To the Remnant scattered abroad,

In the past several months, the accusation has arisen that I do not believe in the Holy Spirit. This has been primarily the result of my own mistake. I risked a lot when I shared with other Brethren questions and observations from the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy that conflicted with traditional thinking. The questions and observations on the subject of the Holy Spirit were, as far as I can honestly remember, confined to those with whom I felt free to discuss such vital matters with. At times I felt strong about my position and voiced it as such among Brethren, but NOT in a public teaching capacity. However, because my questions and observations have gone out further than my Brethren and agitated a broader audience, I must now, for the sake of Truth and Righteousness, make a public expression of the matter.

Before I begin this little study I want to share with you a real burden on my heart. I've addressed this study to “the Remnant scattered abroad.” By Remnant I mean AT LEAST the 7 following qualifications:

  1. We are DAILY putting forth EARNEST effort, in cooperation, with the Holy Spirit, to overcome ALL inherited and cultivated tendencies to sin; and not only putting forth earnest effort to overcome, but ACTUALLY overcoming in the areas of: a) Appetite – Do we have COMPLETE control? b) Passion – Are our inner most thoughts pure and clean? Are our bodies under subjection to Chris, even in our marriage relationships?

  2. Do we KNOW – a) “that whosoever is born of God SINNETH NOT; but he that is begotten of God KEEPETH HIMSELF, and that wicked one TOUCHETH HIM NOT.” b) “that we are of God, and the WHOLE WORLD (and EVERY ecclesiastical institution, including the Seventh-Day Adventist Organization) lieth in wickedness.” c) “that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and WE ARE IN HIM that is true, even IN Him that is true, even IN His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” 1 John 5:18-20. The TRUE Remnant KNOW, that they KNOW! (3 SM 389).

  3. We are DAILY examining ourselves, whether we be in the faith; PROVING our own selves. KNOWING our own selves, how that JESUS CHRIST is IN us, except we be reprobates? 2 Cor. 13:5. “God would have His servants become acquainted with the MORAL MACHINERY of their own hearts.” Are we acquainted with our MORAL MACHINARY? “To men whom God designs shall fill responsible responsible positions, He in mercy reveals their hidden defects, that they may LOOK WITHIN and EXAMINE CRITICALLY the complicated emotions and exercises of their own hearts, and DETECT that which is wrong; thus THEY may modify their dispositions and refine their manners.” 4T 85.

  4. Are we DENYING Christ by a) evilspeaking, b) by foolish talking, c) by words that are untruthful or unkind, d) by shunning life's burdens, e) by the pursuit of sinful pleasure, f) by conforming to the world, g) by uncourteous behavior, h) by the love of our own opinions, i) by justifying self, j) by cherishing doubt, k) by borrowing trouble, and l) by dwelling in darkness? (DA 357). Let us examine ourselves critically, dear Friends; and repent before God in all brokenness of spirit if in any area there is a falling short of the HIGH CALLING in Christ Jesus. Oh, before it's “Too Late, Too Late”, let us work out our own salvation with FEAR and TREMBLING before our God. The TRUE Remnant are, Praise God!

  5. Have we responded to the call of Christ to come out of Babylon – physically, mentally, emotionally, and SPIRITUALLY? Have we severed every “parental, filial, conjugal, or social” tie that would “exert their power to control the conscience...?” (GC 597) The TRUE Remnant have and are making these moves!

  6. Is the following our experience? “With the great truth we have been privileged to receive, we should, and under the Holy Spirit's power, we could, become LIVING channels of light. We could THEN approach the mercy seat; and seeing the bow of promise, kneel with contrite hearts, and seek the kingdom with a SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE that would bring its own reward. We would take it by FORCE, as did Jacob. THEN our message would be the power of God unto salvation. Our supplications would be full of earnestness, full of a sense of our great need; and WE WOULD NOT BE DENIED. The truth would be expressed by life and character, and by lips touched with the living coal from off God's altar.” RH Feb. 14, 1899 The TRUE Remnant are DILIGENTLY seeking this experience!

  7. The TRUE Remnant are, most of all, a) open and transparent with God and with ONE ANOTHER, b) they are willing to pray, fast, and search out issues together in all love and humility, c) the TRUE Remnant will be GENUINE MEN and WOMEN that are willing to challenge one another in the search for ETERNAL TRUTH. There will be a FREEDOM and SUPPORT for one another in the perilous quest for TRUTH and RIGHTEOUSNESS.

