Questions & Answers On The Seals
Questions 183 (COD Page 825)
Brother Branham, would you please answer this one for me, about baptism? Matthew 28:19 teaches, “the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” And Peter, in Acts 2:38, “in the Name of the Lord Jesus.” When was this change come about in Acts of the Apostles? Now, I believe, “in the Lord Jesus.”
149 Well, brother or sister, ever who wrote it, there–there was no change come about, see. It...And Peter done exactly what Jesus said do. Now, if somebody come and say, “Use the titles of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” they did what Peter said not do, but what God said not do. See? Now, Jesus said that...
150 We’ll just–just take a little bit, where, I want to just show you something here. Notice. Now notice, if you’re here, the person. I’m going to put three pieces of material here. Now look. [Brother Branham positions three objects as illustrations–Ed.] This is the Father, this is the Son, this is the Holy Ghost; as trinitarian people believe them, believe that they are three separate individuals. They believe that. See? Well, then, now let me...
151 And then in Matthew 28:19. Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He...” No, I beg your pardon. I’m quoting Acts now, or in Acts 2, I believe. No, Luke 24:49, I’m quoting. He said...Let me read it, then I got it, see, and then... ’cause the other day I said that when I didn’t...I want to be sure I get this right. I–I know the title of what you’re saying there, but I want to get just what He said. Let’s begin at 16th verse, of the 29th. “Then as the eleven sat at meat, the...”
Then the eleven...went away into the Galilee, into the mount where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power in heavens and in earth is given unto...All powers is given unto me in heavens and in earth.
152 Now where is the power of God? Where is God at? If all the power out of Heaven, and all the power that’s in earth, has been given, now where is God at? There He is, see. That’s what’s talking to you. All right.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
153 Now the trinitarian sphere of that, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Holy Ghost.” That’s not even in Holy Writ. See? He said, “Baptize them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of...” Not in the...and put a name before each one. One Name! Watch here. Didn’t say, “Baptize them in the names.” N-a-m-e, one Name, “In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” See?
154 Now I want to ask you. Is “Father” a name? [Congregation says, “No.”–Ed.] Is “Son” a name? [“No.”] How many fathers is here? Which one of you is named “Father”? How many sons are here? How many humans are here? See? Well, which one of you is named “Father,” “Son,” or “Human”? See?
155 Like a woman said one time, she said, “Brother Branham, the ‘Holy Ghost’ is a name. It’s a Person.”
156 I said, “Yes, Sir. I am a person, but my name is not ‘Person.’ I am a person, see. My name is William Branham; but I am a person.” The Holy Ghost is a Person. That’s what It is. It’s not a name; it’s a title of the Person of God. See? It’s a title to the personality of God, what He is. Now–now if...
157 He said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, the Holy Ghost.” Not “in the name of the Father, name of the Son, name of the Holy Ghost.” Or, not “in the names of the Father, and of the Son, the Holy Ghost,” but, “In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” And if “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” is no name, then what about it?
158 Say if it’s “name,” well, which one? You want to call one of them a name, which name is it? If you want to call the title a name, then which name, which title is it you want to baptize, the “Father” or the “Son”? It’s singular, see. Now we turn over here, and that’s the last book of Matthew.
159 Like I’ve always explained it. If you read a love story, and said, “John and Mary lived happy ever after.” See, it’s because you don’t–you don’t know who John and Mary is. Go back to the first of your story, find out who John and Mary is. See?
160 Now that’s what you’re doing here in Matthew. You’re only reading the last part of it. Go back to the first of Matthew and read what the story is. That’s the last chapter of Matthew, and the last verses.
161 Like you picked up a book, and say, “John and Mary lived happy ever after. That was John Jones and–and Mary So-and-so? That was...? No, that was John...? That was John Henry and that was So-and-so? This is John Somebody and So-and-so?” No, you don’t know yet, you see. The only thing to do, to be sure, is go back in the book and read it. See, you can’t pick up a piece here. You got to put the whole thing together, to make the picture.
162 Now go back to Matthew, the 1st chapter. And it goes and gives the genealogies, coming down the 1st chapter. Then it gets down to the 18th verse, and said, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.” Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”–Ed.]
163 Now I want to ask you something. Now listen again. You, you call it. [Brother Branham points to each of the three objects as illustrations–Ed.] Who is this? God the...[Congregation says, “Father.”] God the...[“Son.”] God the...[“Holy Ghost.”] Now which one is this? [“Father.”] Which one is this? [“Holy Ghost.”] Which one is this? [“Son.”] Son. All right. Now we got it now. Now what did you say this was; God the who? [“Holy Ghost.”] The Holy Ghost. All right. Now, all right.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When... his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with a child of the...
164 [Congregation says, “Holy Ghost.”–Ed.] Now, I thought you said God was His Father. Now there is something wrong here; He can’t have two Fathers. You know that. See? Now there is something wrong. Now which one of these Men, if they’re three Persons, which one of Them is His Father? The Bible says here, plainly, “She was found with a child of the Holy Ghost,” God the Father had nothing to do with it. And Jesus said God was His Father, and we know God was His Father. Then, He had two fathers; now He’s an illegitimate, sure enough. Now see where you got yourself? Now:
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man...not willingly to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things,...
165 Remember, he was a good man, now. And the hand of the Lord is a hand like now; them who are predestinated will catch it. See?
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,... Are you following in your Bible? [Congregation says,“Amen.”–Ed.] All right.
...saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not...take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which...conceived in her is of...
