A Doctorate without THE Doctor
How can one minister spiritual health without the Physician, the One Who heals us? Yet that's what this self-proclaimed doctor and pastor, Arnold Murray, was doing by ministering in his own strength and righteousness, teaching his thoughts as the Word of God. “Let God be true but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4 EMTV). For “verily, every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah” (Psalms 39:5 KJV).
We got this letter from a reader:
Hello there and thank you very much for your time. I am must starting to look at your list and I was wondering if you ever heard of a guy name Dr. Arnold Murray. He preaches the serpent seed doctrine and is on public tv. Comes on at 3 and 6 I think. I wouldn’t think that it would be that big of a deal if it was just on the internet, but it has more punch since it is on pubic television. Have a great day and if you have questions, let met know. Also I think this guy should be on your list of false teachers.
God Bless Brother in the name of Jesus:
Michael
Victor’s reply:
Hi Michael,
Yes, we’ve heard of “Dr.” Arnold Murray. Any man who makes himself known by a doctorate or title is not a man sent of God. Even Jesus didn’t title Himself, nor did any of His ministers, so who is Arnold to do so?
William Branham also taught the “serpent seed” doctrine, making it out to be a racial matter. Much of the rest of Branham’s doctrine is wrong, as well. He taught that Eve had sexual relations with the serpent and begot Cain, citing the Scripture that says Cain was of the evil one (1 John 3:11-12). We don’t believe the issue is of flesh and blood, but of spirit. (You may want to read The Origin and Identity of Satan.)
In listening to a video of Arnold responding to questions, I immediately realized he hadn’t received the Spirit of the Lord. While I didn’t search his site for his understanding of the Holy Spirit and the gifts, it’s likely he would speak against the doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is the second birth, no less. His “Statement of Faith” makes no indication that he believes in receiving the Spirit, which it likely would if he did believe.
In any case, he hasn’t received, even if he intellectually believes the doctrine. And how could he possibly be a true minister of God without the Spirit of God (Acts 1:8)? He may teach many true things, granted, but if he doesn’t speak by revelation, then he speaks by himself, not by the Spirit of God.
“It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63).
“The letter kills but the Spirit makes alive” (2 Corinthians 3:6).
Victor Hafichuk
Paul’s reply:
I have some further thoughts for you, Michael.
Victor watched one of Murray’s teaching videos and asked me to look into his claim that the weekly Sabbath day is no longer known (and therefore not possible to keep) because of a ten-day calendar adjustment by Pope Gregory in 1582. This article counters what Murray claims by pointing out the date change had no effect whatsoever on the days of the week. It was strictly a number change within the month (October 5th became October 15th) and wasn’t a change in the days of the week. In other words, if October 5th was a Wednesday, October 15th was still Wednesday, simply now numbered as the 15th.
The reason Murray overlooks this simple fact and errs about the weekly Sabbath is because he has an agenda other than the Truth. According to Murray, because we have rest in Christ, the Sabbath is fulfilled in Him and we no longer have the weekly day of rest. He’s partially right in that we find rest in Christ and without Him there is no fulfillment of the Sabbath. But he’s altogether wrong saying that because Christ fulfills the Law in us, therefore the Law (and Sabbath) is done away:
Matthew 5:17-19 MKJV
(17) Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy but to fulfill.
(18) For truly I say to you, Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the Law until all is fulfilled.
(19) Therefore whoever shall relax one of these commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Murray, therefore, is considered the least of men by the Kingdom of Heaven and isn’t given any honor in his contradictions against God. The weekly Sabbath isn’t only a Commandment; it’s a gift from God and a great privilege for men: “And He said to them, ‘The Sabbath came into being for man’s sake, and not man for the Sabbath’s sake’” (Mark 2:27 MKJV).
Murray is presumptuous in assuming he has entered the rest of God and keeps the Sabbath. His rest is in his knowledge and himself, not in Christ. A fool is confident in the flesh and disrespects the things of the Spirit. A self-aggrandizing and deluded religious fool denies the gifts of God and robs all who would listen to him of the goodness of God.
“A wise one fears and departs from evil, but the fool rages and is sure” (Proverbs 14:16 MKJV).
By spiritualizing away the Fourth Commandment, Murray makes himself all-important while making God and His Word of no importance. That’s a sure sign of the man of sin at work:
“He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the Law…” (Daniel 7:25 ESV).