Contents
This article is expressly and specifically written in compliance with a direct request by one of the folk who stand with us in the message of living righteousness. It is to answer the question as to how we can prove to people outside our faith that the Holy Spirit is a Person and not some indefinite power emanating from God.
Naturally, the evidence which must be presented to prove this point has to come from the Bible and the Bible only for this is the only evidence acceptable to those who are not acquainted with the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy.
For those of us who have accepted it, the Spirit of Prophecy is designed to lead to a better and clearer understanding of the Scriptures. Therefore we would do well to consider certain statements in the Spirit of Prophecy which most certainly state that the Holy Spirit is an intelligent Person.
This done we will then turn to the Bible and the Bible only, for the evidences which will help us to establish this in the minds of those who are our missionary contacts. We cannot use the Spirit of Prophecy statements to the outside world but they will give us confidence in the use of the Scriptures.
The Spirit of Prophecy Evidence
Here then is a small compilation of Spirit of Prophecy statements on the personality of the Holy Spirit.
Evangelism, p. 616-617:
We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, Who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds.The Holy Spirit is a Person, for He bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. When this witness is borne, it carries with it its own evidence. At such times we believe and are sure that we are the children of God…The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God. “For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.”
We are to co-operate with the three highest powers in heaven,–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,–and these powers will work through us, making us workers together with God.
Counsels on Health, p. 222:
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.
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1074:
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, man is laid in his watery grave, buried with Christ in baptism, and raised from the water to live the new life of loyalty to God. The three great powers in heaven are witnesses; they are invisible but present.
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1110:
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the three holy dignitaries of heaven, have declared that they will strengthen men to overcome the powers of darkness.
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1053:
Christ determined that when He ascended from this earth. He would bestow a gift on those who had believed on Him, and those who should believe on Him. What gift could He bestow rich enough to signalize and grace His ascension to the mediatorial throne? It must be worthy of His greatness and His royalty. He determined to give His representative, the third person of the God. head. This gift could not be excelled. He would give all gifts in one, and therefore the divine Spirit, that converting, enlightening, and sanctifying power, would be His donation.
There are those who would argue that the above statements are not valid because they come from compilations such as the book Evangelism, which quotes as its sources unpublished manuscripts. Those who have no faith in the integrity of the Ellen G. White trustees, believe that these are not true statements from the pen of inspiration but are clever counterfeits designed to introduce false theories into the teaching of Adventism.
We publish them here because we do believe that they are authentic statements and because they express the truth which we will see verified from the Bible itself whereby all truth is to be tested.
Now we append a statement from The Desire of Ages. This statement simply says what all the others have been saying but it comes from a volume which we know to be a truly authentic writing of inspiration.
The Desire of Ages, p. 671:
Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy but in the fullness of divine power. It is the Spirit that makes effectual what has been wrought out by the world’s Redeemer. It is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure. Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church.
These statements then can leave no doubt about the teaching of the Spirit of Prophecy on the question of the personality of the Holy Spirit. The statements are quite clear that the Holy Spirit is not merely the mighty power of God emanating from Him, but a distinct and separate personality just as Christ is Himself.
Of all the powers of the Godhead, the least has been revealed about the Third Person, the Holy Spirit. Therefore care must be taken not to attempt to probe into areas of His nature which have not been revealed to us. This solemn warning is given to safeguard us from such a possibility.
The Acts of the Apostles, p. 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.
Therefore, in this study we shall keep well within the limits set down by the revelations of God as to the nature of the Holy Spirit. One thing we do know is that the Lord has clearly stated in the Spirit of Prophecy that the Holy Spirit is a Person with all the powers and abilities of a person such as intelligence, the power to speak, to hear, to do, and so on.
As surely as this is the truth revealed in the Spirit of Prophecy, so surely will the same truth be in the Bible. We cannot use the Spirit of Prophecy to convince those who have no faith in it as yet so we need to understand the truth from the Bible. The remainder of this study will now be devoted to the evidences contained in the Bible to the effect that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead.
