Doctrine no 13
Mark them that
cause division contrary to the Doctrine
Brian Kocourek,
This
morning we will continue with our study of the Book of Romans, and we are
quickly approaching the end of our series on Doctrine. This I would like to take
our text from Romans 16:17where we see the apostle Paul warning us to mark them
which cause separation over the doctrine by teaching what is contrary to
Scripture.
Romans
Now, the Greek word
that was used when he said "mark them' is a Word Skopeo and it literally means to "take aim at", and it comes from the root
"skopos", which means "as a sentry or watchman, keeping a watchful
eye out for those men who would cause divisions and offences contrary to the
doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Now, contrary to those
people who want only positive things preached from the pulpit, I would be
considered dilatory and unfit for my post as a shepherd if I refused to
constantly be warning you of the men who have infiltrated this message and have
brought in alongside true doctrine destructive heresies.
It is one thing to
warn you and show you by Scripture where these men have deviated from the
Scripture, and another thing altogether if I were to call their names and blast
their character, or point out their character flaws.
I do not intend to do
that and I do not believe I have ever done that. I do not target men, I have
never tapped any person as I have been accused of, but I have set my sites like
the Scripture tells me to do on targeting the false teaching concerning the
True Doctrine of this Message, and I have targeted the false teaching which is contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned,
which is what the Apostle Paul has warned us as good stewards of the Word to
do.
However, there is one
thing I have not done to the degree that I should have done, and that is I have not told
you to avoid these men who do offenses which are contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned.
But the Apostle Paul
said, "Now I
beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus
Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts
of the simple.
Now, the apostle Paul
told us to avoid them. The Greek word that was translated as the English word avoid, is the word "ekklino". The word means to deviate, from and our english word deviate means "to turn aside from, as from a route, a
way, or a course.
2. to depart or swerve, as from a procedure, course or
faction, or acceptable norm." The Greek word means (absolutely)
to shun (literally or figuratively), or (relatively) to avoid, eschew,
go out of the way. And the word eschew means: to abstain or keep away from;
Possessing gate of the enemy
64-0322 P:41 If you haven't been baptized yet in Christian
baptism, do so. Get yourself amongst believers, now, real believers, not
make-believers, real believers.
Now listen, what he's
talking about here are those who would use the doctrine as a battering ram, and
use it in an abusive way. Their lives are not in sync with the doctrine,
because this is the hour of the capstone which is love. Their lives do not reflect what the spirit
that was in the Messenger reflected.
2
Timothy 3:8-11 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood
Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate
concerning the faith. 9 But they
shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. 10 But
thou hast fully known my doctrine, (Notice Paul says, you have known my doctrine
but not only that. You have also known my) manner
of life, (and not only that, but you have also known my motives and
my objectives and my purpose, and
not only that but my faith also, (and not only that but you have also known
me by watching my) longsuffering, and
my charity, and my patience, And not only have you seen these
Characteristics of Christ-Life in me, but you have also become aware of my 11 Persecutions,
and afflictions, which came unto me at
Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra;
what persecutions I endured: (and you have seen how that) out of them all the Lord
delivered me. 12 Yea,
and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers
shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast
learned them;
Notice he says, "Knowing of whom thou hast learned them". Now, i want to read verse 10 again from
the Wuest translation.
Wuest
translation "But as for you, you were attracted as a disciple to me
because of my teaching, and my conduct, and my purpose, and my faith, as well as my longsuffering, and my divine and self
sacrificial love, and my patience, and also you are aware of my persecutions,
and how the Lord delivered me out of them all."
And let's also look at
Philippians
Now, Paul is talking
about two completely different lives here. One that reflects and echoes God-Life, and
thus God-Life expressed, and the other that is self fulfilled and thus self
centered. And he says, this latter ones, use the doctrine to control and abuse
while you have had me as an example of how to die to self so that you might
Live and reflect in your lives, the God-Life that lives for others. But those
who
"Now I beseech you,
brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Notice he tells us to avoid them.
The reason I've never told
you to avoid certain people is because I hate how many religious groups and cults
have used shunning as a tool to control their people, and I hate that spirit
that would shun people for not conforming to their standards. That's not what Paul
is talking about here. Paul is talking about those people who deliberately try
to divide and conquer. Those who pick, pick, pick all the time. Now, I've never preached
shunning because people might use it wrongly. And I know that if you knew the
Truth of the Word, then you would also know when someone is not teaching the
truth but rather is teaching contrary to the truth, that the Bible says, "how can two walk together lest they be agreed."
