The AntiChrist, AntiGod Teachings Connected With the Godhead and Christ Being Begotten

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16

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In an attempt to distance themselves from the Trinity Doctrine, undiscerning men are falling into error all as antiChrist and antiGod. They achieve this by either of four teachings:

1.    That Christ was begotten (sourced/generated) by the Father at some subsequent time in eternity. Thus, there was not a (trio)/trinity from eternity as the Trinity Doctrine teaches. (Terry Hill). The truth is that there was not a trio until the Incarnation, at which time the Son divested His Holy Spirit from the personality of His humanity, and His Holy Spirit then became the Holy Ghost, and a third person. So there was not a trio from eternity. The Trinity Doctrine teaches that there was a trio (Trinity) from eternity. That is antichrist heresy.

2.    That Christ is not God and should not be worshipped as God, and that the Holy Spirit is the spirit of the Father, and that it is the Father’s Spirit that is sent to us as the Holy Spirit. (Russell Unterschultz).

3.    That there are not three persons to the Godhead; that it is the Father’s spirit that is sent as the Holy Spirit. (Russell Unterschultz).

4.    That the Son of God, at His Incarnation, DID NOT divest, separate, empty, split-off, anything from His previous existence as DIVINE HOLY SPIRIT NATURE ONLY. (Terry Hill, Russell Unterschultz, Robert Sessler, Nicholas Petula, Gary Cain, Craig Kalkofen, Jorge Garay, Roberto Diaz, Seventh Day Remnant Publishing Association), most every so-called SDA independent ministry and the SDA church.

 

The SDA church embraces omega of apostasy antichrist, antiGod teaching by embracing the Trinity Doctrine. All of the above must be exposed for their omega heresy just as John Harvey Kellogg was exposed and named by God’s prophetess, Ellen G. White, for his alpha of apostasy. Every party named in this document teaches heresy that sweeps away the entire Christian economy.

 

The antichrist teaching is circulating amongst professing Adventists that the Christ Ellen White presented was a begotten Christ, in the sense that He was sourced/generated by the Father, albeit this begetting was so far back in eternity that it is beyond the human mind to even contemplate it. It is contested that this was the early 1900’s faith of Seventh-day Adventists. We will prove that Ellen White did not teach that position and that it is contrary to other of her statements and Bible evidence as well.

 

The following verse is used by those who believe the Son was sourced/begotten of the Father at some time unbeknownst to man. But Jesus is speaking of His being sent to this earth by His Father, not of being sourced/generated from the Father.

 

42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. John 8:42.

 

Jesus was clearly speaking of His being sent to this earth at His Incarnation. In His Incarnation Jesus did indeed proceed from God the Holy Spirit for by such He entered Mary’s Womb to be combined with humanity.

 

E.J. Waggoner misapplied John 8:42:

 

“There was a time when Christ proceeded forth and came from God, from the bosom of the Father (John 8:42 and 1:18), but that time was so far back in the days of eternity that to finite comprehension it is practically without beginning. Waggoner,‘Christ and His Righteousness’, page 21-22, ‘Is Christ a created being?’

 

Clearly, we can see from the following statement that the Son was torn from the Father’s bosom when He was sent down to this earth! Waggoner was no authority on this issue, and proved such by finally siding with Kellogg on pantheism. But Terry Hill cites him as an authority. And Ellen White was in Austrailia when Waggoner’s book was circulating. She made plenty of statements saying that Christ was eternal. And how can you know for sure? It’s simple! God is a spirit. There is ONE Spirit. The heavenly trio is of that ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. All three persons of the Godhead vested with that Spirit are thus eternal, but the difference is when the Son’s Holy Spirit was divested from the Son’s human personality at His Incarnation. His Holy Spirit had always existed, and in His humanity His divinity always existed. So in a way, it makes it more clear to say that when the Son divested His Holy Spirit from His humanity at His Incarnation, that is when He, as combined with His humanity became the third person. And this is proper because Ellen White defines the Holy Spirit as the soul of His life, and yet she says they are two distinct persons. But the Trinity Doctrine says there were three persons from eternity, so that would deter from the third person accruing at the Incarnation. The Son as combined with humanity DID NOT EXIST FROM ETERNITY in that form. But His Divine Nature existed from eternity. How the Son could divest His Holy Spirit from the personality of His humanity and still be FULLY DIVINE, is part of the mystery that no man knows.

 

If three persons existed from eternity, when the Son was combined with humanity, that would make a fourth person! But that is not the case. A third person accrued when the Son divested His Holy Spirit from His humanity because His Holy Spirit was cumbered by His humanity.

 

Did Ellen White agree with Waggoner? Nay! She said that His only begotten Son was torn from His bosom and made in the express image of His person in the context of when He was sent down to earth.

 

“The Eternal Father, the unchangeable one, gave his only begotten Son, tore from his bosom Him who was made in the express image of his person, and sent him down to earth to reveal how greatly he loved mankind." (Ellen G. White, Review & Herald 9th July 1895 ‘The Duty of the Minister and the People’).

 

The following statement is proffered by Terry Hill as proof that Ellen White agreed with Waggoner:

 

“A complete offering has been made; for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,"-- not a son by creation, as were the angels, nor a son by adoption, as is the forgiven sinner, but a Son begotten in the express image of the Father's person, and in all the brightness of his majesty and glory, one equal with God in authority, dignity, and divine perfection. In him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, 30th May 1895, ‘Christ our complete salvation’).

 

Ellen White was clear that the Son did not derive from the Father:

 

Life, Original, Unborrowed, Underived—Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. “He that hath the Son hath life.” The divinity of Christ is the believer’s assurance of eternal life.—The Desire of Ages, 530 (1898). {Ev 616.2}

 

Clearly, if Christ was sourced/generated by/from the Father at any point in time, He would have life derived from the Father. Many believe that Christ could not properly be called God’s Son if there was not some kind of sourced/generation by/from the Father. That is not necessarily so. Why? Because Jesus is also called the Everlasting Father and Jehovah in Scripture.

 

Christ’s begottenness means unique, one of a kind and that is all we can safely conclude and comprehend without incurring contradictions when applying all the weight of evidence that we have privy to at this time.

 

Official Current Seventh-day Adventism View

 

In the official Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist theology (this is the official exposition of what Seventh-day Adventists are said to believe), Fernando Canale, in summary of what he has previously said, puts it this way:

 

“There is, therefore, no ground within the biblical understanding of the Godhead for the idea of a generation of the Son from the Father.” (Fernando Canale, Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopaedia, Volume 12, page 125, ‘The doctrine of God’).

 

He also says on the same page:

 

“In the Bible, therefore, no ground is found for the idea that there is an ontological subordination of the Son to the Father or that the divine reality of the Father has in any way a primacy of origin over the divine reality of the Son”. (Ibid)

 

Terry Hill’s Comment on the above statement by Canale:

 

“Regarding whether Christ is truly the pre-existent Son of God or not, this really does sum up the current official position of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This says that He is not begotten (sourced) of the Father therefore He is not truly a son, at least not in His pre-existence.”

 

Again, men like Terry Hill, conclude that if Christ was not definitely sourced/generated by the Father at some time future to the Father’s beginning, that He (Christ) could not be a Son to the Father. Evidently, that is not true because Ellen White says Christ is not derived from the Father. Some believe that statement was not made by Ellen White, but there is no proof, and if we start conjecturing what Ellen White did and did not say, who is the final authority? This is a dangerous course and some men like Russell Unterschultz have embarked on that course.

 

Terry Hill further comments: “It must be said that this does not automatically make current Seventh-day Adventist theology wrong. It may have been that early Christianity, also early Seventh-day Adventists, also Ellen White, had it wrong concerning Christ. This is something that every individual needs to decide for him or herself. It must be determined by the weight of evidence available.”

 

Terry Hill seems liberal in his above statement, but in his study on the issue, he is very serious in stressing that he believes the Son was sourced/generated by/from the Father, and relating and applying what the early church fathers had to say on the issue of begottenness. Terry agrees with certain of the early Fathers of Christianity who taught that Christ was sourced/generated by/from the Father. Terry cites the Bishop of Alexander as saying:

 

“This unbegotten view of Christ is the same view that the Bishop of Alexander did not regard with very much esteem. He said that it was only believed by those who “have their intellects blinded.”

 

If that is true, then Ellen White’s intellect would have been blinded when she said there never was a time when Christ was not in close fellowship with the Father! And John the Revelator would have been blinded in Revelation 22:12, 23, where Jesus refers to Himself as the Alpha and Omega.

