Rev (Dr) Quek Suan Yew

Church Camp Questions (II)

1. If our entire life has been planned out, are our choices just an illusion?

Answer – No, our choices are not an illusion. The sovereign will of God is dynamic whereby the responsibility of man is not vitiated or diminished. If it is an illusion then man cannot be sent to hell. But man is accountable for the sins they commit in this life on earth. That is why there is a judgement after death. Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

2. Matthew 5:39, “That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” How do we distinguish the line between being long-suffering and knowing when to put our foot down?

Answer – This verse is with reference to suffering for Christ. Jesus Christ was correcting the misunderstanding and abuse of God’s Word by the teachers of that day. This verse was meant to teach God’s justice in regulating the civil society in Israel but they had applied it to personal vengeance. For context, this was what Christ said in Matthew 5:38 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Suffering for Christ is part of the narrow road that all believers must traverse. There is no escaping this truth unless they choose to live in sin and not holiness. All who live in holiness for Christ will endure persecution. But God is faithful and He will not allow any of His children to suffer beyond what He knows they can endure. Also, with every temptation He will make a way of escape so that they will all be able to bear the load of persecution (cf. 1Corinthians 10:13). There is no putting “our foot down” in enduring suffering for Christ. It is unto death. Revelation 2:10 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

3. A Christian ought to give his / her best in all that he / she does. In the context of a workplace / at the office, does this include volunteering oneself for tasks not explicitly stated in one’s job description? For instance, offering a solution which becomes a new project, and as a result, adding extra work to oneself. What are the precautions / things to take note of? Does not doing constitute laziness, or conversely, does doing constitute competiveness / chasing after materialism?

Answer – Giving one’s best in all that we do as Christians is for the sake and glory of Christ. Our testimony for Christ depends on this. If a believer is lazy, his holy witness for Christ is destroyed. Believers will always want to give their best in whatever they lay their hands to do. Voluntary work is always the way of Christians. Christ taught believers to go the second mile as long as they are able to do that “extra” task without jeopardising their holy witness in other areas of their life. They can volunteer. But if by volunteering, their witness for Christ may be affected, then they ought not to. For example, if we volunteer to do that extra work and it stops us from attending the weekly prayer meeting, or our family life is jeopardized, then we ought not to. Believers must not sacrifice one area of their witness to enhance another.

The motive behind the “volunteering” is key to knowing whether it is pleasing in the sight of God. The principle for decision making in situations like these is to check the heart motive. If the task before the believer is not sinful according to God’s Word, then the motive is the key. In all that we do as believers, the motive must be a constraint by the love of God. The glory of God will become the result when the motive is God's love. However, if the situation before the believer is sinful, the right motive will not matter because even if his motive is right, the sinful issue will not result in a holy outcome. The key is to do all things to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

It is laziness when the believer does not do what has been assigned to him. If he does not volunteer when he can do so, and his testimony for Christ in all other areas of his life is not jeopardized, then he needs to ask himself why he does not wish to volunteer. His reason will determine whether his decision is sinful or Christ honouring.

4. Is family planning biblical?

Answer – Family planning is not sinful, just as seeking an operation for appendicitis is not sinful. Advancement in medical science has allowed man to have options that pertain to child bearing and giving birth that were not available to past generations. As long as the family planning method does not transgress the law of God, the method can be used. If the method transgresses the law of God, like abortion, then it is sinful and wrong. The biblical phrase “be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth” (cf. Genesis 1:28; 9:1) was applied to Adam’s time and Noah’s time. These were two periods in man’s history where the total population numbered less than ten. In the case of Adam, it was just he and Eve. In the case of Noah, just after the global flood there were only eight of them. They were to replenish the earth and fill it because God's plan of salvation for man depended on it. The nation of Israel needed to be born. If man refused to replenish the earth there would not be a nation of Israel. That was one of the main reasons why God confounded the language of the people in Genesis 11 when they wanted to unite and remain in one place and build a city with a one world leader. Today, the context is different. The world is already very well replenished, i.e. filled.

5. Was family planning preached by the western Churches when it was propaganda by the authorities?

Answer – Perhaps there were some countries which did that for propaganda. But the basis for evaluating what is right or wrong is the perfect Word of God, not the motive of man. The right motive does not make right a wrong and vice versa. The Word of God must be the believer's one and only guide in conduct. This is the only way to conduct his life that will be pleasing to God.

6. Death is the evidence of sin so all human beings will die. If Jesus Christ did not go to the cross, does it mean that Jesus would never die since He is sinless?

Answer – The statement that death is the evidence of sin is biblical; because of sin man dies. This is true of all man who are born in sin. The sting of death is sin. In Christ, this sting has been removed permanently from the believer's life. (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:55-56).

This question is moot because Jesus Christ came to die. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that came to die for the sins of the world. John 1:29-36 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”

7. In view of 1 Cor 11, it would seem that verse 5 is a commandment. Is it a commandment? If not, how can we tell that it is not?

Answer – The use of the word “commandment” is misunderstood here. The principle of women submitting to man is the commandment here and not the manner in which the commandment is taught. Paul used a cultural practice of his time to teach the importance of a man having Christ as his head and the woman having the man as her head. The culture at that time required women to cover their heads whenever they leave their homes. This was their sign of humility and submission. This was their culture to show humility. By way of application, the teaching is that women must be subject to men in the church leadership. The expression of this submission will vary from Gentile nation to Gentile nation. For example, the washing of the disciples’ feet was a cultural practice common in many Jewish homes in the time of Christ. This was done to refresh weary travellers as they wore open sandals when they travelled. Washing their feet was to make them feel clean and refreshed. This was done by the most abject servant or slave in the home. Christ did this to teach the disciples about servanthood in Christian leadership when the disciples were bickering about who ought to be the leader after Christ’s departure (cf. John 13).

The context will usually reveal whether it is a cultural practice or not.

8. Can you please explain Luke 8:13 again? Are these true believers?

Answer – Luke 8:13 “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” The parable of the sower is about the right way to hear God’s Word. There are four ways a person receives the Word of God. The first type of ground describes the person rejecting the Word of God. It is the “way side.” The second type is the “rocky ground.” The person receives the Word of God and is pleased to hear it and agrees with what he has heard. But when persecution comes, he does not obey. His obedience was lip service only because he refuses to suffer for Christ. The third type is the “thorny” ground. This person hears the Word of God and like the second type of ground likes the message and believes what is said. However, when he faces the cares of the world such as family life, work life and the deceitful attractions of wealth, he also does not obey the Word of God that he has given verbal assent to. He also fails to receive the Word of God because he does not want to obey. Unlike the second type of ground, this person’s disobedience is exposed by the cares of the world and deceitful riches which is very common in Singapore. The fourth type is the “good ground.” The person receives the Word of God and obeys it. He suffers for Christ in his obedience. He refuses to allow the cares of the world or deceitfulness of riches to stop him from obeying God’s Word. In short, he bears fruit of the Spirit in his life.

If the Word of God preached is about salvation, then only the fourth type of ground will result in salvation. The other three will not result in salvation. If the Word of God preached is about Christian living, such as husband are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, or wives are to submit to their own husbands as unto the Lord, and this is not obeyed (like the three types of ground), then salvation is not the issue but the Christian witness at home is. They are guilty of bearing a bad testimony at home and bringing shame to the name of Christ.