Christ is the Mystery no. 87

Attributes of a Son of God no 13

Hold to Vindication only

April 6, 2013

Brian Kocourek

This evening we will return to our mini series on "The Attributes of a son of God" and this will be number 13 in our mini series, and number 87 in our study of Br. Branham's sermon, Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed.

The Thirteenth attribute of a Son of God: is that they Hold only to a vindicated Word.

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

In other Words only the housing of Christ, only those vessels that hold fast the confidence or vindication, are considered worthy of being Christ's house, Christ's vessel. Now, I know the King James version translated this as house, but actually it speaks of family. The Greek word "Oikos" means a dwelling figuratively, but by implication, it speaks of a household or more specifically of family.

Now, the Greek word translated as "confidence" was translated from the Greek word parrhesia, which speaks more of the nature of the speaker than the actual word spoken. It speaks of confidence, boldness, and the rest which comes by knowing due to relationship. We find it used in several places in the New Testament.

Acts 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Ephesians 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. Notice our boldness comes because as he is so are we.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And notice our confidence comes via this wonderful relationship we have with him.

From brother Branham's sermon, Trying to do God a service 65-0718M P:100 he said, And we know, Lord, that money, property, things of the world have no meanings, just so temporal. All of them must go. Our jobs, our places, our friends, everything must go. No matter how rich, how poor, how popular or unpopular that we are, it all must go. But there's only one thing that our being here is centered around, and that's Jesus Christ. So God, let us lay aside everything that's secondarily and hold to Him; and He is the Word (Grant it, Lord.), the vindicated Word of the hour. The vindicated Word of the days of Moses was Jesus. The vindicated Word of the day of Isaiah, Elijah, John, all, was Jesus. And the vindicated Word today is Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Help us, Lord, to believe that, see that, and walk in it. We ask in Jesus' Name.

So when we speak of the attribute of a son of God is that they will hold to Vindication, we of course speak of Holding to the Vindicated Word which is the person of Christ.

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Now, this word translated here as profession was translated from the Greek word Homologia, which means the same Word. Remember, Jesus said if we confess him before man He will confess us before God. And the word confess is Homologia. To say the same Word. If you say the same Word about me before men, I will say the same word about you to my Father which is in heaven. And what would that same word be? What words can I say before men about Jesus that He will say those exact same words before The Father? "He is my brother." and we are asked to hold fast this same Word. And how do we hold fast that same Word? We live it, that's how. we live as though we are His brother.

And that's what brother Branham said in his sermon, Hebrews Chapter 4 57-0901E P:79 in speaking of the same verse Hebrews 4:14 he said, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest,... that has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confessions." Hold fast," that don't mean just keep testifying. If you don't live the life, you don't hold it fast. You're living a hypocritical thing. You'd better be on out and just say you're a sinner and forget about it. Don't profess a Christian and live something else; you're the biggest stumbling block the world's ever had. If you're a sinner, admit it and go on, get right with God. If you're a Christian, hold fast your confession; stay there.

And the Apostle Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now, the word tradition is not a very good choice here because the Greek words speaks of a transmission, or the echoing of the law itself. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the transmissions, (the precepts, or principles) which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

From Proving His Word 64-0816 P:31 brother Branham said, "Now, it is possible that staunch Christians, fine people, hold, sometimes hold to the wrong thing, thinking it is right. But then these things should be proven, whether they are right or wrong. And it's the duty of all of us, as we are expecting to go to heaven when Jesus comes... And it's the minister's duty, when any question is brought up, that he solves this out, and then proves it before the people, that they might understand, because no one wants to be found wrong, holding to the wrong thing. So we have a Scripture and Jesus said, "all Scriptures must be fulfilled." that we should prove all things. And then, "hold fast," or, "hold tight, get a death grip on it, and don't turn it loose, hold fast to that which is good."

