Romans 59

The Table of the Lord

Brian Kocourek

Sunday we ended our message concerning Romans 10: 14-17 by showing the importance of hearing the right five-fold ministry.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher (Even though they say they hear, thy boast in vain, unless they hear true preachers; for to hear false prophets means as much as not to hear. They hear and they do not hear; They have ears, but do not hear, nor do they preach the Word of God. ? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! ? This is directed against all conceited teachers and arrogant instructors .

So then, the entire source and origin of salvation rests on this, that God sends out someone, ( A true minister of the Word).

1. If He does not send out any, then they who preach, preach falsely, and their preaching is no preaching at all. In fact, it would be better for them not to preach.

2. Then also they who hear, hear error, and it would be better for them not to hear.

3. Then also they who believe, would believe false doctrine, and it would be better for them not to believe.

4. Then also they who call upon Him would call falsely (upon a false Lord), and it would be better for them not to call.

1 For such preachers do not preach,

2 such hearers do not hear;

3 such believers do not believe;

4 such callers do not call;

5 they will be damned because they would be saved by falsehood.

Ø Then we would see what is spoken of in Proverbs 1:28 which says, “Then shall they call upon me, But I ill not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.”

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The true, revealed, and vindicated Word of God.

Then can you see the importance this morning of receiving a vindicated Ministry? Because if it is not vindicated, then how do you know what you are hearing is not error? And if it is error, then you would be believing error, and if you believe error, then you would be calling out to a wrong God, and if you call out to a wrong God, then how could you be saved? Therefore, God has come down to vouch safe His own Presence among us. We know that we are the elect of God because He said so. It is not just something we have read in a book, but God Himself has come down and has spoken through the lips of His Prophet whom He has vindicated and that is what I am standing on this morning.

ROMANS 10: 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by [them that are] no people, [and] by a foolish nation I will anger you 20 But Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

So what we see here then is this, either you are Elect or you are not. Paul speaks of Isaiah here who tells us of a people who actually did hear and yet did not believe, and Isaiah asks the question, "Lord, who hath believed our report?" Look at the argument Paul uses in verse 18 and 19, "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? And then Paul answers his own question by telling us that Moses chastened them by telling them that there would be a people who would hear and believe, and then Paul points to the boldness of Isaiah and says he out-right told them that they were a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Now, what did Paul mean by this…The word disobedient here is a Greek word {ap-i-theh'-o} Which means unbelieving (1) but it means more than just not able to believe, it means 1) not to allow one's self to be persuaded; not willing to comply with 1a) to refuse or withhold belief 1b) to refuse belief and obedience .

Therefore we see that there is a willful ignorance that is involved here. And the other word Paul used to describe these people is the Greek word {an-til'-eg-o} translated into the King James version as the word gainsaying which doesn't mean much in these days. But the true meaning behind this word {an-til'-eg-o} is ) to speak against, gainsay, contradict, to oppose one's self to one, decline to obey him, declare one's self against him, refuse to have anything you do with him.

Therefore, we see a common thread in both these attributes a people who willfully will not surrender themselves to the Lordship of the Word, and therefore, they in order to justify themselves find themselves speaking out against it.

Now, let's go back to where Paul quotes Isaiah from where he says, "Lord, who hath believed our report?"

ROTHERHAM: ISAIAH 28:8-9 Isaiah 28: 89 For all tables are full of filthy vomit, there is no place! Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom would he cause to understand the Message?

LAMSA: Isaiah 28: 89 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. To whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he make to understand the report. Those who are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts. For filth is upon filth, filth upon filth, vomit upon vomit, vomit upon vomit; a little here, a little there; For with difficult speech and with an alien tongue will he speak to this people. For I have said to them, This is the place of my rest wherewith I may cause the weary to rest, and this is the place of tranquility; but they would not listen. So their Word of the Lord was to them filth upon filth, filth upon filth vomit upon vomit vomit upon vomit a little here little there that they might return and fall backwards an be broken and snared and taken.

IS THIS THE TIME. pg.2 For all tables are full of filthy vomit, there is no place! Who would He teach knowledge And whom would He cause to understand the Message? I believe it was Doctor Lamsa who wrote the Lams Bible translation who said.. On time was speaking an didn't know he was there. He came back and was talking about the urim thummim --the he was speaking of that light and he said "what is the matter with these people today? He said "The reason the people the translator could not translate the Bible correctly was that the translator tried to translate it the high yiddish and Jesus speaking spoke in the common class just like the street people spoke. You know there is scripture over in Luke that says "The common people heard Him gladly. He spoke in their language I hope that is so again.

