Meeting
the Heresy
of
only
One Person to the Godhead
"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.
Foreword: There is a study on my Website that was contributed by Russell
Unterschultz. https://omega77.tripod.com/holyspiritbreathoflife.htm
There is much beauty in that study because it
gives so many statements on the Holy Spirit and His function. But the ultimate
conclusions Mr. Unterschultz’s arrives at totally annihilates the two persons
to the Godhead other than God the Father.
In their zeal to distance themselves from the
trinity doctrine, some go overboard by obfuscating the reality of the heavenly
trio and the Holy Spirit third person who is that person. Such individuals
directly contradict many statements by Ellen White regarding a third person and
the heavenly trio.
Note: Aug. 20, 2010: Mr. Unterschultz has
notified me that he believes only the Father can be referred to as the Godhead.
So keep this in mind as you read this document. When I first wrote this
rebuttal to Mr. Unterschultz, I perceived that he believed that the Father and
the Son constituted the Godhead.
As abominable as the trinity doctrine is, such
persons ironically arrive at the same abominable result which sweeps away the
entire Christian economy by denying the Incarnation Sanctuary/Atonement
sacrifice that met the prescribed limit as a sacrifice before the cross.
Whatever occurred on earth by way of Atonement sacrifice, occurred first in the
heavenly Sanctuary.
It is all as difficult to convince the
proponents of two persons to the Godhead, of the truth, as it is to convince
those who believe Jesus is not God, that He is God in the highest sense as
Ellen White states. It is the one eternal Spirit common to all three persons of
the Godhead that constitutes them as one God. End foreword.
Dear brother Russell,
You stated: “As
mentioned previously, the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy do not use this
terminology, “ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT.” Check for yourself.”
I
submit the following Bible verse:
“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?”
By
the words “the eternal spirit,” I conclude there is one eternal spirit.
There is some muddying of the issues in your
responses as regards a third person to the Godhead. This is the key to your
great error. In this respect, you do not consider all the many Spirit of
Prophecy statements and interpret so that nothing contradicts.
Thus, we need to determine whether or not
there are indeed THREE DISTINCT PERSONS to the Godhead per Ellen White's
statements. If the Holy Spirit is merely (ONLY) the Spirit of the Father and
the Son, why would Ellen White refer to Him as a Third distinct person? If the
statement you deal with in your post below was the only reference by Ellen
White to a third person, you might have an edge to your presentation, but
that is not the case. Consider the following statements regarding a third
person. Consider that if the Holy Spirit is merely the Spirit of the Father and
the Son (Christ), then it should not be a third person with a PERSONality. It
should merely be their Spirit.
The third person plays the highest role in the
sacrifice that met the prescribed limit of the Everlasting Covenant, the
Testators death, and not for just three days and nights in a tomb. This is the
momentous truth of the Godhead that most miss in their quest to divorce any
thought of three persons from the Godhead because of the despised Trinity
Doctrine. And I despise that doctrine as well. It also, denies the Testators
sacrifice that met the prescribed limits of the Testators Everlasting Covenant,
by teaching that the Holy Spirit always existed as a third person, negating the
Incarnation divestment of the Son’s Holy Spirit from His human personality,
which gave rise to the third person as a separate and distinct person at that
time—though the Son’s Holy Spirit did indeed exist as and of Himself from eternity
up to the point of the Incarnation.
“The prince of the power of evil can only be
held in check by the power of God in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy
Spirit.”--Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 10, p. 37. (1897) {Ev 617.2}
"Evil had been accumulating for
centuries, and could only be restrained and resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit,
the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of
divine power. Another spirit must be met; for the essence of evil was working
in all ways, and the submission of man to this satanic captivity was
amazing.--Letter 8, 1896, p. 1 (To "My Brethren in America," February
6, 1896.) White Estate Washington, D. C. June 10, 1980 {10MR 63.3}
“Christ determined that when He ascended from
this earth He would bestow a gift on those who had believed on Him and those
who should believe on Him. What gift could He bestow rich enough to signalize
and grace His ascension to the mediatorial throne? It must be worthy of His
greatness and His royalty. He determined to give His representative, the third person of the Godhead. This gift could not be
excelled. He would give all gifts in one, and therefore the divine Spirit, converting, enlightening, sanctifying, would
be His donation.” {ST, December
1, 1898 par. 2}
The divine Spirit is the life that WAS HIS
before the Incarnation. That divine Spirit became a third person at the
Incarnation when Christ divested the personality of His Holy Spirit Divine
person from His humanity.
Divested
Statements
The
following statement is key to an understanding of the third person and why and when that person came into being. This is the truth of how the true
Godhead differs from the trinity doctrine.
"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 [Christ] 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.
The
trinity doctrine does not consider the sacrifice involved at this Incarnation
act of the Son divesting His Holy Spirit prior BEING, from the personality of
His humanity—so that His Holy Spirit THEN became a third PERSONality
independent from Christ’s humanity. Were this not true, we would have four
persons to the Godhead, to wit:
1.
God the Father and
His One Eternal Holy Spirit essence (substance).
2.
God the Son and His
One Eternal Holy Spirit essence (substance).
3.
God the Holy Spirit
and His One Eternal Holy Spirit essence (substance). IF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A
THIRD PERSON AS ELLEN WHITE SAYS HE IS.
4.
God as Jesus as
combined with humanity forever.
"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.
“Evil had been accumulating for centuries, and
could only be restrained and resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, who would
come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. Another
spirit must be met, for the essence of evil was working in all ways, and the
submission of man to this satanic captivity was amazing. {UL 51.3}
From the inception of my study of the Godhead,
I have seen the close connection between Christ and His Spirit. But to
harmonize the third person statements, I see His Holy Spirit as the Holy Ghost,
the Ghost of the life that WAS HIS:
"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.
So I would ask you
Russell: What life WAS HIS (PAST TENSE)? Was it the Holy Spirit Divine Nature
that He possessed before His Incarnation? Was it that soul of His life, the
PERSONality of that Holy Spirit ONLY--BEING, that He divested from the
personality of His humanity--thus making two PERSONS, two different
personalities? Did His eternal death to being that DIVINE ONLY BEING, play any
role in Atoning for the wages of the sin of man? Are you bypassing a sacrifice
without which, you sweep away the entire Christian economy? More on that further
down.
"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.
I believe the above
and below statements present a dimension to the study of the Godhead that you
do not comprehend. I believe it has been your mission to distinguish your
interpretation from the Trinity to such a great length that you have wanted to
discard the THIRD PERSON altogether and make the Holy Spirit NOT A PERSON, but
rather the Spirit of the Father and Son ONLY, FULLY EXEMPTING A THIRD PERSON.
This is where it begins to require spiritual discernment because of the such
close connection between the third person, the KINSHIP of the third person, to
the life and soul of Christ, which is expressed in the following statement. How
does the Holy Spirit become a third person and still be the soul of Christ's
life. That is part of the mystery element to the Godhead, but nevertheless,
there is a good answer to this relative to THE LIFE THAT WAS (PAST TENSE) His.
I don't think you ever thought of that element and thus you are prone to defend
your ideas which do not embrace this deeper dimension which surely involved the
ultimate eternal sacrifice which met the terms of the Everlasting Covenant made
by the Testator, Christ. More on this further down.
As regards the
close affinity between Christ and His Holy Spirit, it can get no closer than
the following statement defines, yet, Ellen White refers to it as a THIRD
PERSON in many different statements. I recognize the affinity between Christ
and the Holy Spirit in the full context of the statement you explained, but
that statement is superseded by the below statement because it says the Holy
Spirit is the very soul of Christ's life, yet she taught three different
persons.
"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.
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
"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 His church. {AG 194.2}
"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." (MS 57,
1900).
8
(John 15:26, 27). A Gift Unexcelled.--Christ determined that when He ascended
from this earth, He would bestow a gift on those who had believed on Him, and
those who should believe on Him. What gift could He bestow rich enough to
signalize and grace His ascension to the mediatorial throne? It must be worthy
of His greatness and His royalty. He determined to give His representative, the third person of the Godhead. This gift could not be excelled. He would give
all gifts in one, and therefore the divine
Spirit, that converting, enlightening, and sanctifying power, would be
His donation. . . . {6BC 1052.5}
“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.” {E. G. White, Review and Herald, April 5, 1906
par. 12}
The
divinity of His character is the life that WAS HIS when He was in that form
ONLY.
The DIVINE SPIRIT, the life that WAS HIS—the
personality that WAS HIS before He divested that DIVINE ONLY SPIRIT from His
human personality at His Incarnation—FOREVER. This was a forever death to the
life that WAS His. In other words, prior to the Incarnation, He was DIVINE ONLY
in BEING. After that, for eternity, He would be combined with humanity. This
was a huge sacrifice. This sacrifice alone—which constituted an eternal death
to that life that WAS HIS, paid the wages of sin which is eternal death. Three
days in a tomb did not meet that payment for the wages of sin. The Testators
Covenant demanded death of the Testator, and not for just three days and
nights. It must be a form of death that lasted for eternity. The trinity
doctrine totally annuls this sacrifice of all sacrifices, the highest good,
crowning gift heaven could bestow, by saying that the Holy Spirit existed as a
third person for eternity. That is not true. And that believe denies the
Sanctuary/Atonement in the heavenly Sanctuary Incarnation prior to the earthly
death of Christ on the Cross.