The problem is how do you prove anything except give it the Word test. And we are fortunate to have vindicated Word to give us our assurance in this hour. The Bible says, "let every man's word be a lie and mine be true Saith the Lord." So we can only trust "thus saith the Lord". And the only one who has "Thus Saith the Lord" is a vindicated prophet. And when a vindicated prophet told us that the bride will have or hold onto "thus saith the Lord" or she will keep still, then why is it some people in this Message have tried to exalt the words of mere me to the level of "Thus Saith the Lord" when only a prophet vindicated by God will bring "Thus saith the Lord".

From Proving His word 65-0426 P:13 brother Branham said, "Now, this subject that I want to speak on for a few moments is: "Proving His Word." Now, that's a great thing to think of that: Proving His Word. Now, God's just as able to prove His Word tonight as He ever did prove It. And the Bible also said, "Prove all things. Hold fast to that what's good." Now, you've heard, no doubt, heard the old proverb, "Prove it, I'll believe it." But that doesn't hold true. Many times I've seen many things proved, that was absolutely scientifically even proved, and yet people didn't believe it anyhow. I was talking with a man here not long ago. We was talking about Divine healing. He said, "I wouldn't believe it. I don't care what would happen, how much proof you could show of it; I still don't believe it." Well, certainly, no matter what you'd ever do for that man, he's lost. He cannot believe. There's nothing in him to believe.

And didn't Jesus say the same thing about the Pharisees. He said you can't believe my Word because you have no room in your heart for my Word.

You know one time there was this fellow who came to visit a certain church of a pastor friend of mine, and this fellow strode into the church and the pastor asked him to give his testimony, so instead of testimony, he began to try to instruct the church that they all had to listen to this certain certain brother, and he said, you people here in this church (and it was in a certain country where they do not speak English, so he told them) that everyone one of them needed to learn English so they could hear the tapes for themselves of this certain, certain brother who was not even a vindicated prophet. and he said they needed to listen to this certain, certain preacher or they would have no chance at a rapture and they would be lost, and oh, my he went on and on about what his interpretation of the Message was and so after talking with this brother until well after midnight, the pastor contacted and said this guy really flunked the Word test.

Then this person went to another country and invited himself to have fellowship with a group who considers this one their church home, and he tried to tell them they were out of order because they did not have their chairs in rows all facing the front. This happens to be in a believers home where they get together and hook up with us on the broadcast. Then after he left he began to text the single sisters in the church telling them what to do, and this was a married man doing this. A married man has no right contacting sisters without either his wife present or with another witness present. The Bible says we are to avoid even the appearance of evil. And if those sisters belong to someone else's congregation, you talk about being out of order. And when the brother who leads the little group told the brother he was out of line, the brother blew up like a grog full of buckshot, and said, "I want you to know that I have studied Divine order for more than twenty years and I know Divine order and you don't have it, and you are all messed up in the way you do your church service."

Now, imagine someone coming into your home and telling you how to run it. I can't even imagine someone having that much brass to do so. And this is a brother who got upset and said he had studied Divine order for more than 20 years will not even sit under any five fold ministry, nor will he come to church with his family. But he knows Divine order? And he's telling this little group who is faithful to come and gather together and either listen to a tape or hook up live that they are out of order because they don't have their four chairs in a row? Now, I have been in their homes and I would find it quite hard to take the two sofa's and put them into a row just to be more spiritual. Good grief, who is he trying to fool?

Well, he claims he was in this Message for 30 years and didn't have the Holy Ghost until recently. And yet he claims he studied Divine order for twenty years of those thirty years. And therefore he knows? Well, my Bible says unless you got the Holy Ghost you can not know, no matter if you got a PHD, LLD, or whatever amount of study you have period. The wisdom of man is foolishness to God.

And Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: You see The Word of God is a mystery to those without the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and it is hidden to them. And God ordained his Hidden wisdom for our Glory, not for anyone who does not have the Holy Ghost. It's for our Doxa, our opinions, and values to be transformed into His opinions and values. And he says 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: (The princes, and the educated didn't know it) for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 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. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:

Now, listen, God revealed it to us by HIS Spirit, so if you have no spirit you had no revelation. Then what did you have? Nothing but HOGWASH!!!)

