“If You Will Be Sincere…”
“If you will be sincere…” – these five words are a part of the charge GIVEN to William M. Branham on May 7, 1946 concerning his ministry that would take him around the world to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the deliverance of the many who were sick.
“If you will be sincere…” – these words have had a profound effect on me since I chanced upon them in 1971, the year I heard the “midnight cry”. This simple phrase of five words still rings in my heart today, a constant reminder of what a servant of God ought to be even as it was charged to the prophet-messenger of the Lord to this last Church Age.
“If you will be sincere…” – oh, how true it must be for every believer to be so. Being entirely sincere with oneself (not with God or with man) is a good exercise. However, the many years of being among preachers and believers tell a different story. There is no fear of God in the life of many, especially the ministers and those who think themselves to be one. Remember: the angel’s first five words are not “If you will have faith” or “If you have the faith”. So, think seriously, preachers.
The last four decades of my coming into the precious Truth of God for the last day, and my call to the ministration of the Word, have taken me on a journey of fellowship with ministers and believers, both locally and around the world. And through all these years and even now one spirit stands out very glaringly in the life of many ministers, and needless to say, it is the spirit of INSINCERITY. When there is no sincerity in a minister there are only evil works, evil works that spring from insincerity – deceit, lies, hypocrisy, mendaciousness, artificiality. When a preacher falls into the hands of the spirits of evil works he enters into egoism in which everything is centered on the “I”. These preachers usually get very puffed up; they will not apologize much less repent when it is clearly revealed to them the error(s) of their teachings, their accusations and their presumptuous sins.
Furthermore, ministers (without the exception of Bible believers) must etch this in their mind, that it is one thing to hurt themselves with their insincerity (deceit, lies, hypocrisy, mendaciousness, artificiality), but if their insincerity causes hurt to others, then they have committed, not a sin but an iniquity. They should heed the warning of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Mat.7:21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
FEAR FOR FEAR’S SAKE
Personal experiences with many insincere ministers over these past years have brought me to write this message in the hope that those who are deceived by the cunning craftiness of insincere ministers would have their eyes opened. This disease of INSINCERITY in preachers is a cause of many ills. When the believers in the assembly see that disease in their pastor, they are often afraid to speak to him about it. This can cause them to even reject the Truth or turn secular. Certain statements uttered by Bro Branham in his sermons are often quoted by such preachers to “put the believers in their place”, so to speak. Teaching the oral words of Branham to be THE ABSOLUTE to which the believers must hold fast to, creates FEAR, not the fear of God but fear for fear’s sake. They are taught to “just believe even if you do not understand”. Is that what the WORD of God teaches for a believer to do? On the contrary, just read the following passages of Scripture: 1Ch.28:19; Neh.8:8; Psa.119:27; Pro.14:8; Isa.28:9; Dan.9:25; 10:11,12,14; Hos.14:9; Mar.7:14; 8:17,21; 13:14; Luk.8:10; 24:45; Heb.11:3. If understanding is not required, then all one has is blind faith. But faith is a revelation which is given by the grace of God – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph.2:8). And revelation is something revealed. When something is revealed and understood it is knowledge gained. Paul prayed: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:” (Eph.1:17) and “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Eph.3:4).
Saints, if you say that you love the Lord and His Truth, you must remember that you are responsible for your very action in your relationship with those who called themselves “preachers”. Paul wrote to the saints in Thessalonica, “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord,…” (1Th.5:12). You need to really know these labourers; who they are, what they are. Are they watching over your souls or are they watching over you for their own agenda, for filthy lucre? If these labourers are sincere and worthy of their labour, esteem them highly and pray for them. God said: “I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer.3:15). Therefore do not be afraid of any preacher who “darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge” (Job 38:2). For such “an hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered” (Pro.11:9). Truly, “the heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness” (Pro.15:14). So what are you – a prudent man or a fool? “Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly” (Pro.13:16).
God’s own words declared: “My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected
knowledge,…”
(Hos.4:6a). How true. Yet many believers are foolish and they lay open
their follies and utter, “I rather have the right spirit than the
right doctrine.” Such utterance declares they have no desire to get
understanding and knowledge of God’s Word. They feel secure in their
claim of having the “right spirit” because the statement is a
statement uttered by Branham. They think that quoting the words of
Branham makes them true believers, and thus, they have the token for the
Rapture. How foolish. Are not the Spirit and the Word ONE? Can one have
the right spirit without the right doctrine or the right doctrine
without the right spirit? Can one be without the other? If so, you have
nothing. You have no knowledge of God and His Truth, hence you are an
easy prey to “being
carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by
craftiness in regard to deceitful scheming”
(cf. Eph.4:14, EMT).
In all common sense as regarding “right spirit” and “right doctrine”, it is the “right doctrine” that sets us free – “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jhn.8:32). “Right spirit” does not. There are plenty of people, religious or otherwise, who have and do manifest a “right spirit” of love and goodness; they are gracious and merciful; and surely, the world loves such people. But does having a “right spirit” give a person the knowledge of THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE? Does it give a person a true revelation of the Living Word of God? Obviously, it does not. On the other hand, with a “right doctrine”, TRUTH that is Scriptural, a revelation (faith) that is God-given, a person is humbled, and led, by the Spirit of God to live right with a “right spirit”. Hence, having a “right doctrine” would produce a “right spirit”, but not a “right spirit” producing a “right doctrine”.
EXPOSING THE SPIRIT
Christians often tell others not to judge but to love; truly LOVE is all important. But what is love – TRUE LOVE? Many talk about love like hippies talk about ‘Free Love’ – “Do not judge them, God will judge them”. Sure, but don’t they need to be rebuked and exposed for falsehood, and to give an admonition and warning to other saints that all forms of falsehood cannot be tolerated in God’s Church? Is “Christian loving” a religious standard to be conformed to without Truth? Paul said: “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Rom.12:9). Did he mean what he said? We shall see.
This message is not written to assail any preacher or his false teachings or mistakes he made but to expose the spirit of insincerity, and to admonish every preacher to self-examine on these words: “If you will be sincere”. True, we are all not without fault. However for anyone who knows full well that he is not sincere with himself and makes no effort to correct his ways but to continue in his deception, lies and manipulation of people, is wickedness in a high place.
Abraham Lincoln said accurately, “You may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all the time.” Yes, your sin of hypocrisy (insincerity, manipulation and lies) will find you out as was in the case of Peter’s deception which Paul wrote in his epistle to the Galatians:
Gal.2:11[Amplified]: But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I protested and opposed him to his face [concerning his conduct there], for he was blameable and stood condemned.
12: For up to the time that certain persons came from James, he ate his meals with the Gentile [converts]; but when the men [from Jerusalem] arrived, he withdrew and held himself aloof from the Gentiles and [ate] separately for fear of those of the circumcision [party].
13: And the rest of the Jews along with him also concealed their true convictions and acted insincerely, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy (their example of insincerity and pretense).
14: But as soon as I saw that they were not straightforward and were not living up to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas (Peter) before everybody present, If you, though born a Jew, can live [as you have been living] like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how do you dare now to urge and practically force the Gentiles to [comply with the ritual of Judaism and] live like Jews?
Well, interestingly Paul was making himself a judge! Why was Paul making himself a judge and even openly opposed Peter to reprove him? Had Paul the right? He had even complained of his mistreatment by a believer named Alexander (2Tim.4:14) and called out Hymenaeus and Philetus who blasphemed and shipwrecked the faith of others (1Tim.1:20; 2Tim.2:17-18). Did not Paul in his many epistles write about forgiveness and love one to another? Had Paul become a hypocrite in not practicing what he preached? Had he lost his love? If not, why the harsh reproof of Peter’s dissimulation and the calling of names? Simply, a spade is a spade. Would a man of God or a believer make a spade a club, or a club a spade? (I have never mentioned names or called names until the beginning of 2010. Preachers’ dissimulation has been a problem in the camp of Bible believers. Some might say that Richard Gan has destroyed his reputation and his ministry because of this message.)
Barnabas was the worthy and intimate friend of Paul. He had been with him in many important works. Even the conduct of the “big fisherman” Peter, and those Jews who were with him, influenced the precious and good man Barnabas into hypocrisy and error. It was no mistake then that Paul should notice and reprove the conduct of Peter openly. It was a painful duty, but the welfare of the saints and the cause of the faith demanded it, and Paul did not shrink from what was so obvious a duty.
Can you differentiate between judging and condemning a person, and judging and condemning a person’s hypocrisy and evil works? Maybe some of Peter’s followers could not and started defending Peter and offending Paul. Perhaps they got so used to Peter’s behavior and vocalizations that they did not believe he did wrong. And maybe Paul’s ‘runner boys’ Timothy, Titus and Silas also could not comprehend Paul’s action, and they too got upset with Paul’s arrogance and judgmental spirit, and they said to him, “Paul, you are a very rude man. You surely are destroying your reputation and ministry. Don’t you know who Peter is? He is one whom our Lord personally called to walk with Him, and is a true witness of our Lord’s life and ministry. You are not even as true a witness as Peter is. He is the first apostle to preach on the Day of Pentecost. He preached the first apostolic message. Also, have some respect for Peter as he is older than you. Have you considered that the problem in Antioch may not have been Peter’s fault? Maybe some of the Jewish and Gentile saints there misunderstood what Peter was trying to do, what he was trying to teach them. Brother, why are you so upset about that little mistake? Don’t be so judgmental. Remember you teach us to love; so where is your love for Peter? We believe he was sincere but just wrong. And why did you put the names of all these believers in your messages? You want the whole world to know what they have committed? They are good men; they believe and preach the same message as we are; only they have some little differences. Please Paul, forget all these; those events are in the past; they are history. We are all believers and we are all going to the same heavenly place. In case you have forgotten brother, only divine love will enter there, not the right doctrines.”
Oh yes, many have uttered, “Only divine love, not the right doctrines, will take you there”. This is yet another popular utterance used to brush away TRUTH. And yes, anyone can be sincerely wrong but should not one right the wrong when proven? Should not he come clean? When it comes down to the crux of the matter of misdeed, manipulation, hypocrisy, lies and false teachings, many would take the “safe side” by providing excuses or remaining silent. Anyone who remains silent is just as guilty as those who practice them. To these believers – to rebuke, to correct, to expose another for evil works is a “no, no” as they believe that they should not judge anyone. They would quote many Scripture verses to that effect but not the precise ones that deal with hypocrisy and evil works. So, what says the Scripture?
Jhn.7:24: Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
1Co.5:11: But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12: For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13: But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Saints, what is divine love? Is divine love simply something you practice by closing your eyes to evil works such are mentioned afore and in the rest of this message, and behave lovingly to everyone; and by so doing you gain entry to heaven? If so, many lovely religious sinners, regardless of their religious faith, who are full of love, must have the right to enter that heavenly place.
DIVINE LOVE proceeds from DIVINE TRUTH, and not DIVINE TRUTH from DIVINE LOVE. LOVE proceeds forth from the SPIRIT, WORD or TRUTH. LOVE proceeds from GOD, and not GOD from LOVE. TRUTH produces LOVE, and not LOVE produces TRUTH. Therefore speaking the Truth in Love will correct, rebuke, and judge righteous judgment. Remember God has even magnified His Word above His Name (cf. Psm.138:2).
ORCHESTRATION
There is a simple basic need to understand that as far as the ministry of God is concerned, God orchestrates His own ministry. When men think that God needs a helping hand, and go forth to do what they think and believe the direction the ministry of God should move, they bring in a disharmony, a discord, a cacophony in the Ekklesia of God. Over time these men will bash those who do not agree with them and even those who do not even know them. These men might say they are sincere in what they do, and what they do is right. However, if the Word shows otherwise, will they admit to the fact that they are sincerely wrong? (Would not Paul, if his gaffe of Peter was proven wrong?) Or will they continue in their bashing? If they realize they are sincerely wrong and have committed a trespass against a brother, will they repent? Certainly, if they are the true elect of God, they will. If not, such ministers have no self-respect, no integrity. They fulfill the words of James: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?...Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” (Jam.4:1,5).
Why do these ministers of the “End Time Message” camp of believers, who believe they are a part of the Bride of Christ, have such envious lust over others and have a depraved spirit to war one against another? Is not the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of us all? Is not the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ freely given to us? Of course, we need to very carefully consider the words of Paul (the Apostle-Messenger to the Ephesian Church Age) in his epistle to the Roman believers: “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Rom.9:6). Therefore are all believers, who claim to be believers? Certainly not, for many are carnal. And what does the Scripture say of those who are carnally minded?
Rom.8:5: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8: So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
MAN PLANS, AND GOD LAUGHS
Not long after I came to the light of this last Church Age, I found there was already an assembly of believers who have been around about two years. Over the next two to three years, several ministers from America, Canada, New Zealand and Europe visited that church. Together with a few believers under my charge, I went to the meetings for the fellowship and to hear the Word. During that time, what I heard disturbed me. Most of the preachers often uttered, “The prophet said…The prophet said…” each time a sermon was preached. Though the Sacred Scripture was confessed to be the preachers’ Absolute, the words of the Sacred Scripture were undermined. Often, points delivered in the sermons were clearly contradictory to the Scripture. But the congregation was made to appreciate the words of Branham as the Authority, the Absolute. The bewitching spirit of Branhamism had put a veil over the eyes and ears of the congregation and it was hard for them to shake off and escape that spell. It later dawned on me that many believers had the fear of God’s prophet and his words than the fear of God and His Word. Many extreme believers will say “Are not the words of the prophet Branham the words of God?” The devil had posted this question through some men even while Branham was still on the scene. In a very subtle way the question fueled the answer: as a prophet, Branham’s every word is God’s word; they are “Thus saith the Lord” and must be fully accepted as the Absolute Truth.
William Branham was a messenger of God. He was given a message (commonly known as the End Time Message) for all who have an ear to hear, and he delivered it as he preached and taught during the years of his ministry. He never claimed his words were absolute, nor taught people to make them so. On the contrary, he said the Sacred Scripture was his Absolute. When preachers make Branham’s words absolute, they literally spit in the face of their Lord and Christ. They have made a cultic religion out of the words of Branham, who was a God-fearing servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just remember, the mistake of the Branhamites is theirs. It has nothing to do with William Branham though anti-Branham propagators have created that perception. [Note: Some followers of Branham are offended by the word “Branhamites”, saying that it is a derogatory term (a term given by the denominational churches). These followers ought to ask themselves why they are offended.]
Now, this first End Time Message church apparently did not like to see another assembly being formed. Some of the members came and told me that my little assembly should join to theirs as one church, under one pastor. When I asked for the logic, the reply was: that Singapore is a small island and therefore should only have one End Time Message church. I said it would be wonderful if there were 4 or 5 groups scattered in the four corners and center of the island, and that all could agree to convene once or a few times a year for a great fellowship. I pointed out that the Lord set in His Church, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers – plural.
