The Introduction of the Trinity Doctrine into the Seventh-day Adventist Church

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Is the Holy Spirit a person like the Father and Son?

Part 8 by Terry Hill

(What Ellen White and the pioneers believed)

In section seven we noted that Dr. Kellogg’s book, namely, ‘The Living Temple’, brought considerable response from Ellen White. Much of this response was collated in a publication called ‘Special Testimonies Series B No’s. 2 and 7. We begin section eight of this presentation with a quote from this publication.

As concerning the Godhead, I would regard this quote as being the most comprehensive ever penned by Ellen White. I would also say that in the contemplation of its meaning, human reasoning is stretched to the limit.

As we read this quote, it is important to remember that throughout this whole controversy, the one thing that Ellen White made very clear was that God and Christ were two separate persons. She also made it clear that whilst the Father and the Son were both one in purpose for the salvation of mankind, they were not one in person. This should tell us a great deal as to what Ellen White regarded would be the end result of believing that which Kellogg was teaching in his book. It should also give us ample insight into certain misunderstandings of the Godhead as contained in some of the various concepts of the trinity.

History shows that in the past, there were those (as there are today), who in attempting to define the Godhead, have resorted to using illustrations from nature. Take for example Tertullian. He lived during the 2nd and 3rd centuries of the Christian era and was amongst the first (if not the first), to use the term ‘trinity’ in relation to the Godhead.

Although he did not believe in the trinity concept as later formulated by the 4th century church (Council of Constantinople AD 381), Tertullian did describe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as being like a trinity, i.e. … the sun (the Father), the sun’s beams (the Son of God) and the area illuminated by the sun’s beams (the Holy Spirit). He also described the Godhead as being like … a spring of water (the Father), the river (the Son of God), and an irrigation canal (the Holy Spirit). Notice here that Tertullian was speaking of the Father as being the source (or parent), whilst the Son and the Holy Spirit were projections from that source. He believed that the Son of God was the ‘Word’ that was initially brought forth from the Father.

Now here is the quote of Ellen White to which I referred. It was made with direct reference to Kellogg’s ‘The Living Temple’. I have divided it into two sections. The first section says

"I am instructed to say, The sentiments of those who are searching for advanced scientific ideas are not to be trusted. Such representations as the following are made: "The Father is as the light invisible; the Son is as the light embodied; the Spirit is the light shed abroad." "The Father is like the dew, invisible vapour; the Son is like the dew gathered in beauteous form; the Spirit is like the dew fallen to the seat of life." Another representation: "The Father is like the invisible vapour; the Son is like the leaden cloud; the Spirit is rain fallen and working in refreshing power."

All these spiritualistic representations are simply nothingness. They are imperfect, untrue. They weaken and diminish the Majesty which no earthly likeness can be compared to. God can not be compared with the things His hands have made. These are mere earthly things, suffering under the curse of God because of the sins of man. The Father can not be described by the things of earth".

Although the word ‘trinity’ is not here used, it is reasonable to believe that it is to this belief that Ellen White is making reference. Did you notice in that last paragraph that Ellen White appeared to relate God to the term ‘Father’.

Her next words constitute what I regard as being the most comprehensive description of the Godhead that she ever gave in all of her writings. As you read this statement, please remember that she said this in direct response to Kellogg’s attempt to describe God. She said

"The Father is all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and is invisible to mortal sight.

The Son is all the fullness of the Godhead manifested. The Word of God declares Him to be "the express image of His person." "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life". Here is shown the personality of the Father.

The Comforter that Christ promised to send after He ascended to heaven, is the Spirit in all the fullness of the Godhead, making manifest the power of divine grace to all who receive and believe in Christ as a personal Saviour. There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-those who receive Christ by living faith are baptised, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ." (Special Testimonies Series B Number 7 page 63)

I sincerely believe that this last statement needs to be read over and over again until its fullest import is realised whilst at the same time bearing in mind all of what Ellen White has said about God

Understandably, there are those today who quote this statement of Ellen White in support of a trintarian concept of God (traditional or otherwise), but we must be careful that we do not use these words to contradict that Ellen White said

(a) God and Christ were two separate persons and

(b) God and Christ are not one being.

As you can see from the quote, Ellen White says that the three persons of the Godhead are all different in their nature and personage. This obviously invalidates one of the modern trinity views that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all exactly the same.

She says that the Father is all the fullness of the Godhead but is invisible to mortal sight.

She then describes the Son as being different from the Father. She says that unlike the Father, the Son is begotten and visible, thus revealing the fullness of the Godhead … the personality of the Father. She also says that He is the express image of God.

She then describes the Holy Spirit as being different again from the Father and Son by saying that He is all the fullness of the Godhead making visible the power of divine grace (favour) to all those who accept Christ as their personal Saviour. She then says that these are three living persons of the Godhead.

I have found that many of those who hold to the modern concept of the trinity (three co-equal, co-eternal persons in the Godhead all exactly the same), deny that Christ really is the begotten Son of God. They teach rather that the three persons of the Godhead are simply ‘role playing’ in their combined attempt to redeem mankind. Yet, Ellen White, by reason of the statement that we have just read, totally and emphatically denies this to be true.

She also said of God and Christ in the Youth Instructor of 16th December 1897

"From eternity there was a complete unity between the Father and the Son. They were two, yet little short of being identical; two in individuality, yet one in spirit, and heart, and character".

Ellen White says that the Father and Son are almost the same but not quite. She says that they are two individuals, one in spirit, but not identical.

We need to compare this statement with another that Ellen White made where she said

"The Son of God was next in authority to the great Lawgiver. He knew that his life alone could be sufficient to ransom fallen man. He was of as much more value than man as his noble, spotless character, and exalted office as commander of all the heavenly host, were above the work of man. He was in the express image of his Father, not in features alone, but in perfection of character ".(Review and Herald 17-12-1872) (2 Vol. SP p9 1877) (1RED. P10 1887-1888)

She also said in Life Sketches page 230 (1880)

"I had often been shown the lovely Jesus, that he is a person. I had asked him if his Father was a person, and had a form like himself. Said Jesus, 'I am in the express image of my Father's person.' I had often seen that the spiritual view took away the glory of heaven, and that in many minds the throne of David, and the lovely person of Jesus had been burned up by the fire of spiritual interpretation".

In ‘features’, the Son did look like the Father, yet Ellen White says of them that they were ‘yet little short of being identical’. There was a difference.

She also said in a letter to M. J. Church dated July 7th 1890

"Christ did not seek to be thought great, and yet He was the Majesty of heaven, equal in dignity and glory with the infinite God. He was God manifested in the flesh. What a rebuke is the life of Christ to everything like self-conceit, self-exaltation, seeking to be great among men! He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Wonder, O heaven, and be astonished, O earth! The divine nature in the person of Christ was not transformed in human nature and the human nature of the Son of man was not changed into the divine nature, but they were mysteriously blended in the Saviour of men. He was not the Father but in Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily …" (Letter 8a, 1890, pp. 2, 3. (To M. J. Church, July 7, 1890.) Manuscript 6MR No.356 Released January 23, 1974).

Prior to the creation of this world, God summoned all the inhabitants of Heaven before the throne to show the true position of His Son. Ellen White says

"The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father's throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both. About the throne gathered the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng--"ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands" (Revelation 5:11.), the most exalted angels, as ministers and subjects, rejoicing in the light that fell upon them from the presence of the Deity. Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will. The Son of God had wrought the Father's will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due. Christ was still to exercise divine power, in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. But in all this He would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God's plan, but would exalt the Father's glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love." (Patriarchs and Prophets page 36)

Many have asked why God had to do this, especially if the Son was God Himself and looked exactly like the Father. This is a very important question and needs serious consideration. Does this next quote from Ellen White shed some light on the question? It was made in the Review and Herald of 31st December 1872 (also Spiritual Gifts Vol. 4a 1864 and Spiritual Gifts Vol. 2 page 39 1877, also Redemption or The First Advent of Christ with His Life and Ministry)

"Before Christ left Heaven and came into the world to die, he was taller than any of the angels. He was majestic and lovely. But when his ministry commenced, he was but little taller than the common size of men then living upon the earth. Had he come among men with his noble, heavenly form, his outward appearance would have attracted the minds of the people to himself, and he would have been received without the exercise of faith.".

Was Ellen White implying that the pre-existent Son of God looked like an angel? Could this be the reason why Satan (Lucifer) became jealous of the Son and wondered why He (the Son) should be exalted above himself (Lucifer)? Could this also be the reason why God summoned the inhabitants of Heaven to declare the position of His Son?

Here is another question. If the Son looked and is different from the Father, could it be also that the Holy Spirit is different from the Father and Son? Hence the title of this section … ‘Is the Holy Spirit a person?’ or perhaps I should say … ‘Is the Holy Spirit a person like the Father and Son?’ Perhaps that would be more to the point.

