Preaching in the Philippines – Again

By Connie W. Adam

Having visited and preached in the Philippines in 1971 and again in 1975, I decided to go again to places where we had been before and include some new places, and see how they do (Acts 15:36). This trip was in response to repeated invitations from several places in the Philip- pines. My wife accompanied me on this trip and was a great help. For years brethren have urged American preachers to bring their wives but only two or three have done so over the years.

We spent one month in the Philippines with all of our work being confined to Mindanao and Luzon. In Mindanao, we conducted meet- ings at Pagadian City in Zamboanga and also in Davao City. Ramon C. Carino is an older and much respected preacher in Pagadian City and all of that part of Mindanao. He is now 75 and is yet doing a significant work. At Davao City we worked with our old friend, Juanito Balbin and at Toril, just north of there, with Emilio Lumapay. Both are able and experienced preachers who take a strong stand for the truth.

Our last two weeks were spent on Luzon, first at Manila with Ben Cruz who continues to do good work. We had a most encouraging visit to Tuguegarao where Rody Gumpad is doing much good work. While there we preached two nights in the open in a brother’s yard, at two dif- ferent congregations on Sunday and then had a two-day lectureship. I also spoke on their one-hour television program. From there we spent an amazing three days visiting congregations in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. I had heard good things about the work in that area but this was my first time to see any of it first hand. “The half was not told.” We were greeted by over 1,000 at three different locations and about 800 at still another. There are many congregations and preachers in that area. They are working together well and do not seem to be troubled by some of the issues we had to combat at other places (error on marriage, divorce and remarriage, the one covenant doctrine, errors on the misuse of Romans 14 and the false applications of that to questions of fellowship and how to identify false teachers). We met many able preachers in that area, in- cluding Dani Oiongson at Allisitan, Victorio Domingo at Marcos, and Materno Sibayan, Sr. and Materno Sibayan, Jr. who work at Laoag City, Sinait and in that general area. Brother Sibayan, Sr. was a well-known and able Pentecostal preacher until 1972 when he was converted on Mindanao by the late Romulo Agduma. He returned to his wife’s home area at Sinait and from that beginning the work in the northern part of Luzon began to grow and flourish. Scores of denominational preachers have been converted. Three were baptized during our work (and that does not include 24 more preachers converted during the same time frame in places where Jim McDonald preached. The church at Laoag City had constructed a large meeting house and is now using it though it is far from completed. We saw new buildings under construction in several places. Some had recently improved their facilities. Other congre- gations meet in very humble circumstances under sheds attached to the side of someone’s house, or under a shelter framed with bamboo and with a straw roof.

There are hundreds of congregations in the Philippines. I do not know how many and I doubt that anyone does for sure. There are several hundred preachers. We personally greeted between 400-500. Some of these men have support from churches and individuals in the U.S.A. Others sup- port their families while working as farmers, teachers, taxi drivers, or whatever they find to do. Life is very hard for many of them. We saw a number of congregations which now have elders and deacons. Some are able to assume part of their local work in spite of the poverty of many members. We saw areas where drought is still affecting corn and rice crops.

Many of the preachers have been converted from denominationalism and have given up a great deal in many instances in order to take a stand for the truth. Some of them are well educated. Others have limited education and few tools with which to work. Most of them need books and teaching supplies. Congregations are in great need of class materials to teach children and young people. There are places where Bibles, song books, and communion trays are badly needed. Gospel tracts on basic subjects are needed everywhere. I saw two preachers who have copy machines and they really put them to use.

Men like Jim McDonald, Ron Halbrook, Jerry Parks, and

 

Danny McKibben have done much good. Through the years a number of good brethren have gone to help. J.T. Smith has made four trips. Any number of good men have gone at least once. Johnie P. Edwards with his son, grandson, and another brother, took their two-weeks intensive preacher training program to Manila in January with great results. They had 120 preachers enrolled in that. They took along 40 boxes of teaching materials.

