In this article, we will examine the manner in which Isaac Noriega and the Golden Dawn Tabernacle ministry conduct the excommunication of church members. Our apprehension with this conduct lies in the potential misalignment of this process with biblical teachings and the principles of William Branham. We are drawn to explore this subject due to the negative consequences that excommunication has had on the families of both current and former church members, as explored in our previous articles.
Isaac Noriega employs excommunication as a means of punishment to seek retaliation against those who oppose him and as a fear tactic. Church members are terrified about being excommunicated and will conform to his demands to avoid being expelled from the church, their loved ones, and the only life they have ever known.
There are multiple instances where Isaac Noriega has excommunicated members of the church, for reasons including:
- Leaving Golden Dawn Tabernacle and opting to attend or have fellowship at a different church.
- Violating Church Rules, even for trivial and non-biblical rules.
- Disagreeing with his teachings (which he portrays as going against the Word).
- Choosing to study abroad, such as pursuing college education in another state.
- Associating with excommunicated members.
We have included some quotes, scriptures, and analysis to illustrate the ways in which Isaac Noriega diverges from the Bible and William Branham’s teachings. In parentheses, we will provide examples of how this applies to Isaac.
It is important to note that the term “Excommunication” is not explicitly used in the Bible. However, here are five crucial points to consider regarding excommunication based on the Bible:
- Excommunication is not a decision made by an individual or a small group. It is an official action taken by the entire local church.
- Excommunication primarily pertains to relationships. Church members are instructed to avoid sharing meals and limit contact with unrepentant individuals (1 Corinthians 5:11).
- Excommunication is intended for believers who claim to have genuinely trusted in Christ for their salvation but refuse to turn away from sin (specifically for sexual immorality or greed, idolatry or slandering, drunkenness or swindling).
- Excommunication is not intended for those who confess and repent of their sin but struggle to overcome it. If a believer confesses their sin, seeks forgiveness and a fresh start, they should be forgiven, even if they repeat the same sin (Matthew 18:21-22). Scripture does not suggest exposing such sins to the whole church unless the person chooses to confess it publicly.
- The purpose of excommunication is restoration. Jesus teaches that the process of removing a member from the church should be gradual, deliberate, and cautious. If the person who sinned repents at any point in the process, then the church has regained a brother or sister, and fellowship is restored.
Pastor Isaac Noriega deviates from this biblical approach when it comes to excommunication. Isaac unilaterally decides who gets excommunicated and completely banishes them, even attempting to get them fired from their jobs. He forces complete isolation between family members, even against their will. He also excommunicates for reasons that are not biblically sound. No where in the Bible does it say you should excommunicate for going to another church or moving to study abroad in college, or based on who you fellowship with. Below are some excerpts of what William Branham says about excommunication. It is important to note that there is no record of William Branham ever having excommunicated or disfellowshipping anyone. Note that he also uses the word disfellowship interchangeably with excommunication. In these below quotes, we insert some editorial comments in bolded brackets [].
61-0112 – “Questions And Answers”
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Source: table.branham.org
That’s the reason that I do not belong to the organizations, because I do not believe in organizations. And I believe it’s unscriptural, for, an organization.
504 Therefore, I could not belong to any organization and feel justified by doing it. See? Therefore, I do not take people in and make them members, and so forth like that, because I believe WE ARE BORNED TO BE MEMBERS, WE ARE BORNED INTO THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD. See?
505 We don’t take people’s names off the book and excommunicate them [this is definitely done by Isaac Noriega], and everything like that, because I believe that’s not in our—our duties to do that. I believe it’s God does the excommunicating. See? But I believe that the church, if there would be a brother that was doing something wrong…
506 For instance, if—if they caught Brother Neville, or Brother Junior, or Brother…some brother here, one of the deacons or trustees, or something another, doing something wrong, I believe the thing to do is for the church to get together and pray for this brother. [This is the first step WMB teaches but it’s completely skipped by Isaac Noriega] If he still don’t straighten up, then let a couple go with him, go to the brother to be reconciled. [This is scriptural, according to Matthew 19:16, but if anything at all happens, maybe a deacon will call you once or twice and that’s the extent of it] And if then if he don’t receive it, then tell it before the church. [This is done but it’s usually once the person is already gone and never given a chance. Instead it is based on a decision made by Isaac himself on when and how to do it]. Then if they don’t receive it then, that’s the time for the whole church then, see, that’s for pastor, elders, and everything else to do it.
