<TITLE>10. Par 37-40</TITLE>L-37 I've been in the Branham family for forty-six years, and they never did ask me to join the family. I was borned in it, that's the reason. And that's how it is. I believe in joining church. Sure, you ought to do that. Find you some good church and join it. But you're... That's just a earthly body of believers you're joining together. You're born into the Body of Jesus Christ by new birth. That's right.
And we believe that Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterian, and all that's born again, we're brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus (That's right.), every one of you. And wouldn't make a difference in your churches.
But now, let's go back and find out what Jude is speaking of thirty-three years after Pentecost. At the close of the New Testament, they are commanded to earnestly contend for the faith. Now, the only one way to do it...
If I run my church back to the Baptists and John Smith, well, I'd have to start from John Smith. And if I run the Methodist back, I'd have to start from John Wesley. And if I run the Christian back, I'd start from Alexander Campbell.
But if we're going to find out what the faith is that we're contend for, we've got to go back to the beginning when the saints first began, and see what kind of a faith that was first delivered unto them. And then, that's the faith that we're to earnestly contend for. Is that the context of that Scripture? See? We are to find out what faith that the saints had in the beginning, and then earnestly contend with that until Jesus comes, if He's the same.

L-38 Now, the first thing... John the Baptist was the first of... He stood between law and grace. He really done no miracles; he just come in and introduced, being the greatest of the prophets, introduced the Lord Jesus Christ to the world. All the rest of the prophets spoke of Him coming, but John introduced Him. "Behold, the Lamb of God, that take away the sin of the world." His ministry was short, six months, no doctrine, just speaking of the coming of the Lord Jesus, and telling them, "Prepare to meet Him."
But when Jesus came, He was the beginning of the Christian church. Do you believe that? He's the beginning of the Christian church. And He introduced to the world the Christian faith, the Christ faith. And then His apostles that succeeded Him, carried out the same faith that He introduced. And if we can find out what that was, then we ought to earnestly contend for that. Don't you think so? Isn't that liberal to every one of us? You see?
I don't mean now, leave your church. I mean stay in your church and just keep this faith that was once delivered to the saints.

L-39 Now, when Jesus came on earth, we find... We know His Christmas story. And... But His ministry begin at the age of thirty years old. When John the Baptizer, had baptized Him, and the Holy Spirit coming down from God, and the Voice from It, saying, "This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased..."...
Jesus went into the wilderness and fasted forty days and nights. And when He come out, Satan tried to tempt Him because He was a law giver, like Moses.
When Moses come out from his forty day fast up on the mountain, where he had the two tables of stone, Satan tempted him at his weak spot. That was his temper. And he threw down the commandments and broke them. But when Satan met the Lord Jesus, he knowed that wasn't Moses. He caught Him at His weak spot, hunger. "If Thou be the Son of God, command these stones be turned to bread, and eat, 'cause You're hungry." But he realized that that wasn't Moses.

L-40 Now, notice. Then what happened? Then immediately Jesus set in His ministry. And let's just follow Him for a few jumps. And of course, we'll pick it up on tomorrow night, and the next night, on going. Let's follow His ministry just a few minutes to see what He done.


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