The Original Restored Gospel

I’m afraid that too often as message believers we proclaim a sectarian gospel. That is, as Paul rebuked the Corinthians who stated, “I am of Paul.”

For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 1 Corinthians 1:11-13

Our purpose as believers in Christ should not be to identify ourselves with a man. In our time we say, I am following brother Branham or I am following Lee Vayle or Lonnie Jenkins or Junior Jackson of Richard Gan. This shows that we are still carnal. This is no different than those that say I am a Lutheran or I am a Baptist or Pentecostal. It means nothing to God whether you are following a denomination or William Branham or Lonnie Jenkins. Its all sectarianism and carnality. Our purpose should be to follow Christ and be identified with him. We can follow those other men, but only as they follow Christ Jesus. But our purpose should be to first follow the Scriptures and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We must be born again and be forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. Without this we are not saved, then we must continue in the word of Christ so that we prove we are his disciples. John 8:31, 32.

We need a new beginning and that new beginning should be to proclaim the Original Gospel as it was declared by the apostles. The nations still need to hear it and many in the denominations who have not heard the original-restored gospel need to hear it as well. In fact, many who are following William Branham need to repent and come back to the Gospel and be born again.

There is too much of a desire to please others in us and to follow a so-called message based theology. Our purpose should be to follow the word of God and stand for the Gospel of Christ. Your standing before God has nothing to do with what man you follow and everything to do with your relationship with the word of God, Jesus Christ. No doubt God uses men to speak his word, as Paul wrote, faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of God. Romans 10:17. But the men are merely a means and not an end, neither are they to be considered an absolute, for only Christ is the perfect man and only Christ made no mistakes. All the prophets in history have sinned and made mistakes thus it behooves us to judge all teachings by the Bible for it is the final authority and the final words from God. God certainly works in and through the mistakes so that they honor his perfect will, but either way we must go back to the bible and judge all things for “the spiritual man judges all things.”

God Empowers All

In writing this article my hope is to inspire a new level of interaction and love expressed in the believers. I’m not seeking to come down on anyone, but to build up your faith and confidence that God wants to empower you to serve others. Every one of us is called to reach out to and be a blessing to others. Each of us are called to be a minister and called to a ministry.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

(1 Peter 2:4-5 ESV)

Frequently the term “minister” is used to describe someone who preaches or teaches the word of God. However, I have great disdain for using this terminology in this manner. The word minister means servant. Every believer is a minister of God. Peter writes that ALL believers are priests you are a “holy priesthood” built up “to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This can not in any way be limited to pastors or preachers. Each of us has a ministry to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. The word “sacrifices” should not be understood as in the English terminology as in we are really making a sacrifice to do this. As though we are sacrificing some kind of joy or job or whatever it might be. This is a type that Peter is using. The priests of the old covenant offered animals as a sacrifice to God. Sacrifices in the old covenant were used for two things, one way was to stand in the stead of the offerer to cover his sins and the other was in worship to God. Our spiritual sacrifices falls into the second category as the first category is fulfilled in Jesus Christ once for all. As priests we are to offer worship to God. Not merely through singing or praying though these play an integral part. I will draw further on this imagery using a writing of Paul to the Romans.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

(Romans 12:1 ESV)

As priests we offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice which is our spiritual worship. This is the spiritual sacrifice that Peter speaks of. We offer our bodies up as holy and therefore acceptable to God. This not only involves obedience to the commands of God out of a pure heart, but also offering ourselves for God’s use to serve and love one another. Each of us has a role to play in serving, helping and ministering to those who need the gospel, who are hurting in the body of Christ, who need prayer and loving our neighbor and enemy. There are so many ways that we can serve others. Just a call to tell them we love them and are praying for them means so much to people.