I don’t believe that any deacon board has a right to throw anybody out of church or any trustee board or ANY PASTOR has a right to do it. [Yes, Isaac Noriega unilaterally does this and people are terrified of challenging him due to the fear he has instilled in the congregation].
507 I think if anybody was to be disfellowshipped, would be because of immoral living, or something like that, that he wasn’t a fit person, like a man coming in here defiling our girls or—or insulting our women, and things like that, and still professing to be one of us here. See? Now, if he’s out somewhere else coming in, why, we have to do something about it, but, when it comes to a person like that, an immoral person trying to make love to our wives or—or insult our daughters or, you know, something another like that, or do something immorally around her, or taking our little boys out and making perverts out of them, or something. [Things like this have allegedly happened multiple times and has been pushed under the rug and tried to be hidden].
508 Those things should be taken up, and then that fellow should be excommunicated from the fellowship and not permitted to take communion with it, because we’re not supposed to do that. We’re not. “If any eats unworthily, is guilty of the Blood and body of the Lord,” on that person.
509 But I believe just like a fellow say, “Well, now, he—he’s this, that.” Pray for him. Right.
510 I never will forget, in Stockholm, Sweden, Brother Lewi Pethrus, a great man of God. We was sitting at the table, just a few hours before coming back to America. We had great meetings there. And he said, Gordon Lindsay said, “Who’s the overseer of this great body?” Boy, it’s got the Assemblies of God beat by hundreds of miles, you see. Said, “Who is the overseer?”
And Lewi Pethrus is gentlemenlike, and he said, “Jesus.”
He said, “Who’s your presbyters?”
He said, “Jesus.”
511 He said, “I know that’s right,” said, “we believe the same thing about our Assemblies of God.” He said, “That’s right.” “But,” said, “say, for instance, a—a brother gets out of line,” said, “who has the say-so of putting him out?”
Said, “We don’t put him out.”
“Well,” said, “what do you do?”
512 Said, “WE PRAY FOR HIM.” [Isaac Noriega is known to tell people who disagree with him that he and the ministry will no longer pray for them, before they are even taken out from under the Blood]. I thought that was so sweet! That sounded Christianlike to me, “We pray for him.” Nobody puts him out, they pray for him.
513 Said, “Well, then, what if some of the brothers agree,” he said, “and some of them don’t want to fellowship with him anymore? Bring him in, like it’s a pastor, you see, that’s beginning to be a ladies’ man among the…You know what I mean, and things like that, and some of the pastors won’t have him in their churches. What do you all do, throw him out of your organization?”
514 “No.” Said, “We just let him alone and pray for him.” Said, “We never lost one yet. They always come back, somehow.”
515 He said, “Well,” said, “now, what if…” Said, “What if some of them say that they want him and others don’t want him? Now, what about that?”
516 Said, “Well, the ones that want him, take him; the ones that don’t want him, don’t have to.”
517 So—so I think that’s a good way to have it, don’t you, brethren? And that way we are “brethren.”
A very common scripture that Isaac Noriega will use to justify excommunication is the Matthew 18:15-20:
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [Note: this is the key verse that Isaac Noriega uses]
19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
What Isaac fails to continue reading during the excommunication rite, is what follows in the next few verses:
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’
29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.
31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.
32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
In our view, Pastor Isaac Noriega does not exhibit forgiveness towards those whom he believes have wronged him. He bears grudges against them and retaliates under the pretense of excommunication. For instance, he recently excommunicated an entire family who left Golden Dawn Tabernacle quietly to join another local church where they felt spiritually guided. Isaac reduced the entire situation to them being spiritually regressive and excommunicated them on those grounds, despite lacking any supporting evidence. It is common knowledge that when a member confesses a sin to Isaac Noriega and seeks forgiveness, he grants his pardon. However, if another issue arises with the member or if they leave Golden Dawn Tabernacle, Isaac Noriega is known to resurrect their previously forgiven transgressions. This behavior suggests that Isaac Noriega does not genuinely forgive them even once, let alone 77 times as Jesus taught.