An Invalidated Scripture
There is one Scripture which plainly states that there are three Persons in heaven Who are One:
1 John 5
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
While in the light of the words already quoted from the Spirit of Prophecy, these are words of truth, but, they were not written by the Apostle John. There is much evidence to show that this verse was added later by a scribe as the following comment shows (Please note that while practically every quotation made by us from The SDA Bible Commentary is from the pen of Ellen White, this one is not, but is a direct comment by other theologians on the particular verse. Furthermore, Sister White made no comment on 1 John 5:7 even though she many times expressed the same truth as written in the verse. This omission on her part shows that the Holy Spirit who guided her knew of the spurious nature, of this reference.):
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 675:
In heaven. Textual evidence attests (cf. p. 10) the omission of the passage “in heaven, the Father, The Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth.” The resultant reading of vs. 7, 8 is as follows:“For there are three that bear record, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”
The passage as given in the KJV is in no Greek MS earlier than the 15th and 16th centuries. The disputed words found their way into the KJV by way of the Greek text of Erasmus (see Vol. V, p. 141). It is said that Erasmus offered to include the disputed words in his Greek Testament if he were shown even one Greek MS that contained them. A library in Dublin produced such a MS (known as 34), and Erasmus included the passage in his text.
It is now believed that the later editions of the Vulgate acquired the passage by the mistake of a scribe who included an exegetical marginal comment in the Bible text that he was copying.
The disputed words have been widely used in support of the doctrine of the Trinity, but, in view of such overwhelming evidence against their authenticity, their support is valueless and should not be used.
In spite of their appearance in the Vulgate, A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture freely admits regarding these words: “It is now generally held that this passage, called the Comma Johanneum, is a gloss that crept into the text of the Old Latin and Vulgate at an early date, but found its way into the Greek text only in the 15th and 16th centuries.” (Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1951, p. 1186).
Without any further words then we dispense with this verse as proof that the Holy Spirit is a Person and turn to other evidence instead.
The Bible Evidence
Unlike the Spirit of Prophecy, the Bible does not give any verse in which it is directly stated that the Holy Spirit is a Person. But this does not mean that we are left without evidence to reveal this fact. The method whereby the Bible provides the information is to attribute to the Holy Spirit faculties and abilities which can only be possessed by a person.
The alternative to believing that the Holy Spirit is a Person is to believe that He is only a powerful force emanating from God which reaches out to influence, convict or change the subject of the ministry of that power. In other words, He is either a depersonalized power or He is a powerful personality.
There are very definite distinctions between these two. These differences make it possible to readily identify as to whether a power is the power of a person or merely a power without a person.
All power as such, is unintelligent and has no capacity to think, to search out, to direct, to hear, to speak, to teach, to convict, to be grieved, to be filled with happiness and satisfaction and so on. Think of the following mighty powers–the sun, electricity, gunpowder, the internal combustion engine, the wind, gravity, muscles, light, sound, and so on–and then ask if any of them can do any of the things listed above. The answer is that they cannot.
It may be argued that through electricity used in radios, gramophones and tape recorders, this power can speak and sing. But this is only unintelligent feed back of what an intelligence has already fed into it. It is not speaking its own mind and thoughts. This is the capacity of which we are speaking which distinguishes power alone, from a person of power.
On the other hand, think of any person who is still a person. Exclude those whose minds have become deranged or damaged so that they can no longer function as a person. Then ask whether they can do the things listed above and it will be found that they can do every one of them and more. Because they can do all of these they are immediately distinguished as a person as distinct from a power without personality.
This distinction established, we have but to seek in the Scriptures to see whether the Holy Spirit is presented only as a power, or whether He can think, search out, direct, hear, speak, teach, convict, be grieved, filled with joy, and so on. The evidence is both abundant and clear. In reference after reference it is made clear that the Holy Spirit has all the faculties of a person.
Here are some clear examples and others can be added by personal study and research.
The Holy Spirit can be vexed.
Isaiah 63
10 But they rebelled, and vexed His Holy Spirit: therefore He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them.
To be vexed is an emotional response of which power as such is incapable. This is clearly a distinguishing mark of a person.
The Holy Spirit can be grieved.
Ephesians 4
30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.
He can be pleased or experience pleasure.
Acts 15
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.
He is able to speak His own mind and to call to service.
