Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew

Questions from Pandan Annual Church Camp 2014--part 7

1. Can we take the Lord’s Supper at our own time at home or at fellowship gatherings?
The Bible does not say that we cannot. However, it does give a very stern warning that anyone who partakes of it unworthily can face the judgement of God. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:26-29 (KJV) "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." [Emphasis added] There were many in the church of Corinth who were not careful and they became sick and some even died (cf. 1Cor. 11: 30). Due to this serious warning and biblical reason, the Bible Presbyterian Church in Singapore limits the ministering of the Lord's Supper sacrament to only ordained pastors.
This is to protect the flock of Christ from abusing this important and Christ honouring sacrament.

2. Can we partake the Lord’s Supper conducted by other Christian churches? Apply Biblical Separation?
You can partake of the Lord's Supper in churches that are sound and biblical. In today's ecumenical climate, such churches are not easy to find all over the world. Churches like the Roman Catholic Church that teaches the heresy of transubstantiation must be avoided. Lutheran churches that teach consubstantiation must also be avoided. The Charismatic churches with their lackadaisical attitude to the many doctrines of the Bible ought also to be avoided. A born-again believer should not be associated with such churches that are pawns of the evil one in the formation of the one world end time church.

Baptist churches were fine in the past. However, many of them have become members of the World Council of Churches which is leading the ecumenical charge. Therefore, unless that Baptist church is fundamental in its doctrinal beliefs and church practices, they must also be avoided. Any B-P church that teaches that the Bible has mistakes ought also to be avoided for fear of becoming a partaker of their manifold attacks on God's perfect Word. The doctrine of Biblical Separation, in the partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, must be carefully applied and adhered to in these last days.

3. Is it true that babies are saved when they die? If so, how do we reconcile this belief with the doctrine of Election?
Babies can definitely be saved when they die before the age of accountability. The prime example is the death of King David's baby who was conceived out of wedlock (with Bathsheba). The death of the baby was God's punishment upon King David for his sin of adultery and murder of Bathsheba's husband. David prayed for God's mercy on behalf of the baby when the baby became very sick. David even fasted as he prayed. But it was to no avail, for the baby died. 2 Samuel 12:19-23 (KJV), "But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. 21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." [Emphasis added] We all know that king David was definitely going to heaven. He said here that the baby could not come back to him but that he would go to the child after death. This means that King David will meet his child in heaven.

The question we need to ask is how babies or children who die before the age of accountability are saved. They definitely cannot confess their sins, for they do not know yet what sin is. All mankind are conceived in sin and are born in sin because the original sin of Adam has been passed down to them. The Bible says in Romans 5:12 (KJV), "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Babies and children who died before the age of accountability did not commit any wilful sin. They only had the original sin in them when they died. This means that they did not have to "confess with their mouth" before being saved. They did not commit any wilful sin like all adults and children of accountable age. Therefore, when these children or babies die they will be saved by God, and God will automatically impute them with the righteousness that is of the law, and Christ will baptize them with the Holy Spirit who will then indwell them.

Adult believers have to confess with the mouth and believe in the heart because they have both the original sin and many wilful sins. Once they have confessed and believed, God will then impute them the righteousness that is of the law and Christ will baptize them with the Holy Spirit.

4. What is the difference between predestination, election and foreknowledge? – Predestination comes from a compound Greek word which literally means "to decree beforehand." It means that a person's "horizon" (original Greek word is "horizo" from which we get the English word "horizon") or destiny has been determined by God beforehand. The word "election" means "chosen" and is also used in terms of salvation. The literal meaning is that of "chosen out of" the world of humanity. The word "foreknowledge" means "to know beforehand."

These biblical words are used by God to comfort and reassure believers that their salvation is not an afterthought from God. God knew of their salvation; it is not only known to Him but also actively pre-determined and designed by Him. God knows that one of the ways used by Satan to harass His children is to deceive them into thinking that either they are not saved or their salvation is only an accident! To prevent Satan from hurting His children, God uses these amazing truths to assure all believers that their salvation has been secured long before they even existed! Every child of God is very precious and dear to God's heart. He pre-determined each one’s destiny; He chose them out of all the billions of people throughout the ages and He had a personal intimate knowledge of them from before time. Believers must never take their salvation for granted or make light of it because it is freely offered to them!

