The Message: Difference between revisions

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    The '''Message''' or the '''Message of the Hour''' is how followers of William Branham refer to his teachings. It is also how they refer to themselves generally as a movement.  If you are "'''in the message'''" then you consider yourself a true follower of William Branham and a true follower of God.
    The '''Message''' or the '''Message of the Hour''' is how followers of William Branham refer to his teachings. It is also how they refer to themselves generally as a movement.  If you are "'''in the message'''" then you consider yourself a true follower of William Branham and a true follower of God.


    =The true status of followers of William Branham=
    =The real status of followers of William Branham=


    We will cover in some detail as to what message believers think of themselves.  But the question is what is their actual status?  '''Are message believers special 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?==
    ==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?
    ===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?===
    ====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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    #Message believers hold that the only true evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is believing the Word for your hour.  This means the teachings of William Branham.  As a result, if you think that William Branham's message has any significant errors, it proves that you don't have the Holy Spirit.
    #Message believers hold that the only true evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is believing the Word for your hour.  This means the teachings of William Branham.  As a result, if you think that William Branham's message has any significant errors, it proves that you don't have the Holy Spirit.


    ==Are William Branham's teaching in opposition to Biblical Christianity?==
    ====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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    *But some of his teaching also leans toward  an [[Dynamic Monarchianism|Adoptionist]] view of the Godhead.  Followers of [[Vaylism|Lee Vayle's]] have essentially espoused this view (which some refer to derisively as the '''"Twinity"''' doctrine).
    *But some of his teaching also leans toward  an [[Dynamic Monarchianism|Adoptionist]] view of the Godhead.  Followers of [[Vaylism|Lee Vayle's]] have essentially espoused this view (which some refer to derisively as the '''"Twinity"''' doctrine).


    ==The "Bride" is not a special category of Christian==
    ==Is the "Bride" a special category of Christian?==


    =What do followers of William Branham think that the message is?=
    =What do followers of William Branham think that the message is?=

    Revision as of 20:36, 23 November 2013

    The Message or the Message of the Hour is how followers of William Branham refer to his teachings. It is also how they refer to themselves generally as a movement. If you are "in the message" then you consider yourself a true follower of William Branham and a true follower of God.

    The real status of followers of William Branham

    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?

    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.

    The crucial part of the above definition of the word cult is, “whose authority is viewed as being equal to or greater than the Bible.” The founder of the cult is viewed as being a “prophet” or “prophetess” of God. Since he or she is the “voice of God,” the person’s teachings are authoritative. Thus the cult is based solely upon the religious authority of the founder. Everything depends on the validity of that authority.

    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.[1]

    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.

    But some message believers say:

    ...I have never put Brother Branham's teachings above the Bible! That is not what I believe.

    While such people may think that they place the Bible above William Branham's teaching, this is in fact not the case. Why? Because here is what they actually believe:

    1. William Branham was one of the greatest prophets of all time. Exactly how great he was may vary between message believers BUT, at the very least, they will state that William Branham was one of the seven church age messengers and therefore at least the equal of Paul the Apostle. In addition, they generally believe that his ministry as the Seventh Angel puts him in a league above all the other church age messengers.
    2. As the seventh angel, William Branham could not make any significant doctrinal errors because the purpose of his ministry was to reveal all of the hidden mysteries of God. As a result of this, a message believer does not have the option of disagreeing with William Branham, except in respect of relatively small issues.
    3. To the extent that William Branham did make a significant error, they believe that God would have corrected him. This has resulted in the doctrine of Progressive Revelation, which basically states that if William Branham taught different things about a subject, one should rely on his last teaching on the issue.
    4. Message believers hold that the only true evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is believing the Word for your hour. This means the teachings of William Branham. As a result, if you think that William Branham's message has any significant errors, it proves that you don't have the Holy Spirit.

    Are William Branham's teaching in opposition to Biblical Christianity?

    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.

    To the extent that William Branham preached doctrines that agreed with the Bible, his teachings are acceptable. However, he did disagree with true Biblical Christianity in a number of significant areas.

    Many of these false doctrines actually were solely designed to point to himself as being God's supreme prophet for the end time:

    Other doctrines were simply incorrect if a person reads the Bible in an honest fashion:

    Finally, William Branham's teaching on the Godhead were very strange:

    • In some ways, his teachings were most similar to those of Emmanual Swedenborg
    • In some of his teachings, his view of the Godhead seems to be a form of modalistic monarchianism. As a result, many message churches effectively espouse the "oneness" view of the Godhead.
    • But some of his teaching also leans toward an Adoptionist view of the Godhead. Followers of Lee Vayle's have essentially espoused this view (which some refer to derisively as the "Twinity" doctrine).

    Is the "Bride" a special category of Christian?

    What do followers of William Branham think that the message is?

    When you ask a follower of William Branham what the message is, you may get an answer that is difficult to follow. They themselves admit that it is difficult to define, primarily because they specifically try avoid describing it as what it actually is - the teachings and doctrines of William Branham. So they tend to describe it in more nebulous terms:

    Has anybody ever asked you what the Message is? I have had it asked me, "You call yourselves 'Message Believers' but what is the message?" I tried to explain it to the person, but they couldn't catch it.[2]

    Members of the true Bride of Christ

    1. 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.
    2. Young Foundations website - What Is The Message?, Friday, June 11, 2010