    Oh, that I might be this kind of Brother in the Church of Christ, and, Oh, that I might find TRUE fellowship with the TRUE REMNANT!! This is my most earnest prayer!

“AGITATE, AGITATE, AGITATE”

I have prefaced this study with the above statements with one purpose – to shake up the listless, laodecian, lethargic, lazy, professors of Christianity. If you are falling short in the above experience of the TRUE Remnant, REPENT and BE CONVERTED before it's ever “Too late, Too late!!” Before proceeding any further, PLEASE examine yourself to see if you are REALLY a follower of Jesus Christ.

“AGIGATE, AGITATE, AGITATE! The subjects which we present to the world mus be to us a living reality....

“Whatever may be man's intellectual advancement, let him NOT for A MOMENT think that there is no need of THOROUGH and CONTINOUS searching of the Scriptures for greater light....

“Whenever the people of God are growing in grace, they will be constantly obtaining a clearer understanding of His word. They will discern new light and beauty in it sacred truths. This has been true in the history of the church in all ages, and thus it will continue to the end. But as REAL spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to CEASE to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest, SATISFIED with the light already received from God's word, and DISCOURAGE any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become CONSERVATIVE, and seek to AVOID DISCUSSION.

“The fact that there is no CONTROVERSY or AGITATION among God's people, should NOT be regarded as conclusive evidence that they are holding fast to SOUND DOCTRINE. There is reason to FEAR that they may not be clearly discriminating between TRUTH and ERROR. When no NEW questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures, when no difference of opinion arises which will set men to search the Bible for THEMSELVES, to make sure they have the TRUTH, there will be MANY NOW, as in ancient times, who will hold to TRADITION, and worship they KNOW NOT WHAT.” CWE 38-41

“When God's people are at ease, and satisfied with their present enlightenment, we may be sure that He WILL NOT FAVOUR them...

“God wills that a VOICE shall be heard AROUSING His people to ACTION.” CWE 41

“Brethren, we must sink the shaft DEEP in the mine of TRUTH. You may question matters with yourselves and with one another, IF you only do it in the RIGHT SPIRIT; but too often SELF is large, and as soon as investigation begins, an UNCHRISTIAN SPIRIT is manifested. This is just what Satan delights in, but we should come with a HUMBLE HEART to know for OURSELVES WHAT IS TRUTH.” CWE 41

May God help us as we proceed with this most awesome study of our God!

A STUDY OF THE GODHEAD

First of all, I want to make the matter crystal clear, -- I believe in the Holy Spirit; and I believe in the person and personality of the Holy Spirit.

HOWEVER – I do NOT believe in the doctrine of the Trinity as formulated by Papal Rome, as accepted by apostate Protestantism, and as expressed by the Seventh-Day Adventists Dallas statement of beliefs. This 1980 Dallas statement is as follows:

“2. THE TRINITY – There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.” SDA Church Manual.

I do NOT believe that there are THREE co-eternal, self-existent, Persons or Beings that have original life INDEPENDENT of the ONE GOD, the Father.

[Although the 1980 Dallas statement does not state the matter as I have just done, my personal experience with professed Christians is that they believe in the Trinity doctrine as “THREE co-eternal, self-existent, Persons or Beings that have ORIGINAL life INDEPENDENT of the ONE GOD, the Father”].

I do not believe the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy teach such a doctrine. In fact, not once in all the writings of Ellen G. White will you find the word “Trinity”; nor does she teach the concept of the Trinity as stated in the 1980 Dallas statement.

The Pioneers

I do believe the pioneers of the Advent movement expressed correctly the truth of the Godhead in 1872. In “A Declaration of the FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES Taught and Practiced by the Seventh-Day Adventists”, the following is expressed:

“1. That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal, infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth, and mercy; unchangeable, and everywhere present by His representative, the Holy Spirit. Ps. 139:7

“2. That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the one by whom God created all things, and by whom they do consist; that He took on Him the nature of the seed of Abraham for the redemption of the fallen race...”

This statement is in accord with the Holy Scriptures:

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.” 1 Corinthians 8:6

The Spirit of Prophecy

The “FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES” of the Advent movement, as laid down by the pioneers, are attested to by the Spirit of Prophecy. Sister Ellen G. White expresses this thought in the following statements:

“Many of our people do not realize how firmly the foundation of our faith has been laid. My husband, Elder Joseph Bates, Father Pierce, Elder Edson, and others who were keen, noble, and true, were among those who after the passing of the time in 1844, searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly....