Any version of the Godhead, such as the one
that eliminates the third person of the Godhead, achieves the same denial of
this heavenly Sanctuary Incarnation sacrifice that met the prescribed limit of
a sacrifice—eternal death to something—in this case the past life that WAS HIS.
Thus the Sanctuary/Atonement is rendered GONE, non-existent. This was what
Kellogg’s theory in the Living Temple amounted to. It said that the Holy Spirit
was in everything. Thus, the Holy Spirit has to exist from eternity as a third
person. That is the same reason the trinity doctrine is the greatest blasphemy
because its eliminates the Incarnation sacrifice at which time the Holy Spirit
became a third persons by being divested from the personality of Christ’s
humanity. In both man-made theories, the Sanctuary/Atonement Incarnation
sacrifice is GONE. That is what occurred in the Alpha of heresies. That is what
has occurred in the Omega of heresies. One person saw this implication in the
Alpha. One person has seen this implication in the Omega. And it takes
spiritual discernment to see it. Not all will see it because spiritual things
are spiritually discerned. This is as deep as man is permitted to now reach as
regards the Godhead. We will study that theme for eternity. This is what your
errant conclusion results in brothers Russell and Yuergen. Without the third
person resulting from the Incarnation sacrifice, there has been no satisfactory
ETERNAL ATONEMENT which is demanded by the Testator’s Covenant—“death of the
Testator.” More on this further down under the heading: The Testator
Covenant that met the Prescribed Limit of a sacrifice
Sanctuary Gone
Atonement Gone -- "In a representation which passed before me, I saw a certain work
being done by medical missionary workers. Our ministering brethren were looking
on, watching what was being done, but they did not seem to understand. The
foundation of our faith, which was established by so much prayer, such earnest
searching of the Scriptures, was being taken down, pillar by pillar. Our faith
was to have nothing to rest upon--the sanctuary was gone, the atonement was
gone." E.G. White, The Upward Look, 152.
III.
Three Persons in the Godhead
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, p. 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, p. 222. {7ABC 442.1}
“He
will impart His Holy Spirit in the plenitude of His reviving, and there shall
not be room enough to receive it. Nothing but the baptism of the Holy Spirit
can bring up the church to its right position, and prepare the people of God
for the fast approaching conflict.--Letter 15, 1889. {4MR 329.4}
“Evil has been accumulating for centuries and could only be resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead. . . . Another spirit must be met; for the essence of evil was working in all ways, and the submission of man to this satanic captivity was amazing.--Letter 8, 1896. {4MR 329.5}
“The Spirit was given as a regenerating agency,
and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power
of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of man to this
satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through
the mighty agency of the third
person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fulness of
divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out
by the world's Redeemer. 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.” {RH, May 19, 1904 par. 3}
“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, Feb. 23,
1904, p. 122. {7ABC 442.2}
“Evil had been accumulating for centuries, and
could only be restrained and resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit,
the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in
the fulness of divine power. Another spirit must be met; for the essence of
evil was working in all ways, and the submission of man to this Satanic
captivity was amazing.” {1888 1493.2}
“The prince of the power of evil can only be
held in check by the power of God in the
third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.”--Special Testimonies,
Series A, No. 10, p. 37. (1897) {Ev 617.2}
In Co-operation With the Three Highest
Powers.-- 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.--Special
Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, p. 51. (1905) {Ev 617.3}
“The Holy Spirit was the highest of all gifts
that He {Jesus} could solicit from His Father for the exaltation of His people.
The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the
sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been
strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic
captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the
mighty agency of the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no
modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power.” {FLB 52.6}
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, p. 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.-- Ibid., p. 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, vol.
6, p. 91. {7ABC 442.6}
The Testator Covenant that met the prescribed
limit of a sacrifice
One of the most
curious statements in all the Spirit of Prophecy to the neophyte is the following:
“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.
· What is the prescribed limit of sacrifice per the Everlasting Covenant?
· How did the Incarnation meet that prescribed limit as a sacrifice but
not as a redemption from Sin?
The prescribed
limit of sacrifice per the Testator’s Covenant is death of the Testator, and
this does not mean death for three days and three nights. That is not man’s
penalty for sin. The wages of unrepented sin is eternal death. Any atonement
for our sins must include some form of eternal death on the part of the
Testator (Christ).
Hbr 9:16 For where
a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Hbr 9:17 For a
testament [is] of force after men are
dead: otherwise it is of no strength
at all while the testator liveth.
If Christ did not die to something FOREVER, if the
Testator lives, the atonement sacrifice is of no strength at all.
· Who was the Testator? It was the Holy Spirit Divine Nature of the Son
of God.
· The Son divested His humanity from His Holy Spirit ONLY nature at His
Incarnation FOREVER. That was the first death.
· The Holy Ghost (Spirit) of the Son descended upon Him at His baptism. He
could have chosen to take back that DIVINE ONLY existence and it would have
been eternal loss for man. But just before He died on the cross, He commended
that Spirit to the Father to disseminate it to man as the highest good,
crowning gift heaven could bestow for overcoming sin and regeneration back into
the image of God. From that moment on, Christ could not return back to the
DIVINE ONLY existence ever again. This was the second death when He bowed His
head and died to that possibility forever.
·
Without this sacrifice which met the
prescribed limit of the Testators Covenant, Christ’s death on the cross would
have been of no avail. There would have been no redemption from sin, because
there would have been no cure for sin, because the cure for sin was that gift
of His Holy Spirit Divine nature, in the form of the third person of the
Godhead. Only by this all sacrificial gift could man overcome and thus be
redeemed from sin. Without that cure, sin would go on forever. The redemption
factor was when Christ relinquished that past life of being Divine ONLY, by
commending that Holy Spirit life back to the Father, and bowing His head and
dying on the cross—the second and final death that fulfilled the Testator’s
Covenant of forever death to the life that WAS His.
·
Any theory that does away with the third person and does not
teach the truth as to how and why the third person accrues/accrued, is
blasphemy of the highest order and is as antichrist as any heresy can get.
·
There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is the soul of the life
of Christ’s former BEING—the life that WAS His. That extreme affinity is cause
for confusion amongst many.
·
This issue is most serious and of eternal consequence. It is a
shaking issue. It is a landmark, pillar doctrine for Ellen White said the
personality of Christ and God are pillar doctrines. All truth, everything we
believe revolves around a true conception of the Godhead and the human nature
of Christ.
The atonement is thus directly related to the Godhead
issue. The trinity doctrine obfuscates the Incarnation Sanctuary/Atonement
sacrifice by discounting the sacrifice of Christ in emptying Himself of His
Divine Nature in order to give it to us for regeneration. Ellen White said
without that sacrifice, the cross would have been to no avail, and the trinity
doctrine obviates that sacrifice by saying that it NEVER TOOK PLACE because the
Holy Spirit always existed as a third person. That is blasphemy against the
"greatest good and crowning sacrifice" gift that heaven could bestow.
The personality of God and Christ is thus involved in the omega apostasy
involving the Godhead vis a vis the Trinity Doctrine.
"The
spiritualistic theories regarding the personality of God [the Godhead],
followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy.
They estimate as nothing the light that Christ came from heaven to give John to
give to His people. They teach that the scenes just before us are not of
sufficient importance to be given special attention. They make of no effect the
truth of heavenly origin, and rob the people of God of their past experience,
giving them instead a false science." E.G. White, 1SM, p. 204.
"Those who seek to remove the old landmarks
are not holding fast they are not remembering how they have received and heard.
Those who try to bring in theories that would remove the pillars of our faith
concerning the sanctuary or concerning the personality of God or of Christ, are
working as blind men. They are seeking to bring in uncertainties and to set the
people of God adrift without an anchor." {MR760 9.5}
Sanctuary Gone Atonement Gone -- "In a
representation which passed before me, I saw a certain work being done by
medical missionary workers. Our ministering brethren were looking on, watching
what was being done, but they did not seem to understand. The foundation of our
faith, which was established by so much prayer, such earnest searching of the
Scriptures, was being taken down, pillar by pillar. Our faith was to have
nothing to rest upon--the sanctuary was gone, the atonement was gone."
E.G. White, The Upward Look, 152.
Chap.
186 - The Office of the Spirit
When he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment. John 16:8. {AG 194.1}
The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating
agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail.
The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of
men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome
only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would
come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. It is the
Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world's Redeemer.
