Voice of God Recording's FAQs Answered and Re-answered Voice of God Recordings, Inc. (VGR) is a distribution outlet of audio, video, electronic, and printed resources which pertain to William Marrion Branham (WMB) and his Message. VGR is led by William Branham's two sons, Joseph and Billy Paul Branham. VGR maintains a Message outreach Website called, "The Message." There is a page in "The Message" which deals with several of their most frequently asked questions (FAQ). In this section of "William Branham and His Message", I'll post VGR's series of 14 FAQs, followed respectively by VGR's responses, and then my own comments.
FAQ #1: What is your statement of faith?VGR: We would say that our 'official' church doctrine would be the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Our statement of faith can be summarized like this: No creed but Christ; no law but love; no book but the Bible.
My comments (JK): First, the Bible is not itself doctrine, but a set of 66 books from where we find Christian doctrine. The world is full of abberant sects and cults which claim to base their special set of beliefs, or doctrine, on the Bible. VGR's "official" church doctrine is not the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, as they say, but William Branham's eisegetically contrived, unorthodox interpretations of a select few portions of the Bible, as well as many of his own extra-biblical "revelations," so-called.
Second, their statement of faith, which I would call an abbreviated and shortened summary of what they believe, really doesn't say much about what they believe:
"No creed but Christ"--doesn't explain who they believe Christ is. WMB's Christ is quite different than the Jesus Christ of historic, orthodox Christianity.;
"No law but love"--whatever they mean by that!;
"No book but the Bible"--except for the "Church Ages" book, the "Seals" book, the "Red Bound Volumes," "A Man Sent From God," "The Acts of the Prophet," "A Prophet Visits South Africa," "Footprints on the Sands of Time," etc., etc.
VGR would have been more honest and forthright if they said their statement of faith consisted of the belief that William Branham was a mighty prophet sent from God to tell us that the Trinity doctrine is demonic, that Jesus Christ is a created being who is not in and of Himself God, and that the Fall of mankind was a result of Eve having sex with the serpent. But if they were to say that, most people wouldn't bother reading much further.
FAQ #2: I'm already a Christian. Does the information on this Website really matter to me?
VGR: Yes! Christians should believe all of God’s Word; that’s why we go to church and read our Bibles. Why would you believe the part of the Bible that says Jesus died for your sins, and disregard how sin started in the Garden of Eden?
JK: As in FAQ #1, VGR didn't really address the question. In what way does the information on their Website matter to a Christian? A true Christian is already a disciple of Jesus Christ and knows the importance of attending a biblically sound church and consistently reading the Bible. Why does VGR assume that Christians who don't read "TheMessage.com" automatically disregard how sin started in the Garden of Eden? Is VGR saying that their Website provides revelation from God that we can't get from the Bible as written? Well, we know the answer. VGR believes the teachings of William Branham represent an understanding of the Bible that you can't get by reading Scripture alone. You need WMB's revelatory insight to understand the Bible correctly. If you don't study what WMB taught, then you necessarily cannot know what happened in the Garden of Eden, or what the nature of God is, or who Jesus is, etc. In essence, VGR is saying that you don't know the Bible if you don't follow the Message of William Branham.
What does the Bible say? Repent and believe the Gospel, becoming disciples of Jesus Christ and being obedient students of His Word. And finally, beware of prophets, teachers or ministries which say that you must listen exclusively to what they say in order to gain a proper understanding of the Bible. Run from them! Run from the Message of William Branham and those who peddle his false gospel and false Jesus!
FAQ #3: I believe what I’ve read is the truth. How do I join?VGR: The Body of Christ is not a cult or denomination, and the only membership requirement is that you believe on the Lord Jesus. Don’t worry about having your identification or filing papers with the church government. Just believe the Word, and the Lord will take care of the rest.
JK: “The Body of Christ is not a cult or denomination.” Interesting they should put it that way. Of course, we know that the Message is not a denomination, per se, but they certainly are a cult; one which believes William Branham’s Message to be the Church’s final authority for faith and practice. Message believers claim that the Bible is their “absolute,” but it isn’t. Their absolute is William Branham’s commentary on the Bible, as well as various other “revelations” he taught over a span of nearly 2 decades in over 1,200 recorded sermons.
