Questions and Answers #24
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
October 17, 2007
Deuteronomy 13:
13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out
from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let
us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
Deuteronomy 32:
15 – 20 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and
kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. 16 They provoked him to jealousy with
strange gods, with abominations provoked they him
to anger. 17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to
God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that
came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. 18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten
God that formed thee. 19 And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them,
because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. 20 And he said, I will hide my
face from them, I will see what their end shall be:
for they are a very froward generation, children
in whom is no faith.
In God’s Only Provided Place of worship
Brother Branham said, "nothing in the Bible types the denominations but
Matthew 24: 8-13 8 All
these are the
beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill
you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.10 And
then shall many be offended, offended = skandalizo to cause a person to begin to
distrust and desert one that he ought to trust and obey; to cause to fall away.
And notice what this being offended does, it causes them to desert the ones
that they should trust, and then they shall betray one another, and shall hate one
another. 11 And
many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity
shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure or remains unto the end, the same shall be saved.
John 6: 63-7:1 63 It
is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they
are life. 64 But
there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they
were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And
he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come
unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. (Now I want you to notice the
next verse because it is chapter 6 and verse 66 or 666. And we know that 666 is
the mark of the beast, right? And when did Cain receive the mark of the beast?
When he went out from the presence of the Lord. And notice the attributes of
those we see in John 6:66). 66 From
that time many of his disciples went back, and
walked no more with him. That’s apousia, which means absence.
Genesis 4:15b-16. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any
finding him should kill him.16 And Cain went out
from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the
Now, back to John chapter 6.
67 Then
said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall
we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And
we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 70 Jesus answered them, Have
not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He
spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he
it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. 7:1 After
these things Jesus walked in
Hebrews 3: 7- 4: 2 esp 3:
12 7 Wherefore (as the
Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden
not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me,
and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was
grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 12 Take
heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in
departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one
another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we are made
partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto
the end; 15 While it is said, To day if ye will
hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16 For
some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of
Hebrews 10: 35–39 Cast not away
therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. For ye have
need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive
the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will
not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul
shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto
perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Hebrews 12: 25
See that ye
refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused Him that
Spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him Who
speaketh from Heaven.
Acts 13: 41 Behold, ye
despisers, and wonder and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which
ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
2 Peter 3: 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these
things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the
wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
1 John 3: 11 - 12 For this is the
message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not
as Cain, who was of that wicked one (poneros), and slew his brother. And
wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil wicked poneros? and his brothers
righteous.
2 Thes 2: 3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there
be a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.
10 - 11 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved. And
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe
the lie. That they might be damned who believed not the Truth, but had pleasure
in unrighteousness.
1 Timothy 4: 1 4 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; speaking lies in hypocrisy,; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron;
2 Timothy 3: 1 9 (read)
2 Timothy 4: 3 For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the
Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Hebrews 6: 4
For it is impossible for those who have been once for all enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly Gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and
have tasted the Good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they
shall deviate from the truth, it is impossible for them to once again come to
repentance ( which is a change of the mind) seeing that they crucify to
themselves the Son of God afresh, or as brother Branham put it, they crucify
themselves by rejecting This Word.
Hebrews 10: 26 For if we sin willfully after that we have
received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for our
unbelief.
2 Peter 2: 1 But there were false prophets also among
the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring I damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring
upon them swift destruction...now
let’s forward to verse 15 which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray,
following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of
unrighteousness; 17 these are wells without water, clouds that are carried with
a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. 20 For if after
they have escaped the pollution's of the world through the knowledge of the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, the latter end
is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to
have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn
from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them
according to the True proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and
the sow that was washed to her own wallowing in the mire.
1 Timothy 6: 3
8 If any man teach otherwise and consent no to wholesome words, even
the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the Doctrine which is according to
Godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strife’s
of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse
disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the Truth, supposing that
gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment
is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can
carry nothing out.
2 Timothy 2: 12
19 4: 10 Demas totally abandoned Paul.
Luke 9: 62 And Jesus said unto
him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for
the
Acts 7: 39 Whom our fathers
would not obey, but thrust Him from them, and in their hearts turned back again
into Egypt saying unto Aaron, make us gods to go before us: for as for this
Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of
him.
1 Chronicles 28:9 if thou forsake Him He will cast thee off for
ever.
Isaiah 1: 28 The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall
be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
Jeremiah 17:5 Cursed be the man whose heart departeth from the Lord.
Ezekiel 3: 20 When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness,
and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die:
Ezekiel 18: 24 But when the righteous turneth away from his
righteousness, and commiteth iniquity, and doth according to all the
abominations that wicked man doeth, shall he live?
Ezekiel 18: 26 When a righteous man turneth
away from his righteousness, and commiteth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his
iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
Matthew 13: 20 But he that receiveth the seed into stony places, the
same is he that heareth the Word, and anon with joy receiveth it. Yet hath no
root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution
ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is (offended). skandalizo
John 15: 6 If a man abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is
withered: and men gather them into the fire, and they are burned.
