third person of the godhead

third person of the Godhead (lower case used on purpose as in the original)

Go here to see what the Bible has to say what the Godhead is: https://www.truthseeker.church/godhead

Today all through the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, we hear a term when discussing the Holy Spirit. And that it is a popular term, the “third person of the Godhead.” These five words have to be the most quoted in the modern Seventh-day Adventist denomination. The new converts are taught this and the new way of ignoring context and meaning and to only take a sentence from a quote or two from Sister White's writings. We will show the greater meaning of these words, and where this thought or these words actually originated from. Because they were not heavenly inspired. However, a few times in Sister White's life, she took something from someone else and repurposed it into a different meaning and reasoning. Sadly, it is times like this that have left the door open for heated exchange and arguments. In Ellen White's lifetime up to 1915, these words were quoted and used five times, but published only ten times. That is it! And we will share all of those quotations for all to see. After she passed away, they were chopped up and used in all kinds of compilations. Not something that is reliable whatsoever. You will see from the small clip-it below, the Ellen White writings website considers her "Lifetime works" up to two years after she passed away, extending this to 1917.

Published third person during Ellen White's life

TPOTG quotes – 10 times, but only five original usages while Ellen White was alive

1) Evil had been accumulating for centuries, and could only be restrained and resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fulness of divine power. Another spirit must be met; for the essence of evil was working in all ways, and the submission of man to this satanic captivity was amazing. {Letter 8-1896.2, February 6, 1896}

__________________

2) The striking feature of divine operations is the accomplishment of the greatest work that can be done in our world, by very simple means. It is God’s plan that every part of his government shall depend on every other part, the whole as a wheel within a wheel, working with entire harmony. He moves upon human forces, causing his Spirit to touch invisible chords, and the vibration rings to the extremity of the universe. {Ms22-1897.17}

The prince of the power of evil can only be held in check by the power of God in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. {Ms22-1897.19, March 5, 1897} (also printed in SpTA-No. 10, 33-39)

The prince of the power of evil can only be held in check by the power of God in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. {SpTA10 37.1, January 28, 1897 (part of Letter 8, February 6, 1896)}

__________________

3) The Comforter is called “the Spirit of truth.” His work is to define and maintain the truth. He first dwells in the heart as the Spirit of truth, and thus He becomes the Comforter. There is comfort and peace in the truth, but no real peace or comfort can be found in falsehood. It is through false theories and traditions that Satan gains his power over the mind. By directing men to false standards, he misshapes the character. Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself. {Desire of Ages, 671.1, 1898}

In describing to His disciples the office work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus sought to inspire them with the joy and hope that inspired His own heart. He rejoiced because of the abundant help He had provided for His church. The Holy Spirit was the highest of all gifts that He could solicit from His Father for the exaltation of His people. The Spirit was given as a regenerating agency, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of man to this satanic captivity was amazing. 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 fulness 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 the church. {Desire of Ages, 671.2, 1898}

3) The Spirit was given as a regenerating agency, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of man to this satanic captivity was amazing. 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. {Review and Herald, May 19, 1904, par. 3}

__________________

4) Christ determined to bestow a gift on those who had been with Him and on those who should believe on Him, because this was the occasion of His ascension and inauguration, a jubilee in heaven. What gift could Christ bestow rich enough to signalize and grace His ascension to the mediatorial throne? It must be worthy of His greatness and His royalty. Christ gave His representative, the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. This gift could not be excelled. The divine Spirit, converting, enlightening, sanctifying, would be His donation, because He would give all gifts in one. {Ms44-1898.11, March 29, 1898, par. 11}

__________________

5) During the Jewish economy, the influence of God’s Spirit had been seen in a marked manner, but not in full. For ages prayers had been offered for the fulfilment of God’s promise to impart his Spirit, and not one of these earnest supplications had been forgotten. {Signs of the Times, December 1, 1898, par. 1}

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 Godhead. This gift could not be excelled. He would give all gifts in one, and therefore the divine Spirit, converting, enlightening, sanctifying, would be His donation. {Signs of the Times, December 1, 1898, par. 2}

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 Godhead. 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. {The Watchman, SW, November 28, 1905, par. 2}

__________________

What has taken place along the way is to misconstrue Ellen White's usage of these words. One of the key ways in doing this is to change her original writing using "lower case" letters and changing them to an "Upper Case" "T" and "P" denoting deity and teaching that this is another being that has nothing to do with the Father's Spirit (Spirit of God, God's Spirit, God's own Spirit, His Spirit) as used in other parts of her writings or even Jesus coming to us as the Comforter as in the Spirit of Christ or Christ's Spirit. This is SO DISHONEST. This teaches another gospel! Shown below are two examples of the original writing and a third picture showing the changed book with the agenda carried out in "The Desire of Ages." The original book publishing was in 1898. The two small cutouts are from the 1904 and 1908 Review & Herald publications.

third person in lower case as in the original

Two examples of the original publishing of “third person of the Godhead.” Note the usage of lower case lettering.

third person of the Godhead in lower case

Review & Herald, May 19, 1904

Review & Herald, November 19, 1908

"third person of the Godhead"

in lower case lettering.

third person as found in the Review & Herald, 11_19_1908

Years after Sister White’s death, those in charge changed the “t” and “p” to capital letters trying to denote Deity to support their new doctrine with a mystery ghost. Ellen White pointed us to Christ coming in the Spirit as our Comforter. But church leaders today vehemently say, NO!

Ellen White never referred to the Holy Spirit intentionally as a third being. She never used the words "god the holy spirit." She never taught that the Holy Spirit was a "separate and distinct" person from the Father and the Son. Many times however, Sister White did refer to the Holy Spirit as an "it." However the White Estate decades and decades later were caught that they changed some of these to "he" or "He." She would never refer to a Divine being as an "it." What she has shared and written in the context of her writings on this in the above writings is that the third person is a divine power, a converting power. And what Ellen White used is most appropriately when she said, "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 the church." "Tendencies to evil", don't you suppose that is sin? Christ has given "His Spirit," don't you suppose that is the Spirit of Christ? For those that are struggling with sin, it is only through the divine power of Christ's Spirit can we overcome what the flesh drives us to. This Spirit that comes from Christ subdues the flesh. A converted Christian that has this conversion process and knows and allows the Spirit of Christ to take over in their life now walks in the Spirit and not the flesh. I recall many people holding onto their "mystery ghost" belief and struggling secretly with sin. They have not had the conversion of a true Christian and it starts with what they believe and who they believe in. A false god is never going to help you to stop sinning. After the resurrection of Christ and his glorification in Heaven, he received the Father's Spirit in full measure. Refer to "Christ gets Glorified" under the Bible Scripture heading elsewhere on this website. https://www.truthseeker.church/christ-gets-glorified. It is the Father and Son's PERSONAL DIVINE OMNIPRESENT SPIRIT that the believer can partake in. So next time when someone or the pastor tells you all these personality traits of the Holy Spirit, trying to make it out to be some other being or spirit, you can reflect on why the Holy Spirit has a personality or character traits. It is what is coming from the Father and/or Son. Also be sure and check out who is your comforter as it is not what is taught in the church today. https://www.truthseeker.church/christ-is-our-comforter If you are still perplexed about the usage of other "three-some" quotes given to you by your pastor or others, please refer to the section heading "Evangelism," but start your reading here as to where that book came from: https://www.truthseeker.church/the-book-evangelism .

