Christ Revealed in His Own Word #106

The Deception

Saturday, May 31, 1997

Brian Kocourek, Pastor Grace Fellowship

This evening I would like to again begin by looking at something Brother Branham was saying in paragraph [127-128] All other words, I don't care how well they're placed, how--who they come from, what denomination they come from, or how smart the man is, is to be absolutely ignored, anything contrary to the Word. If you want to put that Scripture down, that's [Galatians 1:8]. See? Paul said, "Though we or a angel from heaven would preach any other thing than this that you've already heard, let him be cursed." In other words, if an angel would come to you from heaven, a bright shining angel, and would stand... Boy, that would be bait for this day, wouldn't it? A bright shining angel come up there, and stand, and say things was contrary to the Word, you'd say, "Satan, get away from me." That's right. If he's a bishop, if he's a whatever he is, don't you never believe him if he doesn't speak exactly with that Bible, word by word. Watch him, he will carry you with the Bible now. He will carry you to a certain place and then hook it right there. When you see the Bible saying one thing and he bypasses that, watch him right there. See, that's the way he done Eve. He come right down and said everything just exactly. "Well, God said this. That's right, Eve. Amen, we believe that together." "Well, God said this." "Amen, we believe that together." "God said this." "We believe that, sure." "Well, but God said we'll die." "Well now, you know, He's a good God." He didn't say He wouldn't you know. "But surely..." Oh, me. There he is. And if he was deceitful like that, and the Bible said in the last days he would deceive the elected if it was possible, where ought we to be today, friends. Now, these little Sunday school lessons are--should be carried pretty close, you know, to our hearts, to see... We ought to listen real close and see how deceiving that thing is.

[130] Notice, we cannot; we must not, listen to any other man's word. We don't care how smart, how educated. The Bible in Proverbs says we must cast down reasonings. See? Now, here in this second realm... First realm is your senses of see, taste, feel, smell, and hear; that's in your outer body. On the inner body, which is the spirit, is reasonings, and thought, and so forth. We must cast all that down. Can't reason, say, "Now, wait, if God is a good God..." And we're told so much today that He is. "If He is a good God, then if I be sincere, though I can't see that in that Bible being right, though I be sincere, I'll be saved." You'll be lost. "If I go to church and just do the things that I believe it's right and try to hold up for what I think is right, well I..." You're still lost. "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death. See? You won't be saved; you'll be lost. See, see? It must be that inside control man.

Now, this evening I would like to expound again on these two paragraphs and the thoughts that are coming forth from Brother Branham. what I am hearing him say is that “one Word off is death.” And it really doesn’t matter what your motive is. You can be as sincere as is possible, and yet still be lost. Now, in order to get the point across, he used two very good scriptures in doing so. Let’s then examine these two scriptures tonight in order to see the magnitude of what he is trying to tell us.

Let’s first begin with [Galatians 1:8] "Though we or a angel from heaven would preach any other thing than this that you've already heard, let him be cursed." In other words, if an angel would come to you from heaven, a bright shining angel, and would stand... Boy, that would be bait for this day, wouldn't it? A bright shining angel come up there, and stand, and say things was contrary to the Word, you'd say, "Satan, get away from me."

Now, the key to this scripture is one word off. Brother Branham goes on to say, “That's right. If he's a bishop, if he's a whatever he is, don't you never believe him if he doesn't speak exactly with that Bible, word by word. Watch him, he will carry you with the Bible now. He will carry you to a certain place and then hook it right there. When you see the Bible saying one thing and he bypasses that, watch him right there.”

In other words, he is telling us that we have already been given the Word, and any other word which would in any manner deviate from that word, you had better watch it because it could be 99% right, but watch if it has a little hook at the end and doesn’t dovetail right with the scriptures. He said, I don’t care what office he holds, he could be a Bishop or what evermore, if he doesn’t say it the same way the scripture says it, then it’s a wrong word, and it’s a wrong Gospel.

