The Masterpiece 97

Geared to the Gullibility of those who are persihing

November 25th, 2006

Brian Kocourek

 

1.  This morning I would like to address our thoughts again from brother Branham’s sermon THE MASTERPIECE 64-0705 and we will read from paragraphs 177 and 179. We will not read from 178 this morning because we actually took that in Masterpiece 95 the Solitary God.

 

  177    After... The other day standing up here at the Christian Business Men... Many of you, I guess, was there. When I heard that Lutheran priest (or preacher, was supposed to be) stand up there and say that ridiculous thing, and make fun of what we believe in... And them Full Gospel Business Men having that man there, and saying that... He wore his collar turned around. Lots of them do now. He said, "Now, the people ask me why I turn my collar around." Said, "How can they tell you from a Catholic priest." He said, "There is no difference, and there shouldn't be." He said, "We're all God's children." He said, "I know a Catholic priest that's omnipresent (See?), that could be present everywhere."

 

Then in paragraph 178 brother Branham dealt with this concept of omnipresent and showed that the only way you can be omnipresent is that you are omniscient. We covered this thought in the Masterpiece 95 called Omnipresent by Omniscience, of which we  subtitled it The Solitary God.

 

 Now notice that brother Branham is not too happy about what this Lutheran minister was saying to the Full Gospel Business men.

 

And so let’s read now from paragraph 179. And then we... What is it? It's the devil, taking them right straight to that slaughter, every one of them going in... Exactly what the Bible said. And here it is. See, come right in amongst the Pentecostals and just pulled them right straight, just as... What a time.

 

Now, let’s stop for a moment and look at what Scriptures brother Branham is referring to here. Also, these thought’s here that brother Branham is saying are not easy words to speak on because this concerns people being lost and left for the destruction that is coming on the earth. And I am sure it was not an easy thing for him to say either, but it had to be said. But just always remember, the Lords ways are never the easy way, but He seeketh only those who obey Him and say what He has already said.

 

Now, let’s turn to 2 Peter the 2nd chapter… Now, before we read this, I would like to tell you about the first time I really studied this scripture. I was going to go to as ministers meeting in a certain place in 1983 and there was to be a whole bunch of ministers that claimed to believe the Presence of Christ, and the things brother Vayle taught concerning the ministry of Christ in brother Branham’s ministry.

 

Now, these brothers really did not believe what brother Vayle taught back then, but it was convenient to their own ministries to claim to be in the circle jut like it was convenient for the full Gospel business men to invite brother Branham to help them open new branches or chapters of their organization.  But once they built their congregations, they had no more use for either of these men of God.  

 

When I told brother Vayle that I was thinking about going to this ministers meeting, he at first tried to talk me out of going, but then he changed his mind, and said, before you go, I want you to read 2 Peter the 2nd chapter, and then when you go keep your ears open for such and such. I agreed to do so because I would have anyway. The next time they met at the same place he also warned me that they would try to do away with his ministry and say there is no more five fold ministry, that all is left is just pastors. So I did not go to that one.

 

Now, at the time of this first meeting, I might have been young in the ministry having only been pastor of this church for one year at the time, and was only 30 years old, but I may have been young but I was not stupid concerning what was going on amongst these brethren.

 

Now, let’s read the warning from 2 Peter the 2nd chapter. 2 Peter 2:1  But as there were false prophets among the people, even so there shall be (that’s future tense) false teachers among you,(So we see that as there were in past times false prophets among the people, he is telling us in the future, at the end-time, there will be false teachers among the people. And notice what else we are taught to look for concerning these false teachers.) who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,

 

Now, if they are going to bring in, then they had to get it from somewhere else outside the Message in the first place.

 

The Wuest Translation says: 2 Peter 2: 1 But as there arose false prophets also among the people, even as also among you there shall be false teachers who will be of such as to bring alongside of true doctrine destructive heresies even denying the Lord who purchased them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2  And many shall follow their licentious conduct to its consumation; on account of whom the way of truth will be reviled.  These men will come into the Message and give a wrong understanding of the Word of God and the people will be caught up into what these men say as evil interpreters of the Word of Truth.