_________________________

THE MYSTERY OF THE THIRD PERSON

Many people today are caught totally unaware of what the Bible really says about the Godhead. And that will be shared in a section later in this book. They copy what their denomination says in their “creed” with a laundry list of Scripture references that totally leaves out the three actually references to “the Godhead.” And in those verses, the Bible doesn’t tell us there is a membership or how many persons are in this Godhead. None of this is found in Scripture. And the words “third person of the Godhead” are not found in the Bible either. Yet people have built this up into an idol, holding it above the Bible propping up what they want the truth to be, not what the truth actually is.

Ellen White never wrote first person of the Godhead. She never wrote second person of the Godhead. But those terms have been used and misused in the Adventist church since the 1940’s by the Leroy Froom’s of the world to take this denomination in a different direction. Ellen White did however write third person of the Godhead (without capitalization of the “t” in “third” and without capitalization of the “p” in person as to not show deity, although others have changed that on her behalf), but where did it come from? Did it come from an inspiration from God?

We think you will be shocked to find out exactly where this expression comes from. So many people have a death grip on this formulation of words. And because of it, many are blinded as to the topic of the Holy Spirit. And if you dare approach it, you are rebuked not to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. And they are blinded as to what Sister White wrote in detail in some of her writings. Those writings seem to be obscured today in the church. We will show exactly where this expression or term came from without question.

Herbert Camden Lacey

1871-1950

Have you ever heard of a man named Herbert Camden Lacey? Lacey was born in England and raised in India and Tasmania, an Australian island state located off the southern coast of the mainland, where his family settled in 1882. They were members of the Church of England with a staunch Trinitarian background. Some five years or so later, the entire family joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Lacey, was a student in an Episcopal college in Hobart at that time. This is important to note the background of Herbert Camden Lacey, because it would influence his beliefs while in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and it would influence his actions and role. And this would have a profound effect on the denomination that would extend to this very day.

We will start the details off by listing facts and confessions that Herbert Camden Lacey made in a letter written on August 30, 1945 to Leroy Froom. Leroy Froom who is nineteen years younger, and was a church historian. Froom is fishing for information, anything that he can use to prop up his agenda going forward. And at this time in Froom’s life, he is right in the middle of trying to legitimize and bring in the Trinity doctrine into the SDA denomination. He writes Lacey, fishing for some history on the whispers of hearsay. In particular, “the eternal pre-existence of Christ”. But the context of Lacey’s response would be far different than what he would imagine.

William Warren Prescott had just died a year or so earlier at 89 years old. Prescott was a Vice-President of the General Conference for years and a well established, education man. He was responsible for the upstart of many of our colleges. Froom and others finally succeeded in bringing in new language for a baptismal certificate in 1941 that would outline three persons in the Godhead in it’s language. This was their work, not Sister White’s work, and it wasn’t the Adventist Pioneer’s belief who, through the Spirit of God formed the foundation of our faith. The baptismal certificates would now state a “First person of the Godhead, Second person of the Godhead, Third person of the Godhead.” Not a full-fledged trinity doctrine, but on it’s way to 1980 when it would finally happen, and a monstrosity of what it is today. And you will see from this letter who the invention of all of that was, and where it came from about 45 years earlier from 1941.

The story line of this letter starts off with the year 1896. William Warren Prescott would have been 41 years old, and Lacey was a younger 25 years old. Prescott was highly educated in the secular world and would help form many of the SDA colleges. A.G. Daniells who would later become the General Conference President for 21 years (1901-22) was 38 years old in 1896. (Website publisher's comments of this document will be in brackets going forward.)

Interesting facts within Herbert Camden Lacey’s written testimony

Professor Prescott was tremendously interested in presenting Christ as the great “I AM” and in emphasizing the Eternity of His existence, using the expression “The Eternal Son”.(Prior to this, this was not the church’s belief, nor the following statements on Christ)

Prescott connected the “I AM” of Exodus 3:14 to Christ as the Second Person of the Godhead.
Connected Christ to John 8:58 and also to the other “I AM’s” in the Gospel (7 of them. Christ was answering the Jewish accusers about his age, not stating that he was God in John 8:58.)

I am the Bread of Life

I am the Light of the World

I am the Door of the Sheep, etc.

All very rich in their spiritual teaching

Prescott insisted on his interpretation even thou Lacey thought it was far-fetched to himself as he didn’t quite believe that (Prescott’s view was not the view of the denomination).
Sister Marian Davis, literary assistant to Sister White “seemed to fall for it”.
As a result, Prescott’s expressions start to show up in the Desire of Ages (refers to pages 24 & 25), but not in any published works of Ellen White prior to that.

Sister Marian Davis was entrusted with the preparation of Desire of Ages; she gathered her material from all available sources; Sister White’s books already in print, from unpublished manuscripts, private letters, and even stenographer’s reports of her talks.
She was greatly worried about finding material suitable for the first chapter.
Sister Marian Davis appealed to Lacey many times for help and as well to Professor Prescott frequently for similar aid.
Sister Marian Davis got help from Prescott far richer and more abundant measure than Lacey could render.
Marian Davis was a young worker, just out of college.
At the time, Lacey and his wife were teachers in the Adventist schools. (Willie White would end up marrying Lacey’s sister. So Lacey would indirectly become family in a sense.)
Based on Prescott’s teachings and help to Marian Davis, it is explainable why certain inclusions of the mentioned teachings found their way into the Desire of Ages. Teachings like “the Eternity of the Son” and the great “I AM.”
Lacey recalls Uriah Smith and says that “our people undoubtedly generally followed that view,” labeling Smith an Arian. And that our people undoubtedly followed that view. (This is an inaccuracy. It is said that Arian’s believed Christ was created and does not have divinity. Our people believed Christ was begotten and did have the divine nature of the Father.)
Lacey and his family had been brought up in the Church of England; full-fledged Sunday keepers.
Lacey and his family were Trinitarians.
Regarding the trinity doctrine, “We just believed it, subconsciously. He does not remember discussing it with the brethren that brought him and his family into the denomination. (Elder E.C. Israel and brother W.L.H. Baker)
Lacey’s mother remarked about the strange language used by Adventist ministers in speaking about the Holy Ghost as “it” and “its” as though they thought of the Holy Spirit as an influence, instead of as a Person. This language from the ministers seemed strange to her, and in a way, also to Lacey (he was only 17 at the time. He calls the Holy Spirit the “Third Person of the Godhead”).
He went through Healdsburg College and Battle Creek College with a “dim sort of feeling that there was something wrong about our teaching on the Ministry and Personality of the Holy Ghost.” He said he was “really a Trinitarian at heart.” The terms used were always “Holy Spirit” when not directly read out of the King James Bible and referred to as an “it.”
In the Testimonies for the Church, he noticed the same, “as though the Spirit of God were an influence instead of a Person, the Third Person of the Godhead.”

While in his late years in college, 1894, he was a delegate at the 2nd International Convention of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions in Detroit, Michigan. This is an event with the world’s Christians, outside of our faith.
Lacey is impressed with the “spirit-filled” servants, the presenters of this convention.He recalls how his female counterpart, Sister Georgia Burruss, attendee to this mentions that these men are “not Sabbath-keepers”. They are deeply moved by these men and take note of their emphasis placed on the “Holy Ghost” in our lives and come away with the teaching that the Holy Ghost is a “divine person, always with us, and in us, the Comforter as taught by Jesus Christ in His last pascal discourse.” (The Comforter taught and believed by our denomination was "the Spirit of Christ," post-resurrection.)

