The Meaning of Christ's Name

By Pastor Jed Raquintan

..…and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins.

The book of Proverbs in chapter 22 verse 1 says A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. Names are not only significant but also crucial. A name will be borne in a lifetime by the bearer.
Today it is easier to change names as laws provide such avenue on clearing the self from bad connotation of names. Hebrew customs carefully observe the giving of names. They are aware of its lifetime implications.

Nowadays, it seems that people are less serious about name giving. Popularity is one of the keys towards giving names. There was a period when names were all derived from names of dead saints. Once I learned that a father named his son from car auto parts. There seems to be an apparent disinterest in the moral and spiritual implications or connotations of chosen names.

Our Savior as He entered into this world was not spared from name giving. He must have some name. And that is my intent in this article. I desire to elaborate the issues relevant to the name of our Lord and Savior. Who gave Him such name? Where was it taken? What is the real meaning or connotation as well as the effects of the name given?

First, the name JESUS was a divinely designated name. You see this in verse 21a. The angel, sent by the Lord as messenger to deliver the message to Joseph, disclosed this name. Expressly, it was not human in origin. I mean, Joseph did not conceptualize it; neither did Mary nor any other human relative choose it. It was not also original with the angel because the latter was only a messenger from God. Angels speak whenever God gives them a message. They go to people as God assigned to them. So God thought of this name.

The name JESUS means God is salvation. So it is the Lord’s way of preparing the people whom Jesus would be with concerning the latter’s future task on earth. By considering the name given, a Jewish or Hebrew person will immediately recognize the heavenly origin of Jesus. It also implies the divinity of this person. Thus, to be named Jesus signifies the heavenliness and highness of our person. Hence, there is a corollary expectation to live with the meaning of the name.

Consequently, you may choose to name your son or another newborn boy with that name. But let us seriously remember the divinity attached to it. We are scripturally reminded to respect the name of God. We are not to use it in vain. Even though this text does not indicate the deity of Jesus, yet it does require us to pay the highest respect to such divinely designated name.

Second, the name JESUS was a disclosure of His earthly task. You see this in verse 21b. Every Hebrew person prior to Jesus’ birth expects the day their nation would be delivered from their political oppressors. For centuries they were severely controlled by foreign aggressors. Though it had divine permission to chastise them, they failed to fully understand this aspect. With this skewed expectation, they were hopeful of the coming of a political messiah – a savior who would free them from foreign colonization. However, the Savior’s first coming was neither political nor socio-economic in nature, but spiritual, focused on the most significant – the salvation of the souls. God, being wiser than man, conceived and prioritized the greatest need of humanity. Man needs to be saved from his sin and its penalty.

JESUS means God is salvation. Understanding it sincerely and consistently with the context, its only meaning is to deliver Israel from their pressing need- the salvation of soul from sin’s penalty in hell. Thus, Jesus’ earthly tasks were related to this overall mission goal. Everything He did on earth was relevant to that main goal. Luke said in 19:10, For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. He did all to lead needy sinners to salvation. He healed to show people His divine power. He made miracles to display His divine authority. He came to call people to repent from sins and to believe in Him as the spiritual king of their soul.

So Jesus refused to be sidetracked from many entanglements He faced on earth. He rejected the offer of some sectors to lead a nationalist movement to free the nation from political oppression of the colonizers. He also shunned away from excessive miracle-making that would only satisfy human longing for life betterment and excitement without the real desire to follow God. Therefore the name Jesus bore the very task He would carry on.

Applying this concept, when we give a name it implies the quality of life and work the person will have. This is truly a hard task for the name giver. As humans we can not fully know the future and the future character and work of those whom we named. Thus, prayerfulness and consistency in teaching those whom we named are expected of us. The character of names given must be carried on by the person. It is indeed disastrous to see one living and working contrary to his/her name. If there is only one godly quality of life and work we could work on for life then that would be to live according to our name.

Let us not neglect also that the name Jesus was meant to bring salvation to its hearers or receivers. Never miss the salvation Jesus offers us as it entails heaven and hell for eternity. Have you received the salvation this Jesus gives? See Romans 6:23.

Third, the name JESUS was a display of God‘s presence. Look what verse 23b says …. Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. This is the other name given Him. It was an Old Testament prophesy in the book of Isaiah. This name signifies what God would do through Jesus. As God is a spirit He still planned, however, to let Himself be seen of men. To do this, God the Son was incarnated to accomplish the task mentioned. So, this name is corollary to the name JESUS. If the latter refers to His earthly task then “Immanuel” refers to His being with sinning people in order to accomplish the goal of saving needy sinners.

As God He could just have willed and spoken for man to be saved. But He chose to be with them so He could communicate the message of salvation to them. Hence, the concept of God was not something abstract or beyond human appreciation. It was rather a public demonstration of what He intended to do for the needy sinners. It was an act of bringing salvation not from a distance but by being with them. It was an act subject to our senses for greater appreciation.

What is the relevance of this truth in our lives? One, the highest God made His presence felt upon needy sinners to do something concrete for them. I think we too ought to be with the people we want to reach for Jesus. We want to be with them not to be appreciated or be imposing upon them. Our presence reduces the hardship of others. Two, the soundness of our aims remains ineffective, if not a sure failure, if they are not translated into the level of the people we desire to reach.

Finally, the name JESUS was demonstrative of man’s obedience. Consider verse 25b which says …and he called his name JESUS. Joseph who already had a hard time accepting the truth of the virgin birth of Jesus was further tasked to name the child Jesus. This name was not unusual in Hebrew history. Yet, it appears that Joseph lost his freedom to choose names for the child. Nonetheless, Joseph accepted the divinely designated name. This is a mark of his character – a life of obedience. He kept God’s chosen name even though he could have hidden it to himself.

This has a similarity with the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias and Elizabeth. Consider Luke 1:57-64. Zacharias’ unbelief on God’s message, including the naming of the child led to his becoming mute. And his obedience to name his son with God’s chosen name in spite of cultural violation as far as naming is concerned led to deliverance from physical defect.

Joseph could have disobeyed God even secretly. But he chose to keep God’s assignment. He overcame the fear of man in naming the child not from his own liking. He humbly submitted to God’s designation. Let us seriously regard keeping the commands of God in the Bible. Let us not fear the wrath of family and friends in our obedience to God’s call to the ministry. Our genuineness as believers assure the Spirit leading in us. Our sincerity to obey the Savior leads us to gradually abandon necessary earthly entanglements towards serving the Savior. Consider what God can do to you, to your family, to your occupation, and to your possessions or being as a result of fearing the consequences of not serving Him in the full time capacity!

Joseph prioritized God’s designation regardless of man’s wrath. He remained on divine assignment even if it meant humiliation in public. Peter reminds us all in his plea to the Savior in Mark 10:28-30!

Friends, have you received the salvation this name JESUS offers? Why not come to Him in repentance from sins and believe in JESUS alone to save you from hell? He can save you now, John 3:15-18, 36!

Therefore, let us always remember the highness and divinity in the name JESUS. This name recalls the salvation we received. It also enjoins us to be with the people we want to get saved regardless of the current differences. And let us be courageous to keep the divine designation both in belief and practice until we see Him who bears the name JESUS. Amen!

Look and Live

Before our meeting with Pastor Jed last September, when my wife and I were to present to him the not-so-encouraging financial status of CAM, we went through the process of thinking how we could sustain the project given the remaining resources and our limitations. We knew back then that Pastor would not be so happy with the numbers that we would show him and that he would ask us how we intend to continue.

We often hear Pastor Jed teach the idea of bi-vocational ministry in the pulpit – of doing the work of the ministry while at the same time pursuing a secular job. Though I am not a fulltime worker of the church, I know I must apply this for me to be able to continue the CAM Agri project (which we are convinced the Lord has called us to oversee, at least for now) and at the same time earn a living. After much thought and prayers, we then decided that we must align our business with that of CAM to lessen its operational costs. As CAM then has already been caring for three goats (under a 50-50 arrangement with the owner) and owned three goats (donation to CAM), we decided to pursue our long-time plan of starting a goat farm.

“’Cob, pag ipinadala ka na sa kung saan, tingnan mo ang ikinabubuhay ng mga tao. Magagamit mo ito para makilala sila, makapagsimula ng pakikipag-usap sa kanila, at magkaroon ng ideya kung paano ka din mabubuhay sa lugar na iyon.” This I told Jacob in one of our light conversations while were were in Tanay loading a sack of uling (charcoal). To cover the costs of our regular visits and shoulder a portion of the operational costs of CAM’s farm in Laiban and at the same time earn a living (while the goat farm is still at its infant stage and unable to generate income yet), we have been selling uling, camote, and buko. As these are the products of Tanay, we decided to sell these so that we don’t come down to Manila empty-handed. The Lord has been good in providing us access not only to the much-needed revolving capital but also to outside (of CBC) buyers.

I’ve been asking Jacob to accompany me to Laiban and Sto Niño, Tanay. This I do, not only to augment the labor requirements of the farm but also to expose him to the reality of and train him for the ministry. “Dapat matuto kang mag-adapt sa lugar na paglalagyan sa iyo para hindi ka lamang aasa sa sustento ng iglesia. Sa ganitong paraan, matututo ka ding makibagay sa mga tao na siyang pinagmiministeryuhan mo. Hindi ka pupunta dito na naka-barong o naka-amerikana o ipagwawagwagan ang iyong MA o PhD o di kaya naninilaw sa mga alahas na nakasabit sa leeg. We can reach them only if we touch their lives through caring – not empty babblings using the Word of God. Nakita mo na nga na naghihikahos, ‘di mo man lang maabutan kahit ano pagkatapos mong kausapin.” Jacob just nods in agreement. I can only pray and hope that somehow I’m able to positively influence this young man.

