|
|
|
The Manifest Sons of God of the Latter Rain Movement Here is the underlying goal within the Latter Rain message of Bill Hamon. “The whole creation is waiting for the last generation Church. The earth and all of creation are waiting for the manifestation of God’s last-day apostles and prophets and fully restored Church. “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19 NKJV). When the Church is fully restored, then the saints will receive their final redemption, the immortalization of their mortal bodies. When this happens, then the natural creation of plants and animals will be delivered from their bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Apostles, Prophets and the Coming Moves of God: God's End-Time Plans for His Church and Planet Earth . Destiny Image Publishers (July 1, 1997). p. 235.“ The Earth and all of creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, the time when they will come into their maturity and immortalization... When the Church receives its full inheritance and redemption then creation will be redeemed from its cursed condition of decay, change and death... the Church has a responsibility and ministry to the rest of creation. Earth and its natural creation is anxiously waiting for the Church to reach full maturity and come to full sonship. When the Church realizes its full sonship, its bodily redemption will cause a redemptive chain reaction throughout all of creation.” (Bill Hamon p. 385 The Eternal Church)And how do we reach this maturity? By the apostles and prophets. Seems to be circular reasoning To a certain extent this is true of what will happen, but what Hamon says when and how it will happen is not true. Hamon promotes one of the more distorted doctrines that came from the Latter Rain movement, the manifested sons of God doctrine. Their interpretation of this verse is unique in church history. There is no rapture but people will be changed into eternal beings right here on earth to do miraculous works like Jesus to overcome the devil and the world system BEFORE the Lord returns. Hamon claims in The Eternal Church, ‘Jesus is waiting on the church. All that the fall of man and sin has taken away from humanity, Jesus through His church shall restore.” Again this can only take place “When the Church realizes its full sonship, its bodily redemption will cause a redemptive chain reaction throughout all of creation.” (Bill Hamon p. 385 The Eternal Church) Based on Rom 8:18-23: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves” The Bible teaches that God subjected the creation to be under the curse of sin when Adam and Eve sinned. The principle is that when Adam sinned what was under his rulership was also punished. We are the sons of God that are groaning, waiting patiently for the time of our revealing. This means we wait for God’s timing for this to take place. No amount of spirituality or obedience will transform before this time. We experience the first influences of the Spirit now, we are adopted but we still have to wait for the change in our bodies delivering us from death and corruption which can only come by the raising up of the body from the grave. Hamon: “When the church has put under it's feet all enemies of Christ ...then Christ can be released from Heaven to return as the manifested head of His physically resurrected and translated church.” (Prophets and Personal Prophecy, Bill Hamon) So Hamon is saying we are made immortal and reign before Christ comes back through their apostle and prophet ministry. That Jesus will return after we have completed our unity and put all enemies under our feet. Heb. 2:8 “You have put all things in subjection under his
feet."(Jesus' feet) For in that He put all in subjection under him, He
left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things
put under him” (see Heb.1:13). 1 Cor. 15:24-27: “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.” When is death destroyed according to the Scripture? Not fully in
the Millennium. Even though church saints will be glorified and immortal there
will still be mortal people born and dying. So it is at the end of the
Millennium. There is no way one can fit this event into taking place now. Their belief is that a certain group of Christians will obtain immortality by incarnating Christ before He returns. How? Obedience to the apostles and prophets. What is it that all creation is waiting for? According to orthodox Christianity all creation awaits the removal of the “Curse of futility”, sin placed upon it by God from the Fall of Adam. What they neglect in this verse is the context. Along with support from the other passages of this event. V. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” The adoption the redeeming of our body. When, how? A few examples: The how- 1 Cor.15:51-54;1 Thess. 4:16-17: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” The when - Phil. 3:20-21: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Heb.9:28: “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” It is Christ who appears and changes us, not some event separate from this. We wait for Him, we cannot accomplish this on our own. It's not the church that does this but Jesus himself. And it will not be complete until all who are in Christ are resurrected. Hamon states: “At that time the sons of God will be fully manifested on the earth. Widespread spiritual warfare will result with the sons of God doing battle with Satan and company, the non-Christian nations of this world will also be defeated. Once the earth has been subdued, Jesus will come back to earth and be given the Kingdom that has been won for Him by this “manchild company.” The Manifested Sons of God doctrine teaches that these sons will be equal to Jesus Christ: immortal, sinless, perfected sons who have partaken of the divine nature. They will have every right to be called gods and will be called gods.” (Prophets and the Prophetic Movement Bill Hamon). Really is that how the Scripture explains it. Or does Jesus come back and Satan is vanquished and the kingdom commences because he rids evil on the earth (mt.25) and only those save go into the Millennium and he rules over all the earth. And you thought that there was only one God, in the latter rain movement every initiate becomes a Jesus. And who is calling them gods? The Bible never calls creatures gods. Who wants us to think we will be gods? Could it be the one who brought the first sin into the world? Paul Cain who worked with Branham brought this same teaching into the Vineyard churches “I want you to know he's coming to the church before he comes FOR the church. He's gonna perfect the Church so the church can be the Image, and be him, and be his representation.” (Paul Cain: Nov 88, Tape: “My Father's House”) So, what is immediately ahead from the new apostolic government according to Hamon? “ During these final years of the mortal Church, there will be great restoration and revival….Christian groups will establish Christian communities.