The
Doctrine of Christ no 61
“He that believeth on Me no 15”
The Life of Christ Part 1
Brian Kocourek
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie;
neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not
do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Let us pray,
Dear Gracious and Loving Father, we know that it is impossible for you to lie,
and although we have examine 19 Promises you made to your Elect, the ones you
call believers, yet Father we find in the hearts of so many the lack of faith
to claim those promises for themselves. It seems it is so easy for men to
always look forward and always look back and we see that in doing so they fail
to see what you have for your Elect in the very hour they are living in.
So than you
Lord for opening our eyes that we might not only se but that we might perceive
and understand the thins you have for us in this hour. We also wish to thank
you Lord, for having made known to us over these past 35 weeks these 19
promises that you have given to those who are Believers in you and Your son
Jesus.
As your
children, we have come to examine your promises to the believer and we have
found Your Words not mysterious, nor veiled, but rather quite plain in your
promises to us, and for this we are very, very thankful. Your prophet William
Branham once told us a story about Abraham Lincoln, and how he had pardoned a
certain man, but that man rejected his pardon because it did not come to him
the way he had thought it should. And we understand from that story that, “a
pardon is not a pardon unless it is accepted as a pardon”, and we can also say “a
promise is not promise unless it is accepted
as a promise.” So we just want to tell you Lord, that we do accept all these
divine Promises that you have laid out for us in Your Word, and we ask that You
might manifest them in these mortal bodies before we are changed from mortal to
immortal, and we ask this is the precious name of Your Loving and obedient son,
who is our pattern, the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. You
may be seated…
Now, this morning after 15
sermons examining the promises that are given to the believer with the phrase “Whoever Believes in
Me” , we’ve finally arrived at the promise that began this entire series
and that is John 14:12 where Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, “He (or whosoever) believeth” (ὁ
πιστευων) on me, the
works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do;
because I go unto my Father.”
First: let me says that during the course of this study, we have shown that in
all 19 verses of Scripture that use the phrase “He” or more accurately “Whoever Believes in
Me” that God has given the believer promises associated with
all 19 Bible verses.
Secondly:, We found that
these promises are a “Universal Truth”
because these promises are the same in most every language including the
original Greek, and we found the same expression or phrasing was used
throughout all 19 Scriptures throughout all languages we examined.
Thirdly: We found the words
“He that
Believeth in me” (ὁ
πιστευων) were not even used, but rather the words “whoever Believes in
Me” were used. We also found the only language where the word “he”
was used in describing these promises from God was in the King James English
version and those versions which used the King James version as their pattern. In
many other English translations the words “whoever believes in Me” we used. Therefore we can
conclude by our studies that the correct translation should have been “Whoever believes in
Me” as it is found using these words in all known languages and the
words “whoever
believeth” were consistent throughout all 19 Scriptural verses that
spoke of the Believer.
Fourthly: We found that
the Word in question that was translated in the King James English version as “he” was
in fact in the original Greek language as well as in every other language
translated as “whoever”. And
this Greek Letter or symbol (ὁ) that looks like the
English letter “O” with an accent mark above it.
We found when we copied this letter from the Greek Bible and pasted this (ὁ) Greek letter/Symbol, into the world famous www.Translate.google.com
software, the translation into English comes back as the word “son” when
translated without any other words before or after it. So we see the real true
hidden meaning gives us the precise translation of “Son” before the grammarians messed with it in
trying to figure out how to apply it into the phrase, “whoever believeth in me.” And if we
take that word’s true meaning of “Son” into the sentence, it would read, “Son that Believeth in
me” which runs us straight back to God’s first promise to man in Genesis 1:11 (the law of reproduction) which tells
us that “every
seed must bring forth after it’s kind”.
Thus the phrase “Son that believeth”
shows that only “sons”
are ordained to receive every Divine promise of God because it is not only “sons” who
inherit from their father, but the fact that the believer is a “son” of
God, means that his very nature will be the nature of God, and as “son” he is
ordained to receive everything God has for him, and will manifest in him, and
so believing is simply an attribute of being “son”.
