p.2 Copycats of Heresy

There are so many subjects we can look at. I have picked out the main ones we would hear more often. These all become the legacy of William Branham.

Adam the God man on earth

Branham “Man in the beginning, when he was made, a man is a god.” (60-1218, The Uncertain Sound, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN).

“Man was made to be a god. His domain is the earth” (60-0731, Show Us The Father And It Will Satisfy Us, Eisenhower High School, Yakima, WA).

“ Genesis 1:26, he had domain over the whole earth, and he was made to be an amateur god. ” (61-0205E, Jesus Christ the Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever, Central Assembly Of God, Tucson, AZ)

“Man in the beginning, when he was made, a man is a god. He's absolutely a god, for he was made in the image of God,...” (60-1218, The Uncertain Sound, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN).

Branham also said “Deity dwells in the man. ... Deity's in man…. And God dwells in mankind, and man himself is Deity. Hallelujah!” (51-0729A "Resurrection of Lazarus"). “the soul in man is deity.” (51-0729A, The Resurrection Of Lazarus, National Guard Armory, Erie, PA).

Since everyone has a soul, we are all deity.

Copeland copies Branham by saying "Adam was made in the image of God. … He was exactly like God." (Sensitivity of Heart [Fort Worth, TX: KCP Publications, 1984, p.23.)

“Here's Adam in the image of God, and in the likeness of God. All of God's attributes, all of God's authority, all of God's faith, all of God's ability, was invested in that man .” (Kenneth Copeland The Authority of the Believer IV, Tape #01-0304)

Kenneth Hagin also copied Branham saying, “God made the earth … giving Adam dominion over all the works of His hands. In other words, Adam was the god of this world. ” (The Believer’s Authority, 2d ed. [Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1991], 19).

Kenneth Hagin: " Originally, God made the earth and the fullness thereof, giving Adam dominion over all the works of His hands. In other words, Adam was the god of this world ." (The Believer's Authority, 2d ed. [Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, 1991], 19.)

Creflo Dollar, like Copeland, like Hagin, like Branham says , “When God made Adam all He did was make an exact imprint of Himself. He duplicated Himself… That was God in that body .” (Our Equality with God through righteousness 1/21/2001)

Copeland describes “Adam was as much like God as you can get, just the same as Jesus. “ Adam in the garden of Eden was God manifested in the flesh .” (Following the Faith of Abraham I, 1989 audiotape, #01-3001, side 1)

“God created Adam and Adam was the fullness of God,… Now, then comes Adam the second, Jesus, is he the fullness of God, is he the full expression of God himself, (Hinn says amen he is)” (Kenneth Copeland, guest on Benny Hinn’s January 28, 2004 broadcast This is Your Day telecast.)

Branham said “He put this supernatural being which was called man, the third Person of the Trinity, Holy Spirit, into mankind (That's exactly right.), that man and He made him in His own image. ” (53-0610, Show Us The Father And It'll Satisfy Us, Roberts Park Amphitheater, Connersville, IN).

Adam’s spirit was not the Holy Spirit because he sinned in his spirit, on that day he sinned he died spiritually, not physically. If Adam’s spirit was the Holy Spirit he would be sinful.

Copeland says, “Adam was just as much the Son of God as Jesus, Jesus just as much the Son of God as Adam. … And Adam was created in the likeness of God, and he walked with God, and talked with God, Amen.” ( Kenneth Copeland, Believer's Voice of Victory, Monday 29th January 2001 [GOD TV]

Here he is saying Jesus was as much the Son of God as Adam, but Adam was created in Gods likeness (like we are), Jesus was God! This is a denial of the incarnation. Kenneth Copeland is not teaching Christian doctrine just like Branham was not teaching Christian doctrine.

The power of Adam

Branham said of Adam “Adam had control of the powers of God. He could speak anything; it would obey him just exactly like it would God .” (56-0122, The Junction Time, Sturgis High School, Sturgis, MI)

“ He could speak, and it would be so. He could speak this, and it would be so.” (60-0515E, Adoption #1)

“He was the god of the earth. God's the God of the universe--everywhere. But His son (Adam) had this earth under his own control. He could speak; he could name; he could say; he could stop nature; he could do anything he wanted to. See .…

Now, Adam could say, "Let this mountain here be moved over there," and it would do it . Adam could say, "Let this tree, here, be plucked up and planted over here"; it would do it, see, for he had complete, supreme control, as a minor god under God, our Father, because he was a son of God.” (63-0317M, God Hiding Himself In Simplicity, Then Revealing Himself In The Same, Branham Tabernacle)