Nevertheless, my view was not well received and I often told my fellowship that nothing good would come out of that church. (A few years later, that church broke up into several factions, but the same familiar cultic spirit still hangs around them. One insincere pastor desires fellowship, but he wants the other groups to fellowship with his, and only, when certain foreign ministers come into Singapore – ministers who are associated with him. Is fellowship among saints centered on and around some foreign preachers; or is it on and around the Word of God? If fellowship is not “with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (cf.1Jhn.1:3) then it is not true fellowship.) From the beginning, I sought the church for THE SPOKEN WORD books but there was reluctance in the pastor, Samuel Tarwasokono, to give them to me. I remember well how he failed to be at the house to keep his appointments – two appointments, purposely or otherwise, I would never know. A brother of his was there but was reluctant to give me the books requested. I saw hundreds and hundreds of THE SPOKEN WORD books displayed on shelves that lined one of the walls of the living room. I had to beg, literally, for just a few copies. I was given, if memory serves, just three books. And so, I decided to write directly to SPOKEN WORD PUBLICATIONS, USA, to which the late Roy Borders sent me a regular supply. Some years later, members of Tarwasokono’s church became dissatisfied with their pastor’s insincerity, sham, and mendacity. They left the church and started their own groups, informing me that many hundreds of THE SPOKEN WORD books were infested with termites and had to be destroyed.
LIAR, LIAR…
My assembly was branded as not being “in the Message”, a phrase often used by followers of the End Time Message. It got to a point where even a small assembly that I established in Malacca, a state in West Malaysia, was blatantly destroyed by an elder of this first End Time Message church in April 1983. I had no idea what transpired until I received a telephone call, that two elders of this first End Time Message church had driven up one evening to the home of a family who was a part of the group of about a dozen believers whom I had baptized. They told the family and others that were there that I was not really “in the Message”. I was informed later that the one who did most of the talking was Howard Benjamin Judah. He became a pastor of a church after separating from the first church. What Howard Judah did was very pharisaical. He told the group that they should not waste their time reading THE CONTENDER papers of Raymond Jackson, for all that they need to know were in THE SPOKEN WORD books. Yet he told them that he would like to read what’s in THE CONTENDER papers. He “sweet talked” them and took away the whole pile of about a hundred copies. There were two or three copies of certain issues. Was he really going to read all those papers including reading two or three copies of the same papers? And did he? Or did he dump those papers in a trash site somewhere on his journey home to Singapore? If he really and SINCERELY wanted to read THE CONTENDER he could have asked me for it as I live on the same island as he. Like a Jesuit he believes that the papers contain devilish doctrines and he was doing God a favour by helping Him get rid of them.
I penned a letter and addressed it to Howard Judah’s pastor, Samuel Tarwasokono, regarding this unchristian, unprincipled and deceitful behavior. (A copy of the letter was also sent to the pastor’s spiritual father, Perry Green of Tucson Tabernacle, Arizona, USA.) I requested them for an answer and that they should also return all THE CONTENDER papers. I gave them time to reply, but no reply came. The pastor remained silent, and the elder remained silent. Did I expect a reply from them? Not at all – knowing that both men were liars from the time I knew them. There was never the spirit of SINCERITY in them. They had no respect for others because there was no integrity in them. They had no shame. Lying was just a part of their lives, to serve their cause, what they felt was right in their eyes. As mentioned afore, James put forth the question in his epistle, “Does the spirit which God puts in us lust to envy?” Certainly not, but prideful, self-righteous carnal people would. And that is certainly not the Spirit of God that dwells in them. Now, would they dare to go into an organized church and undermine it as they did to mine? Obviously, they would not. Carnal leaders war and fight others mainly within the same camp to be the principal. There was Cain and Abel in the same womb of Eve, and one sought to kill the other “because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (1Jhn.3:12). There was Esau and Jacob but why did God detest one and love the other? (cf. Rom.9:13). There will always be “wars and fightings” among the members within a camp. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2Tim.3:12-13). And those who war and fight to destroy are those whose works are evil and such are the ones God hates. Mark that.
Several years later, George Pike, a minister from Macon, Georgia, paid a visit here. He arranged to meet the ministers for a time of fellowship at a hotel. The fixed time for the meeting was well past when I stood in that little room talking with him and an elder of his church, waiting patiently for whoever might come. There were two other believers standing in another area of the room. Howard Judah came through the door with a believer. He waved to me and I went forward. We shook hands in greeting and then he hurriedly murmured to me, “Bro. Gan, it’s in the past. Just forget about it.” Then he walked past me to shake the hands of George Pike and his elder. He talked with them for a few minutes and left. George Pike then came up to me and asked as to what the murmuring was about; when Howard Judah greeted me, he noticed his gesticulation. I told him what Howard Judah said and briefly what he did to an assembly that I was establishing in Malaysia. He shook his head and said, “That’s not an apology.” I said, “Nope, brother, it isn’t; and will he ever?”
Howard Judah is a man, who called himself a servant of God. Is it possible for such a man to have no conscience of doing the right thing, to come clean? Or is he too proud to say, “I am sorry for what I had done to your assembly. I shouldn’t have done that”? Does he not know what his Bible teaches? Can a Christian misuse the GRACE of God when even the LAW demands restitution?
Lev.6:2: If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;
3: Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:
4: Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,
5: Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.Mat 5:23: Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24: Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
A person,
to whom an evil is committed, can forgive the evil-doer but to forget
the evil done to him is not easy, especially if the evil-doer shows no
remorse and no sincerity to make it right. When the evil-doer hardens
his heart, sin lingers. Read Matthew 5:23-24. How easy it was for Howard
Judah to utter the words: “It’s
in the past. Just forget about it”;
it is such pride that leaves the sin committed hanging in plain view to
memory – not just to the victim but all who are affected by it, even the
evil-doer himself.
PRIDE, ARROGANCE,
AN EVIL WAY AND A PERVERSE MOUTH
Now that was not the first and only time a preacher who thinks highly of himself sought to destroy whatever I am called to do in the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. In November of 1980 the Lord spoke to me, to give up my nursing job for the time had come to begin my overseas apostolic work. In the following year, my first missionary journey took me to India. I went all over India for several years and the Lord would lead me to establish the faith of the saints in the Apostolic Word upon apostolic foundations.
About 10 years later, an unpleasant episode happened in Bangalore. A young pastor, Cyril Antony, who was assisted spiritually by an older pastor, M. R. Samuel (who has since passed on), made an arrangement for a convention on Christmas week in which I was to be the guest speaker. Preparation for the convention started in October 1990.
Prior to this in the 198Os, an American preacher came to Singapore for meetings in that first End Time Message church. I went to hear him preach in two meetings. He appeared a friendly and nice man. His name is Ted Posedly. Not long after, both Ted Posedly and I did meet again, at a ministers’ meeting, in the Philippines. Some years later, I was informed that he was visiting India and passing through Singapore; I invited him to come and minister to us. He had a Canadian companion named Don Bablitz. After he ministered to us, he told me that on their way home they would return via Singapore. I said we would be glad to have them minister again and asked where they would be in India. One of the churches they would visit was Pastor Cyril Antony’s.
During their stay in Bangalore, India, some mischief was committed. Don Bablitz arrived alone to Singapore on his way back to Canada. He told me Ted Posedly had decided to fly straight home to the States. He did not give any indication of what they had committed in India. A few days after Don Bablitz left I received a letter from M. R. Samuel dated 26 November 1990 telling me what Ted Posedly and Don Bablitz had done when they were there from 14 to 18 November. They spoke evil against my ministry and against what I preached; confusing the young pastor Cyril Antony (and other ministers around) in the hope the convention plan would be cancelled.
M. R. Samuel told me that when he heard what took place in Bangalore, he immediately took a train from his village, Pattu, Gudiyattam, some 100km away, to meet those preachers and the believers to learn about the matter. The dispute took place in Cyril’s home where several ministers and believers were present with the foreign preachers. According to M. R. Samuel when the convention plan was mentioned, “Bro. Ted and Bro. Don began to disrepute your doctrines. Bro. Cyril showed your books to them. Bro. Posedly took one of the books and threw it down saying that it was misleading the people and said, “I have the prophet’s sermons which are sufficient for me.” They discouraged the believers of Truth Tabernacle so much so that Bro. Cyril began to weep! At that time Bro. Shinde and a young man of Bombay were there. They added fuel to the fire. They talked ill of the convention held in Bombay last year. And the confused Bro. Cyril was coaxed by the two Americans to drop the plan of holding the convention. Thereupon, Bro. Cyril sent Bro. Ravindraraj to Pattu to tell me that he would not hold the convention and that I could hold it at Pattu if I liked! It shocked me because I was bringing Bro. Cyril up step by step in the things of the Lord. I reach there and met Bro. Shinde first and asked him if he could tell me where precisely Bro. Gan was wrong in teaching. He was simply blinking! Then Bro. Cyril and I sat in Sister Sarala’s house; and I explained to him the call of you and the work you produce and the work of faith I knew. I asked him if he ever tried to read at least one book by Gan. He said, “No”. Then I asked him to tell me where exactly Bro. Gan was teaching wrong. He said, “I do not know but Bro. Ted…” He told me the whole story and so did Sister Sarala. … The next day I spoke to Bro. Don and he confessed his wrong and made it right. But Bro. Ted was tight-lipped and rough. Bro. Shinde also confessed his mistake and made it right.”
Saints, why are such men so hung up about my teachings that they would, by an evil way and a perverse mouth, seek to destroy those who received and associated with me? Why? Is it not pride and arrogance in them? “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom” (Pro.13:10). And are they well advised? If they are ignorant and committed such a wicked deed but confessed their error, surely the Lord forgives them. “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Pro.8:13). “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Pro.6:16-19).
Truly, PRIDE bows not HUMILITY.
That nice friendly American preacher turned out to be something else! The Red Indians would say to him, “White man, you speak with fork tongue!” Yes, he is a renegade, betraying his own faith as a believer and a preacher. What a conniving ostentatious man. Why would a preacher like Ted Posedly not face me squarely about my doctrines when he came here and was with me? This is the kind of coward behavior that is exhibited by many preachers. These preachers are like the denominational preachers who accused William Branham of false teachings, but were afraid to face him! I knew about Ted Posedly’s stand and he knew about mine, yet I extended my hand of fellowship to which he accepted. Like the church he was with and the first End Time Message church here that he associated with, he was Branhamic in spirit. These followers pride themselves of having a great knowledge and understanding of the messages of Branham but their lives and actions are contrary to the words of the prophet whom they believe in. They have a favorite statement of Branham which they would often quote with foolish pride whenever they have no Scriptural answer for a doctrine – “I rather have the right spirit and the wrong doctrine than the right doctrine and the wrong spirit.” Branham knew what he uttered and he lived what he uttered. But these foolish believers have no inkling of the true meaning to that statement. Else why are their spirits so out of control? Why are their spirits so audaciously and evilly prideful to disrupt fellowship of those whose teachings are not based upon the words of Branham; those whose teachings are unacceptable to them? If their spirit is right why are they so wrong? They should have the following Scriptures in their heart:
Pro.14:3: In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
16:18: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
18:12: Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
29:23: A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
“Bro. Gan, would you say then that such preachers are false vines, serpent seeds or tares?”
Am I a judge of them? This one thing I do know: our Lord said, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt.7:20), and “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luk.6:45, cf. Matt.12:34). Read very carefully the passages of Matthew 7:15-20 and 12:33-37, and you will notice that our Lord Jesus was referring to, not the person’s characters but rather his faith. The confession, what proceeds from a person’s mouth, is the declaration of faith. An unscriptural confession makes the person a liar, a false preacher. The Apostle John said, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1Jhn.4:1). Truly, when a man believes right he will live right. He will know what to do when he knows he made a mistake. Remember, we must always learn, but not with a pharisaical spirit that never comes to the knowledge of the truth (cf. 2Tim.3:7).
HONESTY AND HUMILITY
Where there is no honesty there is no humility; there is only superficiality. With superficiality comes self-importance, smugness. As such there is no wrongness in the deed of one with such a spirit. Hence, declaration of guilt does not exist in such a person. Being entirely sincere with oneself is a good exercise – and what an exercise! – as many preachers find it hard to move even an inch much less going a mile to do it! (Some have even uttered: “One can be sincere, yet sincerely wrong. So why be sincere?” Certainly, such words are not the words of a true born again child of God.)
On 15 December, 2005, a UPC bishop named Cohen Reckart, self-styled as a “Man of God”, posted an ugly article against me on his website. I never knew of him until then. Reading the article, I realized how presumptuous he was in thinking I was trying to “buy” away a Malawian pastor from him, of whom he tried to established a relationship. Cohen had come across a photo on my website showing that Malawian pastor and I at a table and presumptuously concluded that I was behind the reason for the pastor not wanting to get close to him. Whatever transpired between Cohen and that pastor had nothing to do with me. If that pastor had deceived him, why should he fault me and call me names? Why did he twist my words and teachings, and even that of William Branham’s? [Go to: http://propheticrevelation.net/misc/cohen_reckart/cohen_reckart_lies.htm]. This is such an ugly and presumptuous preacher! Telling Cohen about his presumptuousness was like pouring water on a duck’s back. He became even bolder in evil thoughts, words and actions. What difference is there between him and Benny Hinn, Peter Popoff, W. V. Grant and others in Charismaticism? Did he really not know he was committing presumptuous sin and was in error? Was his heart hardened to being honest with himself? A very proud man indeed!
Cohen Reckart is not the only non-believer of the End Time Message to commit presumptuous sin against the Truth by twisting both my teachings and Branham’s, misleading people into believing doctrines we never taught. However, there are the few who were honest enough to apologize for their presumptuous offense. To admit one’s mistakes is real humility. People do not like to admit that they made mistakes. A “great” Branhamic pastor named Dalton Bruce is one such person. He is not a preacher of the Word because he does not know the Word. He is a self-styled heretic buster, busting anyone whose teachings he sees as false. It is one thing for him to prove what is false but it is another for him to twist and turn the words, presuming what he does not understand. He believes he is full of the love of God and His Word, but from his mouth hisses forth words of judgment and condemnation upon those whom he despises. He is very quick in finding faults (even little ones) of others and to judge them. He is so quick, he simply presumes what he perceives is true.
Just to show that the man has wild imagination, a mind that runs to
mischief, here is the picture that he presumably concluded that I was
unveiling my daughter on her wedding day. The man must have a strong
hatred for me that he
could, just by looking at the picture, draw a conclusion and then make
an accusation not believing that what he said would be a lie. There is
so much presumptuous sins in the man. He never stops to think, to
discern, but is quick to judge. Certainly not the sign of a spiritual
man.
Does this picture really show me unveiling my daughter?
Here is a picture that is taken from another angle, just a few seconds
later. Any sane person will know that I was praying and pronouncing a
blessing upon the couple.
