The Doctrine of Christ no 26
“What it means to be a
Christian”
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
October 30th, 2011
Wednesday night we began to look at what it means to be a Christian but ended
up spending most of our time showing what William Branham said he would rather
have or rather see in the church. Now, my reason for focusing on this is because
I believe William Branham was the greatest example of Christianity we have seen
in this age, and I thought it would be for you to hear what it was that he would
rather see in a church and God’s people.
Now, this morning we will continue in this mini series on what it means
to be a real Christian, and to begin let us turn in our Bibles to Hebrews 6:1 where we read, “Therefore
leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of
laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit.”
Now, notice the
Apostle Paul is telling us that in order to move on unto perfection or maturity
in our Christian walk, we must leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ.
Now, the word principle means the commencement which is the beginning, and we
must move further and further into the doctrine of Christ.
Now, this does not mean as some say that we must leave or lay aside the
doctrine, but it means that we must not stop at the corner in which we have
turned when we came into the doctrine, but we must move further and further
into it until we become one with it.
Now, the problem I see is that most people are happy just to see the
doctrine, or to know it, or be able to talk about it. But that is not what God
gave us the wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Himself for.
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, (now, that is the
most important thing, because you can be an apostle, but if it is not by the
will of God, you could be an apostle of men, and not even know it. But he was
an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and his ministry was not for
himself, but) to
the saints which are at Ephesus, and (not only to those saints at
Ephesus but also) to the faithful (which
means those who are full of faith) in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace be to
you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, after Paul is
finished with his greetings, he begins to get right down to business. He says, 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
So this is already a
done deal, he has already blessed you, and what God has blessed let no man can
curse. Then Paul says, 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him. Now, this word “before”
was translated from the Greek word “katenopion”
which means in front of or in the sight of, or in the presence of. So you see
the destiny is for each of us who has been chosen before the foundations of the
world, we were also foreordained to come to the place where we are holy and
without blame.
Now, I know Calvinist’s will say, our holiness and
being without blame is because of what he has already done. And that is true.
But there is also a mindset within the Believer that wants to be that way as
well. It’s God
working in you to will and to do.
God does not force anyone to believe and forced
religion is of the devil. God never forces anyone, He just revealed Himself to
them and that revelation moves men to do great things they never would have
even dreamed of. God reveals Himself to the believer and through this
revelation which we call “faith”, for faith is something that has been revealed,
and through this revelation, God imparts His own desires for us in how to live.
The apostle Peter said, in 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him that hath called us to
glory and virtue:
So we see this holiness and blamelessness condition
that Paul spoke of is also spoken of By the apostle Peter and we are told here that
we are to receive it through His Divine Power.
So this is not an intellectual movement that takes
place here, but he is speaks of the
dynamics of God in the life of the believer, the elect foreordained to
come to this nature or condition in his or her character. And this Divine power we are told by the
Apostle Paul is the Word of God. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for
it (what? It the Gospel
of Christ, the Word of God) is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God (the
right-wise-ness of God) revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just
shall live by faith.
So the just shall live by faith, by revelation.
Therefore then the revelation of Jesus Christ is your life, and it is that
which gives you life. The just
shall live by faith. That means the revelation of Jesus Christ is what
you live by, what you have come alive to and live for. Your life is quickened,
that means your life has come alive by the word of God. And that is what we
will find in chapter 2 of Ephesians if we ever get that far today. Paul said
in, Ephesians
2:1 And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
And the apostle Paul also
tells us this same thing in Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Notice our quickening
is together with Him. That is what the revelation of Jesus Christ is to do to
you, it is to join you to Christ through the revelation of Jesus Christ where
His Life lives out through your life, and every time your heart beats His is
beating right in unison with your own.
That is when the dynamics and mechanics come together
and quickens the believer to His destiny.
Notice the Apostle Peter tells us in verse 4 “Whereby are
given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises: that by these promises
you might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
So we see the sole purpose and plan of God is to make
us partakers of His Divine Nature. And how does this take place in our lives?