 

Ellen White had the following to say about the early church fathers whose teachings Terry Hill seems to embrace when they support his theory of “begotteness” in the sense of his belief that the Son was sourced/generated by the Father at some time future to the Father’s existence:

 

Church Fathers -- "'Search the scriptures.' This is the word which comes to us from Christ. If it had been essential for us to search the [church] Fathers, Christ would have told us so. But the Fathers do not all speak the same thing. Which of them shall we choose as a guide? There is no need for us to trust to uncertainty. We pass by the Fathers to learn of God out of His Word." E.G. White, The Upward Look, p. 52.

 

The church fathers were dead wrong on the Trinity Doctrine as regards the Godhead! So it is kind of foolish to use them as a standard of what we should believe just because of what those early “Christians” believed. This is the irony of Terry Hill’s teaching. He stresses that his “begotten” teaching is what the early Christians believed, but they were divided on this teaching as well as being errant on the Trinity Doctrine, which he loathes, and he fails to understand and teach the truth on the Godhead as does Russell Unterschultz.

 

There are Bible verses and statements by Ellen White that agree perfectly with Fernando Canale. The Son did not have to be sired by the Father in order to be the Son of God, for He is described as self-existent. The Son/Father term is used by God that man might understand the close relationship between the two. They both are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, without derivation, equal to one another in every regard. They both are of the same substance—Spirit, Holy Spirit. That is what makes them ONE GOD.

 

However, Christ’s humanity is regarded as a Son of God. So knowing from the beginning that Christ would become combined with humanity forever, it is reasonable that this is the reason Christ was referred to as God’s Son from eternity.

 

There are two prime reasons the four different heresies being taught are antichrist:

 

1.    Because the ten commandments instruct us to worship no other God than Jehovah. If Christ is not Jehovah, as well as the Father being Jehovah, then we would not worship Christ. But Scripture refers to Christ as Jehovah, and instructs us that Christ is to be worshipped. This poses a great problem to men like Russell Unterschultz, who claim that the Father is the only God and that there are not three persons to the Godhead. Ellen White mentions a heavenly trio a number of times and she designates the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in particular as three distinct personages to the Godhead.

2.    Because the heresies being taught on the Godhead and Christ’s “begottenness” totally deny Ellen White’s definition of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, as being the soul of the life of Christ, and when a third person accrued to the Godhead—at the Incarnation.

 

What is the connection between the heresy of “begottenness” and the truth on the Godhead? Ellen White says that the Holy Spirit is the soul of the life of Christ. God’s Word says that God is a Spirit and that there is ONE SPIRIT, ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. We know that much about the nature of God. That is about all we know of His nature—that He is a Spirit and that there is ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. If the soul of the life of Christ is of that nature—the ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT, then He is eternal of necessity. This is indisputable.

 

Then, it also follows, that if the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is the soul of the life of Christ, as Ellen White testifies, and the Holy Spirit is a distinct third person, as she also testifies, then our teaching on the Godhead is the only possible way Christ could be one of the three distinct persons of the Godhead, and still be the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which is the Holy Ghost of His pre-Incarnation DIVINE NATURE HOLY SPIRIT existence. We are told by Ellen White that Christ divested His Holy Spirit from the personality of His humanity at His Incarnation. Then the Holy Ghost would at that time become a third person, or Christ as combined with humanity would be the third person, but the Holy Ghost is generally recognized as the third person of the Godhead.  This differs from the Trinity Doctrine, in that such doctrine teaches that there were three persons constituting the Godhead from eternity. So that would totally ignore the eternal sacrifice made by Christ at His Incarnation—the divesting of His Holy Spirit from the personality of His humanity. Quotes on this will be forthcoming shortly in this document.

 

“The Comforter that Christ promised to send after He ascended to heaven, is the Spirit in all the fullness of the Godhead, making manifest the power of divine grace to all who receive and believe in Christ as a personal Saviour. There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ.”—Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, pp. 62, 63. (1905).     {Ev 615.1}

 

“The Pre-existent, Self-existent Son of God—Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God.... In speaking of his pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him.—The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1900. {Ev 615.2}

 

If Christ was later sourced/generated by/from the Father at some point in time, there would have been a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God.

 

He was equal with God, infinite and omnipotent.... He is the eternal, self-existent Son.”—Manuscript 101, 1897. {Ev 615.3}

 

If Ellen White says there never was a time when Christ was not in close fellowship with the eternal God, the Father, then how could anyone who believes in her gift to the church challenge such a statement?

 

From Everlasting—“While God’s Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding His pre-existence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with His Father. From everlasting He was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted Him, were to be blessed. “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God.”The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906. {Ev 615.4}

 

Christ shows them that, although they might reckon His life to be less than fifty years, yet His divine life could not be reckoned by human computation. The existence of Christ before His incarnation is not measured by figures.—The Signs of the Times, May 3, 1899. {Ev 616.1}

 

Nor is the existence of the Father measureable by human computation and/or figures.

 

Life, Original, Unborrowed, Underived—Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. “He that hath the Son hath life.” The divinity of Christ is the believer’s assurance of eternal life.—The Desire of Ages, 530 (1898). {Ev 616.2}

 

With the Father at Sinai—“When they [Israel] came to Sinai, He took occasion to refresh their minds in regard to His requirements. Christ and the Father, standing side by side upon the mount, with solemn majesty proclaimed the Ten Commandments.”—Historical Sketches, p. 231. (1866).         {Ev 616.3}

 

“The Eternal Dignitaries of the Trinity—The eternal heavenly dignitariesGod, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit—arming them [the disciples] with more than mortal energy, ... would advance with them to the work and convince the world of sin. Evangelism, p. 616.4 (EGW)

 

Was the Son eternal? Yes! Was His Holy Spirit (only) existence before His Incarnation--eternal? Yes! Was His Divinity as combined with Humanity when He was placed in the womb of Mary—eternal? Yes! No man knows how the Son could divest His past Holy Spirit only attributes from the personality of His humanity, and still be fully divine. This is the mystery part which Ellen White says we will study for eternity.

 

Note: Some may think that I do not teach three eternal dignitaries. That is not true. I teach:

 

1.          The Father and His one eternal Spirit.

2.          The Son and His one and the same eternal Spirit.

3.          The Son’s Holy Spirit as divested at His Incarnation, from the personality of His humanity--is an eternal dignitary. That same eternal Holy Spirit of the Son became a third person at His Incarnation because of the divestment of His Holy Spirit from His humanity, because His humanity cumbered the attributes of that Spirit.

 

"Cumbered with humanity Christ could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them to go to His Father and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself, divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit" E.G. White, (Manuscript Releases Volume 14 (No’s 1081-1135) MR No.1084.


Definition of Divest

 

di•vest

   [dih-vest, dahy-]   Show IPA

verb (used with object)

1.to strip of clothing, ornament, etc.: The wind divested thetrees of their leaves.

2.to strip or deprive (someone or something), especially ofproperty or rights; dispossess.

3.to rid of or free from: He divested himself of all responsibilityfor the decision.

4.Law. to take away or alienate (property, rights, etc.).

5.Commerce.

a.to sell off: to divest holdings.

b.to rid of through sale: The corporation divested itself ofits subsidiaries.

Origin: 1595–1605; < Medieval Latin dīvestīre, equivalent to dī-di-2 + vestīre to dress, vest

Related forms

un•di•vest•ed, adjective

Synonyms 1. unclothe, denude. 2. See strip1.

World English Dictionary

divest (daɪˈvɛst[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]

vb (usually foll by of)

1. 

to strip (of clothes): to divest oneself of one's coat

2. 

to deprive or dispossess

3. 

property law to take away an estate or interest in propertyvested (in a person)

[C17: changed from earlier devest]

di'vestible

adj

divestiture

n

divesture

n

di'vestment

n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
 
Cite This Source

 

Some have thought that Genesis 1:2 disproves my teaching on the Godhead. That is not true. The Holy Spirit of Christ was fully intact during the creation week and until His Incarnation, at which time, because His humanity cumbered that Spirit, He divested it from His Humanity and it became a separate and distinct third person.


 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2.

 

Christ as Jehovah

 

“Jehovah is the name given to Christ. “Behold, God is my salvation,” writes the prophet Isaiah; “I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day ye shall say, Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted.” “In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” {E.G. White, ST May 3, 1899, par. 18}.

 

Christ is called Jehovah in the Old Testament

 

No man has seen God, but Jesus appeared unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by the name of Jehovah:

 

2. "Jehovah is the name given to Christ. 'Behold, God is my salvation,' writes the prophet Isaiah 'I will trust, and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song He also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day ye shall say, Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted.' 'In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: we have a strong city salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." E.G. White, The Signs of the Times, May 3, 1899, p. 2. SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7a, p. 439.

 

Jehovah-- Exd 6:3 http:www.blueletterbible.orgkjvExdExd006.html

 

“And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”

It goes without saying that I don’t agree with the Trinity Doctrine as mentioned in the following linked article, but I do agree with what the person says about the begottenness of the Son of God.