“He could speak to the trees, " Be changed, be plucked up and set over here," to the winds and waves, ” (61-0312, Faithful Abraham, Lyric Building, Richmond, VA)

..."Verily, I say unto you, you, that's little gods, if you'll say to this mountain, 'be moved,' and don't doubt in your heart, but believe that what you've said will come to pass, you can have what you've said ." (60-0522E, Adoption, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN)

Creflo Dollar states, (speaking of Adam) “ he was all God. He was just like God.” (Our Equality with God Through Righteousness 1/21/2001)

God is a man

Branham taught , “There's something about a man. He is a god. He was made to be a god. His purpose here on earth was to be a god, to have a dominion over everything in the earth… That's the reason God was man, man was God.” (61-0117, The Messiah, Life Tabernacle, Shreveport, LA)

Branham understood the image of God as being both spiritual and PHYSICAL. “He was made in the image of God. God had hands; God had feet; and so therefore a man was made like Him. ” (61-0205E, Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever, Central Assembly Of God, Tucson, AZ)

Consider what is being said today by the modern heretics,

Copeland’s describes God as a " spirit-being with a body, complete with eyes, and eyelids, ears, nostrils, a mouth, hands and fingers, and feet. " (Kenneth Copeland ministry letter, 21 July 1977).

Branham described; “ God isn't without a bod y. God's got a body, and it looks like a man.” (57-0420, The Entombment, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN) That “ God had hands; God had feet; and so therefore a man was made like Him. ” (61-0205E, Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever, Central Assembly Of God, Tucson, AZ)

The fact is, the word faith movement has copied Branham down to the very words he spoke. Benny Hinn who is often in awe of Branham said,

“ What was the appearance of God the Father? Like that of a man...God has the likeness of fingers and hands and a face." (Good Morning Holy Spirit, (Benny Hinn, Word, 1991, p. 82)

Hinn says, " What does God the Father look like? Although I've never seen Him, I believe - as with the Holy Spirit - He looks like Jesus looked on earth. " (ibid. p.87)

“ God the father and the Holy Spirit look just like Jesus did on earth” (Good Morning Holy Spirit 1^st ed. P.87, 140)

In other words God is a man, man is god just like Branham taught. As Hinn says, the Father and son and Spirit all look the same.

We are gods and Messiahs

Kenneth Copeland tells us " Every Christian is a god. … " You don't have a God in you; you are one " (The Force of Love (Fort Worth: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1987, audiotape #02-0028), side 1.)

In other words, we become a godman like Jesus did from the incarnation… well not exactly, since they do not believe he was God on earth.

John Lake also taught this heresy “ God was in Christ, wasn't He? An incarnation. God is in you, an incarnation, if you were born again. You are incarnate ." (John G. Lake: His Life His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith, p. 196).

Hagin who copied Branham also copied many others, like Lake and Kenyon . " The believer is as much an incarnation of God as Jesus Christ" (Hagin, "The Incarnation," The Word of Faith, 12/80 p.14)

E. W. Kenyon, " Every man who has been born again is an incarnation and Christianity is a miracle. The believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth ." (Ibid., 12‑14; cf. E.W. Kenyon, The Father and His Family, 100)

Kenneth Hagin, [The] believer is called Christ...That's who we are; we're Christ" (Zoe: The God-Kind of Life, 1989. pp. 35-36, 41) "We (the church) are Christ." (As Christ is -- So are we, Tape #44H06)

Branham said before Hagin, “ He was Messiah. Then you and I become Messiahettes or little Messiahs because we're anointed with the same Spirit .” (61-0117, The Messiah, Life Tabernacle, Shreveport, LA)

Branham said “ ... If Messiah means "the anointed One," and means "King," then if the church is anointed by the Messiah Spirit, it becomes a lesser but still a Messiah; because it has His Light, reflecting His power, reflecting His glory, reflecting His dominion. So it is Messiah .” (William Branham, The Messiah (61-0117).

Now we know where Benny Hinn a major copycat said, “ Christians are little messiahs. Christians are little gods.” (Benny Hinn Praise-a-thon (TBN) 11/90, “Our position in Christ,” tape A031190-1)

When you say, ‘I am a Christian,’ you are saying, ‘I am mashiach’ in the Hebrew. I am a little messiah walking on earth, ... May I say it like this? You are a little god on earth running around.” (Praise-a-Thon program on TBN [6 November 1990]).

