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THE 'THIRD PERSON' OF THE GODHEAD
The majority of Seventh-day Adventists and other Christians believe that the 'third person' of the Godhead is the third being of the trinity god. Adventists believe this because Ellen White talks about this 'third person' in her writings. They take a handful of Sister White's quotes and apply the trinity god to them, saying that Sister White became a trinitarian in her later life. So on this page, we are going to look deeper into this and find out exactly who this 'third person' is. First, let us look at some examples of Sister White's 'third person' quotes.
"Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead." (E.White, Desire of Ages, p.671)
"He determined to give his representative, the third person of the Godhead." (E.White, The Watchman, Nov.28, 1905)
Now just looking at these quotes, you would think Sister White believed in the trinity right? I mean, she clearly says in the above quotes that the Holy Spirit is the 'Third Person' of the Godhead. But as good Adventists we don't just take little quotes like this on their own do we? We know very well, that context is king, and that we need to compare scripture with scripture, Spirit of Prophecy with Spirit of Prophecy, and Spirit of Prophecy with scripture. So let us first look at the context of the quote from Desire of Ages above:
"The Holy Spirit is Christ's representative, but divested of the personality of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was for their interest that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His successor on earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or his personal contact with Christ. By the Spirit the Saviour would be accessible to all. In this sense He would be nearer to them than if He had not ascended on high. 'He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him ... The Lord knows all about His faithful servants who for His sake are lying in prison or who are banished to lonely islands. He comforts them with His own presence. When for the truth's sake the believer stands at the bar of unrighteous tribunals, Christ stands by his side ... The Holy Spirit was the highest of all gifts that He could solicit from His Father for the exaltation of His people ... 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 ... 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." (E.White, Desire of Ages, p.669-672)
Isn't it interesting when you read the whole context, rather than just focus on one single line? So acording to Sister White above, the 'third person' of the Godhead is actually Christ's Spirit. The Holy Spirit is 'Christ's representative, independent of Christ's humanity'. Through the Spirit, 'Christ would be near us', as He would 'manifest Himself' to us, with 'His own presence'. So how can this be? Let us look at another quote from Sister White which ties in with the first part of the above text.
"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." (E.G.White, Manuscript Releases, vol.14, p.23)
So what is Sister White saying here? She is saying that the Holy Spirit is Christ's own divine Spirit. But His Spirit works independently from His physical human being. And this is the 'Third Person' that Sister White speaks of. She is not saying that the 'Third Person' is the third being of the so called trinity. No. She is confirming that the 'Third Person of the Godhead' is Christ's own divine Spirit, which works independently of His physical human nature. Remember, Christ has TWO natures now. The divine nature and the human nature. So He has both a divine Spirit 'person' and a human nature 'person', with His own divine Spirit person being that 'third person' Sister White talks of, not a third separate being from the Father and Son.
"They did not think that the subject of their conversation was walking by their side; FOR CHRIST REFERRED TO HIMSELF AS THOUGH HE WERE ANOTHER PERSON." (E.White, Desire of Ages, p.800)
Speaking of Pentecost, Sister White confirmed that it was "The Spirit of Christ" which "animated the whole congregation." (Signs of the Times, Dec.1, 1898). And what was the reason that Christ took human nature? ... "Christ took human nature that men might be one with Him as He is one with the Father, that God may love man as He loves His only-begotten Son, that men may be partakers of the divine nature, and be complete in Him. The Holy Spirit, which proceeds FROM the only-begotten Son of God, binds the human agent, body, soul, and spirit, to the perfect, divine-human nature of Christ.". (E.G.White, Selected Messages 1, p.250) And how are we able to become 'one with Christ'? Through Christ's own divine Spirit, which is that 'third person'. And Ellen White regarded it as a 'Third Person', because Christ's Spirit works independently from His human nature. Let's look at some other Ellen White quotes to further support this.