Brother Branham
said Christ is the Doctrine. And he also said, any church without doctrine is
not a church at all. So a church must have doctrine and that is what these men
have turned away from.
2 Timothy 4: 1 -4 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at
his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out
of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine.3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from
the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
I ) So what then is Doctrine?
John 7: 14 - 18 It is
instruction and teaching.
2 Timothy 3: 16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
Titus 2: 1 - 15
Deut 32: 1- 2 Notice God's
Doctrine is the Rain
Acts 2: 42 doctrine 1st.
II) What does
doctrine do for you?
Brother Branham said in His message
"ISRAEL
AND THE CHURCH" Now we have to come to full doctrine.... Then he
said, I like good old meetings where the people are shouting and having a good
time and the power of God is moving , but wait until the showdown comes and you
don't know where you are standing. That is why the doctrine is so
important. And from ENTICING SPIRITS he said "We preach doctrine to keep the
people lined up.'
From " 3 KINDS OF BELIEVERS" he said, As
long as he was healing the sick, everything was OK, but when he began to preach
his doctrine, well...the doctrine is what separated the chaff from the wheat.
And finally he said, men who have the
scriptures and know the teachings and doctrine but only know it by a mental
conception rather than by revelation, that is the doctrine of Cain.
1 Timothy 4: 1 - 6
nourishes you 1
Timothy 4: 13 - 16 Saves you
Romans 6: 17 - 18 Sets you
free 1
Corinthians 14: 6 it is to profit you
III ) Not just
any doctrine will do. It must be God's own doctrine, His own teaching.
John 6: 44 - 45 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me
draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught
of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father,
cometh unto me.
2 John 9 – 11 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in
the doctrine of Christ, hath 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.
Hebrews 13: 1- 9 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Be
not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound
with them; and them which suffer adversity, as
being yourselves also in the body. 4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conversation be
without covetousness; and be content with such
things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do
unto me. 7 Remember them which have the rule over
you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering
the end of their conversation. 8 Jesus
Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9 Be
not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with
grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied
therein.
Ephesians 4: 14 11 And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow
up into him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ: 16 From whom the
whole body fitly joined together and compacted by
that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in
the measure of every part, maketh increase
of the body unto the edifying
of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and testify in
the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity
of their mind, 18 Having
the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling
have given themselves over
unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If
so be that ye have heard him, and have been
taught by him, as
the truth is in Jesus:
1 Timothy 1: 1 - 7 1 Paul,
an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; 2 Unto Timothy, my own son in
the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus
Christ our Lord. 3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I
went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they
teach no other doctrine, 4 Neither give heed to fables and endless
genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying
which is in faith: so do. 5. the end
of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7 Desiring to be teachers of
the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
Romans 16: 17 Now
I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary
to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.8 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.
Matthew 16: 6 – 12 6 Then Jesus said unto them,
Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the
Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. 8 Which when Jesus perceived,
he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 9 Do ye not yet understand,
neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and
how many baskets ye took up? 10 Neither the seven loaves of the four
thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11 How is it
that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye
should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the
Sadducees? 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the
leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
IV) That is why it is so important to mark those who are
preaching true doctrine and those who are not.
Martin Luther's "BONDAGE OF THE WILL" Pg. 43
Erasmus vs Martin Luther's understanding of free will.
Erasmus was a humanist and contemporary of Martin Luther. He was
considered the greatest intellect in
On the other
hand, Martin Luther's attitude was very different. To him, Christianity was a
matter of doctrine first and foremost, because true religion was first and foremost
a matter of faith ( which we know to be revelation); and Faith is correlative
to Truth. In other words, it is dependent on Truth. Faith is trust in God
through Jesus Christ as He stands revealed in the Gospel... Luther's first
concern as theologian and reformer was with doctrine. He said, " I am not
concerned with the life, but with the doctrines. And he distinguished himself
as different from the other reformers because they focused only on the evil of
the pope's scandalous life while he focused on the evil of the popes doctrine.
Luther felt Revelation is not a mere hit or miss rationalization but a
definitive knowledge and understanding about the God we serve.
2 Timothy 3: 10 But thou hast fully
known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity,
patience,
1 Timothy 5: 17 Let the elders that rule well be counted
worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
Titus 1: 6 – 11 6 If
any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused
of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless,
as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no
striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of
hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful
word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to
exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10 For there are many unruly
and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses,
teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Isaiah 28: 8 - 13 8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is
no place clean. 9 Whom
shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall
he make to understand doctrine? them that are
weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must
be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips
and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To
whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept,
precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall
backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Matthew 7: 15 - 28 Beware
of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ravening wolves. 16 Ye
shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth
good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can
a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every
tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast
out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And
then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings
of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his
house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and
the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not:
for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one
that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And
the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that
house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28 And
it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished
at his doctrine:
Luke 4: 31 – 32 And came down to