Palmwoods – Baptism / The King of the North
The camp took place from December 21 to 29 in Palmwoods, Qld, Australia. The main theme presented at this camp was “The King of the North.” But before those studies were given, a shorter theme was presented: Baptism. The reason for this topic was described by Fred in the September 1990 Messenger and News Review:
Over the years there has been a question in the air regarding baptism, which has until but recently, been left without an adequate answer. Again and again, believers have asked whether they, having been baptized in the Adventist, Baptist, or some other church which believes in baptism by immersion, need to be baptized into this movement?
My response to that question has left it with the questioner to act on his own conscience in the matter, that there was no particular stipulation requiring it. In harmony with this counsel, I, who was baptized as a youth in the Adventist Church long before I was born again, had never taken this step once I had become born again, and had become a member of a separate movement.
There were times when the thought troubled me, for I knew my baptism was not a true witness, there having been at the time no death of the old man nor implantation of the new. It was instead, a false witness.
Then, one morning between the European and Portuguese camps, I was reading The Story of Redemption p. 289, whereon is told the story of the conversion of Cornelius. There the point was made that “the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Gentiles was not an equivalent for baptism. The requisite steps in conversion, in all cases, are faith, repentance, and baptism. Thus the true Christian church are united in one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
The clear words of this statement struck me with great force, and I knew right there and then that I had not taken the required step, and must do so at the first opportunity. The more I thought and prayed about the matter, the more convinced I was that God specifically requires baptism of all, and that no one is exempt from this requirement. I knew also that I could not partake of another Lord’s Supper until I was baptized.
The first test of this resolve came at the Portuguese camp where I explained my situation. All of those present apart from Andreas and Uta declared themselves likewise lacking a true baptism. The result was that the Lord’s Supper was not served at this camp.
There are two vital principles contained in baptism. Firstly, it is the declaration that our old man has been put to death, and that Christ’s life has been implanted in its place.
The second point is that we are to be baptized into the body of Christ, which is His church as it is written: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:13.
This is the way in which baptism unifies the church, for if we are all members of the one body under the one Head, we cannot but be unified. Therefore, baptism must include becoming a member of His body, the church.
So, if we have been baptized into a church where the gospel is unknown as is the case with the Adventist Church, we have become a part of the wrong body, and are not a part of the body of Christ. This is really serious and requires definite rectification, if our lives are to be a unifying element in the movement, and if we are to be saved at last.
The longer portion of the camp studies were devoted to the theme on “The King of the North”. From the December 1990 Messenger and News Review, I quote:
After showing how the prophecy from Daniel 11 is being fulfilled at the moment, we looked a little closer at [the] characteristics [of the King of the North].
It became clear that the King of the North tries to build God’s kingdom in his own way. In the case of men this means in a human way. There is no question that all the Christian churches are zealously striving to build God’s kingdom on this earth. But since they are fallen churches, they are Babylon. Babylon however, has no connection with heaven. This point becomes very clear in Daniel 2 where the Chaldeans admit that they are unable to tell Nebuchadnezzar’s dream because their gods do not dwell with men. Daniel gives quite a different picture as he witnesses that God can reveal secrets.
Because the Lord cannot speak His plans and purposes to Babylonians, He cannot reveal to them whom He has chosen for a particular office in His kingdom. So it is that the Babylonians have no other choice but to fill these positions according to their own ideas and plans.
In the true Church of God there is no human appointment to any office whatsoever. God alone directs each one to his position, and He alone informs the Church about who He has chosen for which office. Therefore, there are no human elections in the Church but only divine appointments.
A further point which became very clear in this study, was the fact that between the King of the North and the true people of God there will ever and inevitably be a war. Our human nature cries to be released from this war, and that is why we are strongly tempted to leave the strict path of integrity and obedience. But if we were to do this, we would place ourselves on the side of the King of the North and help to set up the Image to the Beast. Remember that “It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of the civil government, and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy–the beast.” The Great Controversy, p. 443.
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