 

3  And in the sphere of covetousness with fabricated words they will exploit you, from whom: for whom from ancient times their judgment has not been idle.

 

Now, this licentious conduct is their pattern. They do not follow the pattern that Jesus set forth to be followed or the pattern that Paul gave as a true steward of the Good word of God. No, these men will have a licentious nature. And the word licentious means: Lacking moral discipline or ignoring legal restraint, especially in sexual conduct. 2. Having no regard for accepted rules or standards. Like lying and telling completely false statements in order to bring the way of truth into disrepute. Saying things against the character of the Prophet of God or Brother Vayle as one who was indicated by that Prophet to know the doctrine and that if any man had any questions they should ask brother Vayle.

 

No, instead they make up lies against brother Vayle and the church age book, and his ministry even to the point of telling others that he preaches two Gods, because he is not a Unitarian like they are.

 

Now, let’ take a look at this Scripture because there are several points that I would like for us to see that Peter warned us would take place in the end time.

 

But as there arose false prophets also among the people, even as also among you there shall be false teachers…

 

So we are told that there is to come a phenomena of false teachers that are to come in amongst the end time church. Now, we must know to whom he is talking if we are to understand whom these false teachers will come into the midst of.

2 Peter 1: 1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:

 

Now the Apostle Paul warned us of the same thing. He said they would be a falling away from The Faith.

 

Hebrews 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once for all enlightened, (now, there is only one time that there is a once for all enlightenment, and that is in this hour when God has come to restore it all.) and have tasted of the heavenly gift, (Now, we know the heavenly Gift is the Holy Spirit Himself) and were made partakers (and this word partaker means companions, or ones called alongside) of the Holy Ghost, 5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (and this world to come speaks of the coming age, which is the Millennium, in what ministry outside of that of William Branham have we seen the powers of the coming age. Bulls turn away, squirrels spoken into existence, bees turning possums, coming for prayer, storms turned back by the words of a man. That is millennial power if we have ever seen it.)

 

6 Having fallen away it is impossible for them to ever come to a change of the mind; seeing that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

 

Now, in what other age has the Son of God been done away with as He has in this age, and amongst the people who claim to have witnessed this millennial power and the Presence of the Holy Ghost, as no other age has witnessed it. And all these things that Paul is talking about here that could not have come in any other time as they have come in this hour through the ministry of this end-time prophet of God. And we are told that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh. It does not say they actually crucify Him, but to themselves they do.

 

They won’t even admit that God had a son. They say that God was His own Son, or that Jesus was His own Father, and they crucify the son of God to Themselves. That is the key here, to themselves they do this.

 

You see? This does not say they will actually crucify Him, but to themselves they do. They deny the Son and to deny the son they must deny the Father. That is what John said.

 

I JOHN 2:23  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [(but) he that acknowledges the Son hath the Father also.

 

And Paul teaches us that they bring upon them their own destruction in doing so. Now, we have spent 45 sermons showing you the benefits of the Son of God to us, but those benefits are given only to those who believe in the Son of God. Al who do not believe in the Son of God and would deny that God had a son, are not given even one of these blessings from God.

 

7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:  8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

 

And Peter said the same thing about those who would deny the Son of God.

2 Peter 2:3 who will be of such a nature as to bring alongside of true doctrine destructive heresies even denying the Lord who purchased them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2  And many shall follow their licentious conduct to its consumation; on account of whom the way of truth will be reviled.  3  And in the sphere of covetousness with fabricated words they will exploit you, from whom: for whom from ancient times their judgment has not been idle.

 

So we see that destruction is what follows those who turn down the Son of God. And that is what Brother Branham was saying about the Pentecostals and Full Gospel business men who turned down the once for all enlightenment.

 

179. And then we... What is it? It's the devil, taking them right straight to that slaughter, every one of them going in... Exactly what the Bible said. And here it is. See, come right in amongst the Pentecostals and just pulled them right straight, just as... What a time.

