MOV:Spiritual Pickpockets (reconstructionism)

   Westerm Tract Mission INC.
   401-33rd Street West
   Saskatoon, SK
   Canada S7L 0V5

   SPIRITUAL PICKPOCKETS

   When your wallet is stolen, it creates problems; When a friend is
lost, it is of major concern, but when a spiritual pickpocket robs you
of eternal life, ALL is lost!

   BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS!

   These clever thieves will rob your pockets, take your money, and
escape without you even being aware of them.

   Jesus warned us to be aware of spiritual pickpockets. "For false
christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders,
so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (Matthew 24:24)

   The late William Branham's teachings have gone around the world.
Young people and adults are being swayed by his literature. It is so
cleverly presented that even some Bible College students cannot see the
difference between Branham's teaching and the truth of the Bible. The
followers of Branham claim that he was the last prophet to whom God
spoke (which is the same claim made by other groups).

   BRANHAM - WAS HE A PROPHET?

   In the forward to Branham's book, "A Prophet Brings His Message -
Sermons by the Rev. William Branham," Julius Stadsklev states:

   "To many thousands of us it has become apparent that William Branham
was a prophet. Just as Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and other
prophets of God were His messengers in their day, so William Branham
was God's indicated messenger in his day (Book 3, 1972). As the
prophets before him, William Branham did not come out of the religious
order of the day...he was rejected by the religious leaders...his
ministry came at a time of great moral and urgent need...God gave him
visions. As the prophets before him, he had 'Thus saith the Lord' and
God vindicated his ministry. As God revealed Himself through His
prophets in times past and gave them a message for their generation, so
has He done again to the 20th century. These edited sermons are printed
to acquaint you with the life and message of some of the prophets of
old. And in so doing, may you also come to learn the message God has
given us this day through His prophet William Branham."

   The fact that God, from time to time, raises up men to speak for Him
is valid. Church history abounds with men who heard God's call and
carried forth the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. That Branham had a
very "fruitful" ministry in his lifetime is attested by many witnesses.
He was a bold, strong-charactered preacher with great concern and
compassion. He spoke fearlessly condemning wickedness. "But all that
glitters is not gold" - so goes the old saying. In other words his
seemingly successful ministry does not indicate he was a prophet like
the inspired prophets of the Old Testament. The Bible tells us that God
has given various gifts - even prophets - to His Church:

   "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the
saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of
the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13)

   Performing signs, wonders and miracles as Branham is said to have
done is not a guarantee of benefit to the body of christ. Sometimes
these are used in a wrong way to elevate the person instead of
elevation God or helping the believers. In fact, the Bible warns us
that in the last days many false prophets will come using Christ's name
and shall do many wonders and signs to lead astray, if possible, God's
people (Matthew 24:24).

   THE BIBLE - THE TEST OF A PROPHET

   God, throughout the history of mankind, has used many ways to speak
to men - leaders, patriarchs, Kings, judges, prophets, dreams and
visions. But in these last days He has spoken to us most clearly and
finally through His dear Son Jesus Christ:

   "God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past
to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by
His Son." (Hebrews 1:1-2)

   There will never be a greater prophet than Christ. Therefore we can
safely claim that any prophetic ministry in the name of God must agree
with Christ's teaching as revealed in the Bible. Also it must build up
and not divide the Church. Branham's teachings fail on both points:
they conflict with the teaching of Christ and also divide the Body of
Christ (the Church).

   The exaltation and praise of Branham is not of God! the apostles
Peter, James, John and Paul all refer to themselves as God's
bond-servants. Christ taught us the right attitude towards others and
ourselves. He came to serve. He taught His disciples to humble
themselves,

   "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant
of all." (Mark 9:35)

   Paul affirms this in 2 Corinthians 4:5, "For we do not preach
ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for
Jesus' sake." Here the followers of Branham clash with the teaching and
example of both Jesus and Paul.

   Another clash concerns the time of the return of Christ. Branham
claimed:

   "Jesus did not say no man could know the year, month, or week in
which His coming was to be completed. So I repeat, I sincerely believe
and maintain as a private student of the Word, along with divine
inspiration that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in
the millennium." (W.M. Brahman, Seven Church Ages, p. 322)

   Branham's doctrine on the second coming of Christ is extreme and
contrary to what the Bible teaches. If we believe the Bible and believe
that Jesus Christ taught the truth, how can Branham claim divine
inspiration and set a date which contradicts what Jesus said: "But of
that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but
my Father only." (Matthew 24:36)

   The best way to judge whether or not a person is right is to follow
the simple advice of Jesus, "Therefore by their fruits you will know
them." (Matthew 7:20) What are the fruits of Branham's teachings? Most
of his literature is aimed not at sinners to be saved, but at those who
are already saved. He tries to convince them that they have not been
properly baptized, that their belief in the Trinity is wrong, that the
unsaved are literally children descended from the serpent, and that the
churches are evil.

   Does this kind of teaching build up Christians to maturity? Does it
bring the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness? Or
does his teaching bring division, strife and enmity - works of the
flesh according to Galatians 5? Reflect upon your own reading of
Branham's teachings. What have they done for you? Were you saved
through his teachings? Have his writings made you a more loving and a
better Christian? Do you enjoy a greater degree of fellowship with
other believers?

   FALSE PROPHETS - WHY?

   God warned us of false teachers more than three thousand years ago!
Why does He allow them?

   "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he
gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder of which he
spoke to you comes to pass, saying, 'Let us go after other gods which
you have not known, and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the
words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God
is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your
heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD you God and
fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall
serve Him and hold fast to Him." (Deuteronomy 13:1-4)

   It is to TEST us, to see if we fully follow God and do not turn
aside to place our faith in some secret knowledge revealed through
mystical sources and proved by a sign or wonder.

   As God has spoken through His Son Jesus, who is superior to angels,
more glorious than all the prophets, greater than the high priest, the
fulfillment of all the law and the prophets, and as this message of
Jesus has been sealed in the Bible with a warning against adding or
subtracting to it (Revelation 22:18-19), why should God then change His
mind and say, "Oh, yes, I did forget something after all. I will tell
so-and-so and he can tell you all about it." What kind of God is that?
Perhaps you are still wondering about Branham. Jesus said, "For by your
words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
(Matthew 12:37) The year 1977 has come and gone. Time has proven
Branham wrong. He did not speak under divine inspiration as he claimed!

   Beware of spiritual pickpockets. They want you to meet with them and
to support their cause. But Christ told His followers, "Watch
therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son
of Man is coming."

   - Compiled by the EVANGEL staff, revised

   The Bible Text used in this publication is from the New King James
Version, Copyright (C) 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