If the Holy Spirit is a person exactly like the Father and Son, do you not think it strange that

(a) He is never revealed within the Bible as sitting on a throne as is the Father with the Son?

(b) That God never deemed it necessary to present Him to the inhabitants of Heaven and explain His relationship as He did the Son?

These questions are more than interesting.

As regarding the concept of the trinity, the acceptance that the Holy Spirit is a ‘person’ is extremely important. That is why I have undertaken to show in this section just how Ellen White and the other pioneers referred to this ‘mysterious divine being’.

Needless to say, that to have a trinity does necessitate having three separate persons. If we cannot establish the Holy Spirit to be a person just like the Father and Son, then God should not be described as a trinity of beings.

The major problem with the whole concept of the trinity is that it is purely a ‘man made’ theology, formulated in an attempt to describe and define God. The reality is that God is beyond our comprehension.

In his book, ‘The Living Temple’, Kellogg tried to define God. Look at what Ellen White had to say about his efforts.

"I have ever done all that I could to save Dr. Kellogg's soul, but of late I have not written to him as frequently as in former years. I am greatly disappointed that so many of our medical missionary workers seem to be spiritually blind. I can not regard them as safe teachers. They are sowing tares among the wheat. Those who venture to speak of God as He is spoken of in "The Living Temple", are on very dangerous ground.

I say, and have ever said, that I will not engage in controversy with any one in regard to the nature and personality of God. Let those who try to describe God know that on such a subject silence is eloquence. Let the Scriptures be read in simple faith, and let each one form his conceptions of God from his inspired word.

No human mind can comprehend God. No man hath seen him at any time. We are as ignorant of God as little children. But as little children we may love and obey Him. Had this been understood, such sentiments as are in this book would never have been expressed." (SPM Collection of EGW’s writings 329 Giving heed to seducing spirits. EGW Elmshaven Oct 9th 1903)

If we accept what Ellen White says, then whichever view that a person may take of ‘the trinity’, whether it be the three in one concept (traditional) or the three stand alone, three co-equal and co-eternal persons concept (modern SDA), both views are held in error. This is because each view says that the problem of defining God is resolved.

Another statement from Ellen White which strikes at the very notion that God can be defined in terms of a trinity, is found in ‘The Acts of the Apostles’ page 51-52 which was published in 1911. Please note the date. This was eight years or so following the onset of the Kellogg crisis which so much revolved around the personality of the Holy Spirit and only four years before she died.

"It is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is. Christ tells us that the Spirit is the Comforter, "the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father." It is plainly declared regarding the Holy Spirit that, in His work of guiding men into all truth, "He shall not speak of Himself." John 15:26; 16:13. 52

The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden".

This really is an extremely important statement. It tells us clearly that we cannot explain or define the nature of the Holy Spirit, neither is it necessary. On this matter says Ellen White, silence really is golden.

This previous statement should be brought to bear on all the other statements that Ellen White made concerning the Holy Spirit, as well as in regard to all that she says about the Godhead. It was not made at the beginning of her work as God’s messenger, but as her work drew to a close. As I said, note the date well. It was 1911, some eight years after the Kellogg affair began.

Take note also as to how Ellen White referred to the Holy Spirit. She said "It is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is". And "The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them.

Throughout her writings, she often referred to the Holy Spirit as ‘it’ as well as ‘he’. We shall also see that she said the Holy Spirit is a ‘person’ and that He has a personality.

In his book, ‘The Living Temple’, Kellogg tried to define God. More exactly, he had attempted to define His presence and personality. This was exactly what Ellen White was against.

Today, as always, those who believe in a trinity concept are saying exactly as did Kellogg …that is, … that they have ‘sorted out’ God. They have defined Him.

Those who hold to the concept that the Holy Spirit is a person, exactly the same as the Father and Son, have also fallen into the same error as Kellogg. He had attempted to define the Holy Spirit as such, whilst Ellen White says that He is not explainable.

If we put together all that we studied so far, we could only conclude that God is the Father of Christ and that Christ is the Son of God. We would also conclude that in human terms, the Holy Spirit is unexplainable, although through inspiration, certain aspects concerning His Being have been revealed.

Amongst the pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, it was the consensus of belief that the Holy Spirit is not a person exactly like the Father and Son, rather He is something of a mystery. This is in keeping with everything that Ellen White had to say on the subject. There are those who say that the Holy Spirit was regarded by the pioneers as the ‘inner nature’ shared by the Father and Son, but we shall speak more of this later in this section.

Whether the Holy Spirit is a person or not (exactly the same as the Father), is the problem that Kellogg was wrestling with at the time that the controversy broke out about his book. As we shall see later, this was an ongoing discussion within the church.

In a letter that he wrote to A. G. Daniells on Oct 28th 1903 concerning ‘The Living Temple’ Kellogg said

"As far as I can fathom, the difficulty which is found in the Living Temple, the whole thing may be simmered down to this question: is the Holy Ghost a person. You say no. I had supposed the Bible said this for the reason that the personal pronoun he is used in speaking of the Holy Ghost. Sister White uses the pronoun he and has said in as many words that the Holy Ghost is the third person of the Godhead. How the Holy Ghost can be the third person and not be a person at all is difficult for me to see".

It can be seen here that Kellogg was saying that he believed the Holy Spirit to be a person.

We can also see that the brethren, whilst agreeing with Kellogg to an extent that the Holy Spirit was a person, were also trying to convince him that in another sense, the Holy Spirit was not a person. This is evident because in his letter Kellogg says "How the Holy Ghost can be the third person and not be a person at all is difficult for me to see".

Understandably, that the Holy Spirit was the third person of the Godhead and yet not a person, appeared to be a very confusing concept to Kellogg. This debate with Kellogg continued well into the next year, with Kellogg being far from being satisfied with what the brethren would have him believe.

On April 5th, 1904, G. I Butler wrote to Kellogg saying that although Kellogg believed that the teachings in his book was in harmony with the writings of Ellen White, he, (G. I Butler) could not accept that this was true on the basis that EGW personally denied Kellogg’s claim.

In that same letter, Butler, referring to the Holy Spirit said to Kellogg

"it (referring to the Holy Spirit) comes forth from the Father and the Son. It is not a person walking around on foot, or flying as a literal person, in any such sense as Christ and the Father are - at least, if it is, it is utterly beyond my comprehension of the meaning of language or words"

I thought that at this time, I would take the opportunity to share with you just some of the views of the pioneers concerning the Holy Spirit.

The first statement is made by J. H. Waggoner, the father of E. J. Waggoner. It is from an article called ‘The Spirit Of God; Its Offices And Manifestations’ printed in the Review and Herald in 1877.

Here we can see that early on in our history, we did not consider it necessary to enter into ‘too definite’ ideas concerning the Holy Spirit although it can be seen that even then we regarded the Holy Spirit as ‘a person’. J. H. Waggoner said

"There is one question which has been much controverted in the theological world upon which we have never presumed to enter. It is that of the personality of the Spirit of God. Prevailing ideas of person are very diverse, often crude, and the word is differently understood; so that unity of opinion on this point cannot be expected until all shall be able to define precisely what they mean by the word, or until all shall agree upon one particular sense in which the word shall be used.

But as this agreement does not exist, it seems that a discussion of the subject cannot be profitable, especially as it is not a question of direct revelation. We have a right to be positive in our faith and our statements only when the words of Scripture are so direct as to bring the subject within the range of positive proof. "We are not only willing but anxious to leave it just where the word of God leaves it. From it we learn that the Spirit of God is that awful and mysterious power which proceeds from the throne of the universe, and which is the efficient actor in the work of creation and of redemption."

Waggoner was saying that it was the term ‘person’ that was really in debate. He also says that it is best to only describe the Holy Spirit as described within the Bible and go no further.

As time progressed we did become more definite in our views but still did not go to the extent of describing the Holy Spirit as a person like the Father and Son. Please note that the following quotes were made at the approach of the 20th century. This was the time that Kellogg was formulating his theology.

URIAH SMITH (1890)

"J. W. W. asks: 'Are we to understand that the Holy Ghost is a person, the same as the Father and the Son? Some claim that it is, others that it is not.' "Ans.-The terms 'Holy Ghost,' are a harsh and repulsive translation. It should be 'Holy Spirit' (hagion pneuma) in every instance.

This Spirit is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ; the Spirit being the same whether it is spoken of as pertaining to God or Christ.

But respecting this Spirit, the Bible uses expressions which cannot be harmonized with the idea that it is a person like the Father and the Son. Rather it is shown to be a divine influence from them both, the medium which represents their presence and by which they have knowledge and power through all the universe, when not personally present.

Christ is a person, now officiating as priest in the sanctuary in heaven; and yet he says that wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he is there in the midst. Mt. 18:20. How? Not personally, but by his Spirit.