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 His church. {AG 194.2}
While we yield ourselves as instruments for the Holy Spirit's working,
the grace of God works in us to deny old inclinations, to overcome powerful
propensities, and to form new habits. {AG 194.3}
The
Spirit of God, received into the soul, quickens all its faculties. Under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit, the mind that is devoted unreservedly to God,
develops harmoniously, and is strengthened to comprehend and fulfill the
requirements of God. The weak, vacillating character becomes changed to one of
strength and steadfastness. . . . {AG 194.4}
It
is the Spirit that causes to shine into darkened minds the bright beams of the
Sun of Righteousness; that makes men's hearts burn within them with an awakened
realization of the truths of eternity; that presents before the mind the great
standard of righteousness, and convinces of sin; that inspires faith in Him who
alone can save from sin; that works to transform character by withdrawing the
affections of men from those things which are temporal and perishable, and
fixing them upon the eternal inheritance. The Spirit recreates, refines, and
sanctifies human beings, fitting them to become members of the royal family,
children of the heavenly King. {AG 194.5}
Chap. 37 - Holy Spirit, Faithful Guide
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go
away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I
depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the
world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. John 16:7, 8. {UL 51.1}
Christ knew that this announcement [the coming of the Comforter] was a
wonderful truth. He was nearing the close of His ministry upon this earth, and
was standing in view of the cross, with a full realization of the load of guilt
that must be placed upon Him as the Sin-bearer. Yet His greatest anxiety was
for His disciples. He was seeking to find solace for them, and He told them,
"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go
away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I
depart, I will send him unto you" (John 16:7). {UL 51.2}
Evil had been accumulating for centuries, and could only be restrained and
resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the
Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine
power. Another spirit must be met, for the essence of evil was working in all
ways, and the submission of man to this satanic captivity was amazing. {UL
51.3}
Today, as in Christ's day, Satan rules the minds of many. O that his
terrible, fearful work could be discerned and resisted. Selfishness has
perverted principles, selfishness has confused the senses and clouded the
judgment. It seems so strange that notwithstanding all the light that is
shining from God's blessed Word, there should be such strange ideas held, such
a departure from the spirit and practice of the truth. . . . {UL 51.4}
Sins
which have from time to time been pointed out are lying at the door of many,
sins which the Lord regards as of no light character. If men would only give up
their spirit of resistance to the Holy Spirit, the spirit which has long been
leavening their religious experience, God's Spirit would address itself to
their hearts. It would convince of sin. What a work! But the Holy Spirit has
been insulted and light has been rejected. . . . {UL 51.5}
It
is not the will of God that any shall perish, but that all shall have
everlasting life. O could I be assured that . . . my brethren would feel a
sense of what pure principles mean to them and to all with whom they are
associated, my heart would leap with joy. . . . {UL 51.6}
Every soul that will accept Jesus as his personal Saviour will pant for
the privilege of serving God, and will eagerly seize the opportunity to
signalize his gratitude by devoting his abilities to God's service.--Letter 8,
Feb. 6, 1896, to "My Brethren in America." {UL 51.7}
December
1, 1898 The Outpouring of the Spirit.
During the Jewish economy, the influence of God's Spirit had been seen
in a marked manner, but not in full. For ages prayers had been offered for the
fulfilment of God's promise to impart His Spirit, and not one of these earnest
supplications had been forgotten. {ST, December 1, 1898 par. 1}
Christ determined that when He ascended from this earth He would bestow
a gift on those who had believed on Him and those who should believe on Him.
What gift could He bestow rich enough to signalize and grace His ascension to
the mediatorial throne? It must be worthy of His greatness and His royalty. He
determined to give His representative, the third person of the Godhead. This
gift could not be excelled. He would give all gifts in one, and therefore the
divine Spirit, converting, enlightening, sanctifying, would be His donation.
{ST, December 1, 1898 par. 2}
Standing near His trial, condemnation, and crucifixion, Christ said:
"I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go
not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send
Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment." "I will not leave you comfortless: I
will come to you." "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you
another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of
truth, whom the world can not receive, because it seeth Him not, neither
knoweth Him; but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you." {ST, December 1, 1898 par. 3}
This is a wonderful announcement. Christ longed to be in a position
where He could accomplish the most important work by few and simple means. The
plan of redemption is comprehensive; but its parts are few, and each part
depends on the other, while all work together with the utmost simplicity and in
entire harmony. Christ is represented by the Holy Spirit; and when this Spirit
is appreciated, when those controlled by the Spirit communicate to others the
energy with which they are imbued, an invisible chord is touched which
electrifies the whole. Would that we could all understand how boundless are the
divine resources! {ST, December 1, 1898 par. 4}
But
the time had now come. The Spirit had been waiting for the crucifixion,
resurrection, and ascension of Christ. For ten days the disciples offered their
petitions for the outpouring of the Spirit, and Christ in heaven added His
intercession. This was the occasion of His ascension and inauguration, a
jubilee in heaven. He had ascended on high, leading captivity captive, and He
now claimed the gift of the Spirit, that He might pour it out upon His
disciples. {ST, December 1, 1898 par. 5}
The
Spirit was given as Christ had promised, and like a rushing mighty wind it fell
upon those assembled, filling the whole house. It came with a fulness and
power, as if for ages it had been restrained, but was now being poured forth
upon the church, to be communicated to the world. {ST, December 1, 1898 par. 6}
What followed this outpouring?--Thousands were converted in a day. In
Christ's day many heard the Gospel, but they did not become sufficiently
interested to search for the pearl of great price. But on the day of Pentecost
three thousand were converted by the preaching of the Gospel. A wonderful
communication was made that day between heaven and earth. Those who witnessed
this scene had recently witnessed in the same city the crucifixion of the
world's Redeemer. But how little those who beheld Him hanging on the cross
understood what His death meant! How few realized that "God so loved the
world, that He gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life!" {ST, December 1, 1898 par.
7}
On
the day of Pentecost, Christ's witnesses proclaimed the truth, telling men the
wonderful news of salvation through Christ. And as a flaming two-edged sword
the truth flashed conviction into human hearts. Men were brought under Christ's
control. The glad tidings were carried to the uttermost bounds of the inhabited
world. The church beheld converts flocking to her from all directions. The
altar of the cross, which sanctifies the gift, was rebuilt. Believers were
reconverted. Sinners united with Christians in seeking the pearl of great
price. The prophecy was fulfilled, the weak "shall be as David," and
David "as the angel of the Lord." Every Christian saw in his brother
the divine similitude of benevolence and love. One interest prevailed. One object
swallowed up all others. Every pulse beat in healthy concert. The only ambition
of the believers was to see who could reveal most perfectly the likeness of
Christ's character, who could do the most for the enlargement of His kingdom.
"The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one
soul." The Spirit of Christ animated the whole congregation; for they had
found the pearl of great price. Mrs. E. G. White. {ST, December 1, 1898 par. 8}
MR
No. 240 - The Holy Spirit
We are
living in the dispensation of the Spirit; we hold in our hands the promise of
His Spirit, and ministers may be qualified to give the trumpet a certain sound,
to arouse the sleeping people and set them at work for themselves and for
others out of the fold.--Letter 15, 1889. {4MR 329.1}
The
Holy Spirit is to be presented in every discourse. What wonderful statements
Christ has made concerning His representative to the world! This is the theme
of encouragement to be kept before the people. In comprehending the office of
the Holy Spirit, we shall bring all blessings to ourselves. He will make us
complete in Christ.--Ms 8, 1898. {4MR 329.2}
The
promised outpouring of God's life-giving Spirit has been and is still the great
hope of God's people. It is the hope and glory of Zion. In this time of
spiritual declension God's ministry is to stand in dignity, efficiency, and
power.--Ms. 14, 1901. {4MR 329.3}
He
will impart His Holy Spirit in the plenitude of His reviving, and there shall
not be room enough to receive it. Nothing but the baptism of the Holy Spirit
can bring up the church to its right position, and prepare the people of God
for the fast approaching conflict.--Letter 15, 1889. {4MR 329.4}
Evil has been accumulating for centuries and could only be resisted by
the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead. . . .
-330-
Another spirit must be met; for the essence of
evil was working in all ways, and the submission of man to this satanic
captivity was amazing.--Letter 8, 1896. {4MR 329.5}
A
message will soon be given by God's appointment that will swell into a loud
cry. . . . We are standing upon the borders of the greatest event in the
world's history, and Satan must not have power over the people of God, causing
them to sleep on. The papacy will appear in its power. . . . The time of
trouble is near, and we are to awake to a realization of this.--Letter 54,
1906. {4MR 330.1}
All
human effort combined is weakness without the deep moving of the Spirit of God.
. . . Without His help the deep learning and restless energy of a Paul, the
eloquence and talent of an Apollos, will fall infinitely short of convicting
and bringing one soul to repentance. . . . While man can do nothing without
God, the Lord would do nothing without the human channel.--Letter 85, 1898.
{4MR 330.2}
Unless the human agent inclines his heart to do God's will, and takes up
God's service, the light will shine in vain. A thousandfold more light and conviction
would accomplish nothing. God knows he has had sufficient evidence
already.--Letter 135, 1898. {4MR 330.3}
The
only power that can quicken the heart into activity is the power which will
give life to the dead--the Holy Spirit of God. . . . Hang your
-331-
helpless soul upon your Mediator. In and
through Him, and Him alone, you can come to God. . . . The Holy Spirit is your
hope.--Letter 124, 1901. {4MR 330.4}
We
do not want more of God any more urgently than He wants all there is of us to
be consecrated to His service.--Undated Ms 73. {4MR 331.1}
The
more we discover our real need, our real poverty, the more we desire the gift
of the Holy Spirit. . . . It is because we do not see our need, do not realize
our poverty, that we do not pour forth earnest entreaties, looking unto Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith for the bestowal of the blessing.--Ms 3,
1892. {4MR 331.2}
The
Spirit is constantly showing to the soul glimpses of the things of God. . . .
The Spirit's energy is working in the heart and leading the inclinations of the
will to Jesus by living faith and complete dependence on Divine power to will
and to do of His good pleasure. The Spirit taketh the things of God, just as fast
as the soul resolves, and acts in accordance with the light revealed.--Letter
135, 1898. {4MR 331.3}
Of
what avail would it have been to us that the only begotten Son of God had
humbled Himself, endured the temptations of the wily foe and wrestled with him
during His entire life on earth, and died the just for the unjust . . . if the
Spirit had not been given as a constant, working, regenerating agent to make
effectual in our cases what had been wrought out by the world's Redeemer.--Ms
1, 1892.
