Satan’s Eden no 31
Questions and Answers from the February
South American Ministers meeting
February 12th, 2022
Rev. Brian Kocourek
A week ago Saturday we met with 14-15 brothers
on Google Meet where we have a monthly meeting with Ministers from the countries
of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paragua, and several locations throughout Peru,
and sometimes Ecuador. Also we have brethren from Norway, and the USA in
attendance.
Basically 8 countries are represented pretty
much each time we meet. It will very some from month to month but the majority
of the attendees are there almost every month. Sometimes there may be someone
new, or that I don’t recognize, but the majority of the attendees are the same
brethren from month to month.
The format of these meetings are questions and
answers, of which the usual number is somewhere between 8 and 10 questions, and
the least I think was 5. We do this once a month also with the French Speaking
ministers from several countries in Western Africa which include Burkina Faso,
Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Ivory Coast, and
Rwanda.
I am not certain about Cameroun, as I know the
brothers there read the sermons in French, but I have not recognized if any
have attended the meetings or not. And I’m not certain if I have named all the
countries, but usually there are about 6 countries in South America and 6
countries in Western Africa that attend, plus Norway and the USA. Although as
word gets out the African meetings have been growing.
Now, this morning we will speak on the
questions and answers from Saturday February 5th as last week was
our Communion Sunday and I had already prepared two sermons for that day, so I
postponed these questions and Answers for this Sunday so that the brethren in
all the other countries may benefit as well.
Next Saturday we have another Q and A session
with the brothers from Western Africa, where I have already received ten
questions and have returned the answers for translation work to be done before
the meetings, so immediately the brethren can have a written copy after the
session is over. This helps in their own studies of the Message Doctrine.
So that is the way this program has been
working. I receive the questions usually from 2-3 days ahead of the meetings,
and then send them back for translation a day or so before the meeting. I do
this with both sets of meetings since South America is mostly Spanish speaking
brethren and Western Africa is mostly French Speaking.
Now, this morning we will look at the questions and answers we
covered in Saturday February 5th meeting with the south American
ministers.
So Question number 1 is
this: At the last Ministerial Meeting you did not have time to answer the
question about whether a pastor can marry a minister's widow.
Answer number 1) When it comes to marriage and divorce, The
Scriptures tell us all we need to know and brother Branham makes that very
clear in his sermon Marriage and Divorce which is the final word on the Marriage
and Divorce questions. So can a minister marry the widow of another minister?
Brother BRanham said absolutely no. There
is no minister that can marry a widow Yet he told us to read Leviticus 21:7 and Ezekiel 44:22. So after I read his statement and both
scriptures he referred to, then you will have to decide for yourself.
Marriage
and divorce 65-0221M P:75 “Now, let us, in view of these vindicated
truths of God, search a little further, if you want to. All right. Now,
this may hurt just a little bit till we get down to the bottom of it.
I'm just going to show you truth of it. There is no minister that can marry a widow.
Did you know that? You want to read that?”
“All right, you
get in Leviticus
21:7 and Ezekiel 44:22 and it will show you that the priesthood was not to
marry a woman that's been touched by man. This type is of the virgin Bride of
Jesus Christ, because they handled the fire of God, the priests did, Aaron's
sons. (We haven't got time to read it all and get out by noon. We got twenty
minutes yet.) And them's Aaron's sons that handled the fire of God.”
“So they
could not marry a woman that had been touched by another man. The unchanging God said so.
They could not marry another woman (and woman had been touched by a man),
showing in type here, if you want to see it, that the church of the living God
is purely, unadulterated the Word of God and not a denomination that's been
handled by man.”
Leviticus 21:7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a
woman put away from her husband: for he is holy
unto his God
Now, let’s read,
Ezekiel 44:22. Neither
shall they take for
their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens (virgins) of the seed of the
house of Israel, or a widow that had a
priest before. 23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and
cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
24 And in controversy they shall stand in
judgment; and they shall judge it according to
my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine
assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths
The pastors in our group also have other questions about
marriage and divorce.
So Question number 2)
Does
the requirement to marry a virgin also applies to ministries other than pastor.
Answer number 2) Yes, we just read that in Leviticus
21 and
Ezekiel 44. I cannot say anything
other than What God commanded us to say. Remember he said in Ezekiel
44:23 And they shall teach my people the difference
between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean
and the clean. 24 And in
controversy they shall stand in judgment; and
they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep
my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my
sabbaths
Question number 3) The third question pastors have is about 1 Timothy 3:1 What does it mean that
these qualifications are for those who “long for a bishopric”? Does it mean that these
requirements are only for those who want to work of their own free will and not for those who have a true calling from God?