September 1895, on a voyage back to Australia, Lacey makes “The Personality and Work of the Holy Spirit” a special subject of Bible study.
1896 at the Cooranbong convention, Lacey presents his theme on “The Personality and Work of the Holy Spirit.”
Marian Davis took copious notes of Lacey's presentation at this Cooranbong convention.
A.G. Daniells frequently present and expressed conservative appreciation.
1898, the Desire of Ages comes out in print. A.G. Daniells brings to Lacey’s attention, a quote found on page 671, where the spirit is spoken of as “the third person of the Godhead.” A.G. Daniells makes some kindly comments.
Later on in November 1905, Lacey finds this paragraph in print, Testimonies for the Church, Ser. B, No. 7:

“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 believe in Christ as a personal Saviour. THERE ARE THREE LIVING PERSONS IN THE HEAVENLY TRIO; in the name of these three great powers – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized; and those powers will cooperate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ.

Lacey notes that he endeavoured to teach that 9 years previously. (9 years previous to 1905 would be 1896)
Lacey then ends his letter, “I was interested to note the language used in the article “The Holy Spirit in our Schools” found in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 61, 62, bearing the date of May 10, 1896, Cooranbong, N.S.W. He notes that the Holy Spirit is now being referred to with the pronouns ‘He’, ‘Him’, ‘His’ and called a ‘heavenly messenger’, ‘the heavenly guest’, and ‘the great Teacher Himself.’

You see with Herbert Camden Lacey’s teachings, he has made the Holy Spirit into very personal personhood. This is where this subject came from. In a statement made July 27, 1936, Herbert Camden Lacey writes, “I conducted these Bibles studies in 1895 and 1896. Before 1896, the Spirit of God is never spoken of as a “Person” in the writings of Sister White; after that date, “He” is several times so referred to.

So we can see that the invention of the “third person of the Godhead” came from not a heavenly inspiration, but that of a Sunday keeper, Herbert Camden Lacey. Sister White took this term, and changed the usage of its meaning to denote the Spirit of Christ that would come to us as the Comforter. This would be perfectly suitable. As Christ after his resurrection and glorification in Heaven can and would abide in those believers and disciples as it was no longer Christ in human form, but in spiritual form. She did not capitalize the letters in ‘third’ and ‘person’, although the printing houses changed that later under the direction of men in suits years later after she died.

Besides “He, Him, His”, Lacey would give the Holy Spirit a different identity other than what Sister White and the Pioneers have taught and believed. He didn’t believe it to be Christ coming to us in the Spirit as the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of God originated from God the Father, then was sent through Jesus as He is “the way, the truth and the life”; the channel, “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Lacey instead brought his Sunday keeper theology into the Seventh-Day Adventist church and it has grown to uncontrollable proportions to this day. Remember, he came from the Anglican Church and his beliefs were increased after attending a Sunday church convention from spiritualizers.

This is the naked truth of the present condition of the church today. Shown below is the response given by Herbert Lacey to Leroy Froom's inquiry from 1845 in a three page letter. The above summary given is from this letter. Underneath this letter is one from Lacey to A. W. Spalding from 1947. Through both of these, you can see the underlining work of Lacey and a bit of prior history of the denomination in some of his comments before his influence.

Lacey to Froom Letter Aug 30, 1945 - pg1.jp

Lacey to Froom Letter Aug 30, 1945 - pg2.jp

Lacey to Froom Letter Aug 30, 1945 - pg3.jp

Letter from Herbert Lacey to A. W. Spalding from 1947.

Ltr to A.W. Spalding (June 5, 1947) - 1.jp

Ltr to A.W. Spalding (June 5, 1947) - 2.jp

Ltr to A.W. Spalding (June 5, 1947) - 3.jp

On June 2, 1947, A. W. Spalding from the Review & Herald writes H.C. Lacey to inquire about some of our denominational history. He is preparing a manuscript that will cover some history of the church in a book. He questions where we stood in the controversy of trinitarian vs anti-trinitarian doctrines among us. And then asks about the death of Christ and his Atonement at the cross. Did a human nature only die, or did his divine nature die, or a blended divine with the human, etc. Mr. Spalding quotes what Ellen White had said, but was still left wondering and not fully understanding.

Summary of Lacey’s Letter to A.W. Spalding in response:

The SDA denomination was anti-trinitarians when the Lacey family came to the truth in 1888.
They were previously strong Church of England members; one of the main supporters of St. John’s church which was a state church.
His mother was the organist and practically the choir leader.Herbert and his sister, May were in the choir.
His mother was a composer of music. She would take songs from our Hymns & Tunes and adapt them for the Church of England folks because they still attended there even after becoming Seventh-day Adventists. She was often complimented for her work.
They noticed two primary differences with the hymns in the Adventist church vs the Church of England (Anglican church). The missing references to the Trinity. And the “weakening of the truth of the Personality of the Holy Ghost” as Lacey puts it.
In sermons and prayers, the Holy Spirit was referred to as “IT,” never “HE” except when they were reading the verses in John.Then they would immediately correct it afterwards to IT.
He makes mention of the comparison between a few songs in the England hymnal vs the Adventist Hymnal and how the words in our were changed or different than what he was accustomed to.The England hymnal leaned toward threesome singing of a trinity god and the Adventist hymnal praised and held to God being one being. (No mention of three.)
But in 1941, “the great truth of the Trinity has been, in a measure, restored. See for instances, Nos. 9, 205, 287, 649 to name but a few, casually observed.”
He discusses when Christ died, if it was just his human nature that died for man, or if it was his God-Man who died for us and therefore a Divine sacrifice for our sins.
He answers A.W. Spalding’s question with a brief comment about William Prescott and his teaching on Christ being Eternal (not readable print) and the great “I AM.” (It is Prescott that brought in that teaching on the “I AM” being Christ trying to make Christ out to be “the God,” or an additional God.
Lacey says it is him that was teaching that “the Holy Ghost was not a mere influence, but a distinct Person, even the Third Person of the Godhead.” He takes full credit for teaching the “Personality of the Holy Spirit.”
Lacey states that Sister Marian Davis was in the charge of the production of the Desire of Ages along with A. G. Daniells and Sister A.T. Robinson (sister of Elder Farnsworth).
The statement “Third Person of the Godhead” appeared in Desire of Ages, page 671.Also references to the personality (of the Holy Spirit) in Testimonies vol. 8, page 61, 62. And in Testimonies Series B, No. 7, on page 63, “There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” etc.
He claims that since then, the doctrine of the Trinity has been established among us—although, apparently not fully accepted by all.
He comments about the inadequate views of the Adventist Pioneers and correlates that to sinning as they did not believe in the ‘Eternity of the Son’ and therefore his essential Deity. (The Adventist Pioneers believed Christ was begotten of the Father sometime in eternity. Yes, he had a beginning.It is because of his Son-ship that he has divine nature. He literally came out from the Father. Eve coming out from Adam is a parallel to begin human nature. They had to refute often the accusation of not believing Christ had Deity. They did not believe that he was the second person or god of the trinity god, because the trinity doctrine takes away the relationship of the Father and Son and makes it a metaphor.)
He compares the Pioneers as Arian (which they were not) and himself and others in the faith now as Athanasians.

Prior to all this letter writing from Froom and Spalding, in 1936, Herbert Camden Lacey found himself in a heap of trouble answering to numerous people to dispel a rumor, or the truth that he was taking credit for writing the Desire of Ages.