Acts 13 [see also 1 Timothy 4:1]
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
He is able to guide, to hear, and to show.
John 16
13 Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.
He has the ability and the power to convict.
John 16
8 And when He is come He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
To be able to reprove successfully requires the intelligence which only a person could have. It necessitates the ability to recognize the need for reproof, the area in which it is needed and the way in which it must be given. No unintelligent power could ever have the capacity for doing such. But the Holy Spirit has and it is this which determines that He is indeed a Person and not just a power.
He is able to impart.
Romans 5
5 And hope makes not ashamed; because then love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
He is able to transform us into the very image of Christ.
2 Corinthians 3
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
He is able to teach.
John 14
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
He is able to bring comfort and consolation.
Acts 9
31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
He is able to testify.
John 15
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of me.
To testify is to express a personal conviction. One must be a person to have this capacity.
He has a will of His own.
1 Corinthians 12
11 But all these work that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.
It is very clear that Jesus while upon this earth understood that the Holy Spirit was a real being who conducted an active personal work of commissioning, anointing, directing and empowering. He spoke of this in His sermon in Nazareth:
Luke 4
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The Argument Endorsed
There has been only one argument used in this article to establish from the Bible that the Holy Spirit is a distinct Person and it is that He must be in order to do the things the Scriptures say that He does. Only a person can think, speak, reprove, be grieved and so on. No other argument is needed beyond this to prove the point.
The question is, Can we use the argument with confidence? Most certainly we can and to give added confidence to each of you as you go forth to use the argument, we point you to the endorsement of it as given in the Spirit of Prophecy. It is endorsed there by Sister White using the very same argument to prove the personality of the Holy Spirit.
Evangelism, p. 616-617:
The Holy Spirit is a Person, for He bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God…
This statement is divided into two parts. Firstly there is a statement of fact which is:
“The Holy Spirit is a person…”
This is immediately followed by the word, “for.” When this word is used to introduce a clause, then that clause contains the proof for the first statement. What is the offered proof? It is that
“He bears witness…”
In other words the Holy Spirit is a person because he is able to and does bear witness to something. In this case it is that we are the children of God. Thus Sister White points to the fact that He can do this as proof that He is a Person because only a person can do such things. No unintelligent power can possibly bear witness to anything.
Now Sister White emphasizes the argument by saying that unless the Holy Spirit was a person, He could not do such things.
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.
Thus then the very argument which Sister White uses to prove the personality of the Spirit is the one used in this article. What is more, the argument and the confidence to use it was derived from the Spirit of Prophecy. It is not original with this author.
Go in Confidence
Go then in confidence to do your missionary work among those who do not know the Bible to present the full personality of the Holy Spirit on the grounds that He has all the capacities which a person can and does have. Be assured that this line of argument is altogether sound not only because it is based on facts which are clearly understood and accepted, but are endorsed by the words of inspiration.
Go too in the certainty that the mighty Being who is our Guide, Comforter, Reprover, Teacher, Protector, and so on, is the Holy Spirit, who, being unencumbered as Christ is with humanity, is able to be with us at all times in all places and under all circumstances of need.
As we come to better understand, know and trust this mighty Helper, our work for the Lord will be much more successful and effective.
Other articles by F. T. Wright:
- True Gospel Work
- The Path of the Just
- Self and the Sin-Master
- The Real Issues at Minneapolis
- Christ is Coming!
- Men on the Moon
- Righteousness by Faith in the Book of Job
- Forsaking the Holy Covenant
- The Contender
- The Studied Care of Your Health
- Why Jesus Came
- Wheat and Tares
- The Number 666, part 2
- The Parable of the Ten Virgins
- Churchcraft and Statecraft, part 1
Is it possible to be born again while holding wrong concepts about the Holy Spirit (denying His existence, personality or even calling Him the spirit of Satan)? Actually, the question is about the antitrinitarian doctrines and movements? Are those doctrines dangerous?
Petar,
It is one thing to deny a doctrine, or theological idea. It is another to actually resist the Holy Spirit in His work to free the soul from sin. The Spirit doesn’t come to represent Himself, He comes to bring Jesus, the living Truth, to us.
