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William Branham and the nature of God: Difference between revisions

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</ref>, but is usually a term for “what” God is, rather than “who” God is.  At its greatest depth, knowing about someone is much less rewarding that knowing someone.  Still, it is a start.
</ref>, but is usually a term for “what” God is, rather than “who” God is.  At its greatest depth, knowing about someone is much less rewarding that knowing someone.  Still, it is a start.


We do not spend time in this article highlighting the problems with William Branham's beliefs. The purpose of this article is simply to highlight what he believed.
We do not spend time in this article highlighting the problems with William Branham's beliefs. That discussion is contained in other articles in this series, which can be accessed from the links at the top of the page and attempt to point out specific problem areas with William Branham's belief system. .  The purpose of this article is simply to highlight what he believed.
 
Other articles in this series, which can be accessed from the tabs at the top of the page, attempt to point out specific problem areas with William Branham's belief system.  


=The Godhead and Respect=
=The Godhead and Respect=
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:''Now notice! And after then the wise men identifying Him what He would be, and we find through the Scripture that's exactly what He was: Deity in service for death. What for? Deity in service to God for death. Jesus was Deity in service for death, to redeem the world. But what did the world do to It? They refused It. They rejected It. Why? Some of them, a big part of them, did that because this: because He did die! They said, "He couldn't be Deity and die." '''The Man (the body) was not Deity, but Deity was in the body'''. This body has to perish. The very Christ that's in you is the only thing that can raise you up. That's Deity, God in you.<ref>William Branham, December 22, 1963, God's Gifts </ref>
:''Now notice! And after then the wise men identifying Him what He would be, and we find through the Scripture that's exactly what He was: Deity in service for death. What for? Deity in service to God for death. Jesus was Deity in service for death, to redeem the world. But what did the world do to It? They refused It. They rejected It. Why? Some of them, a big part of them, did that because this: because He did die! They said, "He couldn't be Deity and die." '''The Man (the body) was not Deity, but Deity was in the body'''. This body has to perish. The very Christ that's in you is the only thing that can raise you up. That's Deity, God in you.<ref>William Branham, December 22, 1963, God's Gifts </ref>


=Branhamism and Swedenborgianism=
==William Branham and [[Nestorianism]]==
 
[[Nestorianism]] is basically the doctrine that Jesus existed as two persons, the man Jesus and the divine Son of God, rather than as a unified person. William Branham's teaching on the nature of Christ was clearly tainted by Nestorianism. It is even more clearly developed in the teachings of Lee Vayle.
 
:''God was in Him. '''He was a man, but He was a—a dual Person. One, He was a man; the Spirit in Him was God.'''<ref>William Marrion Branham, 59-1129 - Let Us See God</ref>
 
==Branhamism and Swedenborgianism==


When you distill everything down, it appears that William Branham taught a view of the Godhead that was most similar to that taught by '''Emmanual Swedenborg'''.  The '''New Church''' (as followers of Emmanual Swedenborg have branded themselves) make the following claim about the Godhead:
When you distill everything down, it appears that William Branham taught a view of the Godhead that was similar to that taught by '''Emmanual Swedenborg'''.  The '''New Church''' (as followers of Emmanual Swedenborg have branded themselves) make the following claim about the Godhead:


:''There are not three gods, nor three persons in one God, but rather one God with three aspects to His being. Just as we all have a soul, a body and the actions of our lives (and are one person), so it is with God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are names given for the soul, body and activity of the Lord God Jesus Christ.'' ~ http://www.newchurch.org/beliefs/god  
:''There are not three gods, nor three persons in one God, but rather one God with three aspects to His being. Just as we all have a soul, a body and the actions of our lives (and are one person), so it is with God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are names given for the soul, body and activity of the Lord God Jesus Christ.'' ~ http://www.newchurch.org/beliefs/god