Notice that brother Branham says, . He will carry you to a certain place and then hook it right there. When you see the Bible saying one thing and he bypasses that, watch him right there.” And this is the key when we look at the deception. Because, they will teach most of the truth, but they will bypass certain things, or certain words that are used that are key words in being definitive when speaking of the doctrine. Now, in order for us to understand how critical this warning is, and remember, since this Message is pertaining to “the revealing of Christ in His Own Word”, we can see that any other word than that which God has spoken through Christ would not reveal Him but would alter whatever revelation we are receiving from Him through His Word. And the thing about this deception that we are being warned of, is that it isn’t so blatant that it stands out all alone like a sore thumb, but that it is interwoven with the Truth in such a way as to pervert the Truth and distort the understanding of it, thus giving us a distorted picture of Christ.

Now, to better understand how this takes place let’s see what the scriptures tell us will take place and how this weaving of Truth and error will occur. Let’s begin by turning to [2 Peter 2: 1] and begin reading. “But as there were false prophets among the people, even so shall there be false teachers among you,”

Now, here we find Peter warning us of false teachers who will come in and sit among a certain group of people. And he tells us where these false teachers will come into. Notice he says, “AMONG” Who? And the answer is, Among you! And who is this You that Peter is talking to? [2 Peter 1:1] says, “To them which have obtained like precious faith with us” So we can see that these false teachers will be among those who have obtained like precious faith with us, by the Right-wise-ness of Jesus Christ. In other words, those who are under the correct teaching can be looking for these false teachers to come in and sit amongst us. Notice also that they did not start out with us, but they will come in and join together with us. This should also help us to understand, and to know better and be on the look out for this to happen. Not, that we should be suspicious of every knew minister or teacher who shall come in among us, because this would be self defeating as far as spreading the word goes. But there are other attributes that we must look at that will describe these false teachers.

Now that we know that we should be expecting these false teachers to come in right among those who are professing a like precious faith, what will they do when they get here? The Scriptures say, “who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,” Now, this word privily is made up of two Greek words, which mean “to bring in alongside of” and “to lead”. In other words, they will become leaders among the rightly wise, and they will use their leadership to bring in among us, heresies which will be of such a nature that they will undermine the Truth and weaken it. They will do so in a manner which is craftily or cunningly performed. Therefore, these men will not be ordinary men, but men who will have a great ability to lead, and to persuade others to follow their manner of thinking or their approach to the truth. After all the word heresies that is used here, according to VINES is “a choosing or a choice, and hence an opinion, especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission tot he power of Truth, and leads to division and formation of sects; such erroneous opinions are frequently the outcome of personal preference or the prospect of advantage.”

Now, we also know that these teachings will be alluring to those who are lost because they will have an appeal which will actually draw them away from the Truth. [II Thess 2:3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; And of course we must ask ourselves the question, “ a falling away from where?” and we get our answer in [I Timothy 4:1-2] Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, So we see the falling away will come from THE FAITH and we know according to [Ephesians 4] that there is only ONE LORD and ONE FAITH, and of course that ONE FAITH is the REVELATION and that ONE LORD. And if any other revelation is brought forth, it would by virtue of it’s differing character, be another Gospel, and would bring forth another Jesus and another Spirit as we see in [2 Cor 11: 1-4]. Ones of a different nature. Now, Paul went on to tell Timothy, that this falling away from THE FAITH would come about because those who fall away would be, “giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

And so we see the very nature of these destructive heresies, which are undermining opinions, would be of such a nature as we earlier said, that they would be alluring to some, and of which Paul calls them seductive in their nature. Again we also see that these people give HEED to these seductive spirits and doctrines of devils. Now this word HEED is the Greek word, PROSECHO and it is actually two words PROS: meaning to attach oneself to, or to hold in regard the and ECHO which is the reflection or giving back of . Therefore because these people will hold onto a wrong echo of the Word, that wrong echo will take over and as we taught on the garden of your mind, “You don’t always get what you pray for, but you will always get what you sow for.” And “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” So, if you are thinking the wrong things, if you are thinking the wrong teaching, or doctrine, you will receive the fruit of those wrong things, teaching, or doctrine. [Matthew 13: 10-17] Explain.