Then Paul says, "for The Spirit" (that's God's Spirit) searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. So if you do not have God's Spirit you are not even searching the deep things of God, then what are you searching? I'll tell you what a man without the Holy Ghost is searching. He's searching to know something to make himself look more important. and that's intellectualism, that's all. 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 unless you have the Spirit of God, you don't know diddly squat. You don't know nothing, so shut up, sit down, get the holy Ghost and then you might get some real revelation.

Paul says in verse 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but The Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Notice he says, we must get the Spirit of God in order to know the things of God. Then how can someone who admits they didn't have the Holy Ghost tell others they have studied Divine order for twenty years during which he admits he didn't have the Holy Ghost when he thought he had it. Well, what else did you not have that you thought you had. When Paul says, you can't even get revelation unless you get it from the Spirit of God, and since he didn't have the Spirit of God, then what did he get because it sure couldn't have been revelation, or the Apostle Paul sure don't know what he's talking about. And I do think He does know what he's talking about. God don't give a man's mind revelation, His Spirit gives revelation to His Spirit that is in you.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Now, look, brothers and sisters, you could sit under the best Bible teacher ever walked in Shoe leather, but unless you your self have the Holy Ghost you will never receive Holy Ghost revelation. That's what Paul says here. Revelation is given to The Spirit (God's Spirit) in you from The Spirit, God's Spirit. And he said, not that which man teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But you can't expect any natural un-regenerated man to understand The Word. Because Paul says, 14 " But 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. When Paul says, neither can he know them he is speaking of an experience based knowledge based on relationship, not a head knowledge.

So if they are spiritually discerned and he says no man without the Spirit can receive them, then what do they receive sitting under a man that teaches? NOTHING!!! So what they got is made up in their own minds. Period.

Because it takes The Spirit to know. So how can this man tell a brother with the Holy Ghost who does know, that only he knows Divine order because he studied Divine Order for twenty years when for that twenty years that he sat and listened to a profound teacher in this Message yet he didn't have the thing necessary to even comprehend what the profound teacher was saying in the first place.

All the while thinking he was thinking he was learning, yet the apostle Paul tells us here unequivocally that it is impossible for him to have received ANYTHING from The Spirit seeing that he was not born again and thus void of The Spirit himself. So who is he trying to kid. Or as John said, He who says he is without sin, only deceives himself.

Now, if you don't have the Holy Ghost brothers and sisters, then you will not understand the Word no matter how many years you study it. What you will get is 20 years of false understanding because God is not obligated to give correct understanding unless you have the Holy Ghost.

Didn't Jesus himself tells us in Matthew 13:10-17 To Him that has shall be given, but to him that has not will be taken even that which he thinks that he has. Has what? Has the Holy Ghost and is able to echo the Word.

And so the Word unto them will become do and do, do and do, a little here and a little their, until they go and fall backwards and are destroyed. That's why we read last week from Isaiah 28 which is so vital for this hour.

Isaiah 28:9 Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining The Message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast? Listen, at least these are babes he's talking about. But if you aren't even born yet your certainly not even a babe in Christ yet. So he says, Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining The Message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?

So I don't think Isaiah is telling us here that even babes are capable of deep teaching, and Paul said when you ought to be teachers sitting under a profound teacher for twenty years Paul said, you still have need of milk.

10 For with them the Word will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there." 11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues (that's the Kentucky mountain language) God will speak to this people, (Notice who will do the speaking? God will speak to this people. Who came down with a Shout which is a Message. God came down with a Shout. So whose going to do the talking? God is going to do the talking. And when God speaks, what do we call it? We call it "THUS SAITH THE LORD" And what does that do for us?

Listen to what Isaiah tells us. 12 to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; What is our resting place? Our resting place is "Thus Saith The Lord", that's where our resting place is, in "Thus Saith The Lord. " and, he says, "This is the place of repose" And you would think that they would take the word of a vindicated prophet over any other man, but will they? No, way, because they are ordained not to take "Thus Saith the Lord" so that they can rest. Listen to what Isaiah says, -- "but they would not listen". And when they will not listen to God whose doing the talking through a vindicated prophet, because when He speaks through a vindicated prophet it is God speaking mouth to mouth with that prophet. So what happens?

