Semi-Arian Sabbatarian: The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God through Christ

This post may seem thrown together and without much direction. I planned to do more with it before publishing it, but I ran out of time and wanted this post to go out. This is a compilation of Spirit of Prophecy quotes and scripture that show the true meaning of the Holy Spirit. I will make my comments in the next post. My comments may be self-evident.

“The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, which is sent to all men to give them sufficiency, that through His grace we might be complete in Him. The Lord has provided that we should always be under the teaching and influence of the Holy Spirit. We shall then discover that the law of God is holy, just, and good, and we would learn to delight in the law of God. We love the requirements of the law, and from our hearts render obedience to its requirements.” {14MR 84.3}

Does grace come through a third person? Are we complete in a third person? No, grace and completeness comes from Jesus. He dwells in us. “Christ in you” is “the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).

“Every loyal child of God will seek to know the truth. John stated the truth so plainly that a child may understand it, ‘If ye love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him.’ Do we choose to be numbered with those who cannot discern the truth, who are so blinded by the deceptive power of the enemy that they see not Him who is the express image of the Father’s person?” {TM 137.2}

“Again He says, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth [not deception]; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not [Jesus, the author of truth], neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.’” {7MR 72.2}

Jesus, the Author of truth, said that it’s the Father and Jesus Himself that “the world seeth not”.

“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.

Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also.

At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14:17-20).

Being present when Jesus is explaining the mystery of godliness, Judas asks a very telling question, “Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” John added this to the discourse to clarify the message of Jesus to all after generations who weren’t there to hear Christ’s intonation and see His facial language.

“He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

Jesus answered and said unto him, 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 14:21-23).

In the clearest language possible, Jesus revealed that the Spirit without measure was the presence of Himself and of His Father. Judas’ question is key to seeing the mystery of the Spirit. The Spirit is not really a complete mystery; it’s actually simply the presence of God through His Son. Thus both Father and Son can dwell in us. We can be a habitation of God through Their Spirit. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27). “In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph. 2:22).

“The Lord will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will teach somebody else. If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Our hearts will often burn within us as One draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch. Those who decide to do nothing in any line that will displease God, will know, after presenting their case before Him, just what course to pursue. And they will receive not only wisdom, but strength. Power for obedience, for service, will be imparted to them, as Christ has promised. Whatever was given to Christ--the ‘all things’ to supply the need of fallen men--was given to Him as the head and representative of humanity. And ‘whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.’ 1 John 3:22.” {DA 668.4}

“The spirit of Jesus slept in the tomb with His body, and did not wing its way to heaven, there to maintain a separate existence, and to look down upon the mourning disciples embalming the body from which it had taken flight. All that comprised the life and intelligence of Jesus remained with His body in the sepulcher; and when He came forth it was as a whole being; He did not have to summon His spirit from heaven. He had power to lay down His life and to take it up again (3SP 203, 204).” {5BC 1150.6}

“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. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall (although unseen by you), [THIS PHRASE WAS ADDED BY ELLEN WHITE.] teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” [John 14:26]. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will come not unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you” [John 16:7]. {14MR 23.3}

The Saviour had not come to set aside what patriarchs and prophets had spoken; for He Himself had spoken through these representative men. All the truths of God’s word came from Him. {DA 287.4}

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

“Christ was not only the leader of the Hebrews in the wilderness--the Angel in whom was the name of Jehovah, and who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, went before the host--but it was He who gave the law to Israel. [SEE APPENDIX, NOTE 7.] Amid the awful glory of Sinai, Christ declared in the hearing of all the people the ten precepts of His Father’s law. It was He who gave to Moses the law engraved upon the tables of stone. {PP 366.2}

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

“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.” (1Cor. 8:6).

In the following two verses Paul defines what he means by the Spirit. It is the Father’s Spirit that comes to us through Christ. Thus it is the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God--it is God through Christ; it is Christ in God. “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). And like Ellen White in the above quote from 14MR, page 84, Paul puts both in us, using both the Spirit and Christ interchangeably. “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Rom. 8:10).

Paul also uses the Spirit in conjunction with the Father. “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Rom. 8:11). We know that the Father raised up Christ, and not a third person. “…and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” (Acts 3:15), “But God raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13:30), “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead;)” (Gal. 1:1),” Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.” (Col. 2:1), “Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” (1Pet. 1:21).

“Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Rom. 1:3,4). This Spirit of holiness is the Holy Spirit, “that holy Spirit of promise.” (Eph. 1:13). The Holy Spirit is not the name of the Spirit; holy is its quality, the Father’s attribute.

“For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name.” (Luke 1:49).

“He sent redemption unto His people: He hath commanded His covenant for ever: holy and reverend is His name.” (Ps. 111:9). “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.” (Isa. 54:5).

The holy Spirit of God is also the power of God. “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to Me great things; and holy is His name.” (Luke 1:47-49). “God was … justified in the Spirit.” (1Ti 3:16). “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14).

The Spirit without measure. “For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.” (John 3:34).

“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Gal. 4:6).

“Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” (Acts 3:26). “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole.” (Acts 4:10). Jesus came in His invisible Spirit form to heal the lame man through the word from Peter and John.

“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.” (John 14:16-18).

“At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you.” (John 14:20).

“He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. Judas saith unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, 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 14:21-23).

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2Pet. 1:21).

“Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” (1Pet. 1:11).

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Rev. 5:6).

“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:19).

“That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.” (Col. 2:2). There is no third person in the Godhead.

“At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you.” (John 14:20).

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” (Rev. 1:10). When in the Spirit Jesus came to John by His own Spirit.

“But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things 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.” (1Cor. 2:10,11).

“Even He shall build the temple of the LORD; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a Priest upon His throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” (Zech. 6:13).

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom. 8:26).

“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:25).

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1Cor. 2:16).

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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.” (2Cor. 3:17,18).

“Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and His Spirit, hath sent me” (Isa. 48:16).

The Lord is the Spirit and the Lord has the spirit. Just like we are a soul and have a soul.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen. 2:7). “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance…. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Ps. 42:5,11). “And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.” (Rev. 6:9).

“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” (Isa. 53:1).

“All the while my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils.” (Job 27:3).

“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” (Job 33:4)

“If He set His heart upon man, if He gather unto Himself His Spirit and His breath.” (Job 34:14).

“Thus saith God the LORD, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and Spirit to them that walk therein.” (Isa. 42:5).

“And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most high God? I adjure Thee by God, that Thou torment me not.” (Mark 5:7).

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David.” (Luke 1:32).

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35). In this one context we see that the power of the Highest is not a third person, but simply something in relation to the Most High God. And the Holy Ghost is spoken in parallel with the power of the Highest. The Holy Ghost is the power of the Most High God.

“Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that ye build unto Me? and where is the place of My rest?” (Isa. 66:1).

“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” (Jer. 23:24).

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Gen. 1:1,2). “God [Theos] is a Spirit.” (John 4:24). The Spirit of God is God’s Spirit.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-10,14).

And also notice the similarities between the Word in John 1:1-10 and Wisdom in Proverbs 8:11-31, both which were at the beginning.

“The LORD possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

When He prepared the heavens, I was there: when He set a compass upon the face of the depth:

When He established the clouds above: when He strengthened the fountains of the deep:

When He gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth:

Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him;

Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and My delights were with the sons of men.”For Wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Counsel is Mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

By Me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

By Me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.

Riches and honour are with Me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and My revenue than choice silver.

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

The LORD possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old.