. “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29). On 15 September 2008, LBPC filed a suit in the Supreme Court of Singapore to evict FEBC from her birthplace and home at 9/9A Gilstead Road. But they failed totally. God protected FEBC. You can trust the God of the Bible 100%. Our God is faithful and true and will always keep His promise to preserve His people and His words, “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). FEBC’s victory and vindication is a testimony to that. The Court of Appeal (the apex court) in 2011 not only dismissed the claims of LBPC but also declared VPP to be in keeping with Article 1.8 of the 1646 Westminster Confession of Faith which speaks of the Bible being “kept pure in all ages”. What can we say but this: “I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” (Ps 138:1–2).

PROSPERITY THEOLOGY

(Antioch Missions, China Prayer Update, February 2017)

One of the challenges the church in China is facing today is the growing popularity of prosperity theology. An article in the Gospel Time, translated in the China Christian Daily gave a few reasons why this teaching is gaining popularity in mainland churches.

The Utilitarian Belief Mindset

Chinese churches are deeply influenced by folk beliefs, which are extremely utilitarian. Many people believe in God not for eternity, the thirst of eternal life, or truth, but out of a desire to meet earthly needs. The prosperity gospel satisfies those people. They preach that God is all powerful and will grant whatever is requested. Whenever you pray to God, He will satisfy your needs in life. Many believers with this utilitarian mindset pursue faith in order to receive material gain and end up being ensnared.

The Social Morality of Worshiping Money

China’s economy has developed rapidly since the reform and opening policy. However, it has led to a prevailing trend of money-worship. In a world full of material desires, evaluating people has become more simplified. People have come to believe that success is based on how much material wealth a person has. Because of this social environment, Christians find it difficult to avoid the influence of worshiping money.

Many people just go along, agreeing with these values and making wealth the ultimate goal and measure of a successful life. The prosperity gospel claims that earthly success is a basic feature of God’s blessings; this caters to the current ideological trends. It also provides an important theological basis for Christians who indulge themselves in the pursuit of fame and fortune, and it colours these false values with an appearance of “holiness.”

Favouring “Successful People”

The phenomenon of electing church leaders based on social status rather than spiritual life exists in many mainland churches. This has resulted in many faithful believers with good faith being excluded from church administration.

Aside from favouring successful people in positions of power, many testimony meetings are filled with praise for “how successful their businesses are.” This greatly influences the values of believers.

Moreover, some church pastoral workers have a very obvious bias in how they treat people. For example, they greet rich people solicitously, while they greet normal people perfunctorily; during fellowship discussions, the words of “successful people” carry a lot of weight, while no one pays attention to the “grassroots group.” They also ignore the validity of the information being discussed, and have double standards for dealing with conflicts in the church. In the same way, they are lenient with the ones in high places and judge ordinary people strictly.

The tendency of the church to favour successful people has fostered the spread of the prosperity gospel. The evaluative standard in a group always determines the value of the general public. With the exception of those who think for themselves, most people follow the current in the “conformity” value system. When churches start to see earthly success as a “glorious testimony” and a significant characteristic, it results in Christians acknowledging the same values. In this way, the prosperity gospel has naturally taken root among the people.

With China set to become the world’s largest Christian nation within 15 years and world’s largest economy much sooner, mega-churches preaching prosperity gospel will be a great economic force to reckon with.

[Ed: Pray the Charismatic prosperity gospel will not take hold of God’s people in China, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Tim 6:10).]