-332- {4MR
331.4}
When the Holy Spirit is allowed to do His work on human hearts, self
will be crucified.--Letter 270, 1907. {4MR 332.1}
Subjection to the Word of God means the restoration of one's self. Let
Christ work by His Holy Spirit, and awaken you as from the dead.--Letter 8,
1896. {4MR 332.2}
Receiving the Spirit of Christ, every one of His followers will fulfil a
divinely appointed mission not merely to be an influence among influences, but
to be a special influence for God in every sense of the term.--Ms 130, 1902.
{4MR 332.3}
If
received and appreciated, the Holy Spirit will make us holy,
Christlike.--Letter 178, 1907. {4MR 332.4}
The
influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul. . . . Those who
know the indwelling of the Spirit reveal the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.--Ms 41, 1896. {4MR 332.5}
The
purification through the Spirit must take place in their minds and hearts.
Unless this divine principle is brought into the life and practice, there can
be no such fruit borne as unfeigned, fervent love for one another. --Ms 63,
1900.
-333- {4MR
332.6}
We
cannot render to God supreme love and honor if we do not recognize the Holy
Spirit.--Ms 59, 1900. {4MR 333.1}
He
who yields himself to the control of His Spirit lays hold of Christ with the
living grasp of an earnest, definite faith, an intensity of love that nothing
can quench.--Letter 10, 1899. {4MR 333.2}
"He shall not speak of Himself," He said, "He shall
glorify Me." As Christ came to glorify the Father by the revelation of His
infinite love, so the Spirit came to glorify Christ.--Letter 213, 1903. {4MR
333.3}
James
and John thought that for the asking they could have the highest place in the
kingdom of God. . . . They did not realize that before they could share
Christ's glory, they must wear His yoke.--Letter 22, 1902. {4MR 333.4}
The
reason why the Holy Spirit does not work among us . . . is the unbelief in God
and the lack of confidence in one another. This was the work of the power of
darkness to lead us to suspect our brethren and stand apart as
criticizers.--Letter 7, 1899. {4MR 333.5}
As
a people we need to seek most earnestly for the energizing power of the Holy
Spirit.--Letter 200, 1902. {4MR 333.6}
If
we obtain the victory we must be earnest ourselves and plead with God
-334-
for His Holy Spirit. We must talk and pray in
faith that we may have the precious anointment of the Holy Spirit.--Letter 230,
1899. {4MR 333.7}
To
those who in faith claimed this promise it was speedily fulfilled. . . . As the
disciples made humble supplication to God, their differences were swept away.
They became of one mind. Then the way was prepared for the Holy Spirit to enter
the cleansed, consecrated soul temples. Every heart was filled with the
Spirit.--Ms 21, 1900. {4MR 334.1}
We
are too easily satisfied with limited, special, far-between blessings. We are
to lay hold of God by faith and labor to bring souls to Christ. We are too dull
in our doctrinal discourses upon the truth as it is in Jesus. . . . Come in
consecration to holier ground, and still holier. . . . Let the truth take hold
of the spiritual part of our own nature, and then the current of divine power
will be communicated to those whom we address.--Letter 230, 1899. {4MR 334.2}
The
Holy Spirit invites all genuine prayer. I have learned to know that, in all my
intercessions, the Spirit intercedes for me and for all saints whose
intercessions are according to the will of God, we shall pray in conformity to
His revealed will, and in submission to His will which we know not. . . . Jesus
is waiting to breathe upon all His disciples, and give them the inspiration of
His sanctifying Spirit, and transfuse the vital influence from Himself to His
people. . . . Their will must be submitted to His will, they must act with His
Spirit that it may be no more they that live, but
-335-
Christ that liveth in them. Jesus is seeking
to impress upon them the thought that in giving His Holy Spirit He is giving to
them the glory which the Father hath given Him.--Letter 11b, 1892. {4MR 334.3}
The
Lord Jesus has placed Himself under obligation never to disappoint a true
seeker for the Holy Spirit's guidance.--Letter 68, 1900. {4MR 335.1}
Those who beg at midnight for loaves to feed the hungry souls, will be
successful. The law of God is that as we receive we are to impart. . . . In the
name of the Lord I entreat you, ask and receive the Holy Spirit. Press to the
side of Christ. But this Spirit can only be received by those who are
consecrated, who will deny self, lifting the cross and following the
Lord.--Letter 10, 1899. {4MR 335.2}
Pray, Oh, pray most earnestly, "Put Thy Spirit, Lord, Thy Holy
Spirit, within my heart, that I may be sincere in keeping my baptismal
vow."--Ms 130, 1902. {4MR 335.3}
Seasons of prayer should be held for the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit.--Letter 292, 1907. {4MR 335.4}
Could there be a convocation of all the churches on earth, the object of
their united cry should be for the Holy Spirit. When we have that, Christ our
sufficiency is ever present, we shall have every want supplied. We shall have
the mind of Christ.-- Letter 114, 1894.
{4MR 335.5}
-336-
God
will not do for man that which He requires man shall do for himself through his
own earnest willing cooperation. . . . He cannot of himself move one step
toward Christ without the Spirit of God draws him, and this drawing is ever,
and will continue until man grieves the Holy Ghost by his persistent
refusal.--Letter 135, 1898. {4MR 336.1}
Time and time again the Lord has longed to communicate His Spirit in
rich measure, but there was no place for Him to rest. He was not recognized or
valued. The blindness of mind, the hardness of hearts interpreted Him as
something of which they should be afraid. Some hidden evil lurks in the heart
to hinder the manifestation of the power of God, and His Spirit cannot
descend.--Letter 43, 1890. {4MR 336.2}
Before giving us the baptism of the Holy Spirit, our heavenly Father
will try us, to see if we can live without dishonoring Him. . . . Do not think
that you can have great spiritual blessings without complying with the
conditions God Himself has laid down.--Letter 22, 1902. {4MR 336.3}
When God's people will believe, when they will turn their attention to
that which is true, and living, and real, the Holy Spirit, in strong heavenly
currents, will be poured upon the church.--Ms 21, 1900. {4MR 336.4}
Arouse from your deathlike slumbers. . . . Come into right connection
with Him by yielding to the creating power of the Holy Spirit. Then will be
seen in the church the unity that is of value in God's sight.--Ms 64, 1898.
-337- {4MR
336.5}
Fields of labor were opened to be worked, and
all found wherever they went in Christ's name, His representative in the Holy
Spirit opened the hearts and doors for the disciples. All were of one mind and
all felt that their resources must be taxed to the uttermost of their ability.
A work was before them to preach Christ and Him crucified through the whole
world.--Ms 130, 1901. {4MR 337.1}
The
religion of Christ means much more than forgiveness of sins. It means taking
away ours, and filling the vacuum with the Holy Spirit. It means divine
illumination, rejoicing in God.--Ms 2, 1899. {4MR 337.2}
“His Spirit will be communicated to human
instrumentalities, giving them light before which moral darkness must flee
away.”--Letter 43, 1890. {4MR 337.3}
“God's message to each of us is, My son, give
Me thine heart.". . . Then open the heart to the Divine Spirit and you
will appreciate the value of the human soul. . . .” {4MR 337.4}
“The power of the Holy Spirit is drawing to
God all who will be drawn. He is convincing men that the commandments of God
are a life and death question with them.”--Ms 44, 1900. {4MR 337.5}
“Unless we can feel brotherly love for those
around us, the Holy Spirit cannot work upon our hearts and minds.”--Letter 68,
1896.
-338-
{4MR 337.6}
The
soul who yields his heart to be worked by the Holy Spirit will be a living
channel of light in the inculcation of the precepts and truth of the Word of
God, winning others to obedience of the commandments of God.--Ms. 166, 1897.
{4MR 338.1}
The
question is sometimes asked, "Why, if we have the truth, do we not see a
greater manifestation of the Spirit of God?" God cannot reveal Himself
till those who profess to be Christians are doers of His word in their private
lives, till there is oneness with Christ, a sanctification of body, soul, and
spirit. Then they will be fit temples for the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit.--Letter 139, 1898. {4MR 338.2}
I
would that we had the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and this we must have before
we can reveal perfection of life and character. I would that each member of the
church would open the heart to Jesus, saying, "Come, heavenly Guest, abide
with me."--Letter 139, 1898. {4MR 338.3}
Those who are imbued with His Spirit will have an intense love for
everyone for whom He has died, and will work earnestly to bring into the
heavenly garner a harvest of souls. Filled with His Spirit, men and women will
be animated with the same desire to save sinners that animated Christ in His
lifework as a missionary sent of God.--Ms 130, 1902.
The most difficult aspect of the Godhead for
some to understand is how there can be three persons when the Holy Spirit is
the soul of the life of Christ. Russell is totally correct that the Holy Spirit
is Christ. The Holy Spirit is also the Father. But Christ emptied Himself of
that form of God FOR A TIME. The glories of that form of
God He for awhile relinquished. What?! Would he not relinquish such forever
because He is combined with humanity forever?! And what does relinquishing the
glories for awhile mean?
