The “truth” of Job’s three friends?

We had a long break since our last CG bible study and we met for our fifth session today. 

We studied the first round of debate between Job and his three friends from Job 4-14. Oh yes, it was a long eleven chapters worth of passage that we tackled bit by bit using the questions in our workbook. 

We couldn’t complete the lesson because in the midst of studying and asking questions, we also spent time reflecting on other matters that arose based on the reading of Job and stories we share. And it was valuable. 

One takeaway for me was an answer to something that had bugged me for a long, long time. 

I find Job a difficult book to figure out. When I read the arguments given by the three friends, I always found that they were not wrong in what they said. But in the end though, the final verdict from God is that they were wrong. 

It was also brought up that the book of Psalms says about the same things and so why do we quote and pray the Psalms and not Job?

The conclusion I got was that what the three friends said wasn’t entirely wrong, though at times they were depending on context, but that their version of the truth was not complete. 

Their basis was in the retribution theology, with no understanding or knowledge of the grace of God, that God can forgive through the work of his Son even if we are the greatest of sinners. 

So in reflection, if we look at the book of Job, Psalms and the New Testament chronologically, Job was at the outset of the revelation of God, and so they only knew so much. 

Moving onto Psalms, the psalters knew more from further revelation from the prophets of the time, and by the time we get to the New Testament, God was revealed perfectly in the person and work of Jesus, his Son. 

But even that is not fully revealed to us yet. We will definitely see a fuller picture the day we come to see our Lord face to face. 

And with that, what can we learn from Job’s three friends?

For me it’s this: we only know so much and so we should not behave like we know it all, even though we are confident in the truth that we have come to believe. (This may swerve us to the other side of the pole where all truth is relative and this is not desireable. But this another story altogether.)

Therefore when we counsel someone or when we are with someone who is suffering a great pain, watch what we say, or say nothing at all but just be there with them. Our presence would serve as a better albeit inadequate comfort. 

pearlie

We began a 12-week study on the book of Job

Knowing the Bible: Job, A 12-Week Study

by Eric Ortlund 

We started our Covenant Group first meeting today doing a study on the book of Job. 

What I find intriguing about covenant groups in my church is that (1) these groups have a lifetime - it has a beginning and an end. Ours will last for 12 weeks and (2) the attendance is 100%. If anyone is not able to make it, we will need to regroup on another day where all are able to attend. With that, serious commitment is expected. And I find that a good thing. 

Our first meeting today went along very well with an introduction to what is the most difficult book in the Bible.

We also identified for ourselves what is one thing we would like to have clarified by the end of the study. For me, I would want to get into the heart and soul of Job as he suffered through the pain. What went on in his mind and heart? How did he accept what God has done? 

There will be much deep searching in each and everyone of us. 

pearlie

A true elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son?

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

by Timothy Keller

We are using this book in our Covenant Group bible study, studying the Prodigal Son parable in Luke 15:11-32. This book by a Timothy Keller is quite good but there is one interpretation of this passage we have not encountered before. 

In my previous studies, I remember moving from a focus on the younger son to the elder son, a focus on the homecoming of the wayward to the selfish and unforgiving elder brother. 

But Keller brings it even further. He posits a view that in this parable, there is an implied lesson on Jesus being the true elder brother, someone who woulf go all out to search and bring back the younger brother back to the father, back to the family. 

While it is not unreasonable to have such a reading of the passage, can we go that way in proper exegesis of the passage?

I want to try to get to the bottom of this. 

pearlie 

What I finally learnt from the parable of the lost sons

I attended the covenant group meeting in church yesterday and it was a very good session.

We watched a video by Timothy Keller and it was a very well done video. In telling the story, he used the metaphor of  dinner table with two chairs on each end, one representing the younger son and the other the older son. It was very effective.




The session lasted quite long, but we weren't able to discuss all the questions in the workbook. But when we were asked what new things we learnt while watching the video, it was this for me:

I have been trained to read passages in the bible contextually, to read them in context with the entire passage, the entire section, the entire book.

I did not see it then but when Keller brought the three parables of Jesus together, it was a new lesson I learnt. He highlighted that in the first two parables, when the shepherd lost a sheep and the woman lost a coin, they both actively went out to search for them and when they found their lost item, they celebrated and rejoiced.

But when the younger son was lost, no one went looking for him. The person who were suppose to go was the elder brother. That elder brother, who represented the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law in Jesus's audience, and probably most of us, only cared for the things he was entitled to, not the heart of the father.

