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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 34

Trying to do God a service without it being God's will

Saturday morning, the 27th of November 1965 at the Washington Youree Hotel in Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.A.

65-1127B §125

How many times denominations has done the same thing to sincere believers. The Catholic church, the Methodist, the Baptist, Church of Christ, even the Pentecostals, has caused a-many spiritual death with that same thing. When it come with these things they found ... and they can't go no further, because that's what their denomination believes. Look today. The big crusades, same thing. They don't do nothing but make them more a twofold child of hell, worse than they was in the first place. Makes them harder, really...

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SermonRelevance 34

God commissioning Moses

Wednesday, the 3rd of June 1955

53-0603 §28

Now, look. The picture... We'll have one here tomorrow night to show you. It's a big pillar of fire. How many has seen it? Probably many of you've seen it. It's copyrighted; big thing goes with it. A big pillar of fire about that big around. They said in their research that it looked like amber lights, flaming, burning. You can watch it. I hope it appears here tonight. Many, many times it's appeared right in the meetings while I was having services. Has anybody ever seen it, literal, with their eyes in the meeting?...

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SermonRelevance 33Broader match

Questions and Answers (God being misunderstood)

Sunday evening, the 23rd of July 1961 at the Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, Indiana, U.S.A.

61-0723E §84

That's the way they say today, "What church do you belong to if you're a Christian? What denomination?" "None." They don't get it. See, they can't understand it. They think a denomination means a Christian. It's vice versa, very much so. But it's misunderstood by the people. Now, we find out that Herod misunderstood it. He couldn't understand it. Nicodemus couldn't understand it, the new birth, when he came to Jesus by night. Someone condemned him. I don't condemn him. He was a good man, he wanted to find out somet...

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SermonRelevance 33

Influence

Sunday, the 15th of March 1964

64-0315 §40

Here's a good example: always be conscious of your littleness; not your bigness. Today we Americans so much ... that we try to think that we're a big somebody, we belong to something big, some big organization. Some great big something's got... All great big, big, big is all we see. And when... One time in the Bible we have an example of that. There was a prophet went back in the cave, and Elijah ... and God was trying to attract his attention to come out. And there come the fire, and smoke, and blusterous winds ac...

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SermonRelevance 33

You must be born again

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

61-1231M §28

There's not a person in here that wants to go to torment. There's nobody. And you don't drive hundreds of miles, over icy roads, and spend your living, your money, just to come to the church here to, well, say, shake hands with the people (although you love to do that), and to hear the pastor and myself and other ministers speak the Word. You get that wherever you are---pastors, ministers, just like we are, servants of Christ. But there's something that draws you here to this particular place. Therefore, it's the d...

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