“... The waymarks which have made us what we are, are to be preserved, and THEY WILL BE preserved, as God has signified through His word and the testimony of His Spirit. He calls upon us to hold firmly, with the grip of the faith, to the FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES that are based upon unquestionable authority.” Series B, No. 2, pp. 56-59

My Objective

As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I am moved to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” With all humility, and yet with holy boldness, my objective is to answer the call of my God “to hold firmly, with the grip of faith, to the FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES that are based upon unquestionable authority.”

I believe the pioneers, in harmony with the Spirit of Prophecy, laid down an immovable platform of truth. I believe the Biblical foundation that was laid regarding the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will stand the closest scrutiny and investigation of the honest in heart. I also believe that Sister White's writings support this Biblical foundation.

I believe Sister White understood the truth of the Godhead from the beginning to the end of her life. However, from 1896, into the 1900's she expressed the truth in language that can easily be interpreted as being Trinitarian. Unless one honestly investigates her writings from beginning to end, they will stumble on the post-1896 statements.

I believe she used such post-1896 language as “the three persons of the heavenly trio” to meet Dr. Kellogg's specious sentiments regarding the Godhead. He was denying the person and personality of the Godhead; therefore she expressed the truth in unmistakable terms to meet the crisis.

Dr. Kellogg used the following expressions regarding the Godhead: “'The Father is as the light invisible; the Son is as the light embodied; the Spirit is as the light shed abroad.' 'The father is like the dew, invisible vapor; the Son is like the dew gathered in beauteous form; the Spirit is like the dew fallen to the seat of life, etc.'” (Ser. B, No. 7, p.62).

While these word symbols could possibly be acceptable in describing the HOW of our God, they are woefully short and misleading in describing the WHO of Himself. Sister White's thrust was to bring into proper balance the WHO aspect and make sure that when the finite human agent thinks about the Godhead, there is ALWAYS A CHARACTER, a PERSON at the ROOT of the picture.

A Personal Testimony

Nearly two years ago I was confronted by a dear Brother with the thought that the Trinity doctrine was erroneous. He patiently tried to explain his position, but I wasn't of an open mind. After he finished his discourse I immediately went to my car, picked up my Desire of Ages, and leafed through the book until I came to page 671. With great relief I read the following statement:

“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.”

Having found the statement I looked up my friend and shared it with him. Feeling very smug and confident that I would “rescue” my Brother from his deadly error, I hardly heard a thing he said after I read the statement. My mind was closed, I had the truth, what need was there for any more discussion. Not remembering exactly my thinking towards my friend, but knowing my attitude, my inner thoughts went something like this -- “Poor Brother, what a shame that such a promising individual would fall into such deadly heresy. I hope he recovers from his thinking before he grieves away the Holy Spirit.”

Feeling confident I was right, I went on my way, putting away the thoughts he had shared with me. Months later another Brother brought up the same subject again. I confess that I was somewhat upset with him. Again I brought forth the “convincing” statements, he was patient and tolerant as I read. However, he was unmoved in his position. Deep down inside my soul was troubled, really troubled.

An Investigation Begins

How thankful I am that the Holy Spirit continued striving with my closed mind. The discoveries in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy over the past year regarding the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been some of the most rewarding in my Christian experience. In my limited, yet growing capacity to know my God, I can truly say as did David:

“O GOD, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.” Psalms 63:1

The longing of my soul is to know my God in an intelligent and intimate way. My burning desire is to understand the government of my God and the plan of redemption which He has ordained to bring me from the depths of sin to the heights of righteousness. In my recent investigations of this infinite subject, my love for Christ has grown deeper, creating within me a longing to be filled with the Holy Spirit as He was when He walked this earth.

It is my prayer that this brief study might stimulate you to plunge deeper into the study of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy.

OBSERVATIONS & QUESTIONS

The following observations have come up before me as I have researched the Trinity doctrine – Perhaps you can identify with me.

“The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate – a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes... Christ, the Word, the ONLY begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father – one in nature, in character, in purpose – the ONLY BEING that could enter into ALL the counsels and purposes of God.” PP 34, GC 493

Here we have Christ, “the ONLY BEING that could enter into ALL the counsels and purposes of God.” Where then does the Holy Spirit, if you understand it to be a separate Being, fit into the scene? If Christ was the ONLY BEING, was the Holy Spirit, as a separate Being, left out? This couldn't be! However, when you read the following statement you could be confused if you did not understand the Godhead properly.