He said Whereby
are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these
promises you might be partakers of the
divine nature,. So what are these promises? Well, a promise is
when you give your Word. And so God has given us in his Word and by His word
certain promises that bring with it His divine nature that is ordained to be
released into the believer. And when we receive these promises by receiving the
revelation of Jesus Christ, we are not only receiving Words, but the divine
nature that indwells those words.
So you see the importance of the doctrine? It is not
to be received only for the mind. God did not come down with a Shout in this
hour just so we would have right doctrine.
He came down and gave us His Word, His Doctrine, His
promises, because He injected His own Life into His word, and when we truly
receive that Word, it will bring with it the Life and nature of the giver of
Life, God Himself.
That is why I say the doctrine is not to be taught as
a theological treatise. If wee teach theology then that is what the people
receive, and that is all they expect. But Paul said we must go beyond the
principles of the doctrine right into the Life that the doctrine promises us if
we will receive it.
Martin Luther said in his book, “a study on Romans” Faith is not that human
notion and dream that some hold for faith, where because they simply say
"I believe" that they hold true faith.
To put that into twentieth century English, he is
saying, that to say you believe is not faith at all. Faith is far more than
just to believe. And brother Branham said, in Questions and answers COD 64-0823M P:141 270. Now, Brother
Branham, are we missing out on something? These people claim to believe every
word that you say to be true. (But they don't. They don't believe it. Their own actions prove that they don't.)
And again he said in his message The Token 63-0901M 103 Don't
just come this far, say, "I believe the message." You obey the message. Come into Christ.
You say, "Oh, I believe every word you said, Brother Branham. "That's
good. But that is just being able to read. Take the Message; take it into your heart, that you must
have the Token, the very Life that was
in Christ, be in you. "When I see that, I will pass over you."
And from Only one way provided by God 63-0731 P:41 brother
Branham said, It's like people reading the prescription
on a medicine bottle and won't take the medicine. What good does it do to read
the prescription? Well, they go away to seminaries, and learn church history,
and we learn ethics of the church, and learn what the Bible says, and all the
Greek words, and we can tell you what it means; but that's just telling you
what the bottle says, what the directions says. I can tell you what Peter said
on the day of Pentecost; I can tell that the promise is unto you, but you say,
"I believe That." I can
believe this medicine setting here for the disease is right, but until I take it... I got to take it.
See, the sincerity of it doesn't... Now, you say, "I sincerely believe that. That's true." But you've got to take it. And when you take it, it shows the effects upon
the patient. And when you take God's
Word, it shows genuine Holy Ghost effects, by faith, Abraham's Seed. It does something to you. It takes a-hold of you. It shakes the
unbelief out of you, sets your affections on things above.
Listen, if there is any
church in this world that should understand the doctrine it should be brother Vayle's church and those churches who
have aligned themselves with his teaching. But Brother Vayle has told me on
more than one occasion, "Brian there are people here who’ve got it but don't got it".
And that’s true for just about everywhere. They have it up here (mentally), but
they don't have it in there heart. And brother Branham said in his sermon,
GETTING IN
THE SPIRIT 61-0428 47 I don't care if the man's wrong. If he's
wrong and sincere in his heart and you're right in your belief and you're wrong
in acting the way you're acting. I'd
rather be in his place than be in yours. That's right. I'd rather be wrong in my doctrine and right in my heart. God will respect it more. So if
a man is wrong, what of it? Help him. He needs help. Love him. If you can't love your enemy the same as
you love those who love you, you're no better off than the publicans. That's
right. That's what the Church has failed to get. I hope you get it tonight. I
hope you see what I'm talking about.
And Martin Luther spoke more on about Faith saying, “Faith, however, is a Divine work in us. It changes us and makes us to be born anew of God. It kills the old Adam and makes us altogether different men, in heart and spirit and mind and powers, and it brings with it the Holy Spirit. Oh, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith; and so it is impossible for it not to do good works incessantly. It does not ask whether there are good works to do, but before the question rises; it has already done them, and is always at the doing of them. Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's Grace, so sure and certain that a man would stake his life on it a thousand times. It fills a man's heart with joy and makes a man happy in dealing with God and all His Creation.