STATEMENT FROM H. C. LACEY

Made July 27, 1936

Let me say to you again that I gladly and whole-heartedly accept the writings of Sr. E.G. White as the genuine product of the “Spirit of Prophecy” as stated in Rev 12:17 and 19:10. I believe them to be God’s special message to His people in these last days since 1844. In rank I hold them as standing next to the Bible in spiritual authority; I think that, as standing the Bible, they should be studied and obeyed prayerfully and intelligently, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Whenever I read them I always get a spiritual blessing from them; and I know, from personal experience, that they are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” and that, if I follow them out, I shall be a “man of God, perfect, and thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

You say “We have heard that you have made some startling statement, regarding theories advanced by you to Sr. Davis as to the personality of the Holy Spirit which you think she passed on to Ellen White and which resulted in a change of the teachings of Ellen White regarding this important matter.”

The facts in this case are these: I conducted the early morning Bible studies for workers after the Armidale Camp-meeting, and at the Institute at Cooranbong (1895 and 1896) during which I developed a series on “The Personality and Work of the Holy Spirit. I tried to harmonize the position apparently taken in the Testimonies up to that date, that the Holy Spirit is an influence (the pronoun “it” being generally used when referring to the Spirit) with the position obviously taken in the Bible and the New Testament particularly, that the Holy Ghost is a Person, as Jesus always spoke of Him in that way, using the pronoun “He” which in the Greek is very emphatic. I said that the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost is a distinct “Person” in the Godhead having as the Bible shows all the attributes of “Personality” namely, Intellect, Sensibility, Will, Self-Consciousness, Power to Direct others, etc., but without any corporeal “body” or frame, as the Scriptures reveal the Father and Son to possess. And so the “Spirit” can be everywhere and is everywhere, since He is without “bodily” restrictions. And I distinctly remember saying that the best way to harmonize all these teachings is to say that “the Holy Spirit is an Influence, having all the attributes of personality, so that “He” knows, and feels, and chooses, and speaks, and directs others, etc. He is a definite “Person” in the Godhead, but we must never imagine “Him” as having any definite “form” whatever, as of course we do image the Son and the Father.

Both Elder Daniells and Sister Davis were deeply interested in these studies, Sister Davis especially. She seemed to understand at once, and to be very sympathetic. Brother Daniells was inclined to be a bit skeptical, but I distinctly remember him one day saying something like this, “well, Herbert, I think you have the truth on that point as near as we can get it.” Some years passed, and the Desire of Ages came out. One morning (I have the clearest and most definite recollection of it) Brother Daniells said to me, “Have you seen that statement in the “Desire of Ages” about the Holy Spirit?” I said, “No, what do you mean?” He replied, “’The statement that the Spirit is ‘The Third Person of the Godhead’”, adding “So you were right in your position,” “Desire of Ages” and found it on page 671.

You as for “references to statements with which you are familiar and the places where they are to be found within the dates of their issue.

I know of no reference up to 1896 where the Spirit of God is spoken of as a “Person”. He is always referred to as an “Influence”.
In Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, No. 10, page 25, occurs this sentence. “Evil had been accumulating for centuries, and could only be restrained and resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power.” This is dated, Sunnyside, Cooranbong, February 6, 1896 (copied January 28, 1897)
This same statement is reprinted, with the date February 6, 1896, in Testimonies to Ministers, page 392. T.M. was published in 1923* (not entirely readable)
“Desire of Ages” was published in 1898. On page 671 occurs the sentence, “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.”
In 1904 appeared the Eighth volume of the Testimonies. One page 254, we read “in the great closing work we shall meet with perplexities that we know not how to deal with; But let us never forget that the three great powers of heaven are working, that a divine hand is on the wheel and that God will bring His promise to pass.
In the same volume, on page 61 is the quotation, under date of May 10, 1896, and written from Cooranbong, N.S. W., Have you not been afraid of the Holy Spirit? At times this Spirit has come with all pervading influence into the school at Battle Creek, and into the schools at other places. Did you recognize His presence? Did you accord Him the honor due to a heavenly messenger?” And so on repeatedly, on pages 61 and 62, the pronouns He, Himself, His, are used with direct reference to the Spirit of God. Contrast with this the statement in 1T 124, written in 1855, “God’s Spirit will not always be grieved. It will depart if grieved a little longer.” And so on, all through for 41 years, until 1896.
In 1906 appeared “Series B, No. 7, Testimonies for the Church. “ On page 63 is this sentence, “There are three living persons of the heavenly trio: in the name of these three great powers—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will cooperate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ.

To sum up: I conducted these Bible studies in 1895 and 1896. Before 1896, the Spirit of God is never spoken of as a “Person” in the writings of Sister White; after that date, “He” is several times so referred to.

_______________________

For those that want to know first hand what Ellen White taught and believed, and want to be in control of their destiny and no longer treat going to church as a spectator sport, please view and listen to this video.

“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” - Ellen White, Life Sketches, p. 196.

What Did Ellen White Actually Believe and Teach?

The majority of Seventh-day Adventists today believe that Ellen White became a Trinitarian based on a handful of quotes that relate to the Holy Spirit. They mistakenly believe these quotes saying the Holy Spirit is a third being when in fact, she actually taught the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God coming to us through His Son. Where do they get this? From the leadership at the local pulpits.

But in the thousands of pages that Ellen White wrote, she called the Holy Spirit the “third person” in five quotes and called the Holy Spirit a “person” twice. This is unfortunate as it has caused many to wrongly conclude that she was a Trinitarian.

Ellen White taught that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. So it was actually the Spirit of Christ she called a person. Do not get confused by this next statement.

Ellen White revealed “3 PERSONS,” but only “2 BEINGS.”

You may be confused. But there is no need to be. There is no confusion once you know what else Ellen White wrote and taught in regards to the Holy Spirit.

We must note this next extremely important point. Ellen White demonstrated a distinction between the words “PERSON” and “BEING.” While she speaks of three “persons” or “personalities” and “powers” in the Godhead, she consistently identifies “ONLY” two beings -- the Father and His Son.

The words “PERSON” and “BEING” have different meanings to Ellen White. If you miss this, you could end up thinking the Holy Spirit is another “BEING” as the Catholic Church made up over 200 years after the Bible was written.

Since the Holy Spirit is the “third person” in a few of these writings, then whoever Ellen White says is the Holy Spirit has to be the “third person.” So who is this “third person” according to Ellen White? Who did she say the Holy Spirit was?

“The HOLY SPIRIT is the SPIRIT of CHRIST; it is His representative.” — Ellen White, 13MR 313.3, 1895

“CHRIST has left HIS HOLY SPIRIT to be HIS representative in the world,” — Ellen White, Letter 84, October 22, 1895

“The HOLY SPIRIT is the SPIRIT of CHRIST, which is sent to all men to give them sufficiency,” — Ellen White, 14MR, 84.3

“We want the HOLY SPIRIT, which is JESUS CHRIST.” — Ellen White, Letter 66, April 10, 1894

“but it is the leaven of the SPIRIT of JESUS CHRIST, which is sent down from heaven, called the HOLY GHOST,” — Ellen White, Ms36-1891

As you can see, the “third PERSON” is not a “third BEING” but the Spirit of Christ (which is post-ascension and different than Christ in person in human form to the disciples), and hence the Spirit of Christ is the “third person” by Ellen White’s thinking and terminology.