166 “God the Father”? Did I misread that? [Congregation says, “Yes.”–Ed.] Sure did. “That which is conceived in her,” has nothing to do with God the Father, it’s “the Holy Ghost.” And now we know that God was His Father. Is that right? [“Amen.”] So what is it? The Holy Ghost is God’s Spirit, of course. Now you got it. See?
167 God the Father and the Holy Ghost is the same Person, or He had two daddy’s. And then what–what kind of a person do you worship? What kind of God you got now? See? See? God the Holy Ghost, and God the Father, is the selfsame Spirit.
And she shall bring forth a son,...(this Fellow here)... and thou shall call his name...
What? [Congregation says, “JESUS.”–Ed.] “His Name!” [“JESUS.”] Now remember.
...his name JESUS: for he shall save his people for... from their sins.
Now this was all done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, to who the Wordcomes to, saying,
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they...call his name Emmanuel, which is being interpreted, God with us.
168 What is the Name of God? What is the Name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost? [Congregation says, “JESUS.”–Ed.] The Bible said “JESUS” was His Name. Then the fellow here trying to debate it once, here in the tabernacle, said, “Brother Branham has wiggled out of all of them, but he won’t this one.” Said, “Here it shows three different persons, exactly, perfectly.” Said, “Matthew, 3rd chapter! Here was John standing, preaching; here come the Son, walking up to be baptized. He went into the water, was baptized by John; went back up out of the water. And, ‘Lo,’ said, ‘the heavens was opened unto Him.’ And said, ‘Down from Heaven came the Holy Ghost, like a dove descending. And a Voice from Heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom...”’ Three distinct persons, right at one time.” Oh, my!
169 Yeah. It just goes to show that people without the baptism, and not called to the office of–of a–a minister, has no business to be in the pulpit. That’s right. I–I–I could take that person, now, by the help of God, and tie them in such a knot it would make their head swim. Look, I don’t care what... Not, I don’t mean “I.” That don’t sound right. Forgive me. I didn’t mean that, Lord. I didn’t, now. I felt Him check me on that, see, so I didn’t mean to say it that way. I’m–I’m sorry. I believe that the Holy Spirit could reveal to that person some secret. That sounds better.
170 It’s just like tuning an instrument, when you do something wrong. And you can tell it, as a Christian, you said something wrong. He didn’t like that. See, that was putting me in there. See? I ain’t in the picture, at all. I’m just...don’t even want to be myself or nothing. Just Him, let Him do the work. He does the sounding. The trumpet is a mute; the voice behind it, one that gives the sound.
171 Now, looky here. The man misinterpreted the Word. See, It’s...Remember, “It’s hid from the eyes of wise and prudent; revealed to babes.” Now, here is that one Person, Jesus Christ, standing on earth. Now, heavens; course, there’s atmospheres above. Now watch, “And John bare record...”
172 Now that man has got to say, “Here is God the Father; and here is God the Holy Ghost, like a dove; and here is God the Son; making three persons.” It’s wrong.
173 John, standing back here, knowed this was the Lamb. John said, “I bare record, seeing the Spirit of God like a Lamb...”
There is God the Spirit, like a dove, I mean. Now there is the same thing I said the other night, you see; instead of seven hundred, sa-...See? The Spirit of God! This was the Lamb here. And the Spirit of God, the Dove, was God. “The Spirit of God descending from Heaven. And a Voice from Heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am pleased to dwell in.’” “All powers in Heaven and earth is given unto My hand.” See? See? See? That’s Him. Now what was His Name? [Congregation says, “JESUS.”–Ed.] Certainly. See?
174 So, as far as the trinitarian theory, of being three different Gods, that’s heathenism! That never was taught in the Bible. It never was taught in the lion Message, but it was adopted in the next, which was antichrist. Ask anybody you want to, any theologian. That never did come, only through the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. There is why it come out with Martin Luther; that’s why it continued on with John Wesley; and poured on down into the Pentecostals.
175 In the day that the Pentecostal come out, they got the “Jesus Only” group. Now, that’s wrong, again. How can Jesus be His Own Father? See? So it knocks that out.
176 But there is supposed to be an eagle time come. See? That’s the time It’s to straighten all those mysteries out. See?
177 “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” is titles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Watch, all three of them! Matthew said, “Father, Son, Holy Ghost.” Peter said, “Lord Jesus Christ.” Who is the Father? “The Lord said unto my Lord, ‘Sit Thou on My right hand.’” Is that right? Father; Son, Jesus; Holy Ghost, the Logos that went out of God. “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” is absolutely three titles of the Person of God manifested in–in–in three different ways, or three attributes of Himself.
178 And to make it plain, to someone who wouldn’t understand, it’s like three offices of the same God. Actually, it’s three attributes of the same God. God acting in three, different; under the Fatherhood, under the Sonship, under the Holy Ghost dispensation. God is perfect in three. You remember the antichrist number, four? See? God, “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,” is absolutely “Lord Jesus Christ.”
179 When you baptize, the Name of “Jesus” only, that’s wrong. Just, “Baptize you in the Name of Jesus,” that’s absolutely wrong. I’m acquainted with many Jesuses. Why, the Latin countries are full of them, Jesuses.
180 But this is the “Lord Jesus Christ,” tells exactly Who He is.
181 There is many Branhams, if you want to talk about me personally, but I’m–I’m the one William Marrion Branham. That–that’s me. But there’s many other William Branhams, and so forth, around.
182 But this is distinctly calling one Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, see, the anointed One. There is only One of them. Now, that’s right. So if there’s any farther of that, you write a letter or something, or–or sometime when I’m on other questions. I want to try to get this, so I can see if we can get some of these sick people that’s suffering, prayed for.