breakdown of the doctrine,
part 2 of 2
Further evidence that Branham claimed for the serpent’s seed doctrine was his assertion that Cain and his descendants showed the characteristics of Satan, which were not shown by Abel, Seth and his descendants. The source of inspiration for the unnatural acts of Cain and his descendants was revealed in
John 1:13, which states "Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother." In contrast to Cain's descendants, Seth's descendants were righteous, particularly Enoch who "walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him" (
Genesis 5:24). William Branham also noted that Cain was excluded from Adam's physical lineage in
Jude 1:14 "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam".
Branham considered that Cain and Seth's lineages are present today:
Cain's children is here in Jeffersonville tonight, and Seth's children's here in Jeffersonville tonight. As the blood stream weakens and goes out, but that lineage still hangs on. (
'Questions and Answers Hebrews Part 3', 6 October 1957) In spite of William Branham's statements that God does not consider nationality in his plan of grace and salvation, Branham's critics refuse to separate his teachings from racist origins. Key evidence in their argument is the fact that Branham disliked hybrids and would frequently denounce cross-breeding, usually Branham would refer to just plants and animals, however his denunciation of cross-breeding also extended to racial purity amongst humans (e.g.
‘Questions and Answers Hebrews Part 3’, 6 October 1957 and
‘Questions and Answers’, 30 August 1964).
Critics claim that Branham said that ancestral lineage could prevent them receiving salvation regardless of how sincere their faith was. The following quote is used as evidence of this:
And now, if God being just, if all He required was worship, Cain worshiped God with just as much sincerity as Abel did. Both of them were sincere. Both of them was trying to find grace with God. They were neither one of them infidels. They were both absolutely believers in Jehovah. Now, there, that gives us something to think of. Some here tonight I've never seen, people, I've never seen you before. But you must realize this, and keep this in your mind. See? No matter how religious you are, that don't have one thing to do with it. You might live in church; you might be ever so sincere; and you're still lost. (
'Questions and Answers Hebrews Part 3', 6 October 1957) However, Branham's followers attribute the preceding quote to predestination (another possibly controversial doctrine), rather than just serpent seed as is evidenced by William Branham's additional comments in the same sermon:
Cause there was no colored or white, or any other different; it was just one race of people unto the flood. Then after the flood and the tower of Babel, when they begin to scatter out, that's when they taken their colors and so forth. They're all come from the same tree...See? It's God Who chooses. It's God Who elects (See?), God Who gives mercy. The clay can't say to the potter; it's the potter over the clay. That's right. Finally, William Branham taught that the doctrine of the serpent seed was essential because it revealed why Jesus had to be born of a virgin birth and the reason why Jesus had to shed His blood:
Look at Calvary. When that blood cell was housed up, God Himself coming down, building around Himself a Blood cell in the womb of Mary. That Blood cell developed another cell, a cell on a cell. And It was born, the virgin born Son of God; God was inside of Him, the Spirit. Then at Calvary He become a blood sacrifice. And a cruel spear embalmed His body, and broke that blood cell; Out come the life breaking forth from life: water, blood, spirit. And now that man coming to Jesus Christ today, and coming through the blood, comes into the Blood cell in fellowship by the Holy Spirit, becomes a part of God, has God's Life in him, becomes a son and daughter of God. It's just as impossible for that man to be lost, as it is for God Himself to be lost." ('The Mark of Christ', 12 March 1955)