Therefore, we are warned that these men know better but they will teach their own opinions regardless. Because in [I Timothy 4:2] we read, Speaking lies (teaching falsely) in hypocrisy; they will have their conscience seared like with a hot iron; And so the lies, or false things they teach, they will do knowing that they are being hypocritical in nature. And the word hypocrisy means : pretending to be what one is not, pretending to be pious and virtuous when one is not. And this is exactly the nature we see these pretenders putting on when they go around saying, “Lord bless you my precious brother.” Yuk!

Now, the next question we should ask is this, “What kind of distortions will they preach, and try to mix with the Truth? We shall find our answer again as we continue to read from 2 Peter 2. “ even denying the Lord that bought them”, ... Now, what does it mean to deny the Lord that Lord that bought them. This word deny is the Greek word, Arneomai and is pronounced, Arne! O my! and it means to disregard or refuse. So we see that their own opinions means more to them than the opinions of the Lord. And by doing this they will surely “ bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Now the fact that these men are leaders is made relevant in 2:2 where we read, “And many shall follow their pernicious ways; There will be a large following of these men and those who follow, will do so as complying to or yielding to their undermining opinions. And this is what will cause the way of Truth to be blasphemed. Because men will look upon the gathering of the Rightly wise, but right in their midst will be men who will preach things that are true and false mingled together and by reason of the false being brought to the forefront by these leaders, it will stain the Truth along with it. That is why we read in 2:2, “by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”

Now, as we said before from VINE explains the meaning of the damnable heresies as “such erroneous opinions are frequently the outcome of personal preference or the prospect of advantage.” And as we continue in 2 Peter 2:3 we read, “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. So we see here that their motive is covetousness. They are not content with what they have, but they strive for more, and like those Pharisees that Jesus rebuked when He said, in [Matt 23:15] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. And so we see the motive is Money and popularity instead of the saving of souls.

Now, from verse 4-9 we see that the same thing took place in the days of Lot, and then again in verse 10 we pick up on the attributes of these false teachers. 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous [are they], self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Here we find three attributes, as listed: 1) Presumptuous which means these men are daring, they take too much for granted and therefore show overconfidence, arrogance, and thus become too bold and forward. That’s why they will speak against God’s anointed and think nothing of it. That’s why they think they have a right to do things that God’s Prophet even kept himself from doing. And The Scripture also tells us they are Self-willed, in contrast to Doing the Will of God. Even Jesus Himself refused to have His own will over the will of His Father. [Luke 22: 42] & [John 5:19 & 30] [John 7:16-18]

2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil ( Blaspheme) of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;( in their own misery and moral decay). 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, [as] they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots [they are] and blemishes, sporting themselves ( living luxuriously) with their own deceivings (deceptions) while they feast with you; 2:14 Having eyes( their mind) full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin (disbelieving) ; beguiling ( or baiting, and alluring) unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices ( desires to have even more); cursed children (or children of the curse they are): 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way( they have ceased to care for the right way) , and are gone astray (began to wander), following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 2:17 These are wells without water ( now what is a well without water except it be something that is useless), clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 2:18 For when they speak great swelling [words] of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, [through much] wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known [it], to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

There are many more scriptures that warn us of these infiltrators in the End-Time Message as well.

[II Timothy 4:3-5] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, (This means they will no longer put up with correct teaching); but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.( Now, it is really strange how people could actually be so stupid that they would rather listen to fables and stories than to hear the Truth, but just look at Roman Catholicism, it’s full of stories and fables and made up things, and yet their are over 800 million people who believe it.) So we are commanded to: “ But watch thou in all things ( and this is essential, to watch means to keep an eye on what is happening, to be observant), and that is the key.

[Acts 20:28-31] Take heed therefore ( be careful and pay close attention ) unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves ( violent, cruel, and unsparing ones) will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things (things that are twisted and made different from what they were meant to be), to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch ( pay close attention to), and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

[Matt 7:15-19] Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves ( In other words, what they are and what they appear to be are two different things). Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And we know that the fruit is the teaching of the season. Therefore, what you see happening in their lives is an indication of what they are teaching. Because the Mind is a garden of thoughts and as a man thinks in his understanding, so is he. Therefore, whatsoever you sow, you shall also reap. And righteous thoughts will produce righteousness. Unrighteous thoughts will produce unrighteousness.