Confession to have possession

Branham , “It becomes a faith, and then we speak it, and it comes into existence. ” (54-1006, Law Or Grace, Branham Tabernacle)

The Copelands say, “ One of the first things that Ken and I learned when we started walking in the power of God was that our words had to match what we wanted to come to pass. And we learned it from the Scripture. We learned it from Kenneth Hagin .” (Gloria Copeland, Believer’s Voice of Victory television program, 7/08/03)

It was Branham who taught word faith confession long before Hagin or Copeland. Hagin got this teaching from Branham who learned it through Kenyon who said, 'what I confess, I possess." (E.W. Kenyon, The Hidden Man). Branham understood the principle teaching that Jesus is the high Priest over what we say, confess.

“You've got to confess it. Not, you got to feel it, you got to confess it. He's not the high Priest of your feelings; He's the high Priest of your confession (That's right.), what you confess .” (54-0221, At Thy Word, Lord, East Alton -Wood River Community High School, Wood River, IL)

“He's the High Priest of your confession, that He's at the right-hand of Father to make intercession for anything that you confess He's done; it's all yours. The checkbook's in your hand. Everything that heaven owns is yours ” (51-0928, At Thy Word, St. Nicholas Arena, New York, NY).

“you got to confess it. He's not the high Priest of your feelings; He's the high Priest of your confession (That's right.), what you confess .” (54-0221, At Thy Word, Lord, East Alton -Wood River Community High School, Wood River, IL)

Just like Branham Copeland likewise interprets Hebrews 3:1 says that Jesus is the High Priest of our confession. He’s been sent to put into effect, to execute, t o carry out the words that you say.”

Creflo Dollar interprets Hebrews 3:1 passage the same way, “ He’s the apostle and the high priest of, listen, listen to what he is, the apostle of, listen to the reason he has been anointed … he has been sent for our confession now that word profession has been translated, the Greek word is translated confession.

Jesus … “He says here’s what I want you to do son, I anoint you as the apostle and high priest over … their confession…whatever they say, whatever they say your responsible for making sure it comes to pass ” (tape)

Branham said speak it and it will be done. “He didn't say, 'Pray,' He said, 'Say what you will.' Just say it, and your words will materialize. Say to this mountain, and it'll do just as you say ." (59-1115, My New Ministry, Branham Tabernacle)

T.D Jake a oneness believer like Branham says, “ If the power of life and death is in the tongue and you can have whatever you say,” it’s time for you to “Declare it! Speak it! Confess it! Get your list out !” (T. D. Jakes, The Potter’s House broadcast, December 3, 2001).

Creflo Dollar likewise says, “if you say it then the apostle and the high priest of our profession is obligated to carry out what you said. ” (Changing your world 10/5/99)

Benny Hinn “... the anointing is dependent upon my words. God will not move unless I say it. … "U nder this anointing the words I speak cannot fall to the ground, under this anointing everything I say happens. ” (The Anointing. p.82, 1992.)

According to Branham not only Adam (who was god of this world), but “ You have the power in you to do it …You could speak a world into existence and go live on it. Hallelujah .” (61-0723M, The Ever-Present Water From The Rock, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN)

Like Branham so many others copy his words.

Creflo Dollar “I want you to create a universe, I want you to speak to these worlds and like I said light be you say light be.” (April 17, 2002 Changing your World, LeSea Broadcasting)

Jerry Savelle: “ You mean to tell me I can talk my world into existence? You certainly can. That’s how you got the one you’re living in now. You talked it in there… ” (“Framing Your World with the Word of God, Part 1,” audio tape #SS-36, side 1).

David Yonggi Cho, was once the pastor of the world's largest church, located in Seoul, Korea, he too said that God created the world, and that “ because man is a "fourth-dimension" spirit-being like God, he too, whether occultist or Christian, can create his own world through the power of his imagination ." (Cho, Fourth dimension p.39-44)

Branham stated “It's yours; you possess it, if you can find the key to this law of faith that opens it to you .” (61-0723M, The Ever-Present Water From The Rock, Branham Tabernacle)

So man become the creator of worlds.

Jesus became sin

One of the worst heresies that affects the gospel is that Jesus became sin. Branham said long before the word faith teachers copied him that “ In the Garden of Gethsemane, the anointing left Him, you know, He had to die as a sinner. ” (Manifested Sons Of God, May 18, 1960 Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, Indiana).

So before he went to the cross he ceased being God because the anointing left.

