Discover the transformative power of stripping back the layers to rekindle a personal communion with Christ. This episode takes you through an enlightening journey, where the essence of Christianity is laid bare, challenging the complexities of denominational structures and the pitfalls of hierarchical church leadership. As we traverse the teachings of William Branham and prophetic scriptures like Malachi 4 and Revelation 10-7, the conversation reignites the call for individual discipleship and the restoration of Christ's headship. This isn't just about attending church; it's an invitation to a deeper, Spirit-led relationship with God, free from the constraints of human intermediaries.
Expect an unflinching look at the responsibility of personal salvation over institutional loyalty. We unravel the scriptural mandate for being led by the Spirit and not by man, as emphasized in Romans 8:14, taking cues from the apostolic way of life where church politics and denominational allegiance hold no sway. Delving into the historical pitfalls of leadership models, from ancient Israel's yearning for a human king to modern church governance, we advocate for a return to spiritual governance through the Holy Spirit's guidance—illuminating the transformation that took place in the Ephesian church under Paul's leadership.
Our dialogue culminates in an exploration of every believer's priestly role within the mystical body of Christ, free from the traditional clergy-laity divide. We examine how the New Covenant equips us with spiritual gifts for the edification of the church and how the Holy Spirit's direct teaching surpasses the need for earthly mediators. Embracing the concept that faith and active participation in the community of believers go beyond the four walls of a church, this episode is a call to recognize and live out the equality and unity that Christ envisions for His body. Join us as we delve into what it means to be a true participant in the mystical body of Christ, powered by the Spirit and liberated from the confines of institutionalized religion.
Discover the transformative power of stripping back the layers to rekindle a personal communion with Christ. This episode takes you through an enlightening journey, where the essence of Christianity is laid bare, challenging the complexities of denominational structures and the pitfalls of hierarchical church leadership. As we traverse the teachings of William Branham and prophetic scriptures like Malachi 4 and Revelation 10-7, the conversation reignites the call for individual discipleship and the restoration of Christ's headship. This isn't just about attending church; it's an invitation to a deeper, Spirit-led relationship with God, free from the constraints of human intermediaries.
Expect an unflinching look at the responsibility of personal salvation over institutional loyalty. We unravel the scriptural mandate for being led by the Spirit and not by man, as emphasized in Romans 8:14, taking cues from the apostolic way of life where church politics and denominational allegiance hold no sway. Delving into the historical pitfalls of leadership models, from ancient Israel's yearning for a human king to modern church governance, we advocate for a return to spiritual governance through the Holy Spirit's guidance—illuminating the transformation that took place in the Ephesian church under Paul's leadership.
Our dialogue culminates in an exploration of every believer's priestly role within the mystical body of Christ, free from the traditional clergy-laity divide. We examine how the New Covenant equips us with spiritual gifts for the edification of the church and how the Holy Spirit's direct teaching surpasses the need for earthly mediators. Embracing the concept that faith and active participation in the community of believers go beyond the four walls of a church, this episode is a call to recognize and live out the equality and unity that Christ envisions for His body. Join us as we delve into what it means to be a true participant in the mystical body of Christ, powered by the Spirit and liberated from the confines of institutionalized religion.
We live in an hour where it's easy to have a walk with a church and a relationship with a pastor, but not have a relationship with Christ. Over time, there has been teachings and doctrines that have gone forth throughout the movement of the message that have caused people to go aside from the simplicity that's in Christ Jesus and gone into all sorts of groups and denominations within the message and leaders who become what the Bible calls Nicolaotin to conquer the laity. They control and they have their hands around everything, and so my purpose is to help you to have your own walk with Christ and to focus on Him. There is a five-fold ministry. There are pastors, and we should honor and respect them. However, we can never put them in the position of being our Pope, being our mediator, being between us and Christ and God. No, we have one master, even Christ Greetings Bible believers and followers of the End Time Message.
Speaker 1:Welcome to another episode of the Jason DeMars podcast, the place where we explore the incredible mysteries hidden within the pages of the Bible. I'm your host, jason DeMars. It's time to get started on another journey into the heart of God's Word If it's your desire to grow in Revelation and see the message and the light of the Bible. You're in the right place. Today, brothers and sisters, we delve into the Scripture, guided by the extraordinary revelations that God chose to unveil through Brother William Marion Branham, a messenger with a unique calling to fulfill Malachi 4 and Revelation 10-7 and unlock the secrets of the End Time Message. Our purpose isn't to have another basic Bible study. We're going to dig deep and peel back the layers of prophecy, decoding the signs and perhaps discovering how the Bible resonates within the very fabric of our present day and time. In this podcast, my purpose is to help you grow in your faith through solid Bible teaching through the lens of the message of Malachi 4. So grab your Bible, a cup of coffee and let's get started. And remember that your feedback, testimonies, questions and prayer requests are always welcome. Please send them on social media or at jasondemarscom.
Speaker 1:Before we go into today's episode, I want to share something with you. Head over to jasondemarscom, where I'm giving away free books. These books have been ordered by believers around the world and many testimonies have been given about the great blessing they have been. I also want you to know that, by God's grace and provision, we are also covering the shipping costs. Free books and free shipping. My purpose is not to sell books, but to proclaim the message of the hour free of charge. I've written these books to build your faith, increase your spiritual revelation and be a witness for God's message in the end time. Here's a list of a few of them A summary of the revelation of the seven seals, the end time message handbook, the mystery of the Malachi, 4 Elijah. Holiness to the Lord and foundations. Head over to jasondemarscom right now and claim your free books.
Speaker 1:With that said, let's get into today's podcast. By the time you're listening to this, I'll be on a missions trip, so ask that you would be in prayer for me. I'm going through our new season of this podcast and working ahead. This travel that I have in the last few years it's caused me to miss times and it's caused me to have to skip weeks and even much longer than that. I think it was like 44 or something like that episode, so I think eight weeks I missed and my purpose is to not do that. I believe this year there'll be 24 of our main episodes and then, if you're a subscriber, I'll be doing a shorter episode every week of the mysteries revealed. You can subscribe to get that. The link will be below this podcast and I'll be going through reading through my book end time message handbook, so it'll be like an audio book for everyone. So everyone that subscribes will have access to all of that and you can listen to that at your pleasure. If you have any questions about that, feel free to let me know through my website, jason Damarscom.
