::Wednesday, October 15, 2008::
:: Rejection of VPP is illogical and unbiblical.. ::
Amidst the up-rising concern about VPP, I believe it is inevitable to defend the Truth at this moment with all cost.
Matthew 5:18 speaks of VPP. What is VPP? It means Verbal Plenary Preservation. Every single word and letter is preserved. When we say that we believe in VPP, it means that we believe that God has preserved His words and letters today. Simply putting it, we have the very same words today penned by the writers who were inspired by God.
We have to understand that the context and historical fact for this chapter lies in two major factors: the denunciation of the scribes and pharisees and the counter-argument against the revolutionist.
First, we understand that the Law, called as The Torah by the Jewish natives, was an important book or scroll in the past. Some had it stored in a box and placed it at their foreheads. This is the truth we often missed: the Law, as seen in Matt 5:18, is referred as the "Bible". Why?
Lets look at it this way. The Torah was seen as our modern "Bible". In fact, the new testament wasn't complete and the old testament wasn't fully compiled (it was later in history that the old testament was fully canonized as a whole). In this way, we should understand that the Torah was seen as the "Bible", although not in a whole.
Jesus said in Matt 5:18 that "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot and one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." The question lies in this: Wouldn't the Jewish natives doubt His words? Knowing that the Torah was copied down through ages?
The VPP is a lesson of faith and not of scholastic argument. VPP tells us the very basic fact that God will and has preserved His words. The focus in Matt 5:18 is not only about the knowledge itself that God had preserved the Torah. Its focus is about God's commitment and promise that He'll keep His words perfect amidst the doubting crowds.
As previously mentioned, the Torah in the past was seen as our modern Bible. Today, we have many people who claim that the Word of God is not perfect. Wasn't this the case in Matt 5:18? The Torah was copied so was our Bible. The people doubted so are some people. This is the lesson we can draw from Matt 5:18 that God, ever since from eternity, has intended to preserve His words till the jot and tittle. It doesn't make sense if Jesus said "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot and one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Bible, till all be fulfilled." while the Jewish natives had the Torah only!
Of course, this is the contextual interpretation. The expository explanation lies in a simple truth: Every single Word of God, be it in Matt 5:18 or year 2008 onwards, has been preserved for His children. In Psalms 12:6-7, the Psalmists spoke about the Words of our Lord. "The Words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shall preserve them from this generation for ever." In Psalm 12, the Psalmist spoke about the oppression of the needy. He described the poor and all the deeds done by evil men. At verse 6, it breaks the flow and speaks of God's Words. Following it, in verse 7, the psalmist spoke about the preservation of God's Words. Some have referred it as the preservation of the saints. Refer to the comment section for more information.
Furthermore, it doesn't make sense if God preserves the Torah and not the rest of the books. Doesn't it contradicts each other? If this is so, perhaps some words in book of Daniel would contradict the book of Genesis. So what's the Truth?
Every sensible explanation leads to God. Every soul is saved by Christ through the Gospel. If the Word of God is filled with error, isn't it a very good avenue for Satan to attack us? He would say "Search the book of Daniel. I have found something that contradicts the gospel". Remember, Satan is thousands of years old.
The Gospel of Christ is set to break people's heart towards repentance. If the very foundation of our faith is shaken, as we claim that the Bible is the Word of God in which we get the gospel, how sure are we in our salvation? Who do we place our faith on? What can we rely on? How are we going to preach the gospel?
In a nutshell, Jesus made His lesson applicable during His time on earth. I believe, without reservation, that if He's on earth today, He would say "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot and one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Bible, till all be fulfilled." which makes sense because we have the Bible!
Dear Shomerim, if God intended to preserve His words in the Torah, He will surely preserve the whole Bible. If we look into the power of God and His heart, we will surely understand that God has preserved His Words till the jot and tittle. To say that the Bible has mistakes would means that God intended it to be so. If God intended to have mistakes in the Bible, aren't he saying "I have decided to make some mistakes in my own words for your edition"? Or is it that God allows mere man to trample His Words and accuse Him of making mistakes? Do you think that God is so weak that He cant preserve His Words? Look in Matt 5:18 . He had the power to preserve it. In other words, it is not a matter of can or cannot but a will or will not. With this understanding, and if we deny the VPP, aren't we saying that God will not preserve His Words and allow mistakes in the Bible today? So God has allowed editions of Bibles to be produced and to be used by His children to teach contradictory doctrines? God forbid!
Denying VPP is simply denying the existing power of God. GOD WILL NEVER PRODUCE HIS WORDS THAT ARE CONTRADICTORY TO EACH OTHER. Be it today, years back or future, He will never do so. Because if He does it, or rather will it, His children are in danger of believing their tradition rather than the Gospel which is seemingly erroneous to some people.
As the economy is in a bad shape and false teachers are looming around on earth, are we ready to face the battle ahead? This is the start. I had a chat with my client and he mentioned "in year 2010, Singapore will be flooded with zooming cars and bursting casinos. Everyone will gamble in the casinos and drive their cars like F1." Are we ready to account our lives before our Lord?
It is high time to wake up! The day is at hand. Our Lord is returning very soon. WATCH!
>>shared by+my life - God = broken pencil+
on 00:30.
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