All
of these points should be made very clear in any dealing with the Godhead, or
folk will not understand what you are trying to present.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language,
Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Definition
of the use of glory to the Lord in Luke 2:9
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the
glory of
the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Number 1391
Transliteration:
doxa {dox'-ah}
Word Origin:
from the base of 1380
TDNT:
2:233,178
Part of Speech:
noun feminine
Usage in the KJV:
glory 145, glorious 10, honour 6, praise 4, dignity 2, worship 1
Total: 168
Definition:
opinion, judgment, view
opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone
in the NT always a good opinion concerning one, resulting in
praise, honour, and glory
splendour, brightness
of the moon, sun, stars
magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace
majesty
a thing belonging to God
the kingly majesty which belongs to Him as supreme ruler,
majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity.
So
Christ gets back His former honer and praise—not His former attributes that
will be cumbered by His humanity FOREVER. Those attributes operate through His
Holy Spirit.
Here is how Christ gets back that form of God to a degree. He gets it back when He gives His former life
Holy Spirit to His bride, the 144,000, and they become the body of Christ, with
Him as the head. That is WHEN and HOW Jesus gets back the glories He for awhile relinquished. But it is not a direct return to
that former life of DIVINE ONLY BEING with all the divine attributes. Why?
Because Christ is still combined with humanity forever. Will He get back all
the attributes of the Holy Spirit through His bride? Will she have those
attributes? I don't think so. Why? Because Jesus had to die to something FOREVER to fulfill the Testator's Everlasting
Covenant. But these are some of the issues we will be studying for
eternity because Ellen White said that the Godhead will be the study of
eternity. We don't begin to understand and have answers for all the questions
that arise vis a vis the Godhead. Some may think they do, but they don't.
"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.
The following statement is key to
understanding when and how and why the third person came into being:
"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.
·
At the Incarnation Christ's humanity cumbered his former life of
Divine ONLY Holy Spirit BEING.
·
Up until the Incarnation, there were only two persons to the
Godhead, the Father and the Son with each possessing the ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT--or
Holy Spirit.
·
At the Incarnation, because Christ's humanity would cumber the
attributes of His former Holy Spirit Divine ONLY Being, His Holy Spirit
divested Himself of the PERSONality of Christ's humanity and AT THAT TIME
became independent thereof of Jesus in His forever combined state with humanity.
·
Since Christ's humanity cumbered the attributes of His Holy
Spirit, such as omnipresence, omnipotence, omniscience, He emptied Himself of
those attributes. What a sacrifice! It can only be deduced that He emptied
Himself of those attributes FOREVER, because His humanity is combined with His
divinity forever.
·
The mystery part is how Jesus can be fully Divine and fully
human while having divested Himself of those attributes.
·
The life that WAS HIS, His Holy Spirit DIVINE ONLY LIFE, He
sacrificed forever. He gives that life to us in the form of His Divine Nature,
2 Peter 1:4, as a cure for sin and that we might be regenerated back into the
image of God.
If there was only one "third person"
statement like the one from Evangelism that Russell says was changed,
that would be one thing. But there are quite a few and it would be very
difficult to dismiss all those statements as having been altered by editors.
And if that type of alteration has occurred, then we might as well dispense
with the Spirit of Prophecy, because anyone could believe and/or discard any
part of it they did not agree with by concluding that it had been altered. God
would not give us the gift of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of unity TILL HE
COMES, if that gift was to be perverted and made unreliable by the leaders
changing what Ellen White wrote, and especially on such important an issue as
the Godhead which is pivotal to everything we believe that is truth.
The weight of evidence formula demads that we
consider EVERY WORD of evidence and interpret so that nothing contradicts. Even
though Russell's methodology might appear to be in-depth and thorough, it does
not consider many of the statements regarding a third person and the heavenly
trio. This is a serious violation of the weight of evidence formula.
Weight of Evidence Formula: "1 wor.
Every d must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible 2.
All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by diligent application and
study 3. Nothing revealed in Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in
faith, not wavering 4. To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures
together on the subject you wish to know, then let every word have its proper
influence and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you
cannot be in error 5. Scripture must be its own expositor, [interpreter]
since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he
should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his
sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed, or
wisdom is my rule, and not the Bible." E.G. White, Second Advent Review
and Herald, 11-25-84,
pr. 24.
The numerous THIRD PERSON and HEAVENLY TRIO
statements by Ellen White, constitute a contradiction to Russell's theory on
the Godhead.
The implications of omitting those statements are serious and
of eternal consequence. The implications involve the highest good,
crowning sacrifice made for man as part of the Everlasting Covenant, the
Testator's Covenant.
Ron
All blessings,
—rwb
Added
Items:
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron
Beaulieu
To: AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent:
Thursday, August 19, 2010 5:53 AM
Subject:
Holy Spirit INDEPENDENT of Christ in His Humanity
Russell wrote:
"Okay. From the publication: “Putting the
Pieces Together” by Restitution Ministries we read the following concerning: “the Holy Spirit is as much a person as God is a person.”
“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.)” {Evangelism,
p. 616}
Short Answer: This statement is talking about the Lord Jesus (when it is
read in its original context). The statement appearing in Evangelism is
edited to suit the bias of the compilers. “There are many who
interpret that which I write in the light of their own preconceived opinions.
You know what this means. A division in understanding and diverse opinions is
the sure result.” {E. G. White, Selected Messages Book 3, p. 79}
Detailed Answer: This is a classic example of misquotation. We were warned
very plainly not to do this with the Spirit of Prophecy. “There
are some, who upon accepting erroneous theories, strive to establish them by
collecting from my writings statements of truth, which they use, separated
from their proper connection and perverted by association with error. Thus
seeds of heresy, springing up and growing rapidly into strong plants, are
surrounded by many precious plants of truth, and in this way a mighty effort is
made to vindicate the genuineness of the spurious plants.” {E. G. White,
This Day With God, p. 126} Now let us look at that statement in its full
context (which is hidden from the reader of Evangelism).
“The
Lord says this because He
knows it is for our good. He would build a wall around us, to keep
us from transgression, so that His blessing and love may be bestowed on
us in rich measure. This is the reason we have established a school here. The
Lord instructed us that this was the place in which we should locate, and we
have had every reason to think that we are in the right place. We have been
brought together as a school, and we need to realize that the Holy Spirit,
who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds,
unseen by human eyes; that the Lord God is our Keeper and Helper.
He hears every word we utter and knows every thought of the mind.”{E.
G. White, Sermons and Talks Volume Two, pp. 136, 137} {Also appearing in
Manuscript Releases Vol. 7, p. 299}
As
can be plainly seen, the statement appearing in Evangelism was doctored
(altered) by the editors to suit their own thinking. In 1946 the editors and
compilers of Evangelism (compiled by LeRoy E. Froom and friends)
selected a number of E. G. White statements on the Godhead (about 6-8) which
seemed to imply that she was teaching the trinity doctrine. Remember, the book Evangelism
by Ellen White is a compilation with subheadings she did not supply. They
are supplied by Froom and friends, such as the use of the word ‘Trinity’. She
never used the word in all her writings. It was LeRoy Froom who supplied the
word trinity in the subheadings of the book Evangelism, as well as the
carefully "selected" (and edited) quotes by Ellen White on the
Godhead.
Yet
the prophet has not failed to warn us of such attempts either. “There
will be those once united with us in the faith who will search for new,
strange doctrines, for something odd and sensational to present to the
people. They will bring in all conceivable fallacies, and will present them
as coming from Mrs. White, that they may beguile souls.” {E. G.
White, Selected Messages Book 1, p. 41}
Who
has a right to meddle with the words of the inspired Messenger? Why should the
editors of Evangelism feel a need to place a full stop where the prophet
places a comma and continues her explanation? Why should they thus cut up this
sentence? Anyone reading the whole paragraph should know the answer.
Let
us now examine the statement carefully in its full context. Mrs. White is not
talking of more than one individual, for she is using the singular pronoun “he”
all through. If she were talking of more than one she would have used “they”
rather than “he”. Therefore, she is talking only of one person; “The Lord”. It
is “The Lord” who is our keeper, not someone else. The Lord is the one who
hears every word. It is the Lord who is “unseen by human eyes”. And even though
He is there by His Holy Spirit yet He is as much a real person as if He were
here physically! This is the meaning of that statement. His personal presence
is His person, which is as much a person as He is a person."
Ron responds: Yes,
indeed, the Holy Spirit is as much a person as God is a person, and the Holy
Spirit is the Holy Ghost life of Chirst, the Son of God, prior to His
Incarnation. That PERSONality was divested from Christ's humanity to become an
independent person of Him in His humanity. It was this divestation the resulted
in a third person. Otherwise, Christ's humanity would be part and parcel of the
Holy Spirit AND THA IS NOT SO. The Holy Spirit is INDEPENDENT of the
PERSONality of humanity as the following statements attests. So the Holy Spirit
is as much a person as is God and Christ, and INDEPENDENT THEREOF.
"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.
Ron
----- Original
Message -----
From:
Ron Beaulieu
To:
AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent:
Thursday, August 19, 2010 6:15 AM
Subject:
The Life that WAS His
Death that was ours -- life that was His
"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)? The life that
WAS HIS is His Holy Spirit Divine Nature that was divested from His
humanity and became independent thereof at His Incarnation. But it is still
referred to as Christ--even the soul of His life. This makes it a bit
confounding to some.
