The Status of Message Believers: Difference between revisions

Those who leave the message but remain Christians are generally viewed by followers of william Branham as unbelievers, i.e. non-Christians.

The comments we have received from those in the message directed towards us include:

#You could scream all you want for mercy, but like Esau you have sold your birthright. You were predestinated to that like Pharoah. You have crossed the line of mercy willfully.

#You have blasphemed the Holy Ghost

#You are not even fit to be foolish virgins, so what is left?  Hell.

Those that say such things are in danger of condemning themselves as Jesus said that “''God will judge you in the same way as you judge others, and he will apply to you the same rules you apply to others''.”  (Matt 7:2 GNT)

Having spent many years in the message ourselves as Christians, there is no question that we believe that there are many in the message that are sincere Christians.  The comments below reflect that many problems that genuine Christians face in trying to follow William Branham's message.

However, there are also those who have not truly accepted Christ’s sacrifice but rather are resting on William Branham’s message for their salvation.   

Some have a distorted, even heretical, view of basic truths that surely must be believed properly in order to be a Christian.  For example, is it possible for a person to be saved if they do not believe that Jesus Christ was God in flesh?  Certain followers of [[Vaylism|Lee Vayle]] hold to a heretical view of the Godhead – that Jesus Christ was not deity.  Such doctrinal beliefs are against the plain teaching of scripture and, therefore, put those who believe such teachings at risk of missing the basic tenets of the Christian faith.

Further, just as the majority of Christians in the denominational world would have to be classified as lukewarm, so the majority of those in the message would also fall within the same classification as lukewarm.  The message of Revelation 3:16 is crystal clear when the Lord states “''because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth''.”  The peril of the lukewarm is the same, whether in a message church or in a mainstream denominational church.

:''I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell.  I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing.  I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burnt — but if I have no love, this does me no good.  

The legalistic teachings of William Branham have a decidedly negative impact on one’s spiritual development.  So while there are those in the message that have experienced Christ’s redemptive work, they are weighed down by a theology that is inconsistent with Paul’s teachings regarding the grace of Christ.  Paul states that such beliefs can alienate a person from the grace of God – “''Those of you who try to be put right with God by obeying the Law have cut yourselves off from Christ. You are outside God’s grace''.”  (Gal 5:4 GNT)

But what if you are eating a piece of cherry pie and you discover that what you have in your mouth also contains raw sewage - something that '''will''' make you very ill?  At that point of realization, you have to throw out the whole pie and go back to the source of truth - the Bible.  That is what we have done.  We are not pointing anyone to a specific church or to any man.  We are simply urging people to get back to basic Biblical teaching and to find a church that teaches simple Biblical truths.  And, yes, such churches do exist.

William Branham's message is based on lies and false teaching.  if you want some of the major problems we have identified, simply [http://www.youtube.com/user/BelieveTheSign go to our Youtube channel and watch some of the videos we have produced].

William Branham held himself out to be a prophet but '''we have been unable to find one unambiguous prophecy that he stated publicly (i.e. on tape) in advance that was later fulfilled in a clear manner'''. We have found several prophecies that William Branham stated were from God but were clearly not fulfilled. All of these issues are addressed in our apology to message believers entitled "[[Humble Pie]]".  We invite you to read that apology.   

A Christian will always have a healthier spiritual life outside of a faulty belief system, and that is what William Branham taught – a view of the scriptures that is seriously flawed.