Answer
number 3)
Lets read for ourselves from 1 Timothy 3:1 so we all understand the question. 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire (now, you
used the word long for,
but actually its not a longing, but rather means “to reach out for”) the office of a
bishop, he desireth (he sets
his heart on) a good work.
So
the question was this. Is having a
desire to serve God, which Paul calls a good thing, is that wrong? Or does
that also apply to ones truly called by God. My brothers, if you are in the
ministry just because God called you to it, and you have no desire to please
God by serving him, and doing the work that He called you to, then I doubt very
much you are called by God to an office. Notice Paul qualifies the desire or the reaching
out for with the words, he sets his heart on
a good thing.
Now,
I know brother Branham said any true called
man will run from the responsibility. And that is true, but how
far can you run my brothers from the God who knows the thoughts and intents of
the heart. A man called by God may run from the responsibility, but how far can
he get away from a God who can interrupt his running and use a whale to deliver
him to where God told him to go? You can run but you cannot hide. God’s Word
tells us “The footsteps of a righteous man are ordered by
the lord, though a man chooses his footsteps, yet the lord will direct his path.”
That is in Psalms
37:23 “The
steps of a good man (a
righteous man) are
ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth
in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the
LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”
Proverbs
16:9 “A man's heart deviseth his
way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”
So, a
man can only run away for so long from his calling, but if he is any kind of an
obedient son, though he may not want to serve God in the ministry because of
what God calls for him to do in rebuking the people, yet he will surrender
himself to the will of His Father, despite his own reluctance to do what God
has called him to do, if he is an obedient son.
1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop (episkopos) a Christian minister of a local church: an overseer. 2 A bishop The Greek word is (episkopos) (which is defined as an elder and
thus a leader) then
must be blameless,(his life is without reproach) the husband of one wife, vigilant,(which means steadfast) sober, (clear
headed) of good
behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 “Not
given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how
shall he take care of the church of God?)”
I’ve seen some so called
preachers where their kids are worldly, and anti Christ in their behavior, and what
bothers me is that the people just let that kind of behavior pass. As the bible
says, they just “wink at it”. But how can a man who lets his kids run roughshod
over the word of God, rule the house of God. according to God’s Word, if He
can’t run his own house by the same Word of God?
To me that is a disqualifier from
the ministry because it is as though he himself is living the same way. Or else
his children do not see a sincerity in their dad, and so they react to that
sham by living a rebellious life.
And then Paul says he cannot be a
novice which means a new convert to Christianity
himself.
6 Not a novice, (not a new
convert) lest
being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Now, that does not mean he can’t
be young. Look at Timothy, he was Young and John followed Jesus when he was 16
years old and was called to be an apostle, yet Paul tells us that Timothy was raised in the faith by His Grandmother,
so he was not a novice to Christianity.
I believe brother Vayle was
around 21 or 22 when he began to preach and brother Branham was around 22, and
I myself was preaching before I graduated from College at 23 although I did not
begin to pastor until a month after I turned 29. And that was 40 years ago. I
was not a novice, for I had been preaching here and there for 6 years prior.
Even prior to getting married.
At 21 I had a weekly campus
ministry, where I led the fellowship of Christian athletes which was the first
one established at the University of Minnesota. And at 24 I preached here and
there in Minnesota, and didn’t get married until 26. I had a retirement home
ministry where once a month on a Saturday I would take a group of young people
from church and we would sing some songs and then I would preach to between 40
and 50 elderly people at retirement home in Richfield Minnesota.
Now, verse 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach
and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise (in the same manner) must the deacons be grave, (honorable and honest) not doubletongued, (not
duplicitous, tells the story the same each time he tells it) not given to much
wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; (not one who is focused on money)
9 Holding
the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. (Not a mixed message,
not a vacillating mindset. Not double minded. In other words What you say and your
life show same message)
10 And
let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being
found blameless.
11 Even
so must their wives also be
grave,(venerable,
respected) not slanderers, (lying gossips) sober, (sensible
and serious)
faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For
they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good
degree, and great boldness in the
faith which is in Christ Jesus. 14 These things write I unto
thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
In
the New Testament, a bishop is an elder (which
is one who is older in the faith) who also functions in the role of teacher, teaching
and instructing others. The Greek word “episkapos” although translated as “episcopal,” means “elder,” as well as “overseer,” or “pastor.” But
all these terms refer to the same office and are different ways of expressing
the role of an episkopas (the elder).
