Dear family, brethren, and friends,

After Mark and I arrived in Iloilo on Panay Island Sunday afternoon, we took some exercise, ate supper, and prepared our lessons to start the lectureship on the Book of Revelation Monday morning.  In recent years, Jack Jaco and I have invested a lot of time and effort teaching denominational preachers in this area.  Hernane Equipado was recently baptized and is gradually teaching his Baptist congregation the true gospel, and baptizing them as they learn and are ready to obey Christ.  

Hernane and Jack arranged this lectureship because the denominations are saturated with the doctrine that Christ’s kingdom will not come until the premillennial reign of Christ.  They do not understand the church of Christ is the kingdom of God on the earth today, beginning in Acts 2.  The doctrine of Christ reigning in Jerusalem in an earthly kingdom for 1,000 years is utterly false.

The lectureship conducted in a function room at a hotel here in town.  63 souls attended our first day, Monday, and almost all of them are denominational preachers and members.  They could not have been more interested or attentive as Mark and I taught six sessions covering 19 chapters of Revelation, each of us teaching for three hours.  We demonstrated by reading the text that the book is filled with figurative imagery and does not prophesy literal events which are still unfulfilled.  The book prepared the early church to enter a sustained period of persecution by the Roman Empire which tried to enforce the policy of emperor worship.

We had not expected the open forum to go so well.  Knowing that we are uprooting some of the most deeply held doctrines of the denominations, we expected a storm of questions objecting to the series.  Instead, the questions simply asked for additional comments and clarifications about the figurative language used in the book.  Not one question was antagonistic.  For instance, one question began with the observation, “Now that we know the book is not discussing political events in our time…”  When we dismissed, several approached us to comment that they understood the lessons well and appreciated the opportunity to learn the truth about this amazing book in the Bible.  

Our lectures continued on Tuesday with another room full of attentive souls.  Mark and I each presented one lesson completing the study of the Book of Revelation.  I concentrated on the 1,000 years in Revelation 20 as a figurative number marking the total victory of martyred saints over Satan and his agent Rome.  Mark taught additional lessons exposing the errors of “the rapture” doctrine and of claims that Israel retains the land promise of Genesis 12:1-3.  I preached two sermons covering Matthew 23:34-25:46 regarding the promise of Christ to destroy Jerusalem, which was fulfilled in A.D. 70, and to judge all men on the Final Day.

Two open forums were conducted today because we had some extra time and both were very fruitful.  Once again, rather than resisting the truth which is being presented, the questions simply pursued additional information and clarification.  This included discussions of the texts we studied, some clarification regarding the essentiality of baptism as a condition to receive God’s grace in salvation, and applications of the new life in Christ.  Someone asked how the new life in Christ engages the evil in the culture which surrounds us.  The answer is that we both teach the truth of God’s Word addressing these issues and we live that Word in all the relationships we have with people in the world.  

Another person asked how the hope of Christ’s return should impact our daily lives.  All of our attitudes, decisions, and conduct should be shaped by that hope.  Whatever happens, we know Christ will return and that everything we do in life is a preparation for his return.  There will be no events signaling his approaching return.

Some are near the kingdom and are wrestling with the decision to escape these denominational systems of false doctrine by yielding to Christ in faith, repentance, confession of Christ, and water baptism.  We will see what the future holds!

The last day of the lectures, Wednesday, was very successful again with Mark teaching on the present reign of Christ and two presentations relating Old Testament prophecies to their fulfillment in Acts 2.  My first lesson answered the question “When Is the 1,000 Year Reign of Rev. 20:4?” by explaining it refers to the perfect victory of the martyred saints when Rome fell. My last two lessons demonstrated how “Premillennialism Undermines the One Hope.”

Though no one was baptized today, the open forum and comments after we dismissed show that several precious souls are near the kingdom!  Someone asked for clarification about the word postmillennialism since we discussed premillennialism.  Premillennial theories claim Christ will return to earth before his 1,000 year reign while postmillennialism claims he will return after a 1,000 year earthly kingdom brings peace, righteousness, and prosperity.  Premillennial advocates abound while postmillennial advocates are few. 