 


 

Question: "What does it mean that Jesus is God's only begotten son?"

http://www.gotquestions.org/only-begotten-son.html

Answer: The phrase “only begotten Son” occurs in John 3:16, which reads in the King James Version as, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The phrase "only begotten" translates the Greek word monogenes. This word is variously translated into English as "only," "one and only," and "only begotten."

It's this last phrase ("only begotten" used in the KJV, NASB and the NKJV) that causes problems.
False teachers have latched onto this phrase to try to prove their false teaching that Jesus Christ isn't God; i.e., that Jesus isn't equal in essence to God as the Second Person of the Trinity. They see the word "begotten" and say that Jesus is a created being because only someone who had a beginning in time can be "begotten." What this fails to note is that "begotten" is an English translation of a Greek word. As such, we have to look at the original meaning of the Greek word, not transfer English meanings into the text.

So what does monogenes mean? According to the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BAGD, 3rd Edition), monogenes has two primary definitions.
The first definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind within a specific relationship." This is the meaning attached to its use in Hebrews 11:17 when the writer refers to Isaac as Abraham's "only begotten son." Abraham had more than one son, but Isaac was the only son he had by Sarah and the only son of the covenant.

The second definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind or class, unique in kind." This is the meaning that is implied in John 3:16. In fact, John is the only New Testament writer who uses this word in reference to Jesus (see John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). John was primarily concerned with demonstrating that Jesus was the Son of God (John 20:31), and he uses this word to highlight Jesus as uniquely God's Son—sharing the same divine nature as God—as opposed to believers who are God's sons and daughters through faith.

The bottom line is that terms such as "Father" and "Son," that are descriptive of God and Jesus, are human terms used to help us understand the relationship between the different Persons of the Trinity
[The heavenly Trio as Ellen White teaches it--rb]. If you can understand the relationship between a human father and a human son, then you can understand, in part, the relationship between the First and Second Persons of the Trinity [Trio--rb]. The analogy breaks down if you try to take it too far and teach, as some Christian cults (such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses), that Jesus was literally "begotten" as in “produced” or “created” by God the Father. End of linked article.

The Ten Commandments and Worship--Bible Evidence of Christ Being Worshipped

God’s commands instruct us to worship ONE GOD. If Jesus is not God, He should never have been worshipped. But He is very God in the highest sense says Ellen White and Scripture.

Christ was the object of unreproved worship even when a babe, by the wise men who came to see the new-born King. Matt. 2:2-11. Even the angels delighted to do Him honor:

 

"When He bringeth the first-begotten into the world, He saith, "And let all the angels of God worship Him." Heb. 1:6.

 

Christ never reproved any one for acts of worship offered to Himself, but when Cornelius offered such service to Peter--the leading apostle-- "he took him up, saying, stand up; I myself also am a man." Had Christ not been more than a man the same reason would have prevented Him from receiving worship.

 

God’s Word says that every knee should bow at the name of Jesus and confess that Jesus is Lord. That is worship!

 

8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 

9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

 

10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

 

11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:8-12.

 

Jesus said He thought it not robbery to be equal to the Father. Equal is equal! If the Father is to be worshipped. Then Jesus must equally be worshipped if He is indeed equal as He said He is. And if the Holy Spirit is the soul of His life, as Ellen White states, when we worship Jesus, we automatically worship the Holy Spirit.

 

 "The priests and elders of Jerusalem were not as ignorant concerning the birth of Christ as they pretended. The report of the angels’ visit to the shepherds had been brought to Jerusalem, but the rabbis had treated it as unworthy of their notice. They themselves might have found Jesus, and might have been ready to lead the magi to His birthplace; but instead of this, the wise men came to call their attention to the birth of the Messiah. “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” they said; “for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him.” {DA 62.4}

 

Jesus did not rebuke the men afflicted with unclean spirits that fell at His feet to worship Him:

 

“With authority He bade the unclean spirits come out of them. His words penetrated the darkened minds of the unfortunate men. They realized dimly that One was near who could save them from the tormenting demons. They fell at the Saviour’s feet to worship Him; but when their lips were opened to entreat His mercy, the demons spoke through them, crying vehemently, “What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God most high? I beseech Thee, torment me not.” {DA 337.3}

 

“Jesus asked, ‘What is thy name?’And the answer was, “My name is Legion: for we are many.” Using the afflicted men as mediums of communication, they besought Jesus not to send them out of the country. Upon a mountainside not far distant a great herd of swine was feeding. Into these the demons asked to be allowed to enter, and Jesus suffered them. Immediately a panic seized the herd. They rushed madly down the cliff, and, unable to check themselves upon the shore, plunged into the lake, and perished.” {DA 338.1}

 

The blind man cast himself at the Saviour’s feet in worship. If that was wrong, Jesus would have been remiss in not correcting this “idolatry” of bowing to other than God the Father.

 

“To the Saviour’s question, the blind man replied by asking, “Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?” And Jesus said, “Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee.” The man cast himself at the Saviour’s feet in worship. Christ had been revealed to his soul, and he received Him as the Sent of God.” {HLv 321.6}

 

The family of Adam cast their crowns at the Saviour’s feet and bowed in adoration (worship):

 

“The Saviour leads him to the tree of life and bids him eat. He beholds a multitude of his family redeemed. Then he casts his crown at the feet of  Jesus and embraces the Redeemer. He touches the harp, and the vaults of  heaven echo the triumphant song: “Worthy, worthy, is the Lamb that was  slain.” Revelation 5:12. The family of Adam cast their crowns at the 

Saviour’s feet as they bow in adoration. Angels wept at the fall of Adam and rejoiced when Jesus opened the grave for all who should believe on His name. Now they behold the work of redemption accomplished and unite their voices in praise.” {HF 392.2}

 

Jesus as Jehovah

 

Deuteronomy 6:4 states “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” The first of the ten commandments stated at Exodus 20:2-3:

 

"I am Jehovah your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves. You must not have any other gods against my face."

 

Ellen White says it was Christ who brought the Israelites out of Egypt:

 

“In all these revelations of the divine presence the glory of God was manifested through Christ. Not alone at the Saviour’s advent, but through all the ages after the Fall and the promise of redemption, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:19. Christ was the foundation and center of the sacrificial system in both the patriarchal and the Jewish age. Since the sin of our first parents there has been no direct communication between God and man. The Father has given the world into the hands of Christ, that through His mediatorial work He may redeem man and vindicate the authority and holiness of the law of God. All the communion between heaven and the fallen race has been through Christ. It was the Son of God that gave to our first parents the promise of redemption. It was He who revealed Himself to the patriarchs. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses understood the gospel. They looked for salvation through man’s Substitute and Surety. These holy men of old held communion with the Saviour who was to come to our world in human flesh; and some of them talked with Christ and heavenly angels face to face.” {PP 366.1}

 

“Christ was not only the leader of the Hebrews in the wilderness—the Angel in whom was the name of Jehovah, and who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, went before the host—but it was He who gave the law to Israel.  Amid the awful glory of Sinai, Christ declared in the hearing of all the people the ten precepts of His Father’s law. It was He who gave to Moses the law engraved upon the tables of stone.” {PP 366.2}

 

Only one equal to God could atone for any breach in that Law. In volunteering to become Incarnate and dying for man’s sin, this very act testifies that Jesus was equal to the Father as God. If Jesus was not equal to the Father, there has been no atonement, no pardoning act for sin; no redemption of man. So when men like Russell Unterschultz say that only God the Father is God and only He should be worshipped as God, that is antiChrist and antiGod, and thus sweeps away the entire Christian economy. Russell’s teaching renders the Sanctuary and the Atonement GONE (INVALID), just like Kellogg’s error in the Alpha of apostasy did. Now in the Omega, we have men like Russell Unterschultz and Terry Hill doing the same thing. Should their names be mentioned? Should Ellen White have mentioned Kellogg’s name that we might beware?