Although it’s true Message churches do not maintain membership rolls, their requirement to “believe on the Lord Jesus” is not what it appears. One of the main distinctions between the Message and Christianity is that William Branham’s Jesus is not the same Jesus as revealed in Scripture. One of WMB’s unique roles as a prophet to the end times was to forerun the second coming of Jesus, revealing his nature in a way the Church has never known Him before (see http://people.delphiforums.com/johnk63/JesusWMB.htm). When one attempts a systematic, chronological theology of WMB’s teachings on the nature of Jesus, in the final analysis, Jesus was a specially created, sinless man who was not God but whose purpose it was to house God’s spirit during his 3 year ministry on earth. In other words, Jesus was not God except when God used His body to live in and work through from the time of His baptism until His passion in the Garden of Gethsemane.
So, when VGR says, “Just believe the Word, and the Lord will take care of the rest,” what they are really saying is, “Just believe the Message.”
FAQ #4: Are you a church?
VGR: We are not a church organization, but we serve thousands of churches and millions of individuals around the world by providing them with religious material. Our mission is to encourage people to get closer to the Lord Jesus by making His Gospel available to everyone on the face of the earth.
JK: True, VGR is not a church organization. A more accurate statement of what they are about should have read, “we serve thousands of Message churches and millions of Message believers around the world by providing them with William Branham’s recorded and transcribed sermons and other Message related resources.” And as I pointed out in earlier comments on their FAQs, the Jesus they encourage people to follow is not the Jesus of the Bible. Also, here are some examples of how WMB defined the Gospel VGR is making available to Message believers:
“Almighty God, Your commission by the Son of God was, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.’ And we know that the Gospel is power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit.”
(1948)“What we need is not education. We need the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost back in the church to demonstrate the power. Jesus never said, "Go into all the world and--and teach." He never said, ‘Go into all the world and do...’ He said, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.’ And the Gospel is to demonstrate the power of the Holy Ghost, the resurrection.”
(1960)“Now we notice in Saint Mark, the 16th chapter, Jesus did not say, ‘Go ye into all the world, and--and--and teach.’ He said, ‘Go preach the Gospel.’ Preach the Gospel, is, demonstrating the Power of the Holy Spirit! ‘Go ye into all the world, and demonstrate the Power of the Holy Ghost.’”
(1965)Did Jesus really not tell His disciples to go and teach? Here is what Jesus said:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
(Matthew 28:19-20)The Apostle Paul defined the Gospel like this:
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures”
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4)The biblical Gospel is to preach to the world that Jesus Christ came to die for our sins. Jesus specifically said that we are to make disciples of the nations. WMB’s gospel was that people could be miraculously healed of their physical infirmities. Why did WMB have such a different perception of the Gospel? Because WMB’s Message was not directed to the world in general. It was to people who were already Christians. His mission wasn’t to preach a Gospel of salvation as Jesus commanded us to preach. WMB’s gospel was to convince Christians that miracles of healing among them should be the norm. His Message was that by Christ’s stripes, we Christians can received physical healing. That was WMB’s gospel:
“People look for healing of the body to be so complicated. It's very simple, just taking God at His Word, just--just saying the same thing He does. That's all. ‘By His stripes I'm healed.’ And that settles it.”
(1956)This isn’t to say that WMB’s Message didn’t have anything to do with salvation. He did teach that his version of Jesus saved people from their sins. But his main emphasis was on physical healing. As his Message evolved, it became less gospel-centered even according to his definition and more of a call to the Church to leave what he believed to be the errors of Christian orthodoxy and follow his Message. That’s the gospel VGR is now making available to the world.
FAQ #5: I want to be baptized. Now what?
VGR: If you can’t find someone to baptize you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, send us an email with your location and we will send you a list of churches in your area that can baptize you properly. Remember, according to the Bible it is important to be baptized in Jesus’ Name, and not in the titles of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
JK: William Branham’s view of baptism is based on his heretical view of who Jesus was. Because WMB believed "Jesus" was the name of the Father, and that the Father manifested Himself in 3 different forms (i.e., as Father in the Old Testament, in the Son in the New Testament, and as the Holy Spirit to the Church), his view was that Christians needed to be baptized in "the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." To WMB, "Lord" represents God’s manifestation as Father; "Jesus" represents His manifestation as Son; and "Christ" represents His manifestation as the Holy Spirit.
