Faith no 28
The Measure of the Faith
of Christ
August 27, 2017
Brian
Kocourek, Pastor
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man
that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;
but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Let us pray...
Now, before we begin, I first want to say that
if you are a Baptist, or an Evangelical, or a Fundamentalist, you are not going
to agree with what I have to say this morning. But don’t let that turn you away
from hearing what I'm going to say. As brother Branham said so often, when you
are eating cherry pie, you sometimes come across a pit, but that doesn’t stop
you from eating that pie. You just spit out the pit and keep on eating cherry
pie.
But how you spit out that pit depends on how you
were raised. And that is the same concerning The measure of Faith. The Measure of Faith to the Baptist or evangelical or
fundamentalist is not the same as it is to me. They look at this verse as if
Paul is speaking of every person having received from God a different measure,
when that is not what he is talking about at all.
Now, for the next few minutes this morning let’s
focus our thoughts on this thought that the Apostle Paul calls, “The Measure
of faith”. And notice Paul tells us God hath dealt to every man The Measure of Faith.
Notice, The Apostle Paul did not say that every
man was given "a" measure of faith. He said God hath given to every
Man "The" "Measure of Faith."
Therefore, we're not talking about “a” measure of faith as thought there is one measure for one person
and another measure for another person. You see this is where I draw the line
with the evangelical and the fundamentalist. They will look at this verse and
say, “you see, every man is given “a” measure
of faith. And then they will
say, some men are given a greater measure than others, and they will thus take
the focus away from “The
Faith", and place it
upon "faith" as though it is some sort of gift or some
sort of empowerment.
But Paul did not say that every man is given "a" measure of Faith.
He said, "God hath dealt to
every man The measure of faith."
When I went to Congo DRC in 2004 I taught the
brethren on the difference between the Appearing and Coming because it was very
apparent that many people in DRC were teaching that the second coming took
place in 1963, and that brother Branham was the embodiment of that second
coming.
But that is because they were wrong concerning
the events of the appearing and they because of wrong teaching began to baptize
in Br. Branham's name, and even to worship the Messenger to the age, thinking
He was the Christ.
I challenged the brethren to begin to read there
Bible one thought at a time and stop reading the Word of God like they would
some news paper. After going through many days of teaching in a depth they had never heard the Message and
Bible preached before, several brethren came up to me after the meetings were
over and said, "if there is one thing we learned for sure in
these meetings, it is how to read our Bibles."
Well, the whole of Christianity could learn that
lesson, because I would say that almost all of Christendom read their Bibles
like they would read any other book or newspaper.
But the bible is not a book by men for men, it
is the compilation of God's Word to mankind, and since it is God's Word, his
thoughts expressed in a written format, then we ought to approach how we read
His words to us in a very careful and respectful way.
And this verse of scripture we have read is not
different. men read it and think the Apostle Paul is speaking of how each man
is given "a" measure of faith, when that is not what he is talking
about at all.
It's just like when men read Romans
8:16 where the Apostle Paul
says, "The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.
And
most people read this as your spirit bearing witness with God's Spirit, but
that is not what is being said at all. The Apostle Paul is speaking how God's
Spirit will bear witness with our Spirit that we are children of God.
So when the Apostle Paul says, "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith," we really need to know what he is telling us
here.
Therefore, what does this mean, and what is the
Apostle Paul trying to tell us when he says, "God hath dealt to every man".
Now, the word "dealt" here is a Greek
word which means to
distribute in part,
but this does not mean that every man is given a different part.
And that is what I'm driving at this morning. He did not say concerning faith, that
every man is given a
certain measure of faith. But he said, "to
every man, God hath given or distributed The Measure of Faith".
Now, there is only "One measure", and that is "the Truth". In
fact that the word "measure" here is a Greek word, "metron" and this word "metron" means - "measure" - or the rule or standard of judgment.
Therefore every man is given the rule or
standard of judgment concerning The Faith of Christ. And we know that God has
One rule and One standard of Judgment. In fact God tells us There is only
"One Faith". And Since His Word is the only Standard
God has given us, and His Word has been freely given to every man, and yet not
every man wants God's One standard of judgment. In fact this same
Apostle also told us in …
Ephesians 4:4 "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are
called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith,
one baptism..."