 

“It was Christ that spoke to His people through the prophets. The apostle Peter, writing to the Christian church, says that the prophets “prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.” 1 Peter 1:10, 11. It is the voice of Christ that speaks to us through the Old Testament. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10. {PP 366.3}

 

“In His teachings while personally among men Jesus directed the minds of the people to the Old Testament. He said to the Jews, “Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of Me.” John 5:39, R.V. At this time the books of the Old Testament were the only part of the Bible in existence. Again the Son of God declared, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” And He added, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:29, 31. {PP 367.1}

 

“The ceremonial law was given by Christ. Even after it was no longer to be observed, Paul presented it before the Jews in its true position and value, showing its place in the plan of redemption and its relation to the work of Christ; and the great apostle pronounces this law glorious, worthy of its divine Originator. The solemn service of the sanctuary typified the grand truths that were to be revealed through successive generations. The cloud of incense ascending with the prayers of Israel represents His righteousness that alone can make the sinner’s prayer acceptable to God; the bleeding victim on the altar of sacrifice testified of a Redeemer to come; and from the holy of holies the visible token of the divine Presence shone forth. Thus through age after age of darkness and apostasy faith was kept alive in the hearts of men until the time came for the advent of the promised Messiah. {PP 367.2}

 

“Jesus was the light of His people—the Light of the world—before He came to earth in the form of humanity. The first gleam of light that pierced the gloom in which sin had wrapped the world, came from Christ. And from Him has come every ray of heaven’s brightness that has fallen upon the inhabitants of the earth. In the plan of redemption Christ is the Alpha and the Omega—the First and the Last.” {PP 367.3}

 

Father and Son Gave the Law at Sinai

 

The ten-commandment law is referred to as the Law of God. Both Jesus and the Father gave the law at Mt. Sinai. They are both ONE GOD, for they share the same ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT, that constitutes God.

 

Father and Son gave law at Mt. Sinai:

 

"In union with the Father, Christ proclaimed the law amid the thunders of Sinai..." E.G. White, The Signs of the Times, 11-12-94, pr. 07.

 

Now we know how she knew this--by the following verses:

 

"Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. And they saw THE GOD OF ISRAEL: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness." Exodus 24:9, 10.

 

“Christ and the Father, standing side by side upon the mount, with solemn majesty proclaimed the Ten Commandments..." E.G. White, Evangelism, p. 616.

 

"The most fatal delusion of the Christian world in this generation is, that in pouring contempt on the law of God they think they are exalting Christ. What a position! It was Christ who spoke the law from Sinai. It was Christ who gave the law to Moses, engraven on tables of stone. It was his Father's law; and Christ says, "I and my Father are one." The Pharisees held the reverse of the modern position, but were in just as great an error. They rejected Christ, but exalted the law. And it makes little difference which position is taken, so long as we ignore the true one,--that faith in Christ must be accompanied by obedience to the law of God." {ST, September 4, 1884 par. 13}

 

Ellen White further contributes to this matter by testifying that both the Father and the Son were on Mt. Sinai giving the Law. She is right because Moses spoke face to face with the Son, but only saw the backside of the Father.

 

Deu 5:4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,

 

Read Deu. 5:1-4, to see that THE LORD OUR GOD made a covenant with us in Horeb, where is Mt. Sinai. Verse 3 says: “The Lord our God made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.” Verse 4: “The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire.” Verse 6 says: “I am the Lord THY GOD, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

 

Ellen White says it was Christ who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.

 

Here Jesus is called LORD and GOD. Yes, God the Father was IN CHRIST, reconciling the world to Himself, but it was not the Father who died. The Son died as the Testator of that Covenant. Therefore, if Christ was not equal to God the Father in the Old Testament pre-Incarnation phase of His Being, then there has been no ratified Covenant--no Atonement, no heavenly Sanctuary sacrifice at the Incarnation—No death of the Testator TO ANYTHING—

 who was the Son before His Incarnation. In other words, some form of God as Testator had to die to something forever, to pay the wages of our sin which is eternal death. The Testator met the prescribed limit of a sacrifice as Testator before the cross. That prescribed limit was death of the Testator in some form before the cross. This was achieved when Christ divested His Holy Spirit from the personality of His humanity at the Incarnation heavenly Sanctuary part of the Atonement.

 

Addendum by rwb

It is interesting to note the definition of begotten in the following text as compared to John 3:16.

“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” 1 John 5:18

Definition of Begotten in the above verse: What would the definition “of God making His son” have to do with us being born of God?

http://bible.worthwhile.com/bible.php?b=1john&c=5&v=0&d=5&w=0

Number 1080

Transliteration:

gennao {ghen-nah'-o}

Word Origin:

from a variation of 1085

TDNT:

1:665,114

Part of Speech:

verb

Usage in the KJV:

begat 49, be born 39, bear 2, gender 2, bring forth 1, be delivered 1, misc 3

Total: 97

Definition:

1.           of men who fathered children

A.           to be born

B.           to be begotten

a.           of women giving birth to children

2.           metaph.

A.           to engender, cause to arise, excite

B.           in a Jewish sense, of one who brings others over to his way of life, to convert someone

C.           of God making Christ his son

D.          of God making men his sons through faith in Christ's work

TDNT - Theological Dictionary of the New Testament 
TWOT - Theological Word Book of the Old Testament

 

Now let’s do the same with John 3:16, to find that begotten means “single of its kind, only”


For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

 

http://bible.worthwhile.com/bible.php?b=john&c=3&v=0&d=3&w=0

 

Number 3439

Transliteration:

monogenes {mon-og-en-ace'}

Word Origin:

from 3441 and 1096

TDNT:

4:737,606

Part of Speech:

adjective

Usage in the KJV:

only begotten 6, only 2, only child 1

Total: 9

Definition:

1.           single of its kind, only

A.           used of only sons or daughters (viewed in relation to their parents)

B.           used of Christ, denotes the only begotten son of God

TDNT - Theological Dictionary of the New Testament 
TWOT - Theological Word Book of the Old Testament


What Teachers of the False Concept of Christ Being Begotten Future in Time to the Father, Cannot Address

 

I have never seen a teacher of the false concept of “Christ being begotten,” who was able to satisfactorily explain the following Bible texts when Revelation 22:12, 13 is factored in. I asked Terry Hill and Russell Unterschultz to reconcile their teachings with these verses and I have never received a satisfactory answer from either of them that answers Revelation 22:12, 13.

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

 

I understand that it is Jesus who is to come. So Jesus is speaking these words in Revelation.

 

Rev 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Let’s look at the context of the last two references (above) in Revelation:

First, Revelation 21:6:

Revelation 21

 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

It was Jesus who spoke these words.

 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

 26And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Second, Revelation 22:13:

Revelation 22

King James Version (KJV)

Revelation 22

 1And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

 4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

 5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

 6And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

 7Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Jesus is the one of is to come quickly. So it is Jesus who is speaking.

 8And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

 9Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

 10And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

 11He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

 12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

 13I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

 14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

 15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

 16I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

This leaves no doubt who is speaking through the angel.

 17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

 18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

 20He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

 21The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

Christ as God in the Highest Sense

 

Is it possible that if Christ was/is God in the highest sense, that the Father is a higher God?

 

“Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore.” {RH, April 5, 1906 par. 6}


“The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God,
existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father.” {RH, April 5, 1906 par. 7}

 

Throughout the entirety of her writings, Ellen White maintained that Christ was God essentially. Never once did she waver from this view.

 

In such statements through the spirit of prophecy Seventh-day Adventists were told the following about Christ:

 

“This Saviour was the brightness of His Father's glory and the express image of His person. He possessed divine majesty, perfection, and excellence. He was equal with God. "It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell." "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Ellen G. White, Testimonies Volume 2 page 200, ‘The sufferings of Christ’).

 

“The Eternal Father, the unchangeable one, gave his only begotten Son, tore from his bosom Him who was made in the express image of his person, and sent him down to earth to reveal how greatly he lovedmankind." (Ellen G. White, Review & Herald 9th July 1895 ‘Te Duty of the Minister and the People’).

 

“When in the fullness of time the Son of the infinite God came forth from the bosom of the Father to this world, He came in the garb of humanity, clothing His divinity with humanity.” (Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, 17th May 1905, ‘A teacher sent from God’).

 

“But while God's Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding his pre-existence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with his Father.” (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, 5th April 1906, ‘The Word made flesh’)

 

The above statements depict when Christ was “made,” in the express image of the Father, and came forth from the bosom of the Father to this world. In was indeed when He came to this world! That is clear as crystal! It was at His Incarnation when He was sent down to earth. He was at that time torn from the bosom of the Father, meaning that He experienced a separation from the estate of being Divine Holy Spirit only, to be combined with humanity forever. This is the only way one can interpret this matter without making the following statement contradictory:

 

 12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

 

 13I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Revelation 22:12. 13.

 

Here Jesus is speaking. He is the one who will come quickly. He says He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

 

The Son and the Father as Brought Up Together

 

The following data supports the eternal twin duplication concept as regards the Father and Son being the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. They were as brought up together. That is why and how they are both Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. Knowing the end from the beginning, God certainly knew that man would sin and His Son was the proviso cure for sin from everlasting. He was not just an afterthought when sin occurred!

 

Through Solomon Christ declared: "The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. . . . When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment when He appointed the foundations of the earth then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him." Proverbs 8:22-30.

 

John 8:42 is often linked with Proverbs 8:22-30 in an attempt to prove that the “brought forth” of Proverbs is the same as the “proceedeth forth” in John 8:42. However, the latter obviously refers to Christ being sent to this earth.


42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded Forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. John 8:42.

