Christ is the Mystery no. 104

Attributes of a Son of God no 22

They will do the works of Christ part 1

July 7, 2013

Brian Kocourek

Now, we are all aware of the controversy concerning John 14:12. However there should not be any controversy if we all claim to believe the Word of God and His Vindicated prophet. Where men differ is when they will not say all that the tapes say.

However, we would only be fooling ourselves if we say everyone who claims to believe the Message believes the same. Where differences occur is when we try to interpret the Word, when God interprets His Own Word by bringing it to pass.

The brothers who believe John 14:12 is only for William Branham do not say all that William Branham says on this subject, but rather exclude all but their point of view. They take certain quotes and ignore others, fighting quote against quote, because when your view is exclusive, you must rule out all other thinking. I do not wish to rule out any thoughts on the subject that William Branham taught us, and therefore refuse to play that game, because that is all it is, is a game men play. Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, they all play the same game only with scriptures.

Brother Branham alone was vindicated in this hour, and thus he said, "say all what the tapes say and say only what the tapes say". This is the path we have chosen to take, and that is what we have done concerning John 14:12.

The facts are many, as I have pointed out already, no Bibles except the King James inspired Bibles use the term "He that believeth". However, a fact check will show you that all Bibles written in the languages of the world use the phrase "Whoever believeth" because that is what the original texts used concerning what Jesus said.

if you have your minds made up that the King James version is yoru avsolute then you will take it over what a vindicated prophet teaches concerning the matter, and then you have also excluded every believer in the world who does not use the King James Bible as their absolute. We showed you 19 languages, where their Bibles say "whoever Believes", and even 8 English translations that say the same thing.

But if you have your mind made up that you are right and everyone else is wrong, then I can not help you. My absolute is the Word of God as explained by a vindicated prophet. No one else has a right to control your thinking. You answer to God alone, not groups of men with a camp mentality.

To make John 14:12 exclusive to William Branham alone contracts William Branham himself, who

The statement Jesus made in John 14:12 (using the ESV English Standard Version) “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father”

Also the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 2:10 ESV For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. And the word "works" that Paul spoke of is translated from the same Greek word "ergon" as the one Jesus used, and therefore we can not say Paul is speaking of something different than what Jesus was speaking of. Works are works.

We also see Paul mention the motive for these "works" in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” And the motive for our works is more important than the actual thing we do anyway.

William Branham prophet of God however quoted this verse of scripture 263 times not using the word "works" but the word "things", making it so generic that you could not ascribe one certain work or thing to what Jesus was saying.

From his sermon, At thy word Lord 54-1207 P:95 brother Branham said, "Now, let us pray again. Now, heavenly Father, I have told these people that You have raised from the dead, that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, that Your power is just the same. The same things that You did when You were here in flesh, You promised to do it through our flesh, for You said, "The things that I do shall you also." And we see the ministry that You had, not a great boaster to go around and claim to be a healer. But You walked before the Father. And You did just as He told You to do.

Faith 57-1229 P:32 Now, Father, it is written in the Word, by the lips of our own blessed Lord and Saviour, Your Son, that has been said this way, "The things that I do, shall you also. He that believeth on Me shall do the works that I do. A little while and the world won't see Me no more; yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, and in you, to the end of the age." You made a promise that the unbelieving children of Adam would never be able to see You no more after You left the earth, but that the believer would see You in power and demonstration in every generation. We believe that, Lord.

So you see, the promise was for every generation, not just this one. And we have seen men in every generation come forth with the works of Christ in order for His Word to be fulfilled to and through each generation of believers.

Then I want you to notice that after His resurrection, we see Jesus commissioning His disciples with these words in John 20:21—“...As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

And we hear William Branham vindicated Prophet tie John 14:12 together with John 20:21 on a regular basis.

From his sermon, Why it had to be shepherds 64-1221 P:67 we hear William Branham prophet of God say, "He said, "As the Father sent Me, so send I you." The Father that sent Him, went in Him to confirm the Word. And the same Jesus that sends His people, goes in the people that He sends; That's saying, "The works that I do, shall you do also." Sure, He prayed that we might be one: one with Him, not one with an organization, not one with a system, but one with God. For God and His Word is One, and Jesus and God was One, and you and I and the Word must be one. That's right. We must be one in agreement with the Word. Not what somebody else says, This is of no private interpretation. Take It, what It says, and believe It; and God will vindicate It, and prove that It's right. You think it's just for disciples only, take His Word for it; go try it once and see. You'll find out that it will work for you just the same as He promised. Yes, sir. They won't eat on slop; they have to have a sheep diet. St. John 10 declares that; "My sheep know My Voice." And if He is the Word, then what kind of a Voice does He have? "My sheep know My Voice; strangers they will not follow." See? Jesus said, "A strange voice they would not follow." So His sheep doesn't follow stranger's voice. They won't follow them. Prophets, shepherds, and sheep, all testify of the coming.