In
the early church, the leaders of the local church were referred to as “elders.” That
is because of their age and maturity, and the two go hand in hand. Gray hair is associated with age and not only
does it suggest older age, but also the
experience and wisdom that comes
with being older in age. Thus we read in
Proverbs 16:31 The
hoary head (the gray haired
head) is a crown of glory,
if it be found in the way of righteousness.
So if a man walks in righteousness which is right wise ness,
then with his aging comes the gray hair and with that the experience and wisdom
that comes with age and all the trials and testings of life. That is why the
elder in the local church is not a novice, or a new convert to the Gospel.
Proverbs 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was my father's son, tender and only
beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep
my commandments, and live. 5 Get
wisdom, get understanding: forget it not;
neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake not wisdom, and it shall preserve
thee: love it, and it shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom
is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt it, and it shall promote thee: it
shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace it. 9 It shall give to thine head an ornament of
grace: a crown of glory shall it deliver to thee. 10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings;
and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be
straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13 Take
fast hold of instruction; let it not go: keep it; for it is
thy life.
Brother Branham said in his sermon Why are we
not a Denomination 58-0927 59 Why, here's a
far greater gift right here. Which would be the best, the gift of the Holy Ghost of
wisdom to put the Word of God together and to show the church where we're standing,
than just to get somebody healed? We all want to be well; but I'd rather
have my soul well, than my body well anytime.
Now, remember Jesus said in John 14:17 Even the
Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, (experience Him
not) neither knoweth him: (That word
knoweth is Ginosko which means to an experiential knowledge) but ye know him; (you ginosko
Him, you experientially know Him. And how is that made possible?) for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
It is impossible not to know that He is living and abiding in you. I
heard one pastor called an elder in this message and wanted to know how can we actually
know if we have received the Holy Ghost? And the Elder minister told me he was kind
of shocked by the question coming from a pastor who should know. Yet that actually
happened, and that pastor did not know.
The apostle John makes that very clear in 1
John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell
in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the
Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the
world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the
Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
And then in only a few sentences later in 1
John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath (echoes) the witness in
himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth
not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to
us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. 12 He that echoes the Son echoes life; and he that echoes not the Son of God echoes not life.
13 These
things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that
ye may know (that ye may eido, be aware and understand) that ye are echoing eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the
Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we echo
him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know (eido,
are aware and understand) that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know (eido, you are aware and understand) that we echo the petitions that we desired of
him.
So you see, He promised when the Spirit of Truth comes he will live in
you, and you will know, you will be aware and understand. And John said when
you look at your life and you see his life then you will know and be certain
that your life is echoing his life. And your words are echoing his words.
The apostle Paul said unless you have the Holy Spirit you will never
understand the things of God. And I think that one Scripture ought to make
evident how many preachers and people who claim to follow this Message actually
have the Holy Ghost. Because all you have to do is to read 1 Corinthians 2 to know and understand the
evidence of receiving the Holy Ghost is that you will understand the things of
God
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God
hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:
for The Spirit (God’s Spirit) searcheth all
things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man,
save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God knows. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of
the world, but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are
freely given to us of God.
Ok,
so right there he says the reason we receive the spirit of God is for us to
know the things of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the
words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
(so
the Holy Ghost s the teacher) comparing spiritual
things with spiritual.
Now,
a man that is void of the Spirit of God cannot compare Spiritual Things with
Spiritual, because he has not the Spirit. Because it is the Spirit of God in
you that compares Spiritual with spiritual.
Then
the apostle Paul makes this very clear when he says, 14 But the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are
foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, (it is
impossible for him to know the things of God) because they are spiritually discerned. (And if you do not
have the Spirit of God in you, then how can you discern that which takes the
Spirit to discern?)
15 But he that is spiritual (he that is spirit filled) judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of
no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that
he may instruct him? But we have the
mind of Christ.
Now, the apostle Paul did not come up with that on his own. Actually
Jesus told us what the Holy Ghost in a man would do in a man when he came in John 16:13 Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he
shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak: and he
will shew you things to come.
Now, how is it
that we have men who claim to be ministers of the greatest Message this world
has ever seen, and yet be so blind to what is actually going on in the world
today? It is because they do not understand the things of God. He said if you
got the Holy Spirit which is the Spirit of Truth it will guide you into all
truth and show you things to come,
Brother Branham said in his sermon Anointed
ones at end time 65-0725M P:168 in referring to Hebrews 6 "For it is impossible
for those which were once enlightened and didn't move on with the Word as it
come to pass..." They're dead, gone.