[Go to: http://www.propheticrevelation.net/misc/daltonbk.htm]
Dalton Bruce would make a challenge with “We need to ask this Heretic…” However when truth is made known to him, showing that he erred, he repented not his presumptuous sin but was emboldened to continue in his evil way. He hides behind William Branham but all the while teaching the opposite of what William Branham taught. He causes his congregation to cower in fear with his negative preaching. He does not know the Truth. People like Dalton Bruce and Cohen Reckart should take serious heed to this prayer of David: “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Psa.19:13).
O where, o where, is sincerity and humility?
Another man the likes of Cohen Reckart and Dalton Bruce is Vernon
Nissley. Just the same, I do not know the man. This is his email:
Saturday, August 04, 2012 6:15 AM
Dear Brother Gan,I have your articles on the internet and may GOD BLESS for the work you are doing for GOD.
I believe where the Bible speaks, our desire should be to obey the WORD of GOD and to walk in all the LIGHT GOD has given us!
The picture I seen of you and your wife and daughter. Your wife was dressed very modestly, but your daughter immodest. The Bible tells us in 1Ti 2:9: In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; Isa 47:2: Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Isa 47:3: Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.
I believe as long as the daughter is unmarried and at lives at home with her parents she should have
respect for her parents and the WORD GOD.
Brother I would like for you pray about this and obey the BIBLE. May God Bless you from day to day.
I was a Missionary in old Mexico forty three years.
A Brother in CHRIST
Vernon D. NissleyDonna, Texas
-------
When I replied to ask what picture he was referring to, he did not
reply. I asked why he could not answer my question and told him it was
rude to quote me Scripture and not tell me what was wrong with the photo
of my
family.
There is only one family picture on my website. My daughter was not
wearing a mini-skirt or a pair of shorts or trousers. How Vernon Nissley
interpreted a skirt as immodest, I have no idea. He refused to give a
direct answer to my query. As a missionary to old Mexico for forty-three
years, that must be to him quite an achievement; to come correct me (of
which I am thankful) but what was he trying to correct? I found him a
proud man. Did he somehow realize he had made a mistake over my
daughter’s dress in the picture and could not come to admit it? If not,
why the snub for a proper answer? All I received were some Bible verses
referencing dress codes. Why? Where is his integrity? Where is his
humility? This is his parting email after I had requested him for a
proper answer to my question:
Saturday, October 13, 2012 11:24 PM
Hi Richard
I tell no one what I think, but what does the WORD of GOD tells us. By the Grace of GOD I will obey the BIBLE the only way to get to Heaven.Mt 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Mt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.I was not rude I only told you what the Bible says, which is my God given duty!!
{Could you not answer my question properly? It is rude to quote me Scripture and not telling me what is wrong with the photo of my family. You want me to guess what you are telling me?}
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Vernon Nissley
-------
Notice what he wrote in the first paragraph. Almost every insincere prideful preacher I know have avoided admittance of faults or erroneous teachings, either by a reference to the Bible or Branham’s messages in answering: “I just tell you what the Bible says”, “I just tell you what Bro. Branham taught in his messages (giving the sermon titles) according to the Scripture”. Truly, PRIDE has a difficulty in confessing, “I am sorry, I made a mistake”.
Friend, recall the words – “If you will be sincere…” – and heed it, otherwise dishonesty, manipulation and lies will be your id (you can call it your I.D. or Identification, or even your Identity Design) and it will surely push your ego to suppress and hide TRUTH. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (Jas.1:22). Yes, you will not only deceive yourself, you will also deceive others. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2Tim.3:13).
A LITTLE DECEPTION
In the 1990s I came across a booklet, “Write the Vision” by Steven Shelley, a pastor of a church in Columbus, Georgia, USA. I was delighted to read it and I corresponded with the author. In the middle of 1993, Steven Shelley organized a convention. With his invitation, upon my request, I attended with a brother from Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson brother and I were quite excited to make the trip. At the home of the brother, I saw a letter he received from Steven Shelley, scheduling the visiting preachers to preach. I never received such a letter. The brother’s wife said that maybe Steven Shelley will ask me to preach. I replied that preaching was not on my mind but rather, I desire fellowship and to know the preacher and his ministry.
On the second day of the convention, in the evening service, Steven Shelley made a remark to the congregation saying, “I talked to the preachers to get them to preach but they said that they would rather have me preach instead”. I could not believe what I heard. The Tucson brother looked at me, wondering, and I shook my head to indicate that I was not approached by Steven Shelley about preaching. After the service was over, we drove back to the motel. The Tucson brother went straight to the room and I headed for the restaurant next to the motel for a bite. In the restaurant, almost every table was filled with people, some from the convention. I looked for an empty table or one with familiar faces from the convention. In a corner was an Indian couple with their two little children eating their meal. They saw me and welcomed me to sit with them. I sat down and quickly made my order. Then I asked them where they were from, they said they were from Canada and they listened regularly to Steven Shelley’s preaching on telephone hook-up. The wife then asked a question: “Bro. Gan, why do you not want to preach?” The question put me in a tight spot as Steven Shelley had told a lie.
I looked at the sister and simply said, “He never asked me.” The Indian brother immediately stopping eating and looked up in bewilderment, and he asked, “Why then did he say that to the people?” I said, “For that, you have to ask him.” The wife added, “When Bro. Shelley said that, I said in my heart, ‘Then why are you preachers here for?’” To which I smiled.
What caused a preacher to behave like that? Was it insecurity? Or was it a signal to preachers (like me) that they were not welcome to his pulpit? (Going to his camp meeting to preach was never on my mind.) Nevertheless such deception, if no one had asked me or another preacher, “Why do you not want to preach?” the sin would never be known and the pastor would have got away with lying to God’s people. Now, some might say, “But this is just a little lie, a little deception.” Ha! A little lie, a little deception, indeed; perhaps not quite like that of Abraham’s, Isaac’s and Jacob’s? Today, hundreds of preachers (true or false) are doing that – deceiving people and being deceived. Many preachers are deceiving people like they are eating peanuts, little things, nothing big, nothing serious, and nothing really important. Oh, really? Read Leviticus 6:1-7. When a man deceives others, he deceives himself. Even after writing to Steven Shelley about the incident and cautioning him about such deception and one other thing (not to be mentioned), also having reminded him of my order of a few of his video and audio tapes I had placed with him (with an offering toward the cost and postage to which I personally handed to him), I never received my order or a letter of reply. After a few more weeks I sent him another letter of reminder. Again I received no reply. Was he offended? He just remained silent and pocketed the money. Where is integrity? Does God care about His servants the preachers that they should behave like that? “If you will be sincere…” – do these words echo in your mind, preachers? “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Pro.29:23).
O that PRIDE would bow to HUMILITY!
A LITTLE CORRUPTION
The cultic religious man who is proud of his cultic religious faith is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell. His ignorance of true faith is encyclopedic. And there are many – proud, presumptuous and corrupt.
Well etched in my memory is a particular day at a camp-meeting in Nigeria, hosted by a pastor, John Ogu, in December 1984. At lunch on that first day, sitting at the opposite end of an oblong table was Harold Hilderbrandt, a Canadian pastor, who immediately raised questions towards me after table grace was offered for the meal. He asked, “Bro. Gan, what is this that you preached this morning that there are still mysteries in the Bible that Bro. Branham did not reveal? Bro. Branham revealed all mysteries; there is no more mystery, no more revelation. When it comes time for me to preach, I will tear away your teaching. What mysteries are there which are not revealed by the prophet?”
I looked at him, saw a very proud presumptuous man who thought he knew the Bible and the Message of Branham. I said, “Well, since you believe that Bro. Branham has revealed all mysteries, then tell me: what is the mark that God put on Cain? What is this Holy City New Jerusalem? About the Battle of Ezekiel 38-39, when will it be fought? But just tell me what the mark of Cain is?”
His wife stopped eating and looked at him, waiting for an answer I believe. He looked at his wife and I looked at him. A brief moment passed and his wife returned to her meal, and he turned to me and said foolishly, “All mysteries are revealed. They are all there in the tapes and the books.” That is the kind of response I always get from foolish preachers and believers. I responded, “You believe all mysteries have been revealed by the prophet, yet you cannot give me an answer to the mark that God put on Cain.”
After this incident, Hilderbrandt’s intention was known to the Nigerian pastor, who assured me that he would handle him, and confessed that what I preached in the morning was 100% scriptural. However, something brewed between the both of them. On the following day, right after I finished my message on Eliezer’s Camel Train, the pastor crucified me before the whole camp of people for about half an hour. Harold Hilderbrandt must have been very pleased with himself.
Surely, there will always be corrupt Pharisaical men rising up “speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). Such corrupt deceivers will in turn be deceived, even by the very men they have discipled. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Tim.3:13). Corruption begets corruption. Yes. There are men like the sons of Samuel who walked not in their father’s ways, “but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment” (1 Sam.8:3). Beyond doubt, because they are perverted, such men will defend “their earthly masters and lords”, spewing out filth from their mouth against the Truth. They are blind, living in darkness; they refuse to see. May the Lord have mercy.
A LITTLE DISTORTION
In late 1970s and early 1980s, a believer came from another assembly to fellowship with the little assembly of mine for about two years. One day he told me that he would be leaving the fellowship. When asked if he was leaving because of doctrinal issue, his reply was negative, just that he would like to fellowship with believers in the other assemblies. However, several months later he met a sister of my assembly, and told her the reason he left was he did not agree with my teachings on Marriage and Divorce. Some time, in 1982, he phoned to inform me that Ewald Frank, a German missionary, had come to Singapore and would like me to go with him to meet the minister; that we could be enlightened by the minister’s teaching on polygamy. (News had already gone around about the minister’s affair with his secretary and his strained relationship with his wife, and how some ministers from different countries had failed to convince Ewalk Frank that what he did was wrong.)
We arrived at the hotel where the minister stayed and the three of us decided to sit down for coffee at the cafeteria. I sat directly opposite Ewald Frank and the brother sat to the side: a small chat and then we got into the subject of “Polygamy” and “Marriage and Divorce”. Ewald Frank declared that few people understood the prophet (William Branham) on what he taught about those subjects. So I asked for his view, “Brother, but what do you believe concerning marriage and divorce? And what is this that we heard about you having some affair with your secretary?” He said, “It’s just a little affair.” To that I said, “If it’s just a little affair, why is it internationally known?” His reply was immediate, “I can prove what I did was not wrong.” I said, “Okay…”
Each time Ewalk Frank came to Singapore since the 1970s to minister, he would walk to the pulpit, put his hand into his inside coat pocket to take out his Scolfield Bible. This time, I thought he was taking out his Bible but to my surprise he fished out a SPOKEN WORD book of William Branham entitled: “MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE”. Then he asked me, “Do you believe Bro. Branham to be God’s prophet?” I replied affirmatively. “Then here in this book is the revelation of Marriage and Divorce given to the prophet” he said, and proceeded to show me the statements of Branham. As he turned the pages, I noticed, in almost every page, various statements were highlighted with different colours. He said, “The prophet said there were two covenants.” He was making sure the brother and I were aware that Branham, in his message, TAUGHT TWO COVENANTS: the first is ONE MAN, ONE WIFE, which was BEFORE THE FALL, and he showed me the paragraph and read it. Then he turned to where Branham said, that AFTER THE FALL, GOD INTRODUCED A SECOND COVENANT WHICH IS ONE MAN, MANY WIVES, as there is one bull, many cows; one buck, many does; et cetera; and then he said, “Bro. Gan, we are AFTER THE FALL, we are in the SECOND COVENANT, ONE MAN, MANY WIVES. We ought to pattern after the second covenant [which came after the Fall] and not after the first covenant.” Hence according to him, God introduced polygamy in the second covenant.
I said to him, “Brother, let’s us look at what Jesus said in Matthew 19.” And when I turned to take my Bible from my bag, I saw from the corner of my eyes that his countenance changed; his face showed annoyance. I was about to turn the Bible when he said, “Bro. Gan, YOU DO NOT KNOW THE BIBLE. I HAVE READ THIS BOOK MORE THAN TWENTY TIMES, MORE TIMES THAN YOU (his finger thumping on Branham’s book “MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE”) AND I KNOW THIS REVELATION IS TRUE, GOD SHOWED ME THAT IT’S THE TRUTH (referring obviously to the two covenants and that we are in the second covenant of one man, many wives).”
I looked at him, and said, “Okay, Bro. Frank, I do not know the Bible. You know the revelation of that book (pointing to the message book “MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE”) very well.” As I was packing my Bible into my bag to leave, he started telling us things about his wife and her disobedience. How unpleasant his relationship with his wife might have been, there was no reason for what he did. In the whole discussion with him; he had no reason not to open the Bible. Branham’s message on Marriage and Divorce should never be used to extract statements out of context to justify the means. What justification was there for both the means (his affair and the rejection of the Scripture)? An insincere man cannot justify his carnal act with the Word of God, thus he would get it from some other source, by any means, even if it means force feeding or twisting words. That was what Frank did. (It was by this unpleasant incident that the Lord prompted me to set the teaching of polygamy in order; hence, the message: “POLYGAMY: They Have Gone the Way of Lamech” was written and published the following year, 1983.)
Some might say that I am judging the man. I am not. Some might ask whether I am without faults and not guilty of any sin. The fact is, I am just as guilty as anyone, perhaps more. (Consider the Apostle Paul, the “chiefest of sinners”. Yet for Truth, he would call out the deceivers and the deceived.) The issue here is not about any man’s doctrines and his faults. It is about sincerity – BEING OPEN and FORTHCOMING WITH WHAT HE REALLY STANDS FOR IN THE WORD OF GOD. (There are preachers who are “playing puck” in different churches around the world to please the congregation for their own agenda. There are pastors, if they are really pastors, even here in Singapore, who are very insincere and playing with words.) There are believers who said that Frank had “special grace” from God. I have often heard polygamist preachers justifying their polygamous marriage by saying, “I have received special grace from God for extra wives”. If such ministers want more than one wife (and there are many), it is not my concern. My concern is their subtle teaching of polygamy using such words as “special grace”, “from the beginning, the sex law by polygamy” and “we are to pattern after the second covenant”. What subtlety! One African letter to me states this: “It’s by faith that we understand the things of God and faith is a revelation. POLYGAMY is taught in the message of Marriage and Divorce, and read the following pages, 33; 37. After the fall not before, but after the fall, God made another covenant with man and beast and in this covenant polygamy was introduce in all. We don’t become polygamy [sic] by marrying many wives but we’re polygamist by nature. You can’t make the Word lie, from the beginning the sex law by polygamy.”