Speaker 1:So, going into this subject, I want to speak about getting back, or restoring true headship. Now it's very important for all of us not to get caught up in the normal routines of life and stop listening to that still small voice speaking to our hearts when we're just living in the natural realm, following people, following those around us, just responding to what's going on around us. On the human level, every one of us needs to rededicate our lives and also have things in the word called to our remembrance. I think there's some things that are so key and critical to the Christian faith that without them, you have literally nothing else right Now. It's not a group walk, it's not a church walk, it's not a walk with the pastor. It's a walk with you and Christ alone. Only two are allowed in it, just like marriage. If you add someone else to it, it's a situation of there being adultery Luke 14, 27,. And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. We have to take up our cross and follow him. We have to lay aside everything in our life so that we can walk with Christ.
Speaker 1:I just want to take some time on this podcast to remind everyone. What I want to do is I have two parts to this. I don't know that it will go into two parts. I think it will take me about an hour or 15 minutes to get through this. One part I want to look at is following Christ. We have one master, even Christ. The next part of that I want to look at our call, every believer's call, to ministry and what the Bible calls the priesthood. To start, that it's not about a church, a group, a favorite minister. It's about your heart and Christ. We gather as a church made up of individuals who must be individually led by the Spirit of God so that when we do come together, each part of the body functions properly. Each body part has to be connected to the head as an individual, otherwise there comes spiritual paralysis. Matthew 23, 2-12.
Speaker 1:Jesus saying the scribes in the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. All the, therefore, whatsoever. They bid you observe that do observe and do, but do not ye after their works, for they say, and do not, for they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men, they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments and love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues and greetings in the markets and to be called of men, rabbi, rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your master, even Christ, and ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth, for one is your father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters, for one is your master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant, and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Speaker 1:There's a chosen episode that just blew me away, I think from for the first season, perhaps Most of it. Jesus is in the background with healing lines. It's from morning until late at night. The disciples are taking shifts to manage the line and do crowd control and such. During this time, the disciples discuss themselves, the kingdom, the destruction of Rome, and then they began to get angry at Matthew for betraying his country and his God. Peter and Andrew are upset with him for not apologizing for the hurt that he caused, and they were right to be that way. James and John were defending him because they already had their lesson from Jesus about thinking you are better than others. They were right too. Then there were some who were compassionate and felt hurt that Matthew was being attacked, knowing he is pained in his heart for how he's been treated in the past. Every one of them was correct in their own way, and yet every one of them was wrong.
Speaker 1:As the argument is getting close to a fist fight, jesus walks into the campfire light from out of the darkness. He's staggering from a full day spent praying for the sick. He can barely stand and barely walk. He's got blood on his face and his voice is weak. He walks by them and they go stone cold, quiet, and he looks at them and says good night With a trembling heart.
Speaker 1:Somehow, I feel this is where many of us or I could say some of us have come to in the message movement. We're all standing arguing over who's right, who's wrong and we're ready to come to blows, while Jesus is out busy healing the sick, proclaiming the gospel, working with the broken hearted, saving the lost. This is a shame and I feel like this is many times what we've come to In the message. Be not afraid, brother Branham says. I've had ministers will say to me you better go see him because he's an influential man in the city. I don't care if he's a bum in the street so drunk he can't move. He's just as much as a mayor of the city in the sight of God, because it's whosoever will let him come. But we went after somebody else that was a movie star or had some great pulley or some tap dancer or a modern jitterbug or whatever you want to call it.
Speaker 1:God goes to the gutters. Go out in the streets and highways and compel them to come in. And remember that was the last call. The church has gone off without MC. You've gone off on tantrums. We're all right. You all have our points, and yet if your focus is on the wrong thing, then you're all wrong. In the sermon, a man running from the presence of the Lord, 1956, 1965, excuse me how wishy-washy that's what's too many Christians today are so soft, soaked in everything until they think all they do is join a church, go in somewhere, put their name on a book or do a little something jump up and down and shout or something like that and call it Christianity.
Speaker 1:Christianity is an everyday, rugged life, living for God in the presence world. It's a constant burning of the fire and love of God in the heart that sets you a fire and puts you out yonder with people and making converts to Christ responsibilities. But it's easy to go the way the world goes. It's easy to flow down the stream, go out there and sit down in the river with your boat. You get your oars and start pulling up against the current. You don't make much time and it goes hard, but you just once let loose the oars and watch how fast you pass the trees going down. But look where you're going when things are floating easy, remember you're going towards a great cataract down there of some sort. You're going towards the falls and it won't be long. You'll be going over that falls, just floating with the world easy, the way it goes.
Speaker 1:You don't want that, no, sir, but you must accept your responsibility Now you believe it and you think it's the truth and the responsibility that God has given us in this day to bring this message. As I get older and I know my days are shortening up, I feel the responsibility greater than I ever felt Pressing on. We must do it, we must get down to it in everything we go and tell the message and tell the people that Jesus Christ is coming, that he's God and he's coming soon. There's not a hope left in the world but the coming of the Lord. But what it's become now in the message is it isn't about our relationship to Christ. It has become our relationship to other churches and other ministers and other preachers, and politics amongst the ministers and evangelists and traveling ministers. It's politics. If I go preach for this one, this one won't take me. If I go for that one, this one won't take me.
Speaker 1:Instead of wanting to serve Christ, we're serving ourselves and we're wanting to maintain an image. We're getting caught in a flow of the message and, unfortunately, many times what I see is it's going the wrong direction. It's not going the direction that God has proclaimed in the message, it's going another direction and it's all about our relationship to this senior pastor or relationship to this senior pastor, or if you go to this church they'll cut you off, or that church will cut you off. It'd be better to be cut off from all of it. If our attitude is one of politics, don't get caught in the wrong flow. We get caught up arguing about things that have nothing to do with what God actually wants to do in people's lives. The flow of the river is powerful, but it'll take you the wrong way. A rugged Christian must take the oars and be willing to row with their efforts and their exertion upstream towards Christ. When you start to row upstream, you'll quickly find resistance from those that caught in the flow. They're going to kind of grab on to you and say no, you're going the wrong way, come with me and you can easily start to argue, and then you get caught in the flow. Or you could say I have a mission from God, given to me directly as an individual, and I must obey that.
Speaker 1:John 21,. Verses 20 and 22,. Verses 20 through 22. Then Peter, turning about, seeeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following, which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter, seeing him, sayeth to Jesus Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, if I will, that he tarry till I come. What is that to thee? Follow thou me. So Peter, turning around, sees John and says tell me John's future. You told me my future. What about John? What's he going to do? Jesus answers what is that to you? You follow me. What is what happens to John? Or how I lead John have to do with how I lead you. And the Lord Jesus says you have to follow me. You don't have to follow in the footsteps of that man, you follow Christ. In Divine Healing 1954.