“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.” CH 222

How do you reconcile these statements? Let's continue.

GOD, THE FATHER

“... The FATHER'S life flows out to ALL; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyous service, a tide of love, to the great SOURCE of all.” DA 21

“God is a spirit; yet He is a personal being, for man was made in His image... The greatness of God is to us incomprehensible. 'The Lord's throne is in heaven' (Psalm 11:4); yet by HIS SPIRIT HE is everywhere present. He has an intimate knowledge of, and a personal interest in, all the works of His hand.” ED 132

“In God we live and move and have our being. The beating heart, the throbbing pulse, every nerve and muscle in the living organism, is kept in order and activity by the power of the EVER-PRESENT God...

“...By HIS SPIRIT HE is everywhere present. Through the agency of HIS SPIRIT and HIS ANGELS HE ministers to the children of men.” MH 417

“The life-giving SPIRIT, flowing FROM the infinite fullness of GOD, is the true manna.” DA 386

“Yes; in giving the HOLY SPIRIT, it was impossible for God to give more. To this gift nothing could be added. By IT ALL needs are supplied. The Holy Spirit IS the VITAL PRESENCE of GOD, and if appreciated will call forth praise and thanksgiving, and will ever be springing up unto everlasting life.” ST Aug. 7, 1901

“The SPIRIT of GOD, working in and through the diverse elements, will produce harmony of action.... There is to be ONLY ONE MASTER SPIRIT – the SPIRIT of HIM who is infinite in wisdom, and in whom all the diverse elements meet in beautiful, matchless unity...” OHC 169

What a precious revelation this has been to me! The Holy Spirit is not some separate, self-existent, Being; but is the very Spirit, the Inner Self, the Inner Being, “the vital presence,” the Inner Person and Personality of my Heavenly Father. Praise God! “There is to be ONLY ONE MASTER SPIRIT – the SPIRIT of HIM (my Heavenly Father).” This is exactly what the Bible teaches in the following verses:

“There is ONE body, and ONE SPIRIT, even as ye are called in ONE hope of your calling; ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE GOD and FATHER of ALL, who is above ALL, and through ALL, and IN you ALL.” Ephesians 4:4-6

THE SON OF GOD

If the Holy Spirit is as described above - “the vital presence of God”, etc.; how does our Saviour's role fit in? Please prayerfully consider the following statements:

“The Holy Spirit comes to man THROUGH Christ.” 4 RH 72

“The Father ha given His Son for us that THROUGH the Son the Holy Spirit might come to us, and lead us unto the Father.” RH Oct. 3, 1892

“But after the kindness and love of GOD our SAVIOUR toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS mercy HE saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the HOLY GHOST; Which HE shed on us abundantly THROUGH JESUS CHRIST our SAVIOUR.” Titus 3:4-6

“JESUS is waiting to breathe upon all His disciples, and give them HIS sanctifying SPIRIT, and transfuse the vital influence from Himself to HIS people... CHRIST is to live in His human agents, and work through their faculties, and act through their capabilities. Their will must be submitted to His will, they must act with HIS SPIRIT, that it may be no more they that live, but Christ that liveth in them. JESUS is seeking to impress upon them the thought that in giving HIS HOLY SPIRIT HE is giving to them the glory which the Father has given Him, that He and His people may be ONE in God.

“...Through Jesus we can come into the audience chamber of the Most High. Through His merits we have access by ONE SPIRIT unto the FATHER.” RH October 3, 1892

“There is to be only ONE MASTER SPIRIT – the SPIRIT of HIM who is infinite in wisdom, and in whom all the diverse elements meet in beautiful, matchless unity....” OHC 169

“And when He (Christ) had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the HOLY GHOST'... the HOLY SPIRIT was not yet fully manifest; for Christ had NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED. The more abundant impartation of the SPIRIT did not take place until after Christ's ascension...

“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.” DA 805

“The LORD JESUS acts through the HOLY SPIRIT; for IT is HIS representative. Through IT HE infuses spiritual life into the soul... Never will the human heart know happiness until it is submitted to be molded by the SPIRIT of GOD. The SPIRIT conforms the renewed soul to the model, JESUS CHRIST....