In one of Christ's discourses (John, chapters 14,15, and 16) this Spirit is personified as 'the Comforter,' and as such has the personal and relative pronouns, 'he,' 'him,' and 'whom,' applied to it. But usually it is spoken of in a way to show that it cannot be a person, like the Father and the Son. For instance, it is often said to be 'poured out' and 'shed abroad.' But we never read about God or Christ being poured out or shed abroad. (Review and Herald, Oct. 28,1890).

A. J. MORTON (1891)

"The Holy Spirit is divine because it proceeds from divinity. You can no more separate divinity from the Spirit of God and Christ than you can separate divinity from God and Christ. It is, therefore, the presence of the Spirit in the words of God's promises which enable us to receive the divine nature from those promises." (Signs of the Times, Oct. 26, 1891, p.342).

E. J. WAGGONER (the son of J. H. Waggoner) (1892)

"Finally, we know the Divine unity of the Father and the Son from the fact that both have the same Spirit. Paul, after saying that they that are in the flesh cannot please God, continues: "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." Rom. 8:9. Here we find that the Holy Spirit is both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ." (Christ And His Righteousness, 1892, p.23).

M. C. WILCOX (1898)

"God is the source of all life...God's life is eternal life, even as He is 'the eternal God.'...'But God is a person; how can His life be everywhere present?' God is everywhere present by His Spirit...The presence of God is therefore His Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is therefore the life of God. And so we read of 'the Spirit of life' (Rom. 8:2), that 'the Spirit is life because of righteousness' (verse 10); that 'the Spirit giveth life' (2 Cor. 3:6)." (Signs of the Times, June 2, 1898).

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH (1898)

"The Spirit of God is spoken of in the Scriptures as God's representative- the power by which he works, the agency by which all things are upheld. This is clearly expressed by the Psalmist...Psa. 139:7-10. We learn from this language that when we speak of the Spirit of God we are really speaking of his presence and power." (Review and Herald, Sept. 13, 1898, p. 690).

MRS. S. M. I. HENRY (1899)

"Q. Do you think the Spirit of God is a person, or is it simply the power by which God works, and which he has given to man for his use? "A. The pronouns used in connection with the Spirit must lead us to conclude that he is a person,-the personality of God which is the source of all power and life." (THE ABIDING SPIRIT, 1899).

That last quote was made by M. C. Wilcox, who for 22 years was Editor in Chief of the Signs of the Times. He wrote a book called ‘Questions and Answers, which was a collection of questions that had appeared previously in the Signs of the Times. Here is a question from this publication. Notice that Wilcox is saying that the Holy Spirit is a person but not a person like we normally think a person to be.

"28.THE PERSONALITY OF THE SPIRIT Ques. 1. Some say the Holy Spirit is a person; others say He is a personality; and others, a power only. Till how long should this be a matter of discussion? Ans. 1. The personality of the Holy Spirit will probably be a matter of discussion always. Sometimes the Spirit is mentioned as being 'poured out,' as in Acts 2. All through the Scriptures, the Spirit is represented as being the operating power of God ... The reason why the Scriptures speak of the Holy Spirit as a person, it seems to us, is that it brings to us, and to every soul that believes, the personal presence of our Lord Jesus Christ...

"Because of the lack of faith, it was 'expedient,' necessary, that He should go away; for He declared, 'If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send Him unto you.' John 16:7. His disciples could not realize the presence of the Spirit of God as long as Christ was with them personally. In that sense, He could be with those only who were in His immediate presence. But when He went away, and the Spirit came, it could make Christ present with everyone, wherever that one was with Paul in Athens, Peter in Jerusalem, Thomas in India, John in Patmos.

"These are simply illustrations. Wherever God's children are, there is the Spirit - not an individual person, as we look upon persons, but having the power to make present the Father and the Son. That Spirit is placed upon God's messengers, the angels; but the angels are not the Spirit. That Spirit is placed upon God's servants, His human messengers; but the human messengers are not the Spirit. They are possessed by the Spirit, and used by the Spirit, and have within them the power of the Spirit; but they are not the Spirit. The Spirit is independent of all these human or material agencies. Why not leave it there? Why not know that the Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Deity, goes out into all the earth, bringing the presence of God to every heart that will receive it?" Questions And Answers Vol.11, 1919, 1938 editions, p.37-39. In the 1945 edition p.33-35.

Here is another question that M. C. Wilcox answered

"Ques. 187. The Holy Spirit and Ministering Spirits "What is the difference between the Holy Spirit and the ministering spirits (angels), or are they the same? "Ans. The Holy Spirit is the mighty energy of the Godhead, the life and power of God flowing out from Him to all parts of the universe, and thus making a living connection between His throne and all creation. As is expressed by another: 'The Holy Spirit is the breath of spiritual life in the soul. The impartation of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ.' It thus makes Christ everywhere present.

To use a crude illustration, just as a telephone carries the voice of a man, and so makes that voice present miles away, so the Holy Spirit carries with it all the potency of Christ in making Him everywhere present with all His power, and revealing Him to those in harmony with His law. Thus the Spirit is personified in Christ and God, but never revealed as a separate person.

Never are we told to pray to the Spirit; but to God for the Spirit. Never do we find in the Scriptures prayers to the Spirit, but for the Spirit." (Questions And Answers Gathered From The Question Corner Department Of The Signs Of The Times, Pacific Press, 1911 p.18-182).

You can see from these last two statements that even well into the 1900’s, although the Holy Spirit was regarded by many as a person, He was still not regarded as a person exactly like the Father and Son. The summary view of the pioneers was that the personality of the Holy Spirit was still surrounded with mystery.

I am sure that reading about these beliefs of the pioneers will bring to mind certain other statements of Ellen White where she said that the Holy Spirit is a person. One of those statements is probably the one that Ellen White made at Avondale College in Australia on April 15th 1899. She said

"I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

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, that the Lord God is our keeper, and helper. He hears every word we utter and knows every thought of the mind.--Ms 66, 1899, p. 4. (Talk, April 15, 1899).

Released April 28, 1976. {7MR 299} MR No. 487

Now this may appear that it supports the view that the Holy Spirit is a separate person from and just like the Father and Son, but please note exactly what Ellen White is saying. She says that the Holy Spirit "is as much a person as God is a person". The comparison is between God and the Holy Spirit. God is a person, the Holy Spirit is a person. She does not say that the Holy Spirit is a person like as the Father and Son are persons. She was simply saying that the Holy Spirit is a person. She was saying no more, no less. This was in agreement with what many of the pioneers already believed but they did not believe that the Holy Spirit was person in the same sense that God and His Son were two separate persons. In each case it was the definition of the word ‘person’ that was the problem.

It must also be said that this statement at first glance, may appear to support the trinity concept, but remember, 12 years later, Ellen White did make that statement in Acts of the Apostles pages 51-52. She said

"It is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is. … and … "The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them.

That is why we must not take that one statement made in 1899 at Avondale about the Holy Spirit being a person and then ignore all the other statements that Ellen White made, particularly those that she made many years later.

When Ellen White says (as noted many times in the last section) that God and Christ are separate persons and that in no way are they one person, we should immediately recognise that the original trinity concept of God has unmistakable problems. This is because this particular trinity teaching says that the three, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one being, an indivisible substance.

Those who take the modern view of the trinity, i.e. that there are three ‘stand alone, co-equal and co-eternal persons in the Godhead all exactly the same’ etc., should also realise that this concept has serious problems as well. This is because Ellen White clearly says that whilst the Holy Spirit is a ‘person’, He and His nature are unexplainable.

At this point, I am sure that there will be those reading this presentation who are very aware of the following statement of Ellen White

"The Holy Spirit always leads to the written word. 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. What strong evidence of the power of truth we can give to believers and unbelievers when we can voice the words of John, "We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."

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.""--Ms 20, 1906. (MR No. 1437)

Once again this statement is much used by present day Seventh-day Adventist trinitarians but once again also, we must not forget what Ellen White said five years later in Acts of the Apostles pages 51-52

"It is not essential for us to be able to define just what the Holy Spirit is". And "The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them".

Ellen White also made this important statement in the Review and Herald of 2nd May 1912

"It is the glory of the gospel that it is founded on the principles of restoring in the fallen race the divine image. 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. In order fully to carry out his plan, it was decided that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, should give himself an offering for sin. And in giving Christ, God gave all the resources of heaven, that nothing might be wanting for the work of man's uplifting. What line can measure the depth of this love? God would make it impossible for man to say that he could have done more".

Note also that she had previously said many years earlier in the Review and Herald of 5th May 1896

"The Holy Spirit is a free, working, independent agency. The God of heaven uses his Spirit as it pleases him, and human minds and human judgment and human methods can no more set boundaries to its working, or prescribe as to the channel through which it shall operate, than they can say to the wind, "I bid you to blow in a certain direction, and to conduct yourself in such and such a manner."

Ellen White repeatedly says that God uses the Holy Spirit. Throughout the scriptures and the writings of Ellen White, the Holy Spirit is seen as belonging to God. It is also important to note that she says that the Holy Spirit is a "free, working, independent agency".

So what conclusion can we now come to about the Holy Spirit?

