The Cycle of Sin
JAMES 1: 12 - 16
12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13 ¶ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
QUOTE 1
PERSEVERANCE 62-0218
When was there any more a wicked and adulterous generation than we got now? When were there more sin?
We got more people on the earth right now, they tell us, as many people on earth right now that's ever been on the earth, since Adam, is on the earth right now.
This is that wicked and adulterous generation: homosexuals, perversions, everything, on the increase by the thousands and thousands. Churches falling away, "Heady, high-minded, lover of pleasures more than lovers of God,
The Messenger is identifying that there is more sin, more people on the earth than any other age – and that even the churches are falling away –
So we want to look at the root and the progression of sin.
How sin starts and grows and gradually matures and then manifests itself.
Our idea and perception towards sin has changed with time, what was evil is now good.
Our view and perspective of the Revealed Word, changes over time, people’s minds have been programmed – what was wrong – there is no more wrong now –
but regardless of the change of time, The Message of the Hour is still the same, that’s the reason God allowed The Message to be recorded, knowing That Voice will not change.
What He called wrong then, is still wrong now – regardless of what our minds tells us –
The Messenger in The Church Ages and Seals taught us about the history and condition of the church and how there was a cycle – so we see that we, as Believers, we are in a cycle – a process –
QUOTE 2
THE FIRST SEAL 63-0318
Now, remember, the antichrist and the beast is the same self spirit. There's the trinity. Yes, sir. It's three stages of the same devil power.
Remember, Nicolaitia (See?), it had to be incarnate before it could be crowned. See? Now, watch this. Three stages: first stage he's called antichrist; second stage, he's called the false prophet; third stage, he's called the beast.
It is three stages.
So we see there is a cycle before it is crowned, but it is the same Spirit, from an infant stage to a stage of maturity
So we see how everything starts with a Spirit, a Seed, but grows into a full grown tree.
So we see how Satan, was first ANTICHRIST – that is anything that is against God’s Word.
The second stage he was the false prophet, and the final stage it’s the Beast, the incarnate devil.
A crowning, what actually started in seed form, how it moves from stage to stage.
REVELATION 2: 1 – 7
1 ¶ Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
We see how the Church Ages progressed, how that we as individuals also progressed – we see Ephesus was the beginning, and it revealed to us what God saw in the beginning and what God despised.
The First church was the example –
They saw the Acts of The Holy Spirit and how people were influenced by God – It was something that was never seen –
They saw the dead raise, the sick being healed – they saw God walking right in their midst, they had a fervent desire to please God, a passion to know the Word, they were expressing their first love.
So we also as individuals had our first love – when we made contact with Christ in The Revealed Word, we could not wait for the next service, The next Spoken Word Book that was printed – there was a mighty zeal on the inside of you -
We see how Ephesus, with all of its zeal, they began to relax, they began to take it easy.
We see how that Jehu in the Old Testament had such zeal for God, he slayed the false prophets, but the end of his life, he did not serve God with all of his heart.
QUOTE 3
A PROPHET LIKE UNTO MOSES 59-1120
As the conversation went on, it must have been Satan who looked out from behind the clouds and said, "I've caught them alone. He's not with them. Now, is my time to get even with them."
That's the way Satan walks; that's the way he watches; that's the opportunity he waits for, is to get one time that we go out on what we call a little social fun, to play cards, or to tend some rally, or something that isn't godly.
He waits to catch you off of guard, waits to get to a place where the church has got lukewarm, it's got too busy doing something else, that's when he attacks.
"He's away from them, and now is my opportunity to strike."
Bro. Branham says, Satan is watching you, looking for a weakness, that’s when He attacks.
The Bible says, “As it was in the days of Noah, they were eating, drinking, marrying,” so they were doing normal natural things –They were so caught up with the cares of life, until God was pushed aside.
So we see twenty years from the birth of the church, they began to relax and in this relaxed stage Satan came in – to sow his seed.