To date, the CAM owns 11 goats – the three donated by the brother mentioned earlier, two does bought last September and a newborn kid, three recently bought does and a buck, and the last one is again a newborn kid of the doe that CAM is taking care of under a 50-50 arrangement with the Christian owner.

And so as we physically toil the ground of Laiban, learn from our past mistakes and embark on new activities, the Lord continuously toils the ground of our souls with these lessons in the ministry. Lord willing, as the goats come to age, the banana trees bear their fruits, and the palay be ready for harvest, we too have grown in spiritual maturity. Amen!

Sa Kanyang Murang Edad

Ni Wendy Quising

Marahil ang ilan sa inyo ay nagsimulang dumalo sa Sunday School sa murang edad. Maaga kayong naturuan ng mga bagay patungkol sa Bibliya. Marami na ang mga kuwentong narinig tungkol kina Abraham, Moises, David, Elias, Pablo at marami pang iba. Siyempre hindi natin dapat isantabi ang pangalang Jesus! Siguro kung inyong bibilangin, mga bata, ang dalas na marinig ninyo ang pangalan ng ating Panginoon ay libu-libong beses na. Ngunit kung tatanungin ka, ano ba ang bahagi ng buhay ni Jesus ang dapat mong tularan?

Sa edad na 12 taong gulang ang ating Panginoon ay nakakitaan na ng interes patungkol sa gawain na pinagagawa sa kanya ng Diyos Ama. Oo, hindi niya sinayang ang kanyang panahon. Nang hinanap Siya ng Kanyang mga magulang ay nakita nilang Siya ay nakikipag-usap sa mga Pariseo sa templo (Lukas 2:41-52). Hindi siya katulad ng mga batang hindi masunurin sa magulang. Inilaan Niya ang kanyang oras para tuparin ang utos sa Kanya ng Diyos Ama. Hindi Siya katulad ng marami sa inyo na kapag nawala sa bahay ay kung saan-saan matatagpuan. Ang iba sa computer shop, ang iba sa malls, ang iba nasa kapitbahay at nakikipaglaro ng playstation, mga walang kabuluhang bagay na kumakain ng ating oras.

Maaari nating isipin na ang kanyang ama ay maagang namatay dahil siya ay hindi na nabanggit pa sa mga huling bahagi ng buhay ni Jesus. Kaya dahil ang kanyang amang si Jose ay namatay nang maaga, bilang panganay sa magkakapatid, marahil Siya na ang pumalit bilang tagasuporta ng kanilang pisikal na pangangailangan. Hindi Niya pinabayaan na magutom ang kanyang inang si Maria at ang Kanyang mga kapatid. Hindi Siya umasa sa iba. Maaga Niyang natutunan na maging responsable sa Kanyang sarili at sa Kanyang tungkulin bilang panganay na anak. Siguro, ang iba sa inyo ay tinuturuan ng mga gawaing-bahay katulad ng paghuhugas ng pinggan, pagwawalis, pagliligpit ng higaan at pag-aalaga sa nakababatang kapatid. Hindi sana kayo nagrereklamo o umaangal kapag kayo ay inuutusan sa bahay. Ang mga iyon ay paraan lamang ng inyong mga magulang upang mapalaki kayo ng tama para sa paglaki ninyo matuto kayong magtrabaho para sa sarili ninyo. Hindi habang buhay meron kayong magulang. Darating ang panahon na maiiwan kayong mag-isa at mapipilitang magtrabaho. Paano kung hindi kayo natuto? Paano kung hindi kayo naturuang maging masipag? Walang magyayari sa inyo kundi umasa sa iba. Huwag ninyong tularan ang kwento ni Juan Tamad! Siya’y naghihintay na lamang na mahulog sa kanyang bibig ang bayabas galing sa puno sa sobrang katamaran. Si Jesus, mula pagkabata ay maituturing na responsable at masipag na bata. Kung hindi Niya natutunan nang maaga iyon ay marahil silang lahat ay magugutom nang mawalan sila ng ama.

Ang bahaging ito ng buhay ng Panginoon ay dapat nating tularan at gawing halimbawa upang sa paglaki ninyo ay hindi kayo magsisi. Ang napakadakilang nagawa ng Panginoon na pagbabayad sa ating mga kasalanan ay tanda lamang ng pagiging masunurin Niya sa Diyos Ama. Ang pagtatrabaho Niya para sa Kanyang pamilya ay nagpapakita na hindi Niya iniisip ang sarili Niya kundi ang kapakanan ng iba.

Sagradong Harana

The Basis of Our Belief and Behavior

Filipinos do not have biblical heritage both in culture as well as in nationhood. This was due to the Spanish oppression of our people in keeping the Bible from its subjects. They punished even priests who violated the religious prohibition of having possession of the banned book. They merely reflected the orders of their superiors in Rome. Thus for more than 350 years our people were in gross spiritual darkness, not seeing the word of God, except for isolated smuggling of the banned book into the country or the very few instances that the old book was brought into the nation’s shores.

So we developed, as a nation, without the benefits of the word of God. We started as a people without the illumination of the inspired word of God. We educated our people without it and its influencing impact. We created government based on principles anchored on humanistic and deeply religious knowledge. So, expectedly, only one dominant religious institution was indirectly allowed both by its national leaders and its subjects. We became the only nation in Asia that is deeply Roman Catholic but not biblical. We became devout religionists committed to Romanism but not Christian in the biblical meaning of the word.

The proponents of this dominant religion “converted” the natives into a worst religion. Thus, they deepened the blindness of the people. The people became outwardly religious yet with empty hearts longing for true scriptural salvation. The “discoverers” of our archipelago sought areas they eventually donated to the king of Spain. While the reformation in Europe was raging and the Romanists was losing, the latter sought the other areas of the world as their future gains for Rome. With this they succeeded. The reformers then battled in Europe for “sola scriptura.”

So what should be the basis of our faith as Filipinos? Must we keep what the Spanish and their successors had taught us for more than four centuries? Or must we reject and discard it into the garbage bin and take the reformers’ battle cry? Consider also our Baptist forefathers’ belief through the centuries (check past issues on Baptist distinctives). Further, look into the predecessors of our Anabaptists ancestors who believed in the same even if they paid it with their blood from the monstrous, murderous, and mean Romanists with the aid of their State cohorts or puppets.

Let us allow the holy Scriptures to speak for itself regarding this issue. Let me use 2 Timothy 3:15-17 as our basis for the study on this issue. The text gives us clear principles about the benefits of the Scriptures to humanity, namely;

First, verse 15 teaches that the holy Scriptures are necessary for people to receive salvation as they express faith in Christ Jesus. The exposition of the holy Scriptures to man’s understanding will lead to man’s salvation (from hell) as he places his faith on Christ. Timothy was taught since childhood by his mother and grandmother with the holy Scriptures. And this habitual act resulted to the young man’s conversion and godly conduct. Today, people give lip service to the Bible. The tide has changed. People could not refuse anymore the validity of existence of the Bible. We are no longer in the days of the oppressive Spanish era. Yet, our general population is still captive to the old thought. Check how the older people treat the young ones within possession of the Bible in the remote areas of the nation. Consider how our politicians and national leaders treat the old book. They put it in many areas only as a decorative object. You will see it in court halls, in congress, in jeepneys, in cars, in offices, in lecture halls, as well as in homes. You will not see its eternal teachings in their hearts and work. If you go to classrooms, teachers or professors of all sorts undermine its principles. They are coward animals who could not expose and explain the word of God and yet claim to be “the teachers of teachers.” So the current morass of our people is only a deserving result of their ill attitude to the word. Try to ask how many Filipinos are truly saved. Or who have found the truth of salvation spoken of in the text by the apostle Paul? I thought the Bible is in many places here!

Secondly, verse 16 teaches that all Scriptures are inspired of God. Every word is God-breathed guaranteeing no error in every word; that all its teachings are divinely given; and that all in all it is perfect. Consequently, it also assures the current readers that s/he has access to the very words inspired and preserved by God through the centuries. If God did not ensure its perfection and preservation, then how else could it be profitable to people. There were four areas the Scriptures are profitable, namely; a) in doctrine, b) in reproof, c) in correction, and d) in instruction. What aspect of man’s life would not be covered by these? How many do you think among our countrymen believe in this teaching? Perhaps, very few because they were not exposed early to such teachings. Even if they were, the influence of ungodly views promoted in many places would give the young ones hardship to survive. So they are ridiculed by professors in the classroom when they project their biblical philosophy and principles. In the halls of congress, Biblicist legislators would surely be laughed at indirectly by his colleagues. Worst, we elected or appointed leaders who are unbiblicist in view.

If indeed the Scriptures is profitable why do we have less people who subscribe and carry its principles to fruition. Why do we have to be diluted and replaced by humanistic views? Let us promote and protect our Biblicist view carried by our institutions. Let us build more organizations that will carry the instructional profit of our Biblicist view. We are to ensure that the existing institutions are strong in this conviction that they may last in the next generation.

Thirdly, verse 17 teaches that Scriptures are sufficient to equip people in producing beneficial works. If one has experienced genuine salvation (has with it concrete changes in life) and is benefiting from the profits of biblical study exposure then, surely s/he will produce godly works beneficial to others. When professing Christians failed to produce biblical good works it is because they have no Christ or they are selling out their biblical convictions for temporal advantages. The Bible is not an isolated exclusive literature that benefits only the hermit-like communal people group. Rather, as the text says, it positively affects people. In all human endeavors, people will be blessed by its principles. The spiritual and religious matters are not the sole realm of the holy Bible. As this verse says, profitable and beneficial creative works of the saved and sanctified peoples shall affect the people surrounding them. These are works covering many areas of human studies and expertise.

Biblical studies and formulation of scriptural philosophical life views are crucial in human development. What goes on in the human mind will affect his works. The person’s philosophical framework will substantially determine his creation and behavior. Yet, many educators and policy makers have continued to reject the biblical mindset. They usually regard it as mere literature conducive for spiritual upliftment. This is a classic ignorant person if not poorly educated concerning the benefits of biblical studies and its impact in philosophical or behavioral formulation.

