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A response to Tim Pruitt's Defense of William Branham: Difference between revisions

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A response to Tim Pruitt's Defense of William Branham (view source)

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{{Defenders}}
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=A summary of our response to Tim Pruitt=
Pruitt's argument can be summarized in three points...
==1. The message is an extension of the Bible==
The message is part of (or an extension of) the Bible... no message, no ability to understand the Bible.  Clearly this comes from Branham's assertion that you '''NEED''' someone like a Gentile Prophet to TELL YOU what God's Word and the Holy Spirit are revealing to you... 
In OLD TESTAMENT times, there were only two ways for God to speak to His people:
#at the time when the High Priests offered sacrifice for the people in the Holy of Holies, and
#when God gave specific instructions to His prophets. 
But we are in a NEW COVENANT which was ushered in by Jesus Christ Himself when this happened:
Matthew 27:50-51 (HCSB)
:''Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.  Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split.
Notice here that the curtain in the sactuary, the veil which separated everyone EXCEPT the High Priest from God was torn from top to bottom giving EVERYONE direct access to God Himself.
And then we know that Jesus told us in advance that a NEW COVENANT would be arriving when Jesus Christ tells us this:
Luke 16:16 (HCSB)
:''“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is strongly urged to enter it."
AND--
Matthew 11:13-15 (HCSB)
:''For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John; if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. Anyone who has ears should listen!
The Apostle Paul reaffirms this after Christ died on the cross when he writes his letter to the Hebrew church:
Hebrews 1:1-3 (HCSB)
:''Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways.
:''In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him.
:''The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Both Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul tell us that the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are our direct access to God... NO PROPHETS REQUIRED...
==2. William Branham was just a person==
Branham was just a person... he made mistakes... and his sermons were not the LITERAL Voice of God as is asserted by the Branham Family... what lays this open is this:
1 Samuel 3:19-20 (KJV)
:''And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.  And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
This is how a prophet is vindicated by God... the fact that Branham's words "FELL TO THE GROUND" when his visions and prophecies did not come to pass he demonstrated all by himself that he did not qualify as a prophet of God.
And for Branham having to behave a certain way in order for God's instructions to a true prophet to have come to pass is ludicrous... Jonah is instructive here... Jonah did EVERYTHING HE COULD ON PURPOSE to avoid delivering the exact message that God wanted delivered... and God put Jonah back in the position to deliver the exact message God wanted delivered where God instructed him to deliver it... the notion that a human being has to do something to make God's Word come to pass is absurd...
==3. William Branham made no claims of infallibility==
That William Branham made no claims of infallibility is completely incorrect on its face.
:''BUT I DENY UPON THE INFALLIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE WORD THAT THERE IS MORE THAN ONE MAJOR PROPHET-MESSENGER WHO WILL REVEAL THE MYSTERIES AS CONTAINED IN THE WORD, AND WHO HAS THE MINISTRY TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN TO THE FATHERS. "Thus saith the Lord" by His unfailing Word stands, and shall stand and be vindicated. There is one prophet-messenger to this age. On the basis of human behavior alone, anyone knows that where there are many people there is even divided opinion on lesser points of a major doctrine which they all hold together. Who then will have the power of infallibility which is to be restored in this last age, for this last age is going to go back to manifesting the Pure Word Bride? That means we will have the Word once again as it was perfectly given, and perfectly understood in the days of Paul. I will tell you who will have it. It will be a prophet as thoroughly vindicated, or even more thoroughly vindicated than was any prophet in all the ages from Enoch to this day, because this man will of necessity have the capstone prophetic ministry, and God will shew him forth. He won't need to speak for himself, God will speak for him by the voice of the sign. Amen.<ref>An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Chapter Nine - The Laodicean Church Age</ref>
He also said this:
:''Look what it puts me before, when I'm up there before the public. Look at that. What about one error on that? See? Because I trust Him. See? I trust Him. Someone say, "You afraid of a mistake, Brother Branham." No, no, huh-uh, ain't afraid of a mistake. I believe Him. He is my Protection. I'm ordained to do this, so I'll stay right there.
If God's ordained you to do something, then He's your Protection. See, He will protect you. If He's sent you, He'll back up your word. You're an ambassador then. You're ambassador with the gift of tongues; you're ambassador with the gift of interpretation; you're ambassador with the gift of discernment, the three of you. See what I mean? Then what have you got? You got a solid church. You wouldn't fear standing yet no more than yesterday.<ref>QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS_ JEFF.IN COD THURSDAY_ 61-0112</ref>
Yet, we know that true prophets of God NEVER teach what directly opposes Scripture, prophets NEVER lie in the Name of the Lord, and what prophets proclaim as visions and prophecies, NEVER fail...
The entire starting point of Pruitt's letter is absurd.
His RED HERRING statement is ridiculous. Scripture doesn't say that a prophet KNOWS everthing. That isn't an argument which is made by this website EVER.  What IS clear however is that a prophet NEVER teaches ANYTHING that God doesn't give to him, which means that it NEVER opposes God's Word.
=A detailed response to Tim Pruitt's article=


