LEGALIST

HEBREWS.CHAPTER.7.PT.2.CHURCH.ORDER_ JEFF.IN HEB SUNDAY_ 57-0922, 356-400 Now, listen, legalist friend. See, God took Abraham completely out of the picture: nothing at all he had to do into it. And that's the way He got you. You said, "Oh, I sought God." You didn't.

God sought you, "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him first." See? It's God seeking you, not you seeking God. You never did do it; your nature's wrong. You're a pig; you don't know any different. You just live in a pig pen; that's all you know. You love it, drinking beer and slopping around, and running with the other--next man's wife, and doing everything you can do that's evil, just seems good, "Oh, brother, we're having a big time." You think it's good.

But God knocks at your heart; that's what changes; not you knocking at God, God knocks at you. Adam never knocked at God's heart; God knocked at Adam's heart. And you're a son of Adam. That's right. And before Adam could be a son of God again, God had to knock on his heart, and before you can become a son of God, God's got to knock at your heart.

YE.MUST.BE.BORN.AGAIN_ GREENVILLE.SC THURSDAY_ 58-0619B

E-13 So, not trying to squeeze in a Calvinistic belief now (You see?), I'm not. In saying this know that I'm talking to a--a legalist people. That's not it at all, because I'm a legalist too. But I believe this, that Calvin had something, and so did Arminian have something. And they both had something, but they run off on the deep ends of it. The Calvinist says, "Well, I'm saved and just--that settles it." His life proves that he isn't, then he isn't saved.

And the legalist says, "I've got to do this, and I must do this, and I must do that." Then if you're not borned again you're still not saved; so there you are. See? It's in between, in the middle of the road, is where we've got to stay.

BAPTISM.OF.THE.HOLY.SPIRIT_ JEFF.IN V-5 N-2 SUNDAY_ 58-0928M, 115 Now look, the Philadelphian church age was the Methodist church age, the church age of brotherly love, the reformation, which when rank Calvinism had sprung up in the Anglican church in England, where they didn't even have no revival no more, went plumb off into hay seed... God raised up John Wesley as a legalist to take the Arminian doctrine. And when he did, he knocked that thing in the head, and it deserved to be. But what did he do? Here come the Methodists along and run just as far that way as he--the Calvinists did this a-way. Now, in between there's still Methodist, still Baptist, wish we could get over here now in the Scriptures. Take Revelations 3 and you'll get it.

QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 59-1223

483-63 Esau was hungry. But, you see, if goodness would be counted... If somebody... If we walked up there and stayed around the tent for a--a few days, we'd find out that Esau was... We'd have picked Esau. See? But in his heart he wanted that birthright. He didn't care about anything else; he wanted that birthright. That's all he wanted.

And Esau wanted to be a nice fellow, take care of everything, and do everything just right, and make everything just as... He was a real good legalist; Esau was. He wanted everything just right. And Jacob wanted one thing, and that was the birthright, and that's all he cared about. And Esau... You see what happened to both boys. See? And even out of Jacob come the twelve patriarchs which brought forth, well, the twelve tribes of Israel, out of Jacob. And he called--and God called Jacob His own son. Do you see what I mean?

POSITION.IN.CHRIST_ JEFF.IN AD.3 SUNDAY_ 60-0522M

57 There's where it knocks the--the props out from under legalists. Yes, sir. Brother, let me tell you, "It's not by works, but by grace are we saved, and that by faith." Yes, sir. Now, I won't condemn legalist brethren; they're my brothers. They'll be there just the same as any of the rest of them will be there, 'cause God foreordained His church to be there. But just the thing, you--you keep the people so tore up; they don't know what. "Today, well, maybe if I--I..." Just let them know; as long as they got the hunger of the world, they're not there to begin with.

PATMOS.VISION_ JEFF.IN ROJC 69-130 SUNDAY_ 60-1204E

6 And we use the word sometime as predestination, but it's a sure hanger in this church age that we live in. It was certainly a great thing used in the days of the martyrs, 'cause they certainly believed it. But it's got away from it now to the legalist ideas, the legalist teaching in the church which come... Which was a good thing, because all of it had gone Calvinistic in England till they didn't even have revivals anymore, and John Wesley come along preaching the Arminian doctrine which balanced it up. God will always balance it up.