HEBREWS CHAPTER 57-0901E 148-168 But God's Church will move on. The Pillar of Fire won't stand for that. All tables are full of vomit. Now, listen. Now, this is going to shock you just a minute. Listen as I read the Word. Who was this? The prophet Isaiah. ... all tables are full of vomit... so... there is nothing clean. Just dog eat dog... Come to the church: women chop, bob off their hair, wear shorts, get out and see the men coming down the street, lawn mow the yard. Little girls want to hear somebody give that bull dog, or wolf whistle, whatever it is, you know [Brother Branham whistles--Ed.]. Oh, you think you're cute, don't you? And you men walk down the street with a cigar in your mouth and a deacon on the board. You look like a dehorned Texas steer. And then you think that you're somebody. That's exactly right. No wonder all tables... Walk up and take the communion and act like you're somebody, and cheat and steal and lie through the week. What's the matter with you? All tables are full of vomit.

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN 61-1231M 140 People today want shortcuts. They don't want... They think you get it just in a minute, "Glory to God." What is it? What is it they do? Tonight they're out yonder in the... Like some of these fellows that they got like certain people that I could call names, but I don't want to do it because this is on tape, but they're in a nightclub tonight with a guitar, beating it, and tomorrow morning they're standing in church somewhere beating that same guitar. Filth... The Bible said in Isaiah the 20th chapter, "All tables are full of vomit. As a dog goes to its vomit and a hog to its wallow, so do they." Why? They're still dogs and hogs. That's what makes them return to the wallow and to the vomit. You're still... They ain't borned again. If they're borned again, they're new creatures.

141 Do you know what, you got an old crow, Don't matter how much you try to paint him just as olive color as a dove, just as gray as a dove, white, paint him all over, he's still a crow inside. See? He's still stinky, an old buzzard just the same, scavenger, eat the dead things of the earth. That's right. But you know what, a dove don't even have to take a bath. Oh, hallelujah. A dove's body, because he is a dove, he's got a oil that comes through his feathers, that just keeps him clean all the time, because it comes from the inside out. The buzzard would say, "Me too. I put a little holy water on them, brother, it fixed it." No, it didn't. For it comes from the inside out, not from the outside in. It's a birth. "Bless God, I go to church the same as you do. Hallelujah, my church is as good as yours. Hallelujah, we're just as..." All right, you buzzard. See, that's right. See? But a dove is oiled from the inside. There's a certain gland in a dove that's not in no other bird like that, dove or pigeon. And he oils himself, he keeps himself clean all the time. He don't have to keep himself clean; there's something inside of him keeps him clean.

46-3 PATMOS VISION - CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT 2 Isaiah 28:8-12, "For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 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? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people. To whom He said, This is the rest (Sabbath) wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest (or keeping of His Sabbath); and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear." Here it is prophesied right here in Isaiah. And it came to pass about 700 years later at Pentecost when they were all filled with the Holy Ghost exactly as it was said they would be. This is the true Sabbath that was promised. Thus when they were filled with the Holy Ghost they ceased from their worldly works, their worldly doings, their evil ways. The Holy Ghost took charge of their lives. They entered into rest. There is your rest. That is your Sabbath. It is not a day, nor a year, but the eternity of being filled and blessed in the Holy Spirit. It is you ceasing, and God doing. It is God in you willing and doing of His good pleasure.

If we truly have made the Holy Ghost the Lord of our Life, then we have given Him our time and our talents. Then why don't people come to church when the doors are open? He's not Lord of their Life! Maybe just Lord of their Sunday morning, but certainly not of their Wednesday night. That's just getting to first base. Without that you haven't even entered into the race yet.

