Countdown to Jubilee (IV)
To Teach God’s Forever Infallible and Inerrant Word
Rev Jeffrey Khoo
Principal and Lecturer in Systematic Theology
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim 2:2).
I was a sophomore in FEBC when she celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1987. Now, a quarter of a century later (how time flies!), she is commemorating 50 years of God’s good hand upon her as a School of Prophets for the end-times. The College remains unwavering in “holding forth the word of life” (Phil 2:16) and “holding fast the faithful word” (Tit 1:9) in these perilous days of apostasy and unbelief. For such a time as this, FEBC had trained me well to teach God’s forever infallible and inerrant Word to others, and defend the precious doctrines of the 16 Century Protestant Reformation and the Reformed Faith.“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” (Heb 13:7). FEBC as a spiritual SAFTI (Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute) marches on in the spirit of her founder, the late Rev Dr Timothy Tow (1920-2009), who also founded the Bible- Presbyterian movement in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The Rev Dr Timothy Tow would be comforted to know that the good Lord has protected and preserved FEBC from dissenters who had sought to evict her from her birthplace and home at Gilstead Road just because of her belief and defence of the indisputable and indispensable doctrine of the present infallibility and inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures (otherwise known as Verbal Plenary Preservation) which is in accord with the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1646 (I.VIII). Did not our Lord Himself promise, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matt 5:18); “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt 24:35)? Woe to that man who says Jesus did not mean what He said, and that His words of prophecy and promise are not to be taken literally!
We in FEBC believe God means what He says and says what He means. It all boils down to faith for “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6). We do not doubt His promises, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Cor 1:20). It is by faith and by faith in His Word alone that we “judged him faithful who had promised” (Heb 11:11). Faith as a biblical philosophy of life is what we teach our students, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17).
By the grace of God, FEBC is experiencing a unity of faith and spirit that she has not experienced for a long time, a unity that is grounded on the basis of truth and not at the expense of it; not the ecumenical unity which decries, “away with doctrine for it divides, all we need is love.” But does not the Scripture say, “[Love] rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth” (1 Cor 13:6)? As far as FEBC is concerned, “we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor 13:8). The unity that comes with both truth and charity is truly lovely and indeed a treasure to be cherished. Such a blessed unity we as a College family have tasted of late. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps 133:1).
What else can I say but this: “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 138:2).
My prayer for the College in the days to come is that we as a School of Prophets will never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor the whole counsel of God, but will ever be faithful and true to His forever infallible and inerrant Word to the last letter and syllable, all to the glory of God. Amen.
To Serve Him Faithfully Till He Comes
Mrs Jemima Khoo
Lecturer in Christian Education
I thank the Lord for the great privilege of being brought up in a Christian home and in a pastor’s family and to be predestined to be a child of God. From a young age, I learned all about the Lord Jesus Christ. As a child, I accepted the Lord as Saviour after watching a film on the Second Coming of Christ. I realised that only Jesus could save me from my sins.
Seeing how my father led an exemplary life in the service of the Lord, I entered the Far Eastern Bible College in 1986 and it is a decision that I did not regret. I learned many spiritual lessons and was enriched in the studying of God’s Word.
After FEBC, I studied Christian School Administration at Grace Theological Seminary, Indiana, USA as well as Religious Education at Trinity Theological Seminary, Indiana, USA. I am thankful for the privilege to be able to use and impart all that I have learned, since FEBC days, till today.
As we live our Christian life and serve the Lord, may we fear God and walk in His ways and serve Him faithfully till He comes. To God be the glory.
“Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD, that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee” (Ps 128:1-2).
Faithfulness of God in Preserving FEBC
Mrs Chan Sok Sin
It was 50 years ago when the late Rev Tow
Set up a school at 9 and 9A Gilstead Road
To teach willing men and women the word of God
That they might grow in the knowledge of our Lord.
It had a humble beginning of three students
With hearts full of zest and good intentions
But alas, two left, before the year-end
For other schools with a more established brand.
So the faithless began to doubt
“Close the school!” came the shout
Did the Almighty God really call To build a bible school at all?
With tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart
Despite that, the late Rev Tow would not depart
From the goodly course the Lord has steered
Plainly and surely through the years.
When we are weak, the Lord is strong
In our darkest moments He gives a song;
To encourage and to strengthen
His faithful, though much disheartened.
“O Father, Thou Almighty art
And deign to dwell in contrite hearts
And visit with Thy grace and peace
Forever bless with Thine increase!”
With renewed zeal and quiet resolve
The late Rev Tow persevered on.
Unflinchingly, he would sit on his stool
Expounding the whole Truth to the school.
No servant has our Master ever forsaken
His presence could never be mistaken
Slowly, steadily the numbers increase
To be trained as teachers, pastors and evangelists.
Many graduates from the school would
Follow the faith their teacher has firmly stood;
Not only in word but also in deed
In all the commandments the Lord has decreed.
Whether it be biblical separation
Or, verbal plenary preservation,
To patiently and earnestly contend
For the Faith once delivered to holy men.
Even when supporters are few
From God’s Word we are not to skew
Instead, we must be on the Lord’s side
From His battle we are not to hide.
So the school was put to the test
When its premises Life-Church schemed to wrest,
Unless the school stops teaching
The Perfect Bible God has been preserving.
Obey we must, in the Word we trust,
Our burdens, upon our Deliverer cast.
Once again, our Lord proves faithful
To save victoriously, He is merciful.
We thank the Lord for these 50 years
Keeping, guiding and allaying our fears.
May the Lord help us to stand fast
Until His face we see at last. “To God be the glory!”
*****
