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Is the message a denomination?: Difference between revisions
→Is the message also a sect or a cult?
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A denomination is a faction of the church, out of fellowship with other factions, holding to some “distinctives” of doctrine, practice, worship, ethnicity, style, history, social class, etc. Denominationalism is any attempt to justify and maintain the separate existence of a denomination.<ref>John M. Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2013), 1141.</ref> | A denomination is a faction of the church, out of fellowship with other factions, holding to some “distinctives” of doctrine, practice, worship, ethnicity, style, history, social class, etc. Denominationalism is any attempt to justify and maintain the separate existence of a denomination.<ref>John M. Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2013), 1141.</ref> | ||
On the basis of this definition, it is clear that [[The Message|the message]] is | '''On the basis of this definition, it is clear that [[The Message|the message]] is a denomination. | ||
''' | |||
==Is the message also a sect or a cult?== | |||
Denominations are movements that differ on doctrinal issues but hold to a common core of beliefs about God, Christ, and the Scriptures. They see God as trinitarian, Christ as unique in His human-divine person, and the Scriptures as the authoritative text passed down from the prophets and apostles. | |||
Sects agree with the historic teachings of the Christian church on these matters, but they often have some characteristic that places them on the fringe of Christianity, such as the radical separatism of the Amish. | |||
Cults are connected to Christianity in that they employ Christian Scripture and appeal to Jesus, but they also differ from the traditional faith in certain core areas. They may deny or reinterpret the Trinity. They may have novel views about Christ. They may reject part of the Christian Scripture, add new texts to it, or claim to have an infallible interpretation that replaces traditional doctrine with a new approach.<ref>Chad Owen Brand, The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith, 2007, 39.</ref> | |||
On the basis of this definition, '''the message would be considered a Christian cult because:''' | |||
#Message believers deny the historic doctrine of the Trinity in favour of either [[Oneness|Sabellianism (modalism or oneness)]] or [[Arianism]] | |||
#They [[Is the Message a Cult?#William Branham's message is greater than the Bible|exalt the teachings of William Branham above the Bible]]. | |||
#The message claims that William Branham's interpretation of scripture is infallible. | |||
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=Quotes of William Branham= | =Quotes of William Branham= | ||
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==Denominations carry a single name== | ==Denominations carry a single name== | ||
''This is the first denomination of repute that came out of the harlot, but when Luther died it was not long until it had a hierarchy like the one it had fought. This move of God, by the time the second generation came along was right back under the wing of her mother. She had gone back and did not even know it. '''They had taken on their own name above His Name.''' They were living their own name, too. And all the denominations are doing that very thing today. '''They are living their own name, and not the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.''' That is easily seen for every church is known by the way it worships but none are known by the power of God. There is your test. And I want you to notice right here that this era did not have the signs and wonders amongst them. They gave up the power of God for the power of the state. They clung to their own name; they made their names great. It was that old spirit of getting everyone into its fold. Today the Baptists want the Methodists to come over to the Baptists. The Methodists are out to proselytize the Presbyterians. And the Pentecostals want them all. Each claims to offer the most and to hold out the greatest hopes—a sort of door to heaven, or at least, the way to a more abundant entrance. How tragic it all is.<ref>William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Chapter Seven - The Sardisean Church Age, para. 256-2</ref> | The followers of William Branham refer to themselves as being in the "message", a unifiying single name: | ||
:''This is the first denomination of repute that came out of the harlot, but when Luther died it was not long until it had a hierarchy like the one it had fought. This move of God, by the time the second generation came along was right back under the wing of her mother. She had gone back and did not even know it. '''They had taken on their own name above His Name.''' They were living their own name, too. And all the denominations are doing that very thing today. '''They are living their own name, and not the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.''' That is easily seen for every church is known by the way it worships but none are known by the power of God. There is your test. And I want you to notice right here that this era did not have the signs and wonders amongst them. They gave up the power of God for the power of the state. They clung to their own name; they made their names great. It was that old spirit of getting everyone into its fold. Today the Baptists want the Methodists to come over to the Baptists. The Methodists are out to proselytize the Presbyterians. And the Pentecostals want them all. Each claims to offer the most and to hold out the greatest hopes—a sort of door to heaven, or at least, the way to a more abundant entrance. How tragic it all is.<ref>William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Chapter Seven - The Sardisean Church Age, para. 256-2</ref> | |||