Of course, the Bible never prescribes any certain formula which must be recited over a new believer while performing a baptism. Jesus told His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). The Apostles instructed new converts to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. There is no contradiction between them because both affirm the work and authority of the triune God represented in Jesus' death and resurrection for our new life which baptism symbolizes. WMB said that to be bapized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit was incorrect since those were titles, not names. So he commanded that people be baptized in “the name of the Lord Jesus Christ”, of which 2 of the words in that “name” (Lord and Christ) are themselves titles.
Christian baptism is the first ordinance in which a new believer in Christ should partake. In this wonderful act, a believer acknowledges what the Father did through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. One cannot identify with Jesus' death, burial and resurrection without knowing who He is. Baptism involves knowing who Jesus Christ was as God incarnate, what was His purpose, and how to be reconciled with God through repentance and and faith in the atonement bought by the His sacrificial death. Baptism is a public sign of one's acknowledgment of God's revelation of Himself, what He did for us and our response. There is no way that one can separate the triune nature of God from baptism and retain its meaning. That is why Jesus used the words He did in Matthew 28:19 and why the Apostles use the words they do in other passages.
William Branham’s baptism focused on who he thought Jesus was named after. True Christian baptism focuses on who Jesus Christ really was.
FAQ #6: Do you think I am lost because I’m a Catholic or a member of another denomination?
VGR: The Lord Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” No man has the authority to judge salvation. Jesus also said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” So it doesn’t matter if you are a Catholic, Baptist, or Pentecostal; if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ then you will be saved.
JK: VGR refers to Matthew 7:1 in answering this question. In context, Jesus isn’t saying that we are not to judge the salvation of others, or He wouldn’t have told us to that it is possible to know false teachers by their fruit, or that we are not to cast our pearls before swine. When Jesus said not to judge, He meant we are not to judge hypocritically. How else would we know if one is not saved and in need of the Gospel if we totally refrained from making such judgments?
As to whether Catholics and others are saved, here is what WMB said:
"If a Roman Catholic, if he is depending on the Catholic church (which is their fundamental doctrine), but if he believes that that Catholic church is going to save him, he's lost; but if he's got faith in Jesus Christ God's Son, and depending on Him for salvation, he's saved.”
(1960)“If you say, ‘I'm a Christian,’ ‘What denomination do you belong to?’ What difference does that make what denomination you belong to? We realize that denomination has nothing to do with God's Bible. And all Protestant denominations are harlots. The Bible said so. When you say you're a Methodist, you're a Methodist harlot. You say you're a Baptist, you're a Baptist harlot. When you say you're a Pentecost, you're a Pentecostal harlot. That's what the Bible said. So she is a mother of harlots. Now, if that's all you got... Now, if you're fellowshipping in this denomination and yet a Christian, you are a Christian; and you're not a Methodist; you're not a Baptist; you're not a Pentecostal; you're a Christian”
(1958)Of course, WMB implied that you could be in those churches and be saved IF you relied on Jesus and was filled with the Spirit. So what did WMB say about being filled with the Spirit?
“And when the Spirit of God is in a man, he will say ‘amen’ to every Word of God and every miracle of God. But as my mother used to say, ‘You can't get blood from a turnip, because there's no blood in it.’ So that's the same way; you can't get belief out of unbeliever, because there's nothing there to believe with.”
(1961)Of course, WMB taught that his Message was the Word of God for the age. If you couldn’t say amen to his Message, then you can’t say amen to the Word. So, one would think that if you don't believe the Message, then you're lost. Not necessarily.
On pages 274-281 of the Church Ages book, WMB explains the difference between 3 different classes of people:
1) The Bride, that is, Message believers
2) The lost (unbelievers)
3) Those who are saved but not part of the Bride, such as Christians who didn’t believe the Message but didn’t take on the mark of the beast or those who were good to the Bride; and Jews who, although they did not believe in Jesus, were “faithful to the Word they knew.”So, according to the Message, it is possible to be saved if you’re a Catholic or denominational Christian, or even a Jew who doesn't believe in Jesus. But unless you believe in WMB’s Message, you will not be a part of “the Bride” or make the rapture, but will receive eternal life only through a special judgment in heaven. Only Message believers will be part of Jesus Christ’s Bride.
FAQ #7: What is Voice of God Recordings (VGR)?