Speaker 1:Brother Bannum says one of the biggest failures in the world is the church. That's right. Churches has miserably failed, everything has failed, but we receive a kingdom which will not fail Jesus Christ. It cannot fail, and we're so happy for that that it's not a church affair, it's an individual affair. It's not whether my church is saved, it's whether I am saved. It isn't whether my deacon is saved or my pastor is saved or my mother is saved, it's whether I am saved or not. Myself I must be saved. And then I must tell them. And then if they're saved, wonderful. If they're not, I must still remain saved, that's I must obtain my salvation. Oh, what a wonderful day. Amen Again, it's not a church affair.
Speaker 1:We're not saved as a local church. Our church is under pastor so-and-so. He's a great pastor of the message. Therefore, we're okay. You're not. If you think like that, you're not okay. You need to repent and you need to come to Christ and follow Him. Romans 8.14,.
Speaker 1:For as many as are led by the pastor, they are the sons of God. That's what many have turned it into. That's not what it says. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Oh, but, brother Jason, if I'm led by the Spirit of God, I'll follow the pastor. Maybe maybe not. You follow the Spirit of God. He leads you in His life. That has to be your supreme. You understand.
Speaker 1:We know that God uses the five-fold ministry to teach us and train us. But that is to teach us and train us how to be led by the Spirit of God and be edified in our own individual walk. We can't get caught up in the web of all these influence of others. God wants and even demands our heart be His alone In the end time. I believe God saw so much of what's going on.
Speaker 1:Today, people will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. If they don't like what one says, they just go to another one and say, oh, this other one said this about this, that therefore I don't have to listen to this or I don't have to listen to that, you have to listen to Christ. He's the Word when we look around us and we begin to take comfort in the group that we are a part of. This is a grave danger. This is a denominational spirit beginning to creep in. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples each received the Spirit of God as individuals and you can see that they were led of the Lord as individuals. But when the bond of those individuals becomes stronger with each other on the human level than it is with the individual bond with Jesus Christ, that is where the denominational spirit comes in Galatians 2.11-14.
Speaker 1:But when Peter was come to Antioch, I was stood him to the face because he was to be blamed Before us. That certain came from James. He did eat with the Gentiles, but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them that which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him, in so much that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter, before them all if thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles and not as do the Jews, why compel us, thou the Gentiles, to live as do the Jews? So, peter and Barnabas, when the Jews from James, from Jerusalem, came to visit they backed up. They were afraid of the influence of James. They were afraid of what would be said about them. What did they do? They became hypocrites because of politics.
Speaker 1:It is a sin to go against the word because of politics. It is a sin to side with a group of men because of politics. And that's what we have, over and over again, around the message. They're afraid of what the big ministers are going to say or how they're going to treat them. They'll be ousted, they'll lose their support. They won't be able to go here or go there. If you take this stand, this minister will come against you. If you take this stand, then this minister will go against you. It's dissimulation, is what Paul calls it. They dissembled. Why is this a sin? Because it's hypocrisy Number one. It's hypocrisy Number two is you're putting people and your image before Christ In 1955, a hidden life, brother Branham says, as our difference of life and fussing and quarreling amongst one another is the reason the veil can't drop behind us and we can go into that presence of God.
Speaker 1:That's right. We're so interested in our denominations in the message. We have senior pastors. Those senior pastors are taking the role of bishop and they're directing all the other ministers and those other ministers are treating them as their own leader. We become so interested in our denominations in the message movement. We're so interested in what the next fellow, what is that to thee? Follow that thou me.
Speaker 1:It's an individual affair between every minister how a minister ought to always get alone to himself. Even before he preaches, before he prays, before he does anything. He should get alone with God in that quiet place. Hit away with God, amen. Not hit away with what Brother Donnie is saying or Brother Tim Pruitt is saying or whoever it might be. We're not hit away with that minister, we're hit away with God and get alone and quiet to listen and feed on what God is speaking to us so that we can feed it to the people. But we're carried away with our clans. Abraham, 1956.
Speaker 1:Next thing, what taken place. There was lot when God said separate yourself from everybody. The walk with Christ is an individual walk. You walk, you stand alone with you and God alone, not you and the pastor. You and God alone, not you and the deacon, sometimes you and your wife, you and your husband, but you and God alone. You stand alone on your convictions. Salvation is not a church affair, it's an individual affair.
Speaker 1:In the sermon, sudden secret, going away of the church. Not only that, but what if I would speak of the time of little Stephen, not a prophet, not a pastor, just a member of the body of Christ. How that this little fellow stood before the Sanhedrin council that morning and spoke out to those who were condemning him and said you, stiff necks, uncircumcised in the heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did. So do you? It wasn't a pastor. You can't expect your pastor to do it all. You can't expect your trusty board to do it all or your deacon board. You got to make yourself ready. It's an individual affair and remember, his coming is so sudden that the church will go in a twinkling of an eye. And if we see sin on every hand and judgment pending and the battleships of God's wrath coming. How we escape this? Signs are appearing, jesus is coming and great wonders are being done.
Speaker 1:My goodness, each of us must be led as individuals and God can deal with us as individuals and use us as individuals to speak something supernaturally to God's people. 1965, what house will you build me? We must look to the leading of the Holy Spirit. But one thing that troubled me in coming here and to telling people well, you should not come here or you should come that I leave up to each individual the way that God leads that individual to do. I think every one of us should do that Be led by the spirit. On what to do, brother Brandon was always so careful not to tell people what they must do. Even as a prophet they'd come to him what do I do Follow? He would teach them how to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit as an individual. See, he wouldn't tell them what to do, and neither should we as ministers. We need to help them to know how to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit in perfect faith. Brother Brandon says that's the way it is to all believers they're a mystic.
Speaker 1:The people don't understand because they live in a world to themselves. Jesus lived in a world that nobody else could touch. The disciples couldn't understand him. When he spoke to them, they say this. And then they said why you talking riddles? We don't understand this. How can this be? See, they wasn't in the world that he lived in. See, they couldn't understand him. Nobody could understand him. And so when a man lives by faith and walks by faith I mean substance faith he's isolated from the entire world and becomes a new creature in Christ. There, now you're getting into bride material. See, you're getting into rapturing condition.