In one of the issues of a newspaper, the chief justice of the supreme court challenges lawyers to look into other fields of study such as sociology and economics in their preparation for globalization trend. The highest lawyer of the land, unfortunately never mentioned biblical study or philosophy. Does it mean that the centuries old holy Bible is irrelevant to the lawyer’s preparation towards one world mindset? So are you surprised why legislator-lawyers craft self-serving laws? Why do big nations under the lead of brilliant lawyers oppress the smaller nations in the area of economics? Sociologists under the spell of unbiblical theorists and practitioners continue to reject the biblical premises of man, his behavior, and dealings with community while the holy Scriptures for ages has clearly taught the answers to sociological problems and pursuits.

As Biblicist people let us keep a strong hold onto the old view – sola scriptura not only for soul salvation but in all human life endeavors. So let me encourage people in every profession to seriously study the holy Scriptures so you may know how to make your occupation biblical in framework and pursuit. Consider organizing yourselves to protect your interest and continuity. Refuse mingling with others who would dilute and render your biblical occupational pursuits to powerlessness or nothingness. The Bible is sufficient for us to make all works profitable and beneficial to others. By this we become complete as the text says. In the mean time let us not be deadened by the opium of human pursuits that rejects God’s holy word governing them in all human life endeavor.

Nag CAM ka na ba?

I was eating in a fast-food restaurant once when a young man approached me to offer dried mangoes and macapuno. He told me that the proceeds will go to their scholarship fund. He then continued to say that he was once an out-of-school youth until a religious group took him and sent him to school. In return, he must sell the products of the manufacturer sponsoring their schooling.

I have also heard of other religious groups doing the same – engaging in commerce and trade to advance their cause. One of the more famous groups is the Good Shepherd convent in Baguio City. I suppose anyone who has gone to Baguio and has bought some pasalubong would not miss including Good Shepherd’s ube jam, strawberry jam, peanut brittle, etc. According to this group, their nuns are the ones who make these products, without a pay to advance their cause of spreading the Roman Catholic faith, including sending some children and youth to school. It is by doing these social activities that they are able to win the hearts of men.

Brethren, we might think that what they are doing are all in vain for they do it to gain merit from the Lord and be assured of their place in heaven. But most of us will be embarrassed by their zealousness and their enthusiasm to promote their products and their work. I’m afraid that unless we capture that same zeal and spirit of voluntarism and cooperativism to advance the cause of Christ, it would take much longer time for us to realize our vision of sending missionaries to every province and we would see the cults and communists overtaking us and capturing the hearts of men for their own cause.

Last week, we harvested a portion of our tilapia. I was quite discouraged by the output because the tilapia did not grow and the volume was not as I expected. To recoup some of the losses, we decided to process the tilapia as “tilanggit” to command a better price. Again our Samuels (Jacob, Erwin and Lester) were there to help out to debone the tilapia and marinate them and again some of the brethren were willing to buy and patronize them. Needless to say, they were quite satisfied with the taste!

I remember a sister in Christ who would buy our camote and use it in almost every dish that she would cook. A brother in Christ also called me to tell me that he will entrust his goats to CAM’s care. He and CAM will then divide equally the kids that will be borne. Recently also, a Christian couple in the US (the wife being a former member of CBC) sent money for CAM. And we will never forget the giving of a Christian widow, who despite being recently operated on, continuously gives her weekly support for the CAM. Due thanks also are given to men and women of God who help us with the minute details of the operation and who do not fail to include CAM in their prayers.

For the remaining months of the year, the CAM will embark in the goat-raising project. We now have six goats in our care and we plan to buy more, including one high breed buck to upgrade the size and quality of the herd. The purchase will be done after we have constructed additional housing for them.

The bananas will be due for harvest November-December. We have recently harvested eggplants and sweet corn. These vegetables we just tried to see if they will thrive and yield a good harvest. This being the case, we intend to plant corn and peanuts when in season.

The fishponds are currently being restructured (deepened and widened) and nets will be placed to prevent predators from eating the fingerlings. We also plan to buy sex-reversed tilapia fingerlings instead in our next round. The pigs are also due for selling and I have instructed Nonoy to catch some young roosters for the consumption of our church workers.

Last August 25, the Samuels plus some of our ladies and men planted rice. Lord willing this will be harvested by the end of the year. It was such a blessing to see the brethren allowing their hands to be dirtied and their feet buried in mud as they subject themselves to a task that they are not used to doing. If only all of us can capture that spirit of cooperation, the ministry of CAM will go a long way! I know not all of us will be able to physically go to Laiban but everyone can help express support by some other way. As an example, one couple who can not join sent food for the brethren that day.

Little by little, we are capturing the spirit of voluntarism and cooperativism. Our earlier vision of our bahay kubo and of bringing only salt and kerosene whenever we go down to Laiban are slowly materializing. I pray that this will gain momentum.

Cornerstone, nag-CAM (cooperate, assist, minister) ka na ba? Mag-CAM na!

Tungkulin ng Asawa’t Ina

Ilang taon na ang nakakaraan, isang dalagang Kristiyanong malapit nang ikasal ang humingi ng payo sa akin kung dapat ba siyang magpatuloy sa pagtatrabaho pagkatapos ng kasal, o tumigil na at manatili na lamang sa bahay. Sinabi ko sa kanya na walang nilalabag sa Bibliya ang mga babaeng may asawa na patuloy pa ring nagtatrabaho sa labas ng tahanan basta hindi nila kinaliligtaan ang kanilang pangunahing tungkulin, at iyon ay sa kanilang asawa at mga anak.

Subalit sinabi ko rin sa kanya na ang sitwasyon niya ay naiiba dahil sa kung siya ay magpapatuloy sa kanyang trabaho ay lalabas na siya ang magtataguyod sa kanyang pamilya dahil sa napakalaki ng agwat ng kanilang kinikita. At dahil sa siya ang bumubuhay sa kanila, malakas ang tukso na siya ang maghari-harian sa kanilang tahanan, na siyang magiging dahilan ng paglabag niya sa Banal na Kasulatan patungkol sa pagpapasakop ng asawang babae (Efeso 5: 22-24; Col. 3: 18).

Nalulungkot akong tingnan ang mga pamilyang ang ina ang naghahanap-buhay at ang ama ang nasa bahay upang gawin ang tungkulin ng ina. Oo nga’t ito na yata ang uso ngunit hindi ito ayon sa Bibliya. Ang ama ng tahanan ang siyang dapat na mangalaga (Efeso 5: 29; 6: 4) ng kanyang pamilya at kasama sa pangangalagang ito ang pagbibigay ng kanilang pisikal na pangangailangan. Siya ang may katungkulang bumuhay ng kanyang pamilya.

Samantala tayong mga asawa o ina ay dapat na siyang abala sa ating mga tahanan (Tit. 2: 5) at tinitiyak natin ang kaayusan nito, ayon sa pamumuno ng ama sa tahanan. Subalit sa panahon ngayon na napakalakas ng batak ng materyalismo, maraming dahilan ang mga ina upang bigyang katwiran ang paghahanap-buhay. Ang problema ay madalas na nagaganap sa mga tahanan na “kung sino ang mas may pera ang mas malakas ang boses.” Siya na ngayon ang mas may otoridad. Hindi natin maitatangging napakaraming mga babae ngayon ang may mataas na katungkulan sa iba’t ibang sektor ng lipunan.

Tunay ngang baliktad na ang mundo. Ang lalaki gustong maging babae at ang babae ay gustong maging lalaki. Noon ang tawag sa magulang na nasa bahay at nag-aalaga ng mga anak ay “housewife”; ngayon, “house husband.”
Ngunit magkaganito man ang mundo at makiayon man ang marami, nakatitiyak akong ang ating Panginoon ay nalulugod sa mga Kristiyanong asawa’t ina na sumusunod sa Kanyang kalooban at Siya rin ang magtataas sa kanyang Salita at doon sa mga nananatiling tapat dito.

Ngunit magkaganito man ang mundo at makiayon man ang marami, nakatitiyak akong ang ating Panginoon ay nalulugod sa mga Kristiyanong asawa’t ina na sumusunod sa Kanyang kalooban at Siya rin ang magtataas sa kanyang Salita at doon sa mga nananatiling tapat dito.

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Church Planting Work

We want to focus this issue on exalting the person and work of the Holy Spirit. He is not like as described by the religious cults and false theology views. They portray Him not as a person but simply as a force emanating from God. Others also view Him as inferior to God the Father. Still many religious people live as if He is not around. They hardly realize the significance of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Church workers and preachers work to exhaustion attempting to fulfill their tasks as if the Holy Sprit is unnecessary. Missiologists seem to suggest heavy reliance upon practical, cultural, intellectual, and linguistical strategies in the work. Seldom does the Holy Spirit’s invocation or participation integrated in. In this age of scientific studies, organized planning, and fast pace technology, churches are heavily relying on humanistic wisdom to get and keep people in the church while the same workers are indirectly neglecting the Holy Spirit’s direction and ministry.

I pray that we could learn from this short treatise on the role of the Holy Spirit in our missions work. God disclosed Him in the book of Acts that we may develop a pattern towards a biblical model of missions.

Missiologists recommend the use of felt needs in the strategy to get a hearing of the gospel. They undermine the plain old scriptural methods of preaching and house-to-house canvass. They also suggest sufficient language study for the missionary. Further, mastering the local culture of people to reach is highly factored in the work of missions. They also conduct data gathering survey prior to missions proper. Though these are not ungodly in themselves, yet it appears the preoccupation is suggestive of becoming more ”scientific.” I see a diminishing trend in reliance on the Holy Spirit. There seems to be an absence of waiting and discerning upon the working and moving of the Holy Spirit. There is no reliance on the Holy Spirit and prayer. The last is more often associated with Him.

