CHURCH THEME 2021
THE COMING OF THE LORD DRAWETH NIGH


“Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” (James 5:8)

The Bible-Presbyterian Church is known for her emphasis on the imminency of the Second Coming of Christ. Sadly, many churches today seem apathetic to Christ’s soon return. This can be seen in a lack of hymns present in hymnals concerning the second coming of Christ. Yet, the Scriptures often remind us that we must remain watchful of our Saviour’s coming (1 Thess. 5:6; 1 Pet. 4:7). The current COVID-19 pestilence is a sign of Christ’s imminent return (Matt. 24:7). As Christians, we must not miss this message. Are we ready for our Saviour’s return?

In the text today, James sought to comfort the early Jewish church which was undergoing many discouragements. There were problems within and without. To encourage the saints, James told them to wait patiently for the coming of the Lord who will come to vindicate them. Just like the spring and autumn rains in the Promised Land which will come in their due seasons (v.7), so the Lord will come in the appointed time. And Christ is coming very soon. Our trials and tribulations will only be for a short moment which cannot be compared to the eternal glories to come (Rom. 8:18).

When we have our hearts focused on the imminency of Christ’s return, there will be a certain stability in our ways. We will not be easily taken by the vain philosophies and things of the world. Neither will we be perturbed by the winds of trouble that may blow about us. Therefore, we hope this theme may be of great encouragement to all in the church. Press on in the Lord, dear brethren.

As usual, we hope to have our annual Church Camp at the end of the year. More will be spoken on this theme at the camp. In the mean time, we have the series on the Book of Revelation for the Lord’s Day. This fits in nicely with the church theme.

May God keep us ever watchful and sober, and grant His richest blessings for the year ahead in Christ Jesus.

Yours affectionately,
Pastor Clement Chew

Discipleship Class Curriculum 2021 – Overview of the Bible

The Discipleship Class will be going through an overview of the books of the Bible in 2021. God willing, the students will cover all 66 books of the Bible in 48 lessons. The aim is to show how God progressively reveals Himself and His plan of salvation through His Word. They will learn the background (writer, date etc.), outline, key doctrines and applications of each book. They will also learn how the books of the Bible point to the central theme, which is salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Emphasis will be placed on how they ought to respond to the Word of God.
It is the teachers’ hope that the students will gain a better understanding of the books of the Bible and a deeper appreciation of God and His Word.

God bless,
Deacon Wee Bo Hao

Editor’s note: It is most pleasing to note that the discipleship class is undergoing a survey of the Bible. It is not only important to know the individual books well, but also to get a broad picture of what the Scriptures are teaching. When studying the Bible, we must never miss the forest for the trees. A survey of the Bible will mitigate that. May God bless the Discipleship class for His glory.

A Study of Jude
THE CHRISTIAN SAINT’S ACTIVITY
Summary of Message Preached by Bro. Samuel Joseph at Ladies’ Bible Retreat
2020
Summary by Tammy Ho

Text: Jude 20-25

This final part of the Epistle speaks of how we are to earnestly contend for the faith.
1. Duty to Self (vs 20-21):
Our duty with regard to ourselves must be a duty of progress, prayer and perseverance. The word ‘building’ in verse 20 describes a process of continual construction. There must always be growth and progress in a Christian on the truth of God’s Word. And if we do not take the study of God’s Word seriously, we will stagnate. We must build ourselves on the Word of God for if we build our lives on something else, we will not be able to defend the truth. Building up ourselves also speaks of prayer. We need God’s help. Hence, we must always be praying, that we may be stablished in the truth and kept from error. A Christian must take prayer seriously, for he cannot live without prayer. There must also be that genuine love for God and others, and praying helps us to persevere in our love for God. We must keep ourselves in the love of God, only then will we not apostatise. We must also make sure that our love for God is genuine and persevering.

2. Duty to others (vs 22-25): Jude tells us that we are to make a difference, and that is to respond appropriately to each individual if they are to be rescued from error. Some must be dealt with compassion and patience, as how Jesus dealt with Nicodemus when He led him to the truth. For others, if they are to be saved, they must be saved with fear (vs 23). This means that they must be shown the seriousness and danger of their situation. Fear needs to be put in them so that they can escape from danger. They need to be sharply rebuked, so that they may be strong in the faith. On the other hand, we ourselves ought to be careful not to join them in the deception. Thus, we need discernment and that is why we must build ourselves, to pray and keep ourselves in the love of God. By the grace of God, He will give us the wisdom which we need to contend for the faith, and the discernment to act rightly so that we can help others. We cannot be idle on this duty. To help others require a whole life of dedication and commitment.

Jude began the epistle with the view of believers in light of the work of the Triune God. As he comes to the end of the epistle, he ends with that same theme. Even as we reject apostasy, we are reminded that if it were not for the grace of God, we will fall. God alone keeps us from falling. It is also an encouragement to know that God is the One who keeps us from falling, so we cannot fall because God cannot fail. He is the One who sanctifies and presents us faultless. Earnestly contending for the faith is not about debating or arguing, it is a matter of life and death. It is serious because souls are at stake. We contend for the faith by living out the truth in our own lives and exhorting others to do the same. There is no neutrality in this conflict, one cannot sit on the fence, nor be idle. We must answer the call. Are we for the Lord? That is how important our duty is, to contend for the faith and we have to give an account of this to the Lord. But if we are on the Lord’s side, we have that blessed assurance of ultimate victory.