A beautiful question!

Acts 22:16 sounds like Ananias is telling Paul to get baptised so that his (Paul's) sins will be washed away, but that Scripture is not saying that.

It is neither saying, 'arise, and be baptised for the washing away of thy sins."

It is saying, "arise, and be baptised, and wash away thy sins." The washing away of our sins is based on our confession of repentance and in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary.

The word "and" is a conjunction, and it does not show that "arise and be baptised" is what accounts for the washing away of one's sins. The "and" only shows that after "arise and be baptised," something else is done. It's akin to saying, "they received the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues." One can receive the Holy Ghost and do something else instead of speaking in tongues.

Brother Branham said water doesn't wash away our sins, but it is the Blood of the Lord Jesus that washes our sins. 1 Peter 3:21 confirms that:

"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

I hope it is quite clear to you now?

Yes, according to 1 Corinthians 6:19, the Holy Ghost stays in the believer. Thank God that we know that, according to the prophet, the Holy Ghost is Jesus Christ in the Spirit form.

Brother Branham said it is not three Gods as Father, Son and Holy Ghost, but ONE God manifesting Himself in three different ways and that that God is the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why when the Lord told them in Mathew 28:19 to baptise in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, they all baptised in the name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

According to 1 John 5:7, there are three that bear record in heaven. The question is, are the three three persons or three titles to one Person? The answer is in that same Scripture. "...and these three are ONE." So all the three refer to ONE GOD. But pay attention to the next verse, 1 John 5:8. "And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three AGREE in one. Brother Branham said the verse 8 is different from the verse 7. In Verse 7, the three are ONE , but verse 8 is talking about three different things: Justification (water), Sanctification (blood), and Spirit (the infilling of the Holy Ghost). They are not one or the same, but they agree that's why it introduces the word agree in verse 8. A person can be justified and not sanctified. A person can also be sanctified without having the Holy Ghost.

So, as I said earlier, the Holy Ghost is Jesus Christ in the Spirit form. In John 14:26, the Comforter is sent in His Name. This means the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, comes as Jesus Christ, which is His Name. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,..."

If the Bride of Christ is already married to the WORD, then she is already married to CHRIST because CHRIST is the WORD‼

Our first husband (the world and its cares) is dead. Now, are we married to Christ, our Husband, the WORD.

Consider the following Scriptures:

Isaiah 54:5
For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy ONE of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Revelation 19:7
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

John 3:29
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

All the Scriptures above are not using future tenses like "shall be", etc. They all use present tenses. Now is the Bride married because she is married to the WORD.

Apart from a pastor feeding God's flock with spiritual food, he is also obligated to see to the general welfare of each member of the assembly.

If a pastor just preaches the Word of God behind the pulpit and does not concern himself with the natural life of the people, he is just a preacher/minister of the Gospel. He is not really pastoring. A pastor means a shepherd or an overseer, so he oversees or shepherds the flock, apart from preaching.

He corrects, he rebukes, he discourages and encourages, and he guides the congregation in many ways.

A pastor, therefore, must concern himself with marriages in the church, the employment of his flock, their education, their health, etc. etc. etc. He must have the people at heart. Their concern is his concern, and that's why he is in constant prayer for his flock.

When the people are gainfully employed and are marrying, schooling, and doing well in life, a pastor becomes very happy because his burden lightens.

For instance, in our little assembly, brother Joel has employed a few brethren. That reduces my burden significantly when it comes to employment. Brother Archibold has employed a couple of brethren, too. It further lessens my burden.

I try to get the people educated or employed with the help and support from my wife.

So, yes, a pastor must be interested in the general welfare of his flock, not only when it comes to employment.

Yes, a pastor must pay tithe. All Christians must pay tithe, without which God sees us as robbers.

A pastor must pay tithe to another pastor. Unlike other church members who pay tithe to their churches, where they get their spiritual food, a pastor can pay tithe to a particular pastor and later decide to pay his tithe to another pastor. He can also decide to pay his tithe to a particular pastor all the time.

So, a church member should pay tithe where he/she fellowships, but a pastor can pay tithe to different pastors at different times.

An unfaithful husband is a curse to his family. The prophet spoke strongly against adultery. If a person is in adultery, he must even find it uncomfortable to be in Church services because that sin will make him guilty and the respect he has for the Lord will not make him comfortable to be in His presence. Believers are not to live in sin, and I have been preaching against that. It's a demon in people that make them live that kind of life, and they need to confess and let the church help them in prayer. If the person is willing to quit that behaviour, the Lord comes in, but if the person denies the act and is not willing to live a righteous life, then the Lord can't help him.

He can only feel comfortable in the house of God whilst living in sin when God's grace has not found him and such a person will be wasting his years in the house of God and will miss the rapture if he doesn't repent. It is the Lord's kindness and grace that brings us to repentance.

The church is not like a company where one can be sacked or suspended at any time. The church is the House of God and a clinic for sinners. No one knows when God's grace will find someone to change him, but I will never tolerate any sin of any sort in the church. When it comes to me, I deal with it, but I can't force it when the people deny the act since it's between them and the Lord.

I have said this, and I will say it again. A man should not be friends with a woman, no matter what situation it is. Anytime we advise couples who intend marrying, I tell them.

A man should be friends with men, and a woman should be friends with women. Brother Branham said that in the question and answers session, and I quote, " keep them in Christian company as long as you possibly can. Keep them with... If it's a girl, keep her with Christian girls; Christian boys, vice-versa..".

It's my sincerest prayer that every couple in the church will be faithful and loyal to their partners.