But we have one true Elder Brother, Jesus, who not only went out to look for us, the younger brothers, he gave up everything including his life to come for us.

Now, isn't that amazing grace?

pearlie

The Prodigal God?

The Prodigal God, Christianity Redefined Through the Parable of the Prodigal Sons 

by Timothy Keller

My husband and I will be participating in a covenant group in church studying and discussing The Prodigal God written by Timothy Keller. We will however be watching a video a week for six weeks. 

But I have always wanted to read Keller's books but haven't got to it and so this will be a good opportunity to do so. 

So I bought a copy today. It's a short book and I was halfway through in no time. But I decided not to go so fast and stopped midway. 

It is a very good book. Simple but profound. I can imagine there will be loads of thing to discuss, to unpack, to agree and to disagree. 

The title of the book itself is thought provoking. We've always known the parable to be The Parable of the Lost Son. But Keller said the focus isn't so much on the younger son but more on the elder son. 

Keller was right when he said that the "younger brothers" of those days were attracted to Jesus, but today, "the licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church. That can only mean one thing. If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did. If our churches aren’t appealing to younger brothers, they must be more full of elder brothers than we’d like to think."

And ultimately, it ends up with the magnanimous and prodigal father, with prodigal meaning being recklessly extravagant, having spent everything, which was what the father did. 

I really look forward to the sessions beginning this coming Sunday. 

pearlie

Prayer for the lesser, forgotten, overlooked and misjudged

We studied 1 Cor 12 during bible study in CG today and discussed about the lesser of the body being more honored and adorned. With that I found this lovely prayer from www.lords-prayer-words.com. I am sure everyone of us would at one time or another became the least, was forgotten, was overlooked and misjudged. And we know there are those who are even more so. Let's pray and seek God for his grace and mercy.

Lord God,
You came to give honour to the least, those forgotten, overlooked and misjudged.
You came to give first place to the last, those left behind, misunderstood and undervalued.
You came to give a warm welcome to the lost, those who are orphaned, abandoned and destitute. 

Help us to be your ears to listen to their cries.
Help us to be your voice speaking out love and acceptance.
Help us to be your feet walking beside those in need.
Help us to be your hands to clothe, feed and shelter them.
You came for the least, the lost and last of this world.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Amen.

pearlie

Introduction to 1 Corinthians

I will be leading bible study tomorrow in CG and since we are beginning on 1 Corinthians, I thought it will be useful for me to spend some time with an introduction to the letter especially on its historical background.

I got this deck done, though I must later add in sources of info and photos I included in there, and maybe even notes and references for more information.

Will update this post when I get it done.

pearlie

Pray Together

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
~ 2 Chronicles 7:14

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
~ Colossians 4:2

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
~ James 5:16

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
~ James 5:14-15

pearlie

The World of 1 Corinthians

Our church will be looking at 1 Corinthians both in our sermons and CG bible study materials.

I have done 1 Corinthians before in my classes but I have forgotten most of it and it will be good to get into it again. With that, I went searching for the commentaries I have which I can read and refer to.

Too bad the Preaching the Word series do not have a volume on 1 Corinthians yet.

But I have these in electronic form:
- 1 Corinthians, Tyndale New Testament Commentary by Leon Morris
- 1 Corinthians, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament by Roy A Harrisville
- 1 Corinthians, Anchor Yale Bible Commentary by Joseph A Fitzmyer

And these in print form:
- The First Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary
- 1 Corinthians, Crossway Classic Commentary by Charles Hodge

As much as I needed those books in class back then, I'm feeling it's an overkill for the context I'm in right now.

But as a true bibliophile, I went looking for more! And I found this book which I remember Rev Dr Kim Kar Yong, my lecturer was using during class:


The World of 1 Corinthians: An Exegetical Source Book of Literary and Visual Backgrounds
by Matthew R. Malcolm

I have enjoyed the historical background study in all my biblical study classes, and this book should be a gem to have. What more, Malcolm states that, "In recent decades, 1 Corinthians has perhaps received more investigation and speculation regarding historical backgrounds than any other biblical book."

I will certainly be planning to buy a copy of this book real soon.

pearlie

Not so sure anymore

I led bible study today on Daniel 7 in CG and it was quite interesting for someone who have not really studied much on prophetic passages in Scripture. I don't avoid it, but I don't delve in it either.