By way of introduction, we as editors should state our bias upfront.  Some of us interacted with Tim Pruitt when we were in the message as he visited our assembly occasionally.  We also interacted with him directly when the leadership of our church (3 associate ministers, all of the trustees and 10 out of 11 of the deacons) asked for the resignation of our pastor as the result of a discovery that he had covered up the sexual abuse of a minor and had been dishonest in his communications with the board of the church.
By way of introduction, we as editors should state our bias upfront.  Some of us interacted with Tim Pruitt when we were in the message as he visited our assembly occasionally.  We also interacted with him directly when the leadership of our church (3 associate ministers, all of the trustees and 10 out of 11 of the deacons) asked for the resignation of our pastor as the result of a discovery that he had covered up the sexual abuse of a minor and had been dishonest in his communications with the board of the church.
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However, with our biases on the table, we will attempt to address Tim Pruitt's defense of William Branham.
However, with our biases on the table, we will attempt to address Tim Pruitt's defense of William Branham.


==Deuteronomy 18:20-22 did not apply to William Branham==
=Deuteronomy 18:20-22 did not apply to William Branham=


A true Prophet must be 100% accurate.  There is absolutely no margin for error.
A true Prophet must be 100% accurate.  There is absolutely no margin for error.
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:''William Branham could miss visions that the Lord had given him, and because of disobedience cause them not to be fulfilled as promised and would feel the need to repent before God and his church asking God for pardon of his stupidity.
:''William Branham could miss visions that the Lord had given him, and because of disobedience cause them not to be fulfilled as promised and would feel the need to repent before God and his church asking God for pardon of his stupidity.


But the Bible does not provide for such an excuse.
But as we have shown, the Bible does not provide for such an excuse.
 


==How to discount a failed prophecy in one sentence==
=How to discount a failed prophecy in one sentence=


William Branham's story of the miraculous municipal bridge vision was one of his reasons that we should accept him as a "vindicated prophet."  The [[The Municipal Bridge Vision|clear failure of this prophecy has also been well documented]].  if you are unfamiliar with the research on this important failed prophecy, please [[The Municipal Bridge Vision|click here]].
William Branham's story of the miraculous municipal bridge vision was one of his reasons that we should accept him as a "vindicated prophet."  The [[The Municipal Bridge Vision|clear failure of this prophecy has also been well documented]].  if you are unfamiliar with the research on this important failed prophecy, please [[The Municipal Bridge Vision|click here]].
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:''Can you imagine discounting any man’s ministry over a story of a bridge as remembered by 5 or 6 year old?  
:''Can you imagine discounting any man’s ministry over a story of a bridge as remembered by 5 or 6 year old?  


==The Cloud fiasco discounted in a single paragraph==
=The Cloud fiasco discounted in a single paragraph=


:''No matter what the controversy of the cloud, William Branham was caught up in the midst of the 7 angels and the Seven Seals were revealed...  So, perhaps we don’t understand perfectly about the cloud and because of that, we are unable to put all the pieces together – reasoning will say that Bro. Branham didn’t either, yet the very first time he shows the picture and tells of the event to his church, it didn’t offend God nor cause God to forsake him, God was there and raised Edmund Way from the dead in the very same service. If someone has a better explanation than the prophet did of the cloud, let them raise the dead and then maybe I will give some credence to their explanation. I don’t need to understand every detail, I already believe.
:''No matter what the controversy of the cloud, William Branham was caught up in the midst of the 7 angels and the Seven Seals were revealed...  So, perhaps we don’t understand perfectly about the cloud and because of that, we are unable to put all the pieces together – reasoning will say that Bro. Branham didn’t either, yet the very first time he shows the picture and tells of the event to his church, it didn’t offend God nor cause God to forsake him, God was there and raised Edmund Way from the dead in the very same service. If someone has a better explanation than the prophet did of the cloud, let them raise the dead and then maybe I will give some credence to their explanation. I don’t need to understand every detail, I already believe.
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=Belief in the message is required to properly believe the Bible=
==Belief in the message is required to properly believe the Bible==