John 16:13 “When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.”
Do we want to trade our sin for Jesus? That is the question the Spirit will bring. If we reject that offer, then we reject the new birth.
And because the Spirit speaks through men, in order to preach the gospel, it is entirely possible to reject the Spirit, just by the way we treat the messages He sends through His chosen agents, regardless of what particular speculative view we may hold about the nature of the Holy Spirit.
There were many in 1888 who would have said they believed 100% in the Holy Spirit, yet were unwilling to accept His words as spoken through the two men He was using. What good then was their doctrine?
The “Trinity” is a term which is not used in the Bible, and which many theologians have disputed over. There is, however, clear evidence of the Godhead: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that they are all divine, eternal, and immortal. There is a lot of stuff mixed in with the idea of the “Trinity” that goes beyond this simple teaching of the Godhead. We should not speculate about God’s nature, beyond what is clearly revealed for our salvation.
Some, in trying to war against the Trinity, have rejected important parts of the Godhead. One thing I always remember is that the law of God, which was transgressed by man, is as sacred as God Himself, and only one equal with the law (possessing full divinity) could satisfy the full demands of the law. (see Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 63) This is only one line of truth that establishes the full divinity of the Son. There are many others.
Likewise, in order for the Spirit to “search all things” even “the deep things of God,” He would have to be of equal divinity.
I would hesitate to say I believe in “the Trinity” since I don’t know all the theological ideas that go with that term. But I would have no hesitation saying that I believe in the full divinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the full humanity of the Son.
However, mere declarations of doctrine do not save people. It requires living faith in God’s power to cleanse us, through the link made by Jesus Christ to humanity, and the power of the Holy Spirit to apply that to our inner man.
“God be merciful to me, a sinner.” This is an important doctrine that we should strive with all our effort, to understand! And for this we will need the help of all the agencies of heaven, and whatever agencies They are working through on Earth.
Sorry I disagree with you on the Godhead.
Some people think Godhead means Trinity – 1 in 3 or 3 in 1 etc.
There are 3 verses that says the word ”Godhead” in the Bibe. I have also added Strong’s Concordance of what the Godhead means.
Act_17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
Act 17:29 Forasmuch thenG3767 as we areG5225 the offspringG1085 of God,G2316 we oughtG3784 notG3756 to thinkG3543 that theG3588 GodheadG2304 isG1511 like untoG3664 gold,G5557 orG2228 silver,G696 orG2228 stone,G3037 gravenG5480 by artG5078 andG2532 man’sG444 device.G1761
G2304
θεῖος
theios
thi’-os
From G2316; godlike (neuter as noun, divinity): – divine, godhead.
_________________________________
Rom_1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:20 ForG1063 theG3588 invisible thingsG517 of himG846 fromG575 the creationG2937 of the worldG2889 are clearly seen,G2529 being understoodG3539 by theG3588 things that areG4161 made, even(G5037 G3739) hisG848 eternalG126 powerG1411 andG2532 Godhead;G2305 so that theyG846 areG1511 without excuse:G379
G2305
θειότης
theiotēs
thi-ot’-ace
From G2304; divinity (abstractly): – godhead.
__________________________________
Col_2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:9 ForG3754 inG1722 himG846 dwellethG2730 allG3956 theG3588 fulnessG4138 of theG3588 GodheadG2320 bodily.G4985
G2320
θεότης
theotēs
theh-ot’-ace
From G2316; divinity (abstractly): – godhead.
____________________________________
The correct understanding of Godhead is Divinity. (theotes)
Act 17:29
“Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising(NKJV)
Adam,
I don’t believe there is any argument in the article, or my comment above, that attempts to prove the divinity of the Son or Spirit from the use of the word “Godhead”. Therefore, I have no problem with using the word “Divinity” instead.
Frank
Dear brethren
I believe in the Light of additional testimonies from the spirit of prophecy, our pioneers and Kellogg controversy letters, F T Wright would have loved to retract this article.
Its my prayer that you, in a more favourable position as regards acquisition of information, should give the trumpet a certain sound and rally the remnants to the pioneer position embodied in the irrevocable fundamental principles of Adventism (1872, 1889)
Glory to the Father and The Son
Timothy,
I don’t see why F. T. Wright would have “loved” to retract the article. It’s simply based on clear statements from the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy.
