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Access to the blood: Difference between revisions
→What are message believers referring to?
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:''I hear Message folk mentioning that they have '''access to the blood through the Word of the Hour'''. Is this correct? If not, why? | :''I hear Message folk mentioning that they have '''access to the blood through the Word of the Hour'''. Is this correct? If not, why? | ||
= | =Access= | ||
The word “access” is found only three times in the New Testament. (Rom. 5:1–2; Eph. 2:18, Eph. 3:12). These three passages teach us four things about access. | |||
#We have access into grace (Rom. 5:2) God’s throne is the throne of grace (Heb 4:16). | |||
#We have access unto the Father (Eph. 2:18). Though He is sovereign, we can still approach Him as a child does a father (Luke 11:11–13, Rom. 8:15). | |||
#We have access through Jesus Christ (I Tim. 2:5). The blood gives us boldness (Heb. 10:19). | |||
#We have access by our faith (Rom. 5:2; Eph 3:12). The essential ingredient is prayer (Heb. 10:22).<ref>Galaxie Software, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Biblical Studies Press, 2002).</ref> | |||
This "access" is available to all Christians. There is NO scriptural support that "access" is available only to people that think William Branham is a prophet. | |||
It should also be noted that the blood is not something that we have access to. Rather, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ provides us access to the things mentioned above. | |||
=What are message believers referring to?= | |||
When a message believer says that the message gives them access to the blood of Christ, what are they really saying? | |||
==The blood signifies salvation== | |||
:'' | Here is what the Bible states that we have through the blood of Christ: | ||
:''Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ro 5:9.</ref> | |||
:''In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Eph 1:7–8.</ref> | |||
:''But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Eph 2:13.</ref> | |||
:''For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. <ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Col 1:19–20.</ref> | |||
:''But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place '''once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.''' The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! | |||
:''For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 9:11–15.</ref> | |||
:''And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 13:12.</ref> | |||
:''Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever...</ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 13:20–21.</ref> | |||
:''To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood...<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Pe 1:1–2.</ref> | |||
The old covenant had an earthly sanctuary and a human priesthood but the sanctuary of the new covenant is heaven itself, and the Great Priest who ministers there is no other than the Son of God. This is “the chief point” of all that the writer of the book of Hebrews has said: | The old covenant had an earthly sanctuary and a human priesthood but the sanctuary of the new covenant is heaven itself, and the Great Priest who ministers there is no other than the Son of God. This is “the chief point” of all that the writer of the book of Hebrews has said: | ||
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:''Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 8:1–2.</ref> | :''Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 8:1–2.</ref> | ||
Our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, made his blood available to all believers "once and for all" as indicated above in Hebrews 9. Thus the blood of Christ is available to all believers when they becom... all who trust in Christ for their salvation and not only those that follow the message of William Branham. | |||
==The blood of Christ and the death of Christ are the same thing== | |||
The death of Jesus Christ provides the same things that the scripture refers to the come from the blood of Christ: | |||
:''He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ro 4:25.</ref> | |||
:''But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ro 5:8–10.</ref> | |||
It is through the atonement surely, that sinners are brought into a state of reconciliation with God. But this, the Scriptures assure us, is effected by the death or blood of Christ. | |||
:''But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Col 1:22–23</ref> | |||
:'' | :''But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 2:9.</ref> | ||
:''For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Pe 3:18.</ref> | |||
== | ==1 John 1:7== | ||
1 John 1:7 states: | 1 John 1:7 states: | ||
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Do message believers exhibit true Christian love? Agape love? | Do message believers exhibit true Christian love? Agape love? | ||
Look at how they treat those that disagree with them. Isn't the answer obvious? | '''Look at how they treat those that disagree with them.''' Isn't the answer obvious? | ||
=Did William Branham add to the Bible?= | =Did William Branham add to the Bible?= | ||
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:''How would you know what's right? The manifestation of the spoken Word of God being made manifest, Light of the hour. Certainly. There is what the evidence of the Holy Spirit is, believing the Word of God when It's manifested. '''He was the Word, manifested.''' And some of them denied It, laughed at It, made fun of Him and called Him a—a fortuneteller, some evil spirit; there is evidence, speaking in tongues, there is evidence of the fruits. The only evidence there is, is when man believe the written Word. When It's vindicated, walk in the Light of It. '''Jesus was the Light of the hour because He was the promised Word of the hour''', and tried to tell them so, but they were too—too much in darkness to understand It. '''So is it, today, now.'''<ref>William Branham, 64-0119 - Shalom, para. 143</ref> | :''How would you know what's right? The manifestation of the spoken Word of God being made manifest, Light of the hour. Certainly. There is what the evidence of the Holy Spirit is, believing the Word of God when It's manifested. '''He was the Word, manifested.''' And some of them denied It, laughed at It, made fun of Him and called Him a—a fortuneteller, some evil spirit; there is evidence, speaking in tongues, there is evidence of the fruits. The only evidence there is, is when man believe the written Word. When It's vindicated, walk in the Light of It. '''Jesus was the Light of the hour because He was the promised Word of the hour''', and tried to tell them so, but they were too—too much in darkness to understand It. '''So is it, today, now.'''<ref>William Branham, 64-0119 - Shalom, para. 143</ref> | ||
But this is not what 1 John 1:7 is talking about. It is not talking about following William Branham or any other man's message. It is talking about following Jesus Christ as the apostle John tells us: | |||
:''And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 1 Jn 3:23–24.</ref> | |||
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