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A response to Jason Watkins' letter to a believer who has left the message: Difference between revisions
A response to Jason Watkins' letter to a believer who has left the message (view source)
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{{Defenders}} | {{Defenders}} | ||
=Jason Watkins' Defense of the Message= | |||
Jason Watkins is the pastor of [[Bethel Tabernacle]], a message church in Beaufort, South Carolina. He has no formal theological training, which is a badge of honor in [[The Message|the message]]. | |||
On December 22, 2019, in a post on Facebook, Jason Watkins provided a copy of a letter that he stated was written by "a man in Christ who had a dear friend of many years who was departing the faith once delivered to the saints." We have confirmed with the recipient of the letter that the original letter was actually from Jason Watkins himself. We cannot comment on why Jason Watkins did not simply state on his Facebook post that the letter was originally written by him. | |||
The entire letter that was posted by Jason Watkins is reprinted at the bottom of this page. In it, among other things, Jason Watkins issues a challenge which we respond to below. | |||
Additionally, one of the co-hosts of the Off The Shelf podcast contacted Jason Watkins to respond to his challenge directly. A copy of his emails to Jason can be found by clicking [[A Discussion with Jason Watkins|here]]. | |||
==A response to the challenge issued by Jason Watkins== | |||
Jason Watkins states (incorrectly): | |||
:''I have made a challenge around the world for my many years of ministry. Preaching this very message on six of the seven continents of the earth myself personally. I have challenged all to disprove any single doctrine from the message that William Branham brought to us. I have never found anyone who can do it. They can’t do it, you can’t do it, I can’t do it, no one can do it. | |||
We have highlighted many doctrinal problems with William Branham's doctrines. Our complete list can be viewed by clicking [[List of Issues with the Message#Are William Branham's teachings in agreement with the Bible?|here]]. | |||
=A summary of our response to Jason Watkins= | =A summary of our response to Jason Watkins= | ||
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:''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! | :''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! | ||
AND | :AND | ||
Matthew 17:10-13 (HCSB) | Matthew 17:10-13 (HCSB) | ||
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Luke 16:16 (HCSB) | 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 | :AND | ||
Matthew 11:13-15 (HCSB) | 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: | 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) | 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... | 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... | ||
Now, are there prophets in the NEW COVENANT? YES, ABSOLUTELY!!! Paul the Apostle | Now, are there prophets in the NEW COVENANT? YES, ABSOLUTELY!!! Paul the Apostle instructs us here: | ||
Ephesians 4:11-13 (HCSB) | Ephesians 4:11-13 (HCSB) | ||
:''And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. | |||
But they are not the access required | But they are not the access required for God's People to hear from God, and they behave differently as is discussed here: | ||
1 Corinthians 14:29-33a (HCSB) | 1 Corinthians 14:29-33a (HCSB) | ||
:''Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate. | |||
:''But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. | |||
:''For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged. | |||
:''And the prophets’ spirits are under the control of the prophets, since God is not a God of disorder but of peace... | |||
Here we see that the prophets are to be | Here we see that the prophets are to be judged by the church and they never lie in the Lord's Name (as Branham did numerous times), they never teach that which directly opposes the Word of God (as Branham did multiple times), and the visions and prophecies which they speak ALWAY come to pass (we can't find a single instance where what Branham said as a vision or prophecy BEFORE THE EVENT actually came to pass). | ||
There is no requirement for a Gentile prophet | There is no requirement for a Gentile prophet. | ||
=A detailed response to Jason Watkins' defense of the message= | |||
=A response to Jason Watkins' defense of the message= | |||
The following is our detailed response to his defense of the message. | The following is our detailed response to his defense of the message. | ||
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:''Philippians 3:18 18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Now you feel disdain for the message because of their actions, but don't forget that they have defamed Christ as well. Do you also feel disdain toward Christ because of unfaithful men who claimed to believe and follow him falsely? Would you now forsake him because of his so-called followers who were false? | :''Philippians 3:18 18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Now you feel disdain for the message because of their actions, but don't forget that they have defamed Christ as well. Do you also feel disdain toward Christ because of unfaithful men who claimed to believe and follow him falsely? Would you now forsake him because of his so-called followers who were false? | ||
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'''Facebook post from Jason Watkins''' (in its entirety) | '''Facebook post from Jason Watkins''' (in its entirety) | ||
December 22, 2019 | |||
:''Please note that while Jason Watkins stated that this was a letter written by "a man in Christ who had a dear friend of many years who was departing the faith once delivered to the saints", we have confirmed with the recipient of the letter that the original letter was actually from Jason Watkins himself. We cannot comment on why Jason Watkins did not simply state on his Facebook post that the letter was originally written by him. | |||
'''December 22, 2019''' | |||
I knew a man in Christ who had a dear friend of many years who was departing the faith once delivered to the saints. He wrote to him from his heart. He still prays for him and hopes it is not too late. Here is that man's letter to his friend. | I knew a man in Christ who had a dear friend of many years who was departing the faith once delivered to the saints. He wrote to him from his heart. He still prays for him and hopes it is not too late. Here is that man's letter to his friend. | ||