My humble position is greater dependence upon the Holy Spirit who indwells, fills, and guides us in every work we do for God—asking God to reveal the specifics the Holy Spirit wants us to accomplish. Even as we plan, the missionary worker and financier must ever be listening to the disclosure of the Holy Spirit. He knows where we ought to start a mission work. He has designated peoples for us to work with as initial contacts. He plans us to do specific tasks at specific places. All these shall be revealed by Him as we attempt to look for people and to locate the places as well as determine the kind of tasks He intends for us to do.

Some clear passages in the book of Acts will help us in the formulation of the above perspective, namely;

In Acts 2 the Holy Spirit filled the people gathered for worship and they formed the nucleus in the commencement of the Jerusalem church. The unity this local church obtained was due to the Spirit’s control over their lives as evident in Acts 4:31-32. Further, they became generous to one another as well as to their ecclesiastical goals (4:33-37). In the worldly sight of science and culture, the family and financial advantages are deemed best indicators of local church formation. This was not so at this point! How do you start a local church?

In Acts 6 they chose leaders who were Spirit dominated (6:3) and this was corroborated by their style and zeal in preaching for missions (7:55). Consider also Philip, as one of the seven, how he witnessed and won the Ethiopian eunuch (8:29-40). We harvest nothing in missions work for we operated under our best ability without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Is this right with you?

In Acts 9:31 the people of God found comfort not in any worldly entertainment but rather in the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. They were encouraged by the event leading to the conversion of the once great persecutor of the church – Saul (9:5-20). Paul’s conversion and abrupt change was regarded as due to the Holy Spirit working to strengthen the church. How do you respond, missions worker and financier, to negative circumstances in life and work? Are you becoming full of faith or of doubt?

Peter narrated to the Jerusalem church how he started missions work in Caesarea (11:2-15) through the initial contact – Cornelius. He never wanted to go there and he had strong feelings against Gentiles. This was due to his strong and skewed patriotism. Yet, the Holy Spirit prevailed and he followed Him. Then, this contributed to the commencement of missions work in this non-Jewish city. Further, a work was started in Antioch due to the zealous missionary spirit of the scattering Jerusalem saints (11:21-24). Is the very place of current missionary work we are engaged in a result of our religious orchestration satisfying our selfish desires and ecclesiastical ambition that is void of the Holy Spirit’s leading?

This newly established Antioch church began to seek and send her missionary to the uttermost part of the earth (13:2-3). They did this under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Their missionaries were also guided by the Spirit in the trip and selection of places to go and to work at in connection with their tasks as church planters (13:4, 9, 52). There seems to be an absence of indirect evidence that the choice of places was due to survey and scientific examination. Is this still the same approach to missionary work today?

After the Jerusalem council, the churches resolved not to impose upon the non-Jewish churches Jewish ceremonial regulations in the work of missions (15:28). As led of the Holy Spirit, they saw the need not to add any burden upon the non-Jewish converts and churches that may weaken the latter. Do we see this same attitude in the work of missions among missionaries and national churches? What are we doing to keep the unnecessary foreign importation of beliefs and practices that sometimes lead to ungodly divisions among the national churches?

Paul on his second missionary journey, carefully followed the view espoused in this article – the direction of the Holy Spirit in spite of his attempts and plans (16:6-17). Twice they attempted to go to a certain place and conduct missions but the Holy Spirit kept them from it. In between they chose to go to other places. Ultimately, they found out where God wants them to be (v.6-10). This Spirit leadership led to the commencement of the local church in Philippi. How do you harmonize your human duty to plan and to penetrate places for missions with the Holy Spirit’s leadership?

When Paul started the church in Thessalonica it was not an easy typical approach of church planting. It was filled with opposition coming from the society’s sectors. They only stayed there for three weeks (17:1-10). The apostle declared in 1 Thess.1:5 how he went there and brought the gospel in that city. It was after the power of the Spirit. He did not use humanistic approaches and worldly strategies in the work. Rather, he engaged the power of the Spirit. The apostle rejected the “sales techniques”, the “seeker-friendly services”, and the “soft-positive preaching styles” in his ministry there. Must God’s people use any of these worldly humanistic approaches of ministry?

As Paul requested the Ephesian preachers’ presence so they could fellowship together at Miletus, he forewarned them of the need of reliance upon the Holy Spirit in their respective local church ministries (20: 23,28). This shows the apostle’s dependence on the role of Spirit in his and that of others’ ministry. Human experience and education are still insufficient to guide us in the conduct of ministry. They are inferior to the leading and controlling of the Holy Spirit as directly encouraged in this text by the apostle. Which do we follow in making decisions for the ministry?

Finally, Paul resolved the seeming conflict in the Spirit’s leadership over his trip to Jerusalem. Consider Acts 21:4, 12-14. Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem. He was convinced it was God’s will for him (v.12-14). Likewise, the brethren who exhorted him not to proceed, due to some dangers, were also led by the Spirit (v.14). Paul did not follow their recommendation. Rather, his perceived right course of action. The rest of the book is a consequent story of this godly decision. How did the apostle arrive at such a decision? I think the apostle had access to greater information that led him to be convinced of the perfect will of the Lord contrary to the brethren’s recommendation.

May this simple biblical study on how a missionary was guided by the Holy Spirit in his ministerial pursuit serve as a help to every willing and lowly missions worker of the Lord. Missions partners and financiers, ask Him whom to help and how to use your resources to advance the missions of Cornerstone. Seek His leading and direction and He will never leave you in confusion and conflict. Pursue His will in spite of man’s persistence. Amen!

Youth’s Journey with the Spirit

Every time I hear “Samuel”, a name given to any young male Christian entering the full time ministry in CBC, I am reminded of Hannah who made a vow to give her son to the Lord (1 Samuel 1,2). I have been blessed by her life and have empathized with her predicament, yet I have never learned that the step of faith she made was a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in her (1:15b).

I once thought because of cultural background, that concept never applies to me. Then the Lord spoke to me while working with you young people who sometimes call me “Nanay, Ate, Ma’am/Mom or Tita Bing.” Through this ministry I can also share the life of mothers. I have seen their grief over a rebellious daughter with an unsaved boyfriend, a pregnant daughter still in school, a son who is addicted to computer games, pornography, smoking or drugs. I have also seen sons and daughters becoming disheartened because their parents would not support their interest for the Lord’s work

Here was the key to Hannah’s satisfying life. She did not live superficially that ultimately led to faith falling apart. When she was filled with the Holy Spirit, she was mistaken as being drunk with wine. Her heart was in deep relationship with God allowing Him to guide each step of her life. And the result was a heart rejoicing in the Lord in chapter 2.

Oftentimes, I seek the advise of our Pastor’s wife as I encountered odd situations a youth is going through. I need the wisdom of motherly understanding. Ate Eden would share to me that at times she too is fearful of the thought that “what if my children are not really called in the endeavor we encouraged them to do which is geared to the fulltime ministry that we have asked God to call them to?” But we would part ways agreeing that walking by the Holy Spirit relieves anyone from crippling fears.

I was inspired when brother Joel Dayrit (one of the Samuels) showed me his baby picture with his parents. It was taken when they dedicated him to the Lord. He pasted it at the back of his Bible to remind him of his parents’ prayer for him to be called by God. I have never met his parents but with deep admiration especially for his mother, I whispered a prayer that the Holy Spirit be victorious in each step of Joel’s life. How blessed also is Ate Joy because her Lester has entered the ministry to be your full-time “kuya” in the youth ministry. I wish Robin’s mother too would experience joy for a son who left secular schooling to enter the Bible school.

These young men’s decisions were not human manipulations but rather a choice they made allowing the Holy Spirit to guide them. I realized that the reason I don’t have a faith like Hannah is because I have in my personal and ministerial life, thoughts and deeds which I don’t want to give up to God. Being filled with the Holy Spirit means allowing God to have more of us daily even when part of us is not ready to do so because we want God’s presence more than anything else.

The Uniqueness of Our Baptist Faith (part 2)

Last issue, I discussed the first four distinctives of the Baptist faith. Baptists believe in the biblical authority as the basis of belief and behavior. In contrast to the Romanists’ dependence on church authority and tradition, the former highly regarded what the Bible says, so that the former even paid much for this view with blood that remain unretributed to this day. We also believe in the autonomy of the local church. Hence, our local churches do not form a centralized authority to which each church submits. We also believe in the priesthood of every believer. This doctrine serves as an unusual teaching during the pre-reformation period in which the established Romanists church controls everything even the destiny of every soul. Finally, I discussed the fourth distinctive – the two church ordinances namely baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. Both are for the saved people already.

In this issue, I will discuss the remaining four distinctives that make the Baptist faith a unique one until other Christian groups found out these teachings’ closeness to the holy Scriptures. These are individual soul liberty, salvation by grace through faith, the two officers in the church, and the separation of church and state. I pray that these distinctives will equip you to know your Christian Baptist heritage and to overcome the devil’s temptation to sell out the faith for material reasons or for another faith.

Baptists believe in the doctrine of individual soul liberty. Through the centuries even prior to the reformation period, this Christian people group were severely persecuted by the false established church. During and after the reformation period, the Baptists were persecuted by the Protestants. Though it was done for mixed motives such as political and religious, but they were always opposed for their being uncooperative with the society demands pertaining to religious matters. In Romans 14:5,12 Paul taught that every Christian can follow something their conscience tells them so especially in matters where the Scripture is unclear or allows us to do so. Some favor recognition or observance of a certain day over another. This must be respected. Unfortunately, some Christian groups today prohibit the observance of birthday, of death anniversary, and of Christmas. The celebration and observance connected with these days is not wrong. Consider the godly reasons for observance of these days! What may be ungodly is the expenses incurred for the celebration or neglect of church attendance that keeps the Christian from giving his tithes and offerings for missions and the church needs!

