My dear readers,

Answering Remaining Questions asked during Calvary Pandan Bible Camp 2026 (10)

Question One:

During COVID, when the government banned singing during worship, why did we stop singing?

Answer One:

We did not stop singing. If you recall, the BOE did not issue any statement in the church weekly to ask worshippers to stop singing. When the government issues a statement not to do certain things, it belongs to the law of man. When Christians break the laws of man, they may not have sinned. They would have sinned if the law of man they broke does not contradict or is not in conflict with what God teaches in the Bible. For example, the Bible does not command us not to wear masks when we leave home. Therefore, when the law for safety reasons made it compulsory that all who leave home must wear a mask, Christians must comply. Not to comply would be both a sin and a crime. It is a sin because the Bible teaches all believers to obey the authority that God has set over them. Romans 13:1-5: “¹Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. ²Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. ³For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: ⁴For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. ⁵Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience’s sake.”

However, when the law of man crosses the line into the laws and teachings of God, then God's children have to make a choice and suffer the consequences. For example, when the law of man (represented by the Sanhedrin Council) in Acts 4 commanded Peter and John to not preach Christ, they replied they had to obey God and continue to preach Christ. Acts 4:18-21: “¹⁸And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. ²⁰For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. ²¹So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.” The believers had to choose to either disobey God and face His anger or disobey man and face man’s anger.

It is God’s clear teaching throughout the Bible that when we come before God in worship, we are to sing praises to God. If the BOE issues a statement that Christians cannot sing in worship, and when they do sing, their hearts would be convicted that they have broken the law of man as well as the law of God, i.e. they have sinned. This means that even when they sing quietly within their hearts or even softly, their conscience would convict them that they have sinned against God. But the BOE did not issue such a statement that singing was not allowed. If you recall, the statement was to sing quietly unto the Lord, either silently within their heart or softly with their masks on. It is impossible to come before the Lord and not sing, especially when the musicians played the music. So, for those who sang, and I believe all of us did, our conscience would have convicted us that we have broken the law of man; but we have not sinned against God.

Question Two:

Are you confident the Session in Pandan "press towards the mark" in the execution of their duties? What are the things you have done to assist and help them to "press towards the mark" in the execution of their duties as the under-shepherd?

Answer Two:

The phrase “press toward the mark” is found in Philippians 3:13-14: “¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

The context is that of the assurance of salvation. Philippians 3:9-12: “⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: ¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; ¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. ¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

Therefore, to “press toward the mark” should be the desire of all professing believers, especially in these last days of global deception within Christendom. Whether the Session is pressing toward the mark, i.e. are born again, is in God’s hand alone. I cannot read hearts and minds. There had been past Pandan Session members whose salvation was a question mark because of what happened in their lives many years after they started to serve.

All of us know that just because someone is in the Session as pastor or elder or deacon does not mean he has salvation. The sad and tragic reality is that there were more than a few leaders in our B-P churches who are not born again; they all have theological degrees from FEBC and overseas seminaries.

During Session meetings and Morning Worship Services and other Fellowship Meetings, God’s Word is preached to remind all, which includes Session members, to not assume that they are born again just because they are serving. All, without exception, need to make sure of their own salvation with fear and trembling as God warns, through His faithful servant Paul, in Philippians 2:12-13: “¹²Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

Question Three:

There are many people out there who misinterpret the Bible as saying women can preach and teach as pastors and leaders of a church. They quote examples from Phoebe, Lydia and a few other ladies who taught. How do we help them understand the correct doctrine on that?

Answer Three:

To help someone nowadays, one has to help establish the person’s salvation, for many who misinterpret the Bible on the issues of women preaching and the ordination of women as pastors are found in ecumenical churches where the gospel is hardly preached according to the Holy Scriptures. It is hard to convince those who are not born again because their spiritual eyes are blind and will never be able to understand. Help them by asking them to share with you how they came to know Christ. Let this be the starting point.

After establishing salvation, then help them understand that Phoebe was a deaconess and not a pastor. Lydia was a seller of purple, which means she was financially very well off, and she was also not a pastor and a preacher. There is no biblical basis for women pastors or elder.