“ He had to send Him to hell condemned (See?), because He took our sins. And Christ died, not righteous; Christ died a sinner. See ? ” (55-0227A, The Position Of A Believer In Christ, Shriner Temple, Phoenix, AZ)

“God transferred all of our sins upon Him, and He died. And because He died a sinner, the Bible said, "His soul went to hell.” (54-1006, Law Or Grace, Branham Tabernacle)

“ His soul went to hell, because it had the sins of the world upon it .” (59-1124, Balm In Gilead, Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, San Jose, Ca)

“He had to send Him to hell condemned (See?), because He took our sins. And Christ died, not righteous; Christ died a sinner. See? Christ never sinned Himself, but He took our sins on Him.” (55-0227A, The Position Of A Believer In Christ, Shriner Temple, Phoenix, AZ)

Kenneth Hagin’s version: " He [Jesus] tasted spiritual death for every man. And His spirit and inner man went to hell in my place. Can’t you see that? " (Kenneth E. Hagin, How Jesus Obtained His Name (Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, n.d.), tape #44H01, side 1.)

Hagin “ He took upon himself our sin nature. And he died- he was separated and cut off from God. He went down into the prison house of suffering in our place. He was there for three days and nights .” (Made Alive” the word of faith Apr.15, 1982)

Branham “But God transferred all of our sins upon Him, and He died. And because He died a sinner, the Bible said, "His soul went to hell.” (54-1006, Law Or Grace, Branham Tabernacle)

Not only does Branham say he was just a man who was crucified but he died a sinner. If he was only a man who was to be crucified for sin it would not be efficacious throughout time.

The Bible teaches us, “ God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Cor. 5:19) so what they are saying cannot be true. Furthermore, Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 2:8 that they crucified the “Lord of glory,” not a sinful man.

Branham went as far as to say, “He gave up the Sonship to become sin;.…Take sinners and make sons, when He give up his Sonship to become sin. ” (62-0123, Forsaking All, Full Gospel Church, Tempe, AZ)

On the atonement is that Jesus Christ paid for our sins in hell. Joyce Meyer and her comrades teach that on the cross Jesus literally became sin itself and ceased to be the Son of God. After Jesus died on the cross he went to hell to be tortured for 3 days and 3 nights by Satan and his demons as part of the punishment for our sins, to atone for them. Meyer regurgitated what all the Word Faith teachers say which is basically what Branham said as well.

Meyer, “His [Jesus] spirit went to hell because that is where we deserved to go. . . . Jesus went to hell for you. He died for you. He paid for your sins.” ^{(Joyce Meyer, The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make, p.} 37-38.)

“ He really did the job the three days and nights that He was in hell. That’s where the job was done”

“He was pronounced guilty on the cross but He paid the price in hell.”

“He paid the price there … Jesus paid on the cross and in hell” (Joyce Meyer, The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make, p. 35).

Kenneth Copeland’s version: " When Jesus cried, ‘It is finished!’ He was not speaking of the plan of redemption. There were still three days and nights to go through before He went to the throne…Jesus’ death on the cross was only the beginning of the complete work of redemption ." (Kenneth Copeland, Jesus—Our Lord of Glory, Believer’s Voice of Victory 10, 4 (April 1982)

You cannot find anyone plagerizing Branham more than Kenneth Copeland. No, he did not get all his “revelation from Kenneth Hagin.”

Jesus supposedly " put Himself into the hands of Satan when He went to that cross, and took that same nature that Adam did [when he sinned]. " (Kenneth Copeland, The Incarnation (Fort Worth: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1985, audiotape #01-0402), side 1.)

copying heresy of Branham

Jesus "had to give up His righteousness" (Kenneth Copeland, The Incarnation, side 2.)

Jesus had to "accept the sin nature of Satan." (Kenneth Copeland, What Happened from the Cross to the Throne, side 2.)

" Satan conquered Jesus on the Cross and took His spirit to the dark regions of hell" (Kenneth Copeland, Holy Bible: Kenneth Copeland Reference Edition, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1991), 129.)

Copeland enhances Branham’s teaching, “ Jesus was made to be sin. He accepted the nature of Satan into his own spirit…. You don’t know what happened at the cross. Why do you think Moses upon the instruction of God raised a serpent up on that pole instead of a lamb? That used to bug me, I said why in the world did you have to put that snake up there, the sign of Satan? Why didn’t you put a lamb on that pole? And the Lord said, ‘because it was the sign of Satan that was hanging on the cross’. He said, ‘I accepted in my own spirit spiritual death and the light was turned off. ” (Kenneth Copeland, “What Happened From the Cross to the Throne,” audio tape 02-0017. Quoted in Word Faith: The Cancer Within video tape, Adonai Productions)

Like in Mormonism Branham stated “ The Spirit left Jesus in Gethsemane and He became just a man– When God looked down upon the body… (The Spirit left Him in the Garden of Gethsemane; He had to die a man.)” (65-0418M It Is the Rising of the Sun) “In the Garden of Gethsemane, the anointing left Him, you know, He had to die as a sinner. He died a sinner …” (60-0518, Manifested Sons of God, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN)

 

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