It is well-known that the Catholic Church claims to believe in the “holy tradition” and in the Holy Scripture. Upon closer examination, however, nothing is left of the Holy Scripture, all that is found is a tradition which mankind obeys. The same applies to all churches and denominations. One is the mother church, the others are the daughter churches. All have their doctrinal confession and are of the opinion they believe the Scripture, but in reality that is not the case at all. They have decorated their tradition with Scriptures, but in essence all things remain unscriptural. That is what happened with the Jews. Their religious service became a tradition. Therefore our LORD said, “This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. However, in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men … Making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition.” (Mk. 7). Every interpretation is transformed into a tradition and thereby the original Word is made null and void.

God never intended to create a religion, neither a Jewish nor a Christian religion. The LORD is only interested in building His Church (Mt. 16:16-19). Church history reveals that all movements which came forth from a revival actually always somehow referred to the Holy Scriptures and then also to what the founder or the prophetess or prophet said.

Our present concern is not with the things that were added to the Bible or taken away or altered in the course of the two thousand years, instead we must deal with the things that were altered, added, and misinterpreted within the message after the ministry of Brother Branham. When translating Brother Branham’s sermons I found nothing that would contradict the fundamental teachings and practices of the apostles. Here we shall not deal with the statements about the seven thunders, about the seventh seal, etc., etc., of which there are many. For those who only refer to one quote and despise the Bible, misunderstandings lead to different interpretations. It has become painfully evident that the many interpretations have resulted in various teaching views and are being placed above the Scripture. It is obvious that the Word of God is looked upon as secondary by such preachers, so they turn to their “special revelations” for their main teachings. That is the same deception that is already being practised by all the others who put their own traditions above the Bible — a direct spiritual deception.

To all the ministering brethren who are convinced of the commission Brother Branham received we need to herewith say: It is impossible to build a teaching on one single Bible verse, just like it is also not permitted to build a teaching upon one single statement the prophet made. According to the Holy Scriptures all things must be established upon two or three witnesses. For instance, if someone only reads the following, “Let us make men in our own image!” (Gen. 2:22) or, “Behold, the man has become as one of us …” (Gen. 3:22) or, “Come, let us go down!” (Gen. 11:7), without reading all the other Scriptures which report the creation, that person might fall prey to the Trinity doctrine. Whoever only reads the Great Commission in Mt. 28:19 and does not continue to read about how it was carried out in Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 19:5, Rom. 6:3-7, Gal. 3:27, and Col. 2:12 might fall into the triune baptismal formula, which is totally foreign to the Bible. When someone just reads the following, “… for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the son of man be come.” (Mt. 10:23) or, “Verily I say unto you, There are some standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom.” (Mt. 16:28), but does not read the references showing the connection, that person could surely come to all sorts of conclusions. God willing, I shall write a separate brochure dealing with some much-debated Bible statements and also with the quotations of Brother Branham that have led to terrible misunderstandings.

Sadly, we see history repeating itself and also what the Apostle Peter said about the Holy Scriptures and the epistles of the Apostle Paul, “… speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” The Apostle adds this serious admonition, “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” (2. Pet. 3:14-18).

We know, for instance, that all the teachings about seven thunders and “parousia”, etc., are nothing but private interpretations. The Prophet Daniel was told, “… shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end …” (12:4). In the last chapter of Revelation we read, “Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.” In Rev. 5 the Lamb opens the sealed book. In Rev. 10 the LORD Himself as the Angel of the Covenant comes down with the open book in His hand after the opening of the seals. Only then, when He sets one foot upon the sea and the other one on the land, will the seven thunders utter their voices. What they said was immediately sealed and not written at all. The fulfilment will happen as soon as they utter their voices, there will be no further delay (v. 7)! We also must consider the fact that six trumpet-angels sound in chapters 8 and 9, and then in chapter 10:7 the announcement is found about the seventh trumpet-angel, which is fulfilled in chapter 11:15 with the proclamation of the Reign of Christ. Just like with all the other cases, every interpretation makes the Word of God null and void. One is the announcement (chapter 10), the other is the fulfilment thereof (chapter 11). That is THUS SAITH THE LORD in His Word. The Apostle Paul was prompted to proclaim the curse upon all who preach another Gospel (Gal. 1). Likewise, the Apostle John wrote about those who would take away or add to the words of the prophesy of this book (Rev. 22:18-19). I am going to show that Brother Branham rightfully compared his ministry as the church age messenger with Rev. 10, but always spoke about “the mysteries” which would be finished, and not about the “mystery of God” that should then be finished as stated in verse 7. He also said at the end of the seventh seal message, “… no one would know His coming; they also would not know about this seven thunder mystery.”

All brothers who propagate the “parousia” teaching may please accept that it means the personal bodily coming. As certain as our LORD bodily rose and ascended to heaven, He shall also return in the same manner (Acts 1:11). “For this we say unto you by the word of the LORD, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming/parousia of the LORD shall not prevent them who are asleep. For the LORD Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout …” (1. Thess. 4). The Apostle Paul uses the same word “parousia” for the coming of Titus, “… has comforted us by the coming/ parousia of Titus …” (2. Cor. 7:6). He also states in 1. Cor. 16:17, “I am glad of the coming/parousia of Stephanas …” Every type of parousia- and thunder-doctrine that is not connected to the bodily return and personal coming of our LORD must be rejected as deception! All who assert and believe that the LORD Jesus Christ has already come are of corrupt minds because they resist the truth, as Jannes and Jambres did (2. Tim. 3:7-9).