O how they have misunderstood and misused the prophet’s message “MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE” to feed and justify their carnality! What they are doing is creating confusion and problems for happy monogamous marriages, causing carnal husbands to take in other women for wives. Woe unto you preachers, who teach such lies to cause men to lust after women for wives and be in adultery! This doctrine of POLYGAMY – polygamous marriage where a man can have more than one living wife – is embraced and practiced by a good number of African and Indian preachers. (Some preachers of USA, Canada and European nations, which forbid polygamy, have said, “I believe in polygamy but my country forbids polygamy and I have only one wife”. They might as well say that if not for their nations’ law, they would be polygamists.) May God have mercy.
There is much denial of truth when preachers are faced with questions concerning their falsehood among their followers. It is one thing for a person to have his own theory and revelation but another when it comes to his own sincerity. Some are quite economical with words when they are asked for the Truth – just any Truth, which they have twisted to suit their agenda. The answers are often not forthcoming, often with indirect references even to the extent of saying, “I am sent to preach the Word; I am not sent to answer questions.” Does not the Bible teach us to give an answer to every man concerning our faith? Why then the ambiguous answers? A statement Frank made when asked is “I do not believe nor have never preached in a single place the doctrine of ‘Polygamy’. I believe what Bro. Branham said according to the Scripture.” Why the ambiguous statement – “I believe what Bro. Branham said according to the Scripture” ? So what did Branham believe ‘according to the Scripture’ ? Did Branham really believe and teach “polygamy” – that a man who is born again can marry and have more than one living wife? Or, did he believe the opposite? Also, what does Frank mean by “we are in the Second Covenant, after the Fall” ? (He refused to elaborate when asked.) By emphasizing this statement, is he not implying that a Christian man can have more than one wife? “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (Jam.1:14).
Using the statements of Branham for their “faith” is a love affair among many foolish preachers and believers. Some are even hiding behind the statements of Branham when they commit mistakes – what self-deceit and sham!
Here is an observation of a Nigerian pastor, Akpan Blessing Nice,
concerning such sham and deception:
GRACE TURNED TO SHAME
When we utter the very opposite of the sincerity of our hearts, we stray millions of miles from the image and likeness of God. This attitude is what the Lord Jesus Christ refers to as HYPOCRISY. Imagine that fateful day Phillip brought Nathaniel to Jesus. Jesus might have been sitting or resting somewhere and once Phillip entered, Jesus rose up to welcome a true Israelite, a ‘Nathaniel’ in whom there was no guile. This Nathaniel was one in a million, a man whose YES in day time remained YES in the night time, and for this, the Lord Jesus Christ stood up to welcome him in fellowship.
In
this generation, another man crossed our path, and in the early stage of
his life, the angel of the Lord visited him and made this statement,
“If you will be sincere, and get the people to believe you, no
disease can stand before you, not even cancer.” These
words were spoken by a supernatural being to God's Prophet and servant
William M. Branham. Branham had to be sincere before he could get the
people to believe him. Today, the reverse is the case, as many preachers
are swimming in the sea of insincerity; they manipulate the people to
believe in them. Of these, I want to point out some examples as the
Grace Age closes, lest the simple and innocent continue to stumble.
D.R.C. AND THE DOCTRINE OF POLYGAMY
I visited the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006 for the first time. This country appears to be the Rome of the End Time Message world. There are diverse doctrines of men that are plaguing the believers, but the subject of Polygamy is the only one that was brought in craftily and the virus is eating deep into the lives of the people; breaking homes, crushing hearts and destroying lives. I was sharing with some friends about the wonderful work Ewald Frank had done in Africa especially in the land of Congo, and how God had used him to bring the End Time Message to Africa, especially during the period of wars and unrest in this continent. This earned him a lot of respect among African believers, and no one can say any less of this gallant soldier of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
During my second visit to D.R.C., I was ministering in a church and after one evening session, I was taken to the house of a minister who seem to be one of the elders of the faith. He asked me if I had visited Germany in the course of my journeys. I said “no”. He mentioned there was a special grace they were enjoying, and the understanding of this grace is from the man whom the Lord had placed the mantle of the Prophet to continue in the prophet’s place, and the name mentioned was Ewald Frank. Well the speech sounded nice in my ear but I did not seem to understand what I was being told. As we left the house of the elder, one of the believers who accompanied me, André Bitua, whispered to me “Do you know our brother is married to two wives?” I was very quiet but the information did help me understand the type of grace the elder was talking about.
I visited Uganda in 2008, entering from D.R.Congo. After my ministration on the first day of the convention, there was a woman who wanted an interview with me, but some believers were restricting her. On my way out she cried and yelled and I had to attend to her. What she told me marked the beginning of a new battle that I decided to take up in this region. She wept bitterly as she spoke, saying “My husband and I have been happily married before we came to the message. I believe the message is true, and I enjoyed everything until he came home with a new interpretation of Marriage and Divorce”. Then she dropped the bomb, “He has taken a second wife from a sister church.”
I requested to see this minister whom I had known two years earlier and when we met and talked he did not see any wrong with what he had done but instead he took pity over my lack of understanding of this particular type of grace. It was clear the virus had proliferated into Uganda through Congo. It was also well rooted in some African countries such as Burundi, Rwanda, and Kenya to mention a few, but the source is Congo.
The question is, how did the Congolese get it? The special grace according to these Congolese believers came from the German Eagle, a title that is traceable to this missionary Ewald Frank. I am writing this with all amount of respect to this servant of God, but at the same time considering the subject before me that God said to William Branham “If you will be sincere...” I must be open enough to help the reader understand that certain interpretations are capable of shipwrecking any minister and his ministry, along with those who follow the man.
I have
lost count of ministers and believers of this message who boldly marry
more than one wife, after claiming to have a clear and better
understanding of the message called ‘Marriage and Divorce’. (The
wives are the ones who are suffering and have to bear with it.) I
received an email in 2010 where the writer was trying to preach me into
believing the doctrine of polygamy as an important arm of the Word of
God. Please read it carefully, as some believers are angry I am
mentioning Ewald Frank’s name. I believe that if this material gets to
Ewald Frank, I will not find disappointment in my rating of him as he
would likely rebuke these Polygamists and call them to order for having
used his good name to go the way of Lamech; that is, if he is not guilty
of teaching the doctrine of Polygamy by subtlety. Consider this person
who wrote me with a boldness to mention the name of the missionary.
- - - - - - -
Sent:
Fri Dec 3rd, 2010 6:07 AM PST
Subject: Re:
Dear precious brother,
Thank you for being humble enough to ask an unprofitable servant that
question.
It would require a lot but the only place where bro.branham fully got
this revelation was in the Message marriage & divorce & he said whenever
there a question people should play that tape, not earlier messages
before the angel appeared to him & gave him the understanding. Brother
frank has written and supported polygamy, only that in public he
sometimes fears to acknowledge that he believes. But the whole bible
both old & new testament is polygamy...but the misinterpreted theology
...catholic ideas are the problem.
But i warn you that if you believe it you will have to bear
reproach...read a message reproach for the Word. As for me i live with
both my wives & the first one has also now cooled down & we are very
happy, the ministry is blossoming.
If you come over to Uganda i will give you frank’s book where he said
that no where in the bible does God condemn polygamy except that bible
says that if one takes on another wife one has to bear the 3
duties.sex,clothing & food.
but it doesnt matter if frank believes or even could deny it but william
branham believed it & preached it though his son joseph calls it
perversion...remember i have Joseph branham statement on it, he equates
[it] with homosexuality.
read Marriage & Divorce prayerfully, also Choosing of bride
titus mugoya
- - - - - -
-
I was in Uganda in 2011 but did not go to collect this book he mentioned, Instead, I went to put a fence around the believers in Karamoja so they would not be overtaken by this virus. In the mail, you will notice this minister has accused Ewald Frank of insincerity. This African had believed Frank's interpretation of Polygamy, whether directly or indirectly, but he also acknowledged that his mentor, Ewald Frank, knows how to deny his stand in public.
In 2009, I was engaged in a discussion with two followers of Ewald Frank. I immediately understood that there are truly two sides to the teaching of this missionary that makes it even more dangerous. I saw these two men arguing about whether Ewald Frank supported polygamy. As there was to be a convention in Rwanda in a matter of weeks, I advised them to meet Ewald Frank and boldly ask him if he preaches and supports the doctrine of Polygamy, and that he should at least issue a statement clearing himself of the many side talks that had arisen because of this matter. I later found out from them that when this great missionary arrived, his first speech was very direct; he announced to his audience that God had not sent him to ANSWER questions. Wow! Did you get that? It’s an easy excuse to avoid embarrassing himself!
I could go on and on, but it would not do you and I any good but let me give you a key. Whenever a ministry becomes self-pointing, it shows the spirit of error is behind it. We must all check ourselves and pray for one another lest we be overtaken at anytime by “self”. No man on earth has the right to project himself when the One who paid the price and paved the way was self-less, He alone is worthy – our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ. Paul said to the saints in Corinth “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”
When these preachers desire nothing more than sex, they would cook up something to get what they want. Some would claim to have visions or dreams by which they would give their own interpretations to put away his wife to marry another or to get another wife.
* * * * *
POLYGAMY: THE SECOND COVENANT?
What do polygamists mean when they emphasize “we are in the Second Covenant, after the Fall”? By using such an emphasis, are they not implying that a Christian man can have more than one wife?
What are the “TWO COVENANTS” about?
The answer from most believers is: “First covenant: one male, one female. Second covenant: one male, many females.” But that is neither what the Prophet (Branham) nor the Scripture taught! Here are two clear statements from the “MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE” message of Branham (underline added for emphasis):
Now, there’s a double covenant. First it was just a covenant. Adam and Eve was coequal: one man, one woman. Now, the woman sinned. And what does she do? That throwed them all to death, and God had to make a covenant by that, another covenant. Here it is right here in Genesis 3:16. He made another covenant. (M&D 32)
Then when the double covenant was made by man and woman through sex (another covenant altogether; not the original covenant, but another covenant), now what’s introduced? Polygamy in all. Then after the beginning, polygamy was introduced both in man and in beast, after the beginning, the fall. (M&D 33)
Let’s take a closer look at the Scripture which the Prophet brought out
to show the “two covenants”.
The FIRST COVENANT is GENESIS 2:24: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Jesus added, “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt.19:6). One man and his wife joined together in one flesh was God’s original covenant. There was no disproportion between Adam and Eve.
The SECOND COVENANT is found in GENESIS 3:16b: “Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” Eve had to come under subjection to Adam ― because of her being deceived and fornicated with another. See? Nothing is mentioned about God making a “Polygamy” covenant which many believe He did. Some even went to the extent of stating that God had said this: “Now, man, you can go and have other wives. This is my second covenant.” No, God never made such a covenant! Ministers who insinuate so are liars. Just bear in mind what the Scripture says about LIARS (Rev.21:8).
Any sincere son of God who has a true baptism of the Holy Spirit cannot fail to see what Branham was teaching ― that the second covenant (as he called it) has nothing to do with polygamy but with putting Eve (the woman) in subjection to Adam (the man). And with that polygamy was introduced – but who introduced it? It wasn’t God; it was Lamech, a great great great grandson of Cain, the seed of the Serpent. He was the first man who took for himself two wives.
Lamech, a Serpent seed, introduced polygamy under the second covenant! Not God! Because of the Fall God permitted it. “Polygamy” is not a word you find in the Bible. It is true that God had never done away with polygamous marriage in the Old Testament age nor in the New Testament age even at this very moment of time. However, let us tread carefully how God deals with people. Whether or not a polygamous marriage is permitted is centered on the issue of adultery. The Law clearly states:
Exo.20:14: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo.20:17: …thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife,…
Lev.20:10: And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Under the LAW of God adultery is committed when a man took unto himself a woman who is married to another man. In the Old Testament, a man could take to himself as many virgins for wives as he could afford to care for, but if he took just one woman who belonged to another man he committed adultery.
A man, whether or not he is a polygamist, breaks the LAW the moment he takes to himself a wife who belongs to another man. However, when Christ came with His Gospel, He brought Grace, and under the GRACE of God He showed us the importance of GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING, the ORIGINAL WILL of God.
Mar.10:6: But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8: And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9: What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
10: And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
11: And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12: And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
Every true servant of God will always point the elect BACK TO THE ORIGINAL WILL AND PURPOSE OF GOD. The End Time Message of the Laodicean messenger, William Branham, was just the same ― BACK TO THE ORIGINAL APOSTOLIC FAITH. (Polygamist preachers will not point the elect back to the ORIGINAL WILL and PURPOSE OF GOD because they are carnal. Instead they will point them to some so-called revelation of theirs.)
Watch how Jesus dealt with the issue of marriage, divorce and adultery,
as He proclaimed the Gospel of Grace. Let us examine it in three
passages of Scripture and how He expressed His words.
Not long after Christ began His ministry He had a crowd of disciples following Him (cf. Matt.5). He brought them to a mountain and began teaching them. His words were general for all who believed in the Law and the Prophets. Unlike those spoken in parables they carried no mystery. Concerning Marriage and Divorce Jesus said: “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery” (Matt.5:32). Observe the words that Jesus uttered. When the wife of a man committed no illicit sexual affair and was put away, Jesus charged the man for causing his wife to commit adultery when she married again, and the man who married her was also in adultery. From this we can see that it was a common occurrence for devious husbands to simply put away their wives, for any and every cause except fornication, thus causing such wives to commit adultery together with their new husbands. Notice that nothing is mentioned about the man remarrying.
Now observe what Jesus said in response to the Pharisees when they came to question him (in Matt.19:3-9), saying, “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” You need to be aware that the Pharisees were religious leaders, and they were men who not only knew the Law and the Prophets, but they were also teachers of the same. They were leaders who were supposed to know the Word. To their question Jesus said, “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” The charge against the man appears to be the same as the one given in Matt.5:32 (mentioned afore). However observe carefully. Jesus, knowing the hearts of those Pharisees whose desire was to marry other women, made a clear emphatic foreword statement that if such a man “shall marry another”, he “committeth adultery”; notice that Jesus did not say that the woman belonged to another man. That is the foremost important fact ― just to put away a wife on unscriptural ground and to marry EVEN another virgin is adultery. The next important fact is “whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.” Later in a house where Jesus retired, “his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her” (Mark 10:10-11). Observe what Jesus taught His disciples; He said that the man “committeth adultery against her” ― his wife.
Therefore in all that are observed of what Jesus taught, concerning a husband who divorces his wife for any cause except on the ground of fornication, and marries another woman, the following facts are clear:
●
The husband commits adultery against his wife by marrying another woman,
even a virgin. The husband lives in adultery.
●
The husband causes his wife to commit adultery if she remarries. The
wife lives in adultery.
●
The husband causes the man who marries his wife to also commit adultery.
The man lives in adultery.
Looking at such a case we see that the husband has two wives; the wife
has two husbands, and the other man has a wife who has a husband. All
these resulted from a carnal man who put away his wife for just any
cause (eg. “She’s a lazy housewife, she’s quarrelsome, she’s
rebellious.”) other than fornication.
