Preparation #25 (The Trans-Action of God)
Brian
Kocourek
PREPARATION
53-1111 E-30
Watch. When God... then making a preparation. The people
say, "Well now, Brother Branham, when I believe, that settles it." No, it doesn't. There has to be a transactioan (trans-action) of God there in a confirmation of your
faith, giving you a new birth. How many is... tell
the people here... I'm just so sick and tired of seeing people thumbing their
way to heaven. They just say, "You believe that?" "Uh-huh. You
believe that." "You believe that?" That's a hitchhikers.
Brother, God ain't got such things as that. A man's got to be born of the Spirit of God, regenerated and made a new
creature, or he's lost. That's all. That's exactly right. We got to believe
it. We got to accept it. You say, "Well, if I believe, that settles it."
No, it doesn't.
Brother Branham said here, "There has to be a transaction
(trans - action) of
God there in a confirmation of your faith, giving you a new birth". The
word transaction comes from two words, Trans meaning "a crossing over and
the word action shows a performance of some sort, something that is done. It
shows energy, effort and movement. Thus
we see an action that is produced on one side and goes over to the other side
and causes something to happen. Transaction also is a word used in business
showing a business deal is completed. In other words the deal or covenant is
verified by the action from one side to the other side being commenced. This is the confirmation of your faith as
brother Branham points out. This action which crosses over from God to you is
the confirmation of your faith giving you new birth. Paul said, "and you hath He quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sin." Therefore
the quickening is a action which comes over from one
side, God, to you.
A man's got to be born of the Spirit of God,
regenerated and made a new creature, or he's lost. Now, these words speak of a process, not just a
onetime, instant thing. The word re-generated means to generate again. And the word generate
means to make happen, to originate, create, produce or procreate, and all these
meanings have to do with Life coming forth as Brother Branham said.
Therefore, it is not a matter of merely believing the
Word, but the Word must produce a Life inside which comes forth and will
manifest that Word, or else there is no life in it.
John 1:1, Psalm 36:9 etc. Show wherthe
Word is Life. 1 John 1: 1-4, John 1:
1-4, 2 Peter 1: 1-4, John 6:63 etc. John 5:26, etc.
E-31
I told you the other night that Cain was a believer. And I'll give you a
little stronger meat than that tonight if you want to believe it. The devil is
a believer. The Bible says he is. He believes and trembles. The devil is a
believer. Now, if belief and faith in God is all you have to have to be saved,
then the devil's saved according to the Word of God.
That's right.
But, brother,
it's got to take the Holy Spirit, a new birth, a regeneration,
a new creature in Christ Jesus. When God comes down and puts His Spirit into
you, then you're no more your own, but you're God's. Oh, I begin to feel
religious already.
E-32
Notice, what I think of God's great program. And to
think that we poor, alienated, ungodly, undone sinners have the privilege of
coming to His place and accepting Him and becoming His sons and daughters, why,
my... "And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know
we'll have a body like His, for we shall see Him as He is." Won't that be
wonderful, eating, drinking, just like He did?
E-33 Now, God in His preparation. Back when
God was going to destroy the world. Before He destroyed the world, He sent
forth a preparation for the saving of the people that desired to be saved. He
always does it. He shows mercy before judgment.
And if men spurn mercy, there's only one thing left and that is judgment.
And God don't judge you; you judge yourself. That's true. As long as you're
under this spray of blood that's around the world, you have a--a right for
mercy. God's... The Blood of Christ keeps God from killing you, or He'd kill
you just as soon as you sinned. But that's still... re... holding a gru... holding God from you, from your death. But when... You're a free moral agent now. But when you die
and your spirit goes beyond that, then your already
judged. You don't have to wait for judgment; you're judged already. God done
said, "The day you eat thereof, the day you die." And that settles
it. Then when God sent forth Noah to
preach... Wasn't it strange, never had rain? No water,
was only but beneath the earth. And an old man come out there, an old
holy-roller, with a beard hanging down like this, and got him a hammer and
begin to build an ark--a boat.