As we shall see later as we study the scriptures and review statements from Ellen White, there is nothing revealed that will draw the conclusion that the Holy Spirit is a person exactly like the Father and Son.

Who or what is then the Holy Spirit? Ellen White said this in 1895

"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." (Manuscript Releases Volume 14 (No’s 1081-1135) MR No.1084

Ellen White is saying that the Holy Spirit is Christ Himself without His humanity and independent thereof. For us, this truth may be shrouded with mystery but that is the testimony of scripture. John 14:16-18 says

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you".

In the form of the Comforter (the Holy Spirit), Jesus says that it was He Himself that was coming back to be with His disciples. Jesus also said

" … If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (John 14:23)"

Here Jesus is saying that through the Holy Spirit, both the Father and the Son would come and make their abode with all those who love and trust Him.

Whilst this ‘indwelling’ was not the physical indwelling of the persons of the Father and His Son, it was to be accomplished through the Holy Spirit. That is why the Holy Spirit should not be seen as a person like the Father and Son. As physical persons, the Father and Son do not dwell within us but are now mediating on our behalf in Heaven. It is through the Holy Spirit that this indwelling is accomplished.

Our next section (section nine) will centre around what the scriptures say about both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of man. This will help us to understand more fully the problem in describing the person and personality of the Holy Spirit.

Before we close this section, let’s just take a look at some more statements that Ellen White made concerning the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and see if they shed some more light on the subject. The first one is included in Special Testimonies Series B No. No. 7 which as I said was written particularly to contain the testimonies from Ellen White concerning Kellogg’s teachings in ‘The Living Temple’. She said this on page 45 (1906)

"We know not who are the chosen of God only as they reveal the education they have received from the Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit. Christ is their Mediator, their Righteousness, and their unity centers in God".

Did you notice that Ellen white referred to the education that we receive as being from the Father and the Son. She did not say from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

She left out the Holy Spirit as to where the education comes from but said that we receive the education from the Father and Son through the Holy Spirit? Read the statement again and you will see what I am trying to point out.

Now look also at this statement written in Acts of the Apostles page 119

"As Saul yielded himself fully to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, he saw the mistakes of his life and recognized the far-reaching claims of the law of God. He who had been a proud Pharisee, confident that he was justified by his good works, now bowed before God with the humility and simplicity of a little child, confessing his own unworthiness and pleading the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Saul longed to come into full harmony and communion with the Father and the Son; and in the intensity of his desire for pardon and acceptance he offered up fervent supplications to the throne of grace".

With whom was it that Ellen White says that Saul wanted to come into ‘full harmony and communion’? It was with the ‘Father and the Son’. She did not say that he wanted to come into full harmony with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Yet she did say that "Saul yielded himself to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit".

In Special Testimonies on Education, page 228, Ellen White said this

"The gift of Christ and the illumination of the Holy Spirit reveal to us the Father and the Son".

Who is doing the revealing and who is being revealed? Ellen White is saying that the Holy Spirit reveals the Father and Son but how many times have you read that the Holy Spirit reveals Himself?

Look at these statements

"Wherever you go, carry on the good work of searching the Scriptures, and the Lord Jesus will always be at your right hand to help you. He is a merciful high priest pleading in your behalf. He will send his representative, the Holy Spirit; for He says, "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you." By the Spirit the Father and the Son will come and make their abode with you".

It is by the Holy Spirit that both the Father and the Son dwell in the believer and yet this cannot be in the literal, physical sense. The Father and the Son are both in Heaven and are two separate persons. The Son is mediating on our behalf to the Father. Yet the Bible is clear that through the Holy Spirit, both the Father and Son dwell in the believer.

In a General Conference bulletin of 1st July 1900 Ellen White said

"The union between Christ and his people is to be living, true, and unfailing, resembling the union that exists between the Father and the Son. This union is the fruit of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit".

Ellen White specifically points out the union between the Father and Son but does not include within that union the Holy Spirit. She simply says that the union between Christ and His people is the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Notice the similarity in this statement in a General Conference daily bulletin of 27th February 1893

"The declaration in his intercessory prayer, that the Father's love is as great towards us as toward himself, the only begotten Son, and that they shall be with him where he is, forever one with Christ and the Father, is a marvel to the heavenly host, and it is their great joy. The gift of his Holy Spirit, rich, full, and abundant, is to his church as an encompassing wall of fire, which the powers of hell shall not prevail against it.

Ellen White says that this ‘being forever’ is with Christ and His Father but she does not include the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as being a gift. She makes a similar statement in the Review and Herald of 30th October 1888

"… those who have sought for the salvation of their associates will share in the joy of their Lord. Many will say to the faithful followers of Jesus, "It was your constant efforts, your Christ-like character, that influenced me to seek the salvation of my soul; and this acknowledgment will not detract in the least from the glory that shall flow forth from immortal tongues to the Father and to the Son.

Ellen White again omits to include the Holy Spirit in this praise.

In the Review and Herald of 28th August 1894 she says

"The plan of salvation is not half discerned. It is made altogether too cheap a thing, and men do not take in the fact of how great an act of condescension it is on the part of Omnipotence to stoop to unite the divine with the human, to impart the Holy Spirit to the repenting transgressor of his holy law. God became man, clothing his divinity with humanity, and thus humanity has been elevated in the scale of moral value with God. But how great was the condescension of the Father and the Son to consent to the working out of the plan of salvation to save the transgressors of Heaven's exalted law!

Ellen White repeatedly say that the Holy Spirit is a gift and is imparted to the believer. Notice that in this statement she says that the condescension was on the part of the Father and Son but once again does not include the Holy Spirit.

In the Signs of the Times of 13th April 1891 Ellen White said

"The love existing between believers is to be similar to the love existing between the Father and the Son. And this love in the soul is the evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit."

Again we see the Father and Son relationship but again the Holy Spirit is omitted in that relationship, except that when this same love that the Father and Son have for each other is seen within a person, then this is the evidence of the ‘indwelling of the Holy Spirit’.

In the Youth Instructor of 15th June 1893 Ellen White had this to say about what our salvation cost

"We shall all be held accountable for the diligent use of our talents. We shall be judged according to the light we have had, according to the privileges we have been granted, according to the opportunity we have had to hear and understand the word of God. These privileges have been given us through an infinite cost to the Father and the Son. The plan of redemption has been devised and carried out so far through the sacrifice of all heaven, and the gift of the Holy Spirit has been provided, that the divine may unite with the human, and man be elevated in moral and spiritual worth".

Ellen White says that the cost of our redemption was to ‘the Father and the Son’. Once again she says that the Holy Spirit is a gift but fails to include Him in sharing the cost of our salvation..

Here is one last statement in summary. This is from ‘Home Missionary’ of 1st July 1897

"Christ desired his disciples to understand that he would not leave them orphans. "I will not leave you comfortless," he declared; "I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also." Precious, glorious assurance of eternal life. Even though he was to be absent, their relation to him was to be that of a child to its parent.

The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul. We do not now see Christ and speak to him, but his Holy Spirit is just as near us in one place as another. It works in and through every one who receives Christ. Those who know the indwelling of the Spirit reveal the fruits of the Spirit,--"love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith." "Ye have an unction from the Holy One," writes John, "and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie of the truth. . . .Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father."

This ‘continuance’ was with the Father and Son but it was to be accomplished through the indwelling Holy Spirit. She emphasized that it was Christ that was returning as the Comforter when He said, ‘I will come to you’.

Well, there we have it. How Ellen White and the other pioneers viewed the Holy Spirit. Not so simple as many people today make it out to be, is it?

I would conclude that Ellen White, as did many of the pioneers, viewed the Holy Spirit as a person but not a person exactly like the Father and Son. I would also say with Ellen White that the Holy Spirit was not definable as far as His nature and personality is concerned. I would also go along with the pioneers in believing that it was the ‘inner nature’ shared by the Father and Son.

Why do I come to this conclusion? To answer this question necessitates a study of the human spirit. I believe that most of the misunderstanding about the Holy Spirit, comes from a misunderstanding of the spirit of man.

As it would make this section too lengthy, I chose to present this study in a separate section (section nine).

In closing this section, I believe that inspiration has told us that we cannot define God. Certainly, we cannot define the Holy Spirit. The conclusion is then that we should not try to define God as a ‘trinity of beings’ and thus lend ourselves to drawing sorts of erroneous conclusions. In the final section of this presentation, I will include some of these erroneous conclusions that a trinity concept of God normally produce.

How many persons are there in the Godhead? It depends on how you define the word ‘person’. My studies have brought me to the conclusion that there are two persons, the Father and the Son who are working on my behalf for my salvation. From each of them, the same Spirit shared by them both and also defined as a person is also working for my salvation. With the pioneers, I do not see the Holy Spirit as a person like the Father and Son yet He must be described as a person. We shall better see why in our next section.