Now, if you do not have this in your life, you do not
have the right Faith. You might have your own ideas and call that faith, but
Faith true Faith is alive, and active.
Martin Luther said, Faith is
a living, daring confidence in God's
Grace, Faith, is a divine work in us.
It changes us and makes altogether
different men, in heart and spirit and mind and powers, and it brings with it the Holy Ghost.
Now, in getting back to the book of Ephesians lets
pick up at verse 5 where Paul says, In love Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure
of his will, 6 To
the praise of the glory (doxa)
To the
praise of the opinion of God, To the praise of the values of God, To
the praise of the judgments of God, and of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he
hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having
made known unto us the mystery of his
will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fullness
of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are
in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom (in Jesus) also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of
him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, (that we, our
lives should be to the praise of His values, His opinions, and His judgments) who first trusted
in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation: in whom
also after that ye believed, ye were
sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (So just believing doesn’t seal you in, it
happens after that you have believed.) 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory, (His doxa,
his values, his opinions, His judgments).
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your
faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease
not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; “That
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, (the Father of
Values, the Father whose opinion and judgments) may give
unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of
him: (then it’s not al about you, it’s all about Him.) 18 That the eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what
is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory (values, opinions and judgments) of his inheritance in the saints, (now.
let’s not stop here. He told us this wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of
Him is to open your eyes to His understanding of your inheritance and His
calling, but he doesn’t stop there and say now that is it, it is all about
knowing and understanding. No he does not stop there. Then why do so many stop
with a knowing, when as brother Branham said, it is not about a knowing or an
understanding but about applying what you do know, and making it come alive in
you. See?)19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his
power to us-ward who believe, according
to the working of his mighty power,…
So it is not about
what we know, but what we do with what we know.
Brother Branham said
in his message, Christ
is the Mystery 63-072837-4 The new birth is Christ, is a revelation. God has revealed to you this great mystery, and
that's the new birth. Now, what are you going to do when you get all that group
together, where the revelation is perfectly in harmony, and God expressing it through His Word by the
same actions, the same things that
He did, making the Word manifest?
Oh, if the Church only knew its position. It will one day. Then, the rapture
will go when it knows what it is.
And from Christ is the
Mystery 63-0728 45-1 God is not known by education; He's not known by how to
explain it. God is known by simplicity and of revelation of Jesus Christ in the
most illiterate person. See? Not your
theology; it's a revelation of Jesus Christ. "Upon this rock, I'll
build My Church." No other rock's accepted; no other thing's accepted; no
other Roman rock; no other Protestant rock; no other school; no other nothing;
but on exactly the revelation of Jesus Christ in a new birth. He is born in there and injects His own
Life, and your life is gone, and the Life of Christ is projecting Itself
through you with the preeminences to the people that they see the very Life,
and works, and signs and wonders that He did is doing the same thing through
you. Outside of that, the rest of it's not even called to at all.
That is what
Christianity is all about. The early church were called Christians because they
were Christ-Like. But just look at the so called church today. They are no more
Christ like than the man on the moon. There is just as much sinful living in
the Message churches today as there is in the dead denominational churches.
Christian, Christ
Like. Can you honestly look into the mirror and say I am in the image of Christ?
Can you honestly look at your home and say it lines up with the Message of the
prophet? Is your home a place where the holy Spirit is welcome to every room?
Is there a welcoming spirit that longs to have him come into your home? Or are
you yet hoping that the Message one day will begin to work its work into you?
Listen friends,
brother Branham said hope and Faith are not the same thing. Conferences 63-0608 P:22 There's a lot of difference between hope and
faith. A hope just hopes for it--faith knows it's done. That's the difference.
And in his message, Sirs we would see Jesus
57-1211 P:55 One of the managers,… and I was arguing
that for an hour and a half the other day. He tried to say hope and faith is
the same thing. I said, "No, hope
is what you're looking for, and faith is what you got by hoping."