5. When having to make a decision and after much prayer, how do I know that my decision is according to God’s will?
The first approach is to check against the Scriptures to see if what you want to do is against the Word of God. If it is not against any doctrine of the Bible, then it will now come down to your calling or talent or gift. For example, if you are looking for a job, then your talent will be used to help you decide. If you are able to do the work, then you know this is what God wants you to do. If it is with reference to serving in the church, then your spiritual gift must be taken into consideration. [Note that your talent and spiritual gift could very well be different.] God will give you with a spiritual gift to serve him in the church and to do so with joy, love and passion.

Prayer and peace in your heart will be the next level to consider. The above two guidelines are quite objective. Prayer and peace in your heart are subjective. But you have to be honest with your own soul. The final check would be from others or circumstances. The advice of mature believers like your parents, elders or pastors might help as they will be able to give options and biblical guidance. Circumstances like closed or open doors are also indicators to direct and redirect you to know God's will. One thing to always bear in mind is that God is sovereign and He already knows everything about all His children. It is up to His children to discover His will step by step, trusting in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to discern the heavenly Father's will for their life on earth.

All the above will work only if you are living a life of holiness. If you regard iniquities in your heart, the Lord will not hear your prayers (cf. Psalm 66:18).

6. In Matt 7:6, who are the dogs and who are the swine (i.e. what category of people are they)? Are they believers or not?
The context of Matthew 7 is one of making judgements with regard to people in the believer's life. Matthew 7:6 (KJV), "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." The "dogs" and "swine" were considered unclean animals according to the Law of God. In this context they are figures of speech referring to belligerent unbelievers who do not merely say ‘no’ to the truth but will turn around and attack the messengers of that which is holy and precious, i.e. the Word of God.

When believers witness to those who belong to the "dogs" and "swine" categories, the Lord says avoid them and do not waste time arguing with them. What the believer offers is holy and priceless which is the gospel truth. Do not think that he is offering "junk" or something "cheap." When we encounter these "dogs" and "swine" that do not appreciate and see it and even turn around and trample on the truth, we should walk away and leave them alone!

7. Can you please explain 1 Cor 15:29 "Else what shall they do which are baptised for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptised for the dead?"
The apostle Paul was not teaching that baptism for the dead is acceptable to God. The entire context of 1Corinthains 15 is about the resurrection of believers. This is the best chapter that explains many issues about the doctrine of the resurrection of believers. Christ's resurrection, the certainty and nature of the believer's resurrected body, the significance and essential reality of the resurrection, and the suddenness and climax of the resurrection are some of the truths found in this chapter.

This verse is a difficult verse to understand. There are quite a few different views regarding its meaning. However, based upon the immediate context of this verse the most likely interpretation is that the sacrament of baptism teaches not only the believer's identification with Christ's death but also His resurrection. This belief of the resurrection from the dead in water baptism has resulted in many believers publicly identifying themselves with Christ and as well as being persecuted for it. They suffered much loss and pain and even death because of their belief in baptism. Therefore, the phrase "baptism for the dead" refers to those who have already died in Christ because of their public witness in baptism, that they belong to Christ and Christ is their Lord and Saviour. The context of verse 29 can be deduced from the next few verses.

1 Corinthians 15:30-34 (KJV),"And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. 33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."

8. Philippians 4:6 (Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.) whenever we talk about committing our prayer request to the Lord. Is this using it in the right context?
The context of Philippians 4 is the practical transformation after the mighty work of salvation in the believer's life. He rejoices ever more under all circumstances (4:4), his life is under careful control and lived according to God's truth (4:5) and he has peace in his heart because he learns to trust in God daily by committing the issues of life to God through persistent and unceasing prayer (4:6). It is good to complete the quotation to include verse 7. Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV), "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." The believer ought not to fret and worry as he can always bring all his cares to the Lord through prayer. He knows and trusts in the Lord to take care of them all so that whatever happens, all will turn out for the believer's good and for God's glory. Therefore the believer can have the peace of God in his heart and mind. He has nothing to worry about. His heavenly Father is in absolute sovereign control.