Now in reading this
verse we find quite a strong warning from the Apostle Paul concerning those who
would abuse the Doctrine. He tells us to mark them which cause divisions and offenses concerning the doctrine which ye have learned. Now, he is not telling us to mark them and avoid those who teach other
doctrine. But he is telling us to mark them which
would cause divisions concerning the doctrine which we believe, and this
is a very strong reprimand coming from the Apostle.
First of all he says I beseech you brethren, and the word beseech, is a form of exhortation, or admonition. In other words these are not words the Apostle speaks lightly. He's calling our attention to something and we
should pay close attention to what he's telling us.
Then he says next “mark them that cause divisions and offences that are contrary to the doctrine
which you have learned.” Let’s break this down for the
next few minutes.
First of all he says
to mark them. This word “to mark” means to fix one’s
eyes upon, to observe and
to take heed. Now, why would the Apostle Paul be pointing out to
the people that they should keep an eye on these people?
Because, these are
brethren that are causing divisions and offenses that are contrary to the doctrine that they have learned. In other words they are
doing something that is wrong with the doctrine. The way they are using it is wrong, it is
contrary and it is offensive.
These people are causing divisions, and they are using the doctrine to do so. And the Greek word here is dichostasia and comes from two words, the first which is “dis” meaning two or making two from
one, and again from the word stasis which actually means sedition, dissension, insurrection or uproar. They are causing strife in the body.
The other thing the
Apostle points out is that they are
causing offenses which are contrary. Now the Greek word
for offenses here is the word skandalon in which we get our
English equivalent scandal. Literally it is a stumbling
block, an occasion of
stumbling, a thing that
offends, 1a) the movable
stick or trigger of a trap, a trap stick; a trap, snare;
any impediment placed in the way causing one to stumble or fall.
So here we find the
Apostle warning the people of those brethren that would be doing things that
are contrary to the doctrine and which would be causing the
people to fall or to stumble because of the things
they are doing. And what are we to do when we see that there are ones causing division and who are doing things which are
contrary to the doctrine we've been taught? He said avoid them!
Romans
Is that all we are to
do Paul? Yes, that is all. "avoid them" he says. Don’t go near them. Just let them
alone. Notice, these are not people who are ignorant of the
doctrine, and don’t know any better. These are men who willfully use means
to dissuade and cause division, or sedition which is insurrection
and harm to the doctrine, and to those who
take their stand with the doctrine.
Now, sedition is “conduct or language inciting rebellion
against the authority involved.”
And the word insurrection
is “the act or an instance of open revolt against
the authority”.
Now these are not innocent bystanders we are
talking about here. These are they who have some sort of vendetta and
openly try to do harm to the authority of the doctrine. In the next
verse the Apostle gives us a clue as to their
motives of those we are to mark.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own
belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
They do not deceive the hearts of the wise and
prudent, but they deceive the hearts of the simple,
those who haven't been born again. That's the ones who struggle in their
Christian walk. Just like the wolf that hunts down the weak and feeble lambs,
so do these mark out the weak and feeble Christians,
those they can control with their hate and divisive teaching.
In his sermon, Taking
sides with Jesus COD 62-0601 P:72 Brother
Branham said, "But
Jesus, they just tried to find every little shadow that they could find to
try to belittle Him in the sight of the people. And that's what the devil
wants. They want to hurt your influence before the people. That's the
way you want to watch careful what you do. Walk like real men of God;
talk like men of God. See? Act like men of God; live like men of God;
because the devil, your adversary, is going
about like a roaring lion trying to devour what he can. Why
did they do this? They were jealous of Him. That was what's the reason they
tried to belittle Him. They were jealous of His ministry. And that's
the reason they were trying to belittle. But He had the ministry of God and
they knew that, but it was contrary to their creeds, so they were trying to
belittle Him. Make everything He, every little flaw that they could
find, get Him out of the way. They wanted Him to quit; they wanted the people to denounce Him.