MARK OF CHRIST 55-0312 E-18 Then, people think just because you go to church. Said, "Oh, that's all I have to do, is just go to church, be a pretty good fellow." That's wrong, brother, you're deceived. That's right. Esau was a pretty good fellow too. So was Cain a good fellow; both of them worshipers, believers. Cain was not an infidel; he was a believer. He come up, and built a church, and made a altar, decorated it up, and knelt down and prayed, and worshipped God. And God rejected him, because he didn't have the spiritual revelation. He come with a sincerity of his heart. Could you imagine a man coming up, knowing that it was between death and life, that his eternal destination rested upon his sacrifice, and would come willfully ignorant? No, sir, he come with the integrity of heart and laid out... But, you see, brother, all your sincerity doesn't mean it. God has only promised one way. E-19 How do you think that Abel knew to bring a lamb in the stead of an apple, or whatever you want to call it? How did he know to bring a lamb? Because no Bible was written in them days; but it was revealed to him by the Lord.

SHALOM. pg 34 The Elected see, knows. It' always through every age that they know it.

GOD IDENTIFIED BY CHARACTERISTICS 64-0311 56 See, it's God placing. He sends a man, takes the Word of that age. But now before you can believe that Word of that age, He identifies Himself in His characteristic (See?), by knowledge, by vision. He told things that would happen, and it happens. And God said, "When that happens, then you believe he has the interpretation of the Word, because the Word of the Lord comes to this man." And his credentials, he's identified by being a seer, in the Old Testament. Just as plain as it can be, his characteristics is identified, made known, his character.

DIVINE HEALING 54-1219M 279 "For except a man be born again, he can't understand these things, the Kingdom of God," as He said to Nicodemus of old. You can't understand it; you'll never understand it, until God comes into your heart. And you'll be a part of Him, then you'll say, "Yes, Lord, every bit of the Word's inspired. I believe every bit of It. I believe It's the Truth. And here I am, Lord, to walk in the Light." As long as you're borderline out there, you can't believe it. You can't do it. May the Lord help you this morning to see the supernatural.

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH 55-0220E E-66 Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom." You can't understand it. It's a mystic, mythical thing until you're born again. There the very Life of God comes in you. Everlasting, Eternal Life, Zoe, God's own Life comes in you, and then you're a part of God. You're a Son of God or a daughter of God. And then you see as God sees. You believe as God believes.

ISAIAH 60:1 ¶ Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

II PETER 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 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. 22 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 wallowing in the mire.

SHALOM 64-0112 48 Like, for instance, this one thing. Crossing the nation around and speaking, and the Lord God identifying, a-vindicating His Word, and showing that's exactly, and never let nothing be said unless it comes to pass exactly what He said, speaking it right into existence, and so forth, as He's been doing, and people set and look at that, and continue right on in their same condition. See? See, not any disregarding, but like our sisters, many time when I speak to them about wearing those clothes, and cutting their hair, and little things. And men, how they'll continue on into their creeds, and serve under those creeds and things. And they're good people. They're fine people. But yet it seems like that they can't understand, look like they can't get it. Why? I go back the next year, and instead of being any better, it's worse. It continues on. Here's a sister that once had lovely long hair; she cut it off. Here's a man that once looked like he took his stand and went out for the thing was right; he's right back in the--like a dog to its vomit, and a hog to its wallow (See?), goes right back out in it. It seems like there's something that has struck our people; it struck the world, that they don't seem to have the understanding, or there's something's wrong.

50 Just like you notice men today, you don't find that genuineness in men. You don't find it in women. Now, I'm not talking about... Reason I'm basing this, is get to "Shalom." See? But you notice the women in our day, they don't seem to have that ladylike they once had. They're just like they want to, but there's something won't let them do it. It seems like there's a heaviness that... You tell a lady that she should not do such-and-such a thing, and the lady looks upon that and believes that; she wants to believe that, but there's something that presses her the other way. See? Poor thing, I feel sorry for her. She's so caught in such a web of Hollywood, and the advertisements in television, radio, newspaper, on the street, in the store windows, with modern dress and so forth, and the way that other women meet her. And it seems to be that there is something that they just can't pull away from: our young people, our old people, our middle age.

52 There seems to be something among men. Men don't seem to be, have that masculine touch that he used to have. Women don't have that feminish touch she used to have. You take men today, men don't seem to be burly like they used to be. It's all some sort of a... They want to wear suede shoes with purple, -and they want to act like women. Now, that is true. It seems to be, more or less, like a perversion. A woman wants to cut off her hair and act like a man. And a man wants to act like a woman. See? And yet you can talk to them, and they're nice people to talk to, nice people, friendly, sociable people. What's caused this? It's that gross darkness upon the people; it's something that's pressed them into it.

