More Pearls of Wisdom

Sunday, 27th July 2008

Here are more pearls of wisdom from Bathsarah. Here was what she wrote in relation to my response to Dr Gordon Wong...

From: Bathsarah
Sent: Tuesday, 15 July, 2008 11:03 PM
To: mloh77@starhub.net.sg
Subject: On Healing

Dear Bro Malcolm,

First of all, way to go, bro! (regarding the issue of forgiving the person who maligned you.)

I am compelled by your posts on the Methodist Pastor's review of D2R to share with you my 2cents regarding the issue of Healing and Health. I have had 'heated discussion' with a close friend (who had gone for several courses in Bible Colleges) over this issue. Same-o, same-o. She insisted that God does not heal everyone and implied that she knew the Bible better than I did.

I feel very strongly against such teachings (not just in the area of healing) because there was a period of time when I turned my back against God because I was so angry with Him. I felt that He was a very unfair, supreme being. Yes, I knew He existed, I knew that turning my back means ending in eternal damnation, but I felt that I would rather die than to live under the tyranny of an unjust God. Why unjust? Cos I felt that He kept changing the 'rules of the game' (so to speak).

I was very frustrated because at that point in time, I was going through a lot of trials and when seeking for answers, I got loads of answers that were no real help because they were so out of the can. I was frustrated because there is no way to 'win'.

Let me explain. I actually told God : "if things turn out well, You get the credit; if things turn out bad, 'You work in mysterious ways' and have a purpose for it. You win loh (the hokkien way of saying it.)". Frankly, even when it comes to friendship with another human being, I cannot stand a person who is two-faced like that. Who can? Everyone wants a friend who has integrity, you know his character and you know his words mean something and not change with the direction of the wind.

I feel that people who give two-faced arguments like that are usually doing out of defence for God because there are things happening around them that they cannot explain. That's why they try to justify God by coming up with their own explanation. They find a few obscure Scriptures to support their arguments, ignoring the greater majority that speak otherwise.

In the end, they are all men's arguments. It is laughable that God needs our defence, as if He screwed up somewhere and we have to try to cover up for him. But most people, preachers included, don't have the guts to say 'I don't know why it didn't happen for so-and-so but I still believe the Bible is true'.

It was only when I attended NCC that I began to learn about God's unchanging nature, who He is, what is His love. It brought so much stability into my life because I now know the 'rules of the game' and the game won't change from one moment basket ball to another moment netball (depending on which is more favourable to God). So to me, even if I have a disease (God forbid!), and I end up in the grave because of it, I will believe God for healing and pray for healing until the very end.

If I die from it, it is not loss for death has no more sting for believers. I get to see God face-to-face to find out why. I won't, for a moment, decide that maybe God does not heal everyone after all. I guess you can say that what is more important to me is to know that God is the same, yesterday, today and forever, than to find an explanation for situations I don't understand. Let God be true and every man a liar.

Oh, before I forget, Pastor Prince did explain about the thorn in the flesh thingy, using Bible interpret Bible principle. There was something in the Old Testament. Sorry, I cannot remember now because it was very, very long time ago. Maybe you can go and search it out yourself. Or ask some old time NCC people who may remember.

Lastly, just to share with you something I said to a sister from another church who asked me about law and grace, the usual stuff. I told her something to the effect of : I cannot argue theology because I don't go to seminary and bible schools. But one thing I know : ever since I attended NCC (ie ever since I learned about Grace), my spiritual life has been more stable (vs the perpetual backsliding and repenting), my life is more stable, I know God better, I love Him more, I have a closer relationship with Him, I am a better person.

Res ipsa loquitur.

Bathsarah


From: Malcolm Loh
To: Bathsarah
Sent: Wednesday, 16 July, 2008 4:50 AM
Subject: On Healing

Hi Bathsarah

Thanks sis. What you wrote to me the last time helped me to see beyond my flesh and from God's perspective. As you can see, even after listening to the grace gospel for 3 years, I am still very much a work-in-progress.

It is uncanny to read what you have written about healing; it was as if I wrote those things myself :-)

Say, I really feel that you should share your thoughts on my blog, because it is going to edify a lot of readers. I will leave out your surname so that you can still retain some privacy. Please reconsider. Who knows, taking this small step may be the first on the road to you becoming a teacher or exhorter standing up in front of hundreds to share His Word...

To be fair to Rev Dr Wong, he was sincere enough to reply to me, and we have arranged to meet up for lunch. After all, the gospel of grace should not be an intellectual argument where one wins and the other loses, but a heartfelt experience that results in life transformation.

Shalom
Malcolm


From: Bathsarah
Sent: Thursday, 17 July, 2008 11:21 PM
To: mloh77@starhub.net.sg Subject: On Healing

Hi Malcolm,

Since Pastor Prince mentioned a few weeks back that shy-ness is still consciousness of self, I will take a step of faith and agree to let you quote me on your blog, on the condition of not mentioning name. Give me grace lah. I am taking one baby step at a time. : P *heart palpitation* I have been thinking of this shy-ness issue because it seems contradictory cos i am not totally, completely a recluse and have my little bit of limelight some times. Still trying to analyze what kind of situation gives me problem. I guess it is confrontation that I am most afraid of. But then, this is plain rabbit trail.......sorry...

Anyway, regarding Rev Wong, I am completely ok with what he wrote. In fact, pleasantly surprised that it wasn't one of those flaming thing that seeks to tear down. I can also understand his areas of concern and understand where he comes from. So it is ok actually.

It is interesting to note how a Methodist brain is wired differently from a Charismatic one. : ) It seems to me that Methodists use a lot of 'brain power' and analyze things quite a lot, but seem to have a bit more difficulty accepting things at the spiritual level (i am using the terms loosely, so please don't get me wrong). Since I am at it, let me share this little incident as an illustration :

A few weeks back, when Pastor Prince was away for 2 weeks, during that period, I was absent from church cos kids were sick, etc. During one of those time I was seeking the Lord , I came across the anointing oil in the Bible and remembered Pastor mentioned before about the Indonesian church and their practice of using the oil. I was wondering how come he has never preached anything about it at all. I wanted so much to learn more about it. So I prayed and ask God to get Pastor Prince to teach on the anointing oil. Lo and behold, the first week he was back in church (as was I), he preached on the anointing oil! However, I can't say I completely understood the sermon even now.

I still feel I need more from the Bible or better clarity, so I am listening to the sermons again and again. In the mean time, I am able to accept it at faith level and practise the use of it even without a complete understanding of it. I guess a Methodist mind would want to understand everything first before putting into action?

Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying which is better. It is just an observation. Maybe that's why we need all kinds of churches around, to meet the needs of all kinds of people. It would be great if our individual strengths would rub off on each other. Then we will all be nicely balanced. : )

Bathsarah


From: Malcolm Loh
To: Bathsarah
Sent: Friday, 18 July, 2008 6:50 AM
Subject: On Healing

Hi Bathsarah

Attagirl, that's the spirit! Guess what my latest blog entries are?

Who knows, maybe people will be reading ROOTSS more so that they can get pearls of wisdom from you...

By the way, followers of Wesley were called Methodists because we are very systematic and methodical. While this is good to maintain some degree of law and order, the downside is that we tend to engage our mind first before we engage our heart. I remember being invited by a college classmate to an AG church as a youth, and felt extremely uncomfortable when people started speaking and praying in tongues. I told myself I would never step into another charismatic church. But hey, God knows better....