And in preparation for Daniel 7, Rodney Stortz's Preaching the Word Commentary on Daniel interpreted chapter 7 with the premillennialism stance.

I used to be an amillenial. Now I'm not so sure. And so is take it as undecided as I would need to relook into all the passages and details before deciding.

pearlie

Simplistic Worldview?

I was thinking about the different kinds of worldview we have even in a small group like my CG.

In reference to Wikipedia, "a comprehensive worldview is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the entirety of the individual or society's knowledge and point of view. A world view can include natural philosophy; fundamental, existential, and normative postulates; or themes, values, emotions, and ethics."

In Norman Geisler's Worlds Apart, A Handbook on Worldviews, he said a worldview "is the framework through which you see and the basis on which you decide."

I am not sure if worldview is too large a word to describe the differences we have. But it is sure difficult to proceed on with our bible study sometimes because we get stuck discussing different views and thinking.

In Geisler's book he discussed these worldviews:

1. Theism: A World Plus an Infinite God
2. Atheism: A World Without God
3. Pantheism: A World That Is God
4. Panentheism: A World in God
5. Deism: A World on Its Own Made by God
6. Finite Godism: A World with a Finite God
7. Polytheism: A World with More Than One God

Are these all the worldviews we have? The differences in thought in my CG was within one worldview, the first one. Sub-views then? And what do you call a simplistic worldview?

pearlie

What is the state of our faith?

I led the bible study this evening in CG on Daniel 2:31-49, where Daniel upon God's revelation, revealed Nebuchadnezzar's dream and interpretation of the dream. The overall theme of the bible study lesson is God's sovereignty and control of the world. No matter what has happened in the past and no matter what will happen in the future, God is.

The interesting question that was asked during the study which made me think was this: what does this chapter teach you about God's activity in the unfolding of human history?

If you look at human history, we see that life has been getting from bad to worse and from that to an even much worse state. In terms of strength of nations--like the feet of iron in Nebuchadnezzar's dream--we are indeed been getting more advanced, more successful and more forward in our thinking and our achievements. We are gaining and achieving more and more.

But--and this is a very big but--the core of what we are is broken. Humankind is more and more broken than ever before, and it will continue to be more broken, unless we let Jesus take hold of our lives.

With groups like ISIS beheading their fellow men like they mean nothing, what has life on earth comes to? And if we are being beaten and thrown into the desert, and about to be beheaded, will we trust and depend on our sovereign LORD? Will we be like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3, who made no excuses but walked into the furnace of fire. No excuses like how we will make: "I'll do it this time, God will forgive me", "I'll bow down but only on the outside, I still belong to God on the inside". No, they said instead, "we trust in God to protect, but if we die, we die. We still trust and worship Him."

What then is the state of our faith? Your faith? My faith?

May God indeed give us the strength to say this: For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

pearlie

Book on Daniel and the Kingdom of God

My CG is currently studying the book of Daniel and it will be my turn this Friday to lead the study. And I usually get the tough topics and chapters. The chapter I'm tackling this Friday is on Daniel 2, the portion on Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic dream. Sigh...prophecy...tough one.

I quickly picked up the book I have on Daniel in the Preaching the Word series edited by Kent Hughes.


Daniel: The Triumph of God's Kingdom
by Rodney Stortz

I have loved all the Preaching the Word volumes I have read so far (except for maybe Exodus which I can't seem to sustain in my reading) and I liked how this Daniel edition began.

But I find that (1) there are too many anecdotes than I would prefer in a commentary, albeit a preaching one and (2) whilst references to the other portions of Scripture is preferred, there are too many here, as if the book of Daniel is not capable of standing on its own.

Well, I know I have just read till Chapter 3. I will surely give an update if it is otherwise when I finish reading it.

But what I find interesting though is my recent "coincidental" topic of the Kingdom of God which I find I keep getting myself into without much of a plan to. And I'm learning a lot from what I read so far. I'm amazed at what I have been missing.

I will soon blog more about it when I get it more crystallized though.

pearlie

Pray and help support foreign workers

Our CG was pleased to have Franklin and Sapana from the Nepalese Migrant Unity Network (NeMUN) to join us for fellowship. They shared with us the ministry they are in to support Nepalese individuals who migrate to other countries for work and the families whom they left behind.

The popular countries for them to go to are Malaysia, UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Nepal is a landlocked country with limited resources and work opportunities.