Next, someone asked about the claim that God blesses nations which help Israel.  This is based on Genesis 12:1-3 where God promised to make Abraham’s decedents into a great nation and to bless nations which blessed Israel. God planned to bring the Savior through this special nation.  When the Savior came, Israel largely rejected him and Jesus predicted the final doom and end of this nation in Matthew 23:38: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”  In Matthew 24:1-35 Jesus prophesied the destruction of this nation by the Roman Empire.  Biblical Israel was removed from the face of the earth and today Christians are God’s special people, His new Israel (Gal. 6:15-16).

Since the prophecies of Rome’s fall have been fulfilled according to the Book of Revelation, someone wanted to know whether there are future events which prepare us for Christ’s return.  No such events are revealed, but in Matthew 24:36-25:46 Jesus stressed that we must be ready every moment for his return.  Therefore, we should focus on faithfully serving Christ rather than watching for events which might signal his return.

We know that more than one person was contemplating a question which was submitted: Does the baptism practiced in denominations save?  Jesus said in Mark 16:15-16, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”  Peter began preaching that gospel in Acts 2:38 when he commanded sinners to repent and be baptized “for the remission of sins.”  Likewise, Saul of Tarsus was later commanded to “arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”  Acts 2:41 and 47 show that people who submitted to Christ in water baptism were saved and added to his church – not to various denominations (none existed).  

Denominational baptism is not practiced to wash away sins but to join some denomination not found in the Bible.  So, no, the Bible does not teach that denominational baptism saves people and the denominations themselves insist their baptism does not wash away sins.  People need to escape denominational doctrines, systems, and organizations in order to obey the original gospel of Jesus Christ.  He adds the saved to his church found in the Bible, not to denominations.

Several who attended these three days of Bible lectures are considering the need to obey the original gospel of Christ.  One preacher who has planted several independent congregations requested that we follow up by coming to his area to teach the truth to the people attending these churches.  We need to help Jack and Hernane with funds to follow up on this request, and perhaps in the future when I return I can join them in such efforts.  

What Jesus said long ago is still true today: “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few” (Matt. 9:37).  There are open doors and open hearts on every hand!  

Jack took Mark and me to the Iloilo airport Thursday morning for us to fly to Manila.  Our flight went well as we both slept.  James Paet met us in Manila where we had a busy afternoon before reaching the hotel.  We ran several errands including grabbing lunch at the Pancake House and then visiting the Philippine Bible Society downtown to buy 586 Bibles in various dialects to ship to preachers around the islands.  

Then, James took us to the house of Jaime (“Jimmy”) Battung, the decorated retired chief of police in Makati, Metro Manila, who was converted by the gospel of Christ many years ago.  He is 84 now and his wife Lita passed away on March 5.  While he grieves and misses her greatly, his faith is still strong and he wants to serve God to the end.   His motto reflects his profession: “I will always give it my best shot.”  

Finally, we picked up some packages of dried mangos at a supermarket to share back home and proceeded to the hotel, exhausted, but happy and thankful for another day filled with God’s blessings!  By the time we got to the hotel, the sun was setting and the full moon was beaming in its glory!

It is now Friday in the Philippines and about noon Mark boarded his first flight headed for Houston, Texas and his loved ones back in Alvin, Texas.  I had no preaching appointments today but have worked on email, preparing a box of teaching materials to take to Japan, studying the sermons for Japan, and making other final arrangements to leave for Japan on a 7:30 A.M. flight tomorrow, God willing.

Meanwhile, I fervently pray every day in thanksgiving for all who are praying for the success of these labors in the gospel and for all of my loved ones back home in the U.S., as well as for the dear saints here in the Philippines who are such an inspiration as they serve God under very difficult circumstances.

In Christian love,

Ron Halbrook