13 So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Not that it is, but to them it becomes...Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there-- so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured.

Notice we are told that because they will not rest in "Thus Saith The Lord", the Word becomes unto them rules and regulations taught by the precepts of man, and they will go into works programs instead of believing the teaching which is the doctrine. And as we read on Sunday they will resort to a Nicolaitain spirit of organization, and control of the people. Why? Because they do not walk in the spirit, they will walk in the flesh, and their works programs will only lead them to manifest the works of the flesh.

So the True Born Son of God, those who are alive in Christ, will stand fast and hold fast to a vindicated Word as we see in 1 Thessalonians 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

So we find brother Branham explaining the rest spoken of in Isaiah 28 in his sermon, QA on Genesis COD 53-0729 P:68 How many would like to know what the Christian Rest is, say "Amen. Now, you can mark it if you want to: Isaiah 28. He said, "Precept must be upon precept--precept," speaking. "Precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little, and hold fast to that what's good," the prophet speaking of the time coming about Rest, sabbath. Read the whole chapter (You see?); he's same, "Times there when the sabbath day will be done away," and they'll sell shoes on the Saturday the same as they did it on Monday, or what ever more. You see? Said, "When will this sign be?" Said:... precept upon precept;... line upon line; here a little, and there a little: hold fast to that what's good .For with stammering lips and with other tongues will I speak to this people...And this is the... (sabbath)... the rest that I said that they should enter into. And for all of this they hardened their hearts and wagged their heads and rejected It.

And so the Apostle Paul challenges us to stand fast in the Spirit when that day comes. Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ: (now, he's not just talking about the words you say here, but this word conversation means the way you conduct your life, the way you live. Only let your way of life be as it becomes the gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

From his sermon, Redemption in completeness 54-0330 P:10 Brother Branham said, "When the people really get down before God and pray. And then, there's many of you, friends, that's praying, fasting, and afraid to take a hold of what you're praying for. That's right. See? Well, it won't do you no good to fast and pray, 'less you got some works to go with it. All your faith in the world, won't do you a bit of good, 'less you step right out there, and toe-to-toe with it, and take it. That's all. You've got to go forward. You just got to step right out and do it anyhow. When you ask for anything, go get it. God said it's yours, so don't take nothing less. Get what you asked for. You do that and find out how it comes out. Yeah. Don't--don't back up and say, "Well, I'll take second."

Didn't brother Branham also tell us that the water would never have parted for Moses if he did not first step his foot into the water. And that storm in Colorado would never have lifted had Not William Branham not stepped out by faith and commanded it to stop. Didn't Joshua command the sun to stand still, and it did so as long as He kept his hands lifted up? So he had a couple brothers help keep his arms lifted up until they had complete victory? Didn't brother Branham have to throw that stone into the air to start those judgments an the west coast?

So Paul tells us in Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. And what is bondage? It's your fears. The things you fear the most are those things which not only come upon you, but bring you into bondage to them, because when you fear you stop moving forward.

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, Stand fast in the revelation, and quit you being like men, be strong. And what do men do? They waver like the waves of the sea, and so they go back and forth, back and forth.

But Paul commanded us in Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised; YOU see? It's all about Him, what He promised He is able to perform.

24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin willfully (if we disbelieve willfully) after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,

Now, let me just read a few Scriptures here before we go to our next thought.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Now, we can not show you what the attributes of a Son of God are without showing you also what the attributes of a serpent see are so you can see the contrast.

Therefore the Thirteenth attribute of Serpent Seed is: They Hold to their own ideas above the Word of God.

In Psalms 10:4 we read, The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Isaiah 55:7-11 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un-rightwise-ness of man forsake his own thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He (God)will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith thus the Lord, or Thus says the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Psalms 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Hebrews 10:26 For if we disbelieve willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fullfill the lust of the flesh.

Let us pray...