A SEPARATIST CHURCH

The word “church” is used for the first time in Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The word “church” comes from the Greek ekklesia which literally means “to call out.” As such the church is a “called out people” of God, called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light, called out of this world of sin into the kingdom and family of God.

As a called-out people of God, the church should practise separation—to separate from unbelief and worldliness (2 Cor 6:14-7:1, 2 Thess 3:6, 14). The Bible-Presbyterian Church (BPC) is well-known as a separatist church. In fact all churches should be separatist churches, not just BPCs. The doctrine of separation is enshrined in our church constitution as in most BPC constitutions:

Article 6: Principle and Practice of Biblical Separation

6.1 The doctrine of separation from sin unto God is a fundamental principle of the Bible, one grievously ignored in the church today.

6.2 This doctrine arises out of the holiness of God. Both the purity and righteousness of God (Luke 1:75) are involved. “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:16, also 3:11; Exod 15:11; Isa 6:3; 2 Cor 7:1)

6.3 The Bible does speak of cooperation (“be of one mind,” “that they may all be one,” “labourers together,” “keep the unity of the Spirit,” “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord,” also 1 Cor 12:25). However, biblical cooperation is based upon TRUTH. It involves the united effort of God’s people. This is not a cooperation borne of a spirit of undiscerning pluralism, or that of seeking “truth” in all religions.

6.4 We maintain that Scripture teaches a separation that is based on the holiness of God, producing purity in all of life, personal and ecclesiastical.

6.5 It is the duty of all true churches of the Lord Jesus Christ to make a clear testimony to their faith in Him, especially in these darkening days of apostasy in many professing churches, by which apostasy whole denominations in their official capacity, as well as individual churches, have been swept into a paganising stream of modernism under various names and in varying degrees.

6.6 There has been a notable growth of autocratic domination on the part especially of modernistic leaders by whom the rightful powers of true churches are often usurped and are now being usurped.

6.7 The commands of God to His people to be separate from all unbelief and corruption are clear and positive: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Cor 6:14; see also Matt 6:24; Rom 16:17; Gal 1; Eph 5:11; 2 Thess 3:6, 14; 2 Tim 3:1-7; Tit 3:10; 2 Pet 2:1-3; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 7-11; Jude 3, 20-24; Rev 18:4). We reach out to those who are part of any human system which involves compromise with error, and who thus ought to “come out from among them” (2 Cor 6:17), separate themselves unto the “Father … the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor 6:18), thus “cleansing themselves” and perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor 7:1).

6.8 In loyalty to the revealed Word, we, as an organised portion of the people of God, are obliged to oppose all forms of modernism, cultism, Romanism and false religions. Dialogue for the purpose of reaching a compromise between all true Bible believers and representatives of such beliefs is impious, unbiblical, treasonous and unfaithful to the holy God, as He has revealed Himself to us in His infallible, inerrant Word.

6.9 We are opposed to all efforts to obscure or wipe out the clear line of separation between these absolutes: truth and error, light and darkness (See Isa 5:20; 2 Cor 6:14-18). We refer to such efforts by New Evangelicals, Charismatic Christians, promoters of ecumenical cooperative evangelism and of the social gospel, and all churches and other movements and organisations that are aligned with or sympathetic to the Ecumenical Movement.

As a called-out people of God, the church should practise holiness—to live a godly life to the glory of God. This will show that we are born again, indwelt and filled by the Holy Spirit, upholding His Truth and doing good and not evil.

Question: If the church is supposed to be such a holy and spiritual body of Christ, why are there so many problems in the church, like quarrellings and fightings, disunity and splits?

Answer: It is because the church local and visible is still imperfect. Know that the church on earth consists of a mixed multitude—believers, false believers, and unbelievers. Jesus described such a situation in Matthew 13:24-28, “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.”

Not only are there false believers, there are also false pastors and false teachers in the local and visible church (2 Pet 2:1-3). That is why the church here and now needs to be a church militant, to be always on guard and vigilant by putting on the whole armour of God (Eph 6:10-18). That is why the church on earth must continue to earnestly contend for the faith which is once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 3). That is why in the church there must be no let up in preaching against sin and warning against error.

It is when the church fails to do this and allows the world to come in that quarellings and fightings, disunity and splits arise. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:3, “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” It is vital for the church to keep the world and all worldliness out of its life and activities.

The church is described in the Scriptures in a number of ways which tell us what the church must be and must do:

(1) Body of Christ (Eph 1:22-23). This tells us that the church must maintain spiritual unity based on God’s Word.

(2) Bride of Christ (2 Cor 11:2). This tells us that the church must reflect purity in doctrine and practice in accordance to God’s Word.

(3) Pillar and Ground of the Truth (1 Tim 3:15). This tells us that the church has a duty to uphold and defend God’s Word.

Finally, it is the church universal and invisible that is perfect and triumphant. This is the church comprising all the elect and only the elect. We must make sure we are members of this heavenly church. While we are on earth, although imperfect, we must make sure we are truly born again and strive towards perfection—to become more and more Christlike, growing in our faith and love for the Lord.

Let us make sure we are a church that our Lord and Saviour will be pleased with and proud of when He returns. JK

LETTER FROM A LIFER

Rev Jeffrey Khoo

Far Eastern Bible College

9A Gilstead Road

Singapore 309063

Dear Rev Jeffrey Khoo

Though I worship at Life B-P Church, I actually agree with ALL your reasoning and arguments in your very strong stand on “The Perfect Bible.” I also admire your guts and continuous determined efforts and of course the hard work to keep up with it. Often I wish to go over to True Life B-P Church but my family and I have been rooted at Life for decades and I have been unable to persuade them. In my heart I hope FEBC will get a good deal in the allocation of use in the church buildings and compound that you may train others to be soldiers to press on with this fight unhindered in any way.

Truly, may the good Lord favour True Life B-P Church.

God bless you and your church and your work!

15 Sept 2014

Ed: We are thankful for this letter which encourages our hearts. We believe there are many others who believe and feel the same way about the divinely inspired and preserved words of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures underlying the good old KJV. Let us continue to hold forth the Word of Life in truth and in love so that God will be glorified and His saints edified. Our faith in and defence of God’s forever infallible and inerrant Word (VPI & VPP), which we have in our hands today, 100% perfect without any mistake is “for edification, and not for your destruction … For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.” (2 Cor 10:8, 13:8-9).

A MIGHTY DEFENDER IS OUR GOD

A mighty defender is Jehovah God,
A true refuge for saints who trust in His Word.
He is the horn of our salvation, our high tower,
In our trouble, He is our rock, shield and buckler.

Proud, scornful men do threaten and oppress,
Against us they accuse, and His Word they suppress.
Deep pits have they dug and wide nets have they laid,
But God pleads our cause, we are not dismayed.

In His own time, he has chosen the wisest men in the land,
To deliver us and show forth His power, like no other can.
We praise God’s name, for He is ever the same.
He has magnified His Word, even above all His Name.

Though the earth be removed, with mountains in the sea,
Still fear we not, when we trust in God the Almighty.
Jehovah-jireh, our Lord will see and provide,
Those who lean on His strength will forever abide.

Chan Kay Heem