Therefore, since there is only One Faith, then
it is This One Faith that is "the one measure of judgment."
Notice how Paul continues, … 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and
through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace
according to The measure of the gift of Christ.
Now, here we find Paul being a little more
specific. He says, 7 But unto every one of us
is given grace according to “The Measure” of
the gift of Christ.
So what is the gift of Christ? Is it not the Holy Spirit? Then if we all
receive this one Gift, do we then say some have a lesser Holy Spirit than
another?
Now, Paul is not saying that everyone is given Grace according to "a"
measure, as though each person
has been given only a certain different measure one from another, as though one
person receives a larger
measure than another, but Paul says, “according to The
Measure of the Gift of Christ.
He also taught us in 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by
one Spirit
are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all
made to drink into one Spirit.
In other words, it matters not from where our
natural parents linage came from, we are all given the same measure of the same
Spirit and we are all baptized into the same body.
Now, twice we have seen the definitive article “The” used in speaking of this measure of Faith. And it is not speaking of a generic faith, nor
is it speaking of a
measure as though each receives
a different measure. But, rather, it is speaking of The measure, and the word “The” is a definitive article and specifically
speaks of One and the Same Measure. Not a different measure for each person who
is a different member of the body. But the same measure for all members of the
body.
Notice how this is spoken of in the Book of Acts 11:15 And as I began to speak,The Holy Ghost fell on them, as (or in the same way it did) on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord,
how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye
shall be baptized with The Holy Ghost. 17
Forasmuch then as God gave them The like gift, (The Same Gift) as he did unto us, who
believed on the Lord Jesus Christ;
So we see here that God does not give to one a
greater measure than he does to the others. He gives us the same
Word, and the same
Spirit.
Now, that does not mean we are all the same. No,
and it does not mean that everyone is called into the five -fold ministry
either. But it does mean that God has One standard and that same standard is given to
all. And notice he said each of us is given "The Measure of Faith." "The Measure," "The Measure", meaning the same Measure. Therefore there is but One standard, One Word,
One Spirit, One Faith, One Lord, and one Doxa for all sons.
That is why Jesus uses the term measure in the
same sense of the word judgment. Notice in the Book of Matthew 7:1 Jesus says, ¶ Judge not, that ye be not
judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye
shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you
again. Notice that Jesus is
tying together the words judge and measure. He says with what measuring stick or standard of judgment you use, that is
the same one you will be measured with.
Again we see in Mark 4:24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye
hear: with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that
hear shall more be given. 25 For he that hath, (he that is of such a nature as
to echo what he hears) to him shall be given: and he
that hath (echoes) not, from him shall be
taken even that which he hath (that which he thinks he is echoing). Therefore, this does not speak of two
separate standards, but it speaks
of just one standard, just one measuring stick.
And again in Luke 6:37 he says, ¶ Judge not, and
ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and
ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and
ye shall be forgiven: 38 Give, and
it shall be given unto you;
good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running
over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the
same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Now, in getting back to this one
standard, the Apostle Paul made
reference in Romans 12 to “The measure of faith”, and we know that Faith is a Revelation. And we know there
is only One Faith, or One Revelation and that is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”.
Therefore the Apostle Paul is making reference
to The Measure
or standard for The
One and only Revelation.
We see also, in Ephesians 4
the Apostle Paul telling us there
is only One Faith, and then he uses this terminology concerning The
Measure when he
says, The
measure of the gift of Christ.
So what is this Gift of Christ? Well, what does the word Christ mean?
We know that the word Christ is used of the
Anointer, the Anointing, and the Anointed. So what is the application we are reading here? Is Paul speaking
of The measure of the gift of the Anointer, the anointing or the
anointed?
We can know this for certain as we see the
Apostle Peter also speak of this same Word when speaking of receiving The Gift of the Holy Ghost in Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." And we know this scriptures speaks of receiving the
Baptism of the Spirit.