Note that the trinity doctrine teaches three gods as follows:

1st Father = God the Father

2nd Son = God the Son

3rd Holy Spirit = God the Holy Spirit

But since Ellen White states the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, she taught:

1st Father = God the Father

2nd Son = Son of God

3rd Holy Spirit = Spirit of Christ (post-ascension and glorification in Heaven)

If you can count to three then you should have no trouble verifying who the third person is. ONE + ONE + ONE = “the Spirit of Christ.”

“They have ONE God and ONE Saviour; and ONE Spirit—the Spirit of Christ—is to bring unity into their ranks.” — Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 189.3, 1909

But why did Ellen White frequently call the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Christ, when the Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of God or the Spirit of the Father?

Because the Holy Spirit is the mind, power, and personal presence of the very life of God, that the Father sends through His Son to us. This is FAR different than the naysayers comment about some believing this is just an influence. That is a lie spread by the leaders from the pulpit. No one believes like that. This is not a separate person of the Godhead who is being sent. It is the very life of God coming to us through His beloved Son. But again, how can this be?

Ephesians 4:4 says there is “one Spirit.” And yet the Bible speaks about the “Spirit of God” and the “Spirit of Christ”, which involves “two” Divine beings. If the Father has a Holy Spirit, the Son must too. So how then is there only one Spirit?

Paul explains in Romans 8:9 where he uses the terms Spirit of God and Spirit of Christ interchangeably. Being indoctrinated with a lie most people miss this and more. Note that Ellen White endorsed the following works by Waggoner and Romans 8:9 is quoted.

“Finally, we know the Divine unity of the Father and the Son from the fact that both have the same Spirit. Paul, after saying that they that are in the flesh cannot please God, continues: “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. Here we find that the Holy Spirit is both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ.” — E. J. Waggoner, CAHR, p. 23, 1890

John also explains it is thru their Holy Spirit that both the Father and Son make their abode in us.

John 14:23 – “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.”

Ellen White confirms this by giving further clarity by quoting John 14:23:

“BY the SPIRIT the FATHER and the SON will come and make their abode with you.” — Ellen White, The Bible Echo, January 15, 1893

So how can be the Holy Spirit both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ?

Because Christ inherited everything from His Father including His life. “For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself.” John 5:26

As Ellen White said, “All things Christ received from God, but He took to give.” — Ellen White, Desire of Ages, p. 21

And so God gave not only His self-existent LIFE but also HIS SPIRIT as the Father gave “all things” to His Son.

“The Father gave HIS Spirit without measure to HIS Son,” — Ellen White, Review & Herald, November 5, 1908

And so the Father and Son are one in Spirit and share the same Spirit.

“They were two, yet little short of being identical; two in individuality, yet one in spirit, and heart, and character.” — Ellen White, Youth's Instructor, December 16, 1897

The Holy Spirit is therefore not another being but the very presence of God Himself coming to us through His Son.

“In giving us HIS Spirit, God gives us HIMSELF,” — Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 273.1, 1902

So as Ellen White said, the Spirit of God comes to us through His only begotten Son and this is why the Holy Spirit can rightfully be called the Spirit of Christ.

“The Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the only begotten Son of God,” — Ellen White, Review & Herald, April 5, 1906

And since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God coming to us through His Son, this means that the Comforter is also Christ by His Spirit as Ellen White states many times. Below is one of many examples proving this.

“This refers to the omnipresence of the SPIRIT of CHRIST, called the COMFORTER.” — Ellen White, 14MR 179.2

Speaking of the Comforter, Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14:18

“The Holy Spirit [of CHRIST] is the Comforter, in Christ's name. He PERSONIFIES CHRIST, yet is a distinct PERSONALITY.” — Ellen White, 20MR 324.2. Parenthesis are added.

So CHRIST's own Holy Spirit “PERSON-IFIES” Himself and thus could be likened to a “PERSON” with a “PERSON-ALITY” but it is NOT a literal person and hence it is NOT a “BEING,” which Ellen White ONLY called the Father and Son.

Thus Christ's very own Spirit personifies HIMSELF, and yet has a distinct personality. What has a “person-ality?” A “person!” Is the Holy Spirit of Christ a literal person? Of course not. This is the language of Ellen White which ONLY confuses those who are prejudiced or do not look at what else she wrote.

Do not forget this next very important point, which also verifies the truth. Ellen White calls Christ by His Spirit, a “PERSON.”

“When trials overshadow the soul, remember the words of CHRIST, remember that HE is an unseen presence in the PERSON of the Holy Spirit.” — Ellen White, Daughters of God 185.2, 1897

“Lift up CHRIST in His power in the PERSON of the Holy Spirit. He is waiting for them to open the door and admit Him.” — Ellen White, Letter 59, March 29, 1899

Some wrongly conclude that the Holy Spirit is another being because Ellen White wrote that the Holy Spirit represents Christ. Because of this, they assume it must be someone else. But that is not so.

Ellen White states that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ and that His OWN Spirit represents Himself in the world. And therefore, the second quote is also saying that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, which she calls a “PERSON.” She is saying that because His Spirit can represent Himself. He comes to us in person by His Spirit. Obviously the Spirit of Christ is not a literal person and definitely not a third being as per the trinity doctrine.

“CHRIST has left HIS Holy Spirit to be HIS representative in the world.” — Ellen White, Letter 84, October 22, 1895

“JESUS is present in the PERSON of His representative, the Holy Spirit, reviving the hearts of the humble and contrite ones.” — Ellen White, 12MR 145.2, 1898

From these two quotes we find another reason Ellen White called the Spirit of Christ a person, which is because Christ's Spirit can function independently of Himself. Do not miss this, that His very own Spirit represents Himself. So we know that the word “PERSON” in this context has a different meaning to her.

Speaking of “another,” John 14:16-23 tells us many times who the Comforter is. But the moment Jesus says “another Comforter,” most become blind to the fact that He is referring to Himself despite His clear words that follow. The Greek word for another is “allos,” which means another of the same kind. So this would mean anotherm as the same kind as Christ. Jesus was present with His disciples in physical form (human) but after His ascension He comes back in another form, that is, by His Spirit. Hence the “another” is His Spirit. Since Christ's Spirit can function independently of Himself, it is like His Spirit is “another.” And because it is His Spirit, it is “another” of the same kind. If the Comforter was someone different, then John would have used the word “heteros” meaning another of a different kind. Easy to understand once you know. Most also fail to notice that Jesus often speaks of Himself in third person language (a grammatical term also known as an “illeism”) as He did in this passage.

John 17:1-3 – “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: v2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. v3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

Also when speaking of His second coming, Jesus never used the word “I”, which is in first person language.

Matthew 16:27 – “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”

Isn’t this interesting that at the time of the most momentous event in earth’s history, the Holy Spirit is not mentioned? Christ will come in the glory of His Father and with his angels.

If there were a third being, he would certainly be mentioned. Unless that is, he is staying alone in heaven.

Another example is Jesus appearing in the Spirit to two disciples who were on the road to Emmaus.

Luke 24:15-16 - “And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. v16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.”

Mark 16:12 – “After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.”

If the Holy Spirit really was a third “BEING,” then the Holy Spirit would be the third highest being in heaven according to the trinity doctrine. And if Ellen White was teaching that the Holy Spirit was a third “BEING,” then she would have said the Holy Spirit was the third highest being in heaven. But she didn’t. Before the fall of man, she said that it was the Father, Son and Satan.