“The SPIRIT of GOD has unconfined range of the heavenly universe; and it is not the province of finite human minds to limit ITS power or prescribe ITS operation....” RH August 25, 1896

“Christ has given HIS SPIRIT as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress HIS own character on HIS church.” RH November 19, 1908

“Christ gives them (His people) the BREATH of HIS OWN SPIRIT, the LIFE of HIS OWN LIFE. The HOLY SPIRIT puts forth ITS highest energies to work in heart and mind.” RH July 11, 1912

“Why, then, do we not have more of the HOLY SPIRIT? - Because we do not abide in Christ; because we do not eat His flesh and drink His blood.” 4 RH 175

Again, it is clear to me that “there is t be ONLY ONE MASTER SPIRIT – the SPIRIT of HIM” (OHC 169), who is “the SOURCE of ALL power” (3 RH 175). The HOLY SPIRIT comes from the FATHER and through CHRIST to man (4 RH 72). THEY, the Father and the Son, share the same “ONE MASTER SPIRIT.” We also, by being born from above, are to share the very same HOLY SPIRIT.

THE COMFORTER

“The reason why the churches are weak and sickly and ready to die, is that the enemy has brought influences of a discouraging nature to bear upon trembling souls. He has sough to shut JESUS from their view as the COMFORTER, as ONE who reproves, who warns, who admonishes them, saying, 'This is the way, walk ye in it.'” RH August 26, 1890

This has been one of the highlights of my study. When I began to see that JESUS is my COMFORTER, that HIS very presence is with me and in me as I choose moment by moment to abide in HIM. Through the “ONLY ONE MASTER SPIRIT” Christ and the Father come and make their abode with us (John 14:23).

“As by faith we look to JESUS, our faith pierces the shadow, and we adore GOD for HIS wondrous love in giving us JESUS the COMFORTER.” SDG 124

“I urge our people to cease their criticism and evil speaking, and go to God in earnest prayer, asking Him to help them to help the erring. Let them link up with one another and with CHRIST. Let them study the seventeenth of John, and learn how to pray and how to live the prayer of Christ. HE is the COMFORTER. HE will abide in their hearts, making their joy full...

“Christ gives to his true disciples the glory of HIS character, that HIS prayer may be answered. Through the impartation of HIS SPIRIT, HE appears in their lives.” RH January 27, 1903

“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.” Sermon B, No. 7, p. 62

“Christ declared that after HIS ascension, HE would send to HIS church, as HIS crowning gift, the COMFORTER, who was to take HIS place. This COMFORTER is the HOLY SPIRIT, - the SOUL of HIS LIFE, the efficacy of HIS church, the light and life of the world. With HIS SPIRIT CHRIST sends a reconciling influence and a power that takes away sin.” RH May 19, 1904

A POSSIBLE CLARIFICATION

While studying this wonderful theme of the Godhead, I was sent a manuscript on the subject. The paper was written by Eduard I. Edstrom, entitled “The Mysterious Union of the Human and the Divine”. The following paragraphs are given to be a possible help in your study, but are NOT intended to be a subject of division and debate; or a final word for word conclusion of the matter.

“Who, then, is this God...?

“He is the Divine Father existing from eternity on two levels of reality: (1) the all-knowing, the everywhere-present, the all-powerful SPIRIT of the Creator; (2) made visible through His divine FORM AND FEATURES. In His image we were created. From the wholeness of His being flows the life of the universe...

“He is the God whom we worship. He is the God whom we love because He first loved us. To Him every knee must bow! As our King, HIS OWN SPIRIT 'FILLS' THE UNIVERSE while holy angels veil their faces BEFORE HIM AS HE 'SITS' on His throne in Heaven. HIS ULTIMATE REALITY IS HIS OWN HOLY SPIRIT. HIS FORM gives the comfort and joy of HIS VISIBLE FEATURESD. 'We shall see His face and be glad!'

“He is the Eternal Presence known through His 'physical' presence in the place called, Heaven. Because He is a person, His Spirit, reaching out beyond the limits of 'material' form, comes to His creatures as a person, as real a person as He is, enthroned at the center of the universe! Made in His likeness, we have some idea of the nature of our Creator.

“In the beyond-human-comprehension-ages of eternity, this Father had a divine Son, begotten of Himself. Since there was no mother involved, this Son could be no other than a second form of Himself, having, sharing the One Eternal, Personal Divine Spirit. Yet since He, as a Son, has His own form and 'brain', He would have His own personality while being one with His Father in Spirit, in nature, having the same purposes, goals, character.