Again we see in the Book of Acts 10:44 ¶ While Peter yet spake these
words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which
heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished,
as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Not another Holy Ghost, but the very same Holy
Ghost or God life that had fallen on the Jews now was falling on the gentiles.
Not one measure for the Jew and another measure for the gentile, but the very
same Measure falling on all.
And remember, we already read from Acts 11:17 Forasmuch then as God gave them The like gift as he did
unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; and that word "like" was translated from the Greek
word "isos" which means "equal", or "the same". So we see that it is not a different measure, but actually
one and the same measure or standard.
Then we must ask ourselves, what is this One Measure, and we have our answer, it is The Measure of The Faith of Christ. Not our faith in Christ, but His Faith alone. And we are to receive The Measure of The Gift.
In Romans 5:15 the Apostle Paul tells us "But not as the offence, so also is The free gift.
The emphasis is not on the word
free, that only describes how we receive it. The emphasis is on "the Gift" which is free to us.
"For if through the offence of one many be
dead, much more the grace of God, and The gift by grace, which is by one man,
Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Notice this speaks of "the Gift"
which comes to us "by one man, Jesus Christ". Therefore, it comes from One man, and
therefore it is not a different spirit upon the Apostle, and then a different
spirit upon the teacher, and a different spirit upon the prophet etc, but the
same Spirit that was given by "One Man, Jesus Christ".
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by
one Spirit
(One Life) are we all baptized
into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles,
whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Then the Apostle Paul continues, 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is The gift: for the
judgment was by one to condemnation, but The free gift, The Gift that is free is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned
by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of The gift of
righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came
upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one The free Gift (The
Holy Spirit) came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one
shall many be made righteous.
Now, here we are getting a little closer to
what The Gift is all about. The Apostle Paul
is telling us here that by the sin of "one" judgment came
upon all, so then by the Right-wise-ness of "One" right-wise-ness
came to all. So we see then The Measure of Faith can only be one measure or one rule or one standard and that is The measure
that Christ had.
In fact that is exactly what we are told that The Measure of The Gift will produce in us.
In fact
brother Branham said in his sermon, Be not afraid
62-0620 P:85 But this is my ministry that He give me a gift. And that
gift is to shake the church to bring it to a recognition of the coming of
Christ, the return of
the Spirit of God in the church. It's on you, the same Spirit. It might not
be the same gift, but the
same Spirit. There's different manifestations, but the same Spirit
all the time. The
same Holy Ghost you got is the same Holy Ghost I got, the same Holy Ghost we all got.
It's all the children of God. And then, why we come together
spiritually now, then that Holy Spirit is there. And if diseases is... And if
children come around where that Spirit is, it detects them, and it can detect
you. It's like a gift of prophecy, or... Not a gift of prophecy... I don't
know. Just say it's Christ (You see?) coming down among
us; 'cause you go to tacking some kind of a name on something, you got
yourself all messed up. So let's just say our Lord Jesus Christ is in the
midst of us. See? Let's just say that.
Jehovah Jireh 3 64-0404 P:71 Notice Him,
here He come, and Jesus and God became One. They united. Like
in Eden where there... Adam and Eve was, in the beginning, the same spirit.
Their names was called Adam. See? He was both Adam and Eve together.
And when was separated to go the test, what happened? Eve fell by the Word;
that was the Word. Adam went out after her to redeem her, but he couldn't do
it. He wasn't worthy to redeem her. Then along come the Second Adam to redeem
the church, which was in shadow in type. Now, as sure as Adam and Eve had to
be the same spirit, Christ and the church has to be the same Spirit, the
same ministry: "the
things that I do shall you do also." See what I mean? They had to
unite together. Flesh and blood and God had to come together and be one Spirit. And Jesus
Christ and His church is one
Spirit.
This is why I cry out like I do when men put
everything in the prophet as though he has a different measure of faith that
the other children have. The measure is the same. "By One Spirit we are all baptized into One Body." The Only reason, Jesus the first born son
had the Spirit without measure is because God Himself came and lived in Him.
Other-wise in that body dwelt the same measure as any other son.