53 Like the Jews was in the days that Jesus came to the earth; Isaiah had prophesied of it and said, "There would be... They would have eyes but couldn't see, and ears and couldn't hear." And that's the reason Jesus prayed their forgiveness, because it had to be that way to fulfill the Scripture. And it's returned again to us. The Bible has spoke of this day that we live, and said these things would come: gross darkness upon the people. And we see it, that there's something that just simply, the people want to but they can't. Nicodemus expressed it one time before the Lord, "Rabbi, we know that Thou art a Teacher come from God, for no man could do the things that You do if God wasn't with Him." But it was that darkness or blindness upon the Jewish race, that the Messiah might come to take from the Gentiles a Bride. They had to reject Him. And that's the gross darkness that's upon the churches and things today, to fail to see the Light that's shining. See? See, there seems to be such a heavy press.

56 Take some of the noted evangelists today, they are constantly screaming for a revival and working right against It (See?), not understanding, without understanding. And I don't say that in the motive of trying to say, "Now, we've seen this, and glory to God, they're not in it." I'm not trying to say that in the--to get people to think, "Well, Brother Branham, you got the only truth there is in the world." No, that is wrong. See? I'm only saying it in the Light of the hour that we're walking in, and for the benefit of people who are trying to seek this Light. Truly, Jesus said, "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him." No man will never see it. It's that predestinated Seed, and that only, is going to receive it. But we've come to that place again. The Bible says that you're the light of the world. 59 The prophet said, "Gross darkness upon the people," upon the people of the world at this time. And that's exactly what we've got, gross darkness upon the people.

HEBREWS CHAPTER 6 57-0908E 217-309 Read Hebrews 6: 1-6 That's not talking about a Christian. That's talking about a man that heard the Word and turned away from It. See? For if we sin... (What is sin? Unbelief.)... if we disbelieve wilfully after the Gospel's been preached to us, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, What is sin? Unbelief. Read St. John the 4th chapter; Jesus said, "He that believeth not is condemned already." Sin is not smoking, drinking, committing adultery. You do that because you're an unbeliever. That's just the attributes; you do that because you're an unbeliever. Just to quit smoking, quit drinking, and so forth like that, that doesn't mean you're--you're a Christian; that's just the attributes of your conversion. But you can--you can do either side and still not be.

217-311 Now, notice. ... he that disbelieves wilfully after he... Not--not after he received Christ in his heart; the Bible doesn't say that. Said: He that... if we sin wilfully... (disbelieve wilfully)... after... we have received the knowledge of the truth... (Get it? Wasn't talking to a Christian at all.) Some woman come to me not long ago and said, "Brother Branham, I'm a Christian, but I blasphemed the Holy Ghost." I said, "It's impossible. A Christian could not blaspheme the Holy Ghost." You can't do it. A Christian spirit bears record with Christ's Spirit. See? And you'll call everything of God, "God's." But if you're carnal minded, you'll make fun and laugh at the Holy Ghost. I don't care how much you go to church; you're still a sinner, and you're blaspheming the Holy Ghost.

217-316 When they seen Jesus discerning their thoughts, they said He was a fortuneteller. Jesus said, "You've... I forgive you for that, but when the Holy Ghost is come, you speak a word against It, it'll never be forgiven you." Because they said, "He has an unclean spirit," calling the Spirit of God an unclean thing. A Christian can't do that. A Christian will always call the Spirit of God righteousness. See, a Christian cannot blaspheme the Holy Ghost; it's the outsider that blasphemes. That wasn't Christians standing there. It was religious people; it was orthodox Jews, doctors of divinity and so forth, and they were making fun of Him and His works, calling the works of God, that it was an unclean spirit doing it.