“Satan in Heaven, before his rebellion, was a high and exalted angel, next in honor to God’s dear Son.” – Ellen White, Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, p. 17.1

After the fall of man and Lucifer was cast out of heaven: “It was Gabriel, the angel next in rank to the Son of God, who came with the divine message to Daniel.” – Ellen White, Desire of Ages, p. 234

Here are more quotes for even more clarity on this truth revealing point.

“Satan, who was once a beautiful angel in the heavenly courts, became a fallen angel because he did not want to occupy a secondary place, but to be next to God. He would have the Lord Jesus become second to him, for his own glory was very precious in his own sight. He was jealous of Christ, the Saviour. Study the Word of God, and see what this jealousy led to in the end. There is nothing to be gained by jealousies. Although in the beginning Satan was an exalted angel of great glory in the heavenly courts, that glory became extinguished through his craving to be the highest one next to God.” — Ellen White, Ms74, March 20, 1910

“Satan was once an honored angel heaven, next to Christ. His countenance, like those of the other angels, was mild and expressive of happiness. His forehead was high and broad, showing great intelligence. His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic. But when God said to His Son, “Let us make man in our image,” Satan was jealous of Jesus. He wished to be consulted concerning the formation of man, and because he was not, he was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. He desired to receive the highest honors in heaven next to God.” - Ellen White, Early Writings, 145.1

So Ellen White did NOT teach that the Holy Spirit was a third “BEING” like the Father and Son.

We find that Ellen White reveals in many ways that the Spirit of Christ is what she called the “third person,” and did NOT mean a third “BEING.” For example, count to see whom Ellen White says is the “third person.” Its so simple and clear!

“They have ONE God and ONE Saviour; and ONE Spirit—the Spirit of Christ—is to bring unity into their ranks.” — Ellen White, 9T 189.3, 1909

Ephesians 4:4 likewise says there is “one Spirit.”

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.”

The truth can also be found by comparing the following two quotes.

“Christ gave His representative, the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.” — Ellen White, Ms44, March 29, 1898, par. 11; Christ Triumphant, p. 301.4

“The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ; it is His [Christ] representative.” — Ellen White, 13MR 313.3, 1895

Christ's representative, the Holy Spirit which is the third person of the Godhead, is the Spirit of Christ. It is His Spirit. Not another being as so many wrongly conclude due to a wrong mindset from years of believing a lie that originated from the early Catholic Church.

And for even further proof, Ellen White said, sin can be resisted ONLY through the “third person.”

“Sin could be resisted and overcome ONLY through the mighty agency of the third person of the Godhead,” — Ellen White, Desire of Ages, 671.2

Since Ellen White says the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, then the Spirit of Christ has to be the “third person” by her terminology. And she also revealed that this “third person” is the ONLY one who can overcome sin in us. Who would that be? It is none other than Christ! All you have to do is look at what else she wrote to confirm what should be obvious.

“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 White, Our High Calling, 76.5

“With HIS SPIRIT CHRIST sends a reconciling influence and a power that TAKES away SIN.” — Ellen White, Review and Herald, May 19, 1904

Sadly there are people in the church today that think you will be sinning until Christ comes and that you cannot overcome sin. And Pastors teach that message today as well. And it is them that believe and teach a mystery ghost third being. Perhaps that is because they have not accepted Christ as their Comforter. For it is Christ in His Spirit that is the one that abides in us and enables us to overcome sin.

Ellen White said ONLY the “third person” can overcome sin in you. This is so consistent with everything else she wrote as she reveals what she called, the “third person” as the “Spirit of Christ.” Why would we think it was anyone else other than the One who conquered and overcame sin on the cross?

Would you like more proof? Who is the “third person” who ALONE can keep in check the “power of evil” and save us from sin?

“The prince of the POWER OF EVIL can ONLY be held in check by the power of God in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.” — Ellen White, Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 10, p. 37, 1897

“JESUS ALONE has power to SAVE FROM SIN, to free from the POWER OF EVIL; and to doubt him who has laid down his life for us, is to grieve and insult the Father.” — Ellen White, Review and Herald, February 10, 1891

“The ONLY defense AGAINST EVIL is the indwelling of CHRIST in the heart through faith in His righteousness.” — Ellen White, Desire of Ages, 324.1

Over and over again she reveals the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. And while it is Christ by His Spirit that she called a “person,” she never meant a literal person as we have just seen many times already. And hence she NEVER called the Holy Spirit a “BEING” as she expressed “ONLY” with the Father and Son.

Let's give even more proof that cannot be denied.

If Ellen White taught that the Holy Spirit is a third “BEING” or a literal “person” if you prefer, then the following quotes would all reveal three “BEINGS.” But if the Holy Spirit is the person of the Spirit of Christ as per the expression she used that has confused so many, then she will reveal “ONLY” two beings “ALONE” every time without fail.

Note that she wrote ALONE and ONLY.

“The Father and the Son ALONE are to be exalted.” — Ellen White, The Youth's Instructor, July 7, 1898 --- ONLY TWO BEINGS.

Did she say the Father, Son and Holy Spirit ALONE are to be exalted? No she did not!

And again, “God and Christ ALONE know what the souls of men have cost.” — Ellen White, Signs of the Times, January 13, 1909 --- ONLY TWO BEINGS.

“God informed Satan that to his Son ALONE he would reveal his secret purposes, and he required all the family in heaven, even Satan, to yield him implicit, unquestioned obedience;” — Ellen White, Signs of the Times, January 9, 1879 --- ONLY TWO BEINGS.

“Can anyone consider the condescension of God in preparing the gospel feast, and its great cost, and treat the invitation slightingly? No man, nor even the highest angel, can estimate the great cost; it is known ONLY to the Father and the Son.” — Ellen White, The Bible Echo, October 28, 1895 --- ONLY TWO BEINGS.

If the Holy Spirit was a third co-equal being then it would also know. But since it is the Spirit of Christ, then not so.

“The ONLY Being who was one with God lived the law in humanity, descended to the lowly life of a common laborer, and toiled at the carpenter's bench with His earthly parent.” — Ellen White, Signs of the Times, October 14, 1897 --- ONLY TWO BEINGS.

“CHRIST the Word, the only-begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,-one in nature, in character, and in purpose,-the ONLY being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. By Christ, the Father wrought in the creation of all heavenly beings.” — Ellen White, The Great Controversy, p. 493 --- ONLY TWO BEINGS.

A Trinitarian cannot make any of these statements above. There can be no doubt that Ellen White declares that there are “ONLY” two beings “ALONE” as the third entity is not a third BEING but the Spirit of Christ. All these statements is just a small example of what could be given. Ellen White not only states hundreds of times in different ways that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ and not a third being, but she also confirms that there are only two beings.

How many beings does the Bible say there are? “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 --- ONLY TWO BEINGS.

Trinitarians and even the President of the Seventh day Adventist Church claim that three beings were involved in creation and that Genesis 1:26 refers to three beings. Below Ellen White quotes Genesis 1:26 and states exactly who is speaking and who He is speaking to. The “us” in this verse is the Father and Son just as Scripture states. --- ONLY TWO BEINGS

“The Father and the Son engaged in the mighty, wondrous work they had contemplated, of creating the world. ... After the earth was created, and the beasts upon it, the Father and Son carried out their purpose, which was designed before the fall of Satan, to make man in their own image. They had wrought together in the creation of the earth and every living thing upon it. And now God said to His Son, “Let us make man in our image.” — Ellen White, 1SP, 24.1, 2

With the already massive weight of evidence given, no more proof should be required, but let's give more anyway.