So then the foolish virgin was the one who did not have oil in their lamps, that I believe that was cast out into outer darkness where there'd be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. If you'll compare that on your footnotes, it'll run it right back again to the great tribulation. And I think they're the ones that stays back and goes through the great tribulation. Quite a lesson there, if we had time to go into it.

EPHESIAN.CHURCH.AGE_ JEFF.IN ROJC 131-183 MONDAY_ 60-1205

90 Now, we find out that they wanted to start and get into a form of godliness.

Now, I could stop right here and say something: believe I will, Did you notice that every revival... Now, minister brethren, you check this. Every revival produces twins, just as Jacob and Rebekah produced twins: Esau and Jacob. I mean Isaac instead of--Isaac and Rebekah, instead of Jacob. Isaac and Rebekah produced twins. Their father was holy; the mother was holy; but they had two boys born: Esau and Jacob.

Now, both of them was religious. But Esau, when it come to works and deeds, as a good legalist, he was probably a better boy all the way around than Jacob was. Did you know that? Jacob was just a little boy that hung around his mammy all the time. But Esau got out and worked, went out and got venison and give to his old blind daddy who was a prophet; he tried to take care of him. But Jacob only had one thing in mind; he wanted that birthright. He didn't care how long he had to hang around or whatever he had to do; the main thing in his life was the birthright. And Esau despised it.

TEN.VIRGINS_ JEFF.IN ROJC 425-492 SUNDAY_ 60-1211M

174 Now, even to Dr. Billy Graham, wrote in the "Herald of Faith," you seen it, from Chicago, and said that "We cannot disregard the Pentecostal move. (See?) We cannot... regard it, because they had more converts in a year's time than all the other churches put together."

That's exactly that fire burning, shaking it, culling, throwing the net in and pulling. And when you throw a net... Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God's like a man went and throwed a net into a sea, and when he pulled, he had turtles, snakes, frogs, serpents, everything else, but he had some fish too." That's what the Pentecostal message is doing; it's sweeping the earth; throwing it in and pull, we're getting turtles, crawfish, crawdads, tadpoles, water dogs, hell-divers, and everything else in there. But what it is, there's some fish in there too. That's the ones that's the Master's.

All right, to some of you legalist believing brethren on this tape, would like to burn it, when do they become fish? When the net went over them? They were fish in the beginning (that's right), elected from the foundation of the world. They just never come into the Master's use.

WHY_ BEAUMONT.TX FRIDAY_ 61-0125, E-20 And she said, "I want to tell you something, Brother Branham." She said, "I passed by and seen your meetings. I seen it advertised and I went in." Said, "I'm simply ashamed of myself." She said, "What would you believe if I told you that my father was a Methodist minister?" Said, "I got two daughters. Both of them are Sunday school teachers."

I said, "What happened?" She told me about a letter from her husband, and he run off with another woman. She started in drinking, and started off... And she said, "I know I'm past redemption," strictly a legalist. You see? And I said... Said, "I'm past redemption."

I said, "No, you're not. No, you're not."

She started crying. She said, "Brother Branham, you think I'm not past redemption?"

I said, "Why did He say that to me then a few minutes ago?" I took her by the hand, knelt down there on the floor, and there she gave her life to Jesus Christ. You talk about slot machines stopping and everything else, everybody in there. We was crying and praying. She got up, went out to go home, a new life.

ABRAHAM'S.COVENANT.CONFIRMED_ LONG.BEACH.CA FRIDAY_ 61-0210

E-18 And notice here, the first Elias was to come, he would turn the heart of the children to the fathers, or the hearts of the fathers to the children. See the old patriarch fathers, the old orthodox, the legalist, the law, he turned it back to the--the faith of the fathers here to the children, the hearts to the children, this new message that John was preaching (See?), of the coming Messiah then. He turned the hearts to this.