They wanted to say, "Now, this guy's nothing. Looky here. Now, there he is, he did this. And you know that's not
right. We've been taught all of our life that we should believe the elders. And
here he is, stood right there and bawled that elder out. He disagreed
with the tradition of the fathers, and we been, and we ought to believe the
tradition of our fathers. We been taught that by
each rabbi all the years through. And here this man comes around and
disagrees with them." See, "Why, the man like that ain't fit
to be a preacher." See, they were
trying to belittle Him. But in all of that, the ones that believed Him, and
loved Him, and had seen His Scriptural miracle signs would not be hindered by
them. No, sir. Them who believed Him believed Him. Those who loved Him stood by Him.
They would not see what others pointed out to them.
Putting on the whole armor of God
62-0607 P:84 That's why the all-wise God equipped His army with
the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He knowed these intellectual giants would
stand in this last days. Hallelujah. He knowed they'd stand, and they'd
be able to explain by their great wisdom, powers of Satan. Peter said,
"They're
like a roaring lion, devouring what he will." Yes. But He said, "I'm not going to leave you
comfortless. I'm coming again. I'm going to be with you." He equipped His army
with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Said, "Go up there, every one of you and
wait. (Luke 24:49) Behold, I send the promise of My
Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of
Now, I have proven to you many times by
scripture that only those who are truly born again by the Spirit of the
Living God are able to really know and understand what the Scripture teaches.
I don't care how many years you claim to have followed brother Branham or brother
Vayle or any other man of God for all that's worth.
Until you are born again yourself, you can not understand the things of God.
I'll prove it again to you by Scripture. Turn in
your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 2.
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. 10 But
God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for The Spirit (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 right there Paul
tells us that no man knows the things of God unless he has had them revealed to
him by God's own spirit living in them. So I do not care how great a teacher
you sat under, unless you are born again you will never understand what that
teacher taught you.
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.
You see, Paul just told
us that the very reason we receive the Spirit of God is for the purpose of us
to be able to understand the things of God.
13 Which things also
we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
In other words, he is
saying, no man is your teacher, the Holy Ghost is the
One who teaches.
And then he
says, 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of
the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. They are spiritually
understood. In other words, you can not know them by human intellect,
you can only know them by revelation.
Calling
of Abraham 55-1116 P:29 That's
the way. When God says so. See? A Christian
does not calculate, or does not look at things he sees. You don't see with
your eyes anyhow. You don't. Certainly you don't see with your eyes. You look
with your eyes. You see with your heart. "See"
doesn't mean "look." "See"
means "understand." Jesus
said to Nicodemus, "Except the man be born again he
cannot see the
Testimony
and inside life 50-0823 P:33 the only way you can
be right with God is being borned again. Jesus
said, "Except a man be
borned again, he can't see the
That is why brother
Branham kept telling us in his sermon, Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed
Christ is
the mystery 63-0728 P:120 Look,
Christ in you makes Him the center of Life of the revelation. See? Christ's Life in you
makes Him the center of the revelation. Christ in the Bible,
makes the Bible a complete revelation of Christ. Christ in you makes you the
complete revelation of the whole thing. See, what God's trying to do? What
is the new birth then? You say, "Well, Brother Branham, what is the new
birth?" It is the
revelation of Jesus Christ personally to you.
Christ is
the mystery 63-0728 P:74 But the only way that you can
actually be a Christian is for Christ to identify Himself in you. How... We got some a stinger there. I hope everybody on the
tape gets that too. See, see?You
say, "I'm Pentecostal." That don't mean a
thing. It's Christ
identified in you;
that's when He has recognized you.
Well, brother
Branham, I seen Christ identified in you? That's not going to save you, He said the only way that you can actually be a Christian is for
Christ to identify Himself in you.
Christ is
the mystery 63-0728 P:145 Now. You
see? So therefore, there's no school, no theologian, no teachings of the Bible,
among any school that knows anything about it. They cannot know nothing about it. It's impossible for them to know
anything about it. God has hid the senses of knowing it from the very elected teachers and everything else. It's a
personal, individual affair with the person that Christ is revealed to them.
And if you say, "He has been revealed to me," and then the Life that Christ produced
here in the Bible (that same Life was in Him) does not produce Itself in you, then you got the wrong revelation.
Notice, he says God
has hid it even from the very elected teachers. Hmmm,
I won't go there, but I hope you get what he is saying here. he says it matter
snot if God revealed Himself to even the very elected teachers, if He has not
revealed Himself personally to you by identifying Himself, His Life in you,
then forget it. No elected teacher can pave your way for you. You're not going
in on William Branham's coat tail, my brothers or sisters, and neither are you going in on Br. Vayle's coat tail.