“With this Son the Father planned and carried out the creation of the universe, making beings in their own image who had created 'copies' of Their creative Mind, Spirit, Soul. THIS SON was THE ONLY BEING WHO WAS ONE WITH GOD! (GC 493) To Him equally with the Father all the universe gave allegiance. By the power of Their creative Spirit, the Son spoke the worlds into existence. By the love inherent in that Spirit, They woo the hearts of fallen humans today, as They always have since the origin on evil on our planet.

“To explain the nature of God's Spirit is impossible for an of His creatures! How could a man who cannot even understand his own spirit with its own intellect, affections, and will, comprehend the Soul of his Maker? What foolishness it would be to even try! But THE THINGS HE HAS REVEALED 'belong to us and our children forever'. (Deuteronomy 29:29) All that we can know we should know! Notice His promise, 'If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His mysteries to us personally.' (DA 668) our God by His own divine Spirit enlightens the understanding and opens to the mind the deep things of His Holy Word. How can I neglect His offer!

“'By His Spirit He (God) is everywhere present.' (MH 417) Through a part of Himself, His inner being, His inner self, His ultimate inner reality, the source or seat of His vitality, His inner person, the center of His full person, His soul, His mind, His breath of life, God reaches to the actual 'ends' of His infinite universe 'touching' everything and everyone with His own real presence!

“This one master Spirit of the universe... This eternal Spirit is then the 'life-link' of infinite wisdom, of eternal love, the light and the life of God's creation that is the personal oneness of the Father and Son. 'The world's Redeemer was equal with God.... He declared that He had no existence separate from the Father....' (5 BC 1142)

“Thus, by this spiritual presence, God has ever been at work throughout the whole of His dominion; and by this personal presence, He has been taking knowledge of, giving life to, and guiding all! Moses wrote of His 'moving upon the face of the waters' in the making of our earth. (Genesis 1:2) He also wrote of His work at the time of the great flood. (Genesis 6:3). David sang so beautifully of the ever-with-us Spirit of God! (Psalms 139) The hearts of angels and men were designed by our God to be tabernacles for the indwelling of His own heart, soul, spirit!

“AND SO WE SEE ONE God known to His universe through three personal manifestations of Himself:

“first, the Father – the Eternal Personal Spirit in union and operating through the original divine form of the same God;

“second, the same Eternal Personal Spirit interacting through the begotten form of the same God; and

“third, the same one Eternal Personal spirit at work in, and upholding, all the works of creation above and beyond the 'material' VISIBLE PRESENCE of this Father and Son.

“Here we have not three Gods, but one! Here we have one God, not two; yet, however two visible, 'tangible', real forms which bring to a 'SENSES' experience the same one Divine Spirit!”

A SOLEMN WARNING

“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'....

“The NATURE of the HOLY SPIRIT is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them....

“The SPIRIT will take the things of God and stamp them on the soul. By HIS power the way of life will be made so plain that none need err there-in.

“From the beginning, GOD has been working by HIS HOLY SPIRIT through human instrumentalities for the accomplishment of HIS purpose in behalf of the fallen race.” AA 51-53

“The HOLY SPIRIT is a free, working, independent agency. The GOD of heaven uses HIS SPIRIT as it pleases HIM; and human minds, human judgment, and human methods can no more set boundaries to ITS working, or prescribe the channel through which IT shall operate...” ST March 8, 1910

MY PURPOSE RESTATED

Again, my purpose has NOT been to “define just what the HOLY SPIRIT is” outside of what has been revealed through inspiration. My purpose has been 1) to expose the error of the Trinity doctrine of Three co-eternal, self-existent, Beings; and 2) to establish the Bible truth of ONE GOD, the Father, out of which came the ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON, and also out of which comes the HOLY SPIRIT in whatever form the FATHER chooses to send IT.

CONCLUSION

I pray this study has stimulated you to dig deeper into the mine of truth. The Lord willing, in the near future, I intend to expand this study to include the Biblical foundation of the Godhead, as well as the history of the Trinity doctrine in church history and Seventh-Day Adventist history.

This study is submitted with an earnest expectation that the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ in John 17 might SOON be fulfilled:

“And this is life eternal eternal, that they might know thee the ONLY TRUE GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

Marty A. Wold
A Minister of the Gospel