William Branham's understanding of Jesus Christ
William Branham was very confused when it came to his understanding of who Jesus Christ is. This can be demonstrated by looking closely at what the Bible says and then looking at what William Branham said.
What the Bible says
Who did William Branham think Jesus was?
When He was here on earth, how many knows that that was the Pillar of Fire that followed the children of Israel in the wilderness, that It was Christ, the Angel of the covenant? All right. And how many knows that that was Jesus in Jesus, that same Spirit?[1]
He was the Messiah. He was--He was Jesus when He was born. But when the Holy Ghost came upon Him after His baptism, He was anointed with God. God was in Him, 'cause He come to fulfill the Word.[2]
They said, "He couldn't be Deity and die." The Man (the body) was not Deity, but Deity was in the body. This body has to perish. The very Christ that's in you is the only thing that can raise you up. That's Deity, God in you.[3]
And this little Boy, twelve-year-old Child, no wisdom at all, why, but just a twelve-year-old Boy. The Father didn't dwell in Him at that time; because He come on the day when He baptized Him, "He saw the Spirit of God coming down, see, and went in Him." But, look, this little twelve-year-old Boy, being the Word; He was born the anointed One, see, to be the anointed. And here He was, "Know ye not that I must be about My Father's business?"[4]
Jesus was not God, but He was God. He was a Man, yet He was God. [5]
The Spirit left Him, in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had to die, a man. Remember, friends, He didn't have to do that. That was God. God anointed that flesh, which was human flesh. And He didn't... If He'd a went up there, as God, He'd have never died that kind of death; can't kill God. But He didn't have to do it.[6]
Branham's followers carried this teaching to its logical conclusion
...the church has made the great mistake in making Jesus equal to God — which he is in a certain way — but he’s not God. He’s not Deity. I’m sorry, but he’s not, because God is not in him. No way. What God was in him is not Deity, same as what God is in you is not Deity, concerning Deity Himself, which is Sovereign God and Creator and Maintainer.[7]
Did you know that Brother Branham never said "God was Jesus"? Not once in 1,200 sermons did he ever say that. Now he did say that Jesus was God, but then he would always go on to say Jesus was God because God was dwelling in Him. And then he would quote the Apostle Paul as saying, "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself."
...And did you know that He only said IN one place that "God is Jesus" ? But, then he qualified how "God was Jesus".[8]
Most people will now revert to oneness doctrine to explain it. They will simply say that the man Jesus was God. He's not God, and they are wrong.[9]
Jesus cannot be supreme Deity. He’s not even Deity. When you talk of supreme Deity, you are talking of the word in the Greek, which is ‘theos’, which means ‘supreme Deity’. And, if Jesus is the Son of God, then he’s merely the son of supreme Deity. He is not supreme Deity.[10]
References
- ↑ WE.WOULD.SEE.JESUS_ DALLAS.TEXAS THURSDAY_ 58-0612
- ↑ THE.MESSIAH_ SHREVEPORT.LA TUESDAY_ 61-0117
- ↑ GOD'S.GIFTS.ALWAYS.FIND.THEIR.PLACES_ JEFF.IN V-6 N-13 SUNDAY_ 63-1222
- ↑ PARADOX_ BAKERSFIELD.CA V-22 N-5 THURSDAY_ 64-0206B
- ↑ QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.3_ JEFF.IN COD SUNDAY_ 64-0830M
- ↑ IT.IS.THE.RISING.OF.THE.SUN_ JEFF.IN V-3 N-12 SUNDAY_ 65-0418M
- ↑ Lee Vayle, Godhead: Tape #1500/11-05-2000, Godhead Q&A #4: Tangibility of God
- ↑ Brian Kocourek, #1 07 "IN", January 21st, 2007
- ↑ Brian Kocourek, #45 One Mediator Bewteen, April 4th, 1993
- ↑ Lee Vayle, The Supreme Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, July 1, 2000