"And the thorns and thistles which is
nigh unto rejection, whose end is to be burned..." Is that right? Now, hurrying just as quick as I
can.
Just look at Daniel, he read in the writings of Jeremiah what was to take
place and then he watched for it. Look what brother Branham said about that.
In his sermon Gabriel's instruct to Daniel
61-0730M P:57 He said, “Now, back to the lesson. Daniel had been reading.
Just think. Daniel read the same words that we are reading this morning.
Daniel read the same Bible, the same punctuation, the same sentences, the
same things that I'm, by the help of God, will read you in the next few
messages, the same
thing to show you that we are at the end time.
And Daniel
taken the word from Jeremiah, goes down into Babylon, and he was the
anointed prophet. and wonders among them, yet standing alone by himself.
Amen. He stood alone.
And in his audio letter to brother Vayle he said, Audio letter to Lee Vayle 64-0500 P:2 “Would it be,
you think, advisable in here, to say that God then, in order to proclaim this,
has to send a prophet in order to inject this, make this real again, show the
people the hour we're living in?”
“Because
if they only see it in the hour past, then there's no hope for the church. The
church must see it in the present tense. So God sends His prophet to
manifest, present tense of it. You see? And then, after it's over,
then history is. Now, you might inject that, Brother Lee. I don't know whether
that's any good or not, but it's -just a thought right here. Thanks a lot.”
So, notice when the prophet manifests present tense then after that when
he is off the scene it becomes history. But what of those events when the
prophet has gone off the scene? I believe that is where the Holy Ghost to the
individual believer is needed. As Jesus
said, “When
the Spirit of Truth comes, He will lead you into all truth.”
So the greatest gift we can have as a minister, or any Christian for that
matter, is the gift to get ourselves out of the way, and let God use us to
express himself as to what He is here doing in this hour.
From his sermon Hear ye Him 57-0519A P:35.brother
Branham said, “I want to ask you something. The greatest
of all the gifts that's in the local body... And we put so much emphasis on
speaking with tongues or interpretations, and the first is wisdom. Is that right?
The next is
knowledge. How are you going to operate knowledge when you
haven't got wisdom to operate it with? See?”
“If you haven't got no wisdom, you can't
operate your knowledge. If you haven't got knowledge, you won't know
how to have peace. You've got to put first things first, not on
evidences, upon the Spirit, God.”
Hear
ye Him 56-0611 P:35 The greatest of all
the gifts is wisdom, the second is knowledge. If you haven't
got knowledge, you haven't got wisdom, and how to control your knowledge,
what good's your knowledge going to do? See what I mean? Seek the first
things first.
Why
are we not a denomination? 58-0927 P:43 “The Holy Spirit speaking out how those
gifts would be working in the last days. Now, we've got gifts of healing
working. Oh, it's going good. Well, brother, there's other gifts. That's
just one of them. That's just a little minor thing.”
“Why, here's
a far greater gift right here. Which would be the best, the gift of the Holy Ghost of
wisdom to put the Word of God together and to show the church where we're
standing, than just to get somebody healed? We all want to be
well; but I'd rather have my soul well, than my body well anytime.”
Five
identifications 60-0911E P:26 Now, you say, "Wait a minute, I thought you
didn't preach nothing but the Bible."Let's let the Bible say it then. Let
us turn now and read awhile, turn with me to Revelations the 17th chapter. This is the revelation of Jesus Christ
to His church, church called out. Revelations 17, and we'll try to make this just quick as possible.
But now watch
as we read:... there came unto me one of the seven angels which had
the seven vials, and talked with me, saying... Come hither; and I'll show thee
the judgment of the great whore that setteth upon many waters: Now, this is
all symbolized, because it is a revelation of Jesus Christ, sealed up. Did you
know that? It is a hidden thing, and only can be revealed, not by the
intellectual mind, but revealed by the Holy Spirit through the gifts of
the Spirit,
"To him that has wisdom let him count the numbers of the beast. To
him that has wisdom, the gift of wisdom, let him do this and let him do that." And this
is the revelation.
Baptism
of the Holy Spirit 58-0928M P:69 That's the reason the Bible said, "Here's to him
that has wisdom; here's to he that has knowledge; here's to him that has this," the
church there setting in order. Don't you see the great plan of God?
Baptism
of the Holy Spirit 58-0928M P:18 Said, "Here's to him that has wisdom." We find that the Spirit kept
speaking expressly: "To him
that has wisdom, to he that has knowledge, to him--the different spirits, the
gifts." Can't you see that God's moving that church in the last
days? There's got to rise a church full of the spiritual gifts, the
real gifts of God. "Here's to he that has wisdom. Let him count the numbers of the
beast, for it's the number of a man. His number is 666."