But watch the next--the next time John appears, he turns the hearts of the children back to the faith of the Pentecostal fathers. So it'd be back to the original message. And we--you'll know--you'll know when it gets here. It'll be a restoration to send that lukewarm Laodicean church back to that original faith back yonder again. Yes, sir. And he will be anointed to do so. When this Elijah comes, he will be a prophet. He will pull no punches; he will cut right and left.

ABRAHAM.AND.HIS.SEED_ BLOOMINGTON.IL SUNDAY_ 61-0416

E-51 What happened next after the deep sleep? Then a black horridness come before him. Then from that come a smoking furnace where every sinner goes to hell. But after that went a little white Light, and this little Light went between the sacrifice. Said, "You see what I'm going to do to, Abraham?" A little Light... God is a Light. And He went between this sacrifice, these dead pieces of body here. What was He doing? Making the covenant. Who did He swear by? Himself. He couldn't swear by anybody greater. You only swear by somebody greater than you. So there's nobody, the Bible said, that He could swear by, 'cause He's the greatest, and He swore by Himself. Why? He will keep the covenant when Abraham and his seed. Hallelujah.

"I swear by Myself that I'll never vary one Word from My covenant with you or your seed after you." What about that, sister? What about that? "I'll keep My Word." Swore by Himself... The Bible said He did. "I'll keep My covenant. I'll swear to you, Abraham, I'll do it."

[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] Legalist brethren, I don't aim to pinch hard, but I just want to tell you one thing here, just a minute. Looky here, look what He done. How did He do it? What was He speaking of? Surely you're spiritual enough to catch it. What did He do? Christ was that royal Seed of Abraham that was promised. Is that right? What did He do with Him? He took Him to Calvary. He lived on earth. He proved He was the Messiah by signs and wonders, knowing the secrets of the heart, perceiving their thoughts, proving that He was the Messiah that was to come. Have we caught that this week? Has the Bible said so, God's Word said so? He proved He was the Messiah. What did He do with Him? He took Him to Calvary and He tore him apart, raised up His body on the third day for His part, and set Him on His right hand, and sent the same Spirit that was upon Christ down on His Church (Hallelujah.) to do the same work and same thing that He did.

ABRAHAM.AND.HIS.SEED.AFTER.HIM_ CHICAGO.IL SUNDAY_ 61-0423, E-70 He said, "When these things come to pass, lift up your head, there'll be signs in the heavens above, and in the earth below, the sea a roaring, earthquake's in divers places. That's the time to begin to look up. Your redemption's coming near." You see the signs of Sodom, the organization where it's took the church out yonder in the mystic... Oh, a self-righteous legalist way... But that man and woman who's waiting on the promise of God has the sign working among them, as the true living God, discerning the very thoughts of the heart. It's the Word. Jesus was the Word.

REV.CHAP.5.PART.2_ JEFF.IN ROJC 747-793 SUNDAY_ 61-0618

111 Ruth, making her decision a type of the church, the Gentile church, she decided and crossed over into the land. Now, a lot of times, we Methodists and Baptists, we think that's all you have to do. She just got started. She hadn't got nowhere yet; she just got over into the land.

Now, the next thing she had to do; she had to work. She become a legalist. She had to work out her own salvation with fear and trembling like you did. She went out into the field, and put her clothes upon her, and went out into the fields, and gleaned behind the maidens in order to get sustaining food for the day. Is that right? What was she doing? She was trying to find favor with Boaz. So she worked her way through the stage of legalism.

REV.CHAP.5.PART.2_ JEFF.IN ROJC 747-793 SUNDAY_ 61-0618

119 Now, yes, resting. What Ruth under justification... Do you see it, say "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Ruth under sanctification, laboring, legalist, Ruth, resting, waiting for Boaz to return from the finished work...

Now, our Boaz did finish the work at Calvary. But before He come to take us to His home, He goes home first (in John 14) to prepare a place for us. Glory.

Let not your hearts be troubled: if you believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house is many mansions: if it wasn't so, I would've told you. But I'll go and prepare a place for you, and return again to receive you.

SEVENTY.WEEKS.OF.DANIEL_ JEFF.IN DA 89-141 SUNDAY_ 61-0806, 21 By the way, on the tapes--being it's on the tapes... The greatest criticism I have on tapes, of my brethren out in the different parts of the world, is believing in the grace of God--that I teach the way I do--that we were predestinated before the beginning of the world.