VGR: Voice Of God Recordings, Inc. is an inter-denominational ministry that is dedicated to the furtherance of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The primary source of the material that we distribute is the recorded sermons of the late William Marrion Branham, a prophet of God and internationally-recognized evangelist. Our outreach includes MP3 CDs, DVDs, videos, software, books, magazines, tracts, photos, newsletters, and websites.
JK: VGR says they are an inter-denominational ministry. You may ask how that could be after we just heard in our previous post that William Branham preached so strongly against denominationalism. I think it can be explained in one of 2 ways: 1) VGR is composed of staff members who have come out of many different denominations to follow the Message; or 2) VGR is no respecter of denominations of which to proselytize potential Message believers. Since either one is true, they could mean the former, the latter, or both.
Although they say their ministry is dedicated to the furtherance of the Gospel of “the Lord Jesus Christ,” we have already explained what they mean by the “Gospel” and who their Jesus is. Neither is compatible with biblical Christianity.
Please note what they say their primary source of materials is. It’s not the Bible. It’s not a collection of books and sermons by variety of doctrinally sound Bible teachers. It’s the recorded sermons of one man; their prophet and leader, William Branham. This should immediately raise a red flag and remind us of Paul’s warning against following a single individual rather than a consensus of Christian teachers recognized as trustworthy by the Church:
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 cor 1:10-13)
Finally, VGR describes WMB as an “internationally-recognized evangelist.” He is definitely internationally recognized, but not by the Church as a Christian evangelist. Only followers of WMB, a few fringe charismatic leaders who espouse unorthodox, and sometimes heretical teachings, and those who don't know much about him believe WMB was a Christian leader.
Voice of God Recordings, Inc. is not a ministry of the Church. It is nothing but a major distributor of the false teachings of their false prophet, William Branham.
FAQ #8: Who is William Branham, and what does he have to do with me?
VGR: Reverend Branham was a world-renowned evangelist who was on the missionary field from about 1947 to 1965. Not only did he lead millions to Christ, but God vindicated his ministry by countless miracles.
JK: It’s impossible to guess how many people may have been truly born again as a result of William Branham’s “Message.” WMB said some things that seemed right. Every "Christian" cult says things that sound right or they would not be confused with true Christianity. But anything he ever taught correctly either needs to be interpreted according to how he redefined certain Christian terms, or else we must recognize that he actually changed and abrogated certain teachings as his Message evolved. Message believers call this, “progressive revelation.” You may say, “Orthodox Christian theology also believes in the doctrine of Progressive Revelation. Why couldn’t WMB?” It’s because in the Message form of PR, Message believers understand that WMB got some things wrong in his earlier days, but as he received more and more “revelation” through the years, he discarded what he considered bad teachings and added the new.* In the Christian doctrine of PR, God reveals more and more of Himself and His plan as history progresses. Further revelation from God is never seen as a correction of previous knowledge, but in addition to--and often clarification of--what He has already revealed.
VGR says that “God vindicated his ministry by countless miracles.” The problem is, most of the supposed miracles that happened at his meetings either cannot be substantiated, or weren’t miracles at all. And of the most fantastic of miraculous signs associated with WMB, we have only his own uncorroborated word that they even happened. But suppose all of his so-called miracles could be substantiated. Does that mean that those miracles vindicated the parts of his Message that had yet to be corrected by future revelations? When WMB taught something in error during a sermon in which the “pillar of fire” later appeared, would that error be vindicated? Why would God vindicate a flawed Message? How could we ever trust Him if He did? All the miracles in the world could never vindicate something false. That’s why we should never look to miracles as a sign that someone is preaching correct doctrine. Only the Bible can vindicate that what a person teaches is true. How else would we know a false teacher from a true one? And WMB often preached outside the bounds of the written Word of God, even contradicting it.
I’ve always said that if anyone got saved after listening to WMB’s Message, it was in spite of what he taught, not because of it
____________________* There is a faction of the Message movement that believes WMB never taught any error. Another faction believes that everything WMB taught after he preached the Seven Seals in March 1963 is inspired, and all his previous doctrines must be either interpreted or abrogated in light of that.
FAQ #9: If these miracles really happened, how come I never heard of him?
VGR: That’s a good question, and one that we would like to ask all the mainstream churches of today. God sent a prophet! Why isn’t everyone talking about it? They should be.
JK: Interesting question, and an even more interesting answer.
