God Gives the Increase
“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” (1 Cor 3:7). Praise the Lord for an increase in enrolment in the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC). The College has a total of 426 students this semester comprising 107 day-time students (55 full-time, 52 part-time) from 14 countries (Australia, Cambodia, China, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tanzania, Vietnam), and 252 lay students in the Basic Theology for Everyone (BTFE) night classes on Mondays (“Charismatism Q&A” by Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo) and Thursdays (“The Names of God” by Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy), and 67 distance learning students taking the online courses. What is heartening is the doubling of distance learning students, quite a number from Bethel Bible- Presbyterian Church in Melbourne and the Bible-Presbyterian Church of Western Australia in Perth. There is also Dr Wee Tiong Soon from Kemaman Life Bible-Presbyterian Church, Terengganu, Malaysia.
A good number of young people who have just completed their junior college studies are investing their time well by taking up a full-time load of classes and working towards their Certificate of Religious Knowledge (CertRK) while they wait for their National Service enlistment or their university matriculation. Will any answer God’s call to full-time service?
God willing, FEBC will conduct a Daily Vacation Bible College (DVBC) from April 30th to May 5th. Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew will teach on the “Theology of Giving”, and Prof Tan Yock Lin from the NUS Law School will give a special lecture on what pastors and churches ought to know about Charitable Purpose Trust. The 37th Graduation Service will be held right after that on the Lord’s Day May 6th at Calvary Pandan Bible- Presbyterian Church. As usual, FEBC will end its academic year by holding its annual retreat from May 7th to 9th at the Resort Lautan Biru in Mersing which is a home away from home.
The highlight for FEBC this year would be her 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service and Dinner to be held on September 21st (DV). We are grateful to the Lord for protecting and preserving our witness and testimony right here at our Gilstead Road home and campus all these 50 years despite Life BPC’s recent attempt to evict us. Take heed, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” (Prov 22:28). A Golden Jubilee Magazine to commemorate the occasion is in the pipeline.
The Board and Faculty hereby encourage all FEBC alumni to come for this special event if they can make it. We look forward to a time of thanksgiving to God and fellowship with one another. The FEBC alumni have grown to about 700. Let us continue to pray for FEBC—a School of Prophets for a 21st Century Reformation. Pray that FEBC will continue to stand steadfast and unwavering on God’s forever infallible and inerrant Words especially in these last days of apostasy and unbelief, that FEBC will be courageous to preach, teach and defend all the truths of the Christian Faith and warn against the doctrinal denials and compromises of a very sick Church today.
The Lord Jesus Christ is coming back very soon. Is the Church ready? Are we ready? Jesus sounded the warning, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Let us all make sure, we who name the name of Christ, will remain faithful and true to Him until the day He returns. JK
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Theology the Queen of Sciences
Rev Dr Timothy Tow
“Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.” (John 7:14-18).
You can get a PhD in mosquitology, be able to count how many hairs there are on its proboscis, and you are recognised a scientist. It is Calvin who has stated that true knowledge (therefore the apex of knowledge) is that of God, and of man.
The Jews—scribes, lawyers, Pharisees, were scholars, well versed in the minutiae of Jewish law, but it was such a stagnated accumulation of man-made knowledge. When our Lord spoke, what a contrast! He who is the fountain of all wisdom and knowledge (Prov 8), who comes down from heaven, from the bosom of the Father, teaches theology! The queen of sciences, the true and highest knowledge! And not forgetting man, whose soul is worth more than the whole world. He spoke plenty on humanity. This brings down His opponents to a momentary admiration, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” Were they not astounded when Jesus at twelve years of age sat in the temple among the doctors?
Now theology cannot be learnt like any other science. It cannot be learnt by an unconverted person: “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 2:14). “Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). This is what our Lord means when He tells the Jews that His high source of theological knowledge, reposed in the Father, is beyond their grasp, unless they would do His will, be submitted to the Spirit of God. “If any man will do his will, he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17). If Jesus preaches only Himself with no reference to the Father, He would be teaching heresy, He would claim glory for Himself. But, He testifies otherwise. The Jews being blind in their own conceits could never understand theology. Hence they could not see in Jesus the Second Person of the Holy Trinity to this day. So it is with us. There are those who attend Church all their lives in modernist established churches, even elders and ministers of the Word, who deny the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. These are the modern scribes and Pharisees, blind leaders of the blind. Those who follow them will fall into the ditch (Matt 15:14). Calvin says, it is the humble who will understand theology!
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New Houses for Myanmar Orphanage
The orphans of New Life Orphanage, Yangon, Myanmar will be getting two new brick houses to replace their bamboo huts. Brother Thangno managed to raise US$10,000 for this building project when he was in USA last year. This amount was sufficient for one building, not two. Since it is best for the boys and girls to be housed separately, he went ahead to build two buildings. He sought True Life’s help for the second building, and Session after much prayer decided to match the sum already raised and give US$10,000 to see this building project through.
May the orphans remember to thank and praise the Lord Jesus Christ and His good and wonderful supplies to them, both spiritually and materially. Elder John Leong of Tabernacle BPC will lead a team to conduct a Vacation Bible School this March. To teach the Bible to the children is most important.
Here’s a thankful email from Thangno:
Dear Pastor Jeffrey,
Greetings in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I deeply would like to say thanks to you and to True Life BPC for you really and truly practice love and mercy and for your concern for us (NLOC) with the love gift and support for the two new concrete buildings USD 10K. I have continued from last week on Monday 16 January with USD 5K that Bro Kwok Whye sent on 14 January until today. I have finished up the girls’ concrete foundation just like the boys’. Now, I will continue again the roof after I have received USD 5K. Again we are very happy.
Pastor, it is very great and wonderful the true love of True Life BPC for you practice love and we all here are very happy and thankful so much to you more than we can say. Praise the Lord and to God be the glory.
We all here give thanks a lot to you and to True Life BPC and praying always for True Life BPC and FEBC. May God bless you!
Yours in Christ, Brother Thangno
New Life Orphan Center Yangon, Myanmar
