Australian Field Conference

DEC. 31ST, 2003 – JAN. 4TH, 2004

As the year 2003 approached its end, believers from all over Australia gathered for another spiritual feast at the church headquarters outside Sydney. From far and wide they heeded the counsels given through the Spirit of Prophecy, that “The camp meeting is one of the most important agencies of our work. Brethren and sisters, it would be far better for you to let your business suffer than to neglect the opportunity of hearing the message God has for you. Make no excuse that will keep you from gaining every spiritual advantage possible. You need every ray of light.” T6, 31,39.

Before the commencement of the conference a peaceful delegates meeting was held. The meeting went quickly, and efficiently and true unity and brotherly love were manifested throughout the meeting. Brother Antonino DiFranca, representing the General Conference, conducted the meeting.

The conference was opened on the evening of the 31st of December. This was the final day of the year 2003. We are now one year closer to the coming of the Lord and “it is high time to awake out of sleep;” Romans 13:11. Jesus is coming soon and we must be in earnest preparation today. We cannot delay the preparation for tomorrow may be too late. It is a solemn and serious time in which we live. We must give up all for Jesus. The ways of the world will only disappoint us. They will not give us lasting peace and happiness, nor hope beyond this earth. It is important that we do not follow the footsteps of the church of Ephesus. They left their first love. If we have lost that first love, we must come to Jesus and find Him as a friend once again. The signs of the times are creeping upon us stealthily and we must be wide awake to clearly discern what is going on in this world. It is time to make an earnest preparation.

During the conference, three people from three widely different areas spoke on the same subject, using some of the same Bible verses and spirit of prophecy quotes. This was a sure sign that the Holy Spirit was working at the camp meeting to awaken God’s people to the importance of this message. This is the message for God’s people today. This message is the Christ our Righteousness message. From as early as 1852, messages were given through the Spirit of Prophecy, pointing the Seventh-day Adventist church to the Laodicean message. They were fast fulfilling the condition of lukewarmness spoken about in this message. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Rev. 3:15, 16. These warnings were repeated in the following years and in 1888 a clear and definite message came to God’s people to awaken them. He had been trying to awaken the Advent people to the seriousness of the time in which they were living and the danger they were in. They were trusting in their works for salvation – which in itself is an impossibility. While we cannot be saved without obedience, that obedience cannot be of ourselves.

God is trying to prepare His people for salvation, however it is sometimes the case that believers do not want to cooperate with God. They wish to find salvation their own way, rather than God’s way. However “our righteousness is as filthy rags.” Isa. 64:6. “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them as dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” Phil. 3:8,9. The nation of Israel failed in understanding the righteousness of Christ. “But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.” Romans 9:31. In order to be saved, our righteousness must, “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees,” Mat. 5:20 and this is only possible by putting on the robe of Christ’s righteousness.

In 1888 the Lord visited His people and they were not prepared. Are we preparing today? Before we call others to do a preparation, we must make sure we ourselves are prepared. We are to watch and not sleep as did the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Satan is unwilling that the truth of Righteousness by Faith shall be presented and understood. The reason for this is that if this truth is fully received by the people, his power will be broken. If Satan can throw about the people doubt and unbelief, he can overcome them through temptation. It is Satan’s endeavour to obliterate from the mind that it is necessary to depend upon the righteousness of Christ for salvation. Satan knows that if he can lead men to depend on their own works for righteousness, they will be his victims. Therefore the call is sounded: Lift up the crucified Saviour, and place your trust in His blood.

Justification by Faith is God’s way of saving sinners; His way of convicting sinners of their guilt, their condemnation and their utterly undone and lost condition. It is also God’s way of cancelling their guilt, delivering them from the condemnation of His divine law, and giving them a new and right standing before Him and His holy law. It is God’s way of changing weak, sinful defeated men and women into strong, righteous, victorious Christians.

Some Christians look at salvation as a business transaction. Jesus died for them, so therefore they are promised salvation, much like a hand-shake in the business world. However, this is far from reality. In its truest sense this message is not a theory, but an experience, a vital change that takes place in the believer in Christ. It gives the sinner a new standing before God. It is the essence of Christianity. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Eph. 2:8. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Gal. 3:16.

“No repentance is genuine unless it works a reformation. Christ Our Righteousness is not a cloak for unconfessed and unforsaken sin. It is a principle that transforms the character and controls the conduct. Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the principles of heaven.” The results of the message are that we become free from condemnation, we are forgiven of our past sins and we have peace with God. May God help us to fully understand this message so that we are prepared when Jesus comes a second time to this earth.

On Thursday evening, a power point presentation was given by our new missionary leader here in Australia. He has a great desire to see the message go forward and he shared with us some of the presentations that he has given in evangelistic meetings in the past. He has a vision to do evangelistic presentations in different parts of the county. May God help each one of us to also cooperate with the heavenly agencies for the work of giving the final warning message to this perishing world.

In the opening of Sabbath we were reminded of Biblical principles regarding the keeping of the Sabbath. If we are adequately prepared for the Sabbath we will receive the Sabbath blessing that was intended for us. We need to begin preparing and planning for the next Sabbath on Sunday morning, not leaving the preparation until the last minute. The Sabbath is a gift from God and we must first keep it in our hearts before we can keep it fully the way God intended it to be kept.