Although it can be said then that there are three persons in the Godhead, it would be error to describe these three as defined by any of the trinity concepts that are prevalent today. They are all laced with error. It is much safer just to describe them as defined within the scriptures. That is our only safety. To venture outside of inspiration is always to invite error.

Error is never ‘not dangerous’. As Ellen White said in the Review and Herald of 22nd October 1903, once again concerning Kellogg’s book ‘The Living Temple’

"We need not the mysticism that is in this book. Those who entertain these sophistries will soon find themselves in a position where the enemy can talk with them, and lead them away from God. It is represented to me that the writer of this book is on a false track. He has lost sight of the distinguishing truths for this time. He knows not whither his steps are tending. The track of truth lies close beside the track of error, and both tracks may seem to be one to minds which are not worked by the Holy Spirit, and which, therefore, are not quick to discern the difference between truth and error.

You and I need to discern between truth and error, We cannot afford to be confused. Jesus is coming soon and Satan is more active than ever. We need to know the truth. It is the only thing that will set us free.

Although this section is at end, I have included below, more statements from the pen of Ellen White where she referred to the Father and Son. These may benefit you in your studies. I have made them as brief as I can without losing the sense of the statement.

Note that when she speaks of the communion of the Father and Son, the Holy Spirit is often left out. Nevertheless, she consistently said that there were three powers in the Godhead at work in the salvation of mankind.

My apologies that the addition of these quotes have made this section somewhat larger than normal thus increasing the download time, but I hope that they will be of benefit to you.

If you would like to comment on what you have just read, then here are a number of email addresses to which you can reply.

First preference terry_sda@blueyonder.co.uk

Second preference terry_sda@bristol000.freeserve.co.uk

Third preference terry_sda@hotmail.com

SECTION NINE FOLLOWING

Terry Hill

Bristol England

Additional ‘Father and Son’ quotes

Review and Herald 5th July 1875

"Even so the members of Christ are as he was in this world. They are the sons of God and joint heirs with Christ; and the kingdom and dominion belong to them. The world understand not their character and holy calling. They perceive not their adoption into the family of God. Their union and fellowship with the Father and the Son are not manifest to the world, and while they behold their humiliation and reproach, it does not appear what they shall be. They are strangers. The world knows them not, and appreciates not the motives which actuate them".

Review and Herald 4th May 1876

"You must have repentance toward God, because it is the Father's law which you have transgressed; and you must exercise faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as the sinner's advocate, to plead in his behalf. Come, sinner, to the Father and the Son! All Heaven invites you to come and gain eternal life".

Review and Herald 11th January 1881

"Every world throughout immensity engages the care and support of the Father and the Son; and this care is constantly exercised for fallen humanity. Christ is mediating in behalf of man, and the order of unseen worlds also is preserved by his mediatorial work. Are not these themes of sufficient magnitude and importance to engage our thoughts, and call forth our gratitude and adoration to God?"

Review and Herald 1st March 1881

"The Father and the Son spoke to Moses from the rocks. God made the rocks his sanctuary. His temple was the everlasting hills. The Divine Legislator descended upon the rocky mountain to speak his law in the hearing of all the people, that they might be impressed by the grand and awful exhibition of his power and glory, and fear to transgress his commandments".

Review and Herald 9th March 1886

"As the ministry of Christ commences, the battle between light and darkness waxes stronger. And as he cries out upon the cross in his expiring agony, "It is finished," a shout of triumph rings through every world and through heaven itself. The great contest that has been going on in this world for so long is ended, and Christ is conqueror. His death has now answered the question whether there was self-denial with the Father and the Son".

Review and Herald 28th May 1889

"The angels of heaven were amazed when the Father consented to give his only Son for a fallen race. When we can approach to an appreciation of the sacrifice made by the Father and the Son, we shall have a better appreciation of the value of souls. We should not study our own ease, since Christ has died for us, but we should be willing to deny self, to go without the camp, bearing his reproach".

Review and Herald 28th October 1890

"The Lord requires his followers to be his representatives. Christ came to the world to represent the character of God, and the Lord has sent his ministers to represent the character of the Father and the Son".

Review and Herald 10th February 1891

"Those who present the law of God as a transcript of the divine character will blend with their teaching that which belongs with the subject, and will present the love of the Father and the Son. When this is done, the shadow of the evil one will be removed from the hearts of men, and the clear light of Christ's love, illuminating the understanding, will reveal the character of God as of one who is infinite in mercy.

Review and Herald 10th February 1891

"There are but two classes in the world,--the class that know God, and the class that know him not. The spiritual man belongs to the first class, the natural man to the other; and it is according to our estimate of the character of the Father and the Son that our class is determined. It is natural for the man whose soul is flooded with the love of Jesus, to see in God his father and his friend. He can and will teach others in harmony with the light which shines into the chambers of his heart. He will teach men the one way from sin to righteousness, revealing to the world the character of Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. Through the plan of redemption, a way has been provided whereby the sinner may be led from the depths of ruin upward to the paradise of God. This provision has been wrought out through an infinite sacrifice on the part of the Father and the Son".

Review and Herald 28th April 1891

"Day by day he (Enoch) was growing away from his own way into Christ's way, the heavenly, the divine, in his thoughts and feelings. He was constantly inquiring. "Is this the way of the Lord?" His was a constant growth, and he had fellowship with the Father and the Son. This is genuine sanctification".

Review and Herald 5th July 1892

"If we would enter in at the strait gate, we must be partakers of the sufferings of Christ. We must know what it is to practice self-denial, that we may come into sympathy with the Father and Son. Jesus said: "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

Review and Herald 30th August 1892

"Every forgiven child of God is to be instructed by those who are laborers together with heaven, that he is to be a messenger to work in the same way as the Father and the Son are working, seeking to save the lost. Every Christian is to lift up Jesus, and say, Behold him; behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world".

Review and Herald 11th April 1893

"The Spirit of God cannot work effectually in any heart where pride and self-esteem exist. But without the aid of the Spirit of God the soul cannot be renewed, a new heart cannot be created within. The Lord is at work seeking to purify his people, and this great work is retarded by unbelief and stubbornness. Many think that had they lived in Christ's day, they would have been among his believing followers; but if all the miracles of Christ were presented before those whose hearts are not subdued by the Spirit of God, their convictions would not be followed, nor their faith increased. Light has been shining upon the church of God, but many have said by their indifferent attitude, "We want not thy way, O Lord, but our own way." The kingdom of heaven has come very near, and they have caught glimpses of the Father and the Son, but they have barred the door of the heart, and have not received the heavenly guests; for as yet they know not the love of God".

Review and Herald 15th January 1895

"Those who come in contact with Sabbath-keepers should be the better for their association; for if they live out the commandments of God, they are representatives of the Father and the Son".

Review and Herald 14th April 1896

"Once Satan was in co-partnership with God, Jesus Christ, and the holy angels. He was highly exalted in heaven, and was radiant in light and glory that came to him from the Father and the Son; but he became disloyal, and lost his high and holy position as covering cherub".

Review and Herald 29th June 1897

"No one need look upon the sin against the Holy Ghost as something mysterious and indefinable. The sin against the Holy Ghost is the sin of persistent refusal to respond to the invitation to repent. If you refuse to believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, you love darkness rather than light, you love the atmosphere that surrounded the first great apostate. You choose this atmosphere rather than the atmosphere that surrounds the Father and the Son, and God allows you to have your choice.

Review and Herald 5th May 1903

"In that day the redeemed will shine forth in the glory of the Father and the Son. The angels of heaven, touching their golden harps, will welcome the King and his trophies of victory--those who have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.".

Review and Herald 13th July 1905

""And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." All through the Scriptures, the Father and the Son are spoken of as two distinct personages. You will hear men endeavoring to make the Son of God a nonentity. He and the Father are one, but they are two personages. Wrong sentiments regarding this are coming in, and we shall all have to meet them".

Review and Herald 8th March 1906

"He who denies the personality of God and of his Son Jesus Christ, is denying God and Christ. "If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father." If you continue to believe and obey the truths you first embraced regarding the personality of the Father and the Son, you will be joined together with him in love. There will be seen that union for which Christ prayed just before his trial and crucifixion:--"

Review and Herald 3rd May 1906

"To lay hold by faith upon Christ, to become a partaker of the divine nature, is the sinner's only hope. Through the efficacy of the atonement made, man may return to his allegiance. Through accepting the righteousness of Christ, he may become loyal to the law of God, united to the Father and the Son".

Review and Herald 24th September 1908

"The story of a crucified and risen Saviour is the great central theme of the Word of God. In the Psalms, in the prophecies, in the gospels, and in the epistles, God has by revelation made prominent the vital truths concerning the agreement between the Father and the Son in providing for the salvation of a lost race".

Review and Herald 19th August 1909

"Those to whom God reveals by his Spirit the truths of his Word will be able to testify to an understanding of that mystery of godliness which from eternal ages has been hid in the Father and the Son".

