Today, our venue was
on the third floor of a building directly across a side street from our hotel.
We had 104 registered in attendance. We had expected and prepared for 60, so we
had an additional expense with the venue and printing for handout, but we were
happy for the added hearers. More than 30 in attendance were denominational
preachers. There was one Muslim in attendance – a man that Jack had debated 2
years ago. There was also a medical doctor who had heard about the lecture and
was very attentive to the teaching throughout the day. In fact, the crowd for
today’s lectures was almost entirely a new crowd from what we have had in
previous visits. In my estimation, this is the best quality of a crowd I have
seen here in Bacolod.
I opened with an
introductory section on the word of God being the seed that produces the new
birth and salvation in Christ. We then went immediately into a lesson on
“Feeling versus Knowing” from 1 John 2:1-5. The purpose of both lessons was to
get to the point of how we can know what is acceptable to God in religious
teachings and practices. Without a basic foundation of what constitutes
authority in religious matters, it is impossible to determine what is
acceptable and what is not acceptable. John closed out the morning session with
a lesson on “Are We Saved by Faith Only without Works?” It was an excellent
lesson getting to the point of the need for obedience to please God.
After a very rushed
break for lunch, during which we had to get our bags and check out of the
hotel, we resumed with the afternoon session. I took the entire time for the
afternoon beginning with a lesson on “Confusing the Issue” based on Jesus’
exchange with the lawyer in Luke 10:25-29. The point was to show that we can
easily understand what is necessary for our salvation today just as the lawyer
could in his time. So, the differing doctrines taught today are not due to the
impossibility of understanding God’s word, but due to those “seeking to
justify” themselves just like that lawyer. We noted in brief form several
doctrines popularly taught in the religious world that are clearly denied by
Scripture. After that, we went immediately into the lesson on “Salvation &
Saul” showing that Saul was saved at the point of water baptism. The remaining
time was taken up by a question/answer period that gave more opportunity to
emphasize the teaching already done.
Jack gave some
closing words of exhortation and extended the invitation. Four came to be
baptized – 3 women and one man. The man, Chris, was a Baptist preacher who
graduated from the same Baptist Bible College that was attended by Jack Jaco
and Shem Tapagan before their conversion. Chris had been at two previous
lectures I have had here in Bacolod. That Baptist College has repeatedly warned
their students not to attend our lectures, making many of them more curious to
hear what we have to say. We appreciate their help, albeit unwitting in nature.
The medical doctor also asked Jack to talk with him further because he was very
interest in the things he heard. It seems that he may be very near obedience of
the gospel as well. In all, it was a very good day!
As a follow-up to
yesterday’s report, the pain has left Jack Jaco at this time and he has
insisted on continuing in the work. He skipped to appointment for an ultrasound
today and says he will get it upon his return one week from today. Please keep
him in your prayers.
We also got word
from James Berden in Escalante City that 8 were baptized on Sunday! All had
been present to hear the gospel at the lectures we held there last Thursday.
James was excited by the response and we were thrilled to hear about it!
I rushed to get this
report off from the airport in Bacolod, but the wifi internet connection had no
internet access. As I write this, we are scheduled to leave here in 30 minutes,
flying to Cebu, where we will catch a ferry 2 hours later for Ormoc City on the
island of Leyte. Our ferry will arrive at 3am tomorrow morning so that we can
begin all day lectures there at 9am. Please keep our travels and work in your
prayers.
P.S. We are now at Ormoc City on our Tuesday morning and
checked in to our hotel where I finally got internet access.