Speaker 1:Now, that means for each one of us, not just the pastor, deacons, trustees. That means for the laity. Every individual walks in a world with God alone. You're baptized into this kingdom and there's nobody in there but you and God. See, he gives the orders. You pack them out. Whatever he says, there's not a shadow of doubt nowhere. You walk right on If the Lord says this, there's nobody in the world can talk you out of it. You go right on just the same. Now you're coming into perfect faith, perfect perfection that cannot fail. That faith never fails. Yes, he was a mystic to them with his perfect faith. And so is it now with those who have perfect faith, or a mystic to others. Again, we don't have to be understood by everybody. Jesus wasn't understood by everybody, but he had to walk in that world alone with God. Listen to the voice of God, take the orders, be sure that it's God speaking and you go out and do and speak what he tells you to do. That is perfect faith.
Speaker 1:Galatians 1, verse 1, paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God, the Father, who raised them, him from the dead. That needs to be with you, with your name. You need to be explained by not of men, neither by men, but by Jesus Christ. Is that what your life is ordained by? Is that what your new birth experience is? Is that how God has led you? Not of men, neither by men, but by Jesus Christ. Amen.
Speaker 1:And they rejected King Brother Brandham says this. So they chose themselves a man named Saul, which was the son of Kish. He was a reputable man, honorable man, but he suited the people just right because he was a great, tall, noble statue of a man. The scripture said he was head and shoulders above any man in Israel. He was kingly looking and he was handsome in the face. He was a brilliant and an extraordinary man. Now, that's the kind of man that the people like to choose today.
Speaker 1:The people does not seem to be satisfied with the way that God placed his church to be governed and controlled by the Holy Spirit. They want somebody, some man, some denomination, some certain peoples, to govern the church that they're not able to throw themselves completely into God's hand, to be spiritual, to be led by the Holy Spirit. They want somebody to do their religion for them, somebody that will tell them just how to do it and all about it. So this man seemed to suit the place exactly because he was a very intellectual man. And it's a whole lot like today. We like to choose such people too to control our churches, to control the church of God. Nothing that I have to say against it, but just merely to make a point that it is not, it was not and it will never be the will of God, for such to be. God is to rule his people, to govern each individual.
Speaker 1:Then we find that this son of Kish, great man, and his statue, and he seemed to have to suit the people, that his robe upon him would look great and the crown on his head way and above all the other people as he walked, would be a real asset to the kingdom of Israel, for the other kings would. The other nations would think, look, what a man. How they could point their finger and say, looky here, what a great king we got. Look, what a great man. That's for us, that's over us, and sad to say. But how true it is today with the church they love to say our pastor is not a narrow-minded man, he's a great man, he's a graduate from Hartford or some great school of theology. He's got four degrees out of so and such place and he's a very good mixer amongst the people.
Speaker 1:All that may be all right and have its place, but God's way for his church is to be led by the Holy Ghost and by his spirit. But they like to say we have this great denomination that we belong to. We have started back in the early pioneer days when we were in the minority, just a very few people and small, and now we have grown into the place to where we are among the largest denominations there is. We have the best schools at the best educated ministers, we have the best dressed crowds and the most intellectual people of the city attends our denomination and we give to charity and we do good deeds and all such and nothing at all. God forbid that I should speak one word against that, for that is all good, but still it isn't the will of God that man should rule over man. God sent on the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost to rule in men's hearts and rule in his life. It was not meant for man to rule over man. My so it seems extreme, but it's the truth of God's word. It's what Brother Branham is teaching us. It's not.
Speaker 1:You know, we look at this and we take this quote and we dump it over on denominations. But we have the same idea. This church has been around for 50 years. This is Pastor So-and-so. He's been preaching the message, standing solid, for 45 years. Well, that's good, I've got nothing to say against it. This is Pastor So-and-so. He has a church of 500 people, 700 people, 400 people. He's been running this, he's been running that for so long. And we take that and we put that in the place of the leadership of the Holy Ghost and we find comfort in these long-term pastors and senior pastors. Don't make them a bishop over a bunch of ministers. You say, oh, I'm not making it that way. No, the people are making it that way and they're continuing that way, and it must be stood against and rebuked.
Speaker 1:In the Ephesian church age. Let's look at the heart of Paul. Paul founded the church at Ephesus about the middle of the first century. This enables us to set the date of the beginning of the Ephesian church age, about 53 AD. His manner of ministry and set the pattern that all future ministers were to aspire to, and actually sets the pattern for every true minister of God, though we would not attain to such heights in the prophetic realm as did Paul.
Speaker 1:Paul's ministry had a three-fold quality and was as follows. First of all, paul was absolutely true to the word. He never deviated from it, no matter what the cost. Notice that Paul was unorganized, but spirit led, as when God moved upon Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, jerusalem's counsel never sent Paul out, nor did it have any power or jurisdiction over him. God, and God alone, did the sending and the leading. Secondly, his ministry was in the power of the spirit, thereby demonstrating the spoken and written word. Thirdly, he had the evident fruit of his God given ministry. All right. So three things he had. He stuck with the word, no matter what. He was not sent by some group, but he was sent by God. Second, his ministry was in the power of the spirit, demonstrating the spoken and written word. He had the fruit of a God given ministry. So let's look at Galatians 1, and we'll go through quite a number of verses here and we'll just comment on them. We're going to go through chapter 2, verse 10. It's really the best breakdown of Paul's ministry from his own words Galatians 1, 11,.
Speaker 1:But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached to me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation and time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it and profited in the Jews' religion above my name, my equals and my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But it went, please God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace to reveal his son and me that I might preach him among the heathen. Immediately I conferred, not with flesh and blood. Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them, which were apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus. Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I, none save James, the Lord's brother.
Speaker 1:Now, the things which I write unto you, behold, before God I lie, not Afterwards, I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia and was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ, but they had heard only that he which persecuted us in times past now preaches the faith which he once destroyed, and they glorified God in me. Then, fourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and took Titus with me also, and I went up by revelation and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation lest by any means I should run or had run in vain. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised and that, because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us unto bondage, to whom we gave place by subjection. No, not for an hour, but the truth of the gospel might continue with you. But of those who seemed to be, somewhat whatsoever they were, it makes no matter to me God, except if no man's person, for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me, but contrary, wise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter, for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles. And when James, cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision, only they would. That we should remember the poor. The same, which I also was forward to do.