It is well-known that the Catholic Church claims to believe in the “holy tradition” and in the Holy Scripture. Upon closer examination, however, nothing is left of the Holy Scripture, all that is found is a tradition which mankind obeys. The same applies to all churches and denominations. One is the mother church, the others are the daughter churches. All have their doctrinal confession and are of the opinion they believe the Scripture, but in reality that is not the case at all. They have decorated their tradition with Scriptures, but in essence all things remain unscriptural. That is what happened with the Jews. Their religious service became a tradition. Therefore our LORD said, “This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. However, in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men … Making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition.” (Mk. 7). Every interpretation is transformed into a tradition and thereby the original Word is made null and void.

God never intended to create a religion, neither a Jewish nor a Christian religion. The LORD is only interested in building His Church (Mt. 16:16-19). Church history reveals that all movements which came forth from a revival actually always somehow referred to the Holy Scriptures and then also to what the founder or the prophetess or prophet said.

Our present concern is not with the things that were added to the Bible or taken away or altered in the course of the two thousand years, instead we must deal with the things that were altered, added, and misinterpreted within the message after the ministry of Brother Branham. When translating Brother Branham’s sermons I found nothing that would contradict the fundamental teachings and practices of the apostles. Here we shall not deal with the statements about the seven thunders, about the seventh seal, etc., etc., of which there are many. For those who only refer to one quote and despise the Bible, misunderstandings lead to different interpretations. It has become painfully evident that the many interpretations have resulted in various teaching views and are being placed above the Scripture. It is obvious that the Word of God is looked upon as secondary by such preachers, so they turn to their “special revelations” for their main teachings. That is the same deception that is already being practised by all the others who put their own traditions above the Bible — a direct spiritual deception.

To all the ministering brethren who are convinced of the commission Brother Branham received we need to herewith say: It is impossible to build a teaching on one single Bible verse, just like it is also not permitted to build a teaching upon one single statement the prophet made. According to the Holy Scriptures all things must be established upon two or three witnesses. For instance, if someone only reads the following, “Let us make men in our own image!” (Gen. 2:22) or, “Behold, the man has become as one of us …” (Gen. 3:22) or, “Come, let us go down!” (Gen. 11:7), without reading all the other Scriptures which report the creation, that person might fall prey to the Trinity doctrine. Whoever only reads the Great Commission in Mt. 28:19 and does not continue to read about how it was carried out in Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 19:5, Rom. 6:3-7, Gal. 3:27, and Col. 2:12 might fall into the triune baptismal formula, which is totally foreign to the Bible. When someone just reads the following, “… for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the son of man be come.” (Mt. 10:23) or, “Verily I say unto you, There are some standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom.” (Mt. 16:28), but does not read the references showing the connection, that person could surely come to all sorts of conclusions. God willing, I shall write a separate brochure dealing with some much-debated Bible statements and also with the quotations of Brother Branham that have led to terrible misunderstandings.

Sadly, we see history repeating itself and also what the Apostle Peter said about the Holy Scriptures and the epistles of the Apostle Paul, “… speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” The Apostle adds this serious admonition, “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” (2. Pet. 3:14-18).

We know, for instance, that all the teachings about seven thunders and “parousia”, etc., are nothing but private interpretations. The Prophet Daniel was told, “… shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end …” (12:4). In the last chapter of Revelation we read, “Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.” In Rev. 5 the Lamb opens the sealed book. In Rev. 10 the LORD Himself as the Angel of the Covenant comes down with the open book in His hand after the opening of the seals. Only then, when He sets one foot upon the sea and the other one on the land, will the seven thunders utter their voices. What they said was immediately sealed and not written at all. The fulfilment will happen as soon as they utter their voices, there will be no further delay (v. 7)! We also must consider the fact that six trumpet-angels sound in chapters 8 and 9, and then in chapter 10:7 the announcement is found about the seventh trumpet-angel, which is fulfilled in chapter 11:15 with the proclamation of the Reign of Christ. Just like with all the other cases, every interpretation makes the Word of God null and void. One is the announcement (chapter 10), the other is the fulfilment thereof (chapter 11). That is THUS SAITH THE LORD in His Word. The Apostle Paul was prompted to proclaim the curse upon all who preach another Gospel (Gal. 1). Likewise, the Apostle John wrote about those who would take away or add to the words of the prophesy of this book (Rev. 22:18-19). I am going to show that Brother Branham rightfully compared his ministry as the church age messenger with Rev. 10, but always spoke about “the mysteries” which would be finished, and not about the “mystery of God” that should then be finished as stated in verse 7. He also said at the end of the seventh seal message, “… no one would know His coming; they also would not know about this seven thunder mystery.”

All brothers who propagate the “parousia” teaching may please accept that it means the personal bodily coming. As certain as our LORD bodily rose and ascended to heaven, He shall also return in the same manner (Acts 1:11). “For this we say unto you by the word of the LORD, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming/parousia of the LORD shall not prevent them who are asleep. For the LORD Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout …” (1. Thess. 4). The Apostle Paul uses the same word “parousia” for the coming of Titus, “… has comforted us by the coming/ parousia of Titus …” (2. Cor. 7:6). He also states in 1. Cor. 16:17, “I am glad of the coming/parousia of Stephanas …” Every type of parousia- and thunder-doctrine that is not connected to the bodily return and personal coming of our LORD must be rejected as deception! All who assert and believe that the LORD Jesus Christ has already come are of corrupt minds because they resist the truth, as Jannes and Jambres did (2. Tim. 3:7-9).