 

When man can interpret Proverbs 8:22-30 so that it does not contradict Revelation 22:12, 13, he will properly interpret Proverbs 8. But it does not stop there! There are many Bible and Spirit of Prophecy proofs of Christ’s existence from eternity and they are documented herein.

 

If the Father and Son were both the Alpha and Omega, as brought up with one another, we cannot reasonably interpret by assumption that the Son was brought forth some time future to the Father. Being brought forth from everlasting, from the beginning—as one brought up with the Father, gives no man sanction to interpret the description “begotten” as the Son being sourced or generated by the Father, at some time future to the Father’s existence. Both were everlasting and from the beginning.

 

"Before Abraham was, I am."Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God. The message He gave to Moses to give to the children of Israel was, "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." The prophet Micah writes of Him, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, tho thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of Thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." {ST, August 29, 1900 par. 13}.

 

Ellen White also said in 1877

 

The Son of God was in the form of God, and he thought it not robbery to be equal with God. He was the only one, who as a man walked the earth, who could say to all men, Who of you convinceth me of sin? He had united with the Father in the creation of man, and he had power through his own divine perfection of character to atone for man's sin, and to elevate him, and bring him back to his first estate.” (Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2 page 10, ‘The first advent of Christ’, 1877).

 

There are false teachers amongst professing Seventh-day Adventists who are antichrist in robbing Christ of being equal with God by teaching that Christ came into existence (was brought forth) at some time future to the Father. That totally contradicts Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy. These men are interpreting in a way that makes both the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy contradict. Never in one case do such false teachers teach the correct teaching on the Godhead as regards the Holy Spirit being the soul of the life of Christ, and how that could be so while both are two distinct persons!

Men like Russell Unterschultz are teaching that God the Father is the only God and that Jesus is not equal with Him. Terry Hill teaches the antichrist concept on the Holy Spirit, and that Jesus was begotten at some point in time future to the Father’s existence. He interprets “begotten” in an antichrist sense that disagrees with Ellen White and Jesus’ own words in Revelation 22:12, 13, referring to Himself as the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. Ellen White does speak of Christ being begotten and made in the express image of the Father, but that does not mean that He was created or generated by the Father, because other Ellen White statements would contradict either of those conclusions, to wit:

 

“Life, Original, Unborrowed, Underived—Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. “He that hath the Son hath life.” The divinity of Christ is the believer’s assurance of eternal life.”—The Desire of Ages, 530 (1898). {Ev 616.2}

 

If the Father “made” or begot the Son at some future time, future to the Father’s existence, then how would Christ have life original, unborrowed and/or underived?

 

“The Eternal Father, the unchangeable one, gave his only begotten Son, tore from his bosom Him who was made in the express image of his person, and sent him down to earth to reveal how greatly he loved mankind." (Ellen G. White, Review & Herald 9th July 1895 ‘The Duty of the Minister and the People’).

 

The above statement seems to imply that the Son was torn from His Divine Only relationship with the Father at His Incarnation, at which time the Son was “made” in the express image of His (The Father’s person) and sent down to earth to reveal how greatly the Father loved mankind. This seems to be the only interpretation that is not fraught with contradictions. At the Incarnation, a body was certainly “made” for the Son. In that sense, He was then begotten from the bosom of the Father forever, because of being combined with humanity forever. The Son would never again be DIVINE ONLY.

 

In volume three of the Spirit of Prophecy Ellen White wrote (1878):

 

“The Jews utterly failed to understand the spiritual connection which identified Christ with both the human and the divine, and gave fallen man a presentation of what he should strive to become. Christ was God in the flesh. As the son of David, he stood forth a perfect type of true manhood, bold in doing his duty, and of the strictest integrity, yet full of love, compassion, and tender sympathy. In his miracles he revealed himself as Lord. When he was asked by Philip to show him the Father, he answered, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father.” (Ellen G. White, Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 3 page 259, 1878, ‘Ascension of Christ’)

 

In 1893 in the Signs of the Times the same author said:

 

“The Redeemer of the world clothed his divinity with humanity, that he might reach humanity; for, in order to bring to the world salvation, it was necessary that humanity and divinity should be united. Divinity needed humanity, that humanity might afford a channel of communication between God and man, and humanity needed divinity, that a power from above might restore man to the likeness of God. Christ was God, but he did not appear as God. He veiled the tokens of divinity, which had commanded the homage of angels and called forth the adoration of the universe of God. He made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. For our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.” (Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, 20th February 1893, ‘The plan of salvation’).

 

In 1906 Ellen White wrote

 

“The world was made by him, "and without him was not anything made that was made." If Christ made all things, he existed before all things. The words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore.” (Ellen White, Review and Herald, 5th April 1906, ‘The Word made flesh’)

 

This was indeed the faith of early Seventh-day Adventists. This faith was that Christ is no one less than God Himself in the person of His own Son. We shall now take a look at the latter from the viewpoint of the writings of Ellen White. This will serve to further endorse the begotten theology.

 

God in the person of His Son

 

Many statements of Ellen White can be found expressing the view that Christ was God Himself in the person of His Son, such as:

 

“We are called upon to behold the Lord our Father in the person of his Son. Christ came in the robe of the flesh, with his glory subdued in humanity, that lost man might communicate with him and live. Through Christ we may comprehend something of him who is glorious in holiness. Jesus is the mystic ladder by which we may mount to behold the glory of the infinite God. By faith we behold Christ standing between humanity and divinity, connecting God and man, and earth and heaven.” (Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, 20th January 1890, ‘God made manifest in Christ’).

 

The “Lord our Father” is obviously God our Father in the person of Jesus, His Son.

In a General Conference Bulletin in 1899 Ellen White said:

 

In the person of his only begotten Son, the God of heaven has condescended to stoop to our human nature. The Father in heaven has a voice and a person which Christ expressed.” (Ellen G. White, General Conference Daily Bulletin. 6th March 1899, ‘Special Testimonies’)

 

Who did Ellen White say had condescended to take human nature? It was God Himself - in the person of His own Son.

 

In The Review and Herald of 1898 and 1904 Ellen White wrote:

 

In the person of his only begotten Son, the God of heaven has condescended to stoop to our human nature. To the question of Thomas, Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, 8th November 1898, ‘The revelation of God’, see also Review and Herald 17th March 1904.

 

In Desire of Ages  the same thought comes out even more clearly:

 

God has adopted human nature in the person of His Son, and has carried the same into the highest heaven. It is the "Son of man" who shares the throne of the universe. It is the "Son of man" whose name shall be called, "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isa. 9:6. The I Am is the Daysman between God and humanity, laying His hand upon both. He who is "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," is not ashamed to call us brethren. Heb. 7:26; 2:11.” (Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, page 25, ‘God with us’).

 

“What an ocean of love is circulating, like a divine atmosphere, around the world! What manner of love is this, that the eternal God should adopt human nature in the person of his Son, and carry the same into the highest heaven!” (Ellen G. White, Youth’s Instructor, 29th July 1897, ‘The gift of God’s grace).

 

These statements and others like them can only be fully understood in a ‘begotten Christ’ concept as that term is defined at the beginning of this document. To view them any other way they do not make sense. To view Christ as begotten in the sense of being brought forth at a time future to the Father, would contradict Christ’s own words that He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.

 

Praise the Lord – Praise is Worship – Worship the Lord -- There is ONE LORD

 

The Lord our God is one Lord:

 

Deu 6:4       Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD:

Zec 14:9     And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

1Cr 8:6       But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.

Eph 4:5       One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

 

Worship the Lord

 

1Sa 15:25   Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.

1Sa 15:30   Then he said, I have sinned: [yet] honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.

1Ch 16:29  Give unto the LORD the glory [due] unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Psa 29:2      Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Psa 96:9      O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Isa 27:13     And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

 

Note: We all know who will officiate at the Holy Mount at Jerusalem.

 

Jer 7:2         Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all [ye of] Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.

Mat 4:10     Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Luk 4:8       And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

 

Praise the Lord

 

Rom 15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

Psa 146:2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Psa 147:12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

Psa 148:7 Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

Psa 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Isa 12:4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

Isa 62:9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.

Jer 33:11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD [is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: [and] of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

 

Examining the Position of Russell Unterschultz

 

At this link http://maranathamedia.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=778%3Athe-holy-spirit-the-third-person-of-the-godhead&catid=64%3Amyblog&Itemid=110 Russell says:

 

“Three Persons in the Godhead appears one time only in all her writings, but this is a supplied title by the publishers of the S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 7A. It should be noted that this volume was first published in 1970 and Sister White was not the author of this title.”

 

Full honesty in practice would recall the number of times Ellen White refers to three persons as part of the Godhead, to wit:

 

Three Persons in the Godhead by Ellen White

 

There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ.—Evangelism, 615. {7ABC 441.9}

 

“The Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gave themselves to the working out of the plan of redemption.”—Counsels on Health, 222.         {7ABC 442.1}

 

Keep in mind that Ellen White says that the Holy Spirit is the soul of the life of Christ. Find the quote in this document.