Thus these attributes and
characteristics represent the very essence of the God-Life that was in the
Original Seed Jesus, and expressed to all mankind, and thus by the law of Life,
or the law of reproduction, must also be manifested in every other son of God
who came from the loins of God. Or shall we say who came forth from that
original Seed which is the example seed which was Christ as brother Branham
said in The
Spoken Word is the original Seed Message.
Fifthly: We then proved
that these verses of Scripture that speak of “the believer whoever that believer may be”, does
not speak of only one believer, as though only one seed off of the original
seed is capable of inheriting those promises of God, but it speaks of “whoever that son is
who believes”, showing the promises belong to Him as a son.
Sixth: We showed where Br. Bosworth in His book, “Christ the healer” spoke of
John 14:12 being the very evidence of the promise of healing to sons through
the church.
Seven: We showed the historical evidence
of the fulfillment of these promises throughout the seven Church Ages, using
examples as Paul, Peter, John, Irenaeus, Polycarp, Martin of Tours, Columba,
St. Patrick, Joan of Arc, Wesley, Br. Bosworth, The great Scottish revival, and
in this day William Branham who himself had more than all the others
combined.
Eighth: We showed that in the phrase John 14:12 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, “He that believeth on me”, the
works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do;
because I go unto my Father.” In this Scripture we showed
how there is a semi
An example of this can be
seen in the NIV translation where it shows a very good distinction between the
works and greater works.
The New International Version: which uses the Biblica Hebraica
makes the distinction between the works and the greater works as it reads; “anyone who has faith in me will do what I have
been doing; He will do even greater things than these”. Notice it speaks
generically of the works when it says “anyone who has faith in me”,
but when it speaks concerning the greater works, it switches to the singular, “he” which verifies that only one person
will do the greater works, and as William Branham is the only person evidenced
by 2,000 years of history where only one man has done “more
than Jesus” in quantity over the past 2,000 years, then we can
say based on historical empirical evidence over the past two thousand years
shows only one person did more than Jesus did in His earthly ministry. And
since God interprets his word by bringing it to pass, we can thus say the
greater works was confirmed in the ministry of William Branham, but the works
as has been evidenced throughout the last 2,000 years has been from saint to
saint within the church of the Living God.
Ninthly: We shared quite a few quotes from brother Branham concerning this topic “The Works That I Do
shall he do also”
Tenthly: I would like to review a whole lot of quotes from brother
Branham today showing where he said, “if the Life of Christ
in you will do the works of Christ, you will act like he did and you will live
like he did, and you will do the works that he did.”
Eleventh: We will show you what
brother Branham defined as the works of Christ so that you can know exactly
what to look for when you think in terms of those works that defined His
ministry and the ministry of the believer.
Twelve: We will show you the
quotes on the greater works and show you that brother Branham himself defined
the greater works three different ways.
Now, for the next 30 minutes
or so I am just going to read a whole lot of quotes from Brother Branham that
he ties into John 14:12 showing you that when he
speaks of the believer, He is speaking of the person who is born again and the
Life of Christ is abiding in them. But before we read from William Branham’s
sermons, let’s open our Bible to see where the Apostle Paul taught the same
thing in the alpha ministry.
Colossians 3:1-25 If, (Notice here the word)
“If” ye then be risen with Christ, (So right
off we see he is not speaking to everyone who claims to be a Christian here,
but to those who are risen with Christ. He said, If” ye then be risen with Christ, and in order to be risen with Christ,
you had to die first, so this is only to those believers who have died to self,
and have become born anew by the Spirit of God living in them.
You will find in the book of
Colossians that the Apostle Paul speaks of this dying to self as being a very
significant event in our renewed Life with Christ.
In Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. We can see here the
importance of our death to self first then our being hid with Christ in God.
Again in Colossians 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the
rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject
to ordinances, So we see here that the death he speaks of is our
dying to the cares of this life, the things of the world.
Return and Jubilee 62-1122 P:68 Don't take some little emotion, some little
frustration; wait there until you are
dead and buried and born again anew in Christ Jesus, and every pulsation of
your life beats out Jesus Christ, so you can see the life of Christ reflected
right in your living, the way you go. Yes, sir, till you can find that power like they had back there in the beginning...
