Our Thursday appointment was at Escoda, Marcos in Ilocos Norte where Vic Domingo has labored for many years.  This is a rural area about an hour’s drive from Laoag City. Along the way we stopped in Dingras for a quick visit with Wina Tagabe at her dental office (she is a Christian, daughter of Jhun Macusi).  I have had a little trouble with a tooth resulting in a bad taste in my mouth.  She checked the tooth and it appears a small filling was lost and a cavity is forming. The good news is that it is not an emergency and the repair work can be done after my return home.

The service at Escoda began as soon as we arrived.  Over a period of years these brethren built a substantial meeting house and today there were well over 200 in attendance.  Roger Borja translated in the dialect as I presented the lesson on “Helping Each Other,” which was well received.  Rody Gumpad exhorted the audience and then extended the Lord’s invitation.  Two young men came to the front to obey the gospel and were baptized for the remission of their sins.

A special lunch had been prepared in honor of Vic’s 88th birthday – he is still full of vim and vigor!  Mat Sibayan, Sr. is 80 and also still very active.  These two men pioneered the work of the gospel in the Ilocos region beginning in the 1970’s.

In the afternoon we visited the church in West Parado where Remigio Bayaca preaches.  I worked with him in the early years and we were good friends, but he defected to the one container faction and wasted many years.  Last year he repented and was restored to the Lord’s fold.  It was a joy and a privilege to work with him again as I preached a sermon entitled “Precious: The Death of God’s Saints” (Ps. 116:15).  About 50-60 people attended and again two young men accepted the Lord’s offer of pardon from their sins and were baptized into Christ.

After the service we visited Jhun Macusi, evangelist at the East Parado church of Christ, who has been incapacitated by a stroke.  He is slowly making progress and hopes to start using a walker soon.  I read the 23rd Psalm to him and made a few observations on the passage to encourage him and Mat Sibayan, Sr. led a prayer for him.

Tonight I was able to walk again on the beach.  The moon was so bright and brilliant I had to stop a few times to focus on its many messages of love sent from family and brethren at home!

Friday found us well into the countryside again at Binaca, Banna, Ilocos Norte working with Efren Ramos as I have done many times in past years.  I have watched this church grow through the years and they have constructed an adequate church building by their own sacrifices and the help of some U.S. brethren.  Today’s attendance was over 250 with the building full plus people sitting outside at the entrance and all along the side shaded by huge mango trees.  Many were able to come because this is the Easter holiday and almost all businesses are closed.

Knowing there are many young people here, I preached on the topic “Selecting a Mate: The Lord Builds the House” (Ps. 127:1) (Mat Sibayan, Jr. translated).  Next, Rody preached and extended the Lord’s invitation.  A 53 year old lady responded, confessed Christ, and was baptized in submitting to Jesus Christ for redemption from her sins.

The effects of a 6-7 month drought are clearly visible in this area – scorched rice fields with not a drop of water, dry river beds, barren mountains, and fallen dry leaves everywhere.  Brethren in much of the Philippines are struggling because of this severe drought, and I had another plea for help from southern Mindanao in today’s email.

This afternoon we traveled an hour to reach the church at San Julian, Batac City where Hernando Ramos has preached for 22 years.  My subject here was entitled “God’s Word Saves the Youth” based on 2 Timothy 3 (translated by Christian Agapay).  Rody preached on King Saul’s death and again extended the invitation for people to obey the gospel and receive salvation.  A family of four who had been attending here for quite some time responded to the call of Christ – we took them to the ocean and baptized them.  It is important to note that virtually all the people baptized on these trips are the results of faithful Filipinos who labor in the gospel – visitors like me merely help bring in the harvest of their labors.  Yet, of course, none of us can claim credit because it is God who gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6).

When I walked tonight I was greeted again by abig bright beautiful moon, reminding me of dear ones who also watch for the moon.

On Saturday morning we traveled an hour and a half from Laoag City to Cabugao, Ilocos Sur to meet with the saints who gather in a large room constructed at the front of Egdon Sabio’s home.  The room was filled to capacity with at least 60 people including a visitor who heard the sermon on “Born of Water and the Spirit” (Jn. 3:5).