While we were there for 30 days, I preached 56 times, conducted 27 hours of open forum (answering Bible questions) and Bobby taught 30 classes for women. These were well received and in several places there were more women than men in attendance. We saw 183 baptized. That does not include those converted at places where other Americans worked during that same month, nor the number from Filipino preachers at work during that time. These baptisms are the result of the labors of the Filipino brethren and they would obey the gospel whether we were there or not. It is regrettable that some American preachers have taken a variety of false teachings to the Philippines. Brethren there have to do the same as we do here. They have to sort through that and see what the Bible teaches and stand accordingly. Some of those who have taught error there do not agree among themselves, yet they go arm in arm with each other in their work. That is made possible by their misuse of Romans 14 and mistaken notions about fellowship. We had many questions about these matters. Several able and respected men made their position clear and stated their determination to stand whatever it might cost them.

We were assisted by thirteen congregations and 43 individuals in making this trip. We are grateful for this help and thankful to our God for health and strength to meet a very demanding schedule. We are also thankful to our beloved Filipino brethren who extended such loving hospitality to us everywhere we went.

The Advantages of Following Christ

By Mike Willis

Why should I become a disciple of Jesus Christ? When so many in our society are choosing to live without a commitment to Jesus, it occurs to me that there might be some need to explain why we think there is an advantage to being a disciple of Christ by explaining what Christ has done for us. Every person might have a different list of things that he would include on his list. However, here are some things that I see as distinct advantages that followers of Christ have over others.

The Follower of Christ Has A Distinct Moral Standard By Which To Live

The need for a clear moral standard has never been more clearly shown than in the recent issues brought before our nation by the impeachment trial of our president. We have been fed a constant barrage of assertions that what the president and his intern do in a consensual way is their business. Indeed, we are being told that same thing about a number of moral issues including the following: fornication, adultery, homosexuality, abortion, euthanasia, etc.

The idea that what one chooses to do is his own business may sound good until one starts making application of those principles to his own children. Is one ethical system just as good as another for your children? If you approach your son, suspecting that he might be involved in fornication or drugs, would you accept his explanation if he said, “Mom and Dad, you may choose not to commit fornication or use recreational drugs and I am not condemning you for what you choose to do. However, don’t try to bind your morals on me. I may choose to live differently than you do.” I suspect that most parents will appeal to their children to live by an absolute ethical code and even enact disciplinary punishments for the violation of those ethics.

The Christian has a distinct advantage in rearing his children in this age of moral relativity. The Christian believes that there is an absolute standard of ethics that is applicable to every person in every nation for all time. Sin is wrong because it is a violation of God’s word (1 John 3:4), not because it is a violation of societal ethics or personal conscience. Because there is a God and that God has given us a law by which to live, all men are bound by the same moral code (John 12:48). I can speak with certainty to my children to explain right and wrong to them. The Bible tells us what is right and wrong. Sin is clearly identifiable (Gal. 5:19-21). I can teach these moral principles to my children and encourage them to live ac- cording to them. I can point out the danger of violating those principles: (a) One sins against God; (b) One brings consequences to himself that are painful; (c) One influences society in a negative way.

When one’s child becomes a teenager faced with all the temptations that they will face, his training in moral ethics will largely determine how peaceful the home will be during those years. One of the advantages that the Christian has over the non-Christian is in teaching his children an ethical code.

The Disciple of Christ Has A Greater Commitment to Marriage

Who can deny that marriages are in trouble in America? There are few families that have not been affected by divorce. Acknowledging that none of us is above having problems, we nevertheless assert that the Christian has a better hope of having a stable family life than does the non-Christian. The Christian has a commitment to make the marriage work because of the commandments given in God’s word (Matt. 19:9). Unlike many who believe that marriage is some kind of “trial” arrangement, Christians have a commitment to make marriage endure for life. Jesus said, “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19:6). Paul said that men and women are joined in marriage for a lifetime (Rom. 7:1-6). Only fornication gives the innocent spouse the right to divorce his mate and remarry (Matt. 19:9). There is no honorable way out of marriage except by death, for fornication is a dishonorable end to a marriage for the guilty person.