"By One Spirit we are all baptized into one body." Not Jesus had one spirit and we have
another. It's the same Spirit. The Same Life.
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.
So we see that
it is the same spirit that dwelt in Jesus is to dwell in you. Not another
Spirit, not another Life, but the same Life, and if the same Life then it will
have the same nature, and live the same way, and do the same things, and talk
the same and have the same doctrine, and actions and everything the same.
brother
Branham said in his sermon, Faithful Abraham
61-0312 P:53 "Now, the church that professes to be a Christian church, will have to have that same Spirit that was in Jesus Christ. For at the
resurrection of the church, Christ and His Bride will come together and
dovetail. The writings and promises of God will be made fulfilled there. So it
cannot come together unless the same Spirit was in Christ is in you and me.
And then if that same Spirit is in there, It'll do the same works, and live the same kind of a separated
life, and do the
works that He did. The Bible said so," (I'd like to ask where does the bible say so? John 14;12 that's where.)
Notice brother
Branham says, "The Bible said so, all the way to
Genesis confirms it. Genesis is the seed chapter. "
And remember
in Genesis 1:11 God promised that "every seed will
bring forth after its kind, or nature."
And in His
sermon Jehovah Jireh 61-0226 P:49 brother Branham says, " When He was here
on earth, He was Emmanuel, God with us. But at Calvary God tore Him apart. He
tore Him apart, and He raised up the body, and set it on His own right hand,
and sent the Spirit that was in the body back down upon the church to
continue the works that it did in there. There's the covenant
confirmed. So the church that goes to be the Bride of Jesus Christ will be baptized into that same Spirit,
with the same signs, same wonders.
Same Holy Spirit was upon Him will be in the church. It's got to be exactly the same.
Abraham restored 61-0211 P:61
Now,
is it the Holy Spirit? Well, if it does the works of Jesus Christ, It's
the same Spirit was on Him. Then you can rest assure that you who
believe in God and believe you have the Holy Ghost, that that's the same Holy
Ghost, because It's doing the same thing It did when It was on the real
Son of God. When
It comes upon sons and daughters of adoption, It does the same thing It
did there. If I told you I had the spirit of John Dillinger, you'd look
for me to have two big guns, if I had his spirit. If I had the spirit of an
artist, you'd expect me to paint the pictures of the waves out there, catch
them beautiful waves and paint them. If I had the spirit of an artist, I could
do it. If I had the spirit of a mechanic, I could listen to your car and tell
you what's wrong with it. If I tell you I got the Spirit of Christ, then do the works of Christ.
Jehovah Jireh 57-0810 P:35 ...on Calvary,
God took His own Son, and tore Him apart. He lifted up the body and set it on
His right-hand, and sent the other part, the Holy Spirit, down on
the church. And when the rapture comes, it'll have to be the same
Spirit that was on Christ, will have to dovetail with that promise, or it will
be rejected. No wonder He said, "Except the man be borned again, he will in
no wise enter the Kingdom." It has to be the same Holy Ghost that
fell on the day of Pentecost, has to baptize every believer or it won't be the
same spirit, and contract, that was tore at Calvary. Think of that. Oh,
that ought to make the Pentecost shout anyhow. Think of it, the unconditional
covenant. God said, "It has to be." And He tore apart, soul and body
of His own Son. He took the body and sent the Spirit to the church. And that
Spirit can come into the church today, and perform the same miracles showing,
and people will laugh at It and walk away from it. How do you ever expect to
make the rapture or go in to see God? There we are. Maybe you never seen that
before, but that's truth.
Abraham 55-0608 P:41 And the same Spirit was upon Christ has to
be on the Church. God taken the body of Christ and set it on His
right hand of power above, and He sent the Holy Ghost back. And It's going
around, looking out the Church. And when they come together, it'll have
to be the same body, same signs, same wonders, same baptism, same signs and
wonders, same Gospel. Amen. That's right.