 

“Those who proclaim the third angel’s message must put on the whole armor of God, that they may stand boldly at their post, in the face of detraction and falsehood, fighting the good fight of faith, resisting the enemy with the word, “It is written.” Keep yourselves where the three great powers of heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, can be your efficiency. These powers work with the one who gives himself unreservedly to God. The strength of heaven is at the command of God’s believing ones. The man who takes God as his trust is barricaded by an impregnable wall.”—The Southern Watchman, February 23, 1904, p. 122.         {7ABC 442.2}

 

“Our sanctification is the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is the fulfilment of the covenant that God has made with those who bind themselves up with Him, to stand with Him, with His Son, and with His Spirit in holy fellowship. Have you been born again? Have you become a new being in Christ Jesus? Then co-operate with the three great powers of heaven who are working in your behalf. Doing this you will reveal to the world the principles of righteousness.—The Signs of the Times, June 19, 1901.   {7ABC 442.3}

 

“The eternal heavenly dignitaries—God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit—arming them [the disciples] with more than mortal energy, ... would advance with them to the work and convince the world of sin.—Evangelism, 616. {7ABC 442.4}

 

“We are to co-operate with the three highest powers in heaven,—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,—and these powers will work through us, making us workers together with God.—Evangelism, 617. {7ABC 442.5}

 

“Those who are baptized in the threefold name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, at the very entrance of their Christian life declare publicly that they have forsaken the service of Satan and have become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King.”—Testimonies for the Church 6:91. {7ABC 442.6}

 

“There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ.”—Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, pp. 62, 63. (1905).       {Ev 615.1}

 

Russell Unterschultz says the Holy Spirit is not a person. See the following quote by him at this link: http://maranathamedia.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=778%3Athe-holy-spirit-the-third-person-of-the-godhead&catid=64%3Amyblog&Itemid=110


“(2) Next note that when God's people pray “My Father, give us Thy Spirit” Jesus then breathes upon them the Holy Ghost. It is the Father’s Spirit that Jesus breathes. The fact that the Holy Ghost is breathed by Jesus shows that it is not a Being like the Father and His Son.” Russell Unterschultz, The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead.

 

Ellen White says that the Holy Spirit is as the personal presence of Christ:

 

"The work of the Holy Spirit is immeasurably great. It is from this source that power and efficiency come to the worker for God and the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, as the personal presence of Christ to the soul." (HM, Nov 1 1893)

 

Ellen White said that the Holy Spirit is the soul of the life of Christ. She says Christ sends HIS SPIRIT, not the Father’s! She says the gift of Christ’s Spirit is the highest good, crowning gift that heaven can bestow. She says Christ has given HIS SPIRIT as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress his own character upon the church, to wit:

 

"Christ declared that after his ascension, he would send to his church, as his crowning gift, the Comforter, who was to take his place. This Comforter is the Holy Spirit,--the soul of his life, the efficacy of his church, the light and life of the world. With his Spirit Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power that takes away sin.

In the gift of the Spirit, Jesus gave to man the highest good that heaven could bestow....

The Spirit was given as a regenerating agency, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail....

It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given his Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress his own character upon the church." E.G. White, Review and Herald Articles, May 19, 1904, vol. 5, p. 42.

 

In attributing the Holy Spirit to be the Father, Russell Unterschultz totally undermines the highest good, crowning sacrificial gift heaven can bestow and thus sweeps away the entire Christian economy by denying the Sanctuary/Atonement sacrifice that made Christ’s Holy Spirit available as a bequeathed gift to man.

 

“In the first chapter of Second Peter is presented the progressive work in the Christian life. The whole chapter is a lesson of deep importance. If man, in acquiring the Christian graces, works on the plan of addition, God has pledged Himself to work in his behalf upon the plan of multiplication. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” The work is laid out before every soul that has acknowledged his faith in Jesus Christ by baptism, and has become a receiver of the pledge from the three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Manuscript 57, 1900).    {6BC 1074.9}

 

"The work of the Holy Spirit is immeasurably great. It is from this source that power and efficiency come to the worker for God and the holy Spirit is the Comforter, as the personal presence of Christ to the soul." (HM, Nov 1 1893).

 

More on the Three Persons to the Godhead

 

"The prejudice of the Jews was aroused because the disciples of Jesus did not use the exact words of John in the rite of baptism. John baptized unto repentance, but the disciples of Jesus, on profession of the faith, baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The teachings of John were in perfect harmony with those of Jesus, yet his disciples became jealous for fear his influence was diminishing. A dissension arose between them and the disciples of Jesus in regard to the form of words proper to use at baptism, and finally as to the right of the latter to baptize at all." {2SP 136.3}

 

“The Comforter that Christ promised to send after He ascended to heaven, is the Spirit in all the fullness of the Godhead, making manifest the power of divine grace to all who receive and believe in Christ as a personal Saviour. There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ.—Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, pp. 62, 63. (1905).     {Ev 615.1}

 

Terry Hill and Russell Unterschultz teach that there was a time when Christ was not in fellowship with the eternal God, nor even yet brought forth.

 

“The Pre-existent, Self-existent Son of God—Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God.... In speaking of his pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him.—The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1900. {Ev 615.2}

 

He was equal with God, infinite and omnipotent.... He is the eternal, self-existent Son.—Manuscript 101, 1897. {Ev 615.3}

 

“From Everlasting—While God’s Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding His pre-existence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with His Father. From everlasting He was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted Him, were to be blessed. “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God.”—The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906. {Ev 615.4}

 

“Christ shows them that, although they might reckon His life to be less than fifty years, yet His divine life could not be reckoned by human computation. The existence of Christ before His incarnation is not measured by figures.”—The Signs of the Times, May 3, 1899.      {Ev 616.1}

 

Christ’s Divine life is the Holy Ghost, His Holy Spirit. How long has the ONE ETERNAL HOLY SPIRIT existed? From eternity! There is ONE SPIRIT, says Scripture and that God is a Spirit.

 

“Life, Original, Unborrowed, Underived—Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. “He that hath the Son hath life.” The divinity of Christ is the believer’s assurance of eternal life.”—The Desire of Ages, 530 (1898).         {Ev 616.2}

 

If the Father generated the Son, the son would not have life original, unborrowed and underived.

 

“With the Father at Sinai—When they [Israel] came to Sinai, He took occasion to refresh their minds in regard to His requirements. Christ and the Father, standing side by side upon the mount, with solemn majesty proclaimed the Ten Commandments.—Historical Sketches, p. 231. (1866).

 

The Eternal Dignitaries of the Trinity—“The eternal heavenly dignitaries—God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit—arming them [the disciples] with more than mortal energy, ... would advance with them to the work and convince the world of sin. {Ev 616.3} Evangelism, p. 616.4 (EGW)

 

In the above statement the words “The Eternal Dignitaries of the Trinity” were supplied by the editors. Ellen White never ONCE used the word trinity lest she be identified with the heretical teachings of that Roman doctrine.

 

Russell Unterschultz on the Deity of Christ

 

Ellen White says the Holy Spirit is the soul of the life of Christ. Russell Unterschultz says that the Holy Spirit is the Father’s Spirit sent to us. So when Russell denies that the Holy Spirit is the soul of the life of Christ, he also denies the essence, the substance of Christ. He also denies the equality of the Son with the Father. If they are of ONE SUBSTANCE, SPIRIT, HOLY SPIRIT, to deny any part of that Spirit is to deny all parts of it and there could be no greater antiGod, antiChrist teaching in the universe.

