POSITION STATEMENT OF THE FAR EASTERN BIBLE COLLEGE, SINGAPORE
Signed by all Members of the Academic Faculty

The Far Eastern Bible College remains a Bible-believing and Bible-defending institution of the 20^th Century Reformation Movement. The position statement hereunder, tabled at the faculty meeting on May 28, 1997, was accepted and adopted by all members of the academic faculty. The statement is not meant to be exhaustive but reflective of the College’s convictions on certain biblical-theological views.

1. I do believe “in the divine, verbal and plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures in the original languages, their consequent inerrancy and infallibility, and as the Word of God, the supreme and final authority in faith and practice” (The Constitution of the Life Bible-Presbyterian Church, article 4.2.1).
2. I do believe that “Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these: OF THE OLD TESTAMENT—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi; OF THE NEW TESTAMENT—The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; The Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s Epistles: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The Epistle of James, The First and Second Epistles of Peter, The First, Second, and Third Epistles of John, The Epistle of Jude, The Revelation of John. All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life” (The Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter I, paragraph II).
3. I do believe that “The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them. But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God who have right unto and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope” (The Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter I, paragraph VIII).
4. I do believe that “the Texts which are closest to the original autographs of the Bible are the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text for the Old Testament, and the Traditional Greek Text for the New Testament underlying the King James Version (as found in ‘The Greek Text Underlying The English Authorised Version of 1611’ as published by The Trinitarian Bible Society in 1976)” (The Dean Burgon Society, “Articles of Faith”, section II.A).
5. I do believe that “the King James Version (or Authorised Version) of the English Bible is a true, faithful, and accurate translation of these two providentially preserved Texts [Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text and Traditional Greek Text underlying the KJV], which in our time has no equal among all of the other English Translations. The translators did such a fine job in their translation task that we can without apology hold up the Authorised Version of 1611 and say ‘This is the Word of God!’ while at the same time realising that, in some verses, we must go back to the underlying original language Texts for complete clarity, and also compare Scripture with Scripture” (The Dean Burgon Society, “Articles of Faith”, section II.A).
6. I do employ the Authorised Version alone as my primary scriptural text in the public reading, preaching, and teaching of the English Bible.
7. I do consider as unreliable all Bible versions (eg the New International Version or NIV) that are a result of the dynamic equivalence method of translation, and those which cast doubt and/or omit verses based on corrupted readings of the Alexandrian or Westcott-Hort Text.
8. I will endeavour annually at the College convocation to affirm my allegiance to the Word of God by taking this solemn oath: “I swear in the Name of the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit that I believe ‘the Bible is none other than the voice of Him that sitteth upon the throne. Every book of it, every chapter of it, every verse of it, every word of it, every syllable of it, every letter of it, is direct utterance of the Most High. The Bible is none other than the Word of God, not some part of it more, some part of it less, but all alike the utterance of Him that sitteth upon the throne, faultless, unerring, supreme.’”
9. I do subscribe to the system of theology called “Reformed” as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith, and its Larger and Shorter Catechisms (1643–8).
10. I do dismiss the JEDP theory, and source/form/redaction criticism as products of modernistic scholarship, and do consider them to be illegitimate and destructive means of interpreting the Pentateuch, and the Synoptic Gospels.
11. I do believe that “The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly" ( The Westminister Confession of Faith, chapter I, paragraph IX ).
12. I do reject the neo-evangelical hermeneutic of Walter C Kaiser, namely, the Analogy of Antecedent Scripture, as fallacious (see Kaiser’s erroneous interpretation of the prophecy of the virgin birth of Christ in his paper, “The Promise of Isaiah 7:14 and the Single-Meaning Hermeneutic”, Evangelical Journal 6 [1988]: 55–70).
13. I do reject Hyper-Calvinism in its denial of God’s common grace, and of the free offer of the Gospel.
14. I do believe in the biblical doctrine and practice of personal and ecclesiastical separation from all forms of unbelief and apostasy, viz Romanism, Ecumenism, Modernism, Charismatism, and Neo-evangelicalism.
15. I do reject as false the tongues-speaking, demon-casting, faith healing, dreams and visions, words of wisdom/knowledge/faith, prophecies, slaying of the Spirit, holy laughing and dancing of the Pentecostal, Charismatic, or Vineyard Movement.
16. I do believe God created the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing), and do regard Genesis 1:1 as an independent clause stating the first creative act of God (cf John 1:3, Col 1:16 , Heb 11:3).
17. I do believe God created all things perfectly and very good in six literal or natural, and not figurative or poetic, days.
18. I do believe the Genesis Flood was global or universal, and reject all other views which attempt to limit the geographical extent of the Flood.
19. I do believe Isaiah 7:14 is a strictly messianic prophecy historically fulfilled only by Jesus Christ who was conceived supernaturally in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit as announced by the angel (Matt 1:22–23, Luke 1:26–35).
20. I do subscribe to the premillennial view of eschatology that recognises a distinction between Israel and the Church.
21. I do reject the so-called “Biblical/Christian Counselling” of today (as taught by Gary Collins, Larry Crabb, Frank Minirth et al) that is influenced by Freudian or humanistic methods which essentially question the sufficiency of Scriptures, and the power of the Gospel.
22. I do reject the modern-day Church Growth movement (as promoted by George Barna, Bill Hybels, C Peter Wagner et al) which advocates worldly techniques or carnal methods to increase church membership.
23. I do uphold and promote the good name, doctrine, and ethos of the Far Eastern Bible College in accordance to God's Word, and do protect her from detractors and enemies from without and within.
24. I do serve the Far Eastern Bible College because I love Jesus Christ who has called me to be a minister of His Word, and do intend with the Holy Spirit’s help to faithfully declare “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), and to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3) to the glory of God the Father.