"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.
One Eternal Spirit
It is the one eternal Spirit, THE ETERNAL
SPIRIT, that makes the persons of the Godhead ONE GOD. They all have that ONE
SAME ESSENCE, SUBSTANCE that constitutes. God is a spirit says Scripture.
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?
Jhn
4:24 God [is] a Spirit:
and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
“They have one God and one Saviour; and one Spirit—the Spirit of Christ”
(9T p. 289)
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is; there
is Liberty.” (2 Cor. 3:17)
“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to
have life in himself.” John 5:26.
"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.
"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.
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust.
W.J. Johnson
“On the cross, He died the eternal death of the sinner, from which there
can be no hope of a resurrection; that we might receive the eternal
life-in-Himself, which had been His. This eternal life was the entity of the
Holy Ghost. A ghost is the image – the living spirit – of one who has died. At
death, it returned to God who gave it. Christ was the eternal Son of God by
virtue of the eternal Spirit of life which the Father had shared with His
Only-begotten Son from eternity past. [cf John 5:26]. But He volunteered to die
the eternal death of the sinner.
Note: How did Christ die the eternal death of the sinner? He FOREVER
died to His past life of DIVINITY ONLY, and bequeathed that past life of DIVINE
NATURE to us for overcoming and regeneration back into the image of God. End
note.
And after presenting His disciples with His final profound lesson at the
last Passover supper, explaining how He must die the eternal death of the
sinner, and relinquish His eternal body and blood for them to eat and drink to
obtain the eternal life which had been His, He went to Gethsamane and
surrendered His life into the custody of His Father; and thus could die the
eternal death of sinful humanity on the cross.” J. Wilfred Johnson, Panorama of Truth, Vol. 1, p. 210.
The Time When 144,000 Collectively Receive the Holy Ghost
“After His resurrection, He ascended to intercede in the most holy
apartment of the heavenly sanctuary for the Father to send His Spirit of
eternal life – now called the Holy Ghost – to each one for whom He interceded.
When the 144,000 saints obtain perfect obedience, they will collectively
receive the fullness of the Holy Ghost of the former Christ who had died the second
death of the sinner from which there is no hope of a resurrection. Repentant
sinners live eternally by receiving the eternal life Spirit of Christ – the
Holy Ghost – as a permanent gift.” J.W. Johnson, Panorama of Truth, Vol. 1, p. 210.
“Christ declared that after his ascension, He would send to His church,
the Comforter, who ws to take His place. This Comforter is the Holy Ghost – the
soul of His life . . .” E.G. White, Review
and Herald, May 19th, 1904.
Ron
Mr. Unterschultz’s responses:
-----
Original Message -----
From: Russell Unterschultz
To: AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August
18, 2010 12:33 AM
Subject: Re:
[AdventistHotIssues] Diversions to the Facts of the Issue
Hello
Ron: As you posted a few e-mails, I will have to take up your responses one by one.
This may take some time to do so. I will reprint your comments in blue,
mine will be in black.
Russell,
I repeat my early statement to you in the post below. It was
your "short answer" that I disagreed with:
"Short Answer: The
heavenly "trio" are: God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and their
Holy Spirit (not a trio of gods!). There is one God, and one Lord and one
Spirit (the Spirit of Christ), not a trio of co-equal divine beings (see Romans
8:9-11)."
Ron responds: I believe you
directly contradict Ellen White wherein she said that the Holy Spirit is as
much a person as God is a person. Please deal with this fact before going on to
other things which might be diversionary to this fact.
Okay. From the publication: “Putting the Pieces
Together” by Restitution Ministries we read the following concerning: “the
Holy Spirit is as much a person as God is a person.”
“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.)” {Evangelism, p. 616}
Short Answer: This
statement is talking about the Lord Jesus (when it is read in its original context).
The statement appearing in Evangelism is edited to suit the bias of the
compilers. “There are many who interpret that which I write in the
light of their own preconceived opinions. You know what this means. A
division in understanding and diverse opinions is the sure result.” {E.
G. White, Selected Messages Book 3, p. 79}
Detailed Answer: This
is a classic example of misquotation. We were warned very plainly not to
do this with the Spirit of Prophecy. “There are some, who upon accepting
erroneous theories, strive to establish them by collecting from my writings
statements of truth, which they use, separated from their proper connection
and perverted by association with error. Thus seeds of heresy, springing up
and growing rapidly into strong plants, are surrounded by many precious plants
of truth, and in this way a mighty effort is made to vindicate the genuineness
of the spurious plants.” {E. G. White, This Day With God, p. 126}
Now let us look at that statement in its full context (which is hidden from the
reader of Evangelism).
“The
Lord says this because He knows it is for
our good. He would build a wall around us, to keep us from
transgression, so that His blessing and love may be bestowed on us in
rich measure. This is the reason we have established a school here. The Lord
instructed us that this was the place in which we should locate, and we have
had every reason to think that we are in the right place. We have been brought
together as a school, and we need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as
much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds, unseen
by human eyes; that the Lord God is our Keeper and Helper. He
hears every word we utter and knows every thought of the mind.”{E.
G. White, Sermons and Talks Volume Two, pp. 136, 137} {Also appearing in
Manuscript Releases Vol. 7, p. 299}
As
can be plainly seen, the statement appearing in Evangelism was doctored
(altered) by the editors to suit their own thinking. In 1946 the editors and
compilers of Evangelism (compiled by LeRoy E. Froom and friends)
selected a number of E. G. White statements on the Godhead (about 6-8) which
seemed to imply that she was teaching the trinity doctrine. Remember, the book Evangelism
by Ellen White is a compilation with subheadings she did not supply. They
are supplied by Froom and friends, such as the use of the word ‘Trinity’. She
never used the word in all her writings. It was LeRoy Froom who supplied the
word trinity in the subheadings of the book Evangelism, as well as the
carefully "selected" (and edited) quotes by Ellen White on the
Godhead.
Yet
the prophet has not failed to warn us of such attempts either. “There
will be those once united with us in the faith who will search for new,
strange doctrines, for something odd and sensational to present to the
people. They will bring in all conceivable fallacies, and will present them
as coming from Mrs. White, that they may beguile souls.” {E. G.
White, Selected Messages Book 1, p. 41}
Who
has a right to meddle with the words of the inspired Messenger? Why should the
editors of Evangelism feel a need to place a full stop where the prophet
places a comma and continues her explanation? Why should they thus cut up this
sentence? Anyone reading the whole paragraph should know the answer.
Let
us now examine the statement carefully in its full context. Mrs. White is not
talking of more than one individual, for she is using the singular pronoun “he”
all through. If she were talking of more than one she would have used “they”
rather than “he”. Therefore, she is talking only of one person; “The Lord”. It
is “The Lord” who is our keeper, not someone else. The Lord is the one who
hears every word. It is the Lord who is “unseen by human eyes”. And even though
He is there by His Holy Spirit yet He is as much a real person as if He were
here physically! This is the meaning of that statement. His personal presence
is His person, which is as much a person as He is a person.
Now
let us compare the Spirit of Prophecy (the key) here a little and there a little:
“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.” {E. G. White, Review and Herald, April 5,
1906 par. 12}
How
plain! When Christ speaks of the Spirit He is referring “to his person”
(not to a different person other than Himself). This is why it is as much a
person as God is a person, for it is His very own person!
“Christ
walks unseen through our streets. With messages of
mercy He comes to our homes. With all who are seeking to minister in His
name, He waits to co-operate. He is in the midst of us, to heal
and to bless, if we will receive Him.” {E. G. White, The Ministry
of Healing, p. 107}
“Remember
that Jesus is beside you wherever you go, noting your
actions and listening to your words. Would you be ashamed to hear
his voice speaking to you, and to know that he hears your conversation?”
{E. G. White, The Youth’s Instructor, February 4, 1897 par. 3}
Who
walks unseen in our streets? Who is it that listens to our words and hears our
conversation? Why, it is Jesus who is beside us. But, how is He beside us?
“That
Christ should manifest Himself to them, and yet be invisible to the
world, was a mystery to the disciples. They could not
understand the words of Christ in their spiritual sense. They were thinking of
the outward, visible manifestation. They could not take in the fact that they
could have the presence of Christ with them, and yet He be
unseen by the world. They did not understand the meaning of a spiritual
manifestation.” {E. G. White, The Southern Work, September 13,
1898 par. 2}
“By
the Spirit the Father and the Son will come and make their abode with you.”
{E. G. White, Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, January 15, 1893
par. 8}
Therefore,
we rightly conclude that the Holy Spirit is the unseen personal presence of the
Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is the unseen person of Christ.
“The
Lord Jesus standing by the side of the canvasser, walking with them,
is the chief worker. If we recognize Christ as the One who is
with us to prepare the way, the Holy Spirit by our side will make
impressions in just the lines needed.” {E. G. White, Colporteur
Ministry, p. 107}
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that
the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because
of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if
the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his
Spirit that dwelleth in you. Romans 8:9-11.
Obviously the Spirit of God and
the Spirit of Christ are of the ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. Jesus said He would raise
up Himself.
A point to make here is that to the best of
my searching, you will not find in the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy the term
“ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT” as you so emphatically maintain. This must be then your
own theological terminology. Why should I then trust your definition of these
three words as you use them?