Mark
of the beast 54-0513 P:83 “Now, just a minute. I want to show you this again,
so the Lord be mindful and bless us together as we read this. All right. Watch
here now, I'm reading the 13th chapter. I'm beginning at the 15th verse. And he
had power to give life unto the image...That's in the United States, which we
seen come up (You see?), an image.... that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many
that would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”
“That's the boycott.And he caused all, both small and great,
rich and poor, bond and free to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their
foreman... head.And that no man might buy nor sell, save he that had the mark,
or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Now, watch,
now, close now, real close, 'fore we close. The 18th verse, listen. Here is wisdom.”
“See the Holy Spirit calling back to the
believers in the last day? That little group there, speaking, calling to the
little group in this day, "Here's to him that has wisdom in the Church, let Him understand this."... Let him that has understanding count the
numbers of the beast: for it's the number of a man (not a nation), a man; and
his number is Six hundred three score and six.”
So
I hope you see that the Spirit of Truth promised to lead us into all truth and
show us things to come, and if that is not being preached then they are not
being led by the Spirit of Truth.
And
so according to brother Branham in the Church Age book when the bible speaks of the elder, it simply refers to their age in the Lord. It does not refer to a position in the church, simply their
age in the Lord. They are elder because they are older.
Church
Age Book Chapter 5 - The Pergamean
Church Age P:121 ”You will recall that I brought out in the Ephesian Age that the
word, Nicolaitane, comes from
two Greek words: Nikao which means to conquer, and Lao which means the laity. Nicolaitane means, "to conquer the laity". Now why
is this such a terrible thing? It is terrible because God has never placed His church
in the hands of an elected leadership which moves with political mindedness.”
“He has placed His church in the care of
God-ordained, Spirit-filled, Word-living men who lead the people through
feeding them the Word. He has not separated the people into classes
so that the masses are led by a holy priesthood. It is true that the
leadership must be holy, but then so must be the whole
congregation.”
“Further, there
is no place in the Word where priests or ministers or such mediate between God
and the people, nor is there a place where they are separated in their
worship of the Lord. God wants all to love and serve Him together. Nicolaitanism destroys those
precepts and instead separates the ministers from the people and makes the
leaders overlords instead of servants.”
“Now this
doctrine actually started as a deed in the first age. It appears that the
problem lay in two words: `elders' (presbyters) and `overseers' (bishops). Though Scripture shows that there are several
elders in each church, some began (Ignatius among them) to teach
that the idea of a bishop was one of pre-eminence or authority and control over
the elders. Now the truth of the matter is the word `elder' signifies who the person is,
while the word `bishop' signifies the
office of the same man.”
“The
elder is the man. Bishop is the office of the man. `Elder' always has and always
will refer simply to a man's chronological age in the Lord. He is an elder, not because he
is elected or ordained, etc., but because he IS OLDER. He is more seasoned, trained,
not a novice, reliable because of experience and long standing proof of his
Christian experience.”
“But no, the
bishops did not stick to the epistles of Paul, but rather they went to Paul's
account of the time he called the elders from Ephesus to Miletus in Acts 20. In verse 17 the record states, "elders" were called and then in verse 28 they are called overseers (bishops). And these bishops, (no doubt
political minded and anxious for power) insisted that Paul had given the
meaning that `overseers' were more than the local elder with official capacity
only in his own church.”
“To them a
bishop was now one with extended authority over many local leaders. Such a
concept was neither Scriptural nor historical, yet even a man of the stature of
Polycarp leaned toward such organization. Thus, that which started as a deed
in the first age was made a literal doctrine and so it is today. Bishops still claim power to
control men and deal with them as they desire, placing them where they so will
in the ministry.”
“This denies the leadership of the Holy
Ghost Who said, "Separate Me Paul and Barnabas for the work where-unto I have called
them" This is anti-Word and anti-Christ. Matthew 20:25-28, "But Jesus called them unto Him, and said,
Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they
that are great exercise authority upon them.”
“But it shall not be so among you; but
whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will
be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to
be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Matthew
23:8-9, "But be not ye called Rabbi: for One is your Master,
even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the
earth: for One is your Father, Which is in heaven."
In Philippians 1:1, Paul
introduces his letter “to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with
the overseers and deacons.” In the early church
there were only two leadership positions
in the local church: elders (which were older men in the lord apt to teach, which Paul
calls here Overseers,) and then deacons
(which were mature men in the Lord who were very apt to help and assist the
elder in any way so needed.