Sometimes we over spiritualize the gifts of the Spirit and don’t understand that a word of wisdom can simply be something that the Lord put on your heart for someone else or a word of knowledge could be you waking up in the middle of the night, knowing someone needs prayer and praying for them, then letting them know about it. Each of us who are in the body of Christ can operate in the gifts. A gift is not an office, but simply a purpose that God wants to use us for. The gift of the Spirit may come only once in a lifetime or it could come frequently. God divides to every person as he wills and purposes.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

(1 Corinthians 12:4-7 ESV)

To each and every believer that is baptized into the body of Christ (‘by one Spirit are you baptized into one body’) the manifestation of the Spirit is given. What is the purpose of receiving the manifestation of the Spirit. So you can glorify yourself? No, it is for “the common good” as Paul wrote. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Spirit born believer so that we would be able to minister to and serve others for the glory of God. As in the old covenant when God gave the spirit of wisdom to men and women to build the tabernacle of witness so does he give the Spirit to us so that we can together build up the spiritual house of God, the church. (The church is not a building, the church is all believers.) God has gifts in his body for every man and every woman.

Every person can operate in the gifts of the Spirit for the good of others. Every person has a ministry to the other believers and neighbors around them. We cannot sit back and wait for the pastor and his wife to reach out and help every person. We must follow the leadership of the Spirit and be used of God to reach out and bless others. This is the purpose of the body, many members, one body. Every gift should be used in order as Paul wrote. There are varieties of service or ministry, but the same Lord and there are varieties of activities but it is the same God who empowers them in EVERYONE. It does not say it is the same God that empowers them in the pastor or the associate minister. No, it says in EVERYONE.

Historians Speak Honestly About the ‘Trinity’

James Hastings: “It has been customary to trace the institution of the practice to the Words of Christ in Matthew 28:19, but the authenticity of this passage has been challenged on historical as well as textural grounds. It must be acknowledged that the formula of the threefold name, which is here enjoined, does not appear to have been used by the primitive church, which so far as our information goes, baptized ‘in’ or ‘into’ the Name of Jesus, or Jesus Christ, or the Lord Jesus, without any reference to the Father or the Spirit” (Dictionary of the Bible, p. 88).

Scribners: “The original form of words were into the Name of Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus. Baptism into Trinity was a later development” (Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. I, p. 241).

Canney Encyclopaedia: “The early church always baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus until the development of the Trinity; afterward they were baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” (p. 53).

American Encyclopaedia, International Edition: “The term Trinity was used by Theophilus of Antioch in AD 180″ (Vol. 27, p. 116).

Encyclopaedia Britannica: “The triune and Trinity formula was not uniformly used from the beginning, and up until the third century, baptism in the Name of Christ only was so widespread that Pope Stephen, in opposition to St. Cyprian, said that baptism in the Name of Christ was valid. But Catholic missionaries, by omitting one or more persons of the Trinity when they were baptized, were anathematized by the Roman church. Now the formula of Rome is, “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and in the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Ghost” (11th Ed., Vol. 3, p. 365-366).

Encyclopedia of Religions: “Persons were baptized at first in the Name of Jesus Christ, or ‘in the Name of the Lord Jesus.’ Afterwards, with the development of the doctrine of the Trinity, they were baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost” (p. 53).

New International Encyclopaedia: “The Trinity doctrine. The Catholic faith is this: ‘We worship one in Trinity, but there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. The glory equal—the majesty co-eternal.’ The doctrine is not found in its fully developed form in the Scriptures. Modern theology does not seek to find it in the Old Testament. At the time of the Reformation, the Protestant Church took over the doctrine of the Trinity without serious examination” (Vol. 22, p. 476).

Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion: “Christian baptism was administered by using the words ‘in the Name of Jesus.’ The use of a Trinity formula of any sort was not suggested in the early Church history. Baptism was always in the Name of the Lord Jesus until the time of Justin Martyr when the Triune formula was used” (Vol. 2, p. 377-378, 389. )

“NAME was an ancient synonym for “Person.” Payment was always made in the name of some person referring to ownership. Therefore one being baptized in Jesus’ Name became His personal property. “Ye are Christ’s.” (Acts 1:15; Revelation 3:4; I Corinthians 3:23).

LIFE Magazine: “The Catholics made this statement concerning their doctrine of the Trinity to defend the dogma of the assumption of Mary in an article by Graham Green: ‘Our opponents sometimes claim that no belief should be held dogmatically which is not explicitly stated in the Scripture but the Protestant churches have themselves accepted such dogma as the Trinity for which there exists no such authority in the Gospels’” (October 30, 1950, Vol. 29, Number 18, p. 51).

Catholic Encyclopaedia: “The true doctrine of the sacrament of baptism is not taught by the Roman church. Baptism given by heretics in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost with the intention of performing what the church performs, is not true baptism” (Vol. 2, p. 259).