Baptists believe in salvation by grace through faith. We anchor this teaching on the following passages, namely; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:5; Titus 2:11; 3:4-7. Though we are not alone in this belief, yet we maintained this clear doctrine through the centuries both before and after the reformation period. Baptists teach and preach this doctrine tenaciously knowing that man needs salvation. However, some of our comrades have a tendency to water down this truth in favor of greater statistical “converts” being brought into the church. This we must strongly reject as it will result to a mixed congregation inside the local church. We must be warned with what happened in the first four centuries of Bible Christianity in which people with doubtful conversion were accepted. For as in the past, we too could reap the negative results inside our local church. Soul winners, Sunday school teachers, Deacons, and Pastors must be careful in examining the conversion testimony of every membership candidate. Let us carry this truth as we go and visit every home and speak to every soul about their need of Christ. Let us teach this in every Sunday school classroom. Let us preach this at the pulpit. Remember it is the Lord who saves, brings people to church, and adds them into the local church (Acts 2:41-47).

Baptists believe in two church officers. We accept only two main offices in the local church, namely; the office of the Pastor (Senior Pastor if there are two or more pastors in the church). This is taught in 1 Tim 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-7 (bishop); in Acts 20:28 (overseer); and in 1 Peter 5:1-4 (elder). The Pastor rules the local church in all its phases of ministry. The second is the office of the deacon. The number of Deacons is not prescribed. Hence, the local congregation has the prerogative to determine. This is clearly taught in 1Tim 3:8-12. These men must be called “Deacon”. They were chosen to assist the Pastor in the discharge of his administrative function in the local church. They are not in authority over the Pastor to check his job. They are chosen according to the qualities mentioned in Acts 6:1-7 in addition to what was stated already. Conflicts come when these two officers do not fully understand their respective tasks and fail to maintain harmony. Since the Pastor must be in full time engagement, the deacons must always look into the Pastor’s condition and needs including that of his family so as to free him from possible worries in his domestic affairs. A godly Pastor must also lead his deacons towards full potential and sound harmony with one another. Any trouble in this level will bring the church down and fail to fulfill her desired goals.

Baptists believe in the separation of church and state. There are four passages on which this doctrine is anchored. First, in Matthew 22:15-22 in which Christ recognized the state‘s authority to exact taxes upon its subjects as well as the validity of religious financial obligations to its respective local churches. However, in this modern day we see increasing state intervention in the affairs of the local church. Let me enumerate them. One, the state unjustly obligates religious institutions to pay taxes (withholding) from the income earned of their investment; they provide exemptions that only discourage honesty and strengthen bureaucratic evil practices; Second, the state does not have clear-cut policies on how to treat the income of religious ministers and workers even if they are positively contributing to the moral development of society yet remained unrecognized and unfairly rewarded. Second passage is John 18:28-40 in which Pilate himself recognized the authority of religious courts over the civil courts. Unfortunately, in this democratic state we only recognize the religious courts of Islamic faith while the Christian or Baptists’ faith are placed in the sidelines. Perhaps the issue of fear and consistency are crucial in this provision.

Third, in Romans 13:1-7 the Baptist faith espouses the view that we must submit to the civil authority regardless of its wickedness, unfairness, and injustices. We believe we are not to launch a movement that will unseat the elected and appointed authorities. Although, this submission principle is not absolute, Baptist churches must unite to put up a strong defense against this national prostitution perpetrated by religious groups identified below. We strongly reject the EDSA 1-3, the military coups, the military mutiny, and other forms of rebellions. Our comrades both in the pew and in the pulpit only sit down and watch them dominate the media airwaves and the streets. Thus, events of this sort develop a rebellious attitude among our people. In all these, the Romanists, the liberals and some ignorant evangelical Protestants, as well as the group of Eddie Villanueva have been behind or participatory to these events. I deplore such evil and unscriptural national behavior started by military officers who reached the Palace, the Senate, and other high government offices. Almost all of these were members of above churches that continue to divide and demonize the nation. What have we done, Baptists comrades? Have we preached against this wickedness or are we like dogs that are unable to bark against the perpetrators?

Fourth, in Acts 5:17-29, the Baptist churches are biblically authorized to engage in civil disobedience to state impositions, demands, and legislations when our cherished doctrines and morals are violated or promoted to be transgressed by the larger society. Our early Christian ancestors in the first few centuries espoused this view. Likewise our Baptist forefathers practiced this through those Christian groups named after their human leaders; then the Anabaptists predecessors of Baptists. We are not historical and biblical Baptists if we are not imitating this lineage. Thus, are we just to sit down and watch the nation and its leaders legislate laws and enforce them that are unBaptistic from the start? Should we not encourage our own people to strengthen the few to organize and to put up a fortress of apologetic defense against this Romanist, ecumenical, and socialist attacks against the Baptist faith? There is hardly a true voice on our defense in many governmental agencies especially in the law making body. Our existing “conferences” do not address the issues of the day affecting the lay people. So they are left to fend for themselves when the evil attacks them from all fronts. Christian schools are forced to compromise with the statutory requirement for recognition and or accreditation for survival reasons even if they operate clandestinely. Agencies are dominated by Romanists who have no biblical morality and by the non-Romanists who have agreed with the existing norms of the agency for job security and avoidance of ostracism. We must ensure our biblical morality is intertwined to every aspect of human endeavor strengthened by creating institutions managed by godly men and women of God. Amen!

Cults and False World Views

Recently, Pope Benedict XVI approved a change on the Roman Catholic tradition about Limbo-” a place of happiness” somewhere out there between heaven and hell where the souls of unbaptized children go when they die. Limbo is not an officially published dogma of the RCC but a hope based on God's mercy which invites us to pray for there salvation, and Jesus' tenderness toward children that their is a way of salvation for children who died without baptism(MacCarthy 1995, 26-27 ; CBCP 1994, 1261). According to a Catholic theologian, Thomas Aquinas, they do not suffer the pains and deprivation of hell, but neither do they enjoy the benefits of the blessedness of heaven (Erickson 1995, 1092). For centuries the RCC holds that infants are “Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin... have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God...”(CBCP 1994, 1250). However, the Vatican chose a new better hope that “children who die without being baptized can (now) go to heaven.”


The theological modification is not derived for clearer scriptural convictions but because of the “pressing pastoral needs.” How can those infants born to “non-believers” (non-Catholics) including the innumerable abortions, stillbirths, and miscarriages get to heaven? Certainty it is not achieved since the Scripture they said is “ largely silent on the matter.” Where there is no fixed ground of belief, changes and philosophical speculations are always welcome. This is the old historical trend of the RCC.


Further, the new teaching is not to encourage Catholics not to baptize their children anymore but to comfort parents who failed to baptize their children before death. But do we really need to worry about the souls dead infants? We will answer this without going through the subject of baptism.


Children are born with a sinful nature (Psa 51:5; Rom. 5:12-14). But they are neither lost nor condemned before reaching the age of responsibility. The child is still innocent and incapable of making genuine moral decisions. They are not yet able to reject Christ. In fact, Jesus made them an example of true and simple faith that leads to salvation (Matt 18:3-5; 19:14). If children are condemned, David would not have rejoiced with the assurance that someday he shall see his child that died-2 Sam 12:19-23(Erickson, 1994).


The new teaching of the RCC, though not Biblical, is designed to meet the needs of humanity. Albeit, even if there are some theological issues that are not so clearly revealed in the Bible, we should not be engrossed in formulating new beliefs that are given to change because they can't be found in the Scriptures but are merely conjectures. Nor should we adopt teachings because they are convenient to the conscience, but denying the unsatisfied needs of our church and society. Our main duty is to act by the clear teachings and commandments of the Bible while discovering and implementing Biblical systems and structures to help the needy within and outside the local church.


References:
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). 1994. Cathechism of The Catholic Church. Manila: ECCCE and Word of Life Publications.
McCarthy, James. 1995. The Gospel According to Rome. Oregon: Harvest House Publishers.
Erickson, Millard. 1995. Christian Theology. Manila: Christian Growth Ministry (CGM).

The Uniqueness of our Baptist Faith (part 1)

In the course of pastoral work of visiting people, sometimes I am asked about the origin of the Baptist faith. Others from the Romanists background would immediately dump the Baptists as Protestants. They say it with an inflated head as if the former were truly of ancient origin. Some misinformed and not so intelligent media people due to their narrow and Romanist bias, occasionally charge the Baptists as foreign imperialists puppets. At times this may have some pinch of truth because of some poorly educated Christian groups. The Jesuits would like us to believe that the Baptists were no older than the Protestants. Though, our Baptists forefathers brought the faith into this land as the American invaders entered. Yet, that does not mean we started only sometime in the late 19th century.

Let me share with you brethren a very important portion of true church history. This lesson I want to share with you was kept by the Romanist educators from the inquirers. The ecumenical proponents adulterated its purity to promote their interest. They even lambasted the puritanical propagators of truth and charged them with sowing division and as anti-peace proponents.

My point in this treatise is to show you from the Bible that the Baptist faith is unique. Then it was even imitated by the same Protestant groups without recognition of the origin. Even the Romanists, who were guilty of terrible human rights violations during the Dark Ages and Reformation period, escaped the rule of law then. Now they are proposing and espousing ecumenism in all fronts to lead the fundamental Christians into final defeat. Space in this paper will not allow me to fully exhaust the uniqueness of the faith of Baptists. I suggest you take a look and study deep into the Word of God the following passages supporting every claim.