9. Who were the Nicolaitans mentioned in Revelation 2:6?
There is not much information from Scriptures about them. Below is a write up taken from ISBE (International Standard of the Bible Encyclopaedia):
"A sect or party of evil influence in early Christianity, especially in the 7 churches of Asia. Their doctrine was similar to that of Balaam, "who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication" (Re 2:14-15). Their practices were strongly condemned by John, who praised the church in Ephesus for "hating their works" (Rev 2:6), and blamed the church in Pergamum for accepting in some measure their teaching (Re 2:15). Except that reference is probably made to their influence in the church at Thyatira also, where their leader was "the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess" (Re 2:20; compare Re 2:14), no further direct information regarding them is given in Scripture.

"Reference to them is frequent in post-apostolic literature. According to Irenaeus (Adv. Haer., i.26,3; iii.10,7), followed by Hippolytus (Philos., vii.36), they were founded by Nicolaus, the proselyte of Antioch, who was one of the seven chosen to serve at the tables (Ac 6:5). Irenaeus, as also Clement of Alexandria (Strom., ii.20), Tertullian and others, unite in condemning their practices in terms similar to those of John; and reference is also made to their Gnostic tendencies. In explanation of the apparent incongruity of such an immoral sect being founded by one of "good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (compare Ac 6:3), Simcox argues that their lapse may have been due to reaction from original principles of a too rigid asceticism. A theory, started in comparatively modern times, and based in part on the similarity of meaning of the Greek "Nikolaus," and the Hebrew "Balaam," puts forward the view that the two sects referred to under these names were in reality identical. Yet if this were so, it would not have been necessary for John to designate them separately.

"The problem underlying the Nicolaitan controversy, though so little direct mention is made of it in Scripture, was in reality most important, and concerned the whole relation of Christianity to paganism and its usages. The Nicolaitans disobeyed the command issued to the Gentile churches, by the apostolic council held at Jerusalem in 49-50 AD, that they should refrain from the eating of "things sacrificed to idols" (Ac 15:29). Such a restriction, though seemingly hard, in that it prevented the Christian communities from joining in public festivals, and so brought upon them suspicion and dislike, was yet necessary to prevent a return to a pagan laxity of morals. To this danger the Nicolaitans were themselves a glaring witness, and therefore John was justified in condemning them. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul gives warning against the same evil practices, basing his arguments on consideration for the weaker brethren (compare 1Co 8)."

10.Mark 9: 38-39 "And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting our devils in thy name, and he followeth not us, and we forbad him because he followeth not us, But Jesus said 'Forbid him not, for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me." What does this mean? Does this mean that we need not be too concerned about churches that don't follow our position/doctrine as long as Jesus' name is promoted, because people can still be saved through Jesus' name?

Jesus was teaching the importance of doctrines over individual personal glory. The issue brought by John was that he "followeth not US." Christ must be the basis for evaluation and not "us." The "us" here would include our own church's denomination. When a person's or church's doctrine is evaluated, the yardstick is the Bible and not the person’s denominational distinctiveness. It is true that in these last days there are increasingly fewer good churches and Bible Colleges to support and attend. However, the perennial yardstick for evaluation of any person or ministry is always the Bible and not man.

"People can still be saved through Jesus' Name" is not the basis for evaluating a church or doctrine. The reason is that this is a man-centred approach and must be rejected. The Bible is God-centred and therefore every believer must also be God-centred. This is the mindset of neo-evangelicals who came into existence in 1948 when they rejected the doctrine of Biblical Separation and believed in infiltration in order to fraternise with liberals and modernists who attack Christ and the Bible. That was more than 60 years ago. Today the damage done through this erroneous and subtle approach to Christianity is irreparable. Churches and Bible colleges and seminaries are dying because of this evil. The basis for evaluating all persons and churches and ministries is God's perfect Truth.