Church Weekly
04 Sep 2022

CHURCH WEEKLY

CALVARY JAYA BP FELLOWSHIP 38TH ANNIVERSARY

From the Board of Elders

Dear Members in Christ,

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.Philippians 2:16

Calvary Jaya BP Fellowship is 38 years old today!

We rejoice and give thanks to God for His love and blessings to Calvary Jaya BP Fellowship (CJBPF) since the founding of the Church in September 1984. Remembering and recalling is gratitude and thanksgiving. It is important to know the history of the Church, how God raised a man, the family and then His people to gather together for worship, fellowship and a holy witness to the community in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

The journey was not without challenges. God enabled His chosen people to overcome and achieve His sovereign plan for a church here. The brethren trusted and obeyed God. There was no turning to the right or left. From a home gathering to a rented shoplot in Damansara Jaya, God led His people to the present premises in Section 17, Petaling Jaya. From the purchase of the land, construction and the provisions of the monetary funding, we had experienced and tasted God’s miracles in establishing this Church. We had victory through and in the Lord Jesus Christ. God provided for all! This amazing journey is recorded in the 10th and 35th CJBPF Church Anniversary magazines as testimonies. If you have not read these testimonies, please do so. They are available in CJBPF’s website. God showered His blessings on His people when they trusted and obeyed Him.

CJBPF has her own spiritual battle. The most significant was the spiritual stand for the Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) doctrine where the then Chairman of the Church was aligned to the non-VPP faction of the BP movement. The BOE and the rest of the Session members, with much spiritual conviction, stood firm for the VPP. The non-VPP group then departed and started another “BP” church nearby. CJBPF grounded in the fundamental truth of the Bible holds firm onto the VPP doctrine. The twin doctrines of Verbal Plenary Inspiration (VPI) and VPP speak of God’s immutability and omnipotence and testify that His truth is with us from time past until today and will endure forever (cf. Psalm 100:5).

What is so special about CJBPF? CJBPF is special because she is raised by God for His own glory, praise, worship and witnessing. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light1 Peter 2:9. CJBPF, a beacon of light, is called to share the gospel of salvation to many lost souls that they may be saved into His kingdom of light.

Today, many churches had gone apostate and some had fallen away. There are not many reformed fundamental churches left. We are thankful and grateful that CJBPF remains faithful to the Bible and continue to uphold the faith and practices taught in the Bible. The Bible is the only and ultimate sole authority of all churches and not the will or teachings and the imaginations of depraved man. Do visit the website of CJBPF to access and understand the “Statement of Faith” and the doctrines of the CJBPF faith.

Beware of “any other” gospel: In his days, the Apostle Paul rebuked believers who used to hear the Gospel of God but later turned to a different gospel by false teachers who “pervert the gospel of Christ”. These false teachers distorted, misinterpreted, omitted and changed the teachings of the Bible. Paul warned and rebuked these believers to be vigilant and watchful. They are not to be gullible and be easily misled. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed(Galatians 1:6-9; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4). Even today there are many different gospels being preached by false churches!

What is a different gospel? By definition, different gospel is not the Word of God but from men. The gospel is not inspired by the Holy Spirit and cannot save anyone from the condemnation of sin. “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15: 9. Examples are 1) the gospel of health, wealth and prosperity which ignore the importance of repentance of sins and obedience to God’s Word. The gospel is replaced with “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, healed, successful and prosperous” 2) the social gospel in order to engage with social problems and justice and ignoring the importance of repentance of sins and obedience to God’s Word. 3) cults like Jehovah Witnesses, the Mormons and others who are fervent in evangelizing but with a different Christ and a different gospel! They do not preach true repentance, true Christ and true Word of God. They have no true salvation for themselves and their followers.  

Holding forth the Word of life: Thus, not all the gospels that we hear today is the gospel of God! Many naively believe that all the gospels are the same and able to save those who hear and believe! Thus, leaders and congregation members must be tutored and learn from the preserved Word of God, the Bible of the Reformers. They must be nurtured to grow in the knowledge of God and into maturity in order to know, discern and defend the Truth. They must be spiritual and not carnal in spirit (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16). In the past and in recent times, many reformed and fundamental churches had been infiltrated by the powers of evil and had fallen into apostasy because they were naive, ignorant and weak in faith! They had all gone apostate and astray.

Reformed and Fundamental: CJBPF is a reformed fundamental BP Church and must remain faithful, grounded and rooted in the Word of God. Thus, it is important that as CJBPF celebrates her 38th thanksgiving Anniversary, the Leaders and Congregation must continue to pray for God’s mercy and grace that faithful and God-fearing men and women be raised up in CJBPF to continue to teach, defend and earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude 3. God forbid that CJBPF slips into the slippery evil path of decay and apostasy.

Let CJBPF be thankful and grateful to God for His gospel of salvation without shame as Paul did when he said that For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; Romans 1:16a. May CJBPF continue to submit to God and His Word, trust and obey, live for Him and share His Word with many lost souls until He returns.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.1 Corinthians 15:58.

In Christ,
Eld. Choe Tong Seng