We don’t pray as we used to, we don’t read as we used to, we have become relaxed and that is what Satan sowed in the early church and that is what he is always looking for, to make us relax – take away our zeal –
So we see the beginning of the downfall of the church
They had the right birth
They had the right spirit, they were writing a Book of Acts, then they lost their passion, their zeal, they backslid.
JUDE 1:1-3
1 ¶ Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, [and] called:
2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
3 ¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
We see how Satan is waiting for a weak spot to sow the seed into your heart.
We see Satan did not move in full force, but he moved in under cover, as a Spirit
In a small way – a tiny seed.
QUOTE 4
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
Christianity at Ephesus was where the Jews lived, at Ephesus. And it was founded about A.D. 53 or 55. Christianity was planted there by Saint Paul. Later, Saint Paul spent three years at Ephesus.
Paul's teaching bore great influence to the believers at Ephesus. Next, Timothy was the first bishop of the church at Ephesus. Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus. In Paul's time it was a great church.
"Ephesus" means, the very name "Ephesus" means "let go, relax, backslidden," called by God, "The backslidden church." God--God acknowledged first their works, their labor, and their patience. God rebuked their living--leaving their first love, for backsliding, and for no longer bearing Light.
Satan is always looking for an entrance, he came in very gently, very harmful.
QUOTE 5
EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE - CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT.3
The very name, Ephesus, has a strange compound meaning, "Aimed at", and "Relaxed".
The high aspirations of this age that had begun with the fullness of the Spirit, "the depth of God", whereby they were aiming at the high calling of God, began to give way to a less watchful attitude.
A less ardent following of Jesus Christ began to manifest itself as an omen that in the future ages the physical vehicle called the church would sink to the awfulness of the "depth of Satan".
It had become relaxed and was drifting. Already the age was backsliding. It had left its first love. The tiny seed planted in that Ephesian Age would one day grow in the spirit of error until all foul birds of the air would roost in its branches.
So inoffensive to human reasoning would that little plant appear to that New Eve (the New Church) that again she would be deceived by Satan.
The Ephesian Age had presented to her the opportunity for God's best, and for awhile she prevailed, and then relaxed, and in that unguarded moment Satan planted the seed of complete ruination.
He went in as a white horse, white represented The Word of God, SIN never starts full grown, but with a tiny seed, a tiny spirit, something that doesn’t seem harmful.
The same as a young man and girl liking one another and then, they first start talking about love, their feelings – then they send messages of love –
then brief moments together, touching – then holding hands, then a hug, then an embrace, putting your arm around her, then a gentle kiss, and before you know they have committed fornication – why?
Because Satan came in with something so inoffensive – He moves very slyly – very cunningly, something that doesn’t seem very bad at all.
REVELATION 6:2
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
It said He had to conquer.
QUOTE 6
EPHESIAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.3
The very religion of Ephesus types out perfectly this first church age and sets the tenor of the ages to come. In the first place, the magnificent temple of Diana, that was so many years in building, housed in its sacred courts the most lusterless and unobtrusive, image of Diana that one could imagine.
She was absolutely unlike any other of her images seated in the other temples dedicated to her. She was simply an almost shapeless female figure that finally sunk into the block of wood from which she was carved.
And her two arms were formed of two simple bars of iron. How perfectly this depicts the spirit of antichrist loosed in the first age.
There he was loosed in the midst of the people, and yet took no shape as to alarm the people. Yet the two arms of iron bars showed that it was his intent to crush the work of God as he made his inroads.
And no one seemed to notice him or what he was doing. But one day they would notice, when with those arms of iron his 'deeds' became 'doctrine', and his doctrine became the law of an empire.
The sin in Ephesus was so shapeless, it did not alarm anyone –
So we see when Satan presents something to you, or come in, his purpose is to destroy you – and you can’t notice it.
QUOTE 7
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
But... thou... But this thou has, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
The true vine hated the formal deeds of the Nicolaitanes; so did God. What was deeds in the Ephesian church, in the church of Ephesians, became a doctrine in the Pergamos church.