1 Corinthians 2
9 Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.
10 But God has revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.
Only a Person of infinite power could search the “deep things” of God, which are infinite. This simple truth proves the divine personality of the Holy Spirit.
Only the Son of God, one who was “equal with the Law”, could atone for the transgression of the Divine Law, which is an expression of the very being of God. This proves the full divinity of the Son.
Now, regarding “the pioneers”, we must distinguish between those inspired men, whom God used directly to build up His truth, and uninspired men, who may have written and taught things that God did not give them to teach. This adherence to God’s messengers is called “Gospel Order.” Read about it in the chapter of the same name in the book Early Writings.
Not all men are called of God. Not all have a message direct from Him. There are many self-sent messengers, as there were in Jeremiah’s time. Therefore, not all “pioneers” are of equal value when it comes to the truth and teaching of God for these last days.
There are many independent groups of Adventists now, who do not all agree on all points. Some of these groups agitate some ideas regarding the three persons of the divinity, which they suppose to be precious light, but which none of the messengers which God called (such as Miller, Ellen and James White, Waggoner and Jones, F. T. Wright, or Andreas Dura) ever taught. And in fact, what these so-called “messengers” teach is opposite to what was taught by God’s messengers. If these so-called “messengers” do not build on the foundation of truth laid down already, they are weakening the structure.
For this reason, this website is only devoted to the messages and messengers whom God has clearly sent, and whose messages have a wonderful harmony, and who build upon the foundation already laid. And of course, I include some writings of those who support those messages and messengers. That is why you don’t find an odd assemblage of different viewpoints, or legal wranglings over fine doctrinal differences.
The messages that God sends have to deal with showing the people their sin, and showing them the remedy for that sin, so that they can be faithful and true witnesses for God, showing His character in all that He gives them to do. Anything that weakens the faith of God’s children in the power and all-sufficiency of any of the divine Persons, strengthens sin, and destroys God’s work, for “faith is the victory that overcomes the world,” and “without faith, it is impossible to please Him.”
1 John 2
1
If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous.
The word rendered “Advocate,” in this text is identical with
that rendered “Comforter” in John 14:16. We have a Comforter
with the Father, and “another Comforter” on earth with us.
Surely we have no lack of comfort. This Comforter, the Spirit
of truth, is Christ’s own representative, Christ’s own personal
presence with us as He could not be in the flesh. We know
this in two ways from our text. First, Jesus says,
“I will send you another Comforter,”
and adds,
“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
So, through the Spirit, Christ is personally present even
when absent. If, when talking to Nicodemus, He could speak
of himself as:
John 3
13 …the Son of man, which is in heaven,
–now that He is on the right hand of God in the heavens He
may with equal truth speak of himself as with us.
In the second place, we know that the Spirit is but Christ’s
larger presence, so to speak, because the Comforter is…
John 14
17 …the Spirit of truth.
Jesus Christ is…
6
…the truth.
The Spirit of truth therefore is Christ’s very essence. Having
the Spirit, we have Christ and all that He possesses
Studies in the Book of John E J Waggoner
https://www.asitreads.com/blog/2017/8/29/holy-spirit-has-a-distinct-personality#
Amen and amen brother Timothy. FT Wright only shows one side of the whole story. It is surely a brilliant article but one side of the coin is what it is showing, both from the bible evidence and SOP
Fellows, we must be aware of not falling into the trap that snared the Christian church of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and the Protestant churches after their forefathers passed away. What is that trap? Arguing about fine details that God has not made into an issue by His appointed teachers. How often is it that the founders of a church struggled to find forgiveness and salvation, and then taught it with burning love for God; and then the descendants of that church just argue about fine-sifted points of doctrine!
The far more important issue is, “Will we receive the saving truths that the Holy Spirit is bringing through His chosen agencies?” People such as Ellen White, Waggoner & Jones, F. T. Wright, and others, gave sure evidence of their calling to be teachers. Will we accept their message? Or would we rather argue about some points of the Divine nature which was not the burden of God’s messengers? Do we want God’s message, which can change us, or do we want to puff ourselves up with our own ideas?