Notice how brother Branham quotes John 20:21 along with John 14:12, telling us that when we read John 20:21 it is actually saying John 14:12. That's his own words not mine. Therefore he ties together these two very important verses of Scripture to give us the understanding how John 14:12 will work in the life of every believer, because the same Jesus that sends us goes in us to will and to do, exactly what Paul said, "it is God working in us to will and to do."

In this next quote from his sermon, What The Holy Ghost was given for 59-1217 P:42 and notice the title is "What Holy Ghost was given for", so that's what he's talking about in this sermon,. And in it he says, "Now, notice, Here's another thing I'd like to say right here. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me... "As" (Now, watch.) "As" the Father has sent Me, so send I you." "As the Father"... How did the Father send Him? The Father that sent Him come down from heaven and dwelt in Him. He went forth; He said, "I always do that which pleases My Father." See? He went about doing the things that the Father was showing Him to do. "I do nothing except My Father shows Me first." The God that sent Him, was on the inside of Him. "And "As" the Father sent Me (the same way the Father sent Me), so I send you." What is it? God in you. Carrying on what? The same works, the same... Jesus said, "He that believeth (He that has Me on the inside of him, the Holy Spirit), he that believeth (that's already witnessed My resurrection), and know that I'm in him... He that's in Me; if ye abide in Me, My words abide in you..." Then ask what you will.

But there is a balance to understanding this. If you are not living a sanctified life you will not do the works of Christ because you are not abiding in Him, and the bible says, "he that knoweth to do right and doesn't do it, to him is iniquity, and God will not hear the prayer of one who regards iniquity in his heart.

Therefore for this Verse to work, you must have the Life of Christ living in you to do the works of Christ, and God will not live in an unsanctified vessel. And it matters not how well you can preach, what matters is that your Life is worthy of the Gospel.

Stature of a perfect man 62-1014M P:60 And now, we're supposed to do His work. He said, "He that believeth on Me..." (St. John 14:7) "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." You're beginning to reflect the works of Christ. But so many of us try to do the works of Christ before the reflection of Christ is in us. Now, there's the trouble. We find those things happening. You know it. I know it. We see these stumbles along the road. We find the scrap heaps of ministers, of Christians, piled along the road. Is because they didn't go into it right .And that's why I'm here this morning, is to try to teach this little church, and myself, how that we can become the dwelling place of the living God. How many'd like to be that? The dwelling place of the living God...

Therefore First of all, in order for anyone to understand John 14:12 that person must first understand who this "Believer" is whom Jesus is speaking of. It is not exclusive to one person, but it is "any person" who is filled with the same Spirit of God that indwelt Jesus Christ and raised him from the dead.

The Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:11 But if The Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. And never forget, a mortal bosy is one that can die, not one that has already died. So he's talking about this body we live in right now. Quickening it to the things of God.

From his sermon, Jesus Christ the same - 58-0312 brother Branham said, "If a Christian church is the branch that's in Christ, they'll do the works of Christ and bear the Life of Christ. "By their fruits you shall know them." Now, then the way that He is today, He's here in the form of the Holy Spirit, working through His Church, performing the same things that He did there. That makes Him the same yesterday, today, and forever. His Life, the Life that was in Christ, which was God, produced the kind of a life that He lived then, that same Life comes into His churches, His church members, since they have been purged by His Blood and given the Holy Spirit access to work through them, bears the same fruit that He bore. So therefore, the world can see then that Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Secondly, in order to understand how John 14:12 is for every truly Born again Believer who is indwelt with the Spirit of God, it is necessary to understand the Law of Life, wherein "every seed must come forth after it's kind." Until you can see this you will never understand how only those who have God' Spirit can understand the things of God.

In fact the apostle Paul is very plain in this as we see in 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. So we see here that there are certain things that are prepared for the hearts of only those who are capable of Loving God. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: Notice Paul says that it comes by revelation,. God reveals them to us by His Spirit doing the revealing. Then he says, "for The Spirit (that's God's Spirit) searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God knows. (So Paul makes it very clear here that no man understands the things of God. And only the Spirit of God can understand the things of God. Then he says,)

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; (in order) that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (So he tells us the very purpose of our receiving the Holy Spirit is to know what God knows.)