 

“The Jews had never before heard such words from human lips, and a convicting influence attended them; for it seemed that divinity flashed through humanity as Jesus said, “I and My Father are One.” The words of Christ were full of deep meaning as He put forth the claim that He and the Father were of one substance, possessing the same attributes.”—The Signs of the Times, November 27, 1893, p. 54. {7ABC 437.3}

 

The Bible says that God is a Spirit. It says there is ONE SPIRIT. If the Holy Spirit is the soul of the life of Christ, He and the Father are of the same ONE substance, and that is what makes them ONE GOD. If the Son was of that ONE and the same substance/SPIRIT before His Incarnation, then He was eternal because that ONE SPIRIT WAS ETERNAL, to wit:

 

Hbr 9:14     How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

Ellen White on the Deity and Nature of Christ

 

“Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was One with the eternal Father,—one in nature, in character, in purpose,—the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. ‘His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6). His ‘goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting’” (Micah 5:2).—Patriarchs and Prophets, 34. {7ABC 437.2}

 

“The Jews had never before heard such words from human lips, and a convicting influence attended them; for it seemed that divinity flashed through humanity as Jesus said, “I and My Father are One.” The words of Christ were full of deep meaning as He put forth the claim that He and the Father were of one substance, possessing the same attributes.”—The Signs of the Times, November 27, 1893, p. 54. {7ABC 437.3}

 

“Yet the Son of God was the acknowledged Sovereign of heaven, one in power and authority with the Father.”The Great Controversy, 495. {7ABC 437.4}

 

“To save the transgressor of God’s law, Christ, the One equal with the Father, came to live heaven before men, that they might learn to know what it is to have heaven in the heart. He illustrated what man must be to be worthy of the precious boon of the life that measures with the life of God.”—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 179.   {7ABC 437.5}

 

“The only way in which the fallen race could be restored was through the gift of His Son, equal with himself, possessing the attributes of God. Though so highly exalted, Christ consented to assume human nature, that He might work in behalf of man and reconcile to God His disloyal subject. When man rebelled, Christ pleaded His merits in his behalf, and became man’s substitute and surety. He undertook to combat the powers of darkness in man’s behalf, and He prevailed, conquering the enemy of our souls, and presenting to man the cup of salvation.—The Review and Herald, November 8, 1892, p. 690. {7ABC 437.6}

 

“The world was made by Him, “and without Him was not anything made that was made.” If Christ made all things, He existed before all things. The words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore....” E.G. White, {7ABC 438.1}

 

“There are light and glory in the truth that Christ was one with the Father before the foundation of the world was laid. This is the light shining in a dark place, making it resplendent with divine, original glory. This truth, infinitely mysterious in itself, explains other mysterious and otherwise unexplainable truths, while it is enshrined in light, unapproachable and incomprehensible.” —The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906, p. 8. {7ABC 438.2} S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 7A, p. 438.3 (EGW)

 

The Angels Worshipped Christ

 

“The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son, and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father’s throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both....

The angels joyfully acknowledged the supremacy of Christ, and prostrating themselves before Him, poured out their love and adoration. Lucifer bowed with them, but in his heart there was a strange, fierce conflict. Truth, justice, and loyalty were struggling against envy and jealousy.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, 36.       {7ABC 438.3}

 

I directly quote Russell Unterschultz below. I am speaking of what Russell is saying in the statement below and no other statement.


“(2) Next note that when God's people pray “My Father, give us Thy Spirit” Jesus then breathes upon them the Holy Ghost. It is the Father’s Spirit that Jesus breathes. The fact that the Holy Ghost is breathed by Jesus shows that it is not a Being like the Father and His Son.” Russell Unterschultz, The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead.

 

Russell states:

 

·       "It is the Father's Spirit that Jesus breathes."

·       "The fact that the Holy Ghost is breathed by Jesus shows that it is NOT A BEING LIKE THE FATHER AND HIS SON.

·       Russell says that the Holy Ghost breathed by Jesus is not a Being like the Father and His Son. Ellen White says that the Holy Spirit is a distinct person.

·       Personality of the Holy Spirit—"We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds."—Manuscript 66, 1899 (From a talk to the students at the Avondale School.). {Ev 616.5}

"The Holy Spirit is a person, for He beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. When this witness is borne, it carries with it its own evidence. At such times we believe and are sure that we are the children of God...." {Ev 616.6}

 

"The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God. “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”—Manuscript 20, 1906. {Ev 617.1}

 

§  The Holy Ghost is Christ's Divine only Nature Holy Spirit, which He divested (emptied) from His humanity at His Incarnation.

§  The Son of the infinite God came to this earth, and honored it with his presence. He emptied himself of his glory, and clothed his divinity with humanity, that humanity might touch humanity, and reveal to fallenman the perfect love of God.” (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, 6th June 1907, ‘No other Gods before me’).

§  Ellen White says that Christ sends HIS HOLY SPIRIT, not the Father's Spirit, to wit:

 

"Christ declared that after his ascension, he would send to his church, as his crowning gift, the Comforter, who was to take his place. This Comforter is the Holy Spirit,--the soul of his life, the efficacy of his church, the light and life of the world. With his Spirit Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power that takes away sin.

In the gift of the Spirit, Jesus gave to man the highest good that heaven could bestow....

The Spirit was given as a regenerating agency, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail....

It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given his Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress his own character upon the church." E.G. White, Review and Herald Articles, May 19, 1904, vol. 5, p. 42.

 

·            Ellen White says that the Holy Spirit is the soul of CHRIST'S LIFE.

·            She says it is with HIS SPIRIT (CHRIST'S SPIRIT) He sends a reconciling influence.

·            Thus, it IS NOT the Father's Spirit that Jesus breathes. It is His own Spirit.                                                                                                                                                                               

 

"Cumbered with humanity Christ could not be in every place personally, therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them to go to His Father and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit.” E.G. White, (Manuscript Releases Volume 14 (No’s 1081-1135) MR No.1084.

 

Eternal Sacrifice Divine Soul

 

"The apostle would call our attention from ourselves to the Author of our salvation. He presents before us His two natures, divine and human. . . . He voluntarily assumed human nature. It was His own act, and by His own consent. He clothed His divinity with humanity. He was all the while as God, but He did not appear as God. He veiled the demonstrations of Deity which had commanded the homage, and called forth the admiration of the universe of God. He was God while upon earth, but He divested Himself of the form of God, and in its stead took the form and fashion of a man. He walked the earth as a man. For our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. He laid aside His glory and His majesty. He was God, but the glories of the form of God He for awhile relinquished. . . . He bore the sins of the world, and endured the penalty which rolled like a mountain upon His divine soul. He yielded up His life a sacrifice, that man should not eternally die. He died, not through being compelled to die, but by His own free will." E.G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7a, p. 446.

 

Ellen White says that Christ’s divinity did not die on the cross. According to the Testator’s Testament (Covenant), the Testator must die to something eternally for while the Testator lives, the Testament is of no strength says Scripture. The Testator was Christ. The Cross atonement was of no avail without the heavenly Sanctuary/Atoning sacrifice, whereby Christ sacrificed His Holy Spirit only existence in order to bequeath the gift of His Holy Spirit Divine Nature to us as a cure for sin. The cure was just as important as the redemptive act on the cross, and without the cure, His sacrifice on the cross would have been to no avail but to pardon sin forever. This will be evident from the following statements by Ellen White.

 

The Cross Redeemed Us From Our Repented of Sins, But it did not Provide the Cure for Sin

 

Without the “highest good, crowning gift” of Christ’s Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the soul of His life, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross would have been of no avail. The cross redeemed us from our sins by Christ having taken them upon Himself as the sacrificial Lamb, but the cure for sin was provided by the heavenly Sanctuary/Atonement act of the Son sacrificing His Holy Spirit Divine Life only, as His “highest good, crowning gift” that heaven could bestow. This was/is the cure for sin, without which, His death on the cross would have been to no avail but to pardon sin forever.

 

"Christ declared that after his ascension, he would send to his church, as his crowning gift, the Comforter, who was to take his place. This Comforter is the Holy Spirit,--the soul of his life, the efficacy of his church, the light and life of the world. With his Spirit Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power that takes away sin.

In the gift of the Spirit, Jesus gave to man the highest good that heaven could bestow....

The Spirit was given as a regenerating agency, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail....

It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given his Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress his own character upon the church." E.G. White, Review and Herald Articles, May 19, 1904, vol. 5, p. 42.

 

Atonement -- "The atonement of Christ is not a mere skillful way to have our sins pardoned it is a divine remedy for the cure of transgression and the restoration of spiritual health. It is the heaven-ordained means by which the righteousness of Christ may be not only upon us, but in our hearts and characters.--Letter 406, 1906." E.G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7a, 464.

 

Comment on verse 11 (Romans 3:24-26). A Divine Remedy for Sin—“The atonement of Christ is not a mere skillful way to have our sins pardoned; it is a divine remedy for the cure of transgression and the restoration of spiritual health. It is the Heaven-ordained means by which the righteousness of Christ may be not only upon us but in our hearts and characters.” (Letter 406, 1906). {6BC 1074.2}

 

The Heaven-ordained means by which the righteousness of Christ may be not only upon us, but in our hearts and characters is the gift of Christ’s Holy Spirit, which He bequeathed to us at His Incarnation in the heavenly Sanctuary Atonement at His Incarnation. Christ indwells us by the gift of His Divine Nature Holy Spirit, the soul of His life before His Incarnation, and which is now His Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit.

 

"He (Christ) suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which WAS His." Desire of Ages, p. 25 1 Cor. 11:24-265, cf. John 6:53, 54, Titus 3:5, 6.