Life for them is hard, both for the migrants and their families. What disturbed me most is that everyday, at least five of them returned to Nepal dead. Five. Everyday.

Most of them die in their sleep. They have no idea why. I just did a quick check through Google, and found several causes of such deaths:
1. Sleep Apnea: Breathing Stops During Sleep
2. SADS: Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome
3. Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome: Bangungot
4. Blood Clotting¹

But one thing they know, they work long hours and they work hard. Add stress to work and family pressures to long hard hours to loneliness in a foreign land will certainly bring us to a lethal concoction of high risk living.

I feel so sad for them.

The next time you meet any foreign workers in your midst, give them a good word, give them some of your time to get to know them. Allow them to share with you their lives and help them build connections with people who really care. Say a prayer for them. Support organisations like NeMUN.

For more information on NeMUN, check them out here.

pearlie
1 Source: Health Booklet

Explaining Sin in a Chinese Context

We discussed about our conversion experience in CG today, but I didn't say much because (1) I wasn't feeling well and quite soon into the study, I felt feverish and (2) being a "third generation" Christian, my conversion story is rather boring, but I must admit I'm indeed very, very blessed.

Being born in a Christian family, I was brought up in the faith and I became very active in church, which contributed to my growth in Christ. I was uncomfortable in one phase of my life for not having a specific date of conversion like most of my friends. But I remember the very moment when I finally became convinced and settled in my heart and mind that my conversation is a journey, and that I am saved by the grace of God.

My faith journey started right when I was exposed to the faith by my parents to Sunday School to Youth Fellowship to the undertaking of my Masters Degree in Christian Studies right up to that moment of realisation where I finally felt confirmed I belong to Christ.

Interestingly, as much as Wesley's moment of warmth in the heart was in 1738 when he "experienced confirmation of his salvation by the grace of God" in a meeting room in Aldersgate Street, London, mine was when I was thinking and walking to Pustaka Sufes Book, a Christian bookshop! However, isn't it sad that I don't remember when that happened.

Anyway, during CG, some were sharing moments before their conversion where they were in conflict and most have said it was difficult for them to take it when they were told they were sinners.

In my understanding, it all has to do with the difference in the Western and Eastern culture. The mindset and worldview is so different that methods of evangelism that work well in the Western world do not work as well in the Eastern.

I have this article entitled "Explaining Sin in a Chinese Context" written by Mark Strand in the journal Missiology: An International Review (Oct 2000). He wrote it because he read "an intriguing paper by a Chinese Singaporean who argued that the key to Chinese converts remaining faithful to Christianity over the long haul was that at conversion they understood clearly the doctrine of sin". And inspired by the author, he "arrived at a method of how to teach the doctrine of sin to Chinese people."

He began by stating the fact that our understanding is very much dependant on our language. He gave a summary of the history of the Chinese translation of the Bible followed by why zui is not a very good translation of sin for the Chinese based on these three points:

1. With the group mentality of the Chinese people, wrong is determined primarily by consequent negative social implications rather than by failure to live up to some fixed standard.

2. Culturally, Chinese people believe in the original goodness of humankind.

3. To Chinese readers, zui is equivalent to breaking the laws of society or committing a crime and being a criminal.

On point #2 and #3, it's common to hear us say, "I did not kill anyone, nor have I burned [your house], I have not sinned."

His method involves teaching the biblical concept of sin accurately in two ways:

1. Talk to the Chinese about sin as missing the mark (Rom 3:23), as in the Greek word hamartia used in the New Testament, translated as sin.

2. Use the traditional Chinese concept of filial piety, where they are obligated to honour their fathers and how much more they are obligated to honour their heavenly Father, who has given them life and breath, and all things (Acts 17:25).

If you are interested to read the article, leave me a comment and I will send it to you. I am not able to post it here publicly but within the rights given, I'm allowed to send it to you for individual use.

pearlie

Being gracious to each other

We had our first bible study on TULIP in CG today, beginning with Total Depravity of which I manage to correct some common misunderstanding about Arminianism, particularly the one where they equate it with Pelagianism or Semi-Pelagianism, and to state that Classical Arminians do not believe in self-salvation. And we do believe in Total Depravity, God's Sovereignty and grace but differently from Calvinists.

I am not a person who like to argue or debate but I have made it a point to read about both sides, and my next read will be Michael Horton's For Calvinism.