New Catholic Encyclopedia: “With regard to the form used for Baptism in the early church, there is the difficulty that although Matthew (28:19) speaks of the Trinitarian formula, which is now used, the Acts of the Apostles (2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5) and Paul (I Corinthians 1:13; 6:11; Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3) speak only of Baptism ‘in the Name of Jesus.’ Baptism in titles cannot be found in the first centuries. . .” (McGraw Hill Publishing, p. 59).

William Phillips Hall: “In this very ancient version (Syriac Peschito Version) which is believed by good authorities (Gwilliam, Boners, and others) to represent a text much older that of the Greek manuscript from which our English Old Testament was largely derived, ‘The Name of the Lord Jesus Messiah or Christ’ appears in all four readings given (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5)” (A Remarkable Discovery, p. 70).

International Encyclopaedia: “The doctrine of the Trinity did not form part of the Apostles’ preachings, as this is reported in the New Testament” (First Edition, Vol. 18, p. 226).

New International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: “The term ‘Trinity’ was originated by . . . Tertulian, a Roman Catholic church father. No record of the Trinitarian formula can be discovered in the Acts of the Apostles. . . At the time of the Reformation, the Protestant Church took over the doctrine of the Trinity without serious examination” (Vol. 1, p. 396).

“Because the Trinity is such an important part of later Christian doctrine, it is striking that the term does not appear in the New Testament. Likewise, the developed concept of three coequal partners in the Godhead found in later creedal formulations cannot be clearly detected within the confines of the canon.” “Trinity,” in The Oxford Companion to the Bible, Oxford University Press, 1993, p. 782.

“The adoption of a non-biblical phrase at Nicea constituted a landmark in the growth of dogma; the Trinity is true, since the Church — the universal Church speaking by its Bishops — says so, though the Bible does not! We have a formula, but what does that formula contain? No child of the Church dare seek to answer.” “Dogma, Dogmatic Theology,” in Encyclopedia

How Do I Know If I Have Received the Holy Spirit?

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Cor 12:13

We get into the body of Christ by being baptized in the Holy Spirit. This is our initiation so to speak into the church of the living God. It does not come by us making a decision for Christ though there is a part in that, it is by God making a decision for us. God gives the Holy Spirit to you and then you are a member of the church not by going through new member classes and then officially joining so your name is in the church member book, but by the Holy Spirit baptism.

After the last few writings I had several people ask how to know if they have the Holy Spirit. This is a very important question to ask yourself. However, there is a fine line because many who do have it begin to question themselves based upon the fact that they still have struggles in their life that they need to overcome. Receiving the Holy Spirit does not make you a person that lives a life without any sin. John wrote in 1 John 1:8-9 that, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Sin will always be present while we are in these “vile” bodies. It is a part of the curse. We are going through a process of sanctification. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18 Beholding the glory of the Lord is not a one time event, it is something that we do over our lifetime and it changes us from one glory to another glory. This is a process not an immediate event like salvation. But how do I know if I have it?

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor 5:17

The Holy Spirit baptism is likened unto a new birth by Jesus in John 3. It changes you from what you were in this sinful flesh to being a new creation, the old things of evil, wickedness and bad attitudes pass away and all things become new. God by a miracle of his Spirit turns you from walking daily in sin to walking in the Spirit of love and joy.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:21-23

The word fruit is a euphamism for results. In other words what grows from the Spirit as a fruit grows out of a tree or vine. The results of the Spirit in your life is love, joy, peace, etc. Will you still have struggles with these things? Sure. There will be a distinct transformation in your life from desires for drunkeness, envying, partying, anger, malice, backbiting, gossip, etc. to the love, joy and peace of the Spirit.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13 Another indication of the Spirit in your life is being led into all truth. If in your life God is continuously revealing more of his word to you and you are always open to receive truth from him then this is an indication you have received the Spirit. This does not mean that you will accept any idea or be the kind of person that waffles from one opinion to another. It means you know the truth that the Spirit is revealing and you have a ready and willing mind to receive everything that the Scriptures teach no matter how hard or how much it hurts.

These are four things that can help you identify the Holy Spirit in you.