……… …But they make fun of the Holy Ghost; and therefore, they blaspheme It. But a borned again Christian cannot do that; he'll say, "That's my Brother. That's the Spirit of the living God." That's right. A Christian cannot blaspheme the Holy Ghost. It's the sinner that blasphemes the Holy Ghost, the unbeliever, the sinner, an unbeliever. There's only two things: either you are a believer or an unbeliever.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened,... made partakers of the Holy Spirit,... tasted the good word of God, and... the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew themselves... to repentance; seeing that they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

221-343 I thought, "There's that Scripture." But something hung with me. Then I begin to think, "Here's where he talked back here and beginning, 'Not laying the dead foundation of repentance (at the beginning). Not laying the foundation of repentance,' and here he says, 'New--renewing themselves back to repentance... But let's go on to perfection, laying these things in the back.'" Then I started reading; then I read the next verse: 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 blessings from God. But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. And when I read that, Something just shook me. And I thought, "Lord, that don't pertain to Roy Davis. Why would You do that?"

222-345 And I started to turn another page, and I had to go back to It again, "It is impossible for those which were once enlightened." "Go through It again." Then I thought, "Lord, what is this? What do You mean, Lord?" And I turned, and went back into my cave to pray over It. And when I did, I saw a world turning. It was all disked up, real nice, the whole world. And I saw a man in white going around, he had a bag in his hand. He was sowing seeds as he went around; he went around the curvature of the earth. And as soon as he got around, here come a guy dressed in real black clothes, a slick-looking fellow, slipping along like this, looking. And he had a seed, and he was throwing something behind it, as he went around the earth, watching everybody and throwing. I stood and watched the vision. After he had gone, the world turned around, and there was a great, big crop, and it was of wheat. And there was weeds, cockleburs, and things in the wheat.

222-349 There come a drought. And, oh, how that little wheat hung its little head over and was thirsting for water. The little cocklebur had its head hung over, and it was thirsting for water. Everybody was praying for rain. And after while, along came a big cloud and just watered the whole earth. And the little cocklebur jumped up and begin to shout, "Glory to God. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord." And the little wheat, it jumped up and begin to shout, "Glory to God. Praise the Lord." And then the Scripture come to me, which is found in the Book of Matthew the 5th chapter and the 45th verse. And listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:45. And listen close now as we read. Matthew the 5th chapter and the 45th, 46th verse; 44th to begin at.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; That you may be... call... you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on... evil and on... good, and sendeth rain on the just and... the unjust.

223-352 So, you see, the same rain that makes the wheat grow, makes a cocklebur grow. And therefore, I got the picture. There's your carnal confessor that's right in the church, but his fruit... He might shout, and jump, dance, speak with tongues, but his fruits, he's a cocklebur. And there's the other one that's got the same Spirit. The Holy Spirit can drop right in a bunch of people and a hypocrite can shout by the Holy Spirit just the same as a cocklebur can live by the rain that's sent. That's what Paul's speaking of here. But it's impossible for a cocklebur to become a wheat or a wheat a cocklebur. You get it? For it is impossible for those who've been once enlightened and have partaken of the gift of the Holy Ghost and tasted the good Word of God, and the power of the world to come, to fall away to renew themselves again. (Listen what he said.) For the rain comes oft upon the earth to water it and to dress it here, and prepare it, but which is thorns and thistles is nigh unto rejecting. Now, therefore, leaving the principalities and doctrines of Christ, let us go to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance and dead works towards God, and faith... (and so forth)... ... and doctrines of baptisms, layings on of hands... (and things)...

223-353 See, the carnal believer back in those days, just like it is today, likes to say, "Well, I belong to church. I've repented. I--I come up; I made a confession. I've been baptized." See, they lay to those carnal reformations. And what does it do? It produces cockleburs. What does the perfection do? It's the wheat. The wheat is God's Word. He's uses it as His Word. It's a Seed. It brings forth. It depends on what seed's sowed in your heart. If you come to church just because you're afraid of hell, if you join church because you don't want--you don't want to go to hell, you're still a cocklebur. If you--if you join church just to be popular, you're still a cocklebur. If you done all these formal things that's to be done, and that's all you got, you're still a cocklebur. But a real, genuine Christian presses towards perfection until the world is dead and you become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Then it's impossible for that man to ever fall. That's what the Bible says. See how that compares with the rest of the Scripture? See how it lays it right in there to its place?

