Is God good?

[Eagle_Eyes]

john the baptist came to prepare the way for he lord, that was his calling from God. what did branham restore?
i have a problem with some of his teaching, he did not believe in the trinty, the bible is clear about the trinty, Matthew 3:16-17, matthew 28:19, luke 3:22, 2nd cor 1:21-22, jude 20-21, is 11:2, Is 61:1,
God is the Father. Son. Holy Spirit, if you do not believe this are you doubting the word of God?
he also talked about how angels were the cause of the healing ministry he had. Please show me in the word of God where Jesus used angels to heal,
he was not elijah, john the baptist was, i again use the bible as my answers, all the prophecies of Jesus Christ have been fullfiled, the prophet elijah will come back durning the tribulation and speak on behalf of God,
as far has his predictions, i will wait and see. what was his preditions for 1977?
ee are you folllowing after branham, or Jesus, you seem to get upset or possibly angry when someone disagrees with your postion about him.are you placing your faith in him or Jesus. i have given you scripture from the bible , if you argue with these are you now not believing God, but doubting his word. either you believe the bible or you do not. either follow Jesus or branham you have the choice.

I will use the Bible too.

Yes, John the Baptist did come to prepare the way for the Lord. But that was it. Jesus said in Matthew 17:11 that 'Elias shall truly first come and restore all things.' John the Baptist did not restore all things. The Lord revealed through Bro. Branham the mysteries that have been hidden in the Bible since before the foundation of the world, i.e., what happened exactly in Eden, the opening of the seven seals, Christ's secret second coming, etc.

Is the Bible clear about the 'trinity'? Not really. Take the scripture you gave for example, Matthew 28:19. Jesus told his disciples, 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost'. Okay, what's the name then? In Acts 2, Peter is speaking to the people and he said, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' Did not Jesus say otherwise? Is Peter flagrantly contradicting what the Lord said? Not at all. God gave Peter a revelation of what that name was - the Lord Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are titles/manisfestations/offices of the one true God, whose name is the Lord Jesus Christ! Nobody was baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost until the Nicea Council in 325AD, and the ensuing birth of the Roman Catholic Church. The first of the ten commandments is, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me'. Why are people worshipping three gods then? The trinity is pure paganism and a lie of the devil. Jesus Christ is God, plain and simple. What about 1 Timothy 3:16? God was manifested in the flesh. What about John 1? 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.....And the Word was made flesh.' Consider also Matthew 1:20. If Mary was with child of the Holy Ghost, then who was Jesus' father? The thing is, there are scriptures to suggest there are more than one gods, and there are scriptures that say there is only one God. One has to sit on either side of the fence - I'd much rather sit on the side that says there is only one! These things have been put in the Bible to deliberately confuse people. Jesus deliberately said things to drive people away. There will only be a small number that will be saved.

There is only one person that can heal and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, Bro. Branham had an angel with him helping him in the ministry. This angel did not heal - he's a messenger from God. We all have guardian angels that deliver messages of comfort and rebuke from the throne room of God. Was Bro. Branham not allowed to have one?

Back to the Elijah question. Who would you say is being referred to in Malachi 3? John the Baptist? Yes, that's right. Who would you say is being referred to in Malachi 4:5-6? John the Baptist? Yes, and No! Fast forward to Luke 1:17. The angel said to Elizabeth that John would go before the Lord 'in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just'. Now, it doesn't mention anything about turning the heart of the children to their fathers. This part is not for John the Baptist to fulfill. There is another man with the spirit of Elijah to come and fulfil that second part, and who would restore all things, as Jesus prophesied.

Am I following Bro. Branham or Christ? This is like saying, 'am I following Moses or Jehovah?', or, 'am I following Paul or the Lord Jesus Christ?' I am following the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him only do I serve. Bro. Branham is a man, and I do not worship a man. But if he is a prophet, truly sent and vindicated of God, then I better listen to what he said, no matter how crazy or wonderful it may sound. All prophets in the Bible were considered oddballs, but they had the Word of the Lord nonetheless.

I do want to say moreover that I am not saying these things out of malice, or because I think I am better person. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. I am just saying what I believe to be true, and although you have all said rather mean things about this man, I don't hold that against you. i trust it has been beneficial in some way to talk about these things.

 

[Eagle_Eyes]

"Based on these seven visions, along with the rapid changes which have swept the world in the last fifty years, I PREDICT (I do not prophesy) that these visions will have all come to pass by 1977. And though many may feel that this is an irresponsible statement in view of the fact that Jesus said that 'no man knoweth the day nor the hour.' I still maintain this prediction after thirty years because, Jesus did NOT say no man could know the year, month or week in which His coming was to be completed. So I repeat, I sincerely believe and maintain as a private student of the Word, along with Divine inspiration that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in the millennium."

--- William Branham

Eagle, I didn't even have to bold your quote to find the conflict.

Yes, Eagle, there is a conflict here. It's in Branhams quote itself; he cannot both merely predict, but have "divine inspiration." Hence, he is not predicting, he is making a prophecy.