…Some of these communities will evolve into small Christian cities which will be a prelude and prototype of the Kingdom to come. ….There will be greater miracles of quality and quantity performed than have ever been recorded in church history. This will cause hundreds of millions to turn to Christ.” (Bill Hamon, The Eternal Church Christian International Publishers, 1986)pp. 388-389.“Paul said I convinced the gentiles by believing in the miracles” (CBN April 23, 2004). Really? My Bible says he preached Christ crucified. He did not concentrate on miracles; they accompanied the gospel to those who believed. “The Body of Christ will become too powerful in the supernatural power of God for the ungodly to be able to restrict or to destroy them.” (“Eternal Church” p. 363) “God is preparing His Church to become an invincible, unstoppable, unconquerable, overcoming Army of the Lord that subdues everything under Christ's feet.” (“Apostles” p. 251) Because Jesus in the “Prophet/apostolic movement he’s the mighty warrior,” This is what came into the Vineyard under Jack Deere aka Paul Cain. Here we have a continuum of Joel’s army of the Vineyard. It is no coincidence that all the same players are also involved with Wagner. Sounds tantalizing, an offer of power like this often is. But this is not what the Scripture says. “As the ministry of the apostle and prophet founded the Church,
so shall the ministry of the apostle and prophet put the finishing touches on
the Church. Prophets will be raised up in the Church to purge the ministry and
the believers” (“Eternal Church” p. 327) I wonder how many of the new apostles and prophets would be removed if this were true? The Bible records this as a unique event with Peter and has never been repeated. Some people really want this type of power to make others disappear, their oppossers, those who won’t unite with them. “As mentioned earlier, they [apostles and prophets] will
manifest all the miracles and judgmental ministries of Moses and Elijah and the
two prophetic witnesses in Revelation chapter 11.” (“Apostles” p. 232) It is a Time for the last spiritual war before Gods government is installed “Each restorational advancement of the Army of the Lord has established denominational forts that are given responsibility to maintain the purity and power of that truth... New recruits are now being drafted and trained and older soldiers and generals are being put through intensified training for the next advancement of the Church Army. A new government must be established, a now way of life for those millions of people. You are now ready to rule and reign on your overcomer's throne!” (Bill Hamon) “Now we have crossed Jordan and entered a war that will not cease until all the enemies of God are destroyed out of the Church's Canaan Land (earth) and Christ and His Church Army have established God's kingdom over all the earth.” (“Apostles” p. 252) Is he serious? What is this man saying! “The whole world will be affected when the apostles and prophets are fully restored. Their supernatural prophetic and apostolic words will signal the rise and fall of many nations and people. They will be instrumental in determining goat and sheep nations so that when Jesus Christ comes He can put the sheep nations on His right and the goat nations on His left.” “It will not be long until Christians realize the tremendous ways the restoration of prophets and apostles will affect them and the corporate Church.” ( Bill Hamon, Apostles, Prophets and the Coming Moves of God: God's End-Time Plans for His Church and Planet Earth. Destiny Image Publishers (July 1, 1997) p. 2This is a reference from Matthew 25, when Jesus returns he will sit “on the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. [Matthew 25:31-33] This is not about sheep and goat nations that were governed by the apostles and prophets. God judges individuals, not groups of people, he is not going to decide whether a nation will enter the millennium or not. How can person’s individual salvation depend on others in the country? This is is more about how they treat the Jews, and Christians through the Tribulation. Matt 25:35-36 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' As Jesus stated “… inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'(Matt 25:40).Hamon: “Jesus will come back to earth and be given the Kingdom that has been won for Him by this “manchild company. “The Manifested Sons of God doctrine teaches that these sons will be equal to Jesus Christ: immortal, sinless, perfected sons who have partaken of the divine nature. They will have every right to be called gods and will be called gods.” (Prophets and the Prophetic Movement Bill Hamon). Christ is our Melchizedek priest, no one else qualifies, there is only one God/man. The Church is not the God man collectively and never will be. The manchild is about Jesus, not his church. In Revelation 12- Rev.12:5: “She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.” Certainly this can’t be the church since they deny a rapture for her. Biblically this is descriptive of Jesus’ ascension into heaven. He alone can rule the nations with justice. The church will serve Jesus in his Millennial reign, but we do not rule or reign before he gets here. This is Hamon's end times explained, Bill Hamon says: “At that time the sons of God will be fully manifested on the earth. Widespread spiritual warfare will result with the Sons of God doing battle with Satan and company, the non-Christian nations of this world will also be defeated. Once the earth has been subdued, Jesus will come back to earth and be given the Kingdom that has been won for Him by this “manchild company.” (Prophets and the Prophetic Movement Bill Hamon). Think about what he saying? This is the same mistake Warnock and so many other Latter Rain proponents were crippled by; kingdom dominionism. The Book of Revelation