Review and Herald 24th October 1912

"When the wicked dead are raised from the grave, they come up with the tastes, habits, and characters that they formed in the time of probation. A sinner is not raised a saint, neither is a saint raised a sinner. The sinner could not be happy in the companionship of the saints in light, with Jesus, with the Lord of hosts; for on every side will be heard the song of praise and thanksgiving; and honor will be ascribed to the Father and the Son".

Review and Herald 21st November 1912

"The great gift of salvation has been placed within our reach at an infinite cost to the Father and the Son. To neglect salvation is to neglect the knowledge of the Father, and of the Son, whom God hath sent in order that man might become a partaker of the divine nature, and thus, with Christ, an heir of all things".

Signs of the times 9th January 1879

"After the earth was created, and the beasts upon it, the Father and Son carried out their purpose, which was designed before the fall of Satan, to make man in their own image".

Signs of the Times 22nd December 1887

"The word of God, through his apostle, declares, "We are laborers together with God." Our work may seem at times very discouraging; but if one soul is turned from the error of his way to righteousness, there is joy in Heaven. The Father and the Son rejoice in the presence of the angels".

Signs of the Times 3rd November 1890

"When through repentance and faith we accept Christ as our Saviour, the Lord pardons our sins, and remits the penalty prescribed for the transgression of the law. The sinner then stands before God as a just person; he is taken into favor with Heaven, and through the Spirit has fellowship with the Father and the Son. Then there is yet another work to be accomplished, and this is for a progressive nature. The soul is to be sanctified through the truth. And this also is accomplished through faith. For it is only by the grace of Christ, which we receive through faith, that the character can be transformed".

Signs of the Times 7th December 1891

""Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, . . . and thy neighbor as thyself." We are altogether too indifferent to God's blessings. We share his loving care through Jesus Christ, and then forget how much it has cost the Father and the Son to make us fallen mortals sharers of his paternal sympathies.".

Signs of the Times 20th February 1893

"The great contest between Christ, the Prince of Life, and Satan, the prince of darkness, was practically over, and Christ was Conqueror. His death answered the question as to whether there was self-denial with the Father and the Son".

Signs of the Times 30th July 1894

"If Christ is formed within, the hope of glory, it will be made manifest in the development of our character and actions; for there will appear the likeness of Christ in our life. We shall represent the Father and the Son to the world. The command is given, "Work while it is day; for the night cometh, in which no man can work.""

Signs of the Times 22nd October 1894

""Love is the fulfilling of the law." God is love, and when we love God supremely and love our neighbor as ourselves, we reflect the character of the Father and the Son. But those who truly love God will be obedient to all his commands. Obedience is the test of love".

Signs of the Times 4th July 1895

"The class which denies the Father and the Son is rapidly increasing in the world, and the name given to this class by the Bible is antichrist. There are many who have their names upon the church records, who claims to possess superior piety, and yet should Christ appear among them, they would rebuke the Son of God. There are men who profess to be ministers of the Gospel who are teaching heresy, and deceiving many, and leading thousands in the way of apostasy".

Signs of the Times 12th December 1895

"The work of God in the creation of man needed no undoing. There was nothing imperfect, nothing incomplete. He spake and it was done. The very dust of the ground from which man was formed was pure, and the breath of life which God breathed into his nostrils was holy. He was placed in Eden, the garden of God, and its atmosphere was undefiled, and from the beams of the sun in the heavens which blessed and cheered the earth, to the fountains and streams that watered the garden, all was holy, all was clothed with spotless purity and unexcelled loveliness, and was in harmony with the character of the Father and the Son, by whom the worlds were made, and in whom was life, and the life is the light of men.

But in the transgression of man both the Father and the Son were dishonored. Man committed sin, and sin is the transgression of the law, which is holy, just, and good. Through sin the temple of God which he had builded for his own indwelling and glory, was reduced to ruin, was fallen and in decay".

Signs of the Time s 9th December 1897

"The claims of God's government had been misapprehended through the deceptive words and works of Satan, and the necessity of a mediator was seen and felt by the Father and the Son".

Signs of the Times 23rd December 1897

"The great plan of redemption was laid before the foundation of the world. And Christ, our Substitute and Surety, did not stand alone in the wondrous undertaking of the ransom of man. In the plan to save a lost world, the counsel was between them both; the covenant of peace was between the Father and the Son. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, would become a servant. The only-begotten Son, in whom the Father delighted, was given for the ransom of a fallen race".

Signs of the Times 28th July 1898

"The mystery of godliness deepens upon consideration. It was because the Father and the Son loved the world with infinite love, that Christ subjected Himself to such amazing humiliation. All that God could do, He did in giving Himself in His Son, that He might become the propitiation for the sins of the world".

Signs of the Times 14th February 1900

"God has declared that those who receive Christ as their Redeemer, accepting Him as the One who takes away all sin, will receive pardon for their transgression. These are the terms of our election. Man's salvation depends upon His receiving Christ by faith. Those who will not receive Him lose eternal life because they refuse to avail themselves of the only means provided by the Father and the Son for the salvation of a perishing world".

Signs of the Times 22nd August 1900

""I lay down My life, that I might take it again," He said. "No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself." The Saviour could have avoided the suffering and death which He endured. Had He so chosen, He might have left the human race to the consequences of their apostasy. But in counsel with the Father He pledged Himself to secure the salvation of every human being. An irrevocable covenant was made between the Father and the Son. Christ must go forward and finish the work which He had undertaken, or all the world would perish".

Signs of the Times 18th December 1901

"Before the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the professing Christian pledges himself to overcome pride, covetousness, unbelief. And as he seeks to fulfil this pledge, he grows in self-distrust, placing entire dependence on God. He realizes what it means to be a child of God. He knows that the cleansing blood of Christ secures for him pardon and peace. In spirituality he grows like the lofty cedar. Daily he holds communion with God, and he is mighty in the knowledge of the Scriptures. His fellowship is with the Father and the Son, and he learns more and still more of the divine will. Filled with a constantly increasing love for God and his fellow-men, he bears a powerful testimony for the Master".

Signs of the Times 17th June 1903

"The Gospel is the hope of the world. The cross is God's agency for counterworking Satan's plans, and restoring man to his original purity. The plan of salvation devised by the Father and the Son will be a grand success. Christ's atoning sacrifice will arouse the sluggish mind, quickening into activity man's mental and spiritual powers".

Signs of the Times 17th May 1905

"When in the fulness of time the Son of the infinite God came forth from the bosom of the Father to this world, He came in the garb of humanity, clothing His divinity with humanity. The Father and the Son in consultation decided that Christ must come to the world as a babe, and live the life that human beings must live from childhood to manhood, bearing the trials that they must bear, and at the same time living a sinless life, that men might see in Him an example of what they can become, and that He might know by experience how to help them in their struggles with sin. He was tried as man is tried, tempted as man is tempted. The life that He lived in this world, men can live, through His power and under His instruction".

Signs of the Times 10th October 1906

"Those who consult the divine oracle will have light. In the Bible every duty is made plain. Every lesson reveals to us the Father and the Son. The Word is able to make all wise unto salvation. In the Word the science of salvation is plainly revealed. Search the Scriptures; for they are the voice of God speaking to the soul".

Signs of the Times 21st November 1906

"In that day the redeemed will shine forth in the glory of the Father and the Son. The angels of heaven, touching their golden harps, will welcome the King and His trophies of victory--those who have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. A song of triumph will peal forth, filling all heaven. Christ has conquered. He enters the heavenly courts accompanied by His redeemed ones--the witnesses that His mission of suffering and sacrifice has not been in vain".

Signs of the Times 5th January 1915

"The Cry Resounded in All the Universe

He expired on the cross exclaiming, "It is finished," and that cry rang through every world, and through heaven itself. The great contest between Christ, the Prince of life, and Satan, the prince of darkness, was practically over, and Christ was conqueror. His death answered the question as to whether there was self-denial with the Father and the Son".

Bible Echo 1st January 1887 The Love of God

""Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." Here is love that no language can express, the love of the Father and the Son, which should thrill our souls, and fill them with gratitude, and love, and joy. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doeth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." The followers of Christ should learn here to reflect in some degree the divine love that has been manifested toward them, and by and by they may unite with the redeemed host in ascribing "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever"". -

Bible Echo 15th January 1893

"Wherever you go, carry on the good work of searching the Scriptures, and the Lord Jesus will always be at your right hand to help you. He is a merciful high priest pleading in your behalf. He will send his representative, the Holy Spirit; for He says, "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you." By the Spirit the Father and the Son will come and make their abode with you".

Bible Echo 28th October 1895

"Can anyone consider the condescension of God in preparing the gospel feast, and its great cost, and treat the invitation slightingly? No man, nor even the highest angel, can estimate the great cost; it is known only to the Father and the Son".

Bible Echo 20th February 1899

"He (Jesus) was presenting to them truth of the highest order, revealing to men the mind of the Infinite. But the men who claimed to stand high in knowledge and spiritual understanding, failed to comprehend His meaning; and that which had been evolved from eternity by the Father and the Son, they in their ignorance stood as critics to condemn".