Speaker 1:So, as we look at that scripture and we look at Paul's attitude and approach to ministry, is he was led by the Lord Jesus and directed by the Lord Jesus, and his heart and mind was focused on doing what Christ called him to do. Now, everybody around him had a response to that and he was respectful of other people's reputation, but neither did he give in to what other people wanted him to do. See, he says we didn't give place to them by subjection, not even for an hour. So each of us that's what Brother Branham says each of us must that are called to ministry, must have an experience and be sent by the pillar of fire. Now does it mean we have a Moses experience or a Brother Branham experience, where we have an angel come to us but we must personally be called of Jesus Christ, led by Jesus Christ and sent out by Jesus Christ? All right, so that's the first portion of what I wanted to cover.
Speaker 1:The next portion, I want to look at our position in the body and God's purpose for us. First, peter 2, verse 9,. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into marvelous light. This is written not to ministers, but to all believers. All believers are a royal priesthood, so every believer is a priest. Exodus 28, verse 1,. Let's look at the priest's office in the Old Testament and take thou unto the Aaron, thy brother and his sons with him from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Arab, even Aaron, nadab and Abihu, eliezer and Ithamar, aaron's sons. So priests, office is the word kahan. It means to mediate in religious offerings.
Speaker 1:Under the Old Covenant there were three divisions of priests. There were the high priests, priests and Levites. The high priests and the priests all came from the family of Aaron. The Levites, who were to care for the sacred things and also be teachers, could come from any tribe of Levi. The function of priests was to both offer sacrifices, to teach and to judge in scriptural matters. As time went on, parties and sex and various hierarchies began to develop within this system. But only the high priests and the priests offered sacrifices, not the Levites. Hebrews 5, 1,. For every high priest taken from among men is ordained four men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
Speaker 1:Under the New Covenant we have a new priesthood Hebrews 7, 12. For the priesthood being changed there is made, of necessity, a change also of the law. The priesthood is changed. There is no longer a Levitical priesthood. Under the New Covenant there is a change in priesthood and it's a change that actually brings perfection. The law and the Levitical order could never bring perfection to the conscience. It took a new priest that offered his own sinless life to do it.
Speaker 1:2 Corinthians 3, 13,. And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished. The Levitical order and the priestly sacrifices have been abolished. It means they were rendered useless. They continued on after the death and resurrection of Christ, but they were rendered useless in the sight of God. Hebrews 3, 1.
Speaker 1:Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, christ Jesus. We have a new high priest after a new order. What is the order? The order of Melchizedek, 1 Peter 2, 9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priest of the holy nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth, the praises of him who had called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So the priesthood is Christ Jesus. The high priest, and then the priests of this priesthood, is every holy ghost filled believer. Every believer is a priest, but we have only one high priest, and the high priest offered himself.
Speaker 1:Over time, though, the Church began to separate the laity from the officers of the Church. They claimed that there was a religious class and they were referred to as priests and they had various positions in the hierarchy of the Church. This meant only the priestly class had authority to read and understand the Scripture. The laity were not even allowed to have the Bible because of the perceived damage it could do to them. It also meant that forgiveness of sins had to be mediated through them to the laity. That was the end game of the devil, but his start was to put a difference between the preachers and the laity. It started out as a deed, then it became a doctrine and it was then a binding law that could mean death when violated. This is taken from the Gospel Coalition website.
Speaker 1:The medieval Church taught that God works exclusively through a select class of priests, as they administered the seven sacraments of the Church Baptism, the Eucharist, or the Lord's Supper, as we call it, confirmation, penance, extreme unction, marriage and holy orders. Protestants, on the other hand, believe that all people in the Church are priests or, in the language of the 16th century reformer, martin Luther, the priesthood of all believers. The differences between these two views? In short, the medieval view rests on the teaching of Church tradition, whereas the Protestant view grows out of Scripture. Medieval Christians believe that the Church was a part of a celestial hierarchy where everything in the heavens and earth had its place in a great chain of being. Great chain begins with God, the archangels and angels. This heavenly hierarchy finds its earthly parallel through the sacraments, those who are inspired by God to comprehend them and those initiated by them. God passes his knowledge and grace down the chain to the angels who interred and invested this information in the sacraments, and those who administer the sacraments, the priests who then give them to the laity. Salvation chiefly comes through the sacraments and the priests who administer them. And the priests are a unique class of individual who have been gifted by God to contemplate the things of God. They are of a higher order than ordinary people who have no capacity for such sublime truth. This view of a hierarchy prevailed in the Church through the Middle Ages until the 16th century Protestant Reformation.
Speaker 1:Luther challenged this prevailing notion because he rejected the Church's claims. He believed the Church rested its idea of the unique priestly class on tradition rather than the authority of Scripture. Luther instead believed that offering the sacrifice of the Mass did not make one a priest, but rather anyone who had faith in Christ. Our great High Priest was indeed a priest of God. In Luther's typical pithy manner he claimed faith alone is the true priestly office. Luther's idea of the priesthood of all believers versus the priesthood of only a select few, rests in the priestly office of Christ and in the believer's blessing to share in all that Christ is through union with him.
Speaker 1:So let's look at the Scripture, revelation 5, 8-10. When he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. They sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou hast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and it had made us unto God, our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. So under the new covenant we no longer need to have a religious class of people to mediate the blessings of God upon us. We can receive salvation directly through Jesus Christ. We can receive an understanding of the truth directly by the word of God and the revelation of the Holy Spirit. Of course it's the five-fold ministry, but this is to be understood in a very different way. The five-fold ministry is not mediating salvation to the people. They are vessels to bring Christ directly to the people, so that the people have Christ and are walking with Christ, who is the one master and teacher.
Speaker 1:1 Corinthians 3, 4-9. For while one saith, I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos. Are you not carnal? Who then is Paul and who is Apollos? But ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man. I have planted, apollos watered, but God gave the increased. So then, neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. Now, he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor, for we are laborers together with God. You are God's husbandry, you are God's building. So neither is he that planteth anything but he that watereth, or he that watereth. It's God that gives the increased. We are servants by whom you believed.
Speaker 1:Verse same chapter, but verses 20 through 23,. And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. They're therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come. All are yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's. So every minister that is sent belongs to the believer. Every ministry that is sent belongs to the believer. It is not that the believer belongs to the pastor, the ministry the pastor belongs to the believer is what the word of God says. They belong to you and therefore your benefit, those ministries. But every believer is given To have the ministry of reconciliation. Some do it with preaching, some with witnessing, some do it with Bible studies, others do it with prayer, others others do it as Teaching their children in the home, others do it as Sunday school teachers, etc. Others do it as Musicians, gifted musicians and singers, etc.
Speaker 1:There's one body, many members, we're all on equal footing, receiving directly from Christ. That's the new covenant. Each of us Indivisible. We don't have the Holy Ghost through the pastor or through the messenger of the age. We have the Holy Ghost as individuals to lead us into all truth.