Christ is
the mystery 63-0728 P:124 The new
birth is Christ, is a revelation. God has revealed to you this great
mystery, and that's the new birth. Now, what are you going to do when you
get all that group together, where the revelation is perfectly in harmony, and
God expressing it through His Word by the same actions, the same things that He
did, making the Word manifest?
Well, what's he
talking about here? He's talking about John 14:12,
the very life of Christ expressed in the believers. Mark
16, these signs shall follow them that
believe, into all the
world to every believer.
Oh, if
the Church only knew its position. It will one day. Then, the rapture will go
when it knows what it is. Now, notice. You say, "Brother Branham, but
that ain't..." Oh, yes, it is, too. It is the Truth.
Romans
Here the apostle Paul let’s us know their real
motive is their own belly.
Brother Branham said there are three things that will get a man, or minister if
he is to be got. And those three things are 1st
Money, then 2nd is
Popularity, and 3rd is
Women. And since women type the church, we can see that to be
popular with the women would also mean to be popular among the churches.
But Jesus, the pattern for all sons, and Paul
the pattern for all preachers, was never popular among the churches in their
day, and neither was William Branham. They were rejected by the church world. And
so was Br. Vayle.
And the Apostle tells us that these do not serve
the Lord Jesus Christ, but only themselves. And they
use good works and fair speeches to deceive the hearts or understanding of the
simple. And the simple are
those who are harmless themselves. People in whom there is no guile. Just plain
old sheep who just want to do what is right and live a right life.
Now, why would the Apostle warn the believers to
be on the lookout for these kind of men? Because he
knew the great danger that these men could do to the church by turning them
away from the doctrine or twsiting the doctrine for
personal gain.
Just look around at the churches and you will
find them in abundance. They look good to the eyes, like mission programs, and
feeding the poor, and all those sorts of things, but those things maybe
alright, but the focus of the church should be the doctrine, not feeding the
poor. And yet you also have those who teach the doctrine, but have a spirit
that would kill if they were allowed to do it. Just like the Jews in Jesus day.
The Gospel is not about how fine a sermon you
can produce or how fair a speech you can give. This same Apostle said, “I did not come unto you with words of man’s wisdom, but in
demonstration and in power of the Holy Ghost.”
Paul said, they use good works and fair speeches to deceive the hearts
or understanding of the simple.
Now a fair speech is one that is pleasant to the
hearer. It is not like those given by John the Baptist who came stirring
up the hornets nest, nor are they like those given by Jesus
Christ the Son of the Living God who came to the temple and took a whip and
drove out the money changers and who called the Pharisees serpent seed.
Nor are they like those given by William Branham who said denominationalism is
of the devil and is the mark of the beast.
A fair speech is like
the politicians do. They say things that they know you want to hear and so they
tickle your ears with their sweet words. I remember quite well in the 1992
election campaign, I heard Bill Clinton giving a speech to a group of people in
one city in the
HOSEA 4:6 ¶ My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (now this word knowledge actually
should have been translated discernment, for it is discernment that the people lack) because thou hast rejected knowledge
(in fact they actually have rejected discernment. And if that isn’t the world
we live in today. You never hear talk in a complimentary way anymore about that
discerning young man, or that person has a very discriminating taste. On the
contrary, the word discerning and discrimination are looked down upon as being
some sort of twisted backward chaotic notion that someone might be possessed
with.
But God says that
because the people are not discerning and in fact have turned away from being
discerning, he will turn Himself away from them.
I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou
hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
And how could you be a
priest of the most High God if you can not even discern what is of God and what
is not of God?
7 As they were increased, (as they became numerous, or as they became multitudes that is when they
began to move away from the discerning Spirit of God.) so they sinned against me: (that is
when they sinned against me) therefore will I change their glory (reverence or reputation) into
shame.
God continues, 8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
And remember, the
heart always represents understanding, so we see here they set their understanding
on their iniquity and iniquity is to
know to do right and you won’t do it.