I only wish I am given the same respect as I believe I am giving. I like what this Calvinist say in Calvinists Sometimes Make the Worst Calvinists.

And of course I can say the same about Arminians, that Arminians sometimes make the worst Arminians.

We all need to be gracious to one another, as long as we both hold on to the Gospel of the cross of Christ.

pearlie

Vietnamese Egg Coffee

I finally tried to make Vietnamese Egg Coffee and it wasn't half bad! I'm quite happy with the results. I made it during CG supper time today and it was quite well received.

This was how it turned out. The only thing I was not happy with was that I was not able to get the egg beaten well enough. It was not as frothy as I would like it.


This was my first Egg Coffee in Pho Co Cafe, Hanoi in year 2012. It was good, but the arduous climb up the stairs to the roof--at certain spots even rickety, dark and dank--kind of took the fun out of it.


Then I made my way to Giang Cafe, Hanoi. This was a much better experience and the coffee was much better.




I sure wish I were back in Hanoi to taste the authentic Giang Cafe Egg Coffee, but what I had made myself in CG this evening was good enough.

I shall certainly try it again.

Here's the recipe if you would like to give it a try. I've adapted it from Legal Nomads.

Vietnamese Egg Coffee
(Cà Phê Trứng)

Ingredients
1 egg
3 teaspoons of Vietnamese coffee powder or brewed Vietnamese coffee
2 teaspoons of sweetened condensed milk
Boiling water

Instructions
1. Brew a small cup of Vietnamese coffee.
2. Crack an egg and discard the whites. Put the yolk and the sweetened condensed milk in a small, deep bowl and whisk vigorously until you end up with a frothy, fluffy mixture.
3. Add a tablespoon of the brewed coffee and whisk it in.
4. In a clear coffee cup, pour in your brewed coffee, then add the fluffy egg mixture on top.
5. Pour hot boiling water in a small bowl and place the cup of coffee in it. This will keep your cuppa piping hot as you enjoy it sip by sip.

pearlie

CG Late Nights

Our CG members are mostly night owls. We used to start quite late because a few of us are always late but recently we decided start on time regardless. But even that, we still stretch the meeting till very late.

Like what happened this evening, we started on time even though there just the few of us. And after CG, during supper, we have so much fun connecting and chatting, that we overdid it. We were chatting and chatting and chatting, and by the time I got home, it was already 1:30 in the morning.

But I had a good time.

pearlie

Word Lens

Something really funny and interesting happened in CG today. Someone brought a box of cherry jaffa cakes which they bought during their trip to Austria to share with us.

One of us took out his Android phone, took a picture of the ingredient list in German, highlighted the words by swiping the lines with his finger for the translation to English to appear in a text window. He then jokingly said, "iPhones can't beat this!"

And I obviously took the challenge and said, "Of course we can!" (Notice I used "we", as if me and my iPhone are one...err, sorry hubby dear...but you know what I mean.)

I know I have my Word Lens app stashed away somewhere in my iPhone and there it was in my Travel folder.

It uses the phone's camera and translate the words in real time. They were all so mesmerised but the few who just came back from Austria so wished I have told them earlier before they went because they were practically typing every word into their iPhone to be translated!

Anyway we soon discovered the app is available in Android as well.

pearlie

Led by the Spirit

We complete one bible study chapter in one sitting in CG today, which is something that has not happened before! So everyone was quite amused and glad. We are moving quite slowly but steadily in our bible study, and so it was a good experience to complete one lesson in one sitting.

The take home from the lesson for me was this: the phrase "led by God" and "led by the Spirit", whilst it usually means God leading me to make a decision has a more holistic meaning in Scripture.

Being "led by the Spirit" means living a Christian life. It means putting to death the desires of the flesh, living in Christ, being sons of God, being heirs and co-heirs with Christ and suffering with Christ in order to be glorified with him. (Rom 8:13-17)

That is what it means to be led by the Spirit, not so much being led to say something, or take this job, or marry this person. I'm not saying it is not, it's just that these are a smaller part of a whole.

Let us be led by the Spirit everyday of our lives.

Oh yes, one more thing. As it always happen, I have friends who asked me why they have landed themselves in problems and bad situations when they felt they had been led by God into it in the first place. Well, it will be interesting to note that the phrase "led by God" and "led by the Spirit" almost always refers to both the leading of Israelites out of Egypt into the wilderness and leading of Jesus into the wilderness. So don't be surprised if you have been led into the wilderness too.

pearlie