My Pentecostal brethren, of course I know that your views are legalist (See?), and I--I know it's a little upsetting to your views, but would you as a Christian brother, would you just give it enough consideration to get on your knees before God with your Bible and ask God to explain it to you? Would you do that? Would you take the legalistic point and try to make it connect from Genesis to Revelation?

KEY.TO.THE.DOOR_ JEFF.IN V-12 N-6 SUNDAY_ 62-1007

128 Now, I said, "I want to say something. Every man in this prison house, who's holy? Who is the one that wasn't born by sex? Who's one can help the other, no matter what he is? We're all in this same prison. But God made Hisself one of His creations and come beyond sex, through the holy Blood that He created Himself, and through that Blood He redeemed us." I said, "You believe that, papa?"

He said, "I believe that."

I said, "Christ died for bad men like you. Now, there's only one way to do. There's nothing you can do. He offers it to you. You can't merit it. Nothing you can do to get it. He just gives it to you. Will you accept what He did for you to keep you from hell?"

He said, "I'll do that." He said, "But if I could just get rid of these cigarettes."

I said, "The cigarettes will take care of theirself. (See?) You just... I ain't asking you... I'm not a legalist; I believe in grace, 'And all the Father has given Me will come to Me.' I said, "If you believe that with all your heart..."

He said, "With all my heart, I believe it."

"Then will you accept it on those basis, that you're not worthy of it, but He's the One that's worthy. Don't look at yourself; look at Him, 'cause you can't do nothing for yourself. Look at the One that did something for you. What about Him?"

"Oh," he said, "He's worthy."

I said, "That's it, then accept what He gives you."

He said, "I do."

And I baptized him in the Name of Jesus Christ. And him go out of here and light up a cigarette.

QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS_ JEFF.IN COD SUNDAY_ 64-0823E

1049-255 Now, a lot of times I speak of Calvinistic belief. Now, don't think that that lets you loose to do anything you want to. A fellow the other day... I said, "Did you go to church."

He said, "I went hunting."

The man's wife come to me, and she was coming from the laundromat on Sunday. And I said, "Why didn't you go to church?"

She said, "I done my washing."

I said, "You shouldn't have done that."

"Well," she said, "I'm not an old legalist."

I said, "But I thought you were a Christian." See? I said, "Did you know you're putting a stumbling block in somebody's way." See? I said, "It..."

"Well, aw, I--I believe this. I don't have to do those things. I'm not a legalist."

Well, look my brother, sister, look here. Paul said, "If eating meat puts a stumbling block in my brother's way, I'll eat no more meat as long as the world stands." And I think it'd be a whole lot better...

MARRIAGE.AND.DIVORCE_ JEFF.IN V-3 N-13 SUNDAY_ 65-0221M

12-1 It's just like today; there is two great schools of doctrine in the church: one of them is Calvinism; the other one is Armin--Arminianism. One of them is legalist, and the other one's grace. And we come to find out that the people who believe in grace (the Calvinists), they say, "Bless God, it don't hurt me to smoke; it don't hurt me to drink. I can do these things; I've got eternal security." Then we find the other side (on the legalists) said, "Oh, I would like to bawl him out; I'd like to show him a piece of my mind, but I'm a Christian; I have to keep still."

See, you find yourself on two different roads, and neither one of them is right. Now, that's hard to say that, but it is the truth. We find ourselves on two different roads: one going one way; one, another. Now, let's see what truth is.

GOD'S.ONLY.PROVIDED.PLACE.OF.WORSHIP_ SHP.LA V-7 N-4 SUNDAY_ 65-1128M, 56 Now, people act like that God is obligated just to meet them on the basis of their theology. Now, people act like that. They won't associate even with one another. The Trinity or the Pentecost won't associate with the Oneness; neither will the Oneness associate with the Trinity. The Methodist won't with the Baptist, because one is a legalist and the other's a Calvinist; so they have no fellowship at all. And they wind the people's minds around so bad that they even against one another.

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