57-0630 – Thirsting For Life
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Source: http://table.branham.org
Now, many people begin to think on the subject of life. And now, feeling free, and I have always tried to not hold things back. Never in my life, knowingly have I ever called out a character’s name or some individual’s name. I have rebuked sin, preached what I thought was right, but never disregarded any brother. He could be just as wrong, and I could be wrong too. But regardless him being wrong, don’t disfellowship him from my—from my fellowship with Christ with him. We are brothers.
The above last quote is the exact opposite of what Isaac Noriega does. He is recognized for his tendency to disparage those who confront him, both in public and private settings. He dismisses their concerns, denounces their character, and ultimately severs ties with them. In certain instances, Isaac initiates an informal disfellowshipping process by damaging the reputations of these members within the church community. Ultimately, he formally excommunicates them once he deems sufficient grounds for doing so.
Summary
To conclude, we believe that Isaac Noriega may have started with good intentions, but he has allowed money, power, and pride to corrupt his leadership. He has deviated from the teachings of William Branham and the Bible, and has created a toxic and hybrid doctrine of his own. For GDT members contemplating departure, we want to offer our support and remind you that fear should not be a barrier. Those whom Christ has liberated are truly free, and you need not remain under the oppressive rule of Isaac Noriega. We encourage you to study the Bible independently and uncover the love, mercy, and grace that God extends to you. Do not permit Isaac Noriega to dictate your understanding of the Bible or present you with a skewed image of an irate God. In our view, Isaac’s behavior merely reflects a frightened, resentful side of himself, determined to maintain control over the church.
57-0725 – “Hear Ye Him”
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Source: table.branham.org
108 The greatest weapon was ever put in the hands of man, is the Bible, to be backed up with the Holy Ghost, that Christ died at Calvary to FREE HIS CHURCH from superstitions and FEAR and DOUBT and TREMBLING. He lives today, He rose from the dead, He’s alive tonight. HEAR YE HIM.
Say, “But the doctor told me I couldn’t live.”
But, “Hear ye Him.”
“The pastor excommunicated me, and said I’d be lost forever.”
“Hear ye Him.”
Isaac Noriega is a fervent advocate for employing excommunication as a means to assert his authority over the church. This has led to numerous conflicts between Isaac Noriega and other Message ministers. A prime example is his well-documented disagreement with the late Pastor Pearry Green from Tucson Tabernacle, which took place several decades ago. The discord was so intense that Isaac publicly criticized Pastor Green during various GDT church services, asserting that he was not a genuine believer in the Message. Multiple witnesses have corroborated these incidents occurring during Isaac’s impassioned sermons.
While Isaac does not possess a higher rank than any other minister, his behavior suggests otherwise. He employs his authority to foster an atmosphere of intimidation and control within the congregation, which in turn consolidates his own power. Based on the aforementioned deviations from William Branham’s teachings, it is our belief that Isaac Noriega may not genuinely adhere to the Message. We will delve deeper into this subject in upcoming articles, where we will also discuss matters such as fellowship with other churches.
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Seems about right!!
“In a destructive cult, there is never a legitimate reason for leaving. Unlike healthy organizations, which recognize a person’s inherent right to choose to move on, mind control groups make it very clear that there is no legitimate way to leave”… he goes on to say, “Members are told that the only reasons
that people leave are weakness, insanity, temptation, brainwashing (by deprogrammers), pride, sin, and so on.
Members are thoroughly indoctrinated with the belief that if they ever do leave, terrible consequences will befall them, their family and/or humanity. Although cult members will often say, “Show me a better way and I will quit,” they are not allowed the time or given the mental tools to balance the evidence for themselves.” They are locked in a psychologi-cal prison…
…When former members hide their cult involvement-whether through shame, doubt, guilt, fear or anger-they are missing a valuable opportunity: to free themselves and, by their example, to help free others.