John taught the same thing in 1 John 2:20 But ye have an unction (an anointing) from the Holy One, and ye know all things..

So we see the anointing is to help us to know. I've taken full sermons on this in the past so I will not go into detail here, but so you get what I am driving at. Unless you are born again you just can't understand this Message.

And Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14  But the natural man (that's the unregenerate man, the man that is not born again, the man who does not have the Spirit of God living in Him, Paul says) the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Therefore if it takes the Holy Spirit living in the individual in order for them to be able to understand the things of God, then how can you expect any man who has no clue whether or not he's even received the Holy Spirit, to understand anything concerning the works of Christ.

From his sermon, Forsaking all 62-0123 P:62 brother Branham said, "Go ye into all the world to every creature. These signs shall follow them that believe. In My Name they shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues take up serpents. If they drink deadly things, it'll not harm them. If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." That's what He said." As the Father sent Me, so send I you." The Father that sent the Son went with the Son and was in the Son. The Jesus that sends a man, goes with him, and is in him to perform and do the same works. "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world". And the works that I do shall you do also."

Therefore, this evening I am going to once again explain the works of John 14:12 because we still have some in this Message who don't understand, even though they claim to have the Holy Ghost but they also have no definitive answer as to when they received it. They just believe they have it because they claim to believe. Because they claim they received the Holy Ghost when they believed. Their evidence is their experience, or so they say. But experience and evidence are two different words and mean two different things. But William Branham taught concerning experience and evidence that an experience is an essential part of every new birth.

From Questions and Answers COD 64-0830M P:120 354. Do your children have to have an experience to have the Holy Spirit? If they see the end-time Message, do they have the Holy Spirit?

Now, that is a good question, and listen to his answer. “Every one must have an experience. Your children cannot go in on no other way but the same way you do. See? They've got to be born again. There's no grandchildren in the Kingdom of God; they're all children. They must have it, must have an experience with God to go in, just the same as you. Now, I hope I can get this.”

In Questions and answers COD 64-0823M P:121 257. Brother Branham reads another question, and answers it very straight forward. Dear, Brother Branham: Do you believe that signs should follow all who have the Holy Spirit? (Jesus said so, Mark 16.) If so, what about the people who believe the Message with all that is in them, yet they have not these signs? Are they unbelievers or do they need the Holy Spirit? If so, please instruct us today, how to receive the Holy Ghost. We believe you are God's mouthpiece for our day. Your brother. Thank you, my brother, for regarding me as your brother, and I think that that's a very good question. Friends, yes, it is a little slack. I'd like to deal a little bit longer on that if I could. See? It is slack. Look. Some of you... See? You cannot receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost without having an experience when it happens... Now, if you believe "every speck of the Word," You say you believe every speck of It, then the Word is laying in there waiting for the Holy Spirit to put It to work; but it takes the lighting of the candle. Here's the candle with the wick in it, and with all the tallow, and everything it has to have in that candle; but until the fire comes on it, it will not shine any light. No matter how perfect the candle is, and how perfect it'll burn and everything, it's got to be lit, and then it burns. And when you believe and are made up of the instructions of what the Holy Spirit is, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, the fruits that It bears out, until the Holy Spirit with a fiery experience comes down and lights that candle, then you haven't received the Holy Ghost. See? You've got to have the experience to have the Holy Ghost.

Notice brother Branham taught very consistently all the way through his ministry in quoting Paul as saying, "have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed" and he always emphasized Paul did not say, "when you believed" but, "Since" not "when".

Now, the word "since" simply means "after". But a fuller definition according to Webster's New World Dictionary, second college edition, says, "During the period between, or at some or any point in time between then and now". So Paul in essence is saying, "at what point in your life since believing have you received the Holy Ghost?"

Therefore, what Paul is telling them is that you ought to know if you've received it after believing. Something ought to have taken place in your life where you can definitely say, yes, I know exactly when I received the Holy Ghost. And that is what his question is to them, at what time after you began to believe until now, did you receive it.

And brother Branham was very emphatic that you can not have a birth without knowing you've had a birth.

So now that we have established that only those who have the Holy Ghost will also do the works of Christ according to John 20:21 and John 14:12, then the next logical thing would be to ask the question, "what are the works of Christ". And since some seem to think only William Branham was ordained to do the works of Christ we must show you where William Branham himself refutes this false notion.

And since we are taking our series from his sermon "Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed", I would like to add for the record that you need go no further than this sermon to find who is entitled to do the works of Christ as spoken of in John 14:12 because William Branham identifies who this "he" is in John 14:12, this "he that believeth."