Unconditional covenant
54-0306 P:46 And the same Spirit that was on Jesus Christ has
come back on His Church, doing the same signs, the same wonders, the same Holy
Ghost, the same power. It's the covenant that God has given to them.A nd
Jesus died there in the evening time when the sun was going down, confirming
this covenant. And the Holy Ghost is on the Church tonight leading the
Church, just like that He was here when He was leading Christ. The same
way... The same ministry Christ had is in His Church tonight: same signs,
same wonders, same Spirit. Same kind of works that Jesus did here on earth the
Church has to do the same thing. If it's not, it is not the Seed of Abraham; it's not the
Church of Jesus Christ: can't be.
World is falling apart
63-1115 P:14 And now that was God above us, could not be touched.
Even the mountain that would be touched where He was on, they must be thrust through
with a dart, 'cause sin had not had an offering yet. But then God come and was
manifested among us, "We handled Him with our hands," they
said, "God..." I Timothy 3:16, "Without
controversy great is the mystery of godliness; for God was manifested in the
flesh, seen of Angels, and believed on in the world, received up into glory." See,
see? Now, that was God with us. God over us, God with us, now God in us.
All that God was, He poured into Christ; all that Christ was, He poured
into the Church. "At that day, you'll know that I'm in the Father, the Father in Me; I
in you, and you in Me." So it's been God all along (You see?), His
same works. The Church is ordained to carry on His work, with the same
Spirit. You
couldn't carry on the same work without the same Spirit. That's
right. The same
Spirit carries on the work.
Perseverant 62-0719E P:26 And if we have the Spirit of God in
us, it's the same works and the same Spirit, the same manifestation.
See? It just... Then you base your faith upon that. And when you see what it
is, then you can be perseverant. You know where you're standing.
Hear ye Him 62-0711 P:15 Then I want to
say this: that you take a person that doesn't know right and left hand...
Standing there, women, no clothes on at all, just a clout, don't even know what
right and left hand is or nothing, but let them receive the Holy Ghost, you
speak to them, and they see something happen, and then ask and receive the Holy
Ghost, they do the same thing you do right here when you get the Holy Ghost.
Shows that It's for everybody, and It's the same Spirit. They act the same way and do the
same things. Goes to show that He's universal.
Jehovah Jireh part 3 62-0707
P:35 ...and sending back the Holy Spirit to live in the
Church to produce the same thing that that body produced, as a wife,
Bride: same Spirit, same work, same doctrine, everything just exactly the
way He had it, same sign, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."
Jehovah Jireh part 1 62-0705
P:74 And the Church of today that goes to meet Christ, will have to have
the same Spirit that He had, 'cause it'll have to be Letter by Letter,
Word by Word. And He is the Word. Jesus said, "He (personal
pronoun) that
believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also."
Confirming the covenant, the Life that's in Christ will be in the Church,
the royal Seed of Abraham.
Forgotten beatitude 61-0425E
P:59 Now, if the Holy Spirit still remains the Holy Spirit that was in Christ,
is in us tonight, if that's the same Spirit, then It'll do
the same work. If this is true, the Holy Spirit, then It'll do
the work of the Holy Spirit. It'll do the work of Jesus. And that way, you can be sure then what
He was back there; you know what He is now.
Patmos vision 60-1204E P:34 Actually this
morning was more of the sermon type, placing the foundation upon the Deity of
the revelation, God being revealed in Christ. How many believes it? God
was revealed in Christ, Jehovah revealed in Christ. Now, where's God
to be revealed? In His church with His people, in us. The same
Spirit, the same works, the same manifestation, the same love, the same
forgiveness, the same long-suffering, gentleness, patience, peace, mercy, all
that was in Christ is in the church. Remember, keep this in mind: all
that God was He poured into Christ (He was the Fullness of the Godhead bodily),
and all that Christ was He poured into the church: God above us,
God with us, God in us,...
Let us see God 59-1129 P:76 Now, this Angel
of the Lord, if It doesn't perform and do the same works that Jesus did, then
it's not the Spirit was on Jesus. But if It does the same works that Jesus
does; because He said, "He
that believeth on Me, the works that I do, shall he also."You know
the Bible says, same chapter, John
14, "The works that I do, shall he do also; even more
than this shall he do, for I go to My Father." I know the King James puts it
"greater." It
couldn't be no greater; the original says "more." 'Cause He stopped nature;
He raised the dead; well, it's just everything. You could do no
greater than He did. But the church would do more of it, because while we're
having a meeting here, they're having a meeting in Africa; they're having them
in Brazil; they're all around the world (See?); 'cause it could be more. God
was manifested in one Person then, His Son Jesus; now He's manifested in His
church universal, but the same Spirit doing the same works. One
day...