The Christian believes that the Lord reveals the proper role relationships between a husband and wife (Eph. 5:22- 33). Both husband and wife are encouraged to learn their individual responsibilities and behave themselves in that marriage in keeping with the teaching of God’s word. Biblical training keeps together marriages that otherwise may fail, with both individuals growing to be what God wants them to be. Many of us have gone through rocky times in our marriages, prayed for guidance and strength to work through those difficulties, and committed ourselves to treating our mates like God instructs us to treat one another. Over the years, the eternal principles revealed in God’s word are applied and the couple builds a home pleasing to God.

Wherever I go to preach, I find couples that have been married 30, 40, 50, and a few even 60 years. Have you stopped to consider how rare such marriages are in our age of easy divorce and remarriage? Early in our marriage, my wife Sandy went to a beauty shop. As the conversation occurred, the beautician asked, “Are you married?” She replied that she was. The beautician asked, “How long?” She replied, “Ten years.” The beautician asked, “To the same man?” Her surprise reflects the influence of late twentieth century culture. Why is it thought unusual for one man and one woman to be joined together for life? Because this is contrary to the message that our culture is sending about marriage. If you want a marriage that has a superior chance of surviving, you need to consider what being a Christian does to increase the likelihood of your marriage lasting!

The Christian also believes that he has a responsibility to his children. Fathers are taught to train the children (Eph.

6:1-4). Mothers are also responsible in the work of child- bearing (1 Tim. 2:15). In a day when many mothers abort their babies and fathers walk away from their responsibilities to their children, the Christian has a distinct advantage in rearing his children. No wonder that the incidence of child abuse and children deserted by their fathers is lower among Christians. Where divorce is reduced by the Christian ethic, the home is a more stable environment, giving our children a distinct advantage.

The Disciple of Christ Has A Personal Relationship With God

The children of God are known by God. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (John 10:14). What a beautiful thought is expressed in this. Not only do the children of God know their Father in heaven, but the God of heaven knows me by name. He knows who I am, what I am doing, what my ambitions and desires are, what is happening in my life, etc.  God cares for me. He even stores my tears in his bottle (Ps. 56:8), signifying his awareness of and concern for my needs. He sees our needs and cares for them (John 11:35). We cast our cares on him because he cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7).

What a blessed privilege we who are children of God have in that we have the right to go boldly into the throne of grace to find help in the time of need (Heb. 4:16). The child of God has a right to take his concerns to God in prayer because God is his father (Matt. 7:7-11). The privilege of prayer is a blessing that one does not want to face the troubles of life without. Whether Christian or non-Christian, a person faces the troubles common to man, but the Christian faces them with God’s help (1 Cor. 10:13; Phil. 4:13).

The Disciple of Christ Has The Forgiveness of Sins and Hope of Heaven

This is listed last in this article, but not because it is of lesser importance. The child of God has a present peace of mind knowing that he is right with God (Phil. 4:6-7). He has a clear conscience because he has been forgiven (1 Pet. 3:21). Then when death comes, he has the blessed hope of heaven (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Many have forgotten that the Bible speaks of some who have “no hope” (4:13) and who are “without God” (Eph. 2:12).

There is no hope for mankind outside of Jesus Christ. We have all sinned (Rom. 3:23) and the wages of those sins is death, eternal separation from the presence of God (Rom. 6:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9). There is no amount of       righteous living, no amount of sorrow, and no restitution that he can make that will take away one sin. There is only one thing that can wash away sins — the blood of Christ Jesus. Unless one turns to Christ for the forgiveness of his sins, he will be eternally doomed to the punishment of hell.

The Christian has the blessed knowledge that his sins have been washed away by Christ. He has hope in his warfare against sin, not based on his perfect knowledge or perfect ability to live by the word of God, but by the grace of God that cleanses us from all unrighteous upon the condition of faith (though not “faith only”).

Conclusion

There are many other advantages to being a Christian. I am confident that any of our readers can easily expand the list that I have begun. We need to meditate on these advantages so that we can praise God, the source of all our spiritual blessings and be prepared to give answer to any who ask us why we choose to be a Christian (1 Pet. 3:15).