William Branham’s popularity began to decrease in the mid to late 50’s once he began teaching some of his most controversial "revelations," such as Serpent’s Seed. The Church already knew his teachings were not biblically sound. His prophetic ministry was becoming increasingly self-exalting and self-authenticating. He insisted that the Lord had revealed there were greater things to come in his ministry. When that didn’t happen by the time of his death, many of his followers left. His loyal followers waited for 1977, many of them believing that he would come back to life (as some still do). They waited for the promised gift of, “Don’t cry, speak!” By the time 1977 came and went, leaving America and Rome intact, and no fulfillment of WMB's promise of the restoration of miracles in their midst, even more disillusioned followers left the Message.
The Church was never fooled by WMB’s Message. Message believers left when they began to see the handwriting on the wall: WMB’s Message had been weighed in the balances and was found wanting.
After his death, his most loyal followers did all they could to keep his vision alive. All manner of sects began to form within the Message movement, coalescing into independent groups, each majoring on a favorite, previously unknown “revelation” they thought they found hidden in WMB’s sermon tapes.
Almost 50 years have passed since WMB died. The Message movement is in a world of their own, culturally bound to the 1960's. Compared to the general population, and even within the Christendom itself, it is understandable that the number of followers of the Message is very, very small. And with the exception of the work of a couple of relatively large Message organizations, the movement's outreach is practically non-existent. More and more ex-Message believers are exposing WMB's false prophecies and heretical teachings. It’s no wonder the world, especially the Church, hasn’t taken WMB’s Message seriously.
In light of all this, the question shouldn't be, “Why haven’t we heard of him?” It should be, “Why does anyone still follow him?”
FAQ #10: Why do you put so much emphasis on William Branham?
VGR: For the same reason that Joshua put so much emphasis on Moses. Moses was a prophet that brought a Message from God. Brother Branham did the same thing.
JK: Moses was the mediator between Israel and God. God gave the Law to Israel through Moses. Joshua didn’t emphasize Moses simply because Moses had a message from God. He followed Moses because Moses was God’s Lawgiver, the mediator of God’s Covenant with His people. That’s why Joshua emphasized Moses.
God said to Moses, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19) That was a prophecy of the incarnate ministry of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle John said, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)
The writer of Hebrews said, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:1-2)
Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant. Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the New Covenant. As Moses was the prophet who Joshua listened to, Jesus Christ is the Prophet the Church is to listen to. Let’s continue.
The Apostle Paul said, “What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:12-13) In the same letter, he continues, “For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:4-7)
In other words, we as Christians are not to be known as followers of any particular individual except Jesus Christ. He is our prophet. Paul went so far as to say that nobody should be known as followers of Peter, or even himself! Likewise, Christians today are not to be known as followers of anyone but Jesus Christ. In our day, however, there is a particular sect who believes that William Branham is the prophet who represents God’s Word for the Church. They place special emphasis on William Branham and his teachings, so much so that they are often referred to as “Branhamites.”
Now here’s the question: If Moses represented the Old Covenant of which the people were to follow, and Jesus Christ represents the New Covenant of which the Church is to follow, what is it that William Branham represents? If Paul said that, with the exception of Jesus Christ, the Church was not to identify with any single individual, on what biblical basis is the Church under obligation to follow a single individual named William Branham?
To Message believers, a true understanding of the Bible is subject only to what WMB taught. But to the Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the teachings of William Branham must be subject to the Bible. And the Bible has proven the Message wrong time and time again.
FAQ #11: I’ve seen women that are associated with your ministry. Why do they have long hair and wear long skirts?
VGR: Paul said in I Corinthians 11:15: "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering." Paul also said that women should "adorn themselves in modest apparel…" and Moses said, "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man." If the Bible says it, then true Christians will believe it.
JK: It’s interesting what VGR doesn’t say in their answer. They don’t say that they believe women should not cut their hair at all. They also don’t say that they believe women should not wear pants of any kind, even if they are specifically made for women. Cultures differ between geographic locations and time periods. The culture in Paul’s day dictated that women have longer hair than men. Both in hairstyle and attire, Paul was clear that there is a moral element involved and that a distinction be made between men and women.
