Who is the Holy Spirit according to Ellen White?
Ellen White wrote that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, which has confused some. Please allow me to explain why she said this and reveal the real truth on the Holy Spirit.
“The HOLY SPIRIT is the SPIRIT of CHRIST, which is sent to all men to give them sufficiency,” — MR 14, p. 84
“We want the HOLY SPIRIT, which is JESUS CHRIST.” — 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,”
— Manuscript 36-1891
So 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 not a separate person of the Godhead who is being sent, it is the very life of God coming to us through His Son.
“The divine Spirit that the world’s Redeemer promised to send, is the presence and power of God.” – Signs of the Times, November 23, 1891
But again, how can this be?
Ephesians 2:18 and 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. So how then is there only one Spirit?
Paul wrote in Romans 8:9: “But you 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. v11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."
So here we find that the Holy Spirit is both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ as we find Paul uses both of these phrases interchangeably. Most people miss this, and so much more because they have been indoctrinated with the lie.
And so Ellen White likewise wrote and confirms that the Father and Son are one in Spirit.
“They were two, yet little short of being identical; two in individuality, yet ONE IN SPIRIT, and heart, and character.” — Youth Instructor, Dec. 16, 1897
"They have one God and one Saviour; and one Spirit—the Spirit of Christ—is to bring unity into their ranks."
– Testimonies vol. 9, p. 189.3
John also explains that it is through their Holy Spirit that both the Father and Son make their abode in you. “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and WE will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” John 14:23
Ellen White again confirms giving further clarity to John 14:23 above.
“BY the SPIRIT the FATHER and the SON will come and make their abode with you.” — The Bible Echo, January 15, 1893
The Bible says Christ inherited His life from His Father. “For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself.” John 5:26
And not only His self-existent life but also HIS SPIRIT as the Father gave “ALL THINGS” to His Son and why they share the same Spirit.
“ALL THINGS Christ received from God, but He took to give.” — Desire of Ages, p. 21
“The Father GAVE HIS SPIRIT without measure to HIS SON, and we also may partake of its fulness.”
— Review & Herald, November 5, 1908
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, making Himself a fountain of divine influences, to give health and life to the world.” — Testimonies V7, p. 273, 1902
Ellen White tells us in the Review and Herald, May 25, 1905 that the main pioneers regularly studied with her and were with her when she was in vision, which she then shared with them. And so they know what was revealed to her on the Holy Spirit and wrote the same thing in even clearer words.
“The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God; it is also the Spirit of Christ. It is that divine, mysterious emanation through which they carry forward their great and infinite work.” — Uriah Smith, General Conference Bulletin, March 18, 1891, pp. 146, 147
Ellen White also endorsed the following from Waggoner and Uriah Smith:
“Here we find that the Holy Spirit is both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ.” — E.J. Waggoner, Christ and His Righteousness, p. 23, 1890
“The terms “Holy Ghost”, are a harsh and repulsive translation. It should be “Holy Spirit” (hagion pneuma) in every instance. This Spirit is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ; the Spirit being the same whether it is spoken of as pertaining to God or Christ. But respecting this Spirit, the Bible uses expressions which cannot be harmonized with the idea that it is a person like the Father and the Son. Rather it is shown to be a divine influence from them both, the medium which represents their presence and by which they have knowledge and power through all the universe, when not personally present.” — Uriah Smith, Review and Herald, October 28, 1890
And so we find why Ellen White taught the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ as the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God coming to us through His Son. And hence it is NOT and CANNOT be a third being as per the trinity doctrine. This teaching came from Satan through the Catholic Church and was made up more than 200 years after the Bible was written and so could never have come from the Bible.
And since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, Ellen White also wrote that:
The third person is the Spirit of Christ,
the third great power is the Spirit of Christ,
the third highest power is the Spirit of Christ,
the third living person is the Spirit of Christ,
the Spirit of Truth is the Spirit of Christ,
the Comforter is the Spirit of Christ,
the Spirit Jesus breathed on His disciples was His Spirit,
the Holy Spirit Christ sent to represent Himself was His own Spirit,
the Spirit given at Pentecost was His own Spirit.
And Ellen White reveals again and again that there are only two beings in the Godhead. 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 is 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. You cannot afford to get this wrong.
And to provide further evidence of the above and some of those things that have been abused in her writings……If the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ then Ellen White will write and teach that the COMFORTER is the SPIRIT of CHRIST and hence the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third being.
“This refers to the omnipresence of the Spirit of Christ, called the Comforter.” — Manuscript Releases 14, p. 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.” — 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.” — Manuscript Releases 19, p. 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]” — Manuscript 7, January 26, 1902
“The Saviour is our Comforter. This I have proved Him to be.” — Manuscript Releases 8, p. 49.3
Again, 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 and hence the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third being. Here’s some more……..
“JESUS comes to you as the SPIRIT of TRUTH; study the mind of the Spirit, consult your Lord, follow His way.”
— Manuscript Releases 2, p. 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.” — Manuscript Releases 12, p. 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]” — Manuscript 30, June 18, 1900
Whose Spirit did Christ send to guide us into all truth? It was HIS Spirit, not another being!
And 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 hence the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third being.
“And when He had said this, He [Christ] breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: ... Before the disciples could fulfill their official duties in connection with the church, CHRIST breathed HIS Spirit upon them.” — Desire of Ages, p. 805
“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.” — 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.” — Signs of the Times, October 3, 1892
“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.” — GCDB, February 6, 1893
“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.” — Acts of the Apostles, 49.2
“CHRIST has left HIS Holy Spirit to be HIS representative in the world, to give celestial aid to every hungering, thirsting soul.” — Letter 84, Oct. 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.” — Manuscript Releases 13, p. 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.” — Manuscript 1, 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.” — Letter 119, February 18, 1895
And if the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ then Ellen White will write and teach that the Holy Spirit that was given at Pentecost was, the SPIRIT of CHRIST and hence the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third being.
“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.” — Desire of Ages, p. 805
And 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 and hence the Holy Spirit is NOT a third being.
“Christ has given HIS Spirit as a divine POWER.” — Review and Herald, November 19, 1908
With total consistency the answer is always the same. The weight of evidence is undeniable.