Tim Pruitt states:
Tim Pruitt states:
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:''This is why we believe in Elijah’s coming in this day, because the Bible said he would. Greater than any testimony that William Branham gave is the Word of God that testifies of him. The same Word testifies of us and I believe what it says irregardless (sic) of how I feel, what I see or what I hear.
:''This is why we believe in Elijah’s coming in this day, because the Bible said he would. Greater than any testimony that William Branham gave is the Word of God that testifies of him. The same Word testifies of us and I believe what it says irregardless (sic) of how I feel, what I see or what I hear.
=A summary of our response to Tim Pruitt=
Pruitt's argument can be summarized in three points...
==1. The message is an extension of the Bible==
The message is part of (or an extension of) the Bible... no message, no ability to understand the Bible.  Clearly this comes from Branham's assertion that you '''NEED''' someone like a Gentile Prophet to TELL YOU what God's Word and the Holy Spirit are revealing to you... 
In OLD TESTAMENT times, there were only two ways for God to speak to His people:
#at the time when the High Priests offered sacrifice for the people in the Holy of Holies, and
#when God gave specific instructions to His prophets. 
But we are in a NEW COVENANT which was ushered in by Jesus Christ Himself when this happened:
Matthew 27:50-51 (HCSB)
:''Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.  Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split.
Notice here that the curtain in the sactuary, the veil which separated everyone EXCEPT the High Priest from God was torn from top to bottom giving EVERYONE direct access to God Himself.
And then we know that Jesus told us in advance that a NEW COVENANT would be arriving when Jesus Christ tells us this:
Luke 16:16 (HCSB)
:''“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is strongly urged to enter it."
AND--
Matthew 11:13-15 (HCSB)
:''For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John; if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come. Anyone who has ears should listen!
The Apostle Paul reaffirms this after Christ died on the cross when he writes his letter to the Hebrew church:
Hebrews 1:1-3 (HCSB)
:''Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways.
:''In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him.
:''The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Both Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul tell us that the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are our direct access to God... NO PROPHETS REQUIRED...
==2. William Branham was just a person==
Branham was just a person... he made mistakes... and his sermons were not the LITERAL Voice of God as is asserted by the Branham Family... what lays this open is this:
1 Samuel 3:19-20 (KJV)
:''And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.  And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
This is how a prophet is vindicated by God... the fact that Branham's words "FELL TO THE GROUND" when his visions and prophecies did not come to pass he demonstrated all by himself that he did not qualify as a prophet of God.
And for Branham having to behave a certain way in order for God's instructions to a true prophet to have come to pass is ludicrous... Jonah is instructive here... Jonah did EVERYTHING HE COULD ON PURPOSE to avoid delivering the exact message that God wanted delivered... and God put Jonah back in the position to deliver the exact message God wanted delivered where God instructed him to deliver it... the notion that a human being has to do something to make God's Word come to pass is absurd...
==3. William Branham made no claims of infallibility==
That William Branham made no claims of infallibility is completely incorrect on its face.
:''BUT I DENY UPON THE INFALLIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE WORD THAT THERE IS MORE THAN ONE MAJOR PROPHET-MESSENGER WHO WILL REVEAL THE MYSTERIES AS CONTAINED IN THE WORD, AND WHO HAS THE MINISTRY TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN TO THE FATHERS. "Thus saith the Lord" by His unfailing Word stands, and shall stand and be vindicated. There is one prophet-messenger to this age. On the basis of human behavior alone, anyone knows that where there are many people there is even divided opinion on lesser points of a major doctrine which they all hold together. Who then will have the power of infallibility which is to be restored in this last age, for this last age is going to go back to manifesting the Pure Word Bride? That means we will have the Word once again as it was perfectly given, and perfectly understood in the days of Paul. I will tell you who will have it. It will be a prophet as thoroughly vindicated, or even more thoroughly vindicated than was any prophet in all the ages from Enoch to this day, because this man will of necessity have the capstone prophetic ministry, and God will shew him forth. He won't need to speak for himself, God will speak for him by the voice of the sign. Amen.<ref>An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Chapter Nine - The Laodicean Church Age</ref>
He also said this:
:''Look what it puts me before, when I'm up there before the public. Look at that. What about one error on that? See? Because I trust Him. See? I trust Him. Someone say, "You afraid of a mistake, Brother Branham." No, no, huh-uh, ain't afraid of a mistake. I believe Him. He is my Protection. I'm ordained to do this, so I'll stay right there.
If God's ordained you to do something, then He's your Protection. See, He will protect you. If He's sent you, He'll back up your word. You're an ambassador then. You're ambassador with the gift of tongues; you're ambassador with the gift of interpretation; you're ambassador with the gift of discernment, the three of you. See what I mean? Then what have you got? You got a solid church. You wouldn't fear standing yet no more than yesterday.<ref>QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS_ JEFF.IN COD THURSDAY_ 61-0112</ref>
Yet, we know that true prophets of God NEVER teach what directly opposes Scripture, prophets NEVER lie in the Name of the Lord, and what prophets proclaim as visions and prophecies, NEVER fail...
The entire starting point of Pruitt's letter is absurd.
His RED HERRING statement is ridiculous. Scripture doesn't say that a prophet KNOWS everthing. That isn't an argument which is made by this website EVER.  What IS clear however is that a prophet NEVER teaches ANYTHING that God doesn't give to him, which means that it NEVER opposes God's Word.


=Tim Pruitt's original article=
=Tim Pruitt's original article=
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