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in
three days I will raise it up. |
Let us take a closer look at the following
part of the text that you quoted from the book of Romans:
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead
shall also quicken your mortal bodies by
his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
Question:
Who is he that raised up Jesus from the dead
and who shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit?
Answer:
Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we
also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4
Paul, an apostle,
(not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead; Galatians 1:1
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of him: … Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and
set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places], Ephesians 1:17,20
That if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. Romans 10:9
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the
pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Acts 2:24
He seeing this
before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell,
neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Acts 2:31,32
And killed the
Prince of life, whom God hath raised
from the dead; Acts 3:15
Be it known unto
you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God
raised from the dead, Acts 4:10
The God of our fathers raised up
Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Acts 5:30
Him God raised up the third day, and
showed him openly; Acts 10:40
But God raised him from the dead: Acts
13:30
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their
children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the
second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning
that he raised him up from the dead,
[now] no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you
the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he
saith also in another [psalm], Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see
corruption. Acts 13:33-35
But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
Acts 13:37
And the times of
this ignorance God winked at; but
now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day,
in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by [that] man whom he
hath ordained; [whereof] he hath given assurance unto all [men], in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:30,31
As it is written, I
have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and
calleth those things which be not as though they were … But for us also, to
whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him
that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Romans 4:17,24
And God hath both raised up the Lord, and
will also raise up us by his own power.
1 Corinthians 6:14
Yea, and we are
found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that
the dead rise not. 1 Corinthians 15:15
Buried with him in
baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him
from the dead. Colossians 2:12
For they themselves
show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God
from idols to serve the living and true
God; And to wait for his Son from
heaven, whom he raised from the dead,
[even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10
Who by him do
believe in God, that raised him up from
the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 1
Peter 1:21
Ron, would you not agree from the weight of
evidence presented here that it was God the Father who by his own Spirit raised
up Christ from the dead?
Scripture says there is ONE
ETERNAL SPIRIT.
As mentioned previously, the Bible and Spirit
of Prophecy do not use this terminology, “ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT.” Check for
yourself.
There are three personalities that
posess that ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. They would of necessity be co-equal. They are
not a trio of Gods because they all have the same ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT and that
is what constitutes them as ONE GOD. You
tout the Son as being equal with the Father!
That would make TWO GODS BY
YOUR REASONING AS REGARDS A TRIO. So if TWO, WHY NOT THREE?! That is not
consistent and Yuergen make the same inconsistent observation.
·
God the Father--A separate and distinct
person.
·
The Holy Spirit personality as divested
from the personality of Christ at His Incarnation.
·
Jesus as combined with humanity forever,
who is kept by the Holy Spirit of the Father.
·
How Christ is fully God and fully human while
divested of the personality of His former Holy Spirit Divine Being, I don't
know at this time. I believe it has to do with the fact that He, as the Holy
Ghost, sired Himself into the womb of Mary. This is just a thought for
consideration.
Christ
begat Himself?? “I believe it has to do with
the fact that He, as the Holy Ghost, sired Himself into the womb of Mary.”
Ron,
please correct me if I am wrong, but I think that perhaps your understanding of
the terminology: “ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT” is misleading you on the subject of the
Godhead.
However, the words “eternal Spirit” are certainly used in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. The Spirit of Prophecy also uses the terminology “God, the eternal Spirit.”
Who
exactly is “God, the eternal Spirit?” Let us see here a little and there a
little from the Spirit of Prophecy:
God is a spirit; yet He is a personal
being, for
man was made in His image. As a personal being, God has revealed Himself in His
Son. Jesus, the outshining of the Father's
glory, "and the express image of His person" (Hebrews 1:3), was on
earth found in fashion as a man. {Ed 131.1}
God the Father is a spirit; yet He is a
personal being. This is plain enough.
The
greatness of God is to us
incomprehensible. "The Lord's throne is in heaven" (Psalm 11:4); yet by His Spirit He is everywhere present.
He has an intimate knowledge of, and a personal interest in, all the works of
His hand. {Ed 132}
The
Bible shows us God in His high and
holy place, not in a state of inactivity, not in silence and solitude, but
surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of
holy beings, all waiting to do His will. Through these messengers He is in
active communication with every part of His dominion. By His Spirit He is everywhere present. Through the agency of His
Spirit and His angels He ministers to the children of men. Above the distractions of the earth He sits enthroned; all things are open
to His divine survey; and from His great and calm eternity He orders that which
His providence sees best. {MH 417.2}
As a personal being, God the Father
sits on His throne in heaven. Yet by His
Spirit (and not by someone else) He
is everywhere present. Let us now see further testimony that it is the Father Himself who is God, the eternal
Spirit:
They are only the human instrumentalities, possessing no grace or loveliness of their own, and are powerful and efficacious only as God, the eternal Spirit, shall work upon human hearts. The treasure of the everlasting gospel is in earthen vessels. Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, and this is the extent of their ability: God only giveth the increase. There must be no dishonoring of God, no grieving of His Holy Spirit, by casting dishonor or reflection upon God, who selects His messengers to bear a message to the world, by refusing the message of God's words from the lips of any of His servants, by whom He may send it. Many souls rob themselves of great blessings, and Christ of glory which should redound to Him; because they do not take heed to this, there is confusion, and defection, and weakness. (Signed) Ellen G. White {1888 1039.1}
From the context of this last Spirit of Prophecy paragraph it is plain that it is God the Father who is God, the eternal Spirit; who as a personal being is also present everywhere by His Holy Spirit.
Ellen White said the Holy Spirit was as much a person as God:
“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 (Evangelism, 616).
If you disbelieve the above statement and think it was altered,
it would help and save time and effort on the part of both of us if you divulge
that belief now.
·
If
the Holy Spirit is as much a person as God is a person, how would the Holy
Spirit not be a co-equal divine being, WHEN ALL THREE PERSONS SHARE THE SAME
ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT that constitutes them as ONE GOD?
“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 (Evangelism, 616-61 7).
I
refer you please once again to the publication: “Putting the Pieces Together”
by Restitution Ministries for a harmonization of this statement:
“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. . . . 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."” {Evangelism, pp. 616, 617}
Short Answer: The
quoted verse (1 Corinthians 2:11) is the key to understanding the statement.
According to Paul man and his spirit is comparable to God and His Spirit. Just
as man’s spirit is not a different person to man, even so God’s Holy
Spirit is not a different person to God. Just as man’s spirit is his
very own person, even so God’s Spirit is His very own person.
Detailed Answer: When
we use the Testimonies as the key, we will discover some very important basic
principles.
“The
greatness of God is to us incomprehensible. "The Lord's throne is in
heaven" (Psalm 11:4); yet by His Spirit He is everywhere present.
He has an intimate knowledge of, and a personal interest in, all the works of
His hand.” {E. G. White, Education, p. 132}
“In
giving us His Spirit, God gives us Himself, making Himself a
fountain of divine influences, to give health and life to the world.”
{E. G. White, Testimonies Volume 7, p. 273}
If
we keep the above principles in mind things will be much easier to understand.
The Spirit has a personality because God has a personality. In giving us His
Spirit, God is giving us Himself, not someone else. When God gives us Himself
(in Spirit) it is not devoid of personality. It is not just some impersonal
force or essence. No, it is very personal and intimate. It is God’s own person,
having God’s very own personality. The same goes for the fact that the Spirit
is a divine person. This is because God is a divine person. You see, God is a
spirit, and yet a person.
“God
is a Spirit; yet He is a personal Being; for so He has revealed Himself:”
{E. G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 413}
The
Holy Spirit is a person because God is a person, and the Holy Spirit is the
person of God. It is also the person of Christ.
“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.”
{E. G. White, Review and Herald, April 5, 1906 par. 12}
This
is why the Spirit has a personality and is a person.
“Cumbered with humanity,
Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for
their advantage that He should leave them, 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, as the Omnipresent.” {E.
G. White, Manuscript Releases Vol.14, p. 23}
Russell
Ron
From: Ron Beaulieu
<rsbeauli@telusplanet.net>
To: AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, August 17, 2010 6:21:42 AM
Subject: [AdventistHotIssues] Diversions to the Facts of the Issue
Russell,
I repeat my early statement
to you in the post below. It was your "short answer" that I disagreed
with:
"Short Answer: The heavenly
"trio" are: God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and their Holy
Spirit (not a trio of gods!). There is one God, and one Lord and one Spirit
(the Spirit of Christ), not a trio of co-equal divine beings (see Romans
8:9-11)."
Ron
responds: I believe you directly contradict Ellen White wherein she said that
the Holy Spirit is as much a person as God is a person. Please deal with this
fact before going on to other things which might be diversionary to this fact.
9 But ye are not in
the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now
if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in
you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness. 11
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he
that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by
his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Romans 8:9-11.
Obviously
the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ are of the ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. Jesus
said He would raise up Himself.
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. |
Scripture
says there is ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. There are three personalities that posess
that ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT. They would of necessity be co-equal. They are not a
trio of Gods because they all have the same ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT and that is what
constitutes them as ONE GOD. You tout the Son as being equal with the Father!
That would make TWO GODS BY YOUR REASONING AS REGARDS A TRIO. So if TWO, WHY
NOT THREE?! That is not consistent and Yuergen make the same inconsistent
observation.
Ellen White said the Holy
Spirit was as much a person as God:
“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 (Evangelism,
616).
If you disbelieve the above statement and think it was altered, it would
help and save time and effort on the part of both of us if you divulge that
belief now.