224-357 How can It say here, "A man that's once saved can never be lost" and come over here and say, "But if you are lost or blaspheme, it's impossible..." Sure, if you're a blasphemer, you're not a Christian. "No man speaketh by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed." St. John 4--or I John 4. No man speaking by the Spirit of Christ, calls Jesus accursed. Every Spirit of God that's in the Christian Church agrees with everything God said. We read here and say, "He was wounded for our transgressions. With His stripes we're healed." The old carnal mind say, "Days of miracles is past. I'm Dr. Jones." See? "There's no such a thing as Divine healing, no such thing as heartfelt religion. You was just worked-up. You're emotional. See, that's all there is to it. There's nothing to it. We are Presbyterians. We're Lutherans," or whatever it is. "We know where we're standing."

224-361 But what does the Spirit of God say? Jesus Christ, the same yest... "Amen," says the Spirit of God. It agrees quickly with the Word. Yes, sir, it's right there. See what I mean now? "These carnal reforms works death," said Paul. But where Life is come, this perfection, "He that heareth My Words, believeth on Him that send Me, has Everlasting Life, and shall never come into condemnation, but's passed from death unto Life. I'll give him Everlasting Life, raise him up in the last days. All the Father's given Me will come to Me, and none of them's lost." Can't be. So here's what it does. What it does... People thinks that that makes people loose. Brother, you don't serve God under a frown of a serpent. God's not one of these guys with a blacksnake whip, driving you around. He's a Father. He's Love. God is Love. And the Bible said in St. John, "He that loveth is of God."

225-365 You love God. I wouldn't be... If I went out and--and got on a drunk tonight... I never drank in my life. But if I went out and got on a drunk, I wouldn't be afraid of getting a whipping. That isn't the reason I don't go--go--don't go do it. The reason I don't do it is because I love Him. He loves me. It's not a works of law; it's not something that I got to do; it's because He's already done something for me, and I love him for it. There you are. So with that Spirit in there which is promised, "I give unto him Everlasting Life, and they shall never perish."... Did He lie or did He tell the truth? He told the truth. So you see how This interprets? The impossibility is for a man to fall after he's once in grace. He can't. He can fall, sure, but not back to repentance, back to the place and to do the old works over again.

225-367 So you all a-trotting from revival to revival, one place and then another, don't you see, you're not a stabled. You're not established. Now, surely... You say, "Brother Branham, I don't know if..." Surely God would not give me the ministry He has and let me be in error. And if it wasn't proven by the Scripture, then it would be error; but here's the Scripture to back it up. The Church was never missed a place... People go and join church, fuss, fight, stew, and--and everything, and just live any kind of a carnal life, "Oh, yes, I'm a Christian."

225-369 I heard a confession today of a little lady that told me that her husband was running with a man. She's caught them place after place, and the woman says, "I'm going to let you know, I'm a Christian." Look over here at Jimmy Osborne, out here preaching on Sunday morning; and boogie-woogie, rock and rolled and everything through the week. Look at Elvis Presley, a 1947 version of Judas Iscariot, joins the Assemblies of God, Pentecostal, speaking in tongues for the Holy Ghost, and sent more souls to torment than all the bootleg joints there's been in the last fifty years. Perverted the mind of little teenage children all over the world, till little girls would grab off their underclothes and throw it on the platform, and him to autograph, so vulgar that they won't show him on the television from his waist down, the way he... his body. (The Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues for evidence.) Oh, brother, if the Holy Ghost was there, It wouldn't act like that. You know better than that. Certainly not. God loves cleanness and purity and holy.

226-372 I don't act clean and pure and holy to make myself a Christian, but Christ in me lives that in me. And I love Him. And if I do anything wrong, it condemns me; right there I say, "God forgive me." Every day I've got to ask forgiveness. Every day that... And you do too. Certainly you do. But now, if you're--if you're carnal, you just wade on back and say, "Oh, well, that's all right; I belong to church." See? And then when you blaspheme, is when you don't have the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Then you make fun of That, and call It an evil spirit, say, "That's a bunch of holy-rollers." Then you separate yourself between grace and judgment; then you're finished forever.

226-374 Jesus said, "One word against It will never be forgiven in this world or the world to come." And a Christian, borned of the Spirit can't say evil about That, 'cause It can't; It agrees with It. That's right.

That's the reason people try to tell me that Pillar of Fire there that appears here with us, they try to say that was the Devil, that it was just fiction, and all this. But the camera proved that it wasn't. And the works lay right exactly on the Bible. The same Pillar of Fire that met Paul on his road to Damascus, all these things that He done back there, He's doing it just exactly the same way by the Bible. He's Christ, the Son of God.