Again in Colossians 2:12, Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye
are risen with him through the faith of
the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
And we see this same Apostle
Paul tell us in Romans 8:10 And
if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but
the Spirit is
life because of righteousness.
(So notice what I dead, it is not your spirit, but
your flesh to the things of this world. And then he says, ) 11 But if (now, here’s that big
“if” again. Notice he says,) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by
his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
(Notice what quickens your mortal body? Is it your own
will power? Absolutely not. He says, your mortal bodies is quickened by His Spirit that dwelleth in
you.)
Again we see in Romans 6:13 Paul says, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments
of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield
yourselves unto God, as those that
are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
unto God. “
Again we see this theme spoken by the apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I
am living; yet it is not I that am living, but Christ is living in
me: and the life which I am now living in the flesh, the body of this death, I am living by the faith, the revelation of
the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Therefore Christ Jesus died for you that you might
live, now He wants for you to die to yourself, that He might live again in you.
As brother Branham said in Great and mighty
conqueror 57-0421M P:44 O God, as these hands has gone up, and the music is sweetly
echoing back down the road, as we have passed from death unto Life,
for Thou hast said, "He that heareth My
Words, and believeth on Him that sent Me hath Everlasting Life." They've passed
from death unto Life, because You
became death that they might become Life through Your resurrection.
Forsaking all 62-0123 P:86 If the spirit of a gangster was in me, I'd
have guns on me. If the spirit of a painter was in me, I could paint the picture
of a painter... he could do. If the spirit of a mechanic was on me, I could
tell you what was wrong with your car. See? And if the Spirit of Jesus Christ is in me, I'll do the works of Christ
because it's the life of Christ in you. See? Manifested in who? Manifested in who? He be, forsaken His Sonship
and became sin and took our sins, that He might take sinners and make them
sons. He became me that I might become
Him. He become a sinner that I might become a son of God. Oh, it's striking
what He done. See, He taken your place that you might take His place. You're
joint heirs with Him in the Kingdom. He become a sinner like you, your sins
placed upon Him that He might take you and make you a fellow citizen of heaven
and set you with Him in God's Kingdom. There you are: put His Spirit in you.
And if His Spirit's in you, the works
that He did you'll do also.
So we see this principle of dying to self first and
then being raised up with a new life that has taken over, the very Life of
Christ living itself out in you. And watch what things take place to those who
are truly risen with Christ.
Colossians 3:1-25 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek
those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of
God. 2 Set
your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall
appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Notice the evidence
that Christ is living in you is that you also shall appear with Him in Glory,
in Doxa. That word appear is phaneroo, and it means that you will manifest in
your true identity. So if there is no manifestation in your flesh that Christ
is living your life for you, then you are still dead. What do people think the
manifestation of the sons of God is anyway? They are always looking down the
road for some big hullaballoo, when it is God hiding in simplicity, always.
And if you have died to
self and the Life of Christ has risen in you? Then you will 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the
earth; Now, this word mortify means deaden, to make dead…
And Paul speaks of it again in Romans 8:13 For if ye live after
the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
So we are asked to kill off the lusts and pulls of the
flesh and he names them in Colossians 3:5 and on. Mortify therefore your
members which are upon the earth;
No.1) fornication,
No.2) uncleanness,
No.3) inordinate affection,
No.4) evil concupiscence, and
No.5) covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God
cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the
which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8 But
now ye also put off all these also;
No. 1) anger,
No. 2) wrath,
No. 3) malice,
No. 4) blasphemy, That’s hurtful talk
No. 5) filthy communication out of your mouth.
And once you have put away these things, then he says,
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye
have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man,
which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek
nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is
all, and in all.
Then after he lists
for us the attributes of the flesh, he then turns the corner to instruct us in
righteousness or how to be rightly wise, and he tells us what we need to start
doing,
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy
and beloved,
No. 1) bowels of mercies,
No. 2) kindness,
No. 3) humbleness of mind,
No. 5) longsuffering;
No. 6) 13 Forbearing one another, and
No. 7)forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any:
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
No. 8) 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And when you have
totally died to self, and allowed Christ to take over with all these wonderful
attributes expressing themselves in you, he then says, 15 And let the peace of God rule in your
hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God and the Father by him.