“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
(Evangelism, 616-61 7).
Ron
-----
Original Message -----
From: Ron Beaulieu
To: AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, August 15,
2010 6:50 PM
Subject: Re:
[AdventistHotIssues] Re: i need your help
Hi Russell,
Right off the top, I do not
believe that your following statement (below) accords with Ellen White and
Scriptures. It is clear that the soul of the life of Christ is God and that is
Ellen White's definition of the Holy Spirit. It is the ONE ETERNAL SPIRIT that
makes them all ONE GOD, but she states unequivocally that there are three
persons and that they are all God. The Holy Spirit is the former life of Christ
(His Divine State of Being) before the Incarnation. That Holy Spirit Nature is
DIVINE, 2 Peter, 1:4, and Mrs. White says that He is as much a person as God. I
believe you make the huge mistake many make who hate the Trinity Doctrine. I
hate it as well because it sweeps away the entire Christian economy. However,
your error does as well because it denies that the highest good, crowning gift
that heaven can bestow is a third person and God. The third person has to be
God or the atonement would be GONE. Only one equal to God's law (Both Christ
and the Father delivered the law at Sinai says Ellen White), could atone for
any breach in that law. So for you to say the third person is not a THIRD
PERSON AND GOD, sweeps away the Sanctuary Sacrifice, the Atonement and the
entire Christian economy.
"Short Answer: The heavenly
"trio" are: God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and their Holy
Spirit (not a trio of gods!). There is one God, and one Lord and one Spirit
(the Spirit of Christ), not a trio of co-equal divine beings (see Romans
8:9-11)."
Ron
Hello sister Lynn:
Thank you for your e-mail. It looks like there are
three things which need to be addressed for you from your question:
(1) Firstly, I do not believe that Christ was a created being
either. I believe that Christ was begotten of His Father. Many people today do
not realize that the words “created “ and “begotten” mean two different things
- proof of this difference to follow.
(2) I am not saying that Jesus
created himself. Please re-read the sentence before the one underlined: “Christ
is the only begotten Son of the Eternal Father.” Christ was begotten of His
Father in eternity before they created all things – proof of this assertion to
follow.
(3) “In Christ is life, original,
unborrowed, underived.” Explanation of this statement by sister White will also
be given.
The following quotes from the Spirit of
Prophecy (harmonized with the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy) should answer the
first two points in this letter. Please read it prayerfully and carefully
[emphasis in quote is mine to make the truth plain]:
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. ST, May 30, 1895
The first note to make after reading this
passage is the difference between the words “created” and “begotten.” The
angels are created beings and sister White affirms in this paragraph
that Christ is not a son by creation. She says that Christ is a
Son begotten in the express image of the Father’s person, and in all
the brightness of his majesty and glory. It should be plain here that the words
created and begotten mean two different things in reference to Christ.
With this
thought in mind, now think on the last half of the statement from sister White:
… 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.
The birth of
Jesus Christ shown here must be a description of a divine birth, before his
birth into humanity. How can we know this? Let us carefully compare this part
of the statement with others of Christ's birth into humanity:
He was born in a stable ... cradled in a manger. Luke 2:7.
His divinity was veiled with humanity DA 23 ... and was made in the likeness of
men: Philippians 2:7.
His glory was veiled, that the majesty of His outward form might not become an
object of attraction. DA 43
His greatness and majesty were hidden, That He might draw near to sorrowful,
tempted men. DA 23
He
was born in a stable ... cradled in a manger. Luke 2:7.
His divinity was veiled
with humanity DA 23 ... and was made in the likeness of men: Philippians 2:7.
His glory was veiled, that
the majesty of His outward form might not become an object of attraction. DA 43
His greatness and majesty
were hidden, That He might draw near to sorrowful, tempted men. DA 23
By being born of the seed of Abraham, Christ
took fallen, sinful human flesh upon Himself. Therefore, the description of His
birth into humanity as we just
read could not, and in fact did not, include the words that He
was “begotten in the express
image of the Father's person, and in all the brightness of his majesty and
glory ... and divine perfection.” These are descriptions showing two
different events. One relates to His divine birth,
and the other to His birth into humanity. And this is not an isolated
statement from the Signs of the Times proclaiming Jesus’ divine birth. Consider
the following:
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. RH,
July 9, 1895
Note carefully the words: “The Eternal Father ... gave his only begotten
Son, Him who was made in the express image of his person, and sent him down to
earth...” show plainly that Christ was a begotten Son in the express image of
the Father’s person BEFORE the Father sent him down to earth to reveal how
greatly he loved mankind. Next, we read the following from The Desire of Ages:
The dedication of the first-born had its
origin in the earliest times. God
had promised to give the First-born of
heaven to save the sinner. DA 51
Christ was the first-born of heaven. And:
God has sanctified childhood in that he gave
his only begotten Son TO BECOME
a child on earth. RH, December 17, 1889
Christ, the first-born of heaven, was a
begotten Son to become a child on
earth. In further confirmation of this fact we read the following:
While the Son of a human being, He became
the Son of God in a NEW SENSE.
Thus He stood in our world--the Son of God, yet allied by birth to the human
race. 1SM 226
Thus,
as Christ was begotten first in heaven and became God’s Son, He became the Son
of God in a new sense when He became the Son of a human being. And after taking
humanity upon Himself, just before He was to give His life a sacrifice for us,
He said these words to His disciples:
Ye have
heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you. If ye loved
me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is
greater than I. John 14:28
Note
here the word “greater.” The Strong’s concordance definition of this word means
larger in age or elder. This is certainly not the language of a co-eternal
Divine Being, for Christ could never then say that His Father was elder than
He.
Finally,
regarding sister White’s statement that you quote in part: "In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived” I
present to you the following harmonization of this quote from a booklet titled:
“Putting the pieces Together” by Restitution Ministries:
“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, p. 530 (1898)” {Evangelism, p. 616}
Short Answer: Christ was
GIVEN the
original, unborrowed, underived life of His Father. This is plainly what He
said in John 5:26.
Detailed Answer: This
statement is much misunderstood today. Once again, let us allow the Testimonies
to be the interpreting key. Reading the statement in its full context will
clarify the confusion.
“"In him was life; and
the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). It is not physical life that is
here specified, but immortality, the life which is exclusively the property of
God. The Word, who was with God, and who was God, had this life. Physical life
is something which each individual receives. It is not eternal or immortal; for
God, the Life-giver, takes it again. Man has no control over his life. But the
life of Christ was unborrowed. No one can take this life from Him. "I lay
it down of myself" (John 10: 18), He
said. In Him was life, original, unborrowed, underived. This life is not inherent in man. He can possess it only
through Christ. He cannot earn it; it is
given him as a free gift if he
will believe in Christ as His personal Saviour. "This is life eternal,
that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent" (John 17:3). This is the open fountain of life for the world.” {E.
G. White, The Signs of the
Times, April 8, 1897} (Quoted in Selected Messages Book 1, pp. 296,
297}
From the
context we plainly learn that original, unborrowed, underived life can be GIVEN. It will be given as a free gift to all those
who believe. This is in harmony with the words of Christ when He said that God
the Father gave Him that life (original, unborrowed, underived life):
“For as the Father hath life
in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” John 5:26
We know
that Christ is here talking about eternal life (original, unborrowed, underived
life). To ascertain this fact all we need to do is ask ourselves the question:
What kind of life does the Father have in Himself? It certainly cannot be
mortal life. It can only be immortal life (1 Timothy 1:17) which is described
as original, unborrowed, underived. This is the Son’s life by right of
inheritance. He inherited that life of his Father by birth (for He is the
only-begotten Son). Therefore, Christ is the only one who has this life as the
Father. It is His Father’s
life and Christ inherited it by
virtue of being brought forth from Him. Christ received ALL things from the
Father. Does that include life as well? Is it true that it is the Father’s life which
flows
through
His only begotten Son?
“All things Christ
received from God, but He took to give. So in
the heavenly courts, in His ministry for all created beings: through the
beloved Son, the Father's life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and
joyous service, a tide of love, to the
great Source of all.” {E. G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 21}
The
Messenger of God says plainly: The Father’s life flows through the Son. The
Father is “the great Source of all”. He is the source of life. He is the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is His life that we can receive through
Christ. Christ has this very same life by right of inheritance. This life was
GIVEN to Him by His Father!
“"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.” {E. G.
White, Review and Herald, April 5, 1906 par. 12}
“As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given
him.” John 17:2
Lynn, I pray to our Father in heaven that He will make these answers to
your questions plain to your understanding,
Russell.
From:
Lynn MacDonald <lynn2852@telus.net>
To: AdventistHotIssues@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, August 17, 2010 7:02:15 AM
Subject: Re: [AdventistHotIssues] Re: i need your help
Brother Russell,
I just wanted to ask you a question from your statement
below. You said:(in blue)
Where in what I have written or produced on video have I ever said
that Christ was not God? Christ is the only begotten Son of the Eternal Father.
By virtue of His divine birth, He has the same divine nature as His
Father, and therefore is God. He is our creator; of course He is God to us!
My question to you is how can Jesus be "born"
as in a divine birth when Sister White says in Desire of Ages page 530, that
"In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived."??? Are you
saying Jesus created himself??-- I believe what Sister White says here,
that He has always been. Not created!
Thank you kindly,
Lynn