My apologies, S.I.E. for continuing the hijack. However, it's hypocritical to say that predictions are not "divinely inspired" but Branham's prediction doesn't count despite his claim that it is so.

Is that all you can come up with? Bro. Branham was being sincere and saying what he felt was the leading of the Holy Spirit, but he didn't truly know if it was 1977 or not, and the Lord didn't tell him it was 1977. Bro. Branham even said that the Lord didn't tell him. You are going around in circles on one point and ignoring everything else. A prophecy is when the Lord told him what will happen, and Bro. Branham told eveyone that the Lord told him. Not so with this 1977 prediction.

 

[s.i.e.]

Christ's secret second coming, etc.

oh brother...secret?

These things have been put in the Bible to deliberately confuse people. Jesus deliberately said things to drive people away. There will only be a small number that will be saved.

Ok, the Bible deliberately confuses people...implying that the Bible is as much trying to keep some people out of heaven, as much as it is trying to help some people get into heaven? There are many Bible verses that speak to the fact that Christ has called "ALL", and wishes that "NONE" should perish, etc. Jesus Himself wanted to drive people away?

So, is it only this small number of people who believe in Branham'ism that will be saved, Eagle Eyes? If you don't believe in Branham, will you not get salvation?

But if he is a prophet, truly sent and vindicated of God, then I better listen to what he said, no matter how crazy or wonderful it may sound.

Operative word there would be IF, Eagle Eyes. IF. And IF he is truly all that, then I would have to agree with you. It seems as though your faith is leading you to believe that he is, indeed, a prophet. You can't argue with faith, it seems.

I am just saying what I believe to be true, and although you have all said rather mean things about this man, I don't hold that against you.

Eagle - I appreciate your spirit in this. I'm sorry if or where I've said mean things about him. The truth is that I see it as an outright lie, and believe you are deceived. That is why I've bothered to say anything -- because even while I search for truth, I want to help others see and find truth too. Again, there is some truth I lack, and other truth that I have found. I want full truth.

 

[Eagle_Eyes]

Well...thanks for being honest. So, given the fact that I don't believe in Branham, who you call Jesus' prophet -- what exactly happens to me? Hell is in my future, perhaps? What is the path I am destine towards, being that I don't believe in your way?

As for the 2nd coming - I relly can't believe you think this. Don't worry, you've said several times that you don't consider Branham to be the Christ..but, when and where did the 2nd coming happen? When and where do you see it having taken place? And, does that mean that we missed the rapture...and we're now living in the time of tribulation?

And if we've seen the 2nd coming...then you know what, then you're telling me that this world we're living in is as good as it gets? Surely, I have to think that you don't believe we're already living in some sort of paradise here.

All you will do is convince me that God is, in fact, not good!...if you believe that. Please tell me we aren't already living in the end-game!

...I'm trying to be less depressed, not more.


NOW -- Can we return to the original premise of this thread? I've heard enough heresy: HIJACK OVER!

The second coming happened on Sunset Mountain on 28 February, 1963.

This is my last post. Thank you for the interesting discussions. You can now get back to the 'more important' things.

I just would like you all to know that I have said none of these things with malice. I get passionate about the things that I believe but that didn't mean I am angry and being sarcastic, etc.

If I have offended, I apologise. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, and we all have need of His mercy and grace!

God Bless!

 

[Chad]

The second coming happened on Sunset Mountain on 28 February, 1963.

You're joking right? No, you are WRONG.

The second coming did NOT happen. Read your HOLY bible, not some any other bible.

The second coming did NOT happen. Do not come here preaching heresy in the forums!

What is the (2nd) Second Coming of Jesus Christ?

 

[Property Of God]

I missed the rapture then? If you're here on a Christian forum, get your facts right and read that book you never read, the Bible, remember?

 

[David777]

Dear EagleEyes.

This thread is the most scrambled theology i have ever seen.

You said,

"Why are people worshipping three gods then?"

Christians do not worship three Gods, they worship one God in three persons.

Also, the book of Acts precedes the Nicea Council. Christians were baptized in the names of the three persons of the one God.

 

[Jacob123]

Somehow, my response to this was deleted so I'm going to repost it:

The issue of whether or not Hell is absent of God or not isn't the issue. The gunman has offered you two choices:

You can live which is good. Or you can die which is separate from life. The issue of separation, however, isn't the concern; it's a matter of whether or not we send ourselves to hell.

Same scenario: If you refuse to give me your money, are you committing suicide? Are you the one responsible for your death? If you saw this play out, would you then say, "That man just killed himself!"?

God is life, everything that is not of Him is death. Does that make sense to you? That is why it is a life or death situation. Yes if a man does not choose God he is killing himself.. because God is life! Being seperated from God is death! If you don't choose life (God), you choose death (hell).

Also, why would God be anymore loving to force Himself upon people who reject Him, for eternity? If I hated God, I surely wouldn't wanna have to spend eternity with the very thing I hate and reject, I would rather be seperated from Him, completely. Hell is awful because your no where near God, He seperated Himself from you, that is why it is death.

 

[David777]

Hello neuroscience.

This thread is weaving all over the place?

"In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth." This is the default position. God is the creator of life, love, and goodness.

