OUR STAND ON THE BIBLE
(A statement issued by the Board of Elders of Calvary
Jurong B-P Church to its members on Sunday, 2nd October 2005)
Dear members,
This meeting is a declaration of our stand on the Bible
from the Board of Elders. It is not a debate or Q & A session.
Our Church is facing a problem concerning a new teaching
of the Bible, namely Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP). This teaching
has caused confusion among our members. They have requested to know our
church stand.
Initially, the Elders and Rev Chan did not want to
engage in the VPP issue, but the proponents
of this new teaching have not kept quiet. They continue to promote the
VPP as a doctrine in our church.
They misquote our Constitution doctrinal statement
Article 4.2.1 as support for VPP. By so doing, they undermine the
authority of the Board of Elders and the pastor.
The Board of Elders is concerned for the welfare of the
Church and has decided to take a stand for our Constitution 4.2.1, and
to speak against the teaching of VPP which has caused strife and brought
confusion into our Church.
I. WHAT WE BELIEVE
1. Our doctrinal statement in Article 4.2.1:
“We believe in the divine, verbal and plenary
inspiration of the Scriptures in the original languages, their
consequent inerrancy and infallibility, and, as the Word of God, the
Supreme and final authority in faith and life”.
a. We hold to the inerrancy and infallibility of the
Bible in the original writings (autographs).
They are without error and perfect in every way.
They are the true Word of God to mankind.
b. In other words, we believe only the original
texts of the Bible are inspired and perfect.
c. The doctrinal statement in our Constitution 4.2.1 has
been taught in the Basic Bible Knowledge class.
2. We believe that God, by His singular care and
providence, kept His inspired Word pure in all ages, and are
therefore authentical (Matt 5:18, 24:35; Ps 117:2) as stated in the
Westminster Confession of Faith, “The Old Testament in Hebrew (which
was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New
Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it was most
generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and,
by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore
authentical” (WCF, chap.1.8).
a. God has fully preserved His Word in the body of
manuscripts (or texts or copies) after the original autographs were
lost.
Of course, this includes the Hebrew and Greek texts that
were used for the King James Version of our English Bible.
They were providentially preserved by God, and
are the closest to the original autographs.
b. It does not mean that all of the Word of God is
uniquely, miraculously and perfectly preserved in one single copy
of the Greek text, namely the Received Text, known as T.R.
3. We believe that the King James Version (KJV) is the
most faithful and accurate translation of the English Bible. We
believe that the KJV is the work of godly translators, using the best
Hebrew and Greek texts. We believe that the texts are closest to
the original.
a. We will continue to use the KJV Bible in all our
ministries.
b. This is the position we hold from the beginning of
the Bible-Presbyterian Church in Singapore.
c. This is also the position held by the Westminster
divines, the Reformers, the KJV translators and many fundamental
Christians all over the world.
II. WHAT WE DO NOT BELIEVE
1. We do not believe that copies of the Hebrew (OT) and
the Greek (NT) texts underlying the KJV are perfect.
We do not believe that they are exact photocopies of the
original.
If they were perfect, then our Constitution 4.2.1 is
wrong, for the Constitution says that only the original texts of
the Bible are inspired and perfect.
2. We do not believe that the VPP is a doctrine.
The VPP is a new teaching.
It is based on human reasoning or assumption,
trying to elevate the Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT) texts underlying
the KJV, to the level of the original autographs.
III. WHY WE DISAGREE WITH VPP
1. The VPP proponents make this new teaching a
touchstone of Christian fundamentalism.
Those who disagree with them are branded as
Neo-Evangelicals, Neo-Fundamentals, etc.
2. They promote this new teaching at all costs without
considering its destructive effects on the peace and unity of our
church.
3. They undermine the authority of the Board of Elders
and the pastor.
CONCLUSION
1. The BOE has studied and examined the VPP issue very
carefully.
a. The BOE urges all members to abide by the doctrinal
statement of our Constitution 4.2.1, and to remember the membership vows
they have taken during baptism or transfer.
b. The BOE urges all who serve in leadership positions
and in the teaching ministry, not to promote or teach the VPP to our
members. We take this matter very seriously.
c. Beloved, let us press on and devote our energy toward
advancing God’s kingdom with a united heart, for the Lord’s coming is
very near.
May God help us to preserve the church! Amen.
The Board of Elders
Calvary B-P Church
2 October, 2005
