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NORTHERN PHILIPPINES DIOCESE
Greetings of Shalom and a warm welcome to each
and everyone of you in the name of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ as we gather together again for
our 41st Diocesan Convention.
Let me first extend special greetings to our host
congregation of the Cathedral of All Saints! Here
we are again in this beautiful cathedral and spacious
compound to worship, have fellowship and deliberate
on the mission and ministry of our Diocese. To the
Cathedral Chapter, Cathedral ECW, Cathedral BSA,
Cathedral Youth and Cathedral staff led by Dean Amos
Kollin and assisted by Deacon Matthew Napat-a; Dr.
Dennis Faustino, our new headmaster of All Saints
Mission School and his faculty and administrative staff,
and deacon intern Ms. Elvie Tulingan who is our new
matron of the ASM Girls Dormitory --- thank you very
much for welcoming us again this annual diocesan
family affair.
May we now reflect on the theme on our convention this
year which is taken from Paul’s letter to the Romans.
The letter to the Romans as students of biblical studies
learn is the longest and most profound theologically
among St. Paul’s epistles. Paul wrote this letter
sometime in 57 A.D. although some biblical scholars
opine that it was written earlier, while he was Corinth.
According to Paul himself, his work of evangelization
in the East (Asia Minor & Greece) is done so he was
taking it easy in Corinth while contemplating his next
move of striking the West after delivering his collection
of alms for the poor in Jerusalem. Paul was not under
pressure, he was in a relax and reflective mood while
writing this letter that’s why it is the most organized,
longest and weightiest of the Pauline letters.
Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, whom he has
never met, to introduce himself and to preach the
gospel in line with his apostolic call to bring about
obedience to the faith among Gentiles and Jews alike.
Unlike other Paul’s letters that were written to address
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from the Dioceses
“Offer yourselves as Living Sacrifice..”
The Philippine EPISCOPALIAN
specific issues of the local church e.g. problems of
divisiveness and immorality in Corinth, the problem of
false teachers in Galatia, Romans is more general in
theme. Basically, the theme is, the meaning of salvation
in Christ.
“ Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated
to his service and pleasing to him.” The scriptural
basis for this is found in Romans chapter 12 verse
1a which reads, “ And so, dear brothers and sisters,
I appeal to you therefore to give your bodies to God.
Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will
accept.” Iti Ilocano kunana, “ Kakabsatko, dawatek
ngarud kadakayo, a gapu iti naindaklan nga asi ti
Dios kadatayo, ipaayyo koma ti bagiyo a kas daton a
sibibiag, nasantoan ken makaay-ayo kenkuana. Daytoy
ti pudno a panagdaydayaw a rumbeng nga ipaayyo.”
The word THEREFORE, to us in convention usually
comes during the the resolutions, di ba? It actually
comes in the concluding part of the resolutions calling
for action after the statement of facts and causes in the
whereas part.
So what are the whereas portions or premises in
Romans preceeding the therefore appeal of Paul to
give our bodies as a living sacrifice?
In sum, Paul’s declaration is that, humanity is lost but
God in his infinite goodness acted to redeem His people.
Salvation is available to both Jews and Gentiles. It is
for all. It is made available by God’s grace or favor , not
by one merit, through faith or complete trust in Christ.
Those who believe can enjoy freedom from the power
of sin, freedom from dominion of the law, and freedom
to become like Christ and enjoy God’s boundless love.
Verse 1 of chapter 12, where our theme comes from,
provides the transition from Paul’s theological exposition
in the previous chapters to practical application. To
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