1. You are being transformed into the image of Christ from glory to glory as you behold the glory of God.
2. You are a new creature. Your life has changed completely.
3. You have the results of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
4. The Spirit of truth is guiding you into all truth.

Sometimes when you grow up in a Christian home and your parents taught you right from wrong you had a less distinct experience of becoming a new creation. If you have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and you see the other three things manifesting in your life then just pray through to God and make sure that you know that you know you have received it. If you receive the assurance from the Lord that you have received it don’t let the devil lie to you anymore that you don’t have.

“A Believers’ Story” Are We Ready to Help?

This was sent to me in an email from brother Frank Prater. It blessed me so much. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever…” Heb. 13:8

Greetings Friends’,
The following is an event which happened on Sunday, February 7, 2010. This is a brother we worship with. He has not given me permission to use his name, however, his story is such a blessing, and I wanted to share it with you. The story is edited for the sake of space.

“As I was driving home I saw a man lying in the road and cars were driving around him. I stopped, ran to him and did all the inspections of a first responder. I found no pulse, and he wasn’t breathing. His skin was very cold and clammy and appeared to have been a heart attack. I prayed for the Lord to touch him. Several people stopped, and tried to get involved.
I laid him on his back to begin CPR. Miraculously his heart started beating, and he started breathing. I kept anyone from touching him until an ambulance arrived, (if his spine was hurt he could be paralyzed by the wrong movement). When the police arrived I told him all that had transpired.
With my children watching me in this and all the things that could have happened and if there was more for me to do has been running through my mind ever since. Thoughts keep coming to my mind. It really got me to thinking. On the spiritual;  we need to be prepared to help a brother/sister who may be lying beside the road. Would we be willing to stop to help, or would we just drive around them like everyone else.
Please keep this man in your prayers. He was still unconscious when put into the ambulance.”

May God bless us to be ready to help a fallen brother, or sister.
Luke 10: 30 – 37

Doctrine of Christ Continued

This is another post from the discussion board on Facebook. I’m posting this because it is something that I feel is very overlooked, but also very important for us to grasp.

Francis wrote, “Tell me who was speaking to Moses from the midst of the Burning bush or at other times from the shekinah Glory, was it Jesus or God the Father? Or was it Elohim or the self existent one? Or could it be Melkizidek? Do you know or can you hazard a guess?”

It was the invisible, eternal God speaking, Yahweh or the self-existing one who reveals himself speaking to Moses, but scripture tells us, 
“2And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.”

It was Yahweh speaking through the angel of the Yahweh or the angel of his presence. That was a pre-figuration of the Lord Jesus.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

This is speaking of the man that was born to Mary. Remember, they are gods to whom the word of God comes to. God told Moses, “you be God and let Aaron be your prophet.” God’s representatives are called God how much more is the perfect Son of God, who is the perfect manifestation of God. A Hebrew translation renders everlasting father as father of the age to come. Also, it is spoken of David that he was a father unto such and such people. That is, he is a provider. Jesus is the founder and the maker of the age to come. God created all things through and by his Son, his perfect image and manifestation.

When you look at Jesus you see God, also remember that the Jehovah of the OT is the Jesus of the NT. So the name of God has changed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s important to have a scriptural balance to see both sides of the equation and understand the separateness of the Son and the Father as well as their unity. Both sides need to be there. What you are saying is correct, but it should be tempered with the other side of the coin, that there is a Father who is the invisible and eternal God and there is a Son who is the visible man who manifested God. The man has a relationship with God and because the fulness of God is in him he is God.

Jesus Christ is God, but that statement is understood differently than the Jesus-only, actually the majority of message believers are Jesus-only and the Trinitarian ideal. The truth of “Jesus Christ is God” is not in either of those ideas. It’s right there in the bible. 
Jesus is the I AM, how so? God was in him, the Son. The Son is not the Godhead, but the Godhead is in the Son. 

GODS_GIFTS_ALWAYS_FIND_THEIR_PLACES JEFF_IN 12-22-63 

37 They said, “He couldn’t be Deity and die.” The man, the body was not Deity, but Deity was in the body.

How is Jesus God? He that has seen me has seen the Father…the Father dwelleth in me, He doeth the works… Jesus is God because God was in him in fulness manifesting himself without any hindrance. God was perfectly manifested through his Son so that when you see the Son you say, there is my Lord and my God. However, it takes a revelation to say that without a Jesus-only or a Trinitarian understanding. 

