How Is It Possible That Many Big Ministers Leading Millions Are Not Truly Born Again?
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.
Ask a Follow-up Question
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.
And knoweth it not
65-0815 §67
But a genuine born-again son of God... Amen! You can't do it yourself. It's totally impossible for a red-blooded male to walk before a female like that, without something taking place. But when there is something on the inside, that little born-again something there... Though that man might have shouted, spoke in tongues, jumped, danced, everything else; anointed with the Spirit; done all the signs and wonders that God said in there. By His Spirit... Jesus said, "Many will come to me in that day and say, 'Lord have...
Life story (William Branham)
50-0820A §132
What if that day comes for your convenience, but it isn't convenient for Him then? I stood not long ago, by the side of a man that was dying, who refused Christ. He screamed and told, "Take those demons away from me. They're wrapped in chains. Don't let them get me." I stood by a woman's side, who had abortion cases, killing little children. She said, "A little cold babies hands are running through my hair." She said, "Let that... away from the window there with those great big heads on it. Brother, I seen a man wh...
Three kinds of believers
63-1124E §58
There's a guy said to me one time--a minister. Said, "I don't care, Mr. Branham, how many people you could produce that you said was healed, I wouldn't believe it." I said, "Certainly not; you can't believe it. You're a unbeliever; it wasn't for you. It's only for the believers." You've got to believe it, see. And they do not believe it. So when you see a person in that ... Well did Paul speak of (the prophets), saying that they'd be heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having forms of go...
Ye must be born again
58-0619B §17
And when it comes to our emotion and... Remember, I believe in it; I believe that anybody that's got heartfelt religion will shout, and make up a ... I believe that, but yet, that's not all of it. Like the old colored man was down here in the south, eating watermelon. Asked to give him a slice of watermelon, said, "How was that, boy?" Said, "That was good, but there's some more of it." So, that's the way it is this way: This is good, but there's some more of it, you see. We just can't live by this one slice. So the...
The way of a true prophet of God
62-0513M §56
He had the Word of the Lord for the nation, but the true Word of the Lord was foreign to those people; yet they thought they had it. (I hope this gets down deep.) They thought that they were so pious and religious, that the real Word of God was a foreign thing to them. And that's the way it is today. The true Word of God made manifest is a foreign thing to lots of Pentecostal people. The real interpretation of the Word, the real woes and curses, the real blessings of God is a foreign thing to many people who call t...