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The Evidence of the Holy Spirit: Difference between revisions
→Details of William Branham's teaching
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William Branham's teaching on the evidence of the Holy Spirit changed significantly over his ministry. | William Branham's teaching on the evidence of the Holy Spirit changed significantly over his ministry. | ||
== | ==First, the Holy Spirit is love== | ||
William Branham initially believed that the Holy Spirit was the love of God and not speaking in tongues: | William Branham initially believed that the Holy Spirit was the love of God and not speaking in tongues: | ||
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:''If you want to know what I think the evidence of the Holy Ghost is, it's love. And that's right. I don't care what else, you can scream, shout, or do whatever you want to, if you haven't got love, Paul said, "You got nothing." That's right. You got to have love to go with this there. You got that without love, you haven't got it yet, 'cause God is love. And no--and there he goes. And up into the country...<ref>GOD'S.PREPARATION_ LOUISVILLE.KY THURSDAY_ 54-0401</ref> | :''If you want to know what I think the evidence of the Holy Ghost is, it's love. And that's right. I don't care what else, you can scream, shout, or do whatever you want to, if you haven't got love, Paul said, "You got nothing." That's right. You got to have love to go with this there. You got that without love, you haven't got it yet, 'cause God is love. And no--and there he goes. And up into the country...<ref>GOD'S.PREPARATION_ LOUISVILLE.KY THURSDAY_ 54-0401</ref> | ||
== | ==Then, it was the fruit of the Spirit== | ||
He later added that the evidence of the Holy Spirit was the fruit of the Spirit (which includes love): | He later added that the evidence of the Holy Spirit was the fruit of the Spirit (which includes love): | ||
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:''Now, don't you get a hold of that. I spoke with tongues, and that's the evidence of the Holy Ghost." If your life... If you can still cut your hair, if you can still do these things the Bible says not do; you could speak with tongues all day and night, and it's still nothing to do with God. '''The tree is known by its fruit.'''<ref>THE.FLASHING.RED.LIGHT.OF.THE.SIGN.OF.HIS.COMING_ JEFF.IN V-5 N-4 SUNDAY_ 63-0623E</ref> | :''Now, don't you get a hold of that. I spoke with tongues, and that's the evidence of the Holy Ghost." If your life... If you can still cut your hair, if you can still do these things the Bible says not do; you could speak with tongues all day and night, and it's still nothing to do with God. '''The tree is known by its fruit.'''<ref>THE.FLASHING.RED.LIGHT.OF.THE.SIGN.OF.HIS.COMING_ JEFF.IN V-5 N-4 SUNDAY_ 63-0623E</ref> | ||
William Branham even went so far as to state: | William Branham even went so far as to state something that was complete nonsense: | ||
:''When it come to being fruits of the Spirit, kind and gentle, '''I guess there wasn't a one of those priest but what could outshine Jesus Christ in it.''' He went to the temple, plaited ropes, looked upon them with anger, and turned over their tables, and run them out of the place. Is that right? The Bible said He looked upon them with anger. The Bible said that. That's exactly right. | :''When it come to being fruits of the Spirit, kind and gentle, '''I guess there wasn't a one of those priest but what could outshine Jesus Christ in it.''' He went to the temple, plaited ropes, looked upon them with anger, and turned over their tables, and run them out of the place. Is that right? The Bible said He looked upon them with anger. The Bible said that. That's exactly right. So see, '''those priest were gentle, meek, understanding men. When it come to the fruits of the Spirit, they could show more fruits of the Spirit than Jesus ever could.'''<ref>William Branham, 64-0823E - Questions And Answers #2, para. 45-46</ref> | ||
== | This last statement is, of course, a completely incorrect statement. | ||
==Finally, the evidence is believing in William Branham== | |||
But then in 1964. William Branham changed his mind again and began teaching that the evidence of the Holy Spirit was believing William Branham's message: | But then in 1964. William Branham changed his mind again and began teaching that the evidence of the Holy Spirit was believing William Branham's message: | ||
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However, this passage can only be interpreted properly by the context of Jesus' words. Who was he speaking to? The disciples! When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit did lead them into all truth and they wrote it down on paper to form the New Testament, the source of truth for Christians. It is clear that the apostles were the divinely authorized agents through which the Holy Spirit proclaimed the final revelation of Jesus Christ. | However, this passage can only be interpreted properly by the context of Jesus' words. Who was he speaking to? The disciples! When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit did lead them into all truth and they wrote it down on paper to form the New Testament, the source of truth for Christians. It is clear that the apostles were the divinely authorized agents through which the Holy Spirit proclaimed the final revelation of Jesus Christ. | ||
Indeed, the apostles claimed this revelatory power (John 20:31; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Thess. 4:2; 2 Thess. 2:2; 1 John 2:19; 4:6), claiming the church was “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:20). The early church recognized this authority and “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). The apostles were the eyewitnesses of Christ (Acts 1:22), even Paul (1 Cor. 9:1; 15:5–9). Since these divinely authorized channels of “all truth” died in the first century, it follows that divine revelation ceased with them. If revelation ceased, there was no longer a need for | Indeed, the apostles claimed this revelatory power (John 20:31; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Thess. 4:2; 2 Thess. 2:2; 1 John 2:19; 4:6), claiming the church was “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:20). The early church recognized this authority and “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). The apostles were the eyewitnesses of Christ (Acts 1:22), even Paul (1 Cor. 9:1; 15:5–9). Since these divinely authorized channels of “all truth” died in the first century, it follows that divine revelation ceased with them. If revelation ceased, there was no longer a need for new revelation.<ref>Norman L. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Baker Reference Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 471.</ref> | ||