"When trials overshadow the soul, remember the words of Christ, remember that He is an unseen presence in the person of the Holy Spirit." (E.G. White, DG 185.2, 1897)
"With HIS Spirit, CHRIST sends a reconciling influence and a power that takes away sin." (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, May 19, 1904)
"The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life (John 6:57, 63). Christ is not here referring to His doctrine, but to HIS person, the divinity of His character." (E.G.White, 1 Selected Messages, p.249)
"It is not safe to catch the spirit from another. We want the Holy Spirit, which is Jesus Christ." (E.White, Letter 66, April 10, 1894, par.17-18)
"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." (E.G. White, 14 Manuscript Releases, p. 84)
"They have one God and one Saviour; and one Spirit--THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST--is to bring unity into their ranks." (E.G.White, Testimonies, Vol.9 p.189)
As stated at the top of this page, Ellen White stated that "Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead." (E.White, Desire of Ages, p.671). And who was the only one, according to Sister White's other writings who could overcome sin in us? She said ... "There is no power in you apart from CHRIST, but it is your privilege to have Christ abiding in your heart by faith, and HE can OVERCOME SIN in you, when you cooperate with His efforts." (Ellen G. White, Our High Calling, 76.5). She also stated that "With HIS Spirit, CHRIST sends a reconciling influence and a power that takes away sin." (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, May 19, 1904). So what is that 'only power' through which sin can be resisted and overcome? It is the 'Spirit of Christ', not some other 'third being'.
This is why in John 14:18, Jesus told the disciples that HE would come to us as the Comforter, and in Matthew 28:20 that HE would be with us always, even unto the end of the age. It is because Christ 'imbues us with His own Spirit' (E.White, Bible Echo, Sept.18, 1899). And who are we 'grieving' with our constant sins? we are "grieving the pure, holy Spirit of Christ with our defiling sins." (E.White, The Review and Herald, July 5, 1898 par. 7)
Does the Bible support this fact that the Holy Spirit is in fact the Spirit of Christ Himself? Yes! Take a look at the following Bible verses concering this.
Revelation 5:6 ...'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.'
John 14:18-20 ...'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.'
Matthew 18:20 ...'For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.'
Acts 2:32-33 ...'This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.'
Galatians 4:6 ...'And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.'
2 Corinthians 3:17 ...'Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.'
Philippians 1:19 ...'For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.'
So as you can see, the Bible also clearly supports the fact that the Holy Spirit is in fact Jesus Christ Himself, through His own divine Spirit, which Ellen White confirms works 'independently' from His human nature, as the 'Third Person'. And anyone with eyes to see and a heart to receive the truth will see this.
"The Saviour is our Comforter. This I have proved Him to be." (E.White, 8MR 49)
"There is no comforter like Christ, so tender and so true. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. His Spirit speaks to the heart." (E.White, Review and Herald, Oct.26, 1897)
"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." (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, January 27, 1903)
"While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above, He is still by His Spirit the minister of the church on earth. He is withdrawn from the eye of sense, but His parting promise is fulfilled, 'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world'." (E.White, Desire of Ages, p.166)
"Christ tells us that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, and the Comforter is the Holy Ghost, 'the Spirit of truth, which the Father shall send in My name.' '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.' [John 14:16, 17]. This refers to the omnipresence of the Spirit of Christ, called the Comforter." (E.White, Manuscript Releases 14, p.179)
So when Sister White says "the Holy Spirit is a person" and "The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits." (MR, vol.20, par.68). She is clearly talking about the divine Spirit person of Christ, as we have clearly shown above. She also said ... "we need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds." (MR, vol.7, par.299). Well, who is the one 'walking this earth with us'?
"CHRIST WALKS UNSEEN through our streets. With messages of mercy He comes to our homes." (Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 107)
"How few realize that JESUS, UNSEEN, is WALKING by their side! How ashamed many would be to hear His voice speaking to them, and to know that He heard all their foolish, common talk!" (Ellen G. White, 14 MR 125.3)
Who is the 'Holy Spirit PERSON' who is 'walking by our side'? It is the Spirit of Jesus Christ! Who is it that gives us light and teaches us God's truth? It is Jesus, look:
"Those who were bowed before the throne would offer up their prayers and look to Jesus; then He would look to His Father, and appear to be pleading with Him. A light would come from the Father to the Son and from the Son to the praying company. Then I saw an exceeding bright light come from the Father to the Son, and from the Son it waved over the people before the throne." (E.White, Early Writings, p.55)
There is no 'third being' involved. This light and power of the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father to His Son Jesus, and then FROM JESUS DIRECTLY TO US, by His own Spirit. This is the truth friends!