As for women being dressed in modest apparel, I would point out that in Paul’s day, modest apparel for women was similar to men’s in that both sexes wore a wool, cotton or linen inner garment covered by a long outer robe. A woman’s outer garment was longer than the man’s, covering her feet. The front was long enough to be tucked in the girdle to be used as an apron. Women were not to wear distinctly men’s garments or ornaments, nor were men to wear women’s. In other words, cross-dressing is forbidden. My question would be, if this was what Paul was talking about when he said women should be modestly dressed, then Message believing women are quite immodest according to the standards of Paul’s day. It’s clear that Message believers do see that there are cultural differences in these matters (as Kris pointed out in his previous comment). And theirs is a difference dictated by their prophet, William Branahm. Message believing women are to legalistically comply with his standards.
If a woman has her own conviction that she not cut her hair or wear pants, then there is nothing wrong if she practices what she believes. But the Bible does not require either of those unless it is generally contrary to the culture in which one lives. What the Bible does require is that men look and dress like men and women look and dress like women, and neither should be publicly dressed in sensual, scant or gaudy apparel designed to draw inappropriate attention to oneself.
FAQ #12: I did some research and found a few websites that are dedicated to refuting things that Reverend Branham said. How do you answer them?
VGR: You will find websites dedicated to refuting anything and everything, including the Bible. We simply ask that you judge the Message we have presented to you by the Word of God, and not by rhetoric that is so easy to find on the internet. Remember, there is no one more slandered than the Lord Jesus. If you are doing something right, then you can expect criticism.
JK: Just because rhetoric is easy to find on the Internet doesn't mean it’s all wrong. Also, just because someone is being criticized, it doesn't mean they’re doing something right. Notice how in their own rhetoric, VGR suggests that any criticism they receive is automatically slanderous and implicit proof that they’re doing something right! I wonder if VGR would say the same concerning all the criticism the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses receive!
Of course, we can’t realistically expect VGR to respond to all Message-refuting Websites in a single FAQ like this. But neither is VGR’s simplistic response an adequate answer to the question. Their answer should have been, “If you have any specific questions about the Message as a result of your research, let us know and we would be happy to answer them as we are able.” Instead, their reply could be paraphrased as thus: “Pay no attention to our detractors. We’re right.”
Finally, if one were to really judge the Message by the Bible as VGR recommends, it would be easily disproved, as is demonstrated over and over again at my own Website.
VGR gives the best answer to this FAQ that they can: Stay away from anti-Message Websites!
FAQ #13: All the organizations have their hands in my pockets. It’s always about money.
VGR: Notice there is no place on this website to make a donation. When the time comes that we have to beg for money, then the time has come for this ministry to end. This is not about money, it’s about getting souls to Jesus Christ.
JK: But if you really feel the need to give, you can always visit VGR’s main Website where it apparently is about money: Click here.
I wonder if that means the time has come for Voice of God Recordings to end?
FAQ #14: I want to learn more. What’s the next step?
VGR: The Bible says, “faith cometh by hearing,” so we encourage you to keep listening. We have over 1,200 recorded sermons available for free download. We can send you material in the mail if you are having trouble downloading the electronic files.
[Voice of God Recordings] posts daily news and testimonies associated with our ministry. We invite you to visit us daily and read reports from believers around the world. You might be surprised at how many great things the Lord Jesus is doing right now, in this modern day.
JK: VGR alludes to Romans 10:17 when they said, “Faith cometh by hearing.” There are two problems with their application of this verse. First, they didn't finish the verse. Romans 10:17 says,
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
It doesn't say that faith comes from hearing WMB’s sermons. But since they equate WMB’s Message with God’s Word, it’s clear why they didn't think it was an issue to abbreviate the verse.
The second problem is that they took Romans 10:17 out of context. Please read the passage, starting with Romans 9:30 through 10:21. Paul is not just talking about having faith. He’s talking about saving faith which comes only from hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as opposed to Israel's mistaken belief that one could be on good terms with God through following the Law.
VGR's FAQ session wouldn’t be complete without recommending their readers go to their main Website. My suggestion would be, if you wish to be more thoroughly educated about the Message, visit "William Branham and His Message: A closer look at the prophecies, teachings and experiences of William Branham from the perspective of a former follower who has found new life in Jesus Christ."
For discussion on any or all of these FAQs, please visit Examining the Message of William Branham.
Home / Controversial Prophecies / Controversial Teachings / Issues & Events in WMB’s Life / Key Message Scriptures / William Branham Quote Book / The Gospel