 

Notice he said it’s taking them right straight to the slaughter. If that isn’t destruction, I don’t know what is?  Paul said it in Hebrews chapter 6, Peter said it in 2 Peter chapter 2 and Jude tells us the same thing in chapter 1.

 

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.  Notice that Jude speaks of The Faith. Not faith in general but The faith and Paul told us in Ephesians 4 that there is only one faith and William Branham taught us in the Rapture sermon that Faith is a revelation. Therefore, there is only one Revelation and that is the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

Now, notice in verse 4 Jude tells us the same thing peter And Paul told us. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, (crept into where? That’s the question. They crept in unawares, which means no one noticed them coming in. Who were these ones that crept in without notice? They are the ones who brought into the Message destructive heresies, even denying the One who bought them. That is the Son of God they are denying. He is the one who paid the price. He is the one who bought them, and yet they deny that He is God’s Son, by trying to make Him God Himself. And if that Body was only a carcass then it was not a man, because a man has a soul and a spirit.

Then if Jesus did not have a Spirit and Soul, what did God raise up?) Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

 

And Jesus had the same Spirit as His Father, the Same Life. 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.

 

And Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6: 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

 

Now in getting back to Jude 1:4 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. (Now, these men not only deny the Lord God but they deny His Son as well.)

 

5  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.  So you see what is left for those that believe not, there remains only destruction for them to look forward to.

 

2 Timothy  2: 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine of Christ)

 

Ephesians 4: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine of Christ) and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

 

2 Timothy  3: 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine of Christ) 1 Timothy  6: 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine of Christ)  and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 

1 Timothy 4: 1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine of Christ)  giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; And what was the doctrine of the devil in the beginning? He tried to make himself equal with God. And what did he say to Eve? You will not surely die, for God knows that the day you eat thereof, that day you will be like God. The People being seduced into believing The Lie and then they are damned by it. Why, Because you can't turn them away from it. They love a lie and will be damned by the thing they love.

 

1 Timothy 6: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. (And what is The Faith? There is only One Lord and One Faith, therefore it is The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine of Christ, for without it you hath not God, you echo not God.)

 

2 Corinthians 13: 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Doctrine of Christ, because it is Life, eternal Life and without it you have not life.)  prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?


2 Thess 2: 10-12 10  And with all deceivableness of un-right-wise-ness in them that perish (those that are in the act of perishing); because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (and who do you receive this Love for the Truth from? God either ordained you to it, or He did not. Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

 

11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie: 12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in un-right-wise-ness. 13  But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth (Notice, God chose you from the beginning to Belief of the Truth, and sanctificiation of the Spirit? And how does a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed to the word of God. Psalm 119. For we are cleansed by the washing of the water by the Word. Ephesians 5)

 

The Wuest Translation says that this deception is geared to the gullibility of those who are perishing and that this gullibility is caused by the fact that they did not have a love for the Truth. 2 Thess 2: 10-12 “Of every kind of wicked deception geared to the gullibility of those who are perishing. This gullibility being caused by the fact that they did not accept the love for the Truth to the end that they might be saved. And because of this God sends them a deluding influence resulting in their believing the lie, in order that they all might be judged who did not believe the truth but took delight in wickedness.”

 

So if they are geared that means they were made that way. I like his illustration of them that are perishing are geared to the gullibility which if you understand what a gear is, it is made in such a way that it fits itself to the gullible delusion.  And in the Book of Romans Paul said, Romans 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

 

So if they are fitted for destruction then they were made to be taken and destroyed.  John 3: 19 – 20 19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

 

2 Timothy 3: 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  They can't come to the understanding of the Truth because they will not give up their own thinking.  Then in Paragraph 180 he continues, Oh, after that testimony, someone said to me,… It's a good thing I didn't say very much, 'cause they'd probably have me in jail up there; but I just thought, "There it is." The people who's taught, knows. "The wise shall know their God in that day," it said in Daniel. Yes, sir. See? The wise will know their God; they're watching for these things.