A LITTLE MORE DISTORTION
In his book: “Marriage – the Ancient Problem”, on pages 9 and10, Ewald Frank quoted William Branham (from his message “MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE”) in a subtle manner, to insinuate that Branham was teaching that God’s Second Covenant was the introduction of one male, many females. Frank wrote:
And
now Brother Branham states seemingly incomprehensible thoughts for, but
if we are willing and ready to consider what is said, it will be a
shock, at the same time we are going to find our place. Quote: “Now,
you see, then after the beginning it was – something else was
introduced. Now, this is going to shock you. … Then when the double
covenant was made by man and woman through sex (another covenant
altogether; not the original covenant, but another covenant), now what’s
introduced? Polygamy in all. Then after the beginning, polygamy was
introduced both in man and in beast, after the beginning, the fall …
Second covenant: one male, many females …” (pg. 33).
Then he added:
As announced earlier we are all shocked. We would never have expected such a statement. No one has the intention of introducing polygamy, but rather to set things in the scriptural order. Brother Branham taught what the Bible says, and testified that the place of the woman is different from that of the man.
“We would never have expected such a statement,” wrote Frank. But what statement of Branham was Frank indicating? It is obviously this statement ― “Polygamy in all. Then after the beginning, polygamy was introduced both in man and in beast, after the beginning, the fall … Second covenant: one male, many females …”
How subtle it is to take and twist statements to suit a purpose! By doing so he made Branham to have taught that polygamy was the scriptural order after the Fall. However, what was Branham actually trying to get across to his congregation? [Note: If you do not have an ear to hear, you will not be able to understand what the Spirit is saying. If you do not take heed to what and how you hear, you will miss the Truth over semantics.] Branham said that when the second covenant was made “something else was introduced”, something that would “shock you”. Then he posed a question “now what’s introduced?”
Yes, “now what’s introduced?” Simply, after the second covenant was made, which is: “Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Gen.3:16b), polygamy came into the picture; that’s what was shocking ― Lamech introduced polygamy after God had put the woman in her place. That is the Scriptural Truth!
POLYGAMY IS NOT THE SECOND COVENANT. THE SECOND COVENANT IS NOT ONE MALE, MANY FEMALES. He who believes and embraces polygamy has gone in the way of Lamech.
On pages 33 to 36 of the same book, under the subheading “Servants of God”, Ewald Frank wrote:
If we consider the servants of God, it is noteworthy that God did not ask a single one of them about their family status. He took whoever He chose, whether married or not. Life circumstances of His messengers were as varied as life itself.
Then he made mention of John Wesley, King David, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elkana, Gideon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Samson, and out of them many had several wives, or married even a widow or a harlot.
It is true of these servants of God, in the Old Testament and even during the Church Ages, when religious church tradition blinded the eyes of the people. However, with the revelation of the Laodicean message which was given us, the Spirit directed us BACK TO THE WORD, BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, BACK TO THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS’ FAITH. We are no longer to come under the permissive will of God. We are to go back to the ORIGINAL PERFECT WILL OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
Observe. We have already known that the Prophetic ministry of old does not reflect the “Ascension Gifts” ministry in the Body of Christ. The Levitical (Priesthood) ministry does. The former did not minister in the Tabernacle (or Temple) which speaks of the Ministry and Body (Church) of Christ; the latter did. That is why, when Grace came in with the Gospel of Christ, we do not see any of His servants, the Apostles, having more than one wife. Christ called them and God watched over those gifts. Christ set the standard beginning with those Apostles. The other ministries came in as the Church grew and followed the same standard. Christ wanted all the elect of God to pattern after the Original Perfect Will of the Father. There was no other standard until the antichrist spirit came, and (with the passing away of those apostles) sowed the seed of fornication ― both spiritual and physical.
Some of you might butt and say: “But we are under Grace, what does it matter if a minister marries another wife, or a harlot or a non-virgin?” One answer is clear; it does not matter to a carnal person as long as he reasons and does what is right in his own eyes. God’s grace is made a disgrace. There is no fear, no reverence of God in them. Such people abound in religious Christendom, be they End Time Message believers, the Charismatics, the Pentecostals or the Protestants. Christendom has many cages of unclean birds which are caged in Babylonism. O, the shame! If you are a child of God, come out of Babylonism, lest you share in her plagues, the wrath of God, poured out upon her (Rev.22:18; cf.15:1; 18:4).
There are followers who are so attached to their leaders, they will believe every word their leaders utter. They have no discerning spirit and wisdom to sincerely search the Scripture “whether those things were so” (cf. Acts 7:11). Also, because these followers are being supported financially on regular basis by these leaders (who might have bought them over with money), making these followers feel obligated to stand and identify with their leaders, even if their leaders’ teachings are false and actions are filled with evil, lies and deception. Some of these leaders have counseled certain ministers who associate with me, saying: “Don’t mention Richard Gan, and you will be well accepted. Otherwise you will get no financial support from those in America and Canada.” Literally, they are saying, “If you want financial support, you must get people to like you. So, agree with them.” Are such people working for the Lord because they have a calling or are they doing it for fame and money? Are they lost in the knowledge that a curse had been pronounced on those who do it for material gain? (Read Jude 1:11.) Truly, they are seduced by the spirit of Jezebel to commit spiritual fornication and idolatry. But for those who know the truth, they cannot remain silent. Anyone who remains silent is just as guilty as the men who propagate deception. As Elie Wiesel, a Jewish professor who experienced the holocaust as a prisoner, remarked, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
GOD WILL NEVER CHANGE HIS MIND
ABOUT HIS WORD
Several months passed after that meeting with Frank, I again received
a call from that same believer. He was pretty excited when he called to
say that an American minister had come to Singapore, and that this
minister had the “true revelation” of the doctrine of Marriage and
Divorce – that polygamy is scriptural and is allowed for Bible believers
to practice. I smiled to myself, pondered the silliness of anyone’s
claim of such “true revelation”, as if there was one.
So together we visited the minister in his hotel room, and we introduced ourselves. The minister went to lie on the bed with his head against the headboard and his wife sitting on a chair next to him. The believer and I sat each on an armchair, side by side, at the foot of the bed. He then addressed the minister – “Brother, please explain to Bro. Gan why polygamy is true.”
The minister’s eyes sparkled. He smiled at me and said, “It’s very simple. First of all, Bro. Gan, do you believe that God never changes His mind about His Word?” I affirmed with a simple “yes, sir”. Then he said with great assurance, “If God never changes His mind about His Word, and He allowed Abraham to have more than one wife, and Moses and David as well, and even Solomon to have a few hundreds, therefore you can have as many wives as you want if the law of your nation allows it.” The believer, sitting by my right, shoved me with his left arm and said, “See, see. It’s so simple. Polygamy is true.”
Thoughts raced through my head on how a minister could teach a doctrine with just a statement uttered by Branham and make a conclusion out of it. I was annoyed by such foolishness. This minister is an example of many who think they know what they do not know.
My right elbow responded instantly to the arm of the believer, and I uttered, “Hold your horses!” I looked at the minister and I said, “Yes, God never changes His mind about His Word. But brother, can you tell me what God’s Word was to Adam and Eve, concerning their food in the day they were created?” Looking at me, he did not say a word. I continued. “God commanded them to eat of the fruit of the trees and the herbs of the field. Isn’t that His Word?” I paused for a moment and then asked: “But why did God change His mind later and allowed mankind to eat meat?” His wife turned to look at him and he looked at her. There was awkward silence for a space of several seconds. He had no answer. Then I said, “There’s a Perfect Will of God and there’s a Permissive Will of God. God will never change His Word when it comes to His Original Perfect Will. However, there is a permissive will that He allows after man sinned and fell short of His glory. Polygamy was allowed after the Fall. But God did not introduce it. Lamech, a Serpent seed did, and God allowed it until the Gospel of Christ was given to set man free from Sin, and to take him back to the Perfect Will of the Father.” The minister did not counter what I said.
After the meet, as the believer and I walked towards the elevator, he said, “Bro. Gan, you are right.” I replied, “No, brother. I am a liar; Paul’s a liar; Bro. Branham’s a liar.” He looked at me bewildered. It was my intention to shock and jolt the mind. I brought up what Paul said in Romans 3:4 to remind him as I continued, “We men do make mistakes with what we think is faith…is revelation…is truth, and when it is not, then we are liars. Only God’s Word is the Truth.” Intentionally or unintentionally, an error made against God’s Word makes one a liar. No one is perfect; no one’s word is perfect. Only God is perfect; His Word is true – absolute Truth.
MISSIONARY – APOSTLE
Ministers are a dime a dozen, but not all are called of God. For those who truly are called, they need to remember to stay in their place of calling, wear their “gift” shoes and never try to put their feet into someone else’s “gift” shoes. There are ministers who feel they are apostles because they make missionary trips or do missionary works. They will quote Branham to say that missionaries are apostles, and therefore they must be apostles. But what is an apostle’s true work? Did not Branham also say that apostles are sent to set things in order? All apostles are missionaries, they do missionary works and they preach the Gospel, but not all missionaries are apostles. If doing missionary works and preaching the Gospel in every city makes a missionary an apostle, then these words of Christ would certainly have no bearing – “thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars” (Rev.2:2). Is there a need to try them given that they are doing missionary works and preaching the Gospel of God’s free salvation in Christ Jesus? Nevertheless, for those who call themselves apostles, how and what do you do to test them? Obviously the true test is with the WORD of God and not with the words of Branham.
The true test of an apostle is the WORD TEST – does he have the true revelation of the WORD? If he is a true apostle, he will know how to set the spiritual things of God in order. He will not come up with some unscriptural revelation, such as: the Holy City New Jerusalem is a literal city floating above the old city of Jerusalem in Israel; God introduced polygamous marriage under His second covenant; the Seven Thunders are the Seven Seals; William Branham’s oral words are the Absolute for “the spoken word is the original seed”; William Branham will resurrect and finish his Ministry before the Rapture; the Rapture has taken place and the Millennial Reign of Christ is on; and many other unscriptural doctrines. The Apostles of God are sent to set in order things which are lacking in the Church of God even though they are sent to preach the Gospel.
SELF EXALTATION
Back in the early 1970s, after I left the Assemblies of God organization, I began to spread the Truth with half a dozen believers. We would do everything we could to reproduce as many copies of every tract and pamphlet we came across for distribution. I would write to the addresses that were printed on those papers to seek for permission before reprinting. The first bad experience I had with American pride was from Wisconsin. This was in the beginning of 1976. This believer (Joseph Starszak, I do not know if he was a preacher) produced several different types of photos and pamphlets (tracts, leaflets) of things related to William Branham and his ministry. I wrote in to seek his permission that “if the Lord willing, I would like to reprint” some of the photos and literature for free distribution. A week later his letter came and it was a letter filled with pride, and selfishness and misunderstanding. He replied: “I regret that you have misunderstood this work, that I am doing: It is definitely NOT for REPRINTING. This is under protection of the Law, and if it is copied action will be taken to stop it. This was committed to me personally by the Prophet, and therefore not to be tampered with. No one had any authority to touch this work, it is not sponsored by anyone. All my personal money is in this work, and we don’t intend to turn this work over into anyone else’s hands. If you intend to use the assortment of our tracts for reprinting, then please return immediately for this must not be done. We own four of the original negatives of the 6 pictures in question, therefore they are our own personal property. Those four pictures are not for reprint. First we charge you before the Lord, not to tamper or reprint, in that name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Why is it so difficult for this believer (and many others, especially Caucasian preachers) to understand a simple clear statement? Why would a request for permission to reprint read to mean that I was going to tamper with his work and to reprint without his permission? If I wanted to tamper with his work or to reprint his materials without permission, why would I have written to seek his permission in the first place? I replied him, and with two more correspondence, closed the matter. Two years later a believer wrote him to purchase some photos and received a letter that contains accusation about me. In it he wrote that he had “a very unpleasant experience” with me and that I was not telling the truth. O my! How does a letter to seek his permission to reprint some of his work for free distribution cause the man to be so worked up over his “own personal property” and the work committed to him “personally by the Prophet” that he resorted to lying, that I was going to do what he thought I was going to do as he wrote in his first letter? Well, I wrote him a frank letter, telling him that his “very unpleasant experience” was a result of his own misunderstanding, selfishness and pride, especially pride ― that the work “was committed to me personally by the Prophet, and therefore not to be tampered with. No one had any authority to touch this work, it is not sponsored by anyone. All my personal money is in this work, and we don’t intend to turn this work over into anyone else’s hands.”
Self exaltation caused the man to be selfish, to protect his works as if, by his working alone, the Elect (all over the world) will come to the see the End Time Message. He did not want anyone to help him with his work, the reprinting of the messages of Branham and articles he put out.
Are the messages of William Branham copyrighted, such that no one else can make multiple copies for free distribution? Who copyrighted them – Branham himself? If a message is of God – why the issue of copyright? However, if copyright is to deter reproduction for monetary gain, or some dishonest purpose, that’s understandable. If that is not what Branham meant, then I am lost for words except what the Word of God has to say: “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isa.55:1) and “freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt.10:8b).
Of course, there are other self exaltations. A very common one is the claim to be the “Elisha” who received the mantle of “Elijah”, or the “Joshua” who received an anointing of the Lord through “Moses”. One German minister is known to brag that he is the angel with the ‘everlasting gospel’ of Revelation 14 and God’s faithful servant of Matthew 24:45-47, that he has preached in almost every nation of the world. He once bragged about having a big church building with a proper address; and he belittled the many ministers in Africa and Asia for having no church building but only a post office box address for their ministries. What pride! Did the early churches in Asia Minor have church buildings where they assembled or did they assemble in houses? Pride has blinded this minister from seeing the simple Truth in the Word of God.
CROWING AUTHORITY
Many preachers are like a “crazy” cockerel that crows at any hour of the day. Those who are unfamiliar with such “fowls” might be confused as to “the time of the day”; the hour they are living in. Unless one has a discerning spirit, one will be alarmed by the crowing of these preachers. Without a spiritual ear to hear what the Spirit of God is saying, it is easy to fall into the hands of uncircumcised men.
There is nothing wrong for a man to declare, “God called me. God gave me this work” or “The prophet committed this work to me. He commissioned me and said that I am a missionary.” However, boasting to the extent where the “I” is emphasized and lifted up high over the work given, would very often result in a “without me, God could do nothing” attitude. The man might deny such an attitude but watch what comes out of his mouth and his printed messages, and his manner. Truly, “you shall know them by their fruits” (Matt.7:16).