Nations That Forget God

By P.J. Casebolt

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Ps. 9:17). And we need to be concerned not only with the final destiny of such nations, but also with their present condition and standing in God’s sight.

“But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly” (Gen. 13:13). When Abraham could not find even ten righteous souls among those wicked Sodomites, “the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven” (Gen. 19:24). Some 1900 years later, Peter said that the condemnation of these wicked cities was “an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly” (2 Pet. 2:6).

If a nation will repent in time, and turn to God, it is possible for that nation to be spared. God told Jonah, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me” (Jon. 1:2). At first, the prophet shirked his duty and tried to “flee       . . . from the presence of the Lord,” but after three days and nights in a fish’s belly, Jonah decided to do God’s will. Drastic measures are sometimes required to get some preachers to do their duty. When Nineveh finally got the message, its citizens, including the king, repented in sackcloth, “turned from their evil way,” and God turned his wrath away from Nineveh. But another king did not lead his nation to repentance, and that nation of Babylon was overthrown, even by an inferior nation (Dan. 2:39; 5:25-31).

 

We need to be concerned about our nation, whose citizens “from the greatest of them even to the least of them,” engage promiscuously in wickedness, but refuse to repent. What can God-fearing people do in such cases?

Though Lot was a righteous man, all he could do was to be “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked” (2 Pet. 2:7, 8). Lot had “pitched his tent toward Sodom,” and though he prospered materially with his livestock (the economy was in good shape), he learned that Sodom was not a prosperous environment for family values. Sodom had passed the point of repentance and forgiveness.

If there is any hope left for our nation, it is not to be found among the ungodly, but rather among the godly. “I

exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peace able life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim. 2:1, 2).

Most people, including the ungodly, desire to “lead a quiet and peaceable life.” But in order to enjoy such a life, our moral values must be based upon “godliness and honesty.” When people continue to engage in such ungodly

acts as sodomy and other forms of fornication, dishonesty, lying, stealing, “murders, drunken ness, revellings, and such like” (Gal. 5:19-21), they are destroying the very foundation of “a quiet and peaceable life” for themselves and for others.

And if other citizens find pleasure and com fort in such things (“everybody does it”), then they become par-

takers of such evil deeds (Rom. 1:32; Eph. 5:11). But if a nation forgets God, does God lose all control

over that nation? It is true that when nations or individuals forgot God, that “God also gave them up” (Rom. 1:21-28). But that doesn’t mean that God no longer controlled the destinies of such nations or individuals.

Nebuchadnezzar, the heathen Babylonian king, learned “that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whom soever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Dan. 4: 17, 25). God even used this heathen nation to punish his own people for their idolatry, used the Medes and Persians to punish Babylon, then used the Persian king Cyrus to help God’s people rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. Some 600 years later, in A.D. 70, God used the Roman nation to destroy Jerusalem.

When the Roman governor Pilate told Jesus that he had power to either crucify or release him, Jesus answered, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above . . .” (John 19:10, 11). When the citizens of Tyre and Sidon played politics with the Roman king Herod (their prosperity was “nourished by the king’s country”), Herod made a speech and the people flattered him by saying, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man” (Acts 12:20-23). Herod had just “killed James the brother of John with the sword,” and put Peter in prison (vv. 1-4). When Herod “gave not God the glory,” the Lord’s angel smote the king, “he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”

“But the word of God grew and multiplied” (v. 24). We know that many of God’s people “were gathered together praying” (v. 12), and among other things they could have been praying that they may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” It certainly is a propitious time for all saints to be offering up such a prayer that the word of God may grow and multiply, and lest some of us end up vexed and fleeing like Lot, be imprisoned like Peter, or killed like James.

A Christian’s Proper Attitude Toward Government

By David Ferrell

Recent events in Washington have led to an increase in political discussion among the brethren. Like everyone else, I have watched the “Washington Mess” with disgust. As the impeachment drama unfolded, I began to examine the Scriptures concerning what our attitude should be toward government in general, and toward President Clinton in particular.

