My dear readers,

Questions Posed at CPBPC’s Annual Church Camp (10-15 June 2019) – part 5

Can our loved ones who are called home to glory see or hear what is happening here on earth?

Reply – There is no record in any portion of Holy Scriptures that say they can or they cannot see or hear what is happening on earth. However we are told that when a sinner becomes a believer there is rejoicing in heaven. Luke 15:4-10 “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Believers are present with God in heaven in spirit. Therefore when there is joy in heaven whenever a sinner becomes a believer, they would also know it too. In this sense perhaps believers will know “what is happening.” They will not know everything, for only God who is omniscient knows all things all at the same time. Man is still bound by time and space whether he exists in a corporeal form or not.

I prefer to spend time with non-Christians than with Christian friends. But I really believe that the Bible is the Word of God and Jesus indeed died for my sins. Am I saved? I don’t want go to hell. 

Reply – I do not know what the questioner means when he says, “I prefer to spend time with non-Christians than with Christian friends.” If he means spending time with his non Christian friends for the purpose of sharing Christ with them then there is no issue. However, it would be a faulty comparison on his part to compare such an experience with spending time with fellow believers. This is because the former is time spent in the battlefield in the devil’s territory. The latter is time with family where he is in the presence of Christ who is the head of his family. He is at rest and in peace.

However, if he means spending time with his non-Christian friends whereby they behave in sin and talk about carnal things, then he is in serious danger, for he might have built his “Christian” life on sinking sand. He is probably not born again in the first place as Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-27 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” This means that his belief “that the Bible is the Word of God and Jesus indeed died for my sins” is only lip service. His confession did not come from the heart that ought to have resulted in conversion.

When a person becomes a Christian, the Lord Jesus Christ will immediately baptize him with the Holy Spirit. His joy in Christian fellowship is not by the will of man or from the person himself but from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He now delights to hear God's Word as well as understand it because the Holy Spirit and Christ are always in agreement. There is no conflict. He likes to attend worship service and the study of God’s holy Word because he loves to spend time with God's family in worship and to listen to God's voice through the Word of God taught or preached. This is one of the clearest evidence of a child of God who now loves things spiritual and eternal because he can, whereas before salvation he could not.

God is just and so sinners have to be punished. God is love as He sent Jesus to die for our sins. If God had not created us, He wouldn't have to send anyone to hell. Why did God even create us? 

Reply – This is a perennial question that is asked throughout the ages. If God had not created man then there would be no man to ask any question. The only creature that God created on earth with the ability to ask questions is man himself. He is also the only creature in heaven and on earth that God created in His own image. Genesis 1:26-28 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

Man is capable of having self-determination and consciousness. When man was in this state of temporal perfection, God entered into a covenant of works with man in paradise called the Garden of Eden. Man failed God and broke the covenant of works by sinning against God. Now man is born in sin and lives in sin. He will also die in sin if he does not find the Saviour Jesus Christ to save him. God loves sinful man. In His love He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to come down from heaven to take on flesh and blood to die for sinful man to save him from sin, death and hell. God did not have to do so but He did, for that was the only way to destroy the devil and his evil deed in causing man to sin against God. This is the reality of the origin of sin and what God did for humanity. Now if God had not created . . . but He did create! Therefore the questions above are non-questions.

God’s reply to such questions is found in Romans 9:14-24 “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?”

Should a God-fearing Christian be ashamed if he or she is wealthy? Can a Christian be both God-fearing and rich? Is it right if that Christian flaunts his or her wealth by buying a Ferrari?

• What if he or she buys the car because he/she genuinely likes the car and has no intention to flaunt?

Reply – Material possessions ought to mean nothing to the child of God, for they are really nothing in the eyes of God. Before salvation the sinner who was in bondage to sin thought that money was everything because he was told that money makes the world go round and with money all of life’s problems can be solved. This is the lie of the devil. Life’s problems with poverty can be solved but it is replaced by the new problems of having money! It is not the removal of problems but the replacement of problems. By the time the poor sinner finds out, he would have already spent his life and he is old and waiting to die. He had been deceived and it is too late for him.

But the child of God has his eyes opened. He stops measuring himself and others by using the standard of the world which is wealth. He understands what Jesus says in Luke 12:15-21 “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” [Emphasis added] It does not matter anymore whether he owns a car or what type of cars he owns. He does not long for any of these things anymore. He does not envy anyone who lives in big houses. He does not care for these things at all.

He understands now that material things are the least important things in his life, for they are all temporal. Eternal things are the only things that matter. Therefore if a believer flaunts his wealth, it is a serious sin because he is measuring himself with these carnal things that Christ told him not to. If he is not flaunting it and he wants to drive a Rolls Royce or one of those expensive cars because of his position in the work place, so be it. It does not matter to God's children. These are inconsequential. What matters now are all things spiritual. He now seeks after all things spiritual and righteous. Matthew 6:31-33 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” What Jesus says here is not theory but reality in the life of every truly born again Christian.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service

Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, Pastor