Speaker 1:Second Corinthians, 5, 11 through 21, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord. We persuade men but we are made manifest unto God and I trust also our met, made manifest In your consciences, for we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf that you have may have somewhat to answer for them. Which glory and appearance, and not in heart, for whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause, for the love of Christ's constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead, and then he died for all they, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto the self, unto themselves, but unto him which died for them. And Rose again. Wherefore, henceforth, no, we know man after the flesh, a though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth, no, we him no more. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature or new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things are become new and all things are of God, who have reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and it's given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and it's committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ stead Be reconciled to God, free of made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God With him. So we're helpers together with God. It's God working and directly in the lives of people to equip them for the work of the ministry Ephesians 4, 11 and 12. And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the perfecting, perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
Speaker 1:Perfecting there in Ephesians 4, 12, is Catartismos. It means complete furnishing. It speaks of the equipping of the saints for the, the work of the ministry. It's speaking of the fact that of dressing them so as a military is dressed in military garb For their work as military men. This is what the five-fold ministry does Through, through Christ's gifts to the church. The church, the saints as individuals are being equipped For the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. So the work of the ministry and edification of the body of Christ is committed to every member of the body of Christ.
Speaker 1:Questions and answers. Number three 1964. Dearly beloved, let's see about the scriptures of Ephesians 4, 11 through 13. Do we all? Let's see, do we get all the perfecting of saints through the tapes? Or should we be here where the gifts of the spirit are operating in the Different offices of the church to help perfect us? Our hearts have believed all the word of the Lord. No, they want to come here to the church for the perfecting. See that we get fellowship one with another here at the church. But the perfecting comes between us and God. The blood of Christ is what perfects us in the Holy Spirit. So you see that the perfecting there is in Ephesians 4 is equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. Perfecting. Brother random is taking in a different direction and saying the perfecting comes as you, as individuals. The blood of Christ Cleanses us and perfects us. Right, so Christ is the mystery of God revealed 1963.
Speaker 1:Love one another above everything. Love one another no matter what the devil tries to say. Now You're all one great, big, sweet group now. But remember my warning. See, saint, won't let it stay that way. No, sir, he'll shoot everything he has to bring somebody in to make his target. He'll bring some critic or unbeliever in and set him down and cause him to fellowship with you under the quietness and things, and then he'll shoot that guy with some kind of a poison stuff and he'll start through the church with it. Don't you take sides with it, don't. You have nothing to do with anything else. You stay right, loving and sweet and kind to one another. Pray for that man that he'll be saved to, or that woman or whoever it is. Just pray for them and stick with one another and stay with your pastor. See, he's the shepherd and you give him respects. He'll lead you through and because he's ordained of God to do so. Now, do you remember that the enemy will come and when he does, just cling that much closer together and the one that the devil is using for an enemy will either get out or come in and be one of you. That's all All right.
Speaker 1:So we see there, the pastor is ordained to Lead you through. Lead you through what? To the rapture. That's how many have interpreted it. But that's a false doctrine. The pastor doesn't lead us through to the rapture. The pastor is ordained to lead you through the troubles that are coming in the church. So give him respect and help. Allow him to help you Be led through it. He's ordained to lead you through the troubles and trials in the church.
Speaker 1:Now, sometimes the pastor himself is the trouble and the trial of the church and he must be Voted out, and if he's Political man you must leave him. But that isn't always the case that we have to have wisdom and discernment about what the situation is. We can't take this quote and apply it so broadly that every pastor has immunity From his errors and mistakes. No, that's, that's not right. A real, true, ordained God, ordained shepherd is ordained of the Lord to take us through these times where the depth, the enemy comes to bring destruction in the church. And we stay by him for sure, just like we would stay by any real believer. We would speak the truth to them, we would love them, we would correct them where they need correction In love, with the right attitude and right heart.
Speaker 1:So In the New Testament there's never once the term pastor used, and pastors plural Is used in Ephesians 4, in 1st Corinthians it's not even mentioned. It speaks of elders and always in a plural format. It sells elders that rule or lead. Well, let them count to be counted worthy of double honor, and especially those that labor in the word and doctrine. They're ordained to carry you through difficult circumstances and to be a good counselor and instructor to you. But they're never meant to be the new priesthood that leads you into a rapture. The rapture is connected to our salvation and that's connected to Christ and the new birth. There are ministers and there's different ones that are there to edify us, but when we put our faith and trust in a man To bring us to the rapture, we're going to be disappointed and we're going to live the wrong kind of life. Paul said that we should not glory in men. We honor them who labor for among us, but remember they didn't die for you and they aren't your absolute. Christ is your absolute and the Holy Spirit is your leader. Preachers are there to help you in those things.
Speaker 1:Each one of us has a ministry. 1st Peter, 2, 5. You also, as lively stones are built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up, a spiritual sacrifice is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1st Corinthians, 12, 7 through 11,. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man To profit with all. For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge. By the same spirit. To another faith. By the same spirit to another, the gifts of healing by the same spirit to another, the working of miracles To another, prophecy to another, discerning of spirits to another, diverse kinds of tongues to another, the interpretation of tongues, but all these work at that one in the self same spirit, dividing to every man severally as he wills. Brother random says in the ministry explained then, when you become in the body of christ, then there's nine spiritual gifts that goes in every local body and those are gifts that you're to pray for. To pray for the gift of speaking with tongues or the gift of Interpretation of tongues or these other gifts that goes into the church, pray for the gifts of healing and pray for the gifts of miracles and so forth. That's the ones you pray for.
Speaker 1:Every believer Is, when he receives the holy spirit, is subject to have the gifts of the spirit in their life and a ministry of the spirit in the local church. Every believer, man and woman, young and old. Revelation 1, 5 and 6. And from Jesus Christ was the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto god and his father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. He's made every believer kings and priests.
Speaker 1:Revelation 20, verse 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath pardoned the first resurrection On such. The second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of god and of christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. So under the new covenant, every one of us are priests. Now, this doesn't mean we offer sacrifices for sins. That work has been completed. A perfect, sinless sacrifice was offered in. A high priest stands as a mediator, still in heaven. So why are we then All priests under the new covenant? One the blood of christ was shed once for all. No need for continual sacrifice to the new covenant is an inner teacher and it's given not merely there's not merely an outward teacher given. We're called to minister. Three, number three we're called to ministry through the spirit dwelling within us, for the true church is an invisible, mystical body of christ. Five we're all equal in christ.