If the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ then Ellen White will write and teach that the COMFORTER is the SPIRIT of CHRIST. With that said, the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third being.

“This refers to the omnipresence of the Spirit of Christ, called the Comforter.” — Ellen White, 14MR, 179.2

“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 White, Review and Herald, January 27, 1903

“As by faith we look to Jesus, our faith pierces the shadow, and we adore God for His wondrous love in giving JESUS THE COMFORTER.” — Ellen White, 19MR, 297.3

“Christ is to be known by the blessed name of Comforter. “The Comforter,” said Christ to His disciples, “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, [John 14:26 quoted]” — Ellen White, Ms7-1902, January 26, 1902

“The Saviour is our Comforter. This I have proved Him to be.” — Ellen White, 8MR, 49.3

And if the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ then Ellen White will write and teach that the SPIRIT of TRUTH is the SPIRIT of CHRIST. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third being.

“JESUS comes to you as the SPIRIT of TRUTH; study the mind of the Spirit, consult your Lord, follow His way.” — Ellen White, 2MR, 337.1

“To the guidance of this Comforter all who believe in CHRIST may implicitly trust. HE is the Spirit of truth, but this truth the world can neither discern nor receive.” — Ellen White, 12MR, 260.1

“We cannot be with Christ in person, as were His first disciples, but HE has sent HIS Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth, and through this power we too can bear witness for the Saviour. [John 16:13 quoted]” — Ellen White, Ms30, June 18, 1900

Whose Spirit did Christ send to guide us into all truth? It was HIS Spirit, not another being!

If the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, then Ellen White will write and teach that the Holy Spirit that Christ breathed on His disciples was HIS very own Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third being. And this would go for that same Spirit given at Pentecost.

“JESUS is waiting to breathe upon all his disciples, and give them the inspiration of HIS sanctifying SPIRIT, and transfuse the vital influence from HIMSELF to his people.” — Ellen White, Signs of the Times, October 3, 1892

“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.” — Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, October 3, 1892

“And when He had said this, He [Christ] breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained. The Holy Spirit was not yet fully manifested; for Christ had not yet been glorified. The more abundant impartation of the Spirit did not take place till after Christ's ascension. Not until this was received could the disciples fulfill the commission to preach the gospel to the world. But the Spirit was now given for a special purpose. Before the disciples could fulfill their official duties in connection with the church, CHRIST breathed HIS Spirit upon them.” — Ellen White, Desire of Ages, p. 805

“When the HOLY SPIRIT was poured out upon the early church, ‘The whole multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.’ The SPIRIT of CHRIST made them one. This is the fruit of abiding in Christ.” — Ellen White, GCDB, February 6, 1893

“Christ ascended on high, to take His position as our Advocate in the heavenly courts. Having reached His throne, HE SENT HIS HOLY SPIRIT, as He had promised, in response to the prayers of His disciples.” — Ellen White, 10MR 98.1, 1899; Letter 133, September 10, 1899

“The promise of the Holy Spirit is not limited to any age or to any race. CHRIST declared that the divine influence of HIS SPIRIT was to be with His followers unto the end. From the Day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service.” — Ellen White, Acts of the Apostles, 49.2

If the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ then what Ellen White called the “third power” will be the Spirit of Christ and she will write and teach that HIS Spirit is divine power. As a result, the Holy Spirit is NOT a third being.

“Christ has given HIS Spirit as a DIVINE POWER.” — Ellen White, Review and Herald, November 19, 1908

"You need to cultivate steady, uniform, unyielding energy. You cannot gain this without an entire surrender to God. The influence of the Spirit of God will have a direct power to call the force of the intellect and the affections into the most healthful state of action. God calls for the whole heart, the strength and might; and the grace of God is sufficient for you that you may meet the mind of the Spirit of God. DIVINE POWER will work with your human efforts and you may stand forth a successful workman in His cause. Let the SPIRIT OF CHRIST clothe you with righteousness and stimulate you by its mighty life-giving force, and you may make a success in winning souls to Christ." — Ellen White, Letter 53 to M. E. Cornell, par. 50, 1876

And if the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, then Ellen White will write and teach that the Holy Spirit that Christ sends to represent Himself is HIS very own Spirit and the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third being.

“CHRIST has left HIS Holy Spirit to be HIS representative in the world, to give celestial aid to every hungering, thirsting soul.” — Ellen White, Letter 84, October 22, 1895

“The Holy Spirit is the SPIRIT of CHRIST; it is HIS representative. Here is the divine agency that carries conviction to hearts. When the power of His Spirit is revealed through the servants of God, we behold divinity flashing through humanity.” — Ellen White, 13MR, 313.3, 1895

“CHRIST came to our world, but the world could not endure His purity. He has gone to His Father, but HE has sent HIS Holy Spirit to represent HIM in the world till he shall come again.” — Ellen White, Ms1, January 11, 1897

“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 [Christ] 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.” — Ellen White, Letter 119, February 18, 1895

With total consistency the answer is always the same. The weight of evidence is undeniable. So when Ellen White states the following, she means exactly what she says. And since she called the Holy Spirit the third person, then the third person must be whoever she states is the Holy Spirit, which is exactly what she revealed. All that we have looked at here and that Ellen White wrote reveals that she called the Spirit of Christ the third person. And if she did not state the following, her writings would be in serious contradiction, which is not the case. So in every single way she is consistent that it is the Spirit of Christ, not another being.

“The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ.” — Ellen White, 13MR, 313.3, 1895

“We want the Holy Spirit, which is Jesus Christ.”— Ellen White, Letter 66, April 10, 1894

Some assume the Holy Spirit is a literal being because as they claim, the Bible always calls the Holy Spirit a “He” or “Him.” But this is incorrect. There are in fact two verses that “directly” call the Holy Spirit, “It.” And yet you would never, ever, refer to the Father or Son as “It.” So how can the Holy Spirit be an individual co-equal being as the Father and Son? Modern translations that come from the Catholic sources (codex Vaticanus) have deliberately changed these words from ITSELF to HIMSELF to hide this fact, to try and make the Spirit appear as another being. This is not only dishonest but it is changing the Word of God, and that carries severe penalties. Below are the two verses from the KJV that are correctly translated.

Romans 8:16 - “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

Romans 8:26 - “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.”

While there are verses that “directly” call the Holy Spirit “It,” there is in fact not one single verse that “directly” calls the Holy Spirit a “He” or “Him,” which would be a contradiction of Scripture if there were. But there are five passages in John that “indirectly” call the Holy Spirit “He” or “Him” in three consecutive chapters. Since the Holy Spirit cannot be called both “It” and “He” or “Him,” then there has to be something different about these verses and who and what they are referring to. The answer becomes very clear once you know who the Comforter is. Because every single one of these verses all refer to the “Comforter” and the “Spirit of truth” which is the very same person. So who is the Comforter that is also called the Spirit of truth that guides us into all truth? It is in fact Christ by His Holy Spirit as you have just seen previously. This is why the personal pronouns “He” and “Him” are used as John was specifically referring to Christ even if it was by His Spirit.

Others have been taught that the Holy Spirit has a mind, and will and emotions so therefore it must be a literal person. You often hear, “How can you grieve the Holy Spirit if it's not a real person?” When we grieve the Holy Spirit, whose spirit do we grieve?

