My dear readers,

Answering Remaining Questions from Calvary Pandan Church Camp 2024 (13 -- Final)

Question 1: How do I know if what I am doing is God’s will for me or my own will? I have studied the sevenfold will of God, but still don’t know what God’s will is for me.

Answer 1: The sevenfold will of God taught by Rev Dr Timothy Tow comprises God’s Directive, Cooperative, Punitive, Preceptive, Permissive, Desiderative, and Decretive wills. These are aspects of God’s will found in Holy Scripture. Later on, Rev Tow added God's Chastitive will in contrast to God's Punitive will; the former is exclusively applied to believers. These are known as the revealed will of God for believers throughout the ages regardless of their calling and the period of history in which they lived. The revealed will of God can be a combination of more than one of the above wills of God. For example, the decretive will of God can also be His desiderative will when the child of God obeys His decretive will. God desires the child of God to be holy in life and witness.

Once the believer knows the revealed will of God, the Holy Spirit (who dwells in all believers) will show him what His will or calling is in life. The circumstances of life in terms of doors of opportunity opening and closing will be one good indicator. Another good indicator is the talent of the believer, as God will not direct him to do something without endowing him with that talent to accomplish the task and to enjoy doing it well. God can also use people to help believers determine God’s will. For example, if you are artistic and are good at drawing, the calling of God will involve some creative profession like an artist, engineer, architect, interior designer, landscape architect, etc. God can also use people to give good advice. The Bible is another way through which God will guide.

If the will of God pertains to finding a life partner, the believer should use the revealed will of God to help him. For example, the Bible says believers must not be unequally yoked (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Nowadays, with so many different denominations, not only must he consider only another believer, he should also ensure that she believes in the same doctrines so that they can worship together in the same church. They must accept and support each other’s calling. If he is called to be a missionary overseas and the Christian girl does not wish to marry someone who is a missionary, then they cannot be together. Marriage is a lifetime experience of happiness and joy in serving the Lord as one united, happy family.

Once these God-revealed directions are made clear (and through the Scriptures as well), the believer will have peace in his heart as he steps out by faith and submits to God's will. He will find himself in the right place to serve and witness for Christ. Trials will come, but knowing that God opened the door for him to serve, he will persevere through them, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Question 2: Is listening to worldly music (eg: Taylor Swift, K-pop, etc) wrong if I don't learn or use the words?

Answer 2: Music is a powerful tool that influences the mind and emotions of man. We know this by experience. We see this in the world of entertainment. It can calm hearts and troubled minds. Wasn’t King Saul refreshed by David playing the harp when an evil spirit afflicted him? 1 Samuel 16:23: “And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.” The believer has to be mindful of what he allows to enter into him through the eye and ear gates. He lives in the world of the evil one. He can participate in certain things in the world, but always with discernment.

Some music and lyrics of the world are fine for believers to listen to. For example, believers may listen to national anthems of countries, songs promoting National Day, children's songs, etc. Evaluate carefully the lyrics and music of any song you listen to. Always bear in mind that songs can impact a person emotionally. The general guideline is taught in 1 Corinthians 10:31-33: “³¹ Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. ³² Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: ³³ Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

Question 3: With the shift toward videos and away from the written word(s), how does this impact our understanding of the Word in 1 John and also the Word of God? Aware that in OT times the Word of God was transmitted via oral history.

Answer 3: The meaning of all words is derived from the context. A word has no meaning outside of the context in which it is used. How the Word of God is preached or taught today does not impact the meaning of the Holy Scriptures. The meaning of the Word of God remains unchanged.

It is not true that in Old Testament times, the Word of God was transmitted via oral history. The Word of God has always been transmitted in written form. For example, God dictated to Moses the Book of Genesis. Four hundred and thirty years separated the end of the Book of Genesis from the beginning of the Book of Exodus. Copies of the Old Testament books were carefully made in written form through the passage of time.

God’s Word was taught verbally in the same way it is taught today. With the invention of the printing press in the 15^th century A.D., God’s Word was taught in written form. More and more people could read and write since books were cheaper to print. Education became readily available to all instead of only to the wealthy and elite aristocrats.