In Ephesus the first church, it was a deeds, in the next church it become a doctrine. Can you hear it? Do you understand it now? It was a deed in Ephesus, and watch, over here in Pergamos it became a doctrine.
It just started here in a little baby form. Now, in a minute we're going to find out what that was. Here is Paul's wolves: "deeds of the Nicolaitanes."
It was called The Deeds of the Nicolaitans
REVELATION 2:6
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
A deed was just a saying.
He presented it in such a way that it looked so good that he wasn’t trying to kill, but that was his purpose.
But it had no appearance that it would destroy.
He told them, If you put holy men in charge to govern, more people would come.
DANIEL 11:21
21 ¶ And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
QUOTE 8
THE FIRST SEAL 63-0318
Remember in the church ages when we opened the first church age back there, we found out that the Holy Spirit was against a certain thing that got started in that church age, and that was called "the deeds of the Nicolaitanes." You remember it?
"Nico" means "to conquer." "Laity" means "the church, the laity." "Nicolaitanes" "to conquer the laity": take the Holy Spirit out of the church and give it all to one holy man, let him be the boss of all of it. You went through it (See?), Nicolaitane.
Notice, Nicolaitia was a--a saying in one church; it become a doctrine in the next church age. And in the third church age it was a forcement; and they had the Nicaea Council. And it was then made a doctrine and a church.
They were unaware what Satan was doing.
To divide the Holy Spirit from the Church is to divide ministry from laity.
This seed that was planted, grew from a deed into a doctrine, because it was not removed as a seed, now it became a doctrine and the only way a seed can grow, somebody has to water it.
And the only way sin grows is that somebody is babying it, nurturing it.
One little seed made a way for every demonic spirit of hell –
QUOTE 9
EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE - CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT.3
See how it started out in the early church. It was called deeds. Then it became a doctrine. It became the standard. It became the unbending way. It finally took over and God was pushed aside.
Oh, it started so small, so quietly, so inoffensively. It looked so good. It seemed so sound. Then it caught a hold, and like a python, it squeezed out the very breath and killed all the spirituality there was in the church.
Oh, that false vine is subtle. It is like an angel of light until it gets a hold on you. Now I want to say that I believe in leadership. But it is not the leadership of men I believe in.
I believe in the leadership of the Holy Ghost coming through the Word. I believe also, that God has set men in the church, men who are gifted by the Spirit; and they will keep the church in order.
I believe that. I believe also that the church is ruled over by men that God sends to take charge. But that rule is BY THE WORD, so that it is not men really ruling but the SPIRIT OF GOD, for the Word and Spirit are ONE.
Hebrews 13:7,
"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation."
We see all those who joined themselves to the daughters of Moab was killed, they were so wrapped up with entertainment, they forgot about The Word of God.
The Bible says the Deeds of the Nicolaitans, that they hate, they still permitted it, left it unattended, they became accustomed to the deed, the deed then transformed to a false prophet with a doctrine
Then it became crowned as the incarnate devil – which sent people to outer darkness.
That’s why sin cannot be tolerated in The Body.
Sin is like a cancer, it starts with just a backslidden cell, and from there it grows until it finally destroys that person’s life – unless God intervenes.
So we see sin always progresses – sin has the quality of leaven
If anything that is contrary to the Word comes into your life – it will grow into the entire cycle –
To antichrist – false prophet – beast.
The best time to kill something is in the early stage – the further sin progresses, the harder it will be to deal with it. The further anybody allows sin to grow, the more beastlike it will become –
The cycle of sin, a deed that you hate, you hate what you’ve done, but remember sin has the quality of leaven. It will grow and mature –
Then become doctrine – then you reason why you’re doing this – you come to the place where you justify yourself – why you are doing a certain thing –
then you become a false prophet, you now have a teaching – why you are doing this –
Then it moves to a crown – it receives a full endorsement - same as polygamy they do something – then they try to justify themselves with polygamy.