There is also nothing wrong for a man to share about his experiences with his prophet, the things he had witnessed and heard, and the number of years he has been a preacher; but it is simply foolishness and immature to use such experiences as a yardstick for one’s maturity in spiritual truth. He might be presenting himself as being more competent than others; a very special man of God. A man’s experience, whether it be of some angelic visitation, supernatural vision, miraculous event and miraculous gifts, or even “God spoke to me in an audible voice and called me ‘My son, my servant’”, cannot be his claim of a true ministry. Yet, some preachers are using it as an authority to lord over God’s heritage, by subtle insinuation of it being a sign from God; that the people should heed his words, his teachings. Such religious crowing does generate fear upon their congregation. Bear in mind that Christians are liken to sheep, and sheep are dumb animals that are easily awed by a vocal religious “holier than thou” preacher who trumpets much about his own experiences. This has been a ploy of Satan as far back as the early church, when the Nicolaitane spirit broke in among the worshippers and created a man of sin who, to this day, sits as “God” to be revered.
Today, we have a great flock of “sheep” following these blind leaders. They open themselves to such influences. If they later realized their error, they would blame it on how their blind leaders had influenced them. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Pro.29:25). But consider that these blind leaders could never have done it unless the followers allow them. They open themselves to this kind of thing because of their immaturity and secret desire. They lack the interest to search the Scripture to see if what they hear is so. It is a truth that many followers of Branham do not know the Bible – the Sacred Scripture. Many just follow their pastors or favorite Branhamite preachers who feed them with statements of Branham; they are well versed with the statements of Branham, but how well versed are they with the Scriptures? They lack the knowledge of the Word, the Truth, and thus perish – “because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee” (Hos.4:6). That’s “Thus saith the Lord”.
FALSEHOOD AND SELF-DECEIT
Every move of God is opposed by His adversary, the devil; history has records of this. Tactically, the devil moves people by fear.
Napolean Bonaparte once said that “Men are moved by only two mechanisms: fear and self-interest.” How true! When a man feels threatened, he is moved to do something to preserve his life, his self-interest, his happiness, his increase, his whatever-that-be. He will use vulgarities and threats, even to the extent of using force and violence. Christians should not have such behaviours. The actions show the persons have not been “metamorphosed” and their minds are not exercised in spiritual renewal, (Rom.12:2-3; Eph.4:22-25); they are not spiritual Christians but religious ones. Some of these religious Christians can even exhibit a great outward display of comeliness, godliness and knowledge of the Bible. Inwardly they are filled with self-importance because of their self-interest. In their self-deceit they judge themselves as being more capable, more knowledgeable, more skillful, and more competent than they really are.
Self-deceit happens when a person deceives himself and yet does not realize that he is a deceiver. He is the deceiver and the deceived, both at the same time. He does not lie outright to himself but is very selective of what he would take into his account, forming his own judgment. Often, due to self-interest, he will spew out his twisted judgment with words such as, “God told me” or “God showed me”, and even: “God revealed to me that anyone who associates with Richard Gan is associating with fallen angels”. There are those who personally said to me, “God told me not to talk to you”, “God told me to tell you to come and see me”, “God revealed to me that you are joining up with denominations” and “God showed me you are drunk with false doctrines”. It is sickening to see believers talk like this. To them, God is always on their side and always speaking to them. What self-deception! Is it really Yahweh telling or revealing to them what they claimed? Or, has guilt caused them to surmise in self-deception, to use “God…” to appease their conscience? “The LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Exod.20:7). Sympathy is useless to such a person as reason is beyond his comprehension, for he has shut himself inside his own prison of self-deceit and is insincere to his very self. He should heed Psalm 101:7: “He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.” And Proverb 20:17: “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” Consider how much more a preacher, who fears his loss of popularity or money, will move in self-interest to preserve it. He should heed what Paul wrote (in 1 Cor.3:18), “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise”, and the words of Socrates, “Do not think you know what you do not know!” Truly, presumptuous sins are abounding in many preachers. [Note: There are a few who have made apology to me after some years for their foolish utterances, saying that they were deceived at that time.]
In 1978, I re-baptized a small group of Christians of a Baptist Church according to Acts 2:38 in Penang, West Malaysia. The assistant pastor was one of them. His name is P---- T--. In the later part of the year, during a meeting with the group, I discerned a struggle in the spirit of the assistant pastor. After the meeting I told the brother, who accompanied me from Singapore, that which was ministered to me by the Spirit. The pastor loved the people in his Baptist church, he loved the message of Branham and he loved Charismaticism. Several weeks later I received a letter, dated 15 February 1979, from T-- L--- H--, one of the young man in that group. In the letter he wrote to inform me that:
Bro. P---- had an attack by Satan around midnight one day. As he described to us, evil spirits came upon him, pressing him against the floor and he could not utter words of Jesus to dispel it. Fortunately, Bro. T--- was with him that night, assisting him to freedom. The following night, he was again troubled and sleep left him. [The day before this second incident, he had burned all the books/booklets of William Branham sensing the attack was due to those books remaining in the room.] He began to examine whether there be any sins in his life and whether there be any more books of William Branham in the room. Then he realized there was still a photograph of Mr. Branham in the cupboard. Moments later the cupboard opened by itself. He decided to get up, take hold of the photograph and destroyed it; but something invisible seems to hold him back from doing it.
For a moment, it seems his spirit did get up but his body was pinned down to the floor. Quickly, he stopped trying. Then Bro. V------ came to his room from another room. By this time he was able to get up and the photograph was taken and destroyed.
Following the
incidents all books and booklets were burned, including mine and
Sister D----e's.
He wrote that they had a confirmation from the Lord and that the destruction of the books was right when they read an article by Ern Baxter, in the magazine called “New Wine”. (They were looking for signs.) Of course, like all Pentecostal and Charismatic preachers who disagreed with Branham’s teachings, their words in their articles, interviews, and books concerning Branham and his teachings, are mainly presumption, putting down the man as being incapable of understanding Scripture and thus teaching wrong doctrines. I have read articles and books by such preachers on their views of Branham. They would often quote each other as if what they had written were facts, which in fact are drawn from hearsay and from the extremist followers of Branham. Even P---- T-- himself published a booklet against Branham when he later entered into Charismaticism.
I wrote a reply, addressed it to T-- L--- H-- and all in the group on the 20th February, 1979, telling them my observation while I was with them during that meeting in Penang. I discerned and told Bro. Sunny (the brother who accompanied me to the meeting) “that Bro. P---- T-- was facing one of his most important decisions in his life – either the acceptance of God’s Truth for this generation or Charismaticism and all that the modern church holds in belief.” I knew that P---- was looking for signs and his heart was towards Charismaticism. I was not wrong. A few years later, he was into the Charismatic Movement with a ministry he called “P---- T-- Evangelism”. He had a great following. One day I received a letter from him telling me that we (he and I) could achieve much by working together. I replied frankly that if I wanted to be popular and have much riches in life, I would have earlier been in the Charismatic Movement and perhaps have a greater following than him. I told him that I would not sell out the Truth for popularity (and be counted with the famous Pentecostal-Charismatic preachers). Also, there is nothing good in Charismaticism but corruptions – money, sex, fame, vain imagination, falsehood, et cetera. Well, something happened in P---- T--’s life (not to be mentioned)…and he moved away from Penang…but he is still in Charismaticism.
It is not difficult to see how a person makes his decision when faced with hard choices. A carnal person will have already made up his mind, for the most part, to preserve and to fulfill his self-interest.
T-- L--- H-- later apologized for destroying the books of Branham. He wrote: “I am sorry I did not return or send the books back to you instead of throwing them away. At the time I was unstable and frightened of being attacked myself. I admit, not all the books by William Branham are bad. Only those written in his later life are backed by spirit of divination.” In response I wrote: “Have you all asked yourselves the question: ‘Why would the devil want to attack us if Bro. Branham’s teachings are wrong? Unless, of course, they are true and that he (devil) was trying to prevent us from accepting the Truth by suppressing us with fear.’ Isn’t it true? ...The devil would, by various means, attack the Truth by suppression or oppression through the many channels, by using the people of the church. He would cause them to be against the Truth and get them to go against the one who believes in the Message. Fear plays the main part and that’s the reason Faith cannot come in to take the stand. When a person has lost that Faith in Truth, he cannot see and understand the Word of God in Its revelational perspective, and thus, very easily succumbs to lies of the devil… Have you…ever heard any such attack, as the one P---- went through with regards to the Message, on people who believe in Mormonism, in Jehovah Witnesses’, and in false cults? ...I can assure you this: The devil will always attack the Truth, never errors. And anyone who supports or believes the Truth will always also be attacked, and mainly by traditional Christians because Truth makes traditions SICK! You can be assured that the devil will not attack a half-truth or a lukewarm Christian.”
It is sad to find Christians believing that a Christian can be
demon-possessed.
If a demon can possess a Christian, then that Christian
is not born again. Nevertheless, when a Christian disobeys or
rejects the Truth of God that is openly given to him he can be troubled
in his spirit and be mentally assailed by demons, as in the case of King
Saul (cf. 1Sam.15; 15:23; 16:14-15). One who possesses the Holy Spirit
cannot be possessed by a demon “because greater is he that is in you,
than he that is in the world” (1Jhn.4:4b).
MANIPULATION
This wicked world is heaped with sins of all sorts, increasingly manifested in every segment of mankind, to the extent that it is blatantly displayed in the midst of the churches. Satan is the god of this evil world and he is even worshipped every Sunday in churches.
In the world of Christianity, there are as many voices as there are in politics or in any field where fame, fortune and power can be made by covetous and corrupt men. The voices of men crying out in the wilderness of Christendom are as varied as the numbers of organized denominational churches – this includes the many camps within the End Time Message movement. The majority of them are certainly not called by the God of the Bible to administer His Word of Truth. They are not ordained by God but by the systems in which they are a part of, or they are self made. Many of such men raise their voices as preachers because they find it very lucrative. Many of those in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles are testimonies to the fact; preachers such as Benny Hinn, Jesse Duplantis, Peter Popoff, W.V.Grant, and many others, are living luxuriously. This is also true in the End Time Message movement; some of these men know how to manipulate people and churches they associate with. I know of several such men who would travel and visit churches to “preach” about their great missionary and outreach works. They scheme, they exaggerate, and they lie about their works for God, knowing very well that religious people love to support outreach and missionary work. It is sad that those who are inviting these preachers and supporting them do not really know them and where the money actually goes.
As a minister of the Lord, I often receive letters from Bible believers, telling me their observation of certain preachers they had befriended or who had come to their midst to deceive the people; manifesting their self-assurance and great competency in their ministries. On the contrary, their work and words are like the religious Jewish leaders in the days of Christ. These self glorified men go about with their nose in the air, establishing philosophies which are “after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col.2:8). Here is one grievance from a believer, Pierre Rouhana, who was once a mafia in America:
This is my truthful account with the one who claimed to be a true sent apostle from Canada, Anthony Abma. Four years ago I met him when he came to do missionary work in the Middle East. But it took 3 meetings and 4 months with him before he showed me the message of Bro. Branham. When it came to material riches, I noticed how he conducted himself with those who have and those who have not. As a very young Christian, saved by God’s grace from a mafia life of sins, I surely am not without spiritual discernment.
After my eyes were opened to the Truth in reading the books of Bro. Branham I prayed earnestly for months for the Lord to show me my path and what he wanted me to do for the Kingdom. This so-called apostle wanted someone to be his interpreter. So he used me, and abused me, for a period of 8 months, between Lebanon and Syria, Egypt and Jordan, driving and flying, day and night. All those times I believed that I was doing God’s work until I started noticing the lies and the manipulations of the man. He even exaggerated his reports that he gave to the churches that supported him. I did not even know that he fought and left his church in Canada and went with different church ministries in USA that were supporting his ministry. It was all about money and control and church system.
I have no regret for any moment of the time that I spent in the ministry because in my heart all what I wanted is to be a good steward, but in the mind and the heart of this so-called apostle he wanted something else. Unlike the apostle Paul who rented a simple dwelling place, this apostle Abma bought a nice dwelling place. Instead of sincerely going about his ministry he was spending his time on worldly things and rebuilding his apartment that him took one year. During that one year period he was daily upsetting himself, the contractors and the workers, and fighting with them. He spent US$42,000 on his apartment. He also sought to décor it with expensive middle-eastern antique furniture. He preached about the soon coming rapture and yet he was hoarding earthly material things. But where did his money come from? Is that how an apostle of God was supposed to live? Abma was living like those corrupt Charismatic preachers who bagged large amount of money from their supporters to furnish their lavish lifestyle. He behaved like a big denominational bishop, barking out orders. As long as I would listen and obey, I was right in his sight, but should I disagree with him, I became evil in his sight. When we started the work together, he considered me his man and he was preaching in every church saying that I was the man that God picked for the job. But when I separated from him, as I did not want to be with an insincere manipulative preacher, I became the mafia, the bad guy.
Now even before he could get to enjoy the apartment he purchased, this so-called apostle was kicked out of my country. He sought my help to deal with his properties. I had to travel hundreds of miles to help him, to ferry things he needed, to engage a company to pack and ship his belongings to Cyprus. He wanted to stay in an area to keep his investment going. It is all about money. That’s why his missionary reports were exaggerated for the churches he visited to get supports. Banned from my country, he still wanted me to be his eyes and ears and tried to “remote control” me from Cyprus. However, I was not foolish, I wanted to be led by the Spirit of God and not be manipulated by a self-proclaimed apostle who wanted to be head over me. So he fought me viciously trying to bribe me with money hoping to change my mind.
When Abma gave me the power of attorney to execute the sale of his apartment and a car which was donated by a church for the ministry, I sold the apartment for him but I requested that he allow me the use of the car (which he called God’s Taxi) a few more months for the ministry, driving to Jordan and Syria, before I sell it and send him the money. He refused, and he told me to take the public bus because he was very upset with me, as I did not want to work with him anymore. Then he went and took legal action against me, suing me that I stole his car. He went to a lawyer through one of his friends in an Evangelical church who used to interpret for him before I was with him. He spent a few thousand dollars doing that to try and put me in jail. An evil business minded apostle indeed. But God was on my side, giving me a tiny piece of document which verified that that servant was evil and I was exonerated. I still keep the car as God’s Taxi for the true ministry of the bride.
There are a whole lot more lies and manipulations that I have witnessed of this so-called apostle but I would not care to elaborate. I condemn not the man. What I dislike is his insincerity and manipulation. There are also others who know his life. This short testimony is enough to expose the evil work of an evil servant.
Manipulation is not always about money; sometime it is about power or
self righteousness or a hidden agenda. Satan does not spare the leaders
of the churches. He is a roaring lion that goes about seeking those whom
he could devour. True servants of God will heed these words of a great
apostle of God, Apostle Paul:
2Co.4:1: Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2: But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.Heb.13:18: Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Php.1:15: Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
On this note of HONESTY, let me pen in here what Charles R. Swindoll wrote in his book “Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living”:
"Honesty has a beautiful and refreshing simplicity about it… as do servants of God. No ulterior motives. No hidden meanings. An absence of hypocrisy, duplicity, political games, and verbal superficiality. ● As honesty and real integrity characterize our lives, there will be no need to manipulate others. We’ll come to the place where all the substitutes will turn us off once we cultivate a taste for the genuine, the real… ● Think about becoming more of a servant… think of characteristics like transparent humanity and genuine humility and absolute honesty. Being real — that’s what I want to get across — being who you really are and then allowing the Lord God to develop within you a style of serving that fits you."