“O, how we grieve the pure, Holy Spirit of Christ with our defiling sins! We are not prepared for the appreciation of the holy communion with Christ and with one another unless we are cleansed by his efficacy.” — Ellen White, Review & Herald, July 5, 1898

The spirit of every living being has a personality because our spirit is our personality. So the Holy Spirit has a personality because God and His Son have a personality. “In giving us His Spirit, God gives us Himself,” — Ellen White, 7T, 273.1, 1902

It is not another being or some impersonal force. It is the presence and power of God Himself. It is God's own Spirit having God's own personality. If I could give you my spirit, whose personality would you have? Mine! So God's Spirit has God's personality. And since your spirit is your mind, will and emotions, we find that the Greek and Hebrew word for “Spirit” also means “mind” as you would expect. Strong's dictionary says, “breath, figuratively life, spirit, mind.” As Paul said, “no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11. Why? Because it is God’s own Spirit, His Spirit.

Ellen White had many reasons for calling the Spirit of Christ a person as we have seen above. The idea of the Holy Spirit as another BEING is the second and final part of the trinity doctrine that is a man made doctrine from the Catholic Church, which was inspired by Satan so he could achieve the worship he desires. This is the lie that most have been indoctrinated with and so they struggle when they finally hear the real truth as it is seems foreign to them despite being truth. The real third person that is not a literal person is the Spirit of Christ. Ellen White revealed that so clearly over and over again. The following quote is very clear who she called the third person, and it is obviously not a literal person and NOT a third BEING. If you can count to three then you should have no trouble with this quote. ONE + ONE + ONE = the Spirit of Christ.

“They have One God and One Saviour; and One Spirit–the Sprit of Christ–is to bring unity into their ranks.” — Ellen White, 9T, 189.3, 1909

One might also ask why some think God's Spirit is another being. Is our spirit another being? So why do many conclude that the Spirit of God is another being?

The Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God, Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of Christ. All these state that it is a Spirit that belongs to that being. If the Holy Spirit was another god then it would be called “god the spirit” in Scripture. And yet the Bible NEVER uses this phrase. Why? Because it is Biblically incorrect. This phrase originated from the same antichrist power that made up the false doctrine of the trinity. It is amazing how more and more people every day are using this unbiblical phrase that has its origins in antichrist.

And so we also find that the Bible never literally says the Holy Spirit is another being. The so-called evidence is always some idea that is assumed from being indoctrinated with wrong ideas that are not Biblically correct.

Trinitarians are forever pushing the issue of the Holy Spirit as a third being as if it cannot possibly be wrong, and as if it is unmistakably stated in Scripture. If the Holy Spirit really was a third being and contrary to what a spirit actually is, then it certainly would be stated in unmistakable words somewhere in Scripture. And yet the Bible does NOT in fact say any such thing anywhere. And why would it? It is nothing more than a manmade idea from the antichrist power that many have been indoctrinated with from unbiblical assumptions and erroneous ideas.

Also note that in the introductions to all of his letters to the believers in the various churches, the apostle Paul only extends the grace from the Father and the Son. Never does he include the Holy Spirit. It begs to question, why not? There must have been a very good reason for the exclusion of the Holy Spirit from these introductions. We must also remember that Paul wrote under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We must remind ourselves of the prayer that Jesus offered up to His Father. In this prayer he said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” – John 17:3

If as some purport that the Holy Spirit is a person like the Father and Son, then why did Jesus not mention that life eternal was getting to know him as well? In other words, why exclude the Holy Spirit? Did Jesus have a good reason for doing this? Obviously he must have had a reason.

Ellen White is 100% consistent in all that she wrote and the evidence is undeniable. Only the prejudiced will not see the obvious truth rather than the lie that so many have been indoctrinated with.

She wrote “The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ,” — 14MR, 84.3

She also wrote that:

The Comforter is the Spirit of Christ,
the Spirit of truth is the Spirit of Christ,
the third person is the Spirit of Christ,
the third great power is the Spirit of Christ,
the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost was the Spirit of Christ,
the Holy Spirit Jesus breathed on His disciples was His own Spirit,
the Holy Spirit Christ sent to represent Himself was His own Spirit,
the heavenly dignitaries are the Father, Son and Spirit of Christ,
the Heavenly trio is the Father, Son and Spirit of Christ,
and when we grieve the Holy Spirit it is the Spirit of Christ we grieve.

And we saw that Ellen White reveals again and again that there are only two beings. All you have to do is want the truth and to stop reading some of those unclear quotes from her with the mindset of a Trinitarian. The early pioneers had no problem with these few quotes because they knew who the Holy Spirit was and would never read them the wrong way. But if your belief is that the Holy Spirit is another being, then that is what you will see when you read them. And if you believe this, then you will be inadvertently giving your adoration to a creation of Satan, or even worse, your worship.

So you now have a serious choice to make. Acknowledge the truth we have been given through the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible, by accepting this most beautiful truth that the Holy Spirit is the presence of Christ in you. Acknowledge that it is your Lord and Saviour who died on the cross for you and it is His Holy Spirit that Comforts and guides us into all truth. Jesus is the truth (John 14:6) and it is through His Spirit that He is with you always, even unto the end of the world as our Comforter and guide. (Matthew 28:20) Only Christ has lived a human life as we have and no one is more qualified to be our Comforter than He. Since it was Christ who conquered sin on the cross, it is He alone that can overcome sin in us. Their Holy Spirit is the means by which God the Father and His Son live in us and through us. And so we fellowship with the Father and Son through their Spirit. Their Spirit is the communication channel through which we commune with them. Fellowship cannot be possible when conducted through an intermediary middle-man such as the Catholic Church created in some made up idea of a third being.

As John said, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3.

The real truth is so precious and beautiful that it makes me wonder why any sane person would reject it. And how can you have righteousness by faith in Christ if the Holy Spirit is not Christ in you? You cannot. There is only one mediator between God and man and that is Jesus Christ.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.” 1 Timothy 2:5

“Although He is High Priest and Mediator in the sanctuary above, yet He walks up and down in the midst of the churches on the earth.“ – Ellen White, Ms100, par. 4, Christ our Helper in the Great Crisis, 1893; similar in The Acts of the Apostles, 1911

If your allegiance is to man and to your Church, then you can continue to deny the hundreds of clear quotes from the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible, and hold on to the lie you have been indoctrinated with. This lie came from the Antichrist power through Satan so that he can achieve your worship. The idea of the Holy Spirit as another being also creates a second Mediator, and that of course is contrary to Scripture. There is no beauty or truth in

the lie. It is a counterfeit from Satan.

“And the council of peace shall be between them both.” The love of the Father, no less than of the Son, is the fountain of salvation for the lost race. Said Jesus to his disciples, before he went away, “I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you; for the Father himself loveth you.” [John 16:26, 27.] God was “in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.” [2 Corinthians 5:19.] And in the ministration in the sanctuary above, “the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] – Ellen White, GC88, 416.4

“…and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the council of peace shall be between them both." Zechariah 6:13

Is your council of peace between the Father and Son as the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy teach? Or is your counsel between the false doctrine of the Trinity?

Godhead terminology in the Bible and Ellen White's usage

To see and understand more conflicts that have arrived within our beloved denomination, click on "The Issues" heading on this same website and then choose the various topics.

Truthseeker Ministries

Helping Adventists find their roots thru discernment of truth and error