That's right. Certainly. It's not a hope
any longer when you've got it. It's
yours. It's in possession; you got it just as happy as you can be, for it
is the substance of things hoped for.
Hebrews 11:1 Now
faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen. So faith is the evidence.
The evidence of what? That which you hoped for.
And if an evidence
then that means something is there that is an expression or in an expressed form.
For faith produces something, it just doesn’t talk it, it walks it.
Notice
all the examples of what Faith produces.
Verse 3 Through
faith we understand that the worlds were
framed
Verse
4 By faith Abel offered unto God.
Verse
5 By faith Enoch was translated
Verse
7 By faith Noah
moved
with fear, and prepared an ark
Verse
8 By faith Abraham
went
out, not knowing whither he went
Verse
9 Through faith also Sara herself received
strength to conceive seed, and was
delivered of a child when she was past age
Verse
24 By faith Moses forsook
Verse 32 And what shall I more say? for the time
would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and
of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae;
of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:33 Who
through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again:
and others were tortured, not
accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial
of cruel mockings and scourgings,
yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They
were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with
the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;38 (Of whom the world was not
worthy:) they wandered in deserts,
and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And
these all, having obtained a good report
through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for
us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
They without us could not be made complete,
finished off, equipped, come to maturity.
Look brothers and
sisters, faith is an active thing. A Passive faith without anything coming from
you in response is a dead faith. It all begins with a passive faith, but if
that passive faith just sits there and does nothing, no response to what it has
seen it is no faith at all. William Branham preached the sermon, “hearing,
recognizing and acting upon the Word of God. Passive Faith alone is the hearing
and receiving, but if there is no acting as he said, then you have nothing, no
more than the millions who came to William Branham’s meetings and saw but
nothing took place in their soul. Two million people left
In each of these
examples that the apostle Paul mentioned we see action, not just people getting
together to talk about it, they did something about it. Not because they knew
more than others, or were smarter than others, but they put their belief’s into
action, that is what it means to be a Christian. It is not just to believe
something, but to take that Word into you until that Word comes alive in you
and the same actions, the same nature, the same works that were in the original
seed will be in you. That is Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and
forever.
In closing brother Branham said from his message, Hebrews Chapter 6 57-0908E P:52 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?
And don’t think that just because you go through the motions of being a
Christian that is the end of it. Br. Branham said in his message Inter veil 56-0121
P:55 We know we got a lot of impersonation, a
lot of fanatics, but that don't mean a thing but prove that there is a real
Holy Spirit. We have a lot of
impersonations in church that act like Christians, and try to impersonate
Christians, but that don't mean nothing. That means that there is a real
genuine Christian.
But if you are a real
Christian you don’t have to go through the motions, you live out the Word
because it is your life. You are alive to the Word and it is alive in you. Paul
said, When Christ Who is our Life shall appear then you shall appear with him
in the same doxa.
Manifestation
of the spirit 51-0717 P:11 So when you see somebody who doesn't live
like a Christian, yet profess to be a Christian, and doesn't act like a
Christian, but just simply claims to be, and live that kind of a way, you know
that back behind there somewhere there's
a real genuine Christian somewhere. See? Well now, there's many things
that's put in the act of Divine healing which it is not God doing it. But
behind all of it, proves that there's a real genuine God that really, a
fountain open of Divine healing.
God's
only provided place of worship 65-1128M P:99 My action, and the
vindication of God's Word in my life shows whether I'm a child of God or not.
Now, there's God's only place. See it? The only place that God will receive
your sacrifice (I don't care how sincere you are.) is in Christ. And
remember... You say, "Well, I believed; I come in too." Remember, the
Bible says... You say, "Well, the Bible said, 'Whosoever believeth that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, is saved, shall be saved.'" It says that,
but remember it also is written, also is written, "No man can call Jesus
the Christ, only by the Holy Ghost." See? You might say he is, but he
isn't until the Holy Spirit Itself, which gives Life to the Word, proves it by vindication that you are the son of God
then. That's the Scripture.
Let us bow our heads
and close in a word of prayer.