Be certain of God 59-0708E
P:48 The same grape vine will brings forth grapes. You don't see pumpkins
coming off of a grape vine, watermelons off a cantaloupe vines. You find
watermelons on watermelon vines, grapes on grape vines and pumpkins on pumpkin
vines. And you find the Spirit of Christ in the children of Christ. We
go to church to find the Spirit of Christ and we find creeds. We find laws and
doctrines. God's Spirit, the same Spirit that was in Jesus Christ is in the
Church.
God called man 58-1005E P:62 Now, He said, a
little while the world won't see Him no more. Well then, how would we see Him? We'd
have to see His Spirit, if He's in us, and that Spirit would have to do the
same that He did then, or it wouldn't be the same Spirit. "I am the Vine;
ye are the branches." And if the branch is in the vine, the
branch will bear the kind of fruit that the vine produces to it.
Sirs we would see Jesus
57-1211 P:26 The same Spirit that was in Christ is on His Church,
and will be till Jesus comes to unite that Body with His in glory. Certainly.
Jehovah Jireh 57-0810 P:36 Now, you see
why it's necessary, you've got to be born of the Spirit? The Spirit
of Christ has to be in you, 'cause it has to be the same Spirit. Take your body to
be joined with that body. The same Spirit was tore off of Christ, tore out of
Christ, or Jesus. And if that Spirit is in you, It'll make
you do the things that Christ did. It'll make you live the life
that Christ lived. And Christ was about the Father's business all the
time, not gadding about at shows at entertainment. He was about the Father's
business.
Jehovah Jireh 57-0326 P:104 The same Spirit
that was in Christ is in us, doing the same works if Christ keeps His Word.
Remember Paul said in Ephesians 4:7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. And we know that The Gift of Christ is The
Gift of The Anointing of God upon us. The
Gift of the Holy Ghost.
And we know the Grace is the understanding that comes at the Apokalupsis according to 1
Peter 1:13 and 1 Corinthians 1: 4-10. Peter and Paul tell us that we are to receive a special grace at the revelation of Jesus Christ, and this grace will bring us to the place
where we will all say the same thing, because we will have the same mind.
I Peter 1:13 ¶ Wherefore gird up the loins of your
mind, be sober, and hope to the end for The grace that is
to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
I CORINTHIANS 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf,
for The grace of God which is given you by Jesus
Christ; 5 That in everything ye are enriched by him, in all utterance (Logos), and [in] all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony (witness) of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in
no gift (Charisma or spiritual
endowment); waiting for the
coming (apokolupsis, unveiling
or revelation ) of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm (establish) you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our Lord
Jesus Christ. 9 God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship
of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 ¶ Now I beseech you, brethren,
by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing,
and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Notice how this grace is to bring an
understanding which brings with it the same mind and judgment. Not everyman
receiving a different measure, but all receiving the same mind, and the same
rule or standard of judgment.
I John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of
us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us:
but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of
us. 20 ¶ But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know
all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth,
but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
Now, what is John saying here? He is saying that
you have received an
unction which is The Gift of Christ. And that Gift has given you the same measure, and you have the same mind, and the
same judgment. Then he
says, you are not the ones who left. You are the ones who have
stayed and that is because you have received an anointing that has made you to
know all things. And the difference between you who have stayed and those who
have left is that you have this unction, you have this anointing, and you know better.
I John 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know
not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (John is saying here, look, I am not dealing
here with the unbeliever. I am writing to you because you are the ones who do
believe. And then he says,) 22
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?