Truly, even as the Apostle Paul so wrote:
Col.2:6: As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8: Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9: For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.1Th.2:3 (Webster): For our exhortation was not from deceit, nor from impurity, nor in guile;
4: But as we were allowed by God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who trieth our hearts.
AN ENEMY
It is said that humanity is generally short of critical thinking. Many Christians, like most other religious people, are apparently so as well. Either they lack the spiritual ability to process the information they received in the churches and the religious Christian world, or they are lukewarm. Maybe, they are just religiously foolish people who simply believe everything they hear.
According to Plato, IGNORANCE is the root of all evil. However, knowledge is “justified true belief”. To him, there must be three conditions met in order for us to “know” something. Firstly, the idea in question must actually be true. Secondly, we have to believe it (or else we cannot claim we know it). Finally and subtly, it must be justified with reasons that the view is true.
Paul said, “If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know” (1 Cor. 8:2). Truly, the beginning of wisdom lies in the recognition of how little we really know. Yet, out in the religious world of Christianity, there are thousands of voices blaring forth their “knowledge” of God and His Word. The people are relentlessly bombarded by these “expert” opinions – that of the educated theologians or otherwise; and adding to this, the people are sadly inadequate to perform critical Biblical and spiritual thinking. They lack the skills to reflect on what they hear, even how they hear; while they sift through the muck to find worthy spiritual nuggets (cf. Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18). This is a fact which is very apparent among many who call themselves “Christians” or “Bible believers”. Until you are filled with the Holy Spirit, with Him residing in you as His temple, not just as a dwelling presence among believers (cf. Jhn.14:17), you cannot begin to comprehend the spiritual things of God; for Jesus said: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:…and he will shew you things to come” (Jhn.16:13).
In April of 2004, I was on a trip to a few Central African nations for some meetings. In Zimbabwe, James Veremu, a pastor of a church in Chitungwiza, took me to visit the VOGR Library in Harare, the capital city. There the librarian put to me this question: “Why are you such a controversial person?” I answered that it was because I believed in the message of Branham, which pointed me back to the Word, and therefore I preach from the Word.
He replied: “The Bible needs no further interpretation. It had been interpreted by the prophet, and all mysteries had been revealed.”
I said: “Then why are you a preacher? What’s the use of the 5-fold ministry? There’s no need for that as everyone can hear for themselves what Bro. Branham spoke on the tapes. And if all mysteries were revealed, tell me, what’s the mark that God put upon Cain, what’s the sin of Ham, and where’s the garden of Eden?”
Well, needless to say, the answers from this man were the same from all Branhamites – “just say what the tapes say, and what Bro. Branham never taught won’t hurt us, we don’t need to know about it”.
I came to know, later in that trip, that my books had been seized from one of the churches by some Branhamites and burnt or destroyed. This incident happened just a few years earlier. It is not only in Zimbabwe that my books have been burnt but several other African countries and also the Philippines.
The practice of burning and destroying religious Christian books stamps from an act of self-righteousness and/or fear, similar to what was practiced by the Roman Catholic leaders when the anti-Christ and beastly spirits ruled the European world. What is in my books that these Branhamites fear? “Oh, the teachings are false. Believers should not read them or they will be deceived.” Such confession negates their faith for they have often uttered loud and clear to their audience, “The elect of God cannot be deceived.” What irony, mockery, insincerity! They have already deceived themselves, and they are deceiving others – “Don’t read Richard Gan’s books! If you do, you will be deceived! Burn his books! Destroy them!”
Many believers have approached my messages with their minds already made up, full of their own teachings and/or preconceived ideas. Many more are doing the same. Hence, while they are reading my messages, they are listening to their own voices, and thus, reading whatever they want into my messages.
News often reached me of how some believers who had gone about spreading lies about me and my teachings. When questioned by those who knew better – “Have you read Bro. Gan’s books, or listened to him preach?”; the response – “No, but I have met him…I’ve heard from So-and-So, and So-and-So from So-and-So, that he preaches false doctrines.” This is foolishness. Do not they know that the true elect of God are not foolish people? If so, those in Christ’s day would have believed what So-and-So said about Jesus being bastard born. Perhaps that is one reason why Jesus was looked down on by religious people who believed what their religious leaders told them. The leaders themselves hated Christ because of the truth He spoke. They had much leaven in their faith (cf. Matt.16:6) and so “the mouth speaketh” – “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matt.12:34). Likewise it is in our days. Heed these words of the Apostle John, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 Jhn.4:1) and the mouths of false prophets only “speaketh lies” (cf. Pro.6:19; 19:9).
Now, “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Gal.4:16).
The Truth of God cuts and separates Light from Darkness. The Light of Truth sets one free (Jhn.8:32). Religious tradition is darkness (1 Jhn.1:5-6); lies, fabrication, falsehood and deception are its ingredients. The Darkness of Religiosity shackles one in bondage.
DANCING AROUND ONE PULPIT
One recent religious propaganda that has rocked the foundation of many churches is worth mentioning here. It came out of Nigeria but its root sprang from America, from a teaching called the continuity of truth – CONTINUITY LIGHT – which was passed from one special anointed minister to another special anointed minister, after the death of William Branham. Though not openly claimed, this American apostle believed he was the one who had the continuity of truth passed to him, and all apostles, ministers and believers should line up according to his teachings so that all would be in one accord, in one unity of the faith. At first, many who were in association did not believe that he lifted himself up, but as time went on, it became apparent to them that he hinted he was “the one”. This man was Raymond Jackson, who is now deceased, of Faith Assembly Church – “Home of the Contender”, Clarksville, Indiana. His teaching influenced a Nigerian pastor who took it a step further. The Nigerian pastor, Amos Omoboriowo, declared himself the “Lead Apostle”; to his predecessor, the “Chief Apostle”.
Needless to say, pastors who fail to “take heed what they hear and how they hear” fall victim to the teaching; this results in their assemblies standing on a shaky foundation.
Back in 1982, I received a pamphlet from India, entitled: “AFTER BRO. WILLIAM MARRION BRANHAM…WHOM?” The author, Derek R. Satur, was a follower of Raymond Jackson’s teachings. In his pamphlet, he asked: “Did Bro. Branham fulfill his commission?”, writing it in a way to say that Branham did not; thus there needed to be another, whom he called “Apostle/Prophet” and “End-time Prophet”. I knew who he was referring to, and to enquire from the horse’s mouth, I wrote him. He replied on the 20 July, 1982, stating that his booklet “has been very well received in India and even by the “Jackson” family! You are the only other one, who has received it outside India. The man I am referring to, is Bro. Raymond Jackson…”
On the same day (27 July, 1982) I received the letter, I wrote him a one-page letter, detailing briefly my association with Raymond Jackson and my understanding of his stand and his ministry (before Jackson faulted me and my teaching, four years later). I stated sincerely: “There cannot be another MESSENGER after Bro. Branham;… I don’t believe that Bro. Jackson believes that he is. Ask him. In my opinion, brother, you are doing more harm to Bro. Jackson’s ministry than good.”
Whether it is the pride of a minister who lifts himself up, or a believer who seeks to promote his favourite minister to unscriptural heights because of some so-called revelation; down the road, somewhere in time, there will always be a backlash on the minister and his ministry. There is no one single ministry that will ever perfect the Bride of Christ for the Rapture. The message that calls for the saints to leave Babylonism to return to the original Apostolic Word had been given by the Laodicean Age messenger, William Branham. It is in the Apostolic Word that the “Ascension Gift” ministry of Ephesian 4 – Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers – can now minister to perfect the saints. Undeniably, not every believer can see eye to eye on the Word, for not all believers are true believers, and not all ministers are true ministers called of God. There are always:
1. the “Diotrephes” who seeks preeminence among the saints;
2. the “Hymenaeus”, the “Philetus” and the “Alexander”, who teach that the resurrection (or the rapture) of the saints is past, blaspheming the Word of Truth;
3. the religious “unconverted Saul” who trusts in his traditional view, so much as to silence the Truth in the disciples of “The Way”; and even
4. the “unconverted Simon Peter” who denies and lies to save his own skin.
Nevertheless, even as saints of God, we are not without weakness. We may blunder and fall, but we should learn from our mistakes. We are not yet perfect, we have not reached our goal; but Christ has taken hold of us, so let us run the race to take hold of the prize that awaits us (cf. Phil.3:12). If we claim we are Christ’s but yet walk in continual carnality, this makes us liars. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom.8:6).
Regarding the teaching of “CONTINUITY LIGHT”, that it comes through only ONE MAN after the death of William Branham; the two ministers who are responsible for it are, the late Raymond Jackson and Amos Omoboriowo. However, even with each of them insisting that other ministers should dance around to what comes from their pulpits, yet the followers of these men are not in one accord. Why? Simply, the accord is not based on revelation and leading of the Spirit of the Word. It is certainly not the ministry of the Holy Spirit to force revelation on believers to dance around one pulpit. Both ministers claim to have the truth (what minister does not?). But carnality got the better of them. There is no sincerity; there is no humility. Both wanted the highest of pedestals – the one over all others. This is the spirit of papacy.
In 1986, Raymond Jackson began to cast bricks at me after a Ghanaian pastor questioned both our teachings. Sad to say, he immediately took to the pulpit, ramming me down to prove his every teaching correct. (Imagine Peter did that to Paul believing that he knew every doctrine because he was the first important apostle among the twelve.) For Jackson to esteem himself in such a manner is very contrary to the Spirit of the Word. There were many presumptions in his vocalizations. Letters to him requesting for evidences were useless. He even predicted that I was being tested and ugly things would develop if I should overlook unity ― a unity according to Jackson, of course. I have always believed in unity ― a unity by the Spirit of God where believers can see eye to eye in God’s Word. True fellowship and unity of faith is in and around the Word, not one man and his opinion. The first generation apostles ministered together in unity, complementing and supplementing the spiritual well-being of the whole Body of Christ. None was a “chief” for all knew only in part and therefore ministered only in part what they had received of the Lord. All of them held to AGAPE, for AGAPE is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude, and AGAPE never fails. Paul spoke well! Read 1 Corinthians 13.
There are two major points in Jackson’s contention against me: the
first, Noah was not a pure seed (to him, Enoch was); the second,
the sin of Ham was not an incestuous act with his mother but
disrespectfulness to his father, Noah. Till his passing in December
2004, Jackson would take pot shots to surmise against me and my
teachings, especially the two afore mentioned. Each time he did that he
shot himself and created more holes in his own teachings. The present
ministers of his assembly, who took over the pastoral work, are casting
the same bricks at me, using past sermons of Jackson. What familiar
spirit! When will they ever learn? Look at this:
LOOKING AT TIME
PART 1
OCTOBER 2011
However I then began to have correspondence with a man from Singapore, Richard Gan. Twice I brought him and his wife over here for our meetings. When we passed through Singapore on our way to India. He came to the hotel room, thanking me for the things he was able to read in the Contender. But the second time he was over here, I honored him and let him preach one night. I will never forget it. He took a subject just as unrelated to the facts as anything in the world.
RICHARD GAN
PREACHED CONTRARY
TO BROTHER JACKSONWe had preached and put out an article From Eden to the Flood, what happened and how it was all represented in the loins of Noah, the mixed seed. Richard Gan stood right here in this pulpit and preached that Noah was a pure seed. How could he have been a pure seed? He thought because he himself was a male nurse in a hospital in Singapore, that qualified him to use that line of thought. Well I have sense enough to know, because I have studied genetic laws in the animal kingdom, and I have to say, no male species is necessarily going to determine exactly what particular identity his offspring will have. I ask of you, please listen carefully to me and remember, Noah never had a daughter. He had sisters, he had other brothers, but remember this, if Noah was a pure seed according to Richard Gan’s idea, why did he marry a woman of mixed seed? What was the objective? The woman that he was married to when he fathered three sons, before the flood, was a woman of mixed seed, and they each grew up old enough to help Noah build on that boat, and there was no sister in that line of the family. That tells me something. Remember, the male determines the sex of the child, not the mother. How many heard me? He fathered all male children, did he not? One was a white man, one was a black man, and the other was in between. I am not a racist. I am a realist. Let us be realistic about the things that are given to us. Those three sons of Noah had already picked their wives before the flood came. I believe with all my heart, they picked the wife that fit their particular physical identity. They were in that boat for almost a year by the time the flood came until it had abated from the earth. There were no children born in the ark. But after they were back on the ground and they moved out into the different planes of Shinar to begin to take up habitation, then is when their line began to multiply and each one of them began to bear sons and daughters, sons and daughters, sons and daughters. Why did not Noah have a daughter? It lets me know, Noah was not a pure seed. If he was, he was a fool for marrying a mixed woman. Because up until that time, a man could marry his own sister. You know that. If Noah had the same revelation that Enoch prophesied like he did, he would never have taken a wife that was of mixed seed, if he had sisters that were pure seed. When I wrote to Gan and tried to say, brother, why have you put this out like this? He said, God gave it to me as a revelation. Then I thought, the devil hit him with a picture of something, that is when I said, you go your way and I will go mine. Never have I said, he is a devil. But I said, the time will come when God will prove who is right and who is wrong.
Who is right and who is wrong? Time has already revealed it. Yet the
carnal mind of some are still holding to the “Chief Apostle”, making
foolish remark such as “RICHARD GAN
PREACHED CONTRARY
TO BROTHER JACKSON”.
Concerning the “CONTINUITY LIGHT” teaching, here is an excerpt of an article by Andrew Phiri, a Zambian pastor. His observation speaks for itself.
A CASE TO CONSIDER
Amos Omoboriowo
The man, Amos Omoboriowo, believes that unity in the Bride of Christ can only materialise when people recognise one man as the standard bearer. This is what he stated in his book WHEN GOD LIFTS UP A STANDARD; “headship comes before unity. That is why you cannot even talk of true unity, if we do not understand headship…The fivefold ministry cannot speak with one indivisible voice unless and until they recognize and totally accept revelatory headship…They must see the one bearing Scriptural revelatory authority! True unity starts here! It takes away arguments! They all recognize and accept the authority of Jesus Christ invested in the leader…I would have to ask: How are we to be rallied together if we have no particular head?” [Pgs.13-14].