tells us the church will be persecuted and many faithful Christians will be killed before Jesus returns, which goes completely against the Latter Rain scenario of a ruling government by the apostles and prophets and manifested sons. Unless, they become part of the worlds last government. Here's why, Daniel is speaking of a fourth kingdom with kings that will rule the earth unlike any other time. The only way the church is ruling is by inclusion with the governments on earth. Daniel 7:23: “The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth” it will “devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces.” Doesn’t sound good does it? That's because it is ruthless, oppressive and controlling. Daniel 7:21-22: “I was watching; and the same horn (little horn) was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.” It is NOT His kingdom they set up before Jesus arrives, but their own. The last kingdom rule of man. It is not until Jesus comes that we possess the kingdom. In fact He puts an end to the kingdom ruling the earth at the time. The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom on earth, “The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom” (Daniel 7:23-24). There is unity. And we are told “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed… it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms” (Daniel 2:44). It is the anti-Christ’s kingdom that will be destroyed. “It is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands “which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces” (Daniel 2:34-35); and at the end of the revelation “he shall be broken without human means” (Daniel 8:25). In other words the Lord comes back from heaven. The Bibles explanation is not Hamon’s explanation. Jesus is NOT dependent on our actions to return. “Christ cannot return until His ascension gift ministries have brought the church into full manhood.” (Prophets and Personal Prophecy. Bill Hamon p.28) “Will the generation of the Church alive today be responsible for fulfilling the last Scriptures ordained to be fulfilled, thereby releasing Jesus from the Heavens to return for His Church-Bride?” (“Church,” p. 303) Jesus will come back when the Father sends Him, at the appointed time. It depends on God -- not the church. We are also told that when he comes will he find faith on the earth? There will will be few. 2 Thess.2:8 tells us it takes the Lord coming back to remove the false Christ and his government. James 5:7-8 explains to us the attitude we as believers are to have, the “farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” They teach aggression, to bring it about by the church ruling, the Bible says the opposite. (Heb. 10:35-38) Bill Hamon writes in his book, “The Eternal Church” The Church will gain victory over the last enemy, death. Victory speaks of a battle being fought. The lost day saints will wage and win a warfare against death. The last generation saints will come to translating faith in preparation for participation in the translation.' (P.349) “Unity will bring about the resurrection life and result in the
immortalization of the Church.” (“Eternal Church” p. 332). Hamon’s
humanistic theology depends on the churches co-operation are clearly seen in
major doctrines that pertain to his prophetic governmental movement. “The prophets are being brought forth to fulfill their part in preparing the Bride-Church for her day of presentation to her heavenly Bridegroom, Christ Jesus. Jesus is rejoicing with great joy over the part the prophets are playing in preparing his Bride. When the prophets have finished their ministry, He will be released to descend from heaven with a shout and be fully and eternally united with his Bride. Twentieth century prophets are very precious to Christ, for they are perfecting the Bride He died to purchase, the church.” (Prophets and Personal Prophecy, Bill Hamon, p. 25). It all depends on us and our co-operation with this new government these self appointed apostles and prophets have cooked up. The Bible says nothing about prophets doing this in the end. It warns us against a prophet movement. One must decide which theology, which side they will take as the day draws near. “The last day saints will wage and win a warfare against death. The last generation saints will come to translating faith in preparation for participation in the translation [Rapture].” (“Eternal Church” p. 329) Translating faith to prepare? Hamon in an interview says the “Rapture teaching is one of the most faith deadening teachings ever preached. It has the most neutralizing affect on a Christian's aggressive growth process. We have a lot to do in this Earth and there is going to be a lot of stuff that we need to do in eternity. If you don't have a big comprehensive vision, both restorationally and eternally, then what motivation is there to do much except try to win a few souls to get a big reward in heaven?”( Dr. Bill Hamon answers your questions about the eternal Church. This BIG Comprehensive vision (which confuses) is also held by his comrades of dominionism: Rick Joyner, “the doctrine of the Rapture was a great and effective ruse of the enemy to implant in the Church a retreat mentality ... already this yoke has been cast off by the majority in the advancing church, and it will soon be cast off by all.” (Rick Joyner, THE HARVEST 1989 /1990 revised booklet on p.121)So what is eliminated is the marriage of the Lamb in heaven, Jesus giving rewards to the faithful saints in the place he had gone to prepare for them (Jn.14) to safely keep them until the tribulation runs its course on earth. In its place is not just a church surviving during the tribulation, but no tribulation, the church spreading and ruling over all as an army of Jesus type miracle workers overthrow sin, removing iniquity and making it a garden of Eden like environment for Jesus to return. Jesus warned us in the last days there would be many false prophets; that many would come in His name and deceive many. They would be deceived as well. There is a biblical doctrine of separation (Rom.16:17; 2 Cor.6:17) from those who do not teach what the apostles taught and have clearly gone beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6), because they consider themselves apostles and prophets. What you follow will affect your spiritual life no matter how good or sincere your intentions are, weigh out your decisions carefully.
|
|
|
