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How Is It Possible That Many Big Ministers Leading Millions Are Not Truly Born Again?

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Answered by True Bible Teachings AI on 8/1/2026

1) Direct answer
Yes. The Bible said it would be that way. Men can be anointed, do miracles, lead multitudes, and still not be born again. Gifts can operate without a changed nature, but the new birth is God’s life in the soul, loving and obeying the Word.

2) Scriptural explanation
- Jesus warned of the broad way with many on it, and the narrow way with few who find it (Matthew 7:13–14).
- He said many will say, “Lord, Lord… we prophesied, cast out devils, did many wonderful works,” and He will answer, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21–23). That proves gifts are not the evidence of the new birth.
- False prophets can show great signs and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible they would deceive the very elect (Matthew 24:24).
- Satan transforms himself as an angel of light; his ministers as ministers of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:13–15).
- The gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29). You see, a man can be gifted and yet never have his soul changed.
- Hebrews 6:4–6 shows people can taste the heavenly gift and be made partakers of the Holy Ghost’s operations, yet fall away—tasting is not the sealing of the new birth.
- Balaam prophesied accurately and still was false (Numbers 22–24; 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11). Judas healed the sick and cast out devils, yet was called a devil (Matthew 10:1,8; John 6:70). Caiaphas prophesied and remained unbelieving (John 11:49–52). Signs do not equal sonship.
- Deuteronomy 13:1–3 says God even allows true signs to test whether we love Him and His Word.
- Those who receive not the love of the truth are given over to strong delusion, with all power, signs, and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9–12).
- The true evidence is the Word-life and fruit: “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:15–20). The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–24). Being born again by the incorruptible Seed, the Word (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18), a new creation that cannot continue in sin (1 John 3:9). He that is of God hears God’s Word (John 8:47; 1 John 4:6).

3) Simple clarifying logic
- Now notice: rain falls on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). The same anointing can move on a man’s spirit to preach, heal, or prophesy, while his soul remains unchanged. That’s why wheat and tares can grow together and look alike until harvest (Matthew 13:24–30).
- If miracles proved the new birth, why did Jesus reject miracle workers in Matthew 7? If crowds proved truth, why did Jesus say “few” find it? The test is not gifts, numbers, or fame—it is the Word believed, obeyed, and lived by the Spirit.
- The new birth is Christ, the Word, taking the throne of the heart by the Holy Ghost (John 3:3–6). Anything that denies, twists, or dodges the plain Word shows another spirit at work, no matter how big the platform.
- Therefore a man can be a “big minister,” and still be unconverted: gifted without repentance, active without obedience, anointed on the outside but not sealed on the inside.

4) Reinforcing statement
Stay with the Word, love the truth, and seek the new birth personally—repent, be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). The Elect cannot be deceived because they hear His Voice in His Word and bear His fruit.

What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?

Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.

SermonRelevance 67Broader match

Demonology

Thursday, the 12th of November 1953

53-1112 §28

I might slip a little bit of my Calvinistic doctrine in here right now, but I guess I'd better hold it still. Somebody told me, said, "Saul was lost." When a man's truly born of the Spirit of God, and remains with God, he's not lost. He can't be lost. A grain of wheat can never produce nothing but a wheat. That's right. That man backslid, that's the truth, but he wasn't lost. Looky here. I'll prove it right here. Watch. The witch called the spirit of Samuel. And Samuel recognized Saul, and said, "Why did you come t...

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SermonRelevance 66

Hebrews, Chapter 7, part 2

Sunday, the 22nd of September 1957

57-0922 §84

There's the everlasting covenant, brother. Seek it out yourself, what's in your own heart. Love the Lord! Really be sure you're saved. Don't take a chance on it; you're gambling! No, you... We American people love to gamble, but don't you gamble on that. You be sure that you're right; not because you joined church, but because that you're truly borned again, Christ has come to you in the person of the Holy Ghost.

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SermonRelevance 66

Handwriting on the wall

Wednesday, the 18th of June 1958

58-0618 §36

...accepted Christ and been born by the Holy Ghost, a new creature in Christ Jesus. Anything less, you're lost. You might be Pentecostal, baptized forward, backward, this way, that way. You might have sung in the Spirit, spoke in tongues, danced in the Spirit, whatever you might have done; but if you're not truly born of God's eternal Spirit, you're lost! And if you are, the fruits of the Spirit declare what you are: love, joy, peace, long suffering, goodness, meekness, gentleness, patience, in the Holy Spirit.

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SermonRelevance 66

You must be born again

Sunday morning, the 31st of December 1961 at the Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, Indiana, U.S.A.

61-1231M §112

Martin said Satan appeared to him one time, great golden crown on, three or four decks of stars in it like that, glistening and beautiful, great big fellow, nice, handsome, correctly combed and groomed, a great beautiful robe on, and his shoes on his feet was gold. Walked out and said, "Martin, do you know me?" Now people that don't see visions, this might not ... you might not understand it, see, but how things come to you in different spirits, and how deceiving they are. The Bible said they would deceive the very...

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SermonRelevance 63

Ye must be born again

Thursday morning, the 19th of June 1958 in Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.A.

58-0619B §14

What you are, what Calvinism is, what grace is, is what God did for you. But what works is, is what you do for God in appreciation of what He did for you through grace. That's the whole answer. Then if I am saved, then I live like I'm saved. But I could live like I was saved and not be saved, see. So, it's the fact then, brings it to this spot, that we must be born again. So the born-again experience tells what we are. It doesn't mean that we... I believe in shouting, and all the manifestations and demonstrations o...

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