Any student of history recognizes that the government of Rome in the first century was at least as corrupt and morally bankrupt as any government we have seen in modern times. I point this out, not to excuse President Clinton’s behavior, but in order to examine the attitude of Jesus and his apostles toward a corrupt civil government.

I cannot find a single passage of Scripture where Jesus encouraged his followers to affect change by influencing their government. His only comment concerning our relationship to the government involved the payment of taxes and occurs in Matthew 22:21, where he says, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.”

We have two examples of conflict with government that, on the surface, conflict with each other. During his arrest, illegal trial, and execution Jesus refused to fight and did not allow his disciples to do so. He meekly submitted to every- thing they did to him, even though he must have understood better than anyone else the extent of the injustice done him. His attitude speaks volumes about the extent to which we are to submit to government, even when it is acting wrongfully.

The other example appears in Acts 4, when Peter and John defied the authorities who were trying to stop them from obeying the command to spread the gospel. What is the difference? I believe that the difference is that Jesus was in a position to which he could submit without sin (even though he would lose his life), while Peter and John could not submit without sinning. Note that Peter and John meekly submitted to the punishment for their disobedience.

Therefore the principle for us is that we must tolerate government regulation and rule until and unless government tries to force us to sin. For example, if a law says that we must stop preaching against homosexuality, we must disobey, but pay whatever penalty is assessed.

Our Attitude Toward Bill Clinton

First, we need to distinguish between Bill Clinton as a human being, and Bill Clinton, President of the United States. Because I am confident that few of us hold any personal animosity for the President, I will spend little time concerning our attitude toward him as an individual. It is sufficient to say that, as Christians, it is our obligation to pray that Mr. Clinton will come to a knowledge of the truth and be converted. Until this occurs, he stands guilty before God of all his sins, even if he were to transform himself into a model husband and model President.

It is in his second role, as President and leader of our government, that Mr. Clinton poses a somewhat new problem. I know of no other President who has engendered such strong emotions among us. Even the election of President Reagan in 1980 prompted little comment, even though he was divorced and married to woman who was also divorced. But now, we are hearing more and more comment, some of it very bitter. This is wrong.

Romans 13 clearly teaches that we must honor and respect Bill Clinton as President. Some may argue that Romans 13 could not possibly apply to President Clinton, given his immoral character. However, in Romans 13, Paul was hardly speaking of Washington or Lincoln. Paul was speaking to Christians who lived under the thumb of the Roman Emperors; men who crucified Christians by the thousands and used their decaying bodies as torches to light public streets in Rome; and who murdered their own relatives to make safe their thrones; and who indulged themselves in every form of sexual licentiousness, including open homosexuality. There can be no credible argument that Bill Clinton (or any other public official) is so corrupt that Romans 13 should not apply to Christians today.

Can a Christian urge the ouster of President Clinton? Given our form of government, there is probably nothing wrong with an individual Christian believing and advocating any political view that isn’t sinful in itself. But we need to be very careful about keeping our private political opinions away from our worship services and Bible classes.

Not since the civil war have we experienced a time when so many Bible classes, written articles, and even sermons concern themselves with the political topics of the day. Certainly, abortion, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and such like must be opposed, even though they also happen to be topics of political debate in our country. But some brethren are publicly advancing the idea that all Christians must profess and adhere to “conservative” political philosophy in order to be faithful. Nowhere does the Bible teach such a doctrine. Did Jesus go to the cross in order to make of us Republicans, Democrats, or Libertarians? It should be obvious that one need not even be an American to be a Christian.

In conclusion, as individuals, Christians have the right to be politically active if they choose. We can support, and even campaign for the party or candidate of our choice. But when the “wrong guy” wins, we should be content. We must not rail against the men who hold official power, for such is sinful. As a group, Christians are not at liberty to be politically active. Teaching our opinions about current political controversies has no place in our public worship assemblies and Bible classes and ought not be tolerated, any more than we would allow a political candidate to hustle votes from the Lord’s pulpit. Our public assembly should be focused upon building each other up and converting the world to Christ, not upon politics.