Theology

    From BelieveTheSign

    To followers of William Branham, "theology" is a bad word.

    What they fail to realize is that the word "theology" simply means - “The study of God” and is also used as a general term for the study of all the teachings of the Bible.[1]

    What followers of the message also fail to realize is that William Branham recognized that he had a theology and he knew that was what he was teaching.

    William Branham and Theology

    William Branham was fond of ridiculing "theology" and even making it Satanic:

    Oh, oh, certainly they know all the Greek words, and they know the--their education. God isn't known by theology or education. God's knowed by faith. Knowledge takes a man away from God; faith brings him to God. That's what separated him from God in the garden of Eden. He went to the tree of knowledge. [2]
    This is the Satan's superman with education, with wisdom, with church theology of his own word, of his own making, and he rides his white denominational horse to deceive the people. [3]
    Then, Satan got Eve to listen to his gospel of theology, the gospel of knowledge, higher schooling, higher ethics, better civilization, higher education, and so forth; [4]

    William Branham knew that theology could be Biblical

    But he also seemed to realize that theology could be Biblical:

    Now, so then God blessed him. God will bless anyone who will go back to the old landmark of the Bible and start from the Bible, not according to theology ...or some man-made theology, but from true Bible theology, and start from the old landmark and move up, God will move with you. [5]

    William Branham did realize that he had his own theology, and insisted that it was the only correct theology:

    How would God let me tell something wrong, and stand up with my very message. These things are only to indicate a Divine a vindication that my theology is right. That's exactly right. The Word of the Lord came to the prophets. [6]

    Lazy Theology

    William Branham's approach to theology could at times be considered "lazy" or perhaps "sloppy".

    He often did not provide any (or inadequate) scriptural backing for his theological positions and seemed to have little or no proper understanding of differing understandings of scripture.

    Some examples of his lazy theology are as follows:

    References

    1. Systematic Theology: Revised Edition, ed. Stanley M. Horton, 652 (Springfield, MO: Logion Press, 2007).
    2. ISRAEL.AND.THE.CHURCH.2_ JEFF.IN IC 35-64 THURSDAY_ 53-0326
    3. THE.FIRST.SEAL_ JEFF.IN 63-0318
    4. SATAN'S.EDEN JEFF.IN V-2 N-20 65-0829
    5. FATHER.THE.HOUR.HAS.COME_ CHICAGO.IL TUESDAY_ 56-1002A
    6. BE.NOT.AFRAID CHAUTAUQUA.OH 60-0609

    Navigation