Epistle to Hamers (4)

Dear Lora,

 

I understand your dilemma. I am also in dilemma whether to stay in my current church that holds on to this KJV only position (since I start to know some of the brothers and sisters and the bond has started to build up), or find a new church, but I am afraid of other churches which are charismatic, which is very prevailing in Malaysia.

 

It is sad to heard their strong "orthodox" view in my church not only exclude away the false teaching, but also the good teachers and their writing. Like what Frank always says, they are "throwing the baby out together with the bath water". They think that person like D. A. Carson is liberal, and today I just saw an article in church bulletin paper that the pastor chose, in which the author mainly talks about a person called William Dever who stops believing the Bible as inspired Scriptures, but in a small snippet he describes C. S. Lewis as an "unsound spiritual hero" who "bridges the evangelicalism to heresies and apostacy".

  

I understand that Lewis is not perfect and we talked before that some the things that he wrote is not 100% biblically correct. But if we ignore all his writings like Mere Christianity, the series on Narnia, the argument of Jesus as either lunatic, liar, or Lord, etc, we really miss out a lot of blessing and his wonderful spiritual insight. And the Desiring God ministry just have a conference entirely on C.S. Lewis.

 

Today in a bible study the topic is the new birth in John 3. I am sad that the elder didn't get it right on regeneration. He teaches that the way we get this new birth is acknowledge ourselves as sinners, repentance and confession (the 'sinner's prayer '). But these are the results or the outcome of the new birth rather than the new birth itself or the way to be born again. I asked and talked to the elder about it but he still hold on to his standpoint.

  

Today the regular pastor was not here. He need to preach at another church. So I haven't found a chance to talk to him regarding C. S. Lewis and the concept of new birth.

  

Maybe the time when I know where is my posting is the time I have to really decide whether to continue to stay at this church. If I need to work at other places, then it might be a good time to look for a new church. If I will be working somewhere near my home, maybe I will still look for another suitable church, if there is. I also hope that both of you will settle down in this Greentree church soon.

  

Take care. 

Kevin.