Amos went further to claim that he had an “infallible revelation” concerning Raymond Jackson being the one that was to come after William Branham and published this in another book titled, HE THAT IS TO COME. He further declared: “Jesus Christ was the complete embodiment of the fivefold ministry, for all these ministries were in him… This is the office that characterizes and exemplifies the revelatory headship of Jesus Christ. This is the ministry Brother Branham introduced! He introduced Christ in his apostolic body ministry, thereby forerunning Christ in his mystical second coming, not his physical. ...IT IS CHRIST IN HIS APOSTLE!! YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE CHIEF APOSTLE!!! ...Yes sir! His name is Raymond Jackson! Glory to God! And on the full authority of the Scriptures, I can infallibly say, ‘Greater than Solomon is here’ today.” (HE THAT IS TO COME, pgs.88-89) This is a blunder of major proportions! Was he alluding that Jackson was Jesus Christ Himself? However, in all this, the grim delusion of Amos became quite explicit when he predicted (with confirmations of dreams) that Jackson will not die but live to the rapture: “I am aware there are people wishing Bro. Jackson were dead. I am aware there are those, supposedly following his ministry, who have been prophesying his death, for them to take over. So they wish! Let me tell you now: The sent one; He that is to come, is here till the rapture. This is one ministry you would have to contend with till the rapture. We shall see” [ibid, pg.99, see also page 59].
All concerned and sincere believers who read his book, became worried about the issue and its development. It became clear that it was a matter of time Jackson’s ministry would come into a terrible shame, since he had specially stood for many years to present the correct picture of what William Branham’s ministry was all about. Despite all the fanaticism that flourished in the End Time Message movement, Jackson was one man that stood sober and detached from cultic behaviour. Raymond Jackson died in December of 2004 and the ministers of Faith Assembly Church, being aware of the impending embarrassment by Amos’ book (seeing that they are the ones who projected him to the world, as stated in their letter) called on Amos to retract the book. Here is an excerpt of their letter to Amos:
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December 29, 2004
Greetings Bro. Amos in Jesus Christ;
It is with deep regret that we have to write this letter. It has been brought to our attention that there is controversy on your latest book entitled HE THAT IS TO COME on statements where you have said that Bro. Raymond Jackson would be here until the rapture. You made a statement on page 3, (quote) "that God had given you a perfect and infallible revelation of the quotation HE THAT IS TO COME."
On page 59 you state, (quote) "that his ministry would be on ground until the rapture."
On pages 88 and 89 you leave a very confusing thought that Bro. Jackson is the bodily apostolic ministry of Christ.
Bro. Jackson told us that he had not read this book, but had only briefly skimmed through it. If Bro. Jackson had read this book he would have dealt with this matter himself. Bro. Allen nor myself, (Bro. Bud) had read the book until after the funeral of Bro. Jackson. We have both now read the book from cover to cover and find many errors. We feel it necessary to ask you to write a public letter of retraction as soon as possible so this matter can be resolved. We feel it is necessary for us to deal with this matter in an open and public manner due to the fact your books are open to the public, and your ministry has been projected to the world from Faith Assembly.
In Christian love.....Bro. James Allen & Bro. Bud Thompson
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This apparently was a letter out of brotherly love and sincerity. Anyone may expect that Amos would have unreservedly retracted his book, looking at its conspicuous errors and blunders. But against all odds he gave a rebuttal in which he stated: “I say this with respect, and in love, because I expect that you would be the ones to watch my back, having stood together for truth, and fed under the same ministry of the Chief Apostle to this age, Bro. Jackson”. However, it turned out Amos knew actually what to say, and Pastor James Allen and Bud Thompson were simply throwing mud at Amos, mud which they were a part of. You may agree more after reading a four-part series Contender titled THE BODY OF CHRIST in which Raymond Jackson preached what he believed about Unity. Let us look at the facts.
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Did Bro. Jackson believe the ONE-MAN (‘Chief Apostle’) version of Unity?
Following the death of Raymond Jackson, different factions have emerged; among these some still maintain Jackson was that “HE THAT IS TO COME”, others believe Amos Omoboriowo is the successor and current chief. There is one other faction, which in an effort to save face due to the damage done by the ‘Chief Apostle’ fallacy and Amosite doctrines, teaches that Jackson never said he was the Chief Apostle. The inconvenient truth is, Amos' doctrines find their roots in the following statements of Raymond Jackson (and even a comment by the editor of The Contender). Read, examine (especially the text I have highlighted in bold) and compare with the earlier quoted statements of Amos, and draw your conclusions.
Quotes From The Contender
“I say these things to help us see this one thing, that on the face of this earth, unity will be brought about by a key spokesman. Oh you just want to make yourself somebody special. You who say that, are the kind of people I have been pointing out. That is the first thing some people think, You just want to be something special” (THE BODY OF CHRIST, Part 2, May 2007, Pg.6 of PDF document).
“If there is ever going to be unity among the true bride saints, there has got to be the voice of one man, who all the other men will get in line with. I realise that sounds odd to some people, because they have thought, well that is not the way I thought it was going to be…Brothers and sisters: I say to you this morning, It is not a case of big I and little you, because God positions whom He will, to take the lead in holding true to His Word” (THE BODY OF CHRIST, Part 3, July 2007, Pg.7 of PDF document).
“I have done my best to uplift this truth, to give people a chance to hear the real truth, instead of what others are presenting as truth. I believe God has honoured what I have done. I am thankful for it and I believe the hour has come that there is going to be unity among God’s true Bride people”. (THE BODY OF CHRIST, Part 3, July 2007, Pg.10-11 of PDF document).
“If God calls somebody to be a spokesman, like He did Peter on the day of Pentecost, then there will come a time in the plan of God, when whoever that person is, the opportunity will be laid open, and God will require that person to speak according to His leading…I am thankful for what God has put in my heart to preach. I am willing to base my life on it. Therefore, no matter whether it is Richard Gan or anyone else around this world, I have seen the things they have preached and put in print; and none of them present a clear picture”. (THE BODY OF CHRIST, Part 3, July 2007, Pg.14-15 of PDF document).
“The time has come when there has got to be unity among the true Church…We cannot set together and have some say, Well, I see most of everything, but there are little points here and there that I do not agree with. I have heard many people say, I don’t think we have to see eye to eye on everything. You know saints, when people talk like that, they do not know their Bible” (THE BODY OF CHRIST, Part 3, July 2007, Pg.4 of PDF document).
“In the book of Acts, it [unity] started with the head, and it was Peter, to whom Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom of heaven; and on that certain day of Pentecost he used those keys. Notice Matthew 16:19, ‘And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven’. Did he not use those keys when the multitude questioned the unusual event of all those who were filled with the Holy Spirit came into the streets speaking in tongues? When you read several chapters, it was all built around Peter. Was it not? You see other men coming into the picture, but for a long course, Peter was the main and outstanding spokesman. I do not say that to glorify the flesh of the man, but common sense is common sense” (THE BODY OF CHRIST, Part 4, August 2007, Pg.4 of PDF document).
“We have to realize, that in the Ephesian letter it says, Christ is the head of the Church: and He is the savior of the body. Does it not say that? In what way then, is He the head of a tangible nucleus of people like this? Can we see that head somewhere? How do we have to understand that part about the head? Where does it make itself visible? There is only one way it can make itself visible and that is through the beginning of a ministry… My point is this, When there comes a time that that invisible head which we cannot see, knows it is time for the body collectively, (still down here) to start clicking and coming together, then we have to expect that the invisible head is going to start making Himself known through the substance that will be the visible head” (THE BODY OF CHRIST, Part 4, August 2007, Pg.2 of PDF document).
LETTER TO RICHARD GAN
“I have done closed my pulpit to any man that is not in agreement with me”
The following words about Christian Unity are in a letter of Raymond Jackson he wrote to Richard Gan. This letter was written as a result of a disagreement the former had with the latter concerning who was the last pure adamic seed (Enoch or Noah?):
Christian greetings to you in the great and wonderful name of Jesus Christ our Lord. I pray that all is well with you and your family and all the saints there in Singapore.
Bro.Gan some of the things that you have taught and explained that have created these differences among some brethren I had already put to print before you ever came into contact with me. However, as of now you seem to be very sure that you are right on these points that we disagree on. All of this has brought us to a point in time. One of us has to be wrong on some of these things or else we both are wrong on a lot of things. But it is impossible for us both to be right and walking with God. In Isaiah 52:8, it says the watchmen shall lift up the voice with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Mount Zion. Bro.Gan you know that this is a prophecy to be fulfilled in our day, and if you and I are going to be some of these watchmen then it means that we have to learn how to be in tune or harmony one with another.
Bro.Gan I have done committed myself to God in this matter, there is a key to all of this if men that are to be a part of it will be willing to learn. I have done closed my pulpit to any man that is not in agreement with me. Now you can say, well Bro. Jackson that is the spirit of organisation and I will have to say then my bro you go right on and do what you think you need to do, I will not build where you build.
So, in closing I think that unless you can begin to see what I am looking at it would be better that you spend your money going elsewhere. But if you are ready to see eye to eye with me then come ahead there is room at the cross for both of us and room for you at Faith Assembly. God bless you is my sincere prayer.
Christian Love
Bro. Raymond M. Jackson
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Jackson’s words about the controversial book, HE THAT IS TO COME :
Jackson said these words during a convention at Faith Assembly on 24th April, 2004.
Quote:
“I want to speak just this moment on behalf of Brother Amos. I never expected anybody in this world to ever rise up, and write any report about me, or anything. I never looked for it. But after he had come here, I don’t know, a few times, he goes back home. He writes his first book; he sent me a copy: I appreciated it. Then he comes here, he goes back, and writes another one. I’ll say this, Bro. Amos, the world might look at you as nothing, but there is a people around this world, that’s going to see this book [HE THAT IS TO COME], not because its about me, its about him”
Testimony of the Editor of The Contender
In The Contender, WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES SAY [October, 2003] there is a heading that reads “Paul – the Chief Apostle” to the Gentiles. In this edition is a testimony of the editor in which he testified of his belief in Jackson being the Chief Apostle.
Quote:“My wife and I want the world to know, that it did not take us very long to know in our hearts that Bro. Jackson has an apostolic ministry. At first we just looked at him as one of many apostles in the Bride Church, but as the years passed; and as we witnessed how God always enabled him to correct error, we became convinced that God had called him to be more than just one of a number: He holds the line on truth, like a chief apostle would be responsible to do. He has stood and held for a true revelation against many of those he had much respect for in prior years.”
MY OPINION
I believe Raymond Jackson was a prominent apostle whose ministry was outstanding and reached out to many people. He lived to fulfill his ministry until he went to be with the Lord in December 2004. But it is my observation that with time people began to exalt him above measure. Through carnality, it seems the designation of apostle was no longer enough; a new term - Chief Apostle - had to be coined. It could be that Jackson at first never believed in this nicolaitine influence. This could explain why in his earlier messages he never presented a ONE-MAN MINISTRY version of Unity. But with time, his messages took a turn with much emphasis on the need for all ministries to align themselves under ONE MAN – the Chief Apostle. I believe it is this doctrine that has caused all the trouble and divisions in the Jackson movement.
Besides the editor of The Contender, other prominent and close associates of Jackson firmly proclaimed and still proclaim him as the Chief Apostle. In the Contender series titled THE SEALS, a caption of tribute for the late Raymond Jackson stated ‘THE STAR APOSTLE TO THE LAODICEAN CHURCH AGE’; whatever that means, only Faith Assembly knows.
To those who try to save face from the damage the “ONE-MAN” fallacy caused, by mudslinging Amos Omoboriowo, it is not a sincere thing to do; the above facts ring out loud and clear that one can never attack Amos’ doctrine of a One Man Ministry or Chief Apostleship without attacking Raymond Jackson’s. Amos is simply proclaiming out loud and in clear terms what Jackson inferred in his sermons. Moreover, it is too weak an argument to state that Jackson never stated it himself that he was the Chief Apostle; otherwise one might as well stop denouncing the pope as an antichrist as he has never said that he is one. This fact may sound unpalatable to anti-Amosites, but it is still the reality on the ground.
[Excerpt from an article,
Unity of Confusion; From Babylon to Babylon.
To read whole message:
http://www.propheticrevelation.net/misc/andrewphiri_babylon2babylon.htm]
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CONCLUSION
The End Time Message is a call to God’s people to separate from
traditional darkness into the Light of God’s Original Word. It is in the
Light of His Own Word that the Holy Spirit will PERFECT His saints; and
through His AGAPE, brings about a UNITY (ONENESS) among the members of
His Family. But when preachers devise plans to bring it about, what we
see is not UNITY but UNIFORMITY. God is a Creator, not a Cloner. Unity
is the result of a shared convictions and revelations (of God and His
Word), whereas uniformity is merely an external sameness. The former is
brought about by the Spirit of God, the latter by carnal
well-intentioned preachers. One is true unity by the Spirit, the other
is uniformity by conformity.
Not By Might, But By My Spirit
Zech.4:6: …This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
To the people in the days of Zechariah, it was a daunting task to rebuild the temple. There were oppositions – threats, discouragement, division and fear. It must have seemed to Zerubbabel an impossible task to complete the project. Then God sent Zechariah with a message to Zerubbabel, to reassure him that the work was not going to be accomplished by the might (the capacity of an army) of men or the power (the strength) of any individual, not even him. It was to be a miraculous act, not dependent on the multitude of people or any one person. It was to be accomplished by the divine providence of the Holy Spirit as He flows through the elected priests and all who were a part in the building of it.
Likewise, the perfection of the Church in this last age will also be accomplished by the Holy Spirit of the Lord; as He divinely breathes His Word into His ordained ministers and all the saints who are a part of it. Every “little flock” that assembles around the Word in sincerity and humility will see the perfection of it. It is not the might of a large congregation of ministers and saints, nor the power of a great preacher that will accomplish it. For “except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psa.127:1). Amen. The Lord who ordained it before the foundation of the world is the very One who will finish the work. He is the Author and the Finisher of it.
2Co.4:1: Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2: But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5: For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
****
Postscript:
An excerpt from Gary Hayden’s “The paradox of self-deceit”:
How does the battered wife convince herself that her husband is, at heart, a decent guy? How does the tone-deaf talent-show contestant convince himself that he is the next Elvis?
These are puzzling questions and there are no definitive answers yet.
But Neil Van Leeuwen, a philosopher … has an interesting theory which he illustrates using the metaphor of “the teaspoon and the mountain”.
On the one hand, you have a mountain of evidence that your husband is an abuser or that your singing sucks. On the other hand, you have a teaspoon of evidence that your husband is a good guy or that you have musical talent.
“What happens in self-deception is that because of the desires within you, you focus all your attention on the teaspoon of evidence and you ignore the mountain,” says Leeuwen.
You have all the evidence that a rational person could need in order to make a correct judgement. Indeed, if you were using the same evidence to evaluate someone else’s partner or singing, you would come to a sensible conclusion.
But you refuse to attend to evidence that conflicts with your desires.
If Leeuwen’s theory is right, then the severe self-deceiver employs essentially the same strategy as the mild self-deceiver: selective scrutiny of the evidence.
An important difference, though, is that at some level, severe self-deceivers know precisely what they are doing.
There is a tension within them because they are uncomfortably aware of the evidence they work so hard to suppress.