In the Paul’s Epistles, he speaks twice
regarding the qualifications of elders, those
he considered the leaders of the local church (also notice that these elders
also taught the Word.). In 1 Timothy 3:1–7 we
read,
1 Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire
the office of a bishop, (episkopas) he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of
one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to
teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;
but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity;
5 “(For
if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church
of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being
lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest
he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
From the Scriptures we can conclude several
things concerning the elder.
First, “the elder is an older person”
who is “filled with wisdom and understanding.” And the job of the elder
is a noble task.
Second, the role of the elder is limited, he must be a male who is older in
the Faith and He is filled with wisdom and understanding and his role is to lead
the church through example and instruction in the Word.
Third, “integrity
of the elder is critical (He must conduct his life above the
reproach of men, He must be committed to his wife only, he must be clear-thinking, he must be self-controlled, he must be well-respected, and he must show himself friendly.”
“He must never
be influenced by alcohol, nor violent, or argumentative, and certainly not
greedy and a true Pastor won’t think of himself first, but as God
is a Caring Father, so he will show himself to be always caring for his spiritual
children, and last he must have a good reputation
among those who are not members of the church).”
Fourth, he must have the ability to teach.
In Paul’s letter
to Titus we also see a similar list of attributes and characteristics for an
elder to serve in the leadership of the local church.
Titus 1:5–7 “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in
order the things that are wanting, and ordain
elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 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:”
Paul’s
letter to Titus also shares a similar list for elders, but it adds the
ability to rebuke false teaching. When Peter wrote to this group of church leaders, he called
himself a “fellow elder”
(1 Peter 5:1).1 The elders which are among you I exhort,
who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you,
taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint,
but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear,
ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away
5 Likewise,
ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to
another, and be clothed with humility:
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the
mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Now, this is the
problem with the ministry as I see it in this day. We have young ministers who
will not seek out an elder to mentor them, and they think they can get it on
their own. But show me if you can where that ever took place in the scripture.
God has always used an elder to mentor a younger.
We have the
example of Elijah
and Elisha. And the example of Moses and
Joshua. And yet another example of Eli and
Samuel? And then in the new testament we have Paul and Timothy. In fact we see this is the
pattern throughout the entire church ages.
From the Church Age Book Chapter 4 - The Smyrnaean Church Age P:140 In every age we have exactly the same
pattern. We read the following. “In
every age we have exactly the same pattern. That is why the
light comes through some God-given messenger in a certain area, and
then from that
messenger there spreads the light through the ministry of others who have been faithfully taught.”
Now, do you all believe what is in this church age book? Do you believe
this was brother Branham vindicated prophet of God’s book? If you do, then as
he said, “in
every age we have the same pattern.” Now why is that? Because in
Malachi 3:6 we read, “I am God, I change
not.”
In Hebrews 13:8 and we read, “Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today and forever.”
Ok, now that we have established that thought, let’s read it again and
then we will be shown what that pattern is. In every age we have exactly the same
pattern. We read the following. “In
every age we have exactly the same pattern. That is why the
light comes through some God-given messenger in a certain area, and
then from that
messenger there spreads the light through the ministry of others who have been faithfully taught.”
Now, brother Vayle taught me, he said, “to be faithfully taught there has to be two
things, One who faithfully teaches, and others who will shut up and listen.”
Now, brother Branham continues in the Church Age book, “But of course all
those who go out don't always learn how necessary it is to speak ONLY
what the messenger has spoken.
And that is the reason why Br. Joseph Branham has gone so hard in the
direction he has gone, because the majority of the ministers who claim to
Believe what brother Branham said, do not say what he said. And I can’t blame
him for taking the stand he’s taken, for if I was not one that had been
faithfully taught for 34 years setting under brother Vayle’s feet as he sat
under brother Branham’s feet, then I would just listen to brother Branham’
stapes. But having spent between 4 and 5
thousand hours talking with brother Vayle concerning the doctrine of the Word,
I know how important it is to have been mentored by one who witnessed
first-hand the Pillar of fire in that ministry of God’s prophet William
Branham. So I should know better, and I do
have a track record where God has proven this ministry as well with
supernatural signs and wonders, so I stand with this because I’ve subjected
myself to it.
Brother Branham continues by saying, Remember, Paul warned the people to say only what he said, I Corinthians 14:37,
"If any man think himself to be a prophet
or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the
COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD. What? came the Word of God out from you? or came it
unto you only?") They add here, or take away
there, and soon the message is no longer pure, and the revival dies down.”