Now, you must know what he means by calling
Jesus The Christ. He is not saying that Jesus is the Anointer,
nor is he saying that Jesus is the Anointing, but he is saying that Jesus is
the Anointed. Then he lays down a very hard saying when he continues, He is antichrist, that denieth the
Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denies the Son, the same hath (echoes) not the Father (Now why is that? Well, simply because if you do not say what the
don says or what the father says, then you are denying the son) "but he that acknowledges the Son hath (echoes) the Father also.
And so if you acknowledge that there is indeed one
Who is The Son, then you cannot help but to know that the One who is The Son
has another Who is The Father.).
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the
beginning. (and what is that? In the Beginning was what? The Word.
Notice he even gives us a clue by saying that which you’ve
heard. And what did Jesus say? “If You abide in my word and My word abides in you then ask what you
will and it will be given to you.” ) If
that which ye have heard from the
beginning shall remain
in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, [even] eternal life.
Now this is the point here. John is telling us
that if you have received The
Measure of The Gift,
you will know, and your knowing will be the same. One won’t have his revelation and
another have another revelation of their own. No, it does not work that
way. We will all believe
the same thing, and confess the same
thing, and we will be able to discern between those who serve God and those who
don’t.
Notice we will all have The
same measure of Faith, because we have the same measure
of Faith or revelation that Jesus had. But what if your Measure is different from what Jesus had? The your
Father would have to be different also.
Jesus said concerning the Pharisees in the book
of Matthew that they had a different measure than he had.
Matthew 23:23 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of
hell?
Souls in prison Now 1110M 38-3 Have you got just a couple of
minutes to give me? Let's see. Let's just turn to that, 'cause I said read it.
There was something there that I want to read just before... Now, I'll maybe
cut something else out, but just--let's just get this, just a minute: Matthew 23, just a minute. All right, and we're going to begin at the 27th verse. Just listen.
Now, you read the whole thing when you go home, if you will. Just a few more
minutes. Now, watch here. Matthew 23 and begin at the 27th verse: Woe unto you, scribes... (Now, remember this is holy men He's talking to.)... Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye are like unto whited sepulchres... (that's dead people, see?)... whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful
outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. (Hypocrisies and envies and strife on the
inside of them; outside, "I'm Dr. so and so." See?) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men,... (Look at the Ecumenical Council and the
Pentecostals setting there.)... but within you're full of hypocrisy and
iniquity. (What is iniquity? Something
you actually know is right and you won't do it. Jesus... Now, watch what generation He puts
this on then.) Woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish
the sepulchres of the righteous. (See? All of the prophets...) And say, If we had been in them days of our
fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the
prophets. ("We would've
believed the Word of the Lord if we'd lived back there." Watch.) Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye
are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure
of your fathers. (That's just what's
taking place. Now, watch what He says here.) Ye serpents, and... generation of vipers, how can you escape the
damnation of hell? (How can you do it?)
179-2 In Acts
3:16 when Peter was asked
how the mighty miracle had taken place upon the crippled one at the Gate
Beautiful, he explained it on this
wise, "And His (Jesus)
Name through faith in His (Jesus) Name
hath made this man (former cripple) strong, yea, the faith which is by (from) Him (Jesus) hath given him (the man) this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." See, there it is. Jesus' Name,
and Jesus' Faith brought about the miracle. Peter did not claim
it was his own human faith any more than he claimed that it was his own name.
He said that Jesus' Name used in the faith which is from Jesus performed that
great work. This faith is what the Lord was speaking about in Revelation 2:13. It was HIS faith. It was not faith IN Him. But it was HIS OWN faith that He had given to the believers. Romans
12:3 "According as God hath dealt to every man (according to verse 1 the men are BRETHREN) the measure of faith." Ephesians 2:8, "By grace are ye saved through faith, and that (Faith) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." And it also says in James 2:1, "My
brethren (notice he, too, is
talking to BRETHREN) have
not the faith OF (not in) our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons."
