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The Message: Difference between revisions
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Later in this article, we will look at what message believers think of themselves. But the question is what is their actual status? '''Are message believers special? Are they the true Bride of Christ? Or are they members of a cult?''' | Later in this article, we will look at what message believers think of themselves. But the question is what is their actual status? '''Are message believers special? Are they the true Bride of Christ? Or are they members of a cult?''' | ||
=Is the message a cult?= | |||
Some people refer to the followers of William Branham as "Branhamites" or members of the Branham cult. But are they? | Some people refer to the followers of William Branham as "Branhamites" or members of the Branham cult. But are they? | ||
==What is a cult?== | |||
A “cult” has been defined as a religious group founded by and built upon the teachings of a religious leader whose authority is viewed as being equal to or greater than the Bible and whose teachings are in opposition to the doctrines of biblical and historic Christianity. | A “cult” has been defined as a religious group founded by and built upon the teachings of a religious leader whose authority is viewed as being equal to or greater than the Bible and whose teachings are in opposition to the doctrines of biblical and historic Christianity. | ||
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The '''issue of religious authority''' is the most basic problem one encounters when witnessing to a cultist. While the child of God looks to the Scriptures as the ultimate standard by which to decide religious truth, '''the cultist looks to his leader to decide the truth for him'''. As long as the Christian and the cultist are looking to different religious authorities, there is no common ground between them where they can begin.<ref>Robert A. Morey, How to Answer a Mormon: Practical Guidelines for What to Expect and What to Reply When the Mormons Come to Your Door (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1983), 12–13.</ref> | The '''issue of religious authority''' is the most basic problem one encounters when witnessing to a cultist. While the child of God looks to the Scriptures as the ultimate standard by which to decide religious truth, '''the cultist looks to his leader to decide the truth for him'''. As long as the Christian and the cultist are looking to different religious authorities, there is no common ground between them where they can begin.<ref>Robert A. Morey, How to Answer a Mormon: Practical Guidelines for What to Expect and What to Reply When the Mormons Come to Your Door (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1983), 12–13.</ref> | ||
===Do message believers put William Branham's teachings on par with the Bible?=== | |||
It is clear that some followers of William Branham believe that he was Jesus Christ. Many followers of William Branham do put his sermons on equal standing with the Bible because they believe that he was infallible. These groups would include most of the followers of Joseph Branham. | It is clear that some followers of William Branham believe that he was Jesus Christ. Many followers of William Branham do put his sermons on equal standing with the Bible because they believe that he was infallible. These groups would include most of the followers of Joseph Branham. | ||
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So the answer is '''"YES", the followers of William Branham hold his teachings on par with, or above, the Bible'''. | So the answer is '''"YES", the followers of William Branham hold his teachings on par with, or above, the Bible'''. | ||
===Are William Branham's teaching in opposition to Biblical Christianity?=== | |||
[[The Status of Message Believers|We believe that some message believers are Christians]]. This is because some message churches do believe in and teach the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the only means for the forgiveness of sins. However, that does not mean that the message represents true or restored Christianity. | [[The Status of Message Believers|We believe that some message believers are Christians]]. This is because some message churches do believe in and teach the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the only means for the forgiveness of sins. However, that does not mean that the message represents true or restored Christianity. | ||
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As a result of the above, '''it is clear that "message believers" are members of a cult.''' | As a result of the above, '''it is clear that "message believers" are members of a cult.''' | ||
=Is the "Bride" a special category of Christian?= | |||
William Branham was not the only one in our age to use the parables of Jesus to split the Church into various groups, such as the bride, the friends of the bridegroom, the virgins, the guests, and the servants. Many exclusive groups do this to make themselves feel special. But this is pressing the analogy too far. We must be careful that we do not become like Nicodemus when he pressed the analogy of birth too far by asking how we could go back into our mothers’ wombs and be born again (John 3:4). | William Branham was not the only one in our age to use the parables of Jesus to split the Church into various groups, such as the bride, the friends of the bridegroom, the virgins, the guests, and the servants. Many exclusive groups do this to make themselves feel special. But this is pressing the analogy too far. We must be careful that we do not become like Nicodemus when he pressed the analogy of birth too far by asking how we could go back into our mothers’ wombs and be born again (John 3:4). | ||
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Some have suggested that John refers to an elite group of Christians who have reached a special status in which they no longer sin. But the text does not restrict godly living to a special group of Christians but rather claims that all believers without exception — anyone born of God — do not sin. Hence, a spiritual elite cannot be in view here. <ref>Thomas R. Schreiner, New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 567.</ref> | Some have suggested that John refers to an elite group of Christians who have reached a special status in which they no longer sin. But the text does not restrict godly living to a special group of Christians but rather claims that all believers without exception — anyone born of God — do not sin. Hence, a spiritual elite cannot be in view here. <ref>Thomas R. Schreiner, New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 567.</ref> | ||
==What William Branham taught== | |||
William Branham taught that all denominational churches were false and that only by following William Branham would a person be truly in the church: | William Branham taught that all denominational churches were false and that only by following William Branham would a person be truly in the church: | ||