Background and Context
Today, some people who reject the idea that Christ Ahnsahnghong is the Second Coming of Christ are now arguing that He was not baptized in 1948. They rely on a baptism list from a Seventh-day Adventist Church, which claims He was baptized in 1954. However, this baptism list has been proven to be false and fabricated. Let’s investigate the falsified baptism list of Christ Ahnsahnghong.
Impact of the Korean War.
Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized in 1948, and in 1950 the Korean war broke out. The Korean war lasted for 3 years, and it was one of the most devastating wars in history. During this period, the war destroyed approximately one-third of South Korean homes and 40% of its industrial infrastructure. Civilian life was severely impacted. Residences and personal belongings were damaged or obliterated by bombings and shelling, especially during the peak of the conflict in 1950.[1]
The Korean War destroyed many Seventh-day Adventist Church documents. The church even acknowledged that the baptism list from 1948 no longer exists.
Evidence of 1948 Baptism
There are several pieces of evidence showing that Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized in 1948.
Evidence includes:
- A note in Christ Ahnsahnghong’s Bible.
- A report by the 12th General Assembly of the Christian Council of Korea.
First, we can look at His own handwriting in the last Bible He used. When we examine this Bible, which is displayed in the Church of God History Museum, we see the following note:
“I was baptized in the Island of Nakseom, Incheon in 1948, and I began to preach our truth.”
Why did Christ Ahnsahnghong write that note in His Bible? The truth is that during that time, the date of His baptism was not a contentious issue. One can say that He likely wrote it simply to mark His Bible, but in retrospect, this gives us more confidence that Christ Ahnsahnghong knows the end from the beginning and foresaw that people would question His baptism date.
Another piece of evidence comes from a report by the 12th General Assembly of the Christian Council of Korea. I cite this source to show that even groups opposing the Church of God and labeling it a heresy do not deny that Christ Ahnsahnghong joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1947 and was baptized in 1948. This report was released after the Council of Churches decided to investigate our Church.
“The Church of God worships Ahnsahnghong as their leader. He was born in Myoung Deok-Ri, Gyenam-myeon, Jangsu-gun, Jeollbuk-do In January 13, 1918, became a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in 1947, was baptized by Pastor Lee Myoung Deok of the Seventh Day Adventist Church at the age of 30, and actively worked for the church until 1962.”
Even those who disagree with our Church doctrine admit that Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized in 1948. Therefore, it is an undeniable fact that Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized in that year.
The two pieces of evidence mentioned above confirm that Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized in 1948, in accordance with prophecy. According to the Bible, Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized in 1948 to begin His ministry at the age of 30, the same year Israel gained its independence. He then carried out His ministry for 37 years, thus fulfilling the prophecy of King David.
Debunking the Falsified Baptism List of Christ Ahnsahnghong.
At some point, a document began circulating that misrepresented the year Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized. This “baptism list” from the Seventh-day Adventist Church claimed that Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized in 1954 instead of 1948. Below is a photo of this so-called evidence.
In this document, dates are written using the traditional Korean method of reckoning years known as the Dangun Era.[2] To determine the current year in the Dangun Era, you subtract 2333 years from the given date, and that will give you the corresponding Gregorian calendar year.
Analyzing the Seventh-day Adventist Document
A quick look reveals numerous errors in this document. Typically, baptism lists should list individuals in chronological order based on their baptism dates. However, entry #24, Yeongsuk Kim, was baptized in 1925, a full 29 years before 1954, yet he is recorded as being baptized after Ahnsahnghong. How do they explain this bizarre regression in baptism dates?
The remaining baptism dates are all over the place. If we follow the sequence from #23 to #29, it’s as if this baptizer has a time machine, hopping back and forth to baptize people at different points in history. Check this out: #23 was baptized in 1954, then #24 in 1925, #25 in 1953, #26 in 1959, #27 has no baptism date, #28 in 1958, and finally #29 in 1954. So… one in 1954, then a trip back to 1925 for the next, followed by 1953, 1959, a missing one, back to 1958, and then a return to 1954 for the last. It’s like something out of a sci-fi movie—Marty McFly would be jealous of this baptizer!
Looking at the baptism dates, they span over a 34-year period. What kind of Church records baptism dates like this? In many ways, it’s clear this document isn’t a proper baptism list.
“Wait! Its not a baptism list, but it’s a Church registration book”
When the error about the falsified baptism list of Christ Ahnsahnghong they claimed to receive from the Seventh Day Adventist Church was exposed, they suddenly changed their tune. Now they’re saying, “This is the church registration book, not a baptism list.”
They argue that a church registration book lists names based on when individuals became members. Baptism, they claim, happens when people choose to undergo it. So, the sequence of baptisms doesn’t matter. However, it’s puzzling that someone who wasn’t baptized would be recorded in their books, especially since the Seventh Day Adventist Church recognizes individuals as official members only after baptism.
They should just come clean and admit that this document has been tampered with, but they keep making excuses. While it might seem ancient, a closer look reveals a jumble of years and flawed information, making it clear that this document is a fake.
What Happened in the Past Will Happen Again.
One lie leads to another. Just like the priests 2,000 years ago who bribed Roman soldiers to spread false rumors.
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Matthew 28:11-15 NIV
Even today, those who oppose the Church of God are spreading false rumors online. One of their deceptive ploys is the so-called baptism list or registration book of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Why do they resort to creating fake documents like this? It’s because they can’t challenge us with the Bible. The Bible testifies about Christ (John 5:39), so they can’t deny Christ using the very book that speaks about Him.
Conclusion of the Matter.
1948 marks the fulfillment of the fig tree prophecy, an absolute prophecy and Biblical evidence that the Second Coming of Christ must occur in that year. So, those who attempt to discredit Christ Ahnsahnghong should explain: if not Ahnsahnghong, then who was baptized in 1948 and appeared as the Second Coming Christ to fulfill the fig tree prophecy?
How did Ahnsahnghong say He was Christ?
[1] Encyclopedia Britannica Online, s.v. “Korean War,” accessed May 22, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/Korean-War.
[2] The Dangun Era (단군기원, Dangun Giwon) is a traditional Korean method of reckoning years, starting from the legendary founding of Gojoseon by Dangun, a mythical figure, in 2333 BCE. To calculate the current year in the Dangun Era, you simply add 2333 years to the current Gregorian calendar year.
For example, if the current year is 2024:
2024+2333=4357
So, the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar corresponds to the year 4357 in the Dangun Era.
Korean calendar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_calendar#:~:text=From%201945%20until%201961%20in,years%20were%204278%20to%204294. Accessed [05/22/2024].