179-3 In this Pergamean Age where men were humanizing
salvation, having turned from the truth that "Salvation is of the Lord,"--having cast aside the doctrine of election and opened
wide the church door and their fellowship to any and all who subscribed to
their tenets (never mind the Word), in this age of rapid degradation, there
were still the few who had the measure
of that faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not
only used that faith in acts of power but withstood those who dared to say that
they were saved simply on the grounds of joining a church. They knew
that no man could truly believe unto eternal life and the righteousness of God
apart from the measure
of the faith of the Lord Jesus, Himself. As today's
church is filled with mental believers who endorse the virgin birth,
the shed blood, going to church and taking communion, and are not reborn at all, even so in that third age was the
same problem. Human faith wasn't
enough then and it is not enough now. It takes the very faith
of the Son of God to drop into a man's heart so that he can
receive the Lord of glory into the temple not made with hands.
180-1 This was a living faith. "I live by the faith of the Son of God." Paul
did not say that he lived by faith IN the Son of God. It was the faith of the Son of God
that had given him life and kept him
living in Christian victory. No, they had not denied that salvation was
supernatural from start to finish. They kept alive the truth of His Name and His Faith and they were blessed by the Lord and accounted worthy of Him.
II Corinthians 10:12 ¶ For we dare not make ourselves of the
number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves,
and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we will
not boast of things without our measure, but according to
the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
So what is Paul saying here? That
the same measure he has he is willing to impart to the others.
In
closing I would like to share a couple quotes from Brother Branham concerning
what this measure of the Faith of Christ is supposed to produce in
the church, which is the same thing it produced in Jesus Christ himself.
From his
sermon, Revelation
chapter one - 60-1204M 56. "He that believeth
in Me..." Saint John 14:12, "He that believeth
in Me, the works that I do shall he also. Do the same works, and greater than
this..." Because Christ cannot preach
the baptism of the Holy Ghost would be greater. He could not bring it to them,
because the Holy Ghost hadn't yet been given. But when Jesus came and
sacrificed His Life, and the Holy Ghost returned, then they could impart Eternal Life to the people. That's the greater. But the signs and wonders,
Jesus plainly said in Mark 16, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every
creature." How far? All the world. How many? Every creature. Long as the
Gospel's being preached, these signs shall
follow them that believe. And when that becomes a revelation, brother,
you're near the Kingdom then. "On
this rock I'll build My church, and the gates of hell can't prevail against it." Because the man or the woman that's ever been in
that back desert alone like Moses was, and the
revelation of God be made manifest to him through the Holy Ghost, there's
nothing can shake him. He's just as sound and solid as he can be. Satan hates revelation.
He don't like it at all: upsets his plans.
And from
his sermon, That
day on Calvary - 60-0925 54. Now,
notice, the
greater works was to have the power in the church, not only to heal the sick by prayer, cast out devils by
prayer, but to impart Eternal Life to believers. The Holy
Ghost was coming and given into the hands of the church to impart
life. Oh, that's what Calvary meant. It took stooped, degraded men and women
and
lifted them into a place to be sons
and daughters of God to heal the sick
and to impart Eternal Life.
By giving the Holy Ghost to
obedient believers, men who were once unbelievers be made believers and impart spiritual Eternal Life. 55. How much greater is it to say to this sick woman laying here, "I can pray a prayer of faith," and she'll be healed. That's a great thing. That's what He was doing then, but said, "Greater than this shall you do. I'm going to
give you power, not only to raise him up for a while, but to
give him Eternal Life, which will be eternal forever." Poor, blind, wretched people, how do you miss that? Don't you see what the greater thing is? That's the greatest thing that
could ever happen
was to impart Eternal Life to people. 56. What is
Eternal Life? The Life that He
lived, the Life that was in Him: impart that to others. Can a man do that?
A Son of God can. Jesus said, "Whosoever sins you
remit to them they are remitted. Whosoever sins you retain, to them they are
retained."Now, here's where the
Catholic church and many of the others made their big mistake. They go out and
say, "I forgive your sins."
That wasn't it. How did
they get sins forgiven in the Bible? Peter answered that question on the day of
Pentecost. They said, "What can we do to be
saved? How can we get this that you all got?"
He laid down the prescription. He told them what to do. He said, "Repent, every one of you towards God, and be baptized in the
Name of Jesus Christ." What for? "The remission of your sins."
There's the greater works.
Let us pray