And when we're borned again, we have Everlasting Life, and cannot perish. And it'd be impossible for a man to fall. That's what the Bible said.

226-377 Now, listen. Watch what Paul says. Now, read the rest of it, and see if that don't sound right now. Let's go on just a minute. The 8th verse... But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (That's the unbeliever. Now, watch Paul. But, beloved,... Now, he's talking about them that's trying to get back under the law, you know, trying to do all the works of the law. Yet they're just as ritual as they can be; they had baptisms and the laying on of hands and all these things. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you... (There you are. Listen at him now.)... and things that accompany salvation, though--though--through this we thus spake. For God is not unrighteous to forget your works and labours of love, which you have showed towards his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

227-379 See what He's talking about? He's not talking about Christians falling away and impossible to come back. He's talking about carnal believers who go through the form of reformation. But he said, "To you who was borned again, you who are Christian, beloved, we're persuaded better things of you. You don't say those things. You don't live that type of life. You're secured with Christ." What did he say right here? Now, let's go to Hebrews 10, where we was at this morning again. Now, let's turn over then again, to Ephesians 4:30. And let's get this, just a minute, and watch what this says to back this up and make Scripture go with Scripture. Ephesians 4, let's see, Ephesians 4 and 30, let's read and see what It says. Listen: ... grieve not the holy Spirit of God,... (How--how we baptized into the Body? One Spirit.)... grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed until the day of your redemption .That right? You're sealed into the Body of Christ by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, not from one revival to another one, but until the day of the body redemption. That's what you are.

227-381 So there's no way for you to be lost. You get scared; and that's the reason scare, a scare... Fear companies doubt. Love companies faith. I love my Father. I'm not afraid of Him, because I love Him. He wouldn't hurt me; He'll do good for me. If I was scared of Him, and "Oh, I don't know whether He'll do it or not. See, but if I love Him, "Yes, Father, I--I love You. And I know You're--You're my Father, and You love me, and I'm not afraid but what You'll keep Your Word. It's Your promise to me." That's the way the Spirit of God does. "But, oh, if I did this, if I did that..." See, there you come to the legal side again. Never go to the legal side; it's negative. The positive side is what you want.

228-384 It's already a finished work. Christ died, and the sin was killed when He died. And if God foreordained you to Eternal Life, "All the Father has given Me, will come to Me." There you are, can't be lost. You're secured forever. "For by one Spirit, we're all baptized into one body; and by one sacrifice He's perfected forever." There you are. There's no way for us to lose. Correctly. Now, don't that make you feel good? Now, how do you know you're a Christian? When your spirit bears record with His Spirit, when the love of God is in your heart, when you have love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, patience, goodness, meekness. That's when you--the fruits of the Spirit is following your life. Not because you can dance in the Spirit... Oh, to this modern rhythms, whoop it up on a piano to a lot of this here dancing in the Spirit. Them things are all right, but they took the whole thing over on that legal side. See? And therefore, they left the Spirit of God in the back.

228-387 That's the reason when God begin to manifest Hisself, they said, "Nonsense, we don't want nothing to do with that." They don't know God. They've never seen It. They can't understand It, because there's a different life in there. He doesn't know... Cocklebur doesn't know what the wheat's a doing. He's a different life. That's the way it is with a Christian, to the carnal believer, the confessor, who goes out and confesses, "Oh, yes, I'm a Christian," a big cigar in his mouth like a dehorned Texas steer. A woman with her shorts on, say, "Oh, yes, I'm a member of the church. Sure, I am." Your fruits prove that you're nothing but carnal. That's right. Certainly, it is. There's only one thing to allow for that: that's either mental deficiency or a spirit of lust on you. That's right.

228-390 If you want to act like the world, the Bible said, "If you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God's not even in you." So there you are. Now, you say, "Oh, the Bible said then that I must do that." No, that's not it. Stay here until Christ has done something for you that takes that out of you. Then you're borned of the Spirit of God. Not what you do, it's what He done for you, till you get a love that you've passed from death unto Life. And then watch your life, if it--if it tallies up. Not 'cause you try to make your life, but because God brings you into subjection to His Spirit. It's not you leading yourself in God's way; it's God leading you in His own way: not you doing the leading, but God doing the leading.