Circular Letter May 1980
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
Circular Letter May 1980
I greet you all cordially in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ with the scripture from1 Peter 4:7–11:
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
If we carefully examine the wording, we see that God is not glorified through Paul, Peter, Brother Branham, you, or me, but solely through Jesus Christ. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. How important this sentence is nowadays: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.“ The words (oracles) of God are the inspired Word that He spoke through the mouths of His prophets and servants. God wants to speak through us. Jesus, our Lord, said in the Gospel of Matthew 12:36–37:
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
This biblical text summarizes important thoughts. We know that this time has drawn near. May the Lord grant us the grace to be prudent and sober in our prayers. Our prayers are not meant to express our own desires and ideas, but should be inspired by the Spirit and be in accordance with the will of God. Everyone can delve into the Word and obtain a blessing from it. We feel the warmth and, at the same time, urgency with which the Spirit of God spoke through the called mouths of those He chose for that purpose. The Word of God does not become obsolete, on the contrary, it is more and more up-to-date and is new to us every day.
Before our eyes, at the widest level, what our Lord, His prophets and apostles spoke of and what was written as an eternal testimony is fulfilled. The Lord Jesus foretold the signs of the end-time, and Peter, John, and Paul described the individual signs of the end-time in writing. Whoever can properly arrange the various scriptures through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit can see the overall picture as a finished mosaic. Prophets and apostles were allowed to see the plan of salvation from God's perspective.
On the island of Patmos, John was taken up in the Spirit and saw from above, through God's revelation, what was to happen here on earth. He was taken to heaven so that he could later describe what he saw there. May the faithful Lord now open His people's understanding of Scripture more than ever. Let us not forget that it was those with whom He spoke personally, to whom He appeared after His resurrection, who were made capable of understanding the fulfilment of Scripture.
All denominations and free churches, scribes and Pharisees have the letter of the Word, but the true Church is based on the revelation of Jesus Christ. It receives the revelation of the Word and lives through it. Through divine revelation, the written Word becomes Spirit and life in the lives of individuals and the Church.
In the High Priestly Prayer for His Own (John 17:17–21), Jesus prayed:
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Divine unity is only possible through the divine truth of the Word, revealed by the Spirit. God and Christ did not become united later, they had been one. God took on bodily form in Christ. The Church of the Lord is the place of the revelation of the living God, it is His body. Much of God's Word is realized in it and through it. The Lord Himself sanctified His own in His truth. His truth is not our ramblings and stubbornness, but the eternally valid Word of God. Every sin and everything that does not come from God is a lie. Who speaks the truth speaks the Word of God. But first, the Spirit of truth must take us under His influence. The Lord Jesus said to the Jews who believed (John 8:31-32):
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”