Rejection of God is of course death, both physical and spiritual. Definitely seperation and exclusion. Rejection of God is not good.

Whether the "lake of fire" (Revelations) constitutes eternal life I am not so sure. I do prefer destruction, obliteration, but I am not 100% certain. Outside the thread's question.

Free will vs Determinism, that's too restrictive. There are other possibilties of course. Careful with this as the knowledge of scripture required is vast. Also, context is everything here. This may be outside the parameters of this thread.

 

[s.i.e.]

Free will vs Determinism, that's too restrictive. There are other possibilties of course. Careful with this as the knowledge of scripture required is vast. Also, context is everything here. This may be outside the parameters of this thread.

I don't believe this is outside of the parameters of this thread.

What's the 3rd option here, David777? Scripture supports both/either free-will and/or determinism.

I think it's because free-will is the reality to us on earth, and determinism is the reality to God in heaven.

Which would make us pawns, more or less.

 

[David777]

Another option.

1) Christ has been predestined, not mankind, free choice.

2) Christ has been predestined, Jews are predestined, Gentiles are not.

3) Christ has been predestined, all are saved, no choice?

4) Christ has been predestined. fall was choice, no choice, God elects.

5) Christ has been predestined, fall was predestined, no choice, God elects.

6) Christ has been predestined, choice conditional on perserverance.

7) Christ has been predestined, you are under a delusion and think man wrote the Bible so you do not read it.

 

[David777]

There are more possibilites.

There other possibilties. Your viewpoint is far too restricted.

 

[s.i.e.]

David777 - is that supposed to be funny?

How you believe on this subject drastically changes your view of God, the world, humanity, and your existence.

You want to leave that to multiple-choice, and just shrug your shoulders on the subject as though it has little impact, or matters little, then you haven't understood this entire discussion.

You seemed to imply that you believe there is some sort of 3rd option here (as opposed to the pure "free-choice" or pure "predestination" views) -- so I was asking you what yours was. You don't need to answer...but we're not playing pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey here.

 

[s.i.e.]

Your viewpoint is far too restricted.

Fair enough. I accept that. Actually, I would agree with that. Still, I'm not looking to view all 100 options available, to find one that matches my outfit.

 

[David777]

Definitions.

Dear s.i.e, mankind has to define in order to understand.

When man defines, the definition is of course restictive.

If you define "God" you restrict God in terms you think you can understand.

The God of the Bible is always personal, always good. Certainly not the way God is defined in dictionaries.

When man approaches election, man defines terms, restricts the definitions. Look at the definition of "free will". There is no way that any person exhibits perfect free will by any measure.

It is not definable in a satisfactory sense.

 

[David777]

Yes, yes.

This is precisely the point.

"How you believe on this subject drastically changes your view of God, the world, humanity, and your existence."

Jesus Christ is the doctrine of the New Testament.

Election is a theological issue, that is, what man thinks.

Jesus Christ is paramount, supreme, all things hold together in Him. All belief is in Him, not in theology (man's understanding). I am not concerned with election or theology. Man is corrupt, fallen, deluded.

I have eternal life purely on the basis of the death and ressurection of Jesus Christ. Christ is the core and is all.

 

[s.i.e.]

David777 -- you talk of Jesus, and my heart melts. Really, it does. I love Jesus. What is not to love about Him? Yes, He is a good thought, indeed.

But, just because you love Jesus doesn't nullify the premise by which your faith is built. And, it is built on revelation, understanding, and an in filling of the Holy Spirit...all of which, put together, substantiate what you are calling theology.

If you don't care about theology, and somehow can allow yourself to never wrestle with some of the hard questions inherent in faith -- then I suppose you may as well choose from any of the 7 options you listed above, or, just go with whatever you get out of your next Cracker-Jack box.

That's not what Phil 2:12 calls us to do "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling".

 

[will]

So, you've told me what I cannot do --- but what can I do? It seems that the only conclusion you would suggest I do is to simply choose to believe, in spite of my questions.

And since I am having problems just accepting that as the answer, you're worn out on me (and trust me, I get why, and I'm not trying to change your mind on that!). Isolation, it seems, becomes a quite reasonable choice here. I truly don't mean to frustrate the crowd.

S.i.e,

I see that this thread has been to hell and back

No, I'm not frustrated or worn-out with you. If you are local to me, I'd buy you a drink and we can talk.

 

[s.i.e.]

S.i.e,

I see that this thread has been to hell and back

No, I'm not frustrated or worn-out with you. If you are local to me, I'd buy you a drink and we can talk.

that's funny, will. You're right! It has...

Which may be one anecdotal example that might prove that we do, indeed, have choice! ...because I can't imagine how it would have been in God's plan to get me thinking about Branham'ism!!!

I just PM'ed you - and if it worked, would love to do that, will...

 

[David777]

Wondering s.i.e

If your interpretation of "Phil 2:12 calls us to do 'continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling' " is correct. Then by all means pursue subjects such as "election".

Perhaps, your quote is not saying what you think it is saying.

You may have to dig deeper to understand what Jesus Christ requires of you.