First, true Baptists believe in Biblical authority. Passages such as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 are foundational in this belief. Baptists regard the Bible as the supreme and final basis of all belief and behavior. We do not worship the book itself as some ignorant critics would like the public to be conditioned that Baptists are guilty of bibliolatry. Our forefathers paid the price of this teaching so that many Baptists were massacred by the Romanists during the Reformation period and their properties confiscated without fair trial. I think the many Romanists adherents today would like to erase this past dark image of their church by being propagators of human rights. It’s plain hypocrisy for the Romanists to be defenders of such rights while the victims of the pasts were never vindicated. They did it because of their belief in the doctrine of papal authority. Until now many Filipinos are still following the many errors of their church simply because of time and tradition factors. Even if they know that the Bible clearly teaches that making and revering idols are blatantly false. For decades their church has taught that there is a limbo, the place where unbaptized infants go. But recently, the pope changed it and said there is no such place called limbo. Yet many educated Filipinos are silently abiding with it or not speaking critically about it as they do not want to rock the Roman church or are afraid of papal and cardinals eternal pronouncements to their souls. Whereas, we Baptists must never get tired and must never depart from this holy and Christ doctrine that His word (all the inspired scriptures- the 66 books) are sufficient to guide us into completion. It was the Romanists who departed from the scriptural teaching that the Baptists have carried on and stood for for centuries even before the rebellion of the Protestants.

Second, true Baptists believe in the autonomy of the local church. As such we believe that every local church must become independent of any human authority outside its local members. In other terms, we are decentralized. We are not under another religious institution. We govern and make decisions locally. This view is evident among the first century New Testament local churches, such as but not limited to, the churches in Jerusalem as well as in Antioch (Acts 6:1-7; 13:1-3; 14:26-27; 15:1-35). The Lord Jesus prophesied what He wanted the local churches to follow in times of church discipline (Mat.18:15-17). Paul recommended to the Corinthian church some actions they needed to implement as a local church (1 Cor. 5:1-13). Although, Paul was the key in the founding of many local churches yet he did not place them under one organizational structure by which he governed them. There is no clear and strong evidence of centralized religious authority in the first century Christianity. In fact, this practice continued through the third centuries. When local churches, for whatever reasons, relinquish their freedom to another institution, who will dictate unto them what to do then they are not believers of this doctrine. As a local church CBC was divinely privileged to plant churches. We have no intention and strategy of permanently keeping them under the sending church. Our policy is to gradually lead them to become an autonomous local fundamental Baptist church. This autonomy, however, does not prohibit the local church to partner with other institutions of like faith and practice if it is not contrary to the Bible and if it will strengthen the church in the pursuit of its organizational goals. Some rejected this teaching for its perceived weakness such as the failure to make uniform doctrines and practices. Also its opposite has organizational advantages such as numbers and larger finances. These are humanistic and unscriptural.

Autonomy is not necessarily weakened even if a church engages in limited partnership provided the church will not surrender its freedom to join and to sever relations. In this area our local churches are still immature and are in great need of much dose of spiritual feeding to achieve maturity. Current groups that I know do not provide structure and respect for the autonomy of every local church and the representation of every church pastor as well as his equality, either in position or in power, with fellow pastors. Thus, we see and hear more new groups being born out of one group. Others are already frustrated to consider joining as they know divisions would soon creep in. However, that should never weaken us to continue seeking and working towards an improved structure and a more mature institutional leadership. I am greatly burdened of the need of our fellow pastors and church members for a stronger local churches partnership to build a powerful witness in this already decaying and disintegrating nation. Our spiritual and organizational condition is a mirror of our national condition. If truly we are the salt or preservative, then our model must be promoted and preached so our nation may find hope in us.

Third, true Baptists believe in the priesthood of every believer. This teaches that every saved church member possesses equal spiritual privileges with other persons regardless of their differences in education, economics, maturity and ecclesiastical positions. We base it on 1Peter 2:5-9. So a member could go directly to God without the help of anyone. S/he can pray directly to God without the aid of anyone and be heard by the Lord. S/he can bring tithes and offerings every time s/he worships Him at the church. S/he can render services and praises to God through the church ministries. This is entirely contrary to Romanists belief that one needs Mary to seek the help of Jesus. Or one must seek the priest to get divine graces through the sacraments. These last two are false and obnoxious lies originating from Satan’s mouth. Because of these errors, Filipinos were deceived by the conquistadores; that until now some are still under their spell although they were long gone. Many could not decide for their souls’ salvation without consulting another human being such as relatives. I remember a wife attending my baptismal class in one of the mission churches replied to my query for baptismal decision, “I will ask my husband first about baptism!” Another one sought the permission of parents and was not baptized due to parental opposition. Must we seek parental and conjugal permission before following the supreme Lord who saved our souls from hell and sustained our lives from dangers? Some Christians seek parental support before entering the full time ministry and would delay obedience due to unfavorable parental attitude. So Baptists have uniquely pursued what they discovered from the Bible – that s/he is free to make a godly decision without interference of any human being. CBC people let us live by this godly biblical principle. We are to heed godly counsel and direction but not those that lead us to wrong decision. You are accountable for every decision you make.

Fourth, true Baptists believe in two church ordinances. Church ordinances are not necessary for the soul’s salvation. However, they are scriptural commands to every saved person. S/he can’t please God without keeping these two ordinances. Thus, obedience is expected of the saved. Failure to do these means disobedience, an indication of the Spirit’s absence in the person’s life. Jesus declared that His true sheep (the Christian) hears His word and follows Him. A person is not a true Christian if s/he does not habitually hear God’s word and diligently practice the Word of God. These two ordinances are 1) water baptism by immersion; and 2) Lord’s supper. Passages teaching these are as follows Mat. 28:19-20; Ac.2:41-47; 8:12, 13, 26-40; 16:15, 30-34; 1 Cor.11:23-32. The command to be baptized must possess the following elements, namely; 1) the candidate is saved; 2) the mode is immersion; 3) the baptizer is an authorized Baptist fundamental minister; and 4) entrance into and association with the local Baptist church. There is no age and period to lapse after salvation requirement in the Bible. The Lord’s Supper is for the saved and baptized church members in good standing. It is meant to perpetuate the church’s recollection of the Savior’s work at Calvary. The elements of the Lord’s Supper are only symbolical of the body and blood of Christ. Thus, what matters most are our hearts and lives condition as well as the truth symbolized by the elements. So every partaker is to focus on the truths being taught and symbolized by the ordinance. These truths must control his heart, head, and hand. So every observance of this latter ordinance must be kept in the spirit of the cross. There must be true repentance from every known sin. There must be separation from every ungodly association. There must be the readiness to amend with another Christian. It is quite unfortunate that even church members do not diligently keep this ordinance. As such they are grossly sinning against the Lord who commanded this to be kept. Let us beware of undermining and underestimating the power and great holiness of this ordinance. Let us provoke many to follow Jesus in scriptural water baptism after confessing Christ as their Savior and to worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper.

(to be continued next issue)

The Little Red Hen

After almost a month of going in and out of the hospital, I was finally able to visit the CAM agriculture project at Laiban, Tanay. I have seen some progress on the work. We have partially harvested the camote which was planted just two months ago. The tilapia fingerlings have reasonably grown. Our piglets are growing just fine. But one thing caught my attention -- there are already some chicks chirping around! The first ten chicks on site! After just a month one hen had already hatched her eggs.

The chicks today will be the chickens of tomorrow. And soon it will be chicken meat served on our tables. Now, it may be just few in number, but I believe it is a good start. Once in a meeting with CBC leaders, I was trying to motivate and encourage our brethren to be of help to our project. I told them, this little chicken will reduce the expenditures of our church. The bananas will be an additional income. I made some computations just to drive the point. Indeed, slowly but surely, it’s coming to reality. Soon we will reap our labor.

I was reminded of a story about a little red hen who had several chicks to feed so she thought of planting corn for their food. She knew it would be hard to do it alone, so she asked her friends to help her. She went to her friend, the duck, to ask some help, but the duck just quacked and said “some other day.” Then she went to the turkey but he just laughed with unbelief saying, it can’t be done. Then she went to the goose. The goose just agreed but didn’t come. But the hen was really determined. She planted the corn, watered it and took good care of it until it was ready for harvest. When harvest time came she asked her friends again to help her but they didn’t come. So she harvested it all by herself. When it was cooked the good smell reached the three animals which went to the hen to ask for some, but the hen ignored them. So they went home famished while the hen and her chicks were all full.

The hen received some discouragement. She was ridiculed. She was laughed at and questioned by her friends but she didn’t give up until she saw the fruits of her labor.

I had a privilege of going with the pastor last week to visit a pastor who was before a fundamentalist but was deceived to go to a charismatic group. He was abandoned by his Baptist sending church and found shelter and received help from a charismatic group. But now he realized his fault and is now willing to go back to the fold of fundamentalism. We don’t like these things to happen to our own missionaries laboring in the field. As the hen planned and provided the needs of her chicks, we must also do so for our missionaries future and present needs. There may be discouragements. Things may happen not the way it was planned. Some people may laugh at our ideas. Others may question its feasibility. Amidst all of these, we must remain focused on our goals. Like the hen, we must plant the corn and allow them to smell the sweet savor of our labors.

The CAM agri-livestock project is not only aiming to provide our missionaries their needs but also to teach them how to turn stone into bread so to speak. As they see how we manage the project, we teach them how to sustain and maintain the work indigenously. Because of our limited resources, everyone must learn to roll up their sleeves. They must learn not only to preach and sit all day long in their study tables, as if it is all they need to do and either just starve the next day or just wait for their families or whoever can help them to provide their daily needs. It grieves my heart to learn of pastors who have exchanged their biblical convictions, like Esau, for one morsel of meat.

Also, remember that the whole agri-livestock project is subject to the vagaries of nature. The outcome can very well be a product of genetics. Even the prices are subject to the workings of the market. But we realize that though we can do something to lessen the negative results of these, we need to place them all before God’s throne of grace and ask for His blessing. This is one truth we want our missionaries to learn from the project. May God help us all.