In paragraph 136 brother Branham answers two questions, 1) you receive the Holy Ghost since you believe, not when you believe, and 2) the promise of John 14:12 the Works of Christ he says is for everyone.

Here is what he says himself in pp.136   "They said, "We received the Holy Ghost when we believed." The Bible said, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" There's the difference. See? That's right. See? And they say, "We're the Catholic church. We started early; we did this." The Methodist say, "We are based upon the Bible." Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." Now, where's it at? Uh-huh, see, right. "The works that I do shall you do also," every creature, every person that believes in Him. Now, where's it at? That's His Words. "Heavens and earths will pass away, but My Word shall never fail." Now, where's it at? See?

And I've been asking this same question for the past few years myself. Where's it at? So notice he identifies that doctrine that says you get the Holy Ghost when you believe as a being a Catholic doctrine, just like the doctrine that says you are to abstain from meat is a Catholic doctrine. That ought to tell you where that spirit comes from when they hold the same two doctrines, and some of them a third one, because they teach from their pulpits that it's ok to baptize in the titles of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. It's all Catholicism, and it's right here in the Message.

In the next quote from this same sermon, Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed, brother Branham gets even more definitive with who this "he" is that is spoken of by Jesus in John 14:12.

William Branham says in pp.  68   St. John 14:12, He said, "He (he, anybody)--he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.”

Notice after William Branham defines the "he" in John 14:12 as being "anybody" that believes in Jesus Christ, then he goes on to say that the only way you can see this is when you are able to See Jesus Christ. And that takes revelation to see him.

"Well, that was for another age." There you got your picture wrong again. You got a man fishing out in the desert for fish in a bunch of hot sand where there's no fish at. See? See, you got to bring him back to where he's fishing at Galilee, where there's plenty of fish. You see? See, you got to make the picture look right. It's God's great picture, and there's only one way you'll see it, that when you see Jesus Christ. There's the entire Bible. He's the principal theme of the Bible.

Now, there are nine quotes concerning John 14:12 that William Branham makes in this sermon Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed, but to save time, we will just read from a few more. Let me just brush through a few here.

195   Now, Christ... "The works that I do shall you do also" See, see, the same God... as God did His promises in Christ's Body, so is Christ doing His same works in Christ's Body, the Church. So notice that brother Branham lays this out as the church, the believers in His Church.

In pp. 208 he says,    "We're not suppose to make converts to Christianity by a government, but by the revelation of Christ in you as God was in Christ. As God was in Christ, Christ in you. What God did in Christ, Christ does in you. What signs did God in Christ, Christ does in you. Oh, isn't that beautiful? Oh, my. I like that. Jesus said at that day (that's this day), at that day (when this revelation's made known) you will know that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, I in you, and you in Me. (When the revelation's made manifest,) at that day, you shall know that I and the Father are One. I'm in the Father, and the Father's in Me. Then when the revelation comes forth, then it's I in you and you in Me." There you are. See the manifold threefold...

And again in pp. 212 Notice. And the "Father that sent Me" went with Him. The Jesus that sends us goes in... "A little while and the world won't see Me no more, yet ye shall see Me, for I (personal pronoun, 'I 'the Person, Jesus) will be with you, even in you to the end of the world". "The works that I do shall you do also." Now, go back and see what He done; then see what you do, and then compare yourself."

Now, listen, he's not talking about himself here, he's talking about you. He says See what He done, and then compare it with yourself to see what you've done.

And in pp.  273 he says, Now, we see the promise being fulfilled. Christ, the true Headship coming in His Bride, doing the same works that He did at the beginning, and making ready, and fulfilling His Word as He did at first in John 14:12: "He that believeth on Me the works that I do shall he do also." Then the Head and the Body are becoming one in works and in sign and in Life, vindicated by God Himself through His promised Word for the last days. He promised this in the last days. Now, if you're spiritual, you'll catch it.

Notice the head and the body are becoming one in works, in signs, and in the same Life.

He's talking about the bride of Christ, not just one man here.

Now, let me read two more quotes where brother Branham specifically says John 14:12 the works, is not just one person.