It is, of course, far easier to argue about a doctrine, than it is to turn to God in repentance and accept His way of salvation. One way exalts self; the other humbles us into the dust.
God is the “God of all comfort,” and “the only begotten Son, which is in the
bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” John i. 18. So Christ is the
Comforter which we have with the Father. Note the close connection of the
statement that He is the Comforter with the one that “He is the propitiation for our
sins,” and for those of the whole world. It is the comfort of pardon, and freedom
from the bondage of sin, that He gives. He comforts us by giving us Himself.
The Holy Spirit is Christ’s Representative. He is Christ present in the flesh of
all men, and not simply in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, He comes in the
name of Christ; not merely taking His name, but revealing the living Christ.
Therefore He is another Comforter. His comfort is the comfort of Christ. “The
comfort of the Holy Ghost” has the effect to multiply believers. Acts ix. 31. This is
because the Holy Ghost teaches all things that pertain to Christ. E J Waggoner 1899,Present Truth
Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit, as the Omnipresent. – 14MR 23.3
I agree with Timothy he is using the Word of God. However, Frank is using recycled ( few ) verses and even the spirit of prophecy has a lot to say about WHO the Holy Spirit or Spirit of God or Spirit of Christ or Holy Ghost is not WHAT it is. That does not fully describe the “who” not what is trying to describe the “what”. We are saved by knowing WHO God is not WHAT God is. There is a huge difference between these two ideas. We don’t need to know the WHAT of the Holy Spirit is. Because it is impossible or mystery to know the WHAT. However, for any genuine person who pursues truth it is clear when we study the Bible will let us discover WHO God The Father, THe Son of God, and Their Holy Spirit. Please study Romans 8 and Galatians 4:6, 2 Cor 3:16-19, John 14, 1 John 2:1-3 and many more verses that tell us WHO the Spirit or Holy Spirit is.
I don’t want to argue at length about something that I consider very speculative. We have the messages from God’s chosen messengers. Not everyone who comes up with a stray idea is a messenger. Read the chapter Gospel Order in Early Writings. Here’s a statement from page 100:
“If unmistakable evidence is not given that God has called them, and that the “woe” is upon them if they heed not this call, it is the duty of the church to act and let it be known that these persons are not acknowledged as teachers by the church. This is the only course the church can take in order to be clear in this matter, for the burden lies upon them.”
Which messenger was it that brought this teaching, that the Holy Spirit is not a separate and distinct person of the Godhead? Name him/her, if you can. You might think that everyone who comes up with some new idea from the Bible needs to be listened to, but this is not the case. We don’t have time to listen to error, or self-sent messengers. When God has a message for the church as a whole, He calls a distinct messenger. He does not give a stray idea to one man, and another stray idea to someone else.
There are many problems with these ideas about the Spirit that are being circulated by many independent Adventists, but one great difficulty is that by making the Spirit into just some kind of “emanation” from Christ (and the Father), you make Christ distinctly different from the humans that He came to join himself to. Essentially, you deny His actual link to humanity.
Do we have a spirit that can float off separate from ourselves? Absolutely not. This is the error of spiritualism which is now permeating the large denominations. We know that in the created nature, spirit and body are dependent on each other. One is not conscious without the other.
Christ took our nature, to be one of us; to give us a new life, and to give us an example that we could follow. He retains His divinity, but does not exercise it apart from the limitations of the created body. Christ did not ascend into heaven as a separate “spirit” the moment He died on the cross. Instead He rested in the grave until the resurrection of the body.
Now He is in heaven, with regenerated humanity. But it is humanity still, and He does not float off as a separated spirit from His body. The spirit and the body do not separate. The spirit is not conscious without the body.
These speculations about the nature of the Spirit lead right back to the “immortal soul” teaching of the fallen churches. Therefore, it is a wrong path. Stick to what God’s messengers have taught, and if you learn to do that, eventually God may call you to do a similar work. But if you can’t submit to God’s truths as given through His messengers, then you reject His voice, and can never be called to be a messenger yourself; at least not by the true God.