And once we are alive in Christ, we see that
the next things he says will be so natural for you to do…
No. 21) 18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
No. 2) 19 Husbands, love your
wives, and be not bitter against them.
No. 3) 20 Children, obey your
parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
No. 4) 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
No. 5)22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with
eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
And then to all, he
says, 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the
inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 But
he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there
is no respect of persons.
So you see this is a journey
we are on. A journey from death to Life, from sinner to saint.
The Apostle John said in 1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed
from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his
brother abideth in death. Notice this passage he speaks of when he says, “We have passed from
death unto Life”, because Christ is living in me, and we know we
have made this passage because we love the brethren. And although Love may be
corrective, Love
also covers a multitude of sins.
And this journey was made
possible because Jesus Christ abolished death for us, if we will accept it, as
Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of
our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath
abolished death, and hath brought
life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Because he said in Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is
death; but to be spiritually minded
is life and peace. So if you are warring all the time, you by Biblical
evidence are carnal and have not yet received Life and peace through Jesus
Christ. You’ve got religion, but you don’t have new birth.
And Paul tell us in Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Now for the next 30 minutes
let me read to you quotes from Br. Branham.
Hear ye Him 58-0209A P:37 if
the new life that you think you've received doesn't pattern with God's Word,
you've got the wrong life in you. The
life of Christ will produce the works of Christ, will produce the faith of
Christ, will make you act as Christ, will make you love Him.
He will be first in your life.
Your objectives, your motives, and
everything will be all-together different. It'll be for the glory of God.
Now, can everyone in here say, yes, that is me? That’s
the way I am living my life today? Can you say, “the life of Christ is working in me mightily to
the pulling down of strongholds like my own opinions, my own
prejudices, my own desires to gossip?
Well that is what the Apostle Pau said,. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong
holds;)
In Jehovah Jireh 58-0127
P:36 brother Branham said,
And the same Holy Spirit
that was in Jesus Christ, will have to be operating in His church to make them
coincide together at the rapture, or it won't go up at that time. The Spirit that was in Jesus, will have to
be in His church, or the two pieces won't dovetail together, the life of the church and the life of
Christ cannot dovetail together. The body's setting there to make
reconciliations, to make intercessions upon our confession, and the Spirit's in
the church.
So what does he mean by this? He means it is not
enough to understand the doctrine, you must have a life that is commensurate with
his life or there’s no rapture for you. And you can not say at that time that
you haven’t been warned. You are being warned right now. And I have been
hammering these things to you for the past 30 years.
Investments 63-1116B P:94 I
wonder this morning, with all sincerity now, without any disturbance, think
just a moment. Have you got this great blessing? Do you hold this policy of
Life, the witness of the Holy Spirit
that your life has turned in to Christ, and Christ is in you? As I said in
the message; if Beethoven was in you, you'd do the works of Beethoven, you'd
live the life of Beethoven. You couldn't do nothing else. You could do nothing
else but compose songs. And you'd be the great writer, Beethoven, 'cause he's
in you. That's who you would be. You would be a reincarnate Beethoven. And if Christ is in you, the Life of Christ
you will be, the lover of the Word. Nothing can stand and take the
place of the Word, 'cause He is the Word. He can't deny His Own Word and remain
God.
How can I overcome 63-0825M P:27 And then, now you take a
Christian that's supposed to be a Christian, let the Life of God go from him and the experience the joy of
serving Christ, and living in the church where such is going on, he rots twice as quick (See?
Right.), living right under it.
So if we are trying to follow the
Message of the hour, or at least this part of the Message, we should live
constantly in the Life of Christ. See? 'Cause if it don't, you lay
around, and know that these things that you're supposed to do and don't do it,
the Bible said, "He
that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it's sin."
And he becomes dotie, rotten when you're separated from the Life of God. So strive with all that's in you to stay in
the Life of Christ, that you'd be fruit-bearing.