Tuesday, July 26, 2005

on the new NLB building, the letter versus the spirit of the Law and receiving the Holy Spirit


argh, this is the 3rd time I'm writing this blog entry!  lets hope I can get this up before Murphy's law strike again.^


Was at the new NLB building on Monday. My friends all know me as a book freak. I love to go the library to chill out and read books. So imagine my delight when they told me there's a "new 16-storey library building, with 5 levels for reference section." So I rounded up a couple of other book freaks and went there to check it out on Monday. It's just besides the Bras Basah Complex on North Bridge Road, right smack in between City Hall and Bugis MRT station. Real great place for working professionals to drop by for a lunch time quick read.


But I must say I don't fancy the interior layout of the public borrowing section. One thing it's underground, on Basement level 1. Secondly, the lighting makes the place looks drab. No doubt the books are really new, but the new place didn't get to me as when I first visited the community library at Jurong East library.


the reference section from level 7 to 12 is another matter though. Big, spacious, and splendid wonderful materials for research. and the environment's pretty conducive too, even though there are still those who desecrate the sanctity with their mobile ringtones and loudly whispered conversations and giggling.


So me and my 3 other friends spent almost 7 hours there, from 10.30am till about 5-ish. For lunch we went over to Kiliney Kopitaim nearby. Fabulous chicken curry, especially with the lightly toasted french loaf bread. Ended it off with a cuppa of "kopi kau" and kaya toast for desert~ simply heavenly!  


Over lunch, me and my kakis talked about following the letter of the law versus the spirit of keep the laws. To put it in a nutshell, should we do what the Bible tells us exactly to do, or can we interpret the stuff in the Holy Book. It all started out when one of the girls described a unique case whereby a man divorced his wife not on grounds of adultery. She believed with all her heart that the man cannot remarry without committing adultery, as according to God's word.^^ Then my guy friend replied that sometimes we cannot apply the law strictly to the letter, as sometimes we need to see what's the spirit behind in apply the law. I guess his concern is that we can't just do things per se without searching our hearts for the right motives. From there, we opened a can of worms onto other issues of tithing, abortion and other stuff.


As usual, I was the listener, clarifying points when needed. Both have got their valid takes: One believe we should be consistent in applying God's Word, and not compromise with every situation; the other believe we should not apply His Word without sensitivity and empathy, and become modern-day Pharisees. Ultimately, we need God's wisdom in applying His word in our lives.


After we left, me and the guy friend went for another round of kopi. Asked him a question which another friend posed to me: Is it possible to not receive the Holy Spirit, and thus not have eternal life? Because my primary reaction was to give the standard answer: " How can that be la? You prayed the sinners' prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit into your life after accepting Jesus' gift of eternal life. So how can say no have Holy Spirit?" But somehow, I sense that answer didn't quite cut the cake. So I asked this fellow brother of mine, and he gave me "in another case" scenario, whereby people received Christ first, and the Holy Spirit at a much later time.# So i've learnt something new again that day. Really must thank God, for the people He places around me, to give me both questions and answers.


ok, i'm gonna try upload this now; let's hope it dun crash out on me again...


 


“ [By Faith ] Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ”- Hebrews 11:1


^My fault la. Somehow always accidentally closed this window before uploading the blog entry. Maybe it's a sign ... of me being an idiot of not writing my previous entry in Word doc. first. One word: L O S E R....


^^ See Holy Bible, New Testament,  Book of Matthew, Chapter 5 verse 31 till 32 (Matthew 5:31-32), Matthew 19:3-11, Mark 10: 2-10. 


# See Acts 8:14-17, whereby the people in Samaria receive the Holy Spirit only after the apostles had prayed for them, even though they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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