“How careful we
must be to hear ONE voice, for the Spirit has but one voice
which is the voice of God. (and let me
just say here, that the one Voice of God is the Word of God.) Paul warned them to
say what he said, even as Peter did likewise. He warned them that EVEN HE (PAUL) could not change one word of what he had given by revelation. Oh, how important it is to hear the voice of God by way
of His messengers, and then say what has been given them to
say to the churches.”
So
push play is ok if you’re not a minister called by God, and you have no true Five-fold
minister who has been proven by God that he is genuine to the Word, and
Faithful to teach what has been taught. But if you listen to the tapes only, you
had better say what he said, and be able to show it from the Scriptures all the
way from Genesis to Revelations, or you had better get under someone who can.
Fourth question: In what case should a man not receive his
wife who commits adultery with another man? Can he remarry any woman or can he
only remarry a virgin woman?
Answer number 4) There is only one reason a man can divorce his
wife and remarry and that is as Jesus
said, “except for the cause of
fornication.” Which means she
told her betrothed a lie, and said she was a virgin, and then after they are
married, he finds out that she had lied to him and based on that lie he married
her, making her vow a false vow.
And in any court in any country when an agreement is entered
into based up on a lie, that agreement is null and void. Now, I know that it is
being taught in so called Message churches that it’s ok for a man to put away
his wife and marry again as long as he marries a virgin, and that’s a lie.
The fact is that a man cannot remarry unless he was lied to concerning
the vow, and before he married his wife told him she was a virgin and it turned
out to be a lie and she was not a virgin. So that is a lie, and that is the
only reason a man can put away his wife and remarry. That is the only way he
can remarry, unless his wife dies first. That’s it.
Matthew 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever
shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Marriage and divorce 65-0221M P:76 Note, let's read this here. I want to get this to you. Matthew 5, Jesus spoke here of something that's really of a vital
importance. We want to see it. … Matthew 5:32 to begin with. It has been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a
writing of divorcement: (Now, Jesus speaking, the One said, "From the beginning." Now, watch.)
“But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving... the cause of fornication, causes her to
commit adultery: (See?) whosoever shall put away his wife, saving... the cause of
fornication, causes her to commit adultery: (Why? She'll marry again.)... and whosoever... marries her that is divorced committed
adultery.”
Invisible union of the bride 65-1125 P:39 “Now, I'm speaking, keep the church in mind while I'm
speaking this to the natural woman, as Paul is here, in the 7th chapter of Romans. She has a sacred trust of virtue committed to her by
her Lord: a certain virtue. Nothing else holds it but a woman. That's right.
That's committed to her by God. She must not defile that virtue.’
If she even does something
wrong, she must confess that to her husband before he takes her; and make it right. Just the same as the church that was married to the law has
to come also before Christ, before the second marriage; she has to confess
that. If she
doesn't and she lives with her husband for ten years and then confesses it, he
has a right to put her away and marry another woman. That's the Scripture.
“Fornication is unclean living."Joseph, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is
conceived in her if of the Holy Ghost." He was minded to put her away privately (See?), after he'd already engaged to her. When
you are engaged to her, as far as God's concerned, you're married to her.”
So the man can
remarry but only except for the
cause of fornication which she did
before he married her but never told him. That makes the vow false and so he is
free to put her away and remarry another, but it must be a virgin.
74 Why Are We Not A Denomination? 58-0927 “I will stop on my subject just a minute if it's
possible. I was reading in a piece of Scripture where that an illegitimate
child will not enter the congregation of the Lord for fourteen
generations. How many knows that? That's right, Deuteronomy 23, an illegitimate child. If a woman is caught in the field,
that's, away from the protection of man, and a man overcomes that woman, that man will have to
marry her.”
“Regardless if she becomes a
prostitute, he has to live with her till he
died. And if this woman marries
him, pretending that
she is a virgin, and
she isn't, then she can be killed for it. And if a man and a woman which are married,
and they bring forth an illegitimate child, that, the congregation of the Lord he will not enter,
to fourteen generations; and forty years is a generation, be four hundred years before
that seed ever gets out of Israel.”
Questions and answers COD 61-1015M P:81 If you notice what Jesus said... Now, here, I got a
brother, my own blood brother, that's fixing to marry a woman. And my brother
has been married before and got a child by a good woman. And he come to me to
marry him. I said, "Not at all."
