THE PERSONALITY OF GOD AND OF CHRIST

The personality of God and of Christ is an old pillar of our faith, which the current church leaders have denied. Sister White warned us that people would do away with this pillar, and thus some would depart from the faith. We must reject any error that denies this pillar, because denying the personality of God and of Christ means denying God and Christ, and knowing them aright is eternal life according to the Saviour (John 17:3). The definition for this pillar corresponds exactly to the first two original fundamental principles, which have been replaced by the trinity doctrine. We must vindicate the truth. See for yourself:

1. Is the personality of God or of Christ an old pillar of our faith?

"Those who seek to remove the old landmarks are not holding fast; they are not remembering how they have received and heard. Those who try to bring in theories that would remove the pillars of our faith concerning the sanctuary or concerning the personality of God or of Christ, are working as blind men. They are seeking to bring in uncertainties and to set the people of God adrift without an anchor." {MR760 9.5}

2. Will some depart from the faith because of a doing away with the personality of God, and with the personality of Christ?

"The light is given to me in regard to the poor understanding of those that have been in the truth, that these sophistries, and this mysticism, and doing away with the personality of God, and with the personality of Christ, will get the hall-room of the heart all ready for these miracles that Satan will come to work right in our midst. Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils." {Ms138, 1906, par. 23, 40}

3. If you deny the personality of God and of His Son Jesus Christ, are you denying God and Christ?

"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." {RH, March 8, 1906, par. 19}

4. Do we need to reject every phase of error which denies the personality of God and of Christ?

"The statements of God's Word are plain. Plant your feet firmly on the platform of eternal truth. Reject every phase of error, even though it be covered with a semblance of reality, which denies the personality of God and of Christ." {RH August 31, 1905, par. 11}

5. Did the book Living Temple, which was the alpha of deadly heresies, contain specious, deceptive sentiments about the personality of God and of Christ?

"The book Living Temple contains specious, deceptive sentiments regarding the personality of God and of Christ. The Lord opened before me the true meaning of these sentiments, showing me that unless they were steadfastly repudiated, they would deceive the very elect." {Ms70-1905.2}

6. Do false sentiments regarding the personality of God and Christ undermine the foundation of our faith?

"The college was taken out of Battle Creek; yet students are still called there, and there they become indoctrinated with the very sentiments regarding the personality of God and Christ that would undermine the foundation of our faith. The sanctuary question, which means so much to the heavenly family and to the believers on earth, has been made as nothingness. This has been presented to me as that which would be done. We must vindicate the truth." {Lt 72 1906.4-.5}

7. Do we need to study John 17:1-6, because John 17:3 clearly speaks of the personality of God and of His Son?

"My brethren and sisters, study the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of John. The words of these chapters explain themselves. 'This is life eternal,' Christ declared, 'that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.' [John 17:3.] In these words the personality of God and of His Son is clearly spoken of. The personality of the one does not do away with the necessity for the personality of the other." {Lt232-1903, par. 48}

8. Is it confirmed that John 17:1-6 speaks plainly regarding the personality of God and of Christ?

"The seventeenth chapter of John speaks plainly regarding the personality of God and of Christ and of their relation to each other. 'Father, the hour is come,' Christ said; 'glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee; as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.' [Verses 1-3.] 'And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me, and they have kept Thy word. 'They have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are of Thee. For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came from Thee, and they have believed that thou didst send Me. I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given Me; for they are Thine. And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me; that they may be one, as We are.' [Verses 5-11.]. Here is personality and individuality." {Ms124, 1903, par. 15-18}

9. Does Hebrews 1:1-5 clearly confirm what is the personality of God, and what is the personality of Christ?

"The Scriptures clearly indicate the relation between God and Christ, and they bring to view as clearly the personality and individuality of each. 'God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?' Hebrews 1:1-5. God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to His Son. " {8T 268 par. 1-3}

10. Regarding the personality of Christ, did Sister White believe that Christ is the divine Son, the One equal with the Father?

"You desire to hear what Sister White believes,' I said. 'She believes that Jesus Christ is a personal Saviour, just as she has ever believed. She does not try to do away with His personality, and put Him into a leaf or a flower or anything else that He has created. These natural things are the works of His creation. Our heavenly Father is the God of the universe, and Christ is the divine Son, the One equal with the Father." {Ms49-1906.26}

11. Is Christ truly God in infinity, but not in personality?

"The Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, is truly God in infinity, but not in personality." {Ms116-1905.19}

12. Did Christ's personality begin with His incarnation?

"God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, liable to physical infirmities, tempted in all points like as we are. He was the Son of the living God. His personality did not begin with His incarnation in the flesh." {Lt77-1894.9}

13. Does the personality of God and of Christ correspond to the original fundamental principles?

Adventist Archives, Yearbook 1905, p. 188, The Fundamental Principles http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1905.pdf

"I. 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."

"II. That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the one by whom he 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 our fallen race; that he dwelt among men, full of grace and truth, lived our example, died our sacrifice, was raised for our justification, ascended on high to be our only mediator in the sanctuary in heaven, where, through the merits of his shed blood, he secures the pardon and forgiveness of the sins of all those who persistently come to him; and as the closing portion of his work as priest, before he takes his throne as king, he will make the great atonement for the sins of all such, and their sins will then be blotted out (Acts 3: 19) and borne away from the sanctuary, as shown in the service of the Levitical priesthood, which foreshadowed and prefigured the ministry of our Lord in heaven. See Leviticus 16; Heb. 8: 4, 5; 9: 6, 7."