Bible Training School 1st February 1906 One, Even As We Are One

"The most convincing argument we can give to the world of Christ's mission is to be found in perfect unity. Such oneness as exists between the Father and the Son is to be manifest among all who believe the truth. Those who are thus united in implicit obedience to the word of God will be filled with power".

Bible Training School 1st March 1906 The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

"The Holy Spirit recognizes and guides us into all truth. God has given His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Christ is the sinner's Saviour. Christ's death has redeemed the sinner. This is our only hope. If we make a full surrender of self, and practice the virtues of Christ, we shall gain the prize of eternal life.

He that believeth in the Son, hath the Father also." He who has continual faith in the Father and the Son has the Spirit also. The Holy Spirit is his comforter, and he never departs from the truth".

Bible Training School 1st December 1907 Wonderful Love

"Through the eternal ages the offensive character of sin will be seen in what it cost the Father and the Son, in the humiliation, suffering, and death of Christ. All the worlds will behold in Him a living testimony to the malignity of sin; for in His divine form He bears the marks of the curse. He is in the midst of the throne as a Lamb that has been slain".

Youth Instructor 16th December 1897

"From eternity there was a complete unity between the Father and the Son. They were two, yet little short of being identical; two in individuality, yet one in spirit, and heart, and character".

Youth Instructor 7th July 1898

"Let the brightest example the world has yet seen be your example, rather than the greatest and most learned men of the age, who know not God, nor Jesus Christ whom he has sent. The Father and the Son alone are to be exalted.

Youth Instructor 14th June 1900

"As the divine Sufferer hung upon the cross, angels gathered about him, and as they looked upon him, and heard his cry, they asked, with intense emotion, "Will not the Lord Jehovah save him? Will not that soul-piercing cry of God's only begotten Son prevail?" Then were the words spoken: "The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent. Father and Son are pledged to fulfill the terms of the everlasting covenant. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Christ was not alone in making his great sacrifice. It was the fulfilment of the covenant made between him and his Father before the foundation of the world was laid. With clasped hands they had entered into the solemn pledge that Christ would become the surety for the human race if they were overcome by Satan's sophistry".

Youth Instructor 21st June 1900

"The darkness rolled away from the Saviour and from the cross. Christ bowed his head and died. The compact between Father and Son was fully consummated. Christ had fulfilled his pledge. In death he was more than conqueror. His right hand and his glorious, holy arm had gotten him the victory".

Youth Instructor 21st November 1911

"We are on trial now, but under every test let us make it manifest to all around us that we are on the Lord's side. I am so thankful that none need dishonor Christ! We may all win heaven; we may all be welcomed to the city of God by the Father and the Son; we may all wear the crown of immortality".

2T page 215

"Great is the mystery of godliness. Our souls should be enlivened, elevated, and enraptured with the theme of the love of the Father and the Son to man. The followers of Christ should here learn to reflect in some degree that mysterious love preparatory to joining all the redeemed in ascribing "blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, . . . unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

3T page 328

"There are ever to be found those who will sympathize with those who are wrong. Satan had sympathizers in heaven, and took large numbers of the angels with him. God and Christ and heavenly angels were on one side, and Satan on the other. Notwithstanding the infinite power and majesty of God and Christ, angels became disaffected. The insinuations of Satan took effect, and they really came to believe that the Father and the Son were their enemies and that Satan was their benefactor".

8T page 157

"In the Bible every duty is made plain. Every lesson given is comprehensible. Every lesson reveals to us the Father and the Son. The word is able to make all wise unto salvation. In the word the science of salvation is plainly revealed. Search the Scriptures, for they are the voice of God speaking to the soul".

8T page 279

"Even the angels were not permitted to share the counsels between the Father and the Son when the plan of salvation was laid. Those human beings who seek to intrude into the secrets of the Most High show their ignorance of spiritual and eternal things. Far better might they, while mercy's voice is still heard, humble themselves in the dust and plead with God to teach them His ways".

9T page 285

"My brother, my sister, I urge you to prepare for the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. Day by day cast the love of the world out of your hearts. Understand by experience what it means to have fellowship with Christ. Prepare for the judgment, that when Christ shall come, to be admired in all them that believe, you may be among those who will meet Him in peace. In that day the redeemed will shine forth in the glory of the Father and the Son".

Patriarchs and Prophets page 36

"The angels joyfully acknowledged the supremacy of Christ, and prostrating themselves before Him, poured out their love and adoration. Lucifer bowed with them, but in his heart there was a strange, fierce conflict. Truth, justice, and loyalty were struggling against envy and jealousy. The influence of the holy angels seemed for a time to carry him with them. As songs of praise ascended in melodious strains, swelled by thousands of glad voices, the spirit of evil seemed vanquished; unutterable love thrilled his entire being; his soul went out, in harmony with the sinless worshippers, in love to the Father and the Son. But again he was filled with pride in his own glory. His desire for supremacy returned, and envy of Christ was once more indulged".

Patriarchs and Prophets page 50

"While they remained true to God, Adam and his companion were to bear rule over the earth. Unlimited control was given them over every living thing. The lion and the lamb sported peacefully around them or lay down together at their feet. The happy birds flitted about them without fear; and as their glad songs ascended to the praise of their Creator, Adam and Eve united with them in thanksgiving to the Father and the Son".

Patriarchs and Prophets page 69

"The great contest that had been so long in progress in this world was now decided, and Christ was conqueror. His death had answered the question whether the Father and the Son had sufficient love for man to exercise self-denial and a spirit of sacrifice".

Patriarchs and Prophets page 114

"Nature testifies of an intelligence, a presence, an active energy, that works in and through her laws. There is in nature the continual working of the Father and the Son. Christ says, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." John 5:17".

Patriarchs and Prophets page 339

The voice of the Archangel and the trump of God shall summon, from the whole earth, both the living and the dead to the presence of their Judge. The Father and the Son, attended by a multitude of angels, were present upon the mount. At the great judgment day Christ will come "in the glory of His Father with His angels." Matthew 16:27. He shall then sit upon the throne of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations.

Patriarchs and Prophets page 686

"And Peter, describing the dangers to which the church was to be exposed in the last days, says that as there were false prophets who led Israel into sin, so there will be false teachers, "who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. . . . And many shall follow their pernicious ways." 2 Peter 2:1, 2. Here the apostle has pointed out one of the marked characteristics of spiritualist teachers. They refuse to acknowledge Christ as the Son of God. Concerning such teachers the beloved John declares: "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father." 1 John 2:22, 23. Spiritualism, by denying Christ, denies both the Father and the Son, and the Bible pronounces it the manifestation of antichrist.

Desire of Ages page 625

"As the voice was heard, a light darted from the cloud, and encircled Christ, as if the arms of Infinite Power were thrown about Him like a wall of fire. The people beheld this scene with terror and amazement. No one dared to speak. With silent lips and bated breath all stood with eyes fixed upon Jesus. The testimony of the Father having been given, the cloud lifted, and scattered in the heavens. For the time the visible communion between the Father and the Son was ended."

Desire of Ages page 769

"In the beginning the Father and the Son had rested upon the Sabbath after Their work of creation. When "the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them" (Gen. 2:1), the Creator and all heavenly beings rejoiced in contemplation of the glorious scene. "The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Job 38:7".

Acts of the Apostles page 554

"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed: for he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds".

Great Controversy page 503

"The death of Christ proves it (God’s law) immutable. And the sacrifice to which infinite love impelled the Father and the Son, that sinners might be redeemed, demonstrates to all the universe--what nothing less than this plan of atonement could have sufficed to do--that justice and mercy are the foundation of the law and government of God".

Great Controversy page 671

"Before the universe has been clearly presented the great sacrifice made by the Father and the Son in man's behalf. The hour has come when Christ occupies His rightful position and is glorified above principalities and powers and every name that is named. It was for the joy that was set before Him--that He might bring many sons unto glory--that He endured the cross and despised the shame".

Great Controversy page 676

"I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." Revelation 21:22. The people of God are privileged to hold open communion with the Father and the Son. "Now we see through a glass, darkly." 1 Corinthians 13:12. We behold the image of God reflected, as in a mirror, in the works of nature and in His dealings with men; but then we shall see Him face to face, without a dimming veil between. We shall stand in His presence and behold the glory of His countenance".

Christ’s Object Lessons page 216

"The owner and the dresser of the vineyard are one in their interest in the fig tree. So the Father and the Son were one in their love for the chosen people. Christ was saying to His hearers that increased opportunities would be given them. Every means that the love of God could devise would be put in operation that they might become trees of righteousness, bringing forth fruit for the blessing of the world".

Steps to Christ page 22

"Shall we not regard the mercy of God? What more could He do? Let us place ourselves in right relation to Him who has loved us with amazing love. Let us avail ourselves of the means provided for us that we may be transformed into His likeness, and be restored to fellowship with the ministering angels, to harmony and communion with the Father and the Son".

