April 17, 2015th Year of Our Lord

Dear family, brethren, & friends,

On Thursday, April 16, Mark Mayberry and I split up and went different directions to cover more ground. He preached for a rural congregation at Anonang where Geronimo and Gerald Ganela have labored. This is a new and growing work. About 60 attended today and four souls submitted to Christ in water baptism.

Meanwhile, I spent the day with Edgar Licondini and the saints meeting in an adequate building at Bliss Village, Ilagan, Isabela Province. I began with a lesson entitled “Young People, Read the Bible” (Ps. 118:18-20). A large part of the 70 people in attendance were young people sitting mostly in the front rows paying close attention. My second study was “Love Not the World” (1 Jn. 2:15-17). After lunch Rody spoke on “Things That Please God,” then I presented a textual study of Matthew 16:13-19 entitled “When Peter Confessed Christ.”

We closed the day with an open forum and again received many good questions. 1. Where did God come from? He is from everlasting to everlasting – He created all things but was not created. 2. If Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, how is it possible that the last chapter of Deuteronomy records the death of Moses? It is certain Moses wrote these books because Christ and the Apostles quote from them and attribute the quotations to Moses. We do not know who added the appendix about Moses’ death but possibly Joshua because Moses chose him as the next leader and Joshua wrote the book named for him as a continuation of the story from Deuteronomy to Joshua.

3. Calvinists say we are inconsistent when we teach that infants receive the penalty of sin but not the guilt of sin from Adam. No, it is not inconsistent but is consistent with observable facts. Often in life the innocent sffer as a consequence of the sins of the guilty. When a drunk hits another car, innocent people suffer the consequences. Ezekiel 18:20 explicitly says the son cannot inherit the sins of the father – the actual guilt cannot be transferred from one person to another.

4. Is is okay to attend the junior and senior prom? No, the prom is a dance and dancing with the opposite sex is lascivious and fraught with dangers and temptations. We must not conform to the world in an effort to be accepted and popular (Rom. 12:2). When we make ourselves friends of the world by participating in worldly activities, we become enemies of God (Ja. 4:4).  The problem is not solved by attending but not dancing.  Our presence compromises our example and influence.  A Christian has no business attending such worldly events.

Today, April 17, Mark stayed in the area to visit the church at Palca with Mark Daquioag and at Marguirig with Jun Gumpad. He presented lessons of edification, and addressed teaching to the young people to encourage them to serve the Lord.

Rody, Tessie, and I drover over about three and a half hours to reach Cordon, Isaela Province to work with Domie and Frankie Jacob. It has been a few years since I was there and it was good to see them again, along with several area preachers including Willie Pastor, Samuel Graneta, Esteban Nicolas, and others. While waiting for us Domie preached on “What Does the Lord thy God Require of Thee?” (Deut. 10:12). My first lesson was entitled “Young People, Read the Bible.” After my lesson, Rody presented a summary in the local dialect. Then eight precious souls were baptized into Christ in the small baptistry at the back of the church building. My afternoon study was on “the Prison of Sin” (1 Pet. 3:18–4:11).

Brother Domie is 79 years old but still strong and active. Brother Frankie is steady and diligent as they serve three congregations and help with a fourth new one.

Our drive back to Tuguegarao took four and a half hours, which means we spent almost eight hours on the road today without any accident or breakdown by God’s grace and the prayers of His saints.

This completes our work in northeast Luzon and we travel tomorrow to northwest Luzon, God willing.

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