A Friend to All

When I got saved seven years ago, our beloved pastor asked me to be a part of the Sunday School ministry. My students then were JC, Abie, Kezia, Queenie, Aaron and others of their ages. They were the kids to whom I started teaching God’s word. Now, they are in the primary level. They are now more mature physically and spiritually. They have left the pre-primary class and stepped in to the next level. In a few years from now, they would be attending the junior’s class and then the young people’s group. Well, some of them are proud if they are being promoted to another level knowing that some of their friends are left behind. As one of their teachers, I feel blessed if some of them are growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. Kids, do you have a burden or desire of becoming one of the leaders of our church? Have you thought of being a pastor, a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, a missionary or even a part of the music ministry of this church someday?

Being a part of the Sunday school class is indeed a great blessing for all of you and I believe that this is one way of molding your mind and heart to become one of the strongest leaders of this church. Not all the kids have the opportunity of attending Sunday School because they do not have the channel to do so. You are so blessed that your parents are able to bring you to the church much more to the Sunday School. Is there a time that you asked your mom and dad, “Why do I have to attend Sunday School?” Why do your parents ask you or even compel you to go to church? Maybe simply they would answer, “Son, because this is what God wants us to do.” Yes, God commanded us to have time for Him. We have to have time to hear His word, to pray with the people of God and to have fellowship with other people much more with the kids in the church. And Sunday School is the best time for you to do the basic commands God has given us.

The “CHURCH” would not be complete if “U” is not in it. And that “U” is you-all of us including little ones. Can you imagine attending Sunday school all by yourself? You see, each of us is important. Your mere presence is a blessing to every Sunday School student around you whether in 2’s and 3’s class, pre-primary, primary or juniors class. I am sure Matthew Malonzo, a student of 2’s and 3’s class, would agree with me. He feels happy every time he sees “Tata” (from Tatalon) in their class. He is one of his best friends. And I am certain that you feel the same, kids. I am sure that you would feel lonely if one Sunday you would find yourself all alone in your Sunday school class. That is why it is always important to pray for your classmates and be nice to them especially if they are new comers in the group. Whenever we sing the welcome song, “I am Glad you’re Here Today”, be sure that you are really glad that you can be with them at least once a week. Never neglect attending Sunday school. You should consider how to be a blessing to others by coming early to church in order for you not to miss the lessons imparted by your teachers in large group class. It has an equal relevance as the “per level” class. Always remember that your presence is indeed a great blessing to all the people in the church and so is your punctuality in attending the church. Kids, you should always be a blessing not a burden to everyone!

The Significance of Teaching

Christian education is familiar to many Christian circles. However, few are engaging themselves in it especially as a local church ministry. Many are interested in it under a para-church organization. This area is confined only to so called “Sunday school teaching” in the local church. It is viewed as a necessary ministry of baby-sitting the kids to enable the adults to engage in less distracting learning environment. Men especially desire adult teaching rather than children teaching ministry. The latter is seen as a stepping-stone towards the higher adult teaching position. Thus, the children’s teaching ministry is left to the women.

According to Romans 12:7 teaching is a permanent gift given by the Holy Spirit to the church to make her equipped and more complete for the advancement of its ministry goals. So it is right to assume that God has given the local church teachers for all ages. This teaching gift is not only necessary in the spiritual building up of the local body but also in the needs for general education of the local body. This would include the learning for skills for life as well as the educational background of the church people for its society dealings.

Let us consider what Apostle Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Primarily the passage is a direct exhortation on the need of discipleship. Yet, the need and importance of teaching to accomplish discipleship is evident in the text. I desired to emphasize the role of teaching which we call Christian education n this short treatise. Let me share some thoughts with you from this verse that may encourage us to consider Christian education as a life ministry beyond what has been traditionally regarded as occupational choice or part time social outreach.

First, we are commanded to entrust what we have learned to others. This is derived from the word commit thou. The idea behind it is the act of depositing or entrusting some significant truths or lessons. This act of imparting or passing on to others would require the act of teaching. So this is one of the basic elements of the Christian educational process. There can be no education if teaching does not occur. And teaching only happens when the teacher with a ready mind and heart begins to unload what he or she has accumulated through the years. Further, a teacher will not only impart what he or she has already learned but also the skills connected with learning. The act of depositing as a process is not easy. It necessitates ability to absorb information and the determination of how much to give to the learner. It also requires ability to help students avoid information loss or increase retention skills in learning. A teacher must know the content of teaching. In our text, Paul refers to what Timothy has already learned by listening, and by observation as witnessed by others. Also the teachers must know well the students to develop the best strategy in passing on the blessed truths to the student-learners. With this last there are many factors to consider which I do not intend to discuss here.

If we do not engage in teaching there is no way we could effectively preserve what we have believed and learned through the years. We would have no successors carrying on forward what we learned. We would be guilty of greediness as we failed to share with the next generation the blessings we obtained. If professionals do not engage in teaching there would be no future men and women in that same professional category. Imagine if preachers do not establish training schools, would there be more religious teachers? What will happen if Christian doctors got discouraged and stopped teaching, would there be more medical doctors? Who would provide financial advice and direction from our fundamental perspective to the next generation if the present Christians engaged in financial services do not see the need to reproduce themselves?

Second, we must maintain standards in teaching. Paul exhorted young Timothy to raise up some standards in every facet of the teaching task As to the students, Timothy must select the men he will teach who are faithful. This means they must be reliable, loyal, and dependable people. I regard this as entry qualification of learners in the educational process. The apostle was aware of the danger of depositing God’s truth to unfaithful people. Second, Timothy is to preserve the teaching content he is to give to these people. In principle here the body of truth given him by the apostle must be kept intact for impartation to others. Revision in content of any forms is wrong. Our students must imbibe the preservationist conviction. This is the foundation of a true fundamental perspective. However, if you observe the type of education our own people receive from non-fundamental perspective is insinuating a non-preservationist direction. So, we must create our own educational system from various fields if we desire to keep our gains.

Third, our learners must be able upon exit at the educational process to duplicate themselves. I mean the ability to teach the same things he has been taught to reproduce more faithful and capable people. Thus, with this in mind as an end, we must identify people who could initially teach; men and women who are trainable; manpower whom we could deploy at target site to accomplish our educational goals.

Applying these insights, we must start now to identify these people who could teach both religiously and secularly. Then, we need to invest in their lives towards equipping them to become capable and effective teachers of God’s truths in any life area. Further, we must create a system that provides an environment by which giftedness is exercised through Christian education. Thus, a Christian school organization is a necessity to achieve this. Parents, consider encouraging your children to venture on this field of Christian education. Teaching has been undermined much by some teachers as well as by other professions. But, in my understanding of the field and the Scriptures, teaching is a noble and lofty task. But with a worldly mind one would fail to see its great honors and rewards.

When I checked the past, I discovered that our nation has no fundamental Baptist college or university or educational institution that offers different courses to our young people entering college and post graduate studies. Thank the Lord we have seminaries and religious training schools. The school started by Baptist forefathers in the Visayas is now a liberal school. Except for the weekly sound teaching environment at our local churches, our young ones are deprived of the best available collegiate education from the Christian perspective. Once I inquired from a leader of a seminary about the prospect of offering courses on Christian education degree program as future teachers of this nation and I got no hope due to some reasons.

So where do we send our children for general education or professional education? Must we send them to devout Romanist schools which we indirectly help become financially strong by our patronage? Would that approach have some effect upon our children? Are we satisfied in sending them to secular schools that occasionally lead to our youth destruction in morals and influence? Others resorted to sending children to foreign schools. Is there any danger with this? Following this would yield manpower loss. Others failed to return to homeland thus brain drain is experienced.

None of the above could address our nationalist devout religious convictions. They would only reduce our zeal and make us weak and counter productive in life, work, and ministry. CBC people and our allied ministry partners, we must consolidate our resources and raise up an institution of true nationalist zealous religious conviction that will train our young people in various human endeavors to become the great defenders of the faith in this nation and in the world! Amen!

Is Hell a Real Place

The Watchtower Bible Tract Society, commonly known as Jehovah’s Witnesses does not only teach that men can be saved after death but also actively warns people by their tracts about the dangers of the doctrine of hell fire (not the danger of going to hell). Satan is the author behind the denial of the existence of hell as a place of everlasting torment for the unsaved. He whispers to all men that it is not true and offers false hope.

The cult has four reasons why hell as a literal place of punishment cannot be true: (1) It is unscriptural; (2) it is unreasonable; (3) it is contrary to God’s love; and (4) it is repugnant to justice (McDowell and Stewart 1982, p. 74). They are teaching soul-sleep (unconsciousness after death) and the annihilation of the wicked -- eternal extinction after judgment (Wilson and Tetley 1992, p.93) . Human reason may support these demonic teachings but the Bible teaches the opposite.

It is absolutely scriptural: (1) Matt. 25:46 speaks of “everlasting punishment” against “life eternal”; (2) Matt. 25:41 “everlasting fire” for eternal anguish; (3) Matt. 25:30 “weeping and gnashing of teeth “ pictures the torment only conscious souls shall be tormented even immediately after death (Heb. 9:27; Luke 16:19-31 as a reference to the present hell); (4) Rev. 20:14-15; “cast into the lake of fire.” This is the future final destination or place of the unsaved. The present hell shall be cast into this future lake of fire. “ Death” here does not mean annihilation but the separation from the true eternal life which is God. The purpose of fire is not for extinction of existence but for eternal torment (Rev. 20:10).; (5) II Thes. 1:9 “punished with everlasting destruction.” Destruction here does not also mean annihilation; rather it describes the impact and extent of punishment that is eternal. And this is “righteous judgment” (II Thes. 1:5-6) of the God of justice to those who do not believe the gospel (II Thes. 1:8).

Hence, it is not contrary to God’s love and justice. In His great love, Christ suffered and died for the sins of the whole world. He offers free salvation to all men. If men reject it, then they have to suffer the penalty of sin. What kind of punishment only God can rightly judge because He knows how terrible sin really is. His holiness and eternality we cannot fully comprehend. His perfect holiness demands perfect justice and He has already revealed it clearly in the Scriptures. Wisdom teaches us to accept it and act according to the divine decree before it is too late.