The visitor originated from England but has lived in the area for 7 years because he is marred to a Filipina.  When we opened the floor for questions or comments, he stood and emphatically said he did not agree the truth was taught, but, strangely, he never offered one comment to clarify the meaning of “water” in John 3:5.  He quoted Ephesians 2:8-9, but I pointed out the Ephesians were saved by grace through faith when they were baptized in Acts 19:5.  Next, he opined that in Mark 16:16 the “believeth” is a command translated from the Greek word pistueo, then he read from some author who claimed “be baptized” is only an imperative and not a command like pistueo (!!).  So, I pointed out that “imperative” means essential and necessary – a command!  Furthermore, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defines pistueo as confidence that Jesus is the Messiah coupled with obedience to his teaching, which explains why Mark 16:16 says we must believe AND be baptized in order to receive salvation or forgiveness of our sins.

He moved on to Acts 2:38 and fumbled over a quotation from some writer claiming the Greek word for repent made it necessary in order to receive remission of sins, but to be baptized “for the remission of sins” means to declare your salvation to the world.  Since he kept trying to deflect the truth by appealing to Greek, I mentioned in passing that I cleared a Greek examination in graduate school at Vanderbilt University.  I assured him that “for the remission of sins” is the same both in Greek and English in Acts 2:38 and Matthew 26:28, which says Jesus shed his blood for that very purpose.  It does not mean that Christ died to declare that our sins had previously been forgiven, and it cannot mean in Acts 2:38 that we are baptized to declare our sins had previously been forgiven.  To be baptized “for the remission of sins” simply means in order to receive the remission of sins.

Finally, our visitor said, “Well, we are just splitting hairs,” i.e., arguing over minor unimportant details.  Then he sat down and was quiet.  If he raised points which split hairs, why did he think it important to stand up and raise those hairs?  I thanked him for his participation and assured him the audience now understands the truth more clearly than before he spoke, and that our exchange would stimulate continued Bible study.  In short, our discussion helped the audience to see the difference between truth and error.

Then, Rody presented an excellent lesson on the need to be prepared for our Lord’s return.

Today was Egdon’s and Faith’s 35th wedding anniversary (and we were glad our visitor stayed to share in the celebration lunch).  I should have been presenting them with a gift in honor of the occasion, but instead they surprised me with a birthday cake in anticipation of my 74th birthday on May 7.  I was in their home on May 7, 1995 and they surprised me in the same way on that day and I have never forgotten their kindness.

After the service and lunch, one man let it be known that he wanted to obey the gospel.  He confessed Christ and was baptized.

We left Cabugao, hitting the road about 1:30 P.M. and expecting a 6 hour drive to Rosario in La Union Province.  The Easter holiday traffic was so heavy we did not arrive until about 9:00 P.M., tired and thankful.  The full moon was here to welcome me as I took a walk to try to loosen up after the long trip.  When I returned, the hot water was not working in the hotel and I was afraid a cold shower might encourage the tickle in my throat to become a sore throat.  So, I studied and worked for several hours to cool down and went to bed at 1:00 A.M. without a bath.

The schedule for the Lord’s Day, April 21, brought us to the Caba church here in La Union where Carlos and his son Denver Domingo preach.  After my lesson on “Helping Each Other,” Rody preached on preparing for Christ to return to reward his faithful servants.  A lady and her son stepped forward to receive salvation by obeying the gospel of Christ.  We walked to the ocean and baptized them.  The husband and father was already a Christian, so there was great rejoicing in this family now united in Christ!

The Domingo family provided a wonderful lunch.  After a quick visit, we drove over an hour to reach Barangay Labayug, Sison in the province of Pangasinan where Nelson Nicanor labors in establishing a new congregation.  The little unfinished building was full and people sat outside at the entrance as I again presented the study on “Born of Water and the Spirit.”  Rody summarized the lesson in the local dialect and then admonished the audience to obey the gospel.  As we sang the invitation song, a young man came to the front asking to be baptized into Christ.  The angels in heaven rejoiced again today!  This has been a blistering hot day but a wonderful day!

As I walked tonight, the moon was absent from view.  Apparently the phase changed and he retired to his bed chamber, where I also hope to go before midnight.  Four brethren started with me on the walk, but the two adults used a shortcut to return and two young fellows stayed with me to the end.  The hot water is working tonight and I took a long warm shower to make up for lost time.  I am sure everyone will appreciate the refreshing smell tomorrow!  Me, too!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
http://www.HebronChurchOfChrist.com
http://www.biblework.com
http://www.truthmagazine.com
http://www.CEIbooks.com