Justification, Sanctification, and the Holy Spirit
One of the most destructive concepts taught by William Branham was his concept of the new birth, which was something that you had to earn by your conduct.
What William Branham taught
Salvation
William Branham taught that salvation was made up of Justification, Sanctification and finally the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Justification
William Branham often dismissed justification as a thing of the past, and that anybody can be justified. His view was that justification (like salvation) is something that you may lose at some point. The Lutherans had it hundreds of years ago, so it must not be too important. This of course makes one a borderline believer (like Judas or those who perished in the wilderness) until you make it to the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Sanctification
William Branham used a boxcar analogy to teach that a person wasn't sealed in (filled with the Holy Ghost or truly born again) until all of the loose stuff in the boxcar was packed tightly (sanctification). Then, when God sees that you mean business and that your prayer life is right - you don't smoke, wear shorts ( ___________ fill in the blank here with your personal weakness) - then, and only then, can you be born again.
The burden was placed on our shoulders instead of Christ, and essentially makes the cross of non effect, and presents a different gospel.
Filled with the Holy Spirit
I found the concept of "two salvations" in the message interesting: first there is basic salvation and then there is receiving the New Birth/Holy Ghost. It's like a loophole so that there might possibly be salvation for people outside the message, yet Message Believers feel that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is only for those who follow the teachings of William Branham (with his "special revelations".)
His analogy was that you are a dirty glass, and that you have to be cleaned and polished without a spot and set aside for service. Then when you're perfect, the Holy Spirit can be poured into you. What he missed is that it is the Holy Spirit that makes us clean.
The Kicker is....once you finally get good enough to be born again THEN you have faith: which is the bottom platform of the Pyramid (as William Branham taught) of the "stature of the perfect man". This means you have to start to work your way into the new birth, which is the climb up the "pyramid" by adding to your faith (or new birth) the virtues Peter mentions. Then, after you do that then you can receive the "True Baptism of the Holy Ghost" and God "caps off the pyramid of your life". This is when you can finally use the third pull and speak stuff into existence.
Quotes and questions
Quotes from the Seals and Leadership
- “Justification, sanctification, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the last three messages, the last three church ages forms the complete Birth…You can justified without being sanctified. You can be sanctified without receiving the Holy Ghost. That’s exactly.” (Seven Seals)
- “The disciples in John 17:17, was sanctified and given power to cast out devils, but still didn’t have the Holy Ghost.”
- “And you accept the Holy Spirit by faith, but then let the Holy Spirit come and give the circumcision as a witness that He's accepted your faith. You see?” (Fourth Seal)
- "The choice of your conduct. You could... You can't mix it now. You're either for God or against God, and the outward expressions shows exactly what's on the inside. See? The cocklebur... Many of you think, "I got the baptism of the Holy Ghost, I'm going to Heaven." That don't mean one thing that you're going to Heaven. No, sir. You can have the baptism of the Holy Ghost every hour in your life, and still be lost and go to hell. The Bible says so. Uh-huh, that's exactly right." (Leadership, December 7, 1965)
Questions
- If the disciples could cast out devils without the Holy Ghost, how can you be sure that William Branham had the Holy Ghost?
- Did William Branham insinuate that John Wesley and Martin Luther (and everyone in their 'Church Ages') did not have the Holy Spirit?. If the Holy Spirit fell on Pentecost almost 2,000 years ago, why did Jesus say "I will never leave you"?
- Did William Branham fall from grace when he required that people reform to his code of conduct? Why was receiving the Holy Ghost (God himself) not good enough?
- Didn't William Branham teach that "Sanctification" is conduct? Why would he then say that your conduct is what gives you eternal security, and not the Holy Spirit?
- Who saves you? If you are saved by your conduct, than you had better be sinless.
- Will living piously simply make you a Christian Pharisee?
More quotes of William Branham
- The first thing, there's a glass laying out in the hog pen, chicken yard, whatever it is. You want to use it. The first thing, you pick it up. That's justification. You've got it in your hand. You can't use it yet; it needs to be cleansed. Then you take it in; you wash it, sterilize it, boil it, and takes all the germs and the--out of it. That's what God does through sanctification: takes all the desire of sin out of your heart, cleans you up. And then you are a candidate for the filling of the Holy Spirit. See? Then the word "sanctify" means "to be cleansed and set aside for service." That's the Old Testament: the altar sanctified the vessels. And cleansed and set aside for service is not "in service." It's "set aside for service." And when it's "in service," "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled." The Holy Spirit comes in and fills up that vessel till running over, bubbling over, and then you're "in" the service of the Lord.[1]
- You are not converted until you've received the Holy Ghost... And in John 17:17, Jesus sanctified them through the Word,… He said, "Father (speaking to the Spirit in Him), I sanctify them through the Word."… He said, "Don't rejoice because the devils is subject unto you, but rejoice because your name's in the Book." And Judas was with them. See how close he can come, right on up through justification, move right on into sanctification, but where did he show his light? Where did he show hisself? Before Pentecost he showed his colors…
- Peter had been saved; he believed on the Lord, followed Him. Jesus told him who he was, had him to follow Him. He gave him power against unclean spirits and sanctified him. But after all of that... And become the chief spokesman of the group, as the Catholics would want to call it, the bishop of the church, or the pope, or whatever it was, the head man of the church. Yet Jesus said the night of His betrayal..."Before the cock has crowed three times, you'll--before the cock crows, you'll have denied Me three times."
- He said, "But, Peter, I've prayed for you." Listen. That's not all of it. "I have prayed for you, and after you are converted, then strengthen your brethren." After you are converted... He had shouted; he had probably danced in the Spirit; he--he had done all kinds of things, but he hadn't received the Holy Ghost yet. "After you are converted, then strengthen your brethren." That's true. Carry out His plan.[2]
- And so is it in the spiritual realm. It's water; justification by faith, believing on God, receiving Him as your personal Saviour, and being baptized. Second, is sanctification of the spirit, that God cleanses the spirit from all elements of the world, and the desire of the world. And then the Holy Spirit comes in and gives new Birth and fills up that sanctified vessel.
- For instance, like this. Now, that, I told you. What you don't believe, lay aside, then take the pie. Notice. Now, a--a glass is laying out in the chicken yard. You don't just pick that up and put on your table and fill it up with water or milk. No. By picking it up, is justification. Cleansing it, is sanctification, 'cause the Greek word sanctify is a compound word, which means "cleansed, and set aside for service." Not in service; for service. Then when you fill it, it is put in service.[3]
Footnotes