References:
McDowell, Josh and Stewart, Don. (1982). Handbook of Today's Religions: Understanding the Cults. San Bernardino, CA:
Wison, Alex and Tetley, Christine. (1992). Witnessing to the Cults. Makati: Church Strengthening Ministry.

The Three Little Pigs

The story of the three little pigs reminds me of the time when I purchased five piglets for the CAM project. The story goes this way: the three little pigs were just weaned from their mother and they had no house of their own. So, they constructed their own. The first one built a house made of straw. The second built a house made of wood. The third built a house out of stone and bricks. Both the houses of the first and second little pigs were destroyed by the big bad wolf. Only the house made of stone and bricks remained where the two piglets came for cover and protection and were made safe.

I was contemplating to build a good quality pig pen for our CAM project but the availability of funds did not permit me to do so. I thought, if I build a good and quality housing, I will have no budget to buy the piglets. We will then have a nice-looking pigpen with no pigs in it. On the other hand, if I buy more than five piglets, I will have no money left to construct the pigpens. So I reduced the number of pigs to five and made a very simple and economical pigpen just so we may be able to start the project. Thanks to Brother Erwin who has learned the indigenous principle that Pastor Jed has been teaching. He looked for indigenous materials to augment our meager provision for the pigs’ housing.

Brethren we have planned to increase the volume of our pigs this year that we may be able to address the present and upcoming needs of our mission works and of the church. We could do more for the Lord’s work without burdening so much the sending church as it has its own needs to address.

The vision is so great and noble that we should not allow the wolf to destroy it. I met an accident last April 11. My right arm was broken and was operated twice. That incident made me realize that what I built for CAM was made of straw and wood just like the houses of the two little pigs. I requested a meeting with the Pastor to come up with a more solid plan for the CAM projects so that every one would know the direction we are treading. Truly no one is invincible as GOD can take us home anytime He pleases. But the Lord’s work must go on, with or without us. Indeed, it would be a great privilege and blessing if GOD allows us to be a part or an instrument in fulfilling His purpose.

So we decided to put every thing in writing-- the plans and projections of our project. From time to time, we will publish it here not only to inform you but to encourage you to be part of it in prayer, in financing, as part of the work force or in giving encouraging words, suggestions and even constructive criticisms. We have devised different investment schemes which you can avail of. We also need donations for our capital expenditures so that our structures just like that of the last piglet will be able to withstand the attacks of the various kinds of wolves. Do not let the wolves of this world devour your resources. Use them for the Lord’s work that they may yield eternal returns.

MANY CHRISTIANS DIE POOR, UNDER THE CLOAK OF LIVING BY FAITH AND “SACRIFICE” FOR THE LORD BUT THE TRUTH IS THEY DID NOT PLAN OR DID NOT IMPLEMENT WHAT THEY HAVE PLANNED. MOST OFTEN, IT IS THE LACK OF VISION AND PLAIN LAZINESS THAT DROVE THEM TO POVERTY.

How wise are we in our treasures?

In the present trend of materialism, people tend to accumulate and hoard treasures rather than generously share them for the advancement of a cause. Even saved people are not spared from such evil. God wants us to be victorious over this tempting evil. As we get closer to the celebration of this local church’s founding anniversary, let us examine how far we have used the Lord’s entrusted treasures for the advancement of His church’s mission-vision. We are grateful to Him who empowered us to do His ministry as He provided us through the years. However, we are never to be complacent in whatever God has enabled us to achieve in His work. The field is extremely white and in great need of a new generation of workers that will harvest the souls for His kingdom. How are we going to sustain the cost of training men and women to increase the harvesters and church planters? Where do we house these men and women undergoing training at our school? How can we accommodate more worshippers and students of the word preached week after week? The need for teachers in training school is increasing. We thank God for inspiring more people to cast their lot into the ministry. We praise Him for bringing in the ones He is calling to surrender lives to the fulltime ministry. All these can’t be carried on without you Cornerstone members. Your increasing dedication is humbly urged into these various endeavors created to sustain the work of the Lord. All of us need to be committed stewards of the Lord.

The Savior narrated this parable in verses 1-8a. In the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus, he used this parable to teach His disciples the right use of wealth for kingdom purposes. The parable was the customary practice among wealthy landowners of the day who hired managers to take care and to grow their estate. The Lord Jesus highlighted the wisdom of using treasures for future needs. The steward was dishonest to the landowner. He made decisions to ensure himself in the future. But this last is the thing that the Lord Jesus wanted the disciples to learn. Thus, He is indirectly showing the learning of a good lesson out of a negative example. The main lesson the Savior wanted us to learn in this parable is the great wisdom of using every resource we possess for future needs. Investing one’s current possession, instead of hoarding it, with the goal of addressing future needs is perfectly wise. This act is not contrary to walking by faith principle. This provides a biblical premise on the wisdom of creating savings either on personal or institutional level. As saved people, we are to increase in this scriptural virtue both at the individual and the institutional level. But where do you, Christians, place your hard earned money for future needs? Are we depending more on the wisdom of the less-wise managers than on the wisdom of the wise stewards of the Lord? As more Christians pool their savings to mutually develop themselves economically then more tasks could be accomplished. Besides, this would create a godly consequence pursuant to the principle in 1 John 3:17. That would glorify the name of Jesus before the world!

The latter section, verses 8b-13, of the text shows the Lord Jesus’ demonstration of the truth’s relevancy in the disciples lives. The truth unfolded above shows its current application in the lives of the hearer-disciples. Others see three relevant, though I personally understand four relevant application principles. First, treasures are to be used to win people to the kingdom (v.9). Every peso we get must be used wisely towards leading people to salvation. We use money or other forms of wealth to get people into the kingdom. So establishing institutions that facilitate the administration of different strategies to get people into the kingdom is scripturally right. It is quite burdensome to regularly ask our people for somebody’s needs due to calamitous events. I believe in it and so am asking the Lord to use this local church in creating organizations that will answer this need.

Secondly, the Lord Jesus encouraged us to use faithfully whatever little resources we have as it will be rewarded with larger stewardship (v.10). The reward shall be dependent upon the manager’s loyalty and integrity. We can’t ask God for greater stewardship if we are not faithful in smaller management. This holds true to money, manpower, and other forms of means. One is undeserving to be promoted to a higher position who has not proven himself faithful in a lower position. Let us consider the entrusted stewardship of land God has given us to till for the CAM projects. We hardly hear such generosity among Christians, nowadays! Yet, God in His goodness empowered such hearts to favor His children’s needs. So we must emulate the steward, in the right sense, we learned from this parable. As church members and benefactors of CAM ministry, we are under divine obligation to get involved not only in the blessedness of receiving but primarily in giving. Think of what you could give! Consider one of these which you could share – hard labor, capital funds, equipment and materials, quiet prayer and reinforcement, and linkages for its advancement. Nothing is too small to share in the work of the Lord because everything is significant. Even one of our pianists, who knows she has to take care of her hands, invested manual hard labor! Every liter of crude oil and vehicle depreciation cost spent twice a week by our project manager substantially freed CAM from the financial burdens. The youth spent their able bodies on hard labor! Professionals used their day off in it! What a great, generous heart-warming people of God!

Thirdly, Christ wanted us to become reliable in financial management as it shall become the basis of spiritual care of souls and greater spiritual tasks as rewards (v.11). Some men have launched into the ministry of souls without passing this financial test. But, why did they make it in the ministry? Because God has shown them mercies through the provided servants who take care of the lack in the servant of God’s leadership. The great dependency of local fundamental churches on external sustenance for the last century was partly due to failing in this test. Many have neglected if not undermined this test as if God will work without us doing our share. CBC people, let us be strong in indigenous principle. What we are doing is consistent with this truth. Consider Romans 12:9 and 1Thess.5:21 in your meditation. Shut your ears to ungodly words that weaken our leaders who are engaged in hard labor to raise our indigenous status in this land! Keep your heart from the contamination of criticism launched by others discouraging our noble attempts to free our local churches from external dependency from all fronts. Such seemingly alarmist attitude is normally expected as the critics enjoyed in ease the contrary approach to what we are pursuing.

Finally, the Lord Jesus emphasized the subordination of every treasure to God’s primary interest (v.13). He strongly warned that we can’t serve both money and God. In Aramaic, “mammon” means wealth or possession. So, whether we inherit or work for a treasure, we are duty bound to let it be used in subordination to God’s program. Christ commanded the church to preach the gospel nationwide and throughout the world. The CBC’s strategy of reaching the world is by delimiting first to seemingly reachable areas such as Asia – our very own neighbor nations. The missionaries that will go to these areas will come from the trained Filipino workers. Even those who have gone abroad for work must seriously consider, in the light of biblical principles, the interest of the national church of their origin. Thus, our money, our lands, our talents and skills, our linkages, and our lives must be wisely used in every activity designed to advance the interest of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As you ponder about this truth and its relevant applications, would you consider some areas you could be of great use to the Lord’s work? Continue giving your tithes and offerings as these are being used to sustain our Pastor and family, our teachers and church workers. As members of CBC in this locale, we need to improve the current facility to make it a safer and better worship and service place! On April 29, I would ask you to have a share in the cost of fulfilling this great need! This is the right way of minimal participation you could do according to this text. As you discipline yourself in saving a little like the ants in the book of Proverbs, you are encouraging the men and women behind the FAITH Systems. Are you currently involved in it? Let us keep the high spirit God has generated in our souls for the CAM projects! Equally significant are the men and women planning and preparing to improve the sustenance of more students at CBMS who would become missionaries. Their teachers are never to be neglected in their quality of teaching competence. Pray that the good Lord would enable us also to institutionalize our noble strategies of securing sinners into the saving hand of our Savior!