Excerpt from the book: Combating Cult Mind Control.
Leaving the cult was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but at the same time it was rewarding. I reclaimed my identity, my goals, my thoughts, and my aspirations of being much more than a pew potatoe and waiting for the world to end. It was a slow process of course, because you are plagued with insecurity and self doubt due to the grasp Isaac has on your mind. But at the end all those walls came down and I am on the road to my full potential. A life out of the Isaac box, a life without boundaries and outdated rules that are obsolete in the real world.
“In-church” excommunication is the ultimate suffering. Because you see your family in church but they ignore you. They act as if you don’t exist. Isaac Noriega is the master of separation. He actually enjoys it. As a matter of fact he enforces it. Requires it. That’s why GD is so divided among itself. His own Son Mathew Noriega does not let his wife Sharon see her parents. Another instance is where the grandkids are not even told who their grandparents are because the grandparents do not fit Isaac religion regime. So in return all the people that are “shunned” by their family members are in a constant race to please Isaac Noriega. A race that you can never ever win. Because you become a slave to their rejections. So you see? That gives the poor congregants a sense of loss. Which it either detaches the member from the cult or it glues them to it for ever. But I’m a witness of many people that have left family and friends behind and have risen from their darkest moments and have built a beautiful life.
Isaac trained us to trust him more than we trust ourselves
…..being free has taught me to realize Gods Word (Bible) has equipped us for the journey
…..knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.
2 Peter 1:20
Matthew doesn’t let his wife see her parents? Amazing. I wonder why he defends his in laws so much? They get away with everything because he defends them. Sad!
We could also talk about being “taken out from under the blood” by Isaac when you were never a member of his congregation but upon your pastors death he wanted to “absorb” this congregation. When your family refused to go and become a part of his congregation, he took the family out from under the blood. Individuals, family, and members of GDT who are related turned their backs on you and your family. There was zero affiliation, other than visiting for the meetings, or special services, that “allowed” him to take such liberties.
First and foremost Isaac didn’t die for your sins.
So how can he put or take out anyone from the blood of Jesus upon the cross.
The day you take God at his word and begin a relationship with him alone you’ll realize Isaac is a scare crow who wants your money. He can care less for you as an individual. He a shrewd businessman and when it come to his tithes..all bets are off.
and Matthew is just Prince Harry waiting for Isaac to become more senile to take over..so quit fooling yourself by waiting for the change of guard!
Jesus is waiting for you to take the first step and rebuke for being a mediator for you
So I think… whatever value that has..I believe that taking people out from under the blood is biblical…what I don’t agree with is using it as an act of vengeance…or sledgehammer…
If you listen to how Bro. Branham taught it ..it was a an act of love believing and hoping and looking for to that person repenting and coming back to the word.
Isaac uses it as an act of retaliation and retribution… especially if you have been critical of him.
Which brings another point..Bro Branham said that during the squeeze..Pastors would be shot for laying hands on people in their congregation who were sick…
I would like to know if any current member of the congregation feels Isaac is willing to die for them?
I have some say in this…I was a young man in my twenties when Isaac preached for the first time …about taking people out from under the blood…So if you are reading this you either believe it or you don’t…I happen to believe it the Bro B. Taught it..
My Dad has quit going to church…that is another whole can of worms ..
My Dad was the second song leader after Jessie chacon..
Issac told me that he had prayed to God that my dad would come and attend his church.
Due to things that happened in the eve of 1977 my dad felt he came short of the gospel and could no longer attend the services..
When I saw first preached on taking people out from under the blood at that time it was more like a last attempt to get that person to reconcile to God .
I called Issac and told him I wanted to approach my dad about this matter..
He told me I was the first person to respond to that sermon…
Bro Jacques and went to my dads house and talked to him about it..
My Dad said he could not in good faith response to the call.
So We proceeded to take him out from under the blood ..
I don’t regret that because at that time it was all out effort to bring someone back to the fold .
But as time went by Isaac used it more as a black list ..
There are a lot of things I don’t really understand…All I know I believed the cause..
I Isaac let me down.,..