The Seventh Church Age Messenger Teachings To produce The Bride of Lord Jesus Christ

William Marrion Branham (April 6, 1909 – December 24, 1965) .

 William Branham taught that the Bride of Christ is a specific group of believers, identified as the "Godly seed" (descendants of Seth), who must separate themselves entirely from denominational churches to be "remarried" to the Word of God (Christ).  He asserted that belonging to any traditional denomination constitutes having the Mark of the Beast and renders the believer an "adulteress" in God's eyes, requiring a complete break from those organizations to prepare for the Rapture. 

Key doctrines for the Bride include:

1. Rejection of the Trinity: Branham taught that the Trinity is a "Catholic error" and that God is one person manifesting in three offices (Father, Son, Holy Ghost); consequently, the Bride must be baptized in the name of Jesus only. Acts 2:38. Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ: Branham taught that the only valid baptismal formula is "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ," distinguishing this from Oneness Pentecostalism by insisting on the triune title rather than just "Jesus." He believed Trinitarian baptism was invalid and required re-baptism.

2. The Serpent’s Seed: He taught that Eve’s sin was sexual, involving a union with the serpent that produced Cain and his lineage (predestined for Hell); the Bride consists of those with the "seed of God" who follow Branham’s specific teachings. A controversial teaching claiming Eve committed adultery with the serpent in Eden, resulting in a hybrid race descended from Cain destined for hell.  He taught that believers are the Seed of God, predestined to become the Bride of Christ. 

3. Branham as the Final Prophet- Church Age Messenger: He claimed to be the Angel of Revelation 3:14 and the Elijah of Malachi 4, sent to restore "loose-ends" of the Bible and reveal mysteries before the end of the Laodicean Church Age. 

4. Separation and Purity: The Bride must maintain strict moral and spiritual purity, avoiding worldly customs and "defilement," while recognizing Branham’s messages as the direct Voice of God for the last days. 

5. Annihilationism: Branham taught that the wicked are not eternally tormented in hell but are destroyed (annihilated) after judgment, while eternal life is reserved only for God and His children. 

6. Divine Healing and Restoration: He emphasized a dual atonement doctrine, asserting that physical healing is provided in the atonement just as salvation is for the soul.  He also preached restorationism, urging a return to the gifts, signs, and apostolic structure of the early church. 

William Marrion Branham taught that the Bride of Christ is a specific, end-time group of believers who are spiritually united with Jesus, who is identified as the Word of God.  This union requires a complete separation from denominational structures, which he described as "dead" or "adulterous" first husbands, necessitating a spiritual remarriage solely to the Word. 

The true Bride is characterized by several key traits:

1. Virginity and Purity: She is a "virgin" in the sense that she accepts no man-made creeds, dogmas, or traditions, remaining solely faithful to the biblical Word. 

2. Image and Character: She must be molded into the exact image and character of Christ, possessing the same mind and will as the Bridegroom. 

3. Submission to the Word: She does not use her own mind but is entirely subject to the Word, performing only what the Word commands, often described as having the "Thus saith the Lord" authority. 

4. Rejection of Worldliness: The Bride rejects worldly attractions such as large buildings, fancy robes, and denominational politics, relying instead on the Holy Spirit and the vindication of the Word.