Speaker 1:Jeremiah 31, 31 through 34. Behold, the days come, sayeth the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break, though I wasn't husband. Unto them, sayeth the Lord, but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, and those days, sayeth the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall teach no more. Every man is neighbor and every man is brother. Saying know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, sayeth the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more. So God is to come to us and teach us personally. He uses the five old ministry, the Holy Spirit uses the five fold ministry to teach his people, but ultimately it's God writing his law directly in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. God accepts only those who have spiritual revelation to give into their heart personally, and they shall know no more. Every man teaches neighbor.
Speaker 1:This speaks of the contrast with the old covenant. The old covenant was all given through and administered through mediators, priests, prophets. Their purpose was to teach people to know the Lord. In the new covenant, the primary means of God's working will be his direct connection by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, a personal experience that gives direct knowledge of God. Teachers and pastors will still be called and appointed to do that work, but it is not the primary work of the new covenant. It is a helper, together with the work of the Spirit of God within the soul of every believer Visions 4, 15 through 16,.
Speaker 1:But speaking the truth and love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supply, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part may, could increase of the body under the edifying of itself in love. 1 Corinthians, 12, 27 and 28. Now you are the body of Christ and members in particular, and God has set some in the church First Apostles, secondary prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. So this is the new covenant ministry of the word. It's a body ministry, one body, one spirit, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all. In in new hall. There's an equality and necessity of the whole body to operate together in unity. It cannot be a leadership of the few and the working of the few.
Speaker 1:Let's look at a few things. Brother Banim speaks of this ministry of worship to God. In Ephesians Church Age, paul sought coming, but he warned them about the subtle priesthood that would come and take over with its false doctrines. He knew they would implement a way of worship that excluded the people from any part in a Holy Spirit ministry. And even right today, among those who claim to be free and full of the Spirit, there is not too much freedom in the laity, and the best we can see is a few preachers with inspired preaching, while the flock just sits there and tries to absorb it. This is a far cry from Paul, who said that when all came together, all had the leading of the Spirit and all participated in spiritual worship. And the church corporate has never learned this lesson from the Scripture nor from history. Every time God gives a visitation of the Holy Spirit and the people get free after a while, they bind themselves right back to the very thing they came out of. When Luther came out of Catholicism, the people stayed free for a while. But when he died, the people simply organized what they thought he believed and set up their own creeds and ideas and repudiated anyone who said opposite to what they said. They went right back to Catholicism with a little different form and right today, many Lutherans are ready to go all the way back. They've all gone all the way back.
Speaker 1:Oh yes, in Revelation 17, the Old Whore had many daughters. These daughters are just like mother they set the word aside, deny the work of the Spirit, subjugate the laity and make it impossible for the laity to worship God unless they come through them or through their pattern, which is nothing but a blueprint of unbelief from Satan himself. And in Church Age Book Chapter 5,. You will recall that I brought out in the Ephesians age that the word Nicolaotin comes from two Greek words Nikau, which means to conquer, and Laos, which means the laity. Nicolaotin means to conquer the laity.
Speaker 1:Now, why is this such a terrible thing? It is terrible because God has never placed His Church in the hands of an elected leadership which moves with political mindedness. He has placed His Church in the care of God ordained, spirit-filled, word-living men who lead the people through feeding them the word. He has not separated the people into classes so that the masses are led by a holy priesthood. It is true that the leadership must be holy, but then so must be the whole congregation. Further, there is no place in the word where priests or ministers or such mediate between God and the people, nor is there a place where they are separated in their worship of the Lord. God wants us all to love and serve Him together. Nicolaotin destroys these precepts and instead separates the ministers from the people and makes the leaders overlords instead of servants.
Speaker 1:Now, this doctrine actually started as a deed in the first church age. My goodness, we look at that and I want to draw a few points. There is the best we can see. There is a few preachers with inspired preaching, while the flock just sits there and tries to absorb it. This is a far cry from Paul, who said when they all came together, all had the leading of the spirit and all participate in spiritual worship. This should be a believer's expectation when they come to church Is that God is going to flow through us and use us to speak to one another. Instead, we have our churches so traditionalized and buttoned down. We're just like the Baptists. We have our songs, we have our music, we have our preaching, we make an altar call and we leave. See, we need to give space to the Holy Spirit to work. We would see Jesus in 1958. Then the church is in this building. The church is not a building anyhow, it's a people, a called out. The word church means called out. So we are the people of God, by the grace of God, the called out tonight that's assembled ourselves together in this place.
Speaker 1:Five definite identifications of the church of the living God in 1960. Messianic empire. Therefore, the church is not an organization, the church is not a gathering of people. The church is the people of God that's been called out of the world to serve in another kingdom. The random says that these few verses that we have chosen to read might become a great help to every member of the mystical body on the earth, the spiritual church, the church of the firstborn, that church that's been bought by the blood of Jesus, that's been washed and has been sanctified and will be presented to God that day without a blemish or a wrinkle. So understand is that the local church is not the mystical body of Christ. The local church is set forth to be a carrier of that. You're never going to find a perfect local church, because that's not where God is ordained to perfect his people. We're a mystical body, so the mystical body is spread out through the whole world and yet there is a local body. God is not perfecting the mystical body and are the local body and he's not going to rapture the local body. He will rapture the mystical body, continuing in five identification definite identifications of the true church of the living God in 1960.
Speaker 1:If you're a Christian, you're a born again creature. You're in a mystic kingdom of God. Your eyes are not on the things of this world but on things above, and that's where you're in the church. That is the church. It is not an organization. It can never be an organization. Take me on record the church of the living God can never be a certain group. It cannot be an organization. It has to be a mystical body, the Holy Spirit. A little farther, if we get time we'll get right into it. Now you see what church means. Church means a called out bunch, called out people, that's governed only by the king of this messianic kingdom. Oh, isn't that wonderful. I love that when I read that in the today and when it said they're the kingdom, the messianic empire. The writer put it the messianic empire. The writer also said there's no such a thing as the church of the living God ever being organized. An organization is something that was adopted, adopted, adopted into, to take the place of, in the three kinds of believers.
Speaker 1:Brother Branham says help us, oh God, especially your church. Then that's baptized into the mystical body of Christ, which is. It's the spirit that quickeneth. You said there's a son of man ascended up. So shall his body ascend up, and he is the head of the church. As the body, oh God, it's the head that guides the body. Let the headship of the word guide the body of Christ, and may I be part of that body. Oh Lord, amen. So all of us have an intercessory ministry. So Romans 826,.