Early Writings page 54

"End of the 2300 Days

I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed on Jesus' countenance and admired His lovely person. The Father's person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light covered Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He said He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, "If you should once behold the glory of His person, you would cease to exist"".

Life Sketches of Ellen G White (1915 Closing labours) page 430

""I testify the things which I have seen, the things which I have heard, the things which my hands have handled, of the Word of life. And this testimony I know to be of the Father and the Son. We have seen and do testify that the power of the Holy Ghost has accompanied the presentation of the truth, warning with pen and voice, and giving the messages in their order. To deny this work would be to deny the Holy Ghost, and would place us in that company who have departed from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits".

Gospel Workers page 23

"The minister who has received this preparation will be a power for good in the world. His words will be right words, pure and true, fraught with sympathy and love; his actions will be right actions, a help and a blessing to the weak. Christ will be to him an abiding presence, controlling thought, word, and deed. He has pledged himself to overcome pride, covetousness, selfishness. As he seeks to fulfil this pledge, he gains spiritual strength. By daily communion with God he becomes mighty in a knowledge of the Scriptures. His fellowship is with the Father and the Son; and as he constantly obeys the divine will, he becomes daily better fitted to speak words that will guide wandering souls to the fold of Christ".

Medical Missionary 1st May 1891 Garnered Thoughts

"The very best work you can do is to come as close to the people as possible, and reveal in life and character the work wrought upon your own souls by the Spirit of God.

Christ came to our world to represent the character of God, and the Saviour sends forth his servants as representatives of himself. Thus they are to represent both the Father and the Son".

Pamphlets. Testimonies Containing letters to Physicians and Ministers 1904 The Great Controversy

"The enmity that God has put in our hearts against deceptive practises, must be kept alive, because these practises endanger the souls of those who do not hate them. All deceptive dealings, all untruthfulness regarding the Father and the Son, by which their characters are presented in a false light, are to be recognized as grievous sins".

Pamphlets. Independent responsibility and Christian Unity 1907

"God deals with men as individuals, giving to every one his work. All are to be taught of God. Through the grace of Christ, every soul must work out his own righteousness, maintaining a living connection with the Father and the Son. This is a genuine experience that is of value".

Councils to Parents, Teachers and Students page 438 (1913)

"That which in the counsels of heaven the Father and the Son deemed essential for man's salvation is clearly presented in the Holy Scriptures.".

Special Testimonies on Education (1897) True Education page 6

"That which in the councils of heaven the Father and the Son deemed essential for the salvation of man, was defined from eternity by infinite truths which finite beings cannot fail to comprehend. Revelations have been made for their instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may glorify his own life and the lives of his fellow men, not only by the possession of truth, but by communicating it".

Special Testimonies on Education (1897) The Great Lesson Book page 228

"The gift of Christ and the illumination of the Holy Spirit reveal to us the Father and the Son. The word is exactly adapted to make men and women and youth wise unto salvation." Dec. 1, 1895 .

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

6T page 91

"Baptism is a most solemn renunciation of the world. 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.".

8T page 194

"The Bible, and the Bible alone, can produce this good result. It is the wisdom of God and the power of God, and it works with all power in the receptive heart. Oh, what heights we might reach if we would conform our wills to the will of God! It is the power of God that we need, wherever we are. The frivolity that cumbers the church makes it weak and indifferent. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are seeking and longing for channels through which to communicate to the world the divine principles of truth".

9T page 20

"We are to be consecrated channels, through which the heavenly life is to flow to others. The Holy Spirit is to animate and pervade the whole church, purifying and cementing hearts. Those who have been buried with Christ in baptism are to rise to newness of life, giving a living representation of the life of Christ. Upon us is laid a sacred charge. The commission has been given us: "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:19, 20, margin. You are dedicated to the work of making known the gospel of salvation. Heaven's perfection is to be your power".

Australasian Union Record 7th October 1907

"Those who have by baptism given to God a pledge of their faith in Christ, and their death to the old life of sin, have entered into covenant relation with God. The three powers of the Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are pledged to be their strength and their efficiency in their new life in Christ Jesus".

Australasian Union Record 1st April 1901 (Letter January 21st 1901)

"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. In order to fully carry out this plan, it was decided that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, should give Himself an offering for sin. What line can measure the depth of this love?"

Pacific Union Recorder 2nd July 1908

"The presence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the three highest powers in the universe and those in whose name the believer is baptized, is pledged to be with every striving soul. It will impart grace and strength to all who will watch unto prayer, to all who will purify the soul by obedience to the truth. And it will make the believer instrumental in leading other souls to accept Christ by faith".

Southern Watchmen 23rd February1904

"The Christian's Strength.

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".

Review and Herald 7th January 1902

"Christ came to this world and stood before men with the hoarded love of eternity. The whole ocean of divine love was flowing forth from its great center. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were working in behalf of man. Every power in the heavenly universe was put into activity to carry forward the plan of redemption..

Review and Herald 27th January 1903

"The salvation of human beings is a vast enterprise, that calls into action every attribute of the divine nature. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have pledged themselves to make God's children more than conquerors through him that has loved them".

Review and Herald 17th May 1906

"We have no time to listen to the suggestions of the foe. At our baptism we pledged ourselves to break all connection with Satan and his agencies, and to put heart and mind and soul into the work of extending the kingdom of God. All heaven is working for this object. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are pledged to co-operate with sanctified human instrumentalities. If we are true to our vow, there is opened to us a door of communication with heaven,--a door that no human hand or satanic agency can close".

Signs of the Times 19th June 1901

"When you accept Christ, you are in one sense cut away from the world. You are dead to its ambitions, dead to its greed for advantage over your brethren and neighbors. God says, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, . . . and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." This is the pledge of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; made to you if you will keep your baptismal vow, and touch not the unclean thing.".

Signs of the Times 19th June 1901

"Those who unite with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who show by their lives that they are no longer following the course they followed before they united with these divine instrumentalities, will receive wisdom from above. They will not depend upon human wisdom. In order to deal righteously with the world, as members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King, Christians must feel their need of a power which comes only from the heavenly agencies that have pledged themselves to work in man's behalf".

Added section (page 5)

We need to compare this statement with another that Ellen White made where she said:

“The Son of God was next in authority to the great Lawgiver. He knew that his life alone could be sufficient to ransom fallen man. He was of as much more value than man as his noble, spotless character, and exalted office as commander of all the heavenly host, were above the work of man. He was in the express image of his Father, not in features alone, but in perfection of character “.(Review and Herald 17-12-1872) (2 Vol. SP p9 1877) (1RED. P10 1887-1888).

She also said in Life Sketches page 230 (1880):

"I had often been shown the lovely Jesus, that he is a person. I had asked him if his Father was a person, and had a form like himself. Said Jesus, 'I am in the express image of my Father's person.' I had often seen that the spiritual view took away the glory of heaven, and that in many minds the throne of David, and the lovely person of Jesus had been burned up by the fire of spiritual interpretation”.

In ‘features’, the Son did look like the Father, yet Ellen White says of them that they were ‘yet little short of being identical’. There was a difference.

End of added section

Added section (page 17)

Who or what is then the Holy Spirit? Ellen White said this in 1895:

“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.” (Manuscript Releases Volume 14 (No’s 1081-1135) MR No.1084:

Ellen White is saying that the Holy Spirit is Christ Himself without His humanity and independent thereof. For us, this truth may be shrouded with mystery but that is the testimony of scripture. John 14:16-18 says:

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you”.

In the form of the Comforter (the Holy Spirit), Jesus says that it was He Himself that was coming back to be with His disciples. Jesus also said:

“ … If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (John 14:23)”

Here Jesus is saying that through the Holy Spirit, both the Father and the Son would come and make their abode with all those who love and trust Him.

Whilst this ‘indwelling’ was not the physical indwelling of the persons of the Father and His Son, it was to be accomplished through the Holy Spirit. That is why the Holy Spirit should not be seen as a person like the Father and Son. As physical persons, the Father and Son do not dwell within us but are now mediating on our behalf in Heaven. It is through the Holy Spirit that this indwelling is accomplished.

End of added section

Added section (page 23)

How many persons are there in the Godhead? It depends on how you define the word ‘person’. My studies have brought me to the conclusion that there are two persons, the Father and the Son who are working on my behalf for my salvation. From each of them, the same Spirit shared by them both and also defined as a person is also working for my salvation. With the pioneers, I do not see the Holy Spirit as a person like the Father and Son yet He must be described as a person. We shall better see why in our next section.

Although it can be said then that there are three persons in the Godhead, it would be error to describe these three as defined by any of the trinity concepts that are prevalent today. They are all laced with error. It is much safer just to describe them as defined within the scriptures. That is our only safety. To venture outside of inspiration is always to invite error.

End of added section

Terry Hill