From his sermon, Angel
And Three Pulls 51-0414 E-18 brother Branham said, "Jesus said, "Many will come and say, 'Lord, have not I...'" He said, "I didn't know you." No, you never... See? Many will confess and say, "I have cast out devils in Thy Name,
and in Thy Name I prophesied," preachers and so forth, and everything. He'd say, "Depart from Me,
you workers of iniquity. I didn't even know you." Some people might've went out and had some
kind of a fleshly idea, tried to get popular, or some big education, or could
speak a few swell words and made some money out of it. Jesus said, "You workers of iniquity, I didn't
even know you." And
iniquity is something that you know that you ought to do and will not do it.
That's right.
Behold A Greater Than Solomon Is Here
62-0721 E-86 "But if I regard iniquity in my heart, then God will not hear my prayer," said David. What is iniquity? Iniquity is
something that you know that you're doing that you ought not to do and still
won't repent of it. If I regard iniquity in my heart, knowing that I should do it, and
don't do it, then God promised, the Bible promises that God will not hear your
prayer, if you know you should do it and won't do it. That right, brethren?
That right, brother ministers? It's true, if you regard iniquity...
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: in other words, there
will be no difference between the people and the priests, and so the priests
will tell the people just what they want to hear. The Apostle Paul again warns
us that in the last days this will come to pass.
II Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when
they will not endure sound doctrine;
Notice, it is because they will not endure, that means they will not put up with sound
doctrine, tried and tested doctrine, so because they will not put up
with the doctrine, after turning down the doctrine they will but after their own
lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; The
people are the ones with itching ears and they are the ones that will heap to
themselves one teacher after another after another of those that will tell them
what they want to hear. And look at what will result from this.) 4 And they shall
turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Now, in getting back
to Hosea 4:9 and I will punish them for their ways, and
reward them their doings. 10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: Eat what? Spiritual food he is talking about. they shall commit
whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to
the LORD. 11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart, which is the understanding.
And what are these whoredoms and new wine that will take away the understanding?
Whoredom is to
compromise your vows with your husband. To receive another in the place of your real
husband. And so they teach another Jesus and so the people receive
another spirit. And the teaching of another Jesus by another Gospel
brings forth another spirit that enters into the
people, and they have left off from taking heed to the Lord. 12 ¶ My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff
declares unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms
hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
What a desolate
condition these people end up. And that is why the Apostle Paul warned the
people for nearly the last three years of his life that seducers and imposters would wax worse and worse deceiving
and being deceived themselves.
II Timothy 3:13 But evil men and
seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and
hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
Oh, how important it
is to know the one who is doing the teaching. What is he saying.
Where did he learn from? How is it that this one knows and others don’t know?
What is there about this one that he can teach these things so clearly? Notice how the true will always stay with the
Word and be able to balance the things that are the Spoken Word with those
things that are the Written Word.
And Paul said to know of whom you are taught. You see a man come on the seen preaching the Word of God, you should
ask, how did he learn, and Who
taught Him? For God
never works apart from man, and if you follow the history of the church you
will find that God never raised up a man from one
place and then bring men from a completely different place with the same word.
God has always had a system. And the light first always comes to the Prophet
that receives that Word directly from God Himself and God vindicates that the
man has His Words by bringing to pass the things the man declares.
156-2 Smyrnaean Church Age - In every age we have exactly the same pattern.
That is why the light comes through some God-given messenger in a certain
area, and then from that messenger there spreads the light through
the ministry of others who have been faithfully taught. But of
course all those who go out don't always learn how necessary it is to speak
ONLY what the messenger has spoken. (Remember, Paul warned the people to say
only what he said, I Corinthians
And that is what all
the warnings are about that first of all came from Jesus warning us about wolves in sheep’s clothing, and then the Apostle
Paul said that he ceased not to warn the people for the last 3 years of his
ministry.
I Timothy 1:6 From which some having
swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; in other words, they talk to hear themselves
talk. No Scripture, no Words from the prophet of God. Just like used car
salesmen, they love to hear themselves speak. 7 Desiring to be teachers of
the law; understanding
neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
If that isn't the
condition of many so-called ministers today. They neither know what they are
teaching, and they have no clue if what they are saying is even Scriptural or
not. making such gross errors as saying the eating of
meat is not a characteristic of the end time, when the bible plainly says it
is.
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in
hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding
to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, (that means they will
teach you to refrain from eating meat) which God hath created to be received
with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
Notice God said those
that believe will eat meat. and they will do it with
thanksgiving. And it says those who believe and know the truth will eat meat
will receive it with thanksgiving and eat it.