“Jesus said in Matthew 5, "Whosoever puts away his wife and marries another, saving
the cause of fornications (which
she had to do before she was married and didn't tell him about it), causes her to commit adultery: whosoever marries her that
is put away liveth in adultery." So don't do that. No, you cannot go back to your first
wife if she's been married again.”
Questions and answers COD 59-0628E P:107 Now, we've got one more and then that's all. Let's
see.91. Brother Bill, what is the difference between fornications and
adultery, Matthew 19:9?Jesus said in Matthew 19:9, "Whosoever putteth
away his wife and marries another, except it be for the cause of fornications,
commits adultery." The difference between
fornications and adultery, the word could be applied either way.”
“But to make it clear what he was talking of there, that, a woman
that's unmarried cannot commit adultery, because she has no husband to commit
adultery against. It's uncleanness for her. She has to confess that to her husband before they
are married if she's did that. If not and her husband finds it out later,
he has a right to put her away, because she took a false vow. For the Bible
said, "Be it well..." or ritual says. "
“Be it well known to you (I have it in mine) if any couples are joined otherwise than God's Word does allow, their
marriage is not lawful. I will
require and will charge you both as you'll surely answer in the day of judgment
when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, if either of you know any
impediment why you should not be lawful joined together, do you now confess it."
“There you are.
See? So fornications is what a girl,
when she lives unclean, that's fornication, 'cause she has no husband. But when she's married, and then when she lives
like that, she commits adultery against her husband.”
Marriage and divorce 65-0221M P:77 “See, she's got a living husband, so
no man can marry her. I don’t Care what she does and who she is, she's got a living husband.
There's no grounds for her at all. But it's not for him: causes her, not him.
Get it? You have to make the Word run in continuity. See? Nothing saying he
couldn't, but she can't. See? 'Causes her, not him. That's just exactly what
the Bible says. "Causes her..." It is not stated against him to
remarry, but her. Why? Christ in the type.”
“Notice, it is stated that he cannot remarry, only a virgin. He can remarry; he can marry, he can remarry again if it's a virgin;
but he can't marry
somebody's else's wife. No, indeed. And if he does marry a divorced
woman, he is living in adultery; I don't care who he is. The
Bible said, "Whosoever marries
her that is put away, liveth in adultery." There you are, not no divorcee.”
Questions and answers COD 64-0823E P:104 316. “Brother Branham, if a man has been married and
divorced … How can both or one of them be in the rapture?
How? I don't know. I couldn't tell you. The question is, "Can
they be in the rapture?" Divorced, each one of them divorced,
each one of them has a living companion, then they married again, both of them
married again. And now, one that...”
“This woman has a living husband; this man has a living wife. And
now, they've got children and so forth and want to come to God. Can
they go in the rapture? That'll be up to the heavenly Father. I couldn't
answer that. See? I saw one thing. The Bible said that they shall be called an adulterer. And the Bible said also, "An adulterer will not enter the Kingdom of heaven." That's all I can say. I know, that just kills me
to say that, but I can't say but what the Word says. I must stay with that….”
Questions and answers COD 62-0527 P:17 Brother Branham, I got married and my wife's an
unbeliever, and here's a sister over here I can marry. I'm going to leave this
one and marry that one." Oh, no. No, indeedy. Your vow is until death you separate, and
there's nothing else in the world will permit you to marry in the Bible until
your companion is dead. That's right. The only grounds... There's no remarrying nowhere at all, except a dead companion. That's all. See?
Fifth question: “In what cases can a young man or woman
break the courtship? Courtship yes, but engagement no, unless he finds out she
was not a virgin, and she told him she was. He has the right to put her away like
Joseph was going to do with Mary thinking she had to be pregnant having laid
with a man.”
“Now, I will say this, if the courtship was between two
unbelievers and then one or the other came into the Message, then I do not
believe he will be held to his vow because the Bible also says, “How
can two walk together unless they be agreed.” But I believe if they are both in the Message then they should
not have been so quick to get engaged until they absolutely knew that one was
the one God had put together.”
Invisible union of the bride 65-1125 P:39 “If she even does something
wrong, she must confess that to her husband before he takes her; and make it right. Just the same as the church that was married to the law has
to come also before Christ, before the second marriage; she has to confess
that.”
“If she
doesn't and she lives with her husband for ten years and then confesses it, he
has a right to put her away and marry another woman. That's the Scripture. Fornication is
unclean living."Joseph, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is
conceived in her if of the Holy Ghost." He was minded to put her away privately (See?), after he'd already engaged to her. When you are engaged to her, as far as God's concerned,
you're married to her.”
Let
us pray…