The man is not the I AM, but the eternal Spirit dwelling in the man in fullness is the I AM. The Son began in the womb of Mary, the Godhead that entered him at the water baptism had no beginning. 

As far as the Father being a dispensation is there a scripture for that? 

God bless,
Jason

William Branham – Visions and Discernment

Watch as the Holy Spirit works through brother Branham to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. You are witnessing Jesus Christ on display to the world. This is a manifestation of the Spirit of God in a way that has not been done since the times of the apostles.

Don’t Forget the Blood

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Preach the Gospel

I have a deep burden in my heart to see the gospel preached here in America amongst and through believers of the end-time message. Here is the reason I have this burden.

I have seen and heard of many people being so disturbed because someone presented them with William Branham and his ministry. They say something like, “the worship William Branham” or “they are exalting a man.” What a reproach this brings upon the word of God!

What happened to following William Branham’s example and preaching the same gospel that he did. Not just a powerless presentation of the powerful ministry of William Branham, but preaching the gospel with signs following. When I say the gospel I mean, the apostolic fathers’ faith, the original faith preached by the apostle Paul. I’m talking about water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, the oneness of the Godhead, the work of the Holy Spirit, the blood of Christ, sanctification of the Spirit, holiness living and salvation by faith alone. The mysteries of the scriptures are important, but people need to hear the original faith and gospel. I am seriously in prayer that the Lord would raise up a generation of brothers that would preach the word and not preach quotes of God’s servant or about the miracles of God’s servant.

As glorious and wonderful as the ministry of brother Branham was we are never called to lift up a man. We are called testify of God’s work, but not before we testify of the real true gospel of the bible and Jesus Christ. My hope is there would be a group of men raised up to preach out of the scriptures and not a bunch of quotes and statements piecemealed together. The gospel (that is the good news that Jesus is Lord and Christ, that he has raised from the dead and that through his name there is remission of sins) comes not in word only but in power and demonstration of the Spirit that faith might be in God and not in the words of men.

My hope is that the saints in America would be revived to this and would go out in our local areas and present the truth we have been restored to in a scriptural means and not as the seven sons of Sceva who said, “we adjure thee in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Many times that is what we do as we preach, “bro. Branham said this out of the bible and bro. Branham taught that out of the bible.” PREACH THE WORD!

I pray the Lord helps us all!

Christ Our Righteousness For the Rapture

There is no way for me to stress the importance of this teaching enough. It is very simple yet so needed for this hour.

The premise of this teaching is that only through the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ will we make the rapture. Of course we know that. You do, but do you trust in something besides that to make the rapture? Are you trusting in how spiritual you are? In other words, have you ever felt like you were doing something or could do something to hold back the rapture? Do you think the Bride of Christ is doing something to hold back the rapture? People may be spiritually asleep and they may be in a position in their life where they should not be, but let me tell you, nothing will prevent God from catching away the Bride in the season He has ordained. According to Ephesians 4 the ministry is ordained to “for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry…until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.” This is what God is doing in our day and age. Nothing will stop this purpose from being accomplished. If you are born of the Spirit walking in Christ your righteousness is of Christ. You are sinless in the sight of God and nothing will hold you back from the catching away of the saints.

Whether we make the rapture has nothing to do with your righteousness and your good works. It is all about the blood of Christ shed on the cross for your righteousness. You could never work yourself to be holy enough to make the rapture. You will perish in your sins if you think the church you go to or the holiness of your own character is holding back the rapture. If you think the church you go to or whether you are living good enough has anything to do with being caught up to meet Christ in the air YOU NEED TO REPENT! Satan has injected an idea in you that is leading to your destruction. The destruction of your faith and either your ultimate repentance and salvation or ultimately leaving the faith of the word of God.

Brothers and sisters, what rest and what peace this should bring to our hearts. If you born of the Spirit and feeding on the word of God you will have accomplished in you the purpose of God. The righteousness of Christ has been given to you by faith in his blood. NOTHING WILL STOP YOU FROM BEING RAPTURED. No man, no church, nothing can stop God’s work in you! Put your hope in the future grace. Because you are IN CHRIST NOW you will be caught up WITH CHRIST THEN! “Comfort one another with these words!”

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