Speaker 1:Likewise, the spirit also helps our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for, as we ought, but the spirit itself make an intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. So we don't know what to pray for. So the spirit prays through us with groanings which cannot be uttered. That's for every believer, that's for everyone that has the Holy Spirit. So your prayer ministry is a ministry of intercession by the spirit of God. When you pray in the spirit. The spirit is making intercession through you, so that's why we call it intercessory prayer.
Speaker 1:Galatians 6, 1 and 2, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you, which are spiritual, does not say in the pastor. Those pastors are one of them, but it's speaking of any believer. Any believer has the authority to do this. You, which are spiritual, restore such in one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. So Paul is saying that our spiritual spirit filled men who are mature, go and restore them.
Speaker 1:Alright, so now it's an invisible, mystical body of Christ, abraham in his seat. After him, 1961, brother Branham says and now there's three classes of people that always in every congregation and made up everywhere where you find them, that's believers, make believers and unbelievers. You find those three classes of people and probably every church there is in the world is make believers and unbelievers. And believers In the world is falling apart. Look at the churches today say we're the church. Every one of them, we're the church. There's only one church and that's the mystical body of Christ. When you become in there, you're baptized in there by the Holy Spirit and it changes your whole being Alright.
Speaker 1:So there is a visible church that baptizes new converts, gives the Lord supper, does foot washing, marries believers, teaches and instructs and proclaims the word. Then there is an invisible or mystical church, which consists only of genuine, born again believers who are by one spirit baptized into one body. Participation in the visible church does not guarantee being a part of the invisible church. They overlap each other and genuine believers are instructed to gather with other genuine believers, but the gathering doesn't make them real believers. It is the one spirit, baptism, that does that. The visible church is an imperfect place run by imperfect people who often genuinely serve the Lord with all their hearts and are sent for the purpose to call that invisible church. The invisible church is a mystical body. It's filled with the spirit and led by the spirit. Members of that mystical body worship in and participate in the work of the visible church as well. They overlap each other, but there are three kinds of believers in every church, and the church that Jesus Christ is connected to is that invisible church. He is building and perfecting that invisible church. He didn't come to perfect our visible churches, but he came to perfect the invisible, mystical body of Christ that is baptized with the spirit. Now, every believer is equal. We don't have one believer over another believer.
Speaker 1:Romans 2.11,. For there is no respect of persons with God. James 2.1-9,. My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto you, your assembly, a man with a gold ring and goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have respect to him that weareth a gay clothing, and say unto him Sit thou here in a good place, and say to the poor Stand thou there or sit here under my footstool. Are ye not then partial in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts? Harken my beloved brethren. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which ye hath promised to them that love him, but ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgment seats. Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called. If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Ye do well, but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin and do error, all right. You commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Speaker 1:Brother Bandham says we're watching this Pharisee and I can see him as he walks back and forth in the great corridors of his home. I'm Dr so and so in the city. You know I'm a well-respected citizen. What? What I say is law and order, and I'm a great man. And when and when you get to thinking that in your heart, then you're nothing that you ought to be, says the Bible. When a man thinks he's just a little bit better and somebody else, you're on your road out. Brother, that's right. We're all the same in the sight of God, rich, poor, brown, black, white, yellow, whatever we may be. We're all in one equal basis with God.
Speaker 1:There's not a class of in in in the true church. There's no classes of people. There's no. There is no Landowners and commoners. There's no Priestly class and common class. There's no people that are bound to anything but Christ. Galatians 3 28. There's neither june or Greek. There's neither bond or free. There's neither male nor female, for you're all one in Christ Jesus. There's not slave or slave owner. See, everyone in the church is on equal footing and we don't have favor of persons we don't say well, that one's the slave, a master. So we got to give him a higher position. It would be insulting to him to have the slave as a minister over him. No, the slave can be called to a ministry To be the pastor of a local church. Maybe he's called to be the pastor and the slave Owners called to be the deacon or an elder, whatever it might be. There's a fact in the world yes, they're slaves, they're, they're free in the world, but in the church we don't have this distinction.
Speaker 1:For scrincy it's 12, 12, for as the body is one and many members and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so also as Christ. For scrincy it's 12, 18 through 30. But now has God set the members, every one of them, in the body as it is. It has pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body?
Speaker 1:But now are they many members yet, but one body. And the eye cannot say into the hand, I have no need of thee, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. May, much more are those members of the body which seem to be more feeble or necessary and those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon those we must be stole much more abundant honor, and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness, for our comely parts have no need. But God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked, that there should be no schism in the body, but that members should have the same care one for another, and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now Are you, are the body of Christ, and members in particular, and God has set some in the church.
Speaker 1:First apostles, secondary Profits, thirdly, teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of feeling, helps, governments, diversities of tongues, are all apostles, are all prophets, are all teachers, are all work of workers of miracles. Have all gifts of feeling, do all speak with tongues, do all interpret. In 1958, jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever. Brother Graham says now, in each local church there's nine spiritual gifts that's given to the people and that's what you know of. First, corinthians 12 was speaking in tongues and interpretations, and the gifts of prophecy and wisdom and Knowledge and so forth. Those ministerial gifts, or those gifts go that, go into the church.
Speaker 1:Every member of the body of Christ is subject to any of those gifts at any time. God gives them and works through the members of his church Romans 12, 4 through 8 for as we have many members and one body and all members have not the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ that everyone members one of another, having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith, or ministry, let us wait on our ministering. Or he that teaches on teaching, or he that exhorted on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity, he that ruleeth with diligent, he that show of mercy with cheerfulness. See, we have different purpose, different function in the body, but that that operation and that work, and that being a part of that isn't based on what our sphere is in life, what our position is in life. It's what God has called us to be by his Holy Spirit, and we're all one body and members of one another, and there's neither, there's no separation, no difference. We're all equal in him.
Speaker 1:So let's finish, let's close with this how are we all priests? We all have the Spirit of God equally and personally, which is it empowers us to a ministry to the world in finding the lost and edifying the body of Christ. It's not a mediatorship for affecting a sacrifice for sins that's done. It's an Intercessory work of proclaiming and encouraging those to look to the finished work of Jesus Christ. It is a place of authority wherein the name of Jesus Christ is given to us in the Spirit of God, to affect ministry unto others. Well, thank you so much for listening in to the podcast. I sure appreciate it. Sure appreciate your patience. If you have any questions, prayer requests or testimonies, please let me know at Jason de Mars calm or through the social media that you're Listening through. Made the Lord richly bless you.