And the apostle Paul said in Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have
need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of
God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that
useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that
are of full age,
even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both
good and evil.
Acts 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood
of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of
God. 28 Take heed
therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers, to feed the
Even the Apostle Peter spoke in his 2 Books of warnings
of false teachers coming in and bringing into the
message destructive heresies that would
even deny the One that bought them.
II Peter 2:1 ¶ But as there were false prophets among the people, even
so shall there be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious (destructive) ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 ¶And through covetousness (fraudulent greed) shall they with feigned (false made up) words make merchandise of you: whose judgment
now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation
slumbereth not.
II Peter 3:3 ¶ Knowing this first, that there shall
come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying,
Where is the promise of his coming? for since the
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of
God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the
water:
And thus we find John
doing warning us the same in I John 4:1 ¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out
into the world.
And again in II John
1:7 ¶
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not
that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh. This
is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves,
that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full
reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, (whosoever goes beyond the limits) and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath (echoes) not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 ¶ If there come any unto you,
and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Even
And also in the Book of Jude. Jude 1:3 ¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation,
it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men
crept in unawares, who
were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the
grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Notice these men deny
the ONLY Lord God. That means that they deny there is just One Lord, as Paul
and Moses and William Branham taught.
And now in this hour
we have received a vindicated prophet who could do not less. William Branham vindicated prophet of God,
using the
Anointed Ones at the End Time
65-0725M 25 Now, anointed one is "one with a message." And the only way
the message can be brought out is by one that's anointed; and that would be
a prophet, anointed. "There
shall rise false anointed teachers." A prophet
teaches what his message is: anointed teachers, but anointed people with false
teaching, anointed ones: christ’s, plural;
prophets, plural. And if there is such a thing as a Christ, singular, then
these would have to be anointed ones that their prophecy of what they
were teaching would be the difference, because they are anointed ones, anointed.
Now, what is he telling you here? he is telling you that any teacher who comes along and does
not say what the Prophet says is wrong, and teaching falsely.
Anointed Ones at the End Time 65-0725M 46 Notice. The same anointing water brings forth
the wheat, brings forth the weed. The same Holy Spirit that anoints the church,
that gives them desire to save souls, that gives them power to perform
miracles, It falls on the unjust the same as the just: the very same Spirit. Now, you can't make
it another way and understand Matthew 24:24. He said, "There shall rise false christs," false anointed ones, anointed with the genuine thing, but be false
prophets of it, false teachers of it. What would make a man want to be a false teacher
of something that's Truth? Now, and we'll get down to the mark of the beast in a few minutes, you'll
see it's denomination. See, see? False
teachers, false anointed, anointed christs,
but false teachers. It's the only way you can see it.
Anointed Ones at the End Time
65-0725M Let's go now, close. Anointed ones, christs
in the last days, but the false teachers as false prophets... Notice how
striking. Now, I want you to compare this (We haven't got time to read it
out.), Matthew 24:24 with II Timothy 3:8. Matthew
24:24 said in the last days (See?) there'll come false christs, false anointed ones,
false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders exactly like the real one--real one and shall--and shall almost deceive
the very elected. 257 Now, notice. That was Jesus
speaking. Here come Paul right behind Him and said, "Now, in the last days
there will come religious people (See?), having a form of godliness, and lead silly women, led away with all kinds
of worldly lust (Then they wonder, say, "Why do you pick on them women?" Oh,
for goodness... They just don't even see it.)--lead silly women, laden with divers
lust
(away from things like--that's of the...?... See?)... And as Jannes and Jambres (Matthew 24:24, false christs, false anointed, doing signs and wonders
to deceive the elected)--now as Jannes and Jambres
withstood Moses, so will these reprobates..." Reprobate mind concerning the faith, not a faith, the Faith. One faith,
one Lord, one...?... You can't
have one faith without believing in one Lord.
Therefore if you believe in more than one Lord, you will have more than
one Faith. And brother Vayle himself called
two lords a fallacy. He said in Godhead
#7 P:58 "You know, people don't understand
about two lords. Well I'm going to tell you about two lords. Two Lords is
actually a fallacy." And the word "fallacy" means it's a deceptive
misleading, erroneous, and unsound argument.
Let us pray...