 

What life WAS HIS? (Past tense) It was His pre-Incarnation life consisting of His Holy Spirit Divine Nature ONLY. He forfeited the state of being DIVINE ONLY, by His forever death to the state of being DIVINE ONLY, to become combined with humanity forever. That is the form of forever death which paid the wages of our sin which is eternal death. It was that death that met the prescribed limit of a sacrifice BEFORE THE CROSS.

 

 "The darkness rolled away from the Saviour and from the Cross. Christ bowed His head and died. In His Incarnation He had reached the prescribed limit as a sacrifice, but not as a redeemer." E.G. White Manuscript Releases Volume Twelve, p. 409.

 

In His heavenly Sanctuary Incarnation act itself, He had reached the prescribed limit as a sacrifice. What was that prescribed limit? That the Testator must die to something forever, for that is the wages of man’s sin—eternal death. But that did not redeem man from his sins. That was achieved by the spilling of the Lamb’s blood on the cross when Christ first took upon Himself all man’s sins. The cross redeemed us from sin.  The Sanctuary/Atonement act in heaven provided/provides the cure for sin—the gift of the Son’s soul of His life—His Holy Spirit—now the Holy Ghost of His pre-Incarnation existence as Holy Spirit Divine Nature only.

 

“God showed his love for us by adopting our nature, in the person of his Son. God himself inhabited humanity, making us partakers of the divine nature, that by the incarnation and death of his only begotten Son, our adoption as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ might be fully accomplished. The origin of this wonderful achievement was his own spontaneous love.” (Ellen G. White, Youth’s Instructor, 16th December 1897, ‘The New Commandment part 1).

 

(Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:15). Strength in Cooperating With God—[Romans 5:12, 18, 19 quoted.] “The apostle contrasts the disobedience of Adam and the full, entire obedience of Christ. Think of what Christ’s obedience means to us! It means that in His strength we too may obey. Christ was a human being. He served His heavenly Father with all the strength of His human nature. He has a twofold nature, at once human and divine. He is both God and man.” {6BC 1074.3}

 

“Christ came to this world to show us what God can do and what we can do in cooperation with God. In human flesh He went into the wilderness to be tempted by the enemy. He knows what it is to hunger and thirst. He knows the weakness and the infirmities of the flesh. He was tempted in all points like as we are tempted.”    {6BC 1074.4}

 

“Our ransom has been paid by our Saviour. No one need be enslaved by Satan. Christ stands before us as our divine example, our all-powerful Helper. We have been bought with a price that it is impossible to compute. Who can measure the goodness and mercy of redeeming love?” (Manuscript 76, 1903) {6BC 1074.5}

 

Christ a Free Moral Agent—“The second Adam was a free moral agent, held responsible for His conduct. Surrounded by intensely subtle and misleading influences, He was much less favorably situated than was the first Adam to lead a sinless life. Yet in the midst of sinners He resisted every temptation to sin, and maintained His innocency. He was ever sinless.” (The Southern Work, September 29, 1903).    {6BC 1074.6}

 

Man on Vantage Ground With God—“As related to the first Adam, men receive from him nothing but guilt and the sentence of death. But Christ steps in and passes over the ground where Adam fell, enduring every test in man’s behalf. He redeems Adam’s disgraceful failure and fall by coming forth from the trial untarnished. This places man on vantage ground with God. It places him where, through accepting Christ as his Saviour, he becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Thus he becomes connected with God and Christ.” (Letter 68, 1899). {6BC 1074.7}

 

“There are light and glory in the truth that Christ was one with the Father before the foundation of the world was laid. This is the light shining in a dark place, making it resplendent with divine, original glory. This truth, infinitely mysterious in itself, explains other mysterious and otherwise unexplainable truths, while it is enshrined in light, unapproachable and incomprehensible.” (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, 5th April 1906, ‘The Word made flesh’).

 

The following is an article by Ellen White, so I will put quotation marks only at the beginning and the end of the article:

 

The Word Made Flesh

RH April 5, 1906

Mrs. E. G. White

 

[REPRINTED BY REQUEST, FROM THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES OF APRIL 26, 1899.]

 

[Reprinted Again in RH Sep 14 1922 and  Dec 19 1974]

 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth." 

 

This chapter delineates the character and importance of the work of Christ. As one who understands his subject, John ascribes all power to Christ, and speaks of his greatness and majesty. He flashes forth divine rays of precious truth, as light from the sun. He presents Christ as the only Mediator between God and humanity. 

 

The doctrine of the incarnation of Christ in human flesh is a mystery, "even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations." It is the great and profound mystery of godliness. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." Christ took upon himself human nature, a nature inferior to his heavenly nature. Nothing so shows the wonderful condescension of God as this. He "so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." John presents this wonderful subject with such simplicity that all may grasp the ideas set forth, and be enlightened. 

 

Christ did not make believe take human nature; he did verily take it. He did in reality possess human nature. "As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same." He was the son of Mary; he was of the seed of David according to human descent. He is declared to be a man, even the Man Christ Jesus. "This Man," writes Paul, "was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house." 

 

But while God's Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding his pre-existence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with his Father. From everlasting he was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted him, were to be blessed. "The Word was with God, and the Word was God." Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God. 

 

The world was made by him, "and without him was not anything made that was made." If Christ made all things, he existed before all things. The words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore. 

 

The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by him as his right. This was no robbery of God. "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way," he declares, "before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth; while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth." 

 

There are light and glory in the truth that Christ was one with the Father before the foundation of the world was laid. This is the light shining in a dark place, making it resplendent with divine, original glory. This truth, infinitely mysterious in itself, explains other mysterious and otherwise unexplainable truths, while it is enshrined in light, unapproachable and incomprehensible. 

 

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up." Here the pre-existence of Christ and the purpose of his manifestation to our world are presented as living beams of light from the eternal throne. "Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." "We preach Christ crucified," declares Paul, "unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." 

 

That God should thus be manifest in the flesh is indeed a mystery; and without the help of the Holy Spirit we can not hope to comprehend this subject. The most humbling lesson that man has to learn is the nothingness of human wisdom, and the folly of trying, by his own unaided efforts, to find out God. He may exert his intellectual powers to the utmost, he may have what the world calls a superior education, yet he may still be ignorant in God's eyes. The ancient philosophers boasted of their wisdom; but how did it weigh in the scale with God? Solomon had great learning; but his wisdom was foolishness; for he did not know how to stand in moral independence, free from sin, in the strength of a character molded after the divine similitude. Solomon has told us the result of his research, his painstaking efforts, his persevering inquiry. He pronounces his wisdom altogether vanity. 

 

By wisdom the world knew not God. Their estimation of the divine character, their imperfect knowledge of his attributes, did not enlarge and expand their mental conception. Their minds were not ennobled in conformity to the divine will, but they plunged into the grossest idolatry. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." This is the worth of all requirements and knowledge apart from Christ.

 

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," Christ declares; "no one cometh unto the Father, but by me." Christ is invested with power to give life to all creatures. "As the living Father hath sent me," he says, "and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. . . .It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Christ is not here referring to his doctrine, but to his person, the divinity of his character. "Verily verily, I say unto you," he says again, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."

 

God and Christ knew from the beginning, of the apostasy of Satan and of the fall of Adam through the deceptive power of the apostate. The plan of salvation was designed to redeem the fallen race, to give them another trial. Christ was appointed to the office of Mediator from the creation of God, set up from everlasting to be our substitute and surety. Before the world was made, it was arranged that the divinity of Christ should be enshrouded in humanity. "A body," said Christ, "hast thou prepared me." But he did not come in human form until the fulness of time had expired. Then he came to our world, a babe in Bethlehem.

 

No one born into the world, not even the most gifted of God's children, has ever been accorded such demonstration of joy as greeted the Babe born in Bethlehem. Angels of God sang his praises over the hills and plains of Bethlehem. "Glory to God in the highest," they sang, "and on earth peace, good will toward men." O that today the human family could recognize this song! The declaration then made, the note then struck, the tune then started, will swell and extend to the end of time, and resound to the ends of the earth. It is glory to God, it is peace on earth, good will to men. When the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings, the song then started in the hills of Bethlehem will be re-echoed by the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters, saying, "Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

 

By his obedience to all the commandments of God, Christ wrought out a redemption for man. This was not done by going out of himself to another, but by taking humanity into himself. Thus Christ gave to humanity an existence out of himself. To bring humanity into Christ, to bring the fallen race into oneness with divinity, is the work of redemption. Christ took human nature that men might be one with him as he is one with the Father, that God may love man as he loves his only begotten Son, that men may be partakers of the divine nature, and be complete in him. 

 

The Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the only begotten Son of God, binds the human agent, body, soul, and spirit, to the perfect, divine-human nature of Christ. This union is represented by the union of the vine and the branches. Finite man is united to the manhood of Christ. Through faith human nature is assimilated with Christ's nature. We are made one with God in Christ.” End of Article.

 

—rwb