In almost every message we were encouraged in our preparation for the Lord’s coming and the kind of preparation
we must concentrate on. When we meet Jesus who will be able to stand before Him? We must be holy and this is a high calling for us. If Jesus came now, could you stand before Him? Are you ready to meet your God? God is more eager to meet us than you and I are to meet Him. Not only were messages presented on the Christ our Righteousness message, but also a message was given on the Atonement of Christ. The central theme of the Christ our Righteousness message is the Atonement with Christ which we must enter into. We must be at one with Jesus. “The sacrifice of Christ as an atonement for sin is the great truth around which all other truths cluster. In order to be rightly understood and appreciated, every truth in the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, must be studied in the light which streams from the cross of Calvary, and in connection with the wondrous, central truth of the Saviour’s atonement.” 5BC 1137.

God will make us holy as is portrayed in the vision of Joshua and the High Priest. (Zechariah 3:1-5). “Zechariah’s vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God’s people in the closing up of the great day of atonement.

The remnant church will be brought into great trial and distress. Those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will feel the ire of the dragon and his hosts. Satan numbers the world as his subjects, he has gained control of the apostate
churches; but here is a little company that are resisting his supremacy.” T5, p. 472/473. Satan has the world behind him, and accuses God’s people. When you stand accused what will you do about it? You need Jesus; you need the hope of glory; you can take hold of Jesus. Jesus wants to sup with you. He wants to free you from Satan’s power. You are a child of God; will you endure until the end?

Jesus wants to guide and direct our lives, however, many try to take the steering wheel in their own hands. This warning message was given to us on Thursday evening. When young people reach a certain age, many of them want a steering wheel in their hands. They simply can’t wait until that day. Many Christians want to take the spiritual steering wheel in their own hands. We all have the possibility of choice. If we do take the steering wheel in our own hands, we surely will make a failure of our lives. We must turn over the steering wheel to Jesus and let Him guide and direct our lives. Today we must choose for Jesus. The choice is ours.

We are approaching the time of the end. Catastrophic events are occurring on a regular basis. In mercy to the world Jesus delays His coming so sinners may prepare. The seven last plagues are just around the corner. It is not the will of God that His coming is delayed. In the time of Ancient Israel, the adults who came out of Egypt perished in the wilderness. “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Heb. 3:19. As we see the prophesied events it is time to make earnest preparation so that we will not be left out of heaven because of unbelief.

For the closing of Sabbath, the question was asked as to when will the world be converted? We read in Revelation 6:15, 16 about the great and mighty men on this earth calling for the rocks and mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the face of Jesus? Were they converted? They were, but they were converted in their minds, not in their hearts, but in their own time. It was too late. There will be a time when it is too late to be converted. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” Amos 8:11. Today there is still hope. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from you evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” Ezekiel 33:11. Preparation to meet our God requires repentance – a deep sorrow for sin. “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried;” Dan. 12:10. God wants to purify us, and make us white – there is opportunity for everyone. However trials are also a part of following Jesus. Trials are needed in order to purify God’s children and make them white and as we allow Jesus to take control of our lives, He will work in and through us.

In Luke 21:29-32, we read of the parable of the fig tree. When you see the shoots coming, you know that summer is not far away. A comparison is made to the coming of Jesus. When you see the predicted signs coming to pass you know that the coming of Jesus is not far away. Many have lost heart in waiting. “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick:” Pro. 13:12. The world will often taunt God’s people as they see that the Lord is not coming as we are proclaiming. However, “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4. It is time to be patient but also to remain awake and prepare to meet our God as He is coming soon.

On Sabbath evening we were presented with a message about our helpers. The title of the message was, “Godly Agencies at Work to Prepare to Meet our God.” Although there is a high standard placed before us, God has not left us to struggle on alone in this preparation process. There are three agencies provided to help us. There are three living persons in the heavenly trio and they are our helpers. These three persons are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are working unitedly for the salvation of man.

The children and young people also got involved in a program on Sabbath afternoon. The children gave us details of the necessary preparation for Jesus to come and that preparation is putting on the armour of God in order to resist the fiery darts of Satan. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph. 6:12.

The older youth described the future prophetic events still remaining to be fulfilled on this earth, beginning with the Sunday Law up until Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ.

In Hosea we read, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:” Hosea 4:6. Intellectual knowledge of future events is necessary so that God’s people are prepared for, “the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:6. God knows the future and thankfully He has revealed those secrets to us so that we can be adequately prepared.

Sunday morning saw the blessed event of the baptism of a young man who had grown up in the faith. At almost 17 years of age, Benjamin Dammasch decided to make his covenant with God through baptism. It is always a blessing to see young people give their lives to the Lord and we pray that He will continue to be faithful in the years ahead. The body of Christ has many members and each one is important – even if it is the fingernail. All have their part to act.
The closing of the conference came all too soon. With some touching testimonies, we sang our final farewell song.
We all truly received the rich blessing we came for and will continue to shine for Jesus in the different corners of this country that we are dwelling in. Our spiritual appetite was satisfied.

We pray that all God’s people around the world will make great preparations to meet their God, because He is coming soon.