Then it becomes crowned –
It always takes people a while to get used to anything –
An earring in a man’s ear was evil in 1960, but in 2011 it is accepted, woman cutting hair and wearing trousers were evil in 1950 - in 2011 it is accepted.
Woman smoking in 1960 was evil - in 2011 it is accepted – something that was wrong now becomes accepted –
It was evil for a man to wear a neck chain, arm chain, but now it is accepted.
Even the cycle of homosexuality – it was something done in secret – It was a curse in a family – then they started coming out of the closet, then they began to reason and explain why they are like this.
It now became a teaching, a doctrine “I was born this way” – Then it became an ultimate lifestyle, now it’s protected by the law, it’s now crowned
Now what is good is evil and what is evil has become good and acceptable.
And so we see the cycle of sin in churches – things that were once evil is now accepted.
Now matter how society changes, God’s Voice is on tape and that’s the Recorded Voice –
We are justifying our actions –
Our perception will change over time, but The Word of God will always remain the same –
Sin has moved from Spirit – Deed – Doctrine - then crowning –
If we can remain simple and call the things wrong that the Prophet called wrong - we will not be confused –
Society will continue to change, but God said, “I Am God I do not change” –
II PETER 2:6 - 8
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned [them] with an overthrow, making [them] an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
7 ¶ And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds;)
Lot was vexed – become weak – worn down by the sin of Sodom, Lot was attracted
GENESIS 13:12
12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom.
13 But the men of Sodom [were] wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
DEED
GENESIS 14:12
12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
DOCTRINE
GENESIS 19:1
1 ¶ And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing [them] rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
CROWNING MOMENT
What Lot hated, now becomes part of his life, he now becomes a Mayor of a City – from the plains, now he is on the seat of passing the law – He then offered his daughters.
JAMES 1:15 – 16
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
It starts with a desire, a lust, then it’s crowned –
There is only one remedy that can stop the cycle of sin, that is found in REV 2: 15 – 16
REVELATION 2:15-16
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
It’s REPENT quickly!
It’s too late when your sin becomes crowned – If you try to justify your wrong you’re in a Deed – a false prophet stage and one day it will be crowned.
You have to kill it in an infant stage –
(Scripture on Moabite)
QUOTE 10
A RESUME OF THE AGES - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.10
We learn in no uncertain terms that this false vine is the vine of Satan. Their gathering is of him (Satan). They meet in the Name of God and lie that they are Christ's.
They preach, they teach, they baptize, they worship, they partake of various rites given by Christ to the church, yet they are not of God. But since they say they are, God will hold them responsible and in each age He speaks of them and to them.
They remind us exactly of Balaam. He had the prophetic office. He knew the proper approach unto God as demonstrated in the sacrifice of the clean beasts. Yet he was not a true WORD PROPHET for when God told him not to go to honor Balak with his presence he sought to go anyway for he was motivated by his lust for gold and prestige.
So God let him go. The perfect will of God gave way to the permissive will of God because of the "heart desire" of Balaam. God actually said, "Go ahead." Did God change His mind?
No sir. God had His way regardless of Balaam going. Balaam did not annul the will of God. God had His way regardless. It was Balaam who was the loser for he by-passed the Word.
QUOTE 11
THE CHOOSING OF A BRIDE 65-0429E
Your Eternal destination is a choice. And maybe, tonight, some of you will make that--that choice, of where you'll spend Eternity, before this service ends tonight.
There'll be one time, that, if you turned God down many time, there'll be one time you'll turn Him down the last time. There is a line between mercy and judgment.
And it's a dangerous thing for a man or a woman, boy or girl, to step across that line, for there's no return when you step across that deadline.
So, tonight, it might be the time that many will make their--their decision, where they will spend the endless Eternity.
Put an end to your SIN before it’s crowned.