The Witness of THE SPIRIT No. 2
Brian Kocourek
This Evening I would like to continue with our
thoughts that we took last Sunday concerning what Brother Branham said in WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC
pp. 70, when quoting the Scripture, "He that's born of God doth not
commit sin; he cannot sin."
We left off last Sunday with our examination of what the Apostle
Paul said in
Romans 8:16
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God,”
How many men, not understanding what they spake, neither whereof
they affirmed, have wrestled this Scripture to the great loss, if not the
destruction, of their souls! How many have mistaken the voice of their own
imagination for this witness of the Spirit of God, and thence idly presumed
they were the children of God, while they were doing the works of the devil!
These people might be enthusiastic, or as brother Branham would say, they might
be sincere, but they are sincerely wrong.
Now, we must ask ourselves, what is this witness or this testimony
of the spirit? The real question should be, what is the testimony of
God’s Spirit; and, how does He “bear witness with our spirit that we
are the children of God?”
Let's turn to the Book of John and see what the Word of god tells
us concerning this Witness that God has concerning His Son. For herein is the
pattern that we must follow.
JOHN 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I
judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the
will of the Father which hath sent me.
31 ¶If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another that beareth witness of
me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
Now,
it sounds here as if he is beginning to speak of John the Baptist because we
already found John making reference to him in the first chapter of John.
JOHN 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name [was]
John, (We
could also insert the name William Branham in here to read it for this hour) There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] William
Branham. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all
[men] through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but [was sent] to
bear witness of that Light. 9 [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every
man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made
by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own
received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:
Now
in getting back to John chapter 5, we will pick up at verse, 33: Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34
But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be
saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a
season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than [that] of
John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works
that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Notice
that Jesus is telling us that the witness of man, no matter who it is, is still
not good enough. The witness must come from The Spirit, or The Father Himself.
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of
me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye
have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are
they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have
life.
Secondly. How is this joint testimony of God’s Spirit and our own,
clearly and solidly distinguished from the presumption of a natural mind, and
from the delusion of the devil? We can not even consider what is the
witness or testimony of our own spirit. That is where man has gone so wrong in
the past. There is a way which seemeth right unto man, but the way is the way
of death.
Agreeable to this are all those plain declarations of St. John, in
his First Epistle: “Hereby we know, that we do know him, if we keep his commandments.” “Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily
is the love of God perfected: Hereby know we that we are in him;” that we are
indeed the children of God. (Verse 5.) “If ye know that he is righteous, ye
know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” (Verse 29.) “We
know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.”
(Chap. 3:14.) “Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before him;” (verse 19;) namely, because we “love one another, not in
word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” “Hereby know we that we dwell
in him, because he hath given us of his” loving “Spirit.” And, “hereby we know that he abideth in us by
the” obedient “Spirit which he hath given us.”
Now, your rational mind would say, "Those who have these
marks are children of God: But we have these marks. Therefore we are children
of God." But this does not always hold true, for at the white throne
we will hear a lot from those who acted out these very things themselves. They
will say, Have not we done this in your name and that in youir name, and he
will say, depart from me ye that work iniquity, for I never knew you."
But how does it appear, that we have these marks? This is a
question which still remains. How does it appear, that we do love God and our
neighbor, and that we keep his commandments? Observe, that the meaning of the
question is, How does it appear to ourselves, not to others? I would
ask him, then, that proposes this question, How does it appear to you, that you
are alive, and that you are now in ease, and not in pain? Are you not
immediately conscious of it? By the same immediate consciousness, you will know
if your soul is alive to God; if you are saved from the pain of proud wrath,
and have the ease of a meek and quiet spirit. By the same means you cannot but
perceive if you love, rejoice, and delight in God. By the same you must be
directly assured, if you love your neighbor as yourself; if you are kindly
affectioned to all mankind, and full of gentleness and long suffering. And with
regard to the outward mark of the children of God, which is, according to
Your conscience informs you from day to day, if you do not take
the name of God within your lips, unless with seriousness and devotion, with
reverence and godly fear; if you remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy; if
you honor your father and mother; if you do to all as you would they should do
unto you; if you possess your body in sanctification and honor; and if, whether
you eat or drink, you are temperate therein, and do all to the glory of God.
Let's again turn to the Book of Romans to further receive light on
this matter.
ROMANS 9:1 ¶ I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my
conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
I TIMOTHY 1:5 ¶ Now the end of the commandment is charity out
of a pure heart, and [of] a good conscience, and [of] faith unfeigned:
HEBREWS 10:2 For then would they not have
ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had
no more conscience of sins.
HEBREWS 10:22 Let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
I PETER 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in
your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh
you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
I PETER 3:16 ¶ Having a good conscience; that, whereas they
speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse
your good conversation in Christ.
Let's
bow our heads in a word of prayer.