In his Message, Questions and Answers COD 64-0830M P:167 373. William Branham reads a question and he answers it very, very clearly. “And will every true believer do the works that Jesus said, as stated in St. John 14:12 (Not exactly. No.): heal the sick, cast out devils, raise the dead (I don't think that's in St. John 14, but it's all right. It's Mark 16.), or is this only to be Elijah? Must the believer do all that, that really believe? And if he really is a real believer, will he raise the dead and do great miracles? Now, that is among the believers. See? Every man doesn't have those gifts, and that don't mean that just one person will do it; there'll be groups of people. Like for instance, what if we had a little girl here in the church, or a little boy, or somebody that we love real well, and life would go out of them. The whole church would get together, and they'd go to pray and fasting: "Lord, have mercy on that child." See? God could raise it up. How many ever read the Nicene Fathers and them? You know, that's the way they did it in the early church. They'd all get together, you know, and even raise up their pastor sometime and different ones like that, if God seen fit to do it; but they did it.

Now, notice he says emphatically, "just because not every believer will do all these works, that don't mean that just one person will do it either, but it will be within the group of believers."

You can't get any plainer than that. Not one person, and not every person will do all those things. But all those things will be done within the group of believers, just as Paul said, not every person has the same measure of faith, but every man has a measure of faith. So too the works of Christ will be done by the believers but not every believer will do everything. And notice also brother Branham calls the works of Christ "those gifts". And we know according to 1 Corinthians 12 that not everyone has every gift of the Spirit, but just because not every person has every gift does not mean that the gifts of the spirit are only for one person.

Let me give you one more quote to nail this point down so we can go on to the next point.

From Brother Branham's sermon, Faithful Abraham 59-0415E P:69 He says, "not just for the apostles, but to the end of the world. "The works that I do shall you do also. More than this shall you do for I go to My Father." And then the Holy Spirit wasn't only in one Person; it's in the entire church universal doing the same works that Jesus did. Hallelujah. I challenge the world to believe that. And you'll see a revival break through this country. You'll see Divine healing and the power of Almighty God. He's here now.

Now, again how can anyone teach that the works of Christ are only supposed to be in one person after reading that quote. To continue to believe such means you have to first turn down what a vindicated prophet taught himself.

Now, point number three, "what then are the works of Christ". And just because William Branham had all nine gifts of the spirit doesn't mean no one else had any gift of the Spirit. And just because he did the works of Christ doesn't mean no other person will do them? What this means is if you are a believer. If you are filled with God's Spirit, God-Life, then you will do the works of Christ. You will do what he did. You will live as he lived. You will talk about what he talked about, and you will act as he acted. But that does not mean you will do all he did, nor does it mean you will have his fullness reflecting in you. Because every believer has a measure of faith. So according to your measure you will do, and act, and talk, and submit.

So then what are the works of Christ that brother Branham is speaking of and how do they compare with what Jesus said in John 14:12?

Let me first list for you the works of Christ that I've come up from a quick study of Scripture. This list is not an in depth list, but a quick list so we can get through this sermon tonight instead of taking a few weeks to do.

Because we want to know what are the works of Christ that the believers will be doing.

And since some of us would like to know what it is that we will do, while others believe the works mentioned in John 14:12 are going to be done by only one man, so in knowing what the works of Christ are, it will help us to know who is to do what? Because after all God interprets His own word by bringing it to pass. So what are the works of Christ?

Well, first of all when we use the words "works that I do", we must understand who was talking here. Was it God himself or the son of God who was talking.

We get our answer in John 5:19 and John 5:30, the son can of himself do nothing, but what he sees the father do that doeth the son likewise.

Also we find that John 14:12 is not complete in itself without verse 13. Verse 12 is the promise and verse 13 is how the promise will be fulfilled. Verse 12 says, "the works that I do shall you do also", and verse 13 says, "therefore ask the Father anything in my name and I will do it."

Now, that takes us back to the way brother Branham ties John 20:21 with John 14:12 together. Because he says in John 20:21 "As the Father sent me, So send I you". And brother Branham asks the question, "how did the Father send him? then he answers, The same Father that sent Him went in him, and the same Jesus that sends us goes with us and in us to do the works.")

Now, to begin, Let's look at the very first work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.

John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  29. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Notice they asked Jesus point blank "what are the works of God" and Jesus said the first thing in order to be able to do the works of God, is that you must first of all believe the one that God sends. That's number one.

And of course that lines up with the definition brother Branham gave us of John 20:21 is John 14:12, because unless you believe the One he sends you are not a believer. So how could you do the works if he is addressing only the believer.

Notice Jesus himself said, "I came to do the works of my Father and to do His Will." And he said I am here to make sure I do not loose any whom God has given to me. That is a sign of a Good Shepherd. To make sure the ones God gave him to lead and guide all make it. That should be the most important thing we do, to look out for one another to make sure we do not loose any God has given to us.