UPDATE from WCG PHILIPPINES

An official weekly e-mail newsletter from the Worldwide Church of God - Philippines

The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news. It remains forever, good news, the best news imaginable, for absolutely everybody and everything. It is not merely good news for the few who came to know Christ before they died; it is good news for the whole of creation—even for all those who died before they ever heard of Christ. Read article...

Click here for Cebuano translation.

The missions and Outreach Ministry (MOM) of the WCG San Jose, California congregation arrived last Thursday in Manila for a string of missions exposure projects. After a brief welcome lunch and missions orientation by ND Eugene, the team took their first first 6-hour trip to Benteng, La Union for the 3-day SEP Evangelistic Youth Retreat, which their local church sponsored. There, ninety six young people from all over Luzon came. At the end of the camp, twelve of the campers decided to take the leap in declaring their faith in Jesus by baptism.

After this event, the team of twelve headed by Pastor Mel Dahlgren and Mrs. Myrna Paulino went off with Pastor Jerry Ortiguero to conduct a dental and medical mission in Cadumanian, a 30-minute drive from the camp.

According to Rita Hazell, one of the missionaries, she never expected that she would do missions work at all. This has been one of the best experiences that she's ever had. Another highlight of their stay here in the country is the privilege to be used by God for an evangelistic crusade last September 20. Currently, the team is in Baguio celebrating the festival with the brethren. --Abi Natividad, WCG Philippines National Office

Dr. Kruger emphasized that God created humanity because he wants us to share in the love that characterizes the relationship between the Father, Son, and Spirit. Jesus has done everything that is needed for us to enter this relationship—if we think that there is a barrier, it is only because we have a distorted view of reality. The stunning truth of the gospel is that Jesus has accepted us into his life.

"The gospel is not that if you repent you will be forgiven. That is a sin-management ‘gospel.’ This does not lead into a life-transforming encounter with Jesus," said Dr. Willard. (Rather, the gospel is that Jesus has already forgiven us, and repentance is accepting his forgiveness and following the lead of the Spirit.) "Grace is God acting in your life, and we would need it even if we never sinned," he said.

God gave us good news that he has personally paid the heavy price for all our selfish, rebellious, destructive, evil lunacy. When, by the grace of God, you come to see that and believe it, you have repented. To repent is to say: "Yes! I believe it! I trust your word! I'm leaving behind this rat-race life of mine, this pointless struggle to hold together with chewing gum and baling wire this death I thought was life. I'm ready for your rest. Help my unbelief!" Read article...

Universalism is a biblically unsound doctrine which says that in the end all souls, whether human, angelic or demonic, will be saved by God’s grace. Some universalists argue that repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ are not necessary. Universalists typically deny the doctrine of the Trinity, and many universalists are Unitarians. Contrary to universalism, the Bible speaks both of "sheep," who enter the kingdom of God, and of "goats," who enter eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46). God’s grace does not force compliance. In Jesus Christ, who is God’s elect for our sakes, all humanity is elect, but that does not mean that all humans will ultimately accept God’s gift. God desires that all come to repentance, but he has created and redeemed humanity for true fellowship with him, and true fellowship can never constitute a forced relationship. --From Brief List of Doctrines and "We're Often Asked..." all found at the WCG website

"I hope you can send someone to minister to my mother in law in... Nueva Ecija. Thank you and God bless." --Name Withheld

"We are really enjoying reading the updates from the Philippines. We are glad to have met you and to have seen friends we knew from the Philippines at the worldwide conference held in Indian Wells, California. We are very thankful for what God is doing there and the growth that he is brining about. Thank you for sending the updates!" --From USA

To subscribe, unsubscribe or send comments, please write to Len.Joson@wcg.org. This Weekly Update can also be viewed at www.wcg.org/ph/updatelist.htm. The Update from WCG Philippines is an official e-mail weekly update from the Worldwide Church of God in the Philippines.

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you." (2 Thessalonians 3:1)