7 – The 3 Gods Alluding Statements
Like the scriptures there is to be no private interpretation of the testimonies. Sister White said, “The testimonies themselves will be the key that will explain the messages given, as scripture is explained by scripture.” “Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored; nothing is cast aside; but time and place must be considered.” {E. G. White, Selected Messages Book 1, pp. 42, 57}
OBJECTION # 1
“We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds.–Manuscript 66, 1899. (From a talk to the students at the Avondale School.)” Evangelism, p. 616
The objection as stated is seemingly a triumph for the Trinitarian, however, the one-liner has been extracted from a paragraph which explains itself quite well and in no way leads to the understanding that the Holy Spirit is another individual. Notice also what the editors have done in placing a full stop (period) after the word grounds instead of a comma and completing the quote. It is this sort of editing that is leading people to misinterpret the testimonies. No-one has the right to alter what the Lord has sent and there is clear evidence of so called editing (changing) of Sister White’s writings. She had warned on the subject, of making none effect the testimonies of the Spirit of God.
Speaking of Fannie Bolton, her copyist.
“I do not want any person who will feel it her prerogative to change the matter I shall give them into their own supposed beautiful, learned language. I want my own style to appear in my own words.” MR 926 pg. 56.
“She could represent me and my work as her originating, that this “beautiful expression” was hers, and that was hers, and make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God.” MR 926 pg 55
Therefore, to make of none effect the testimonies was in fact the changing of the testimonies according to Ellen White, and not simply a neglecting of them.
Here is objection # 1 in its proper setting:
“The Lord says this because He knows it is for our good. He would build a wall around us, to keep us from transgression, so that His blessing and love may be bestowed on us in rich measure. This is the reason we have established a school here. The Lord instructed us that this was the place in which we should locate, and we have had every reason to think that we are in the right place. We have been brought together as a school, and we need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds, unseen by human eyes; that the Lord God is our Keeper and Helper. He hears every word we utter and knows every thought of the mind.” E. G. White, Sermons and Talks Volume Two, pp. 136, 137 (Also in Manuscript Releases Vol. 7, p. 299)
The subject is “the Lord”, walking unseen by human eyes. Notice she says:
- The Lord says this…
- HE knows it is for our good.
- HE would build a wall around us…
- that HIS blessing and love may be bestowed on us…
- The Lord instructed us that this was the place… we should locate…
- the Lord God is our Keeper and Helper…
- He hears every word we utter and knows every thought of the mind.
a)Notice that the testimony commences with “The Lord” and ends with “the Lord God”, a real physical person.
b)She states in the midst of it: “…we need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person…”
c)Question: In what way is the Holy Spirit as much a person as God is a person? Clearly it cannot be referring to God’s physical form as there is nothing physical about a Spirit as we have found thus far. (Luke 24:39). And to be a person as noted previously requires PHYSICAL FORM + SPIRIT.
d)Therefore she must be referring to the non-physical (spirit) aspect of a very PHYSICAL God and it is this which is as much a person as God is a person. The Spirit is not something permeating nature but rather the very person of God himself sent to be with us. The Holy Spirit is actually the PERSON of God. Who He is.
e)She then states that the Holy Spirit is walking through these grounds. Well, a non-physical spirit does not possess limbs and therefore cannot be spoken of as walking around, however, the Lord God does possess physical anatomy like man as has been repeatedly pointed out – see the study on what constitutes a person. So who was it that was walking through these grounds unseen? Why it was the Lord God himself, a PHYSICAL being, “unseen by human eyes”. A Spirit of itself does not have a form like man to look at so it would be silly to say “unseen by human eyes” while referring to the Spirit. Who was it that was unseen by human eyes? It was the Lord God himself, a physical being who does have a form and features like that of man who was “unseen by human eyes” , walking through the grounds. This portion of the testimony ends with: “…the Lord God is our Keeper and Helper. He hears every word we utter and knows every thought of the mind.” How? – By his omnipresent Spirit.
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Christ is not here referring to his doctrine, but to his person, the divinity of his character.” E. G. White, Review and Herald, April 5, 1906 par. 12
It is Christ himself and not some other person who is walking around unseen by human eyes as in the following:
“Christ walks unseen through our streets. With messages of mercy He comes to our homes. With all who are seeking to minister in His name, He waits to co-operate. He is in the midst of us, to heal and to bless, if we will receive Him.” E. G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 107
The Lord Jesus standing by the side of the canvassers, walking with them, is the chief worker. If we recognize Christ as the One who is with us to prepare the way, the Holy Spirit by our side will make impressions in just the lines needed. Manual for Canvassers -PG- 40
Christ walks unseen through our streets. With messages of mercy He comes to our homes. With all who are seeking to minister in His name, He waits to co-operate. He is in the midst of us, to heal and to bless, if we will receive Him.” {E. G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 107}
“Remember that Jesus is beside you wherever you go, noting your actions and listening to your words. Would you be ashamed to hear his voice speaking to you, and to know that he hears your conversation?” {E. G. White, The Youth’s Instructor, February 4, 1897 par. 3}
Who is walking “unseen through our streets”, “standing by the side of the canvassers”? [He Impresses Hearts.–The Lord Jesus standing by the side of the canvasser, walking with them, is the chief worker. If we recognize Christ as the One who is with us to prepare the way, the Holy Spirit by our side will make impressions in just the lines needed.–Manual for Canvassers, p. 40. (1902) {CM 107.4} ]. The invisible Jesus, and not some other BEING. But Jesus is in heaven ministering in the most Holy place. How can he be said to be standing by the side of the canvasser and at the same time be in heaven? The statement is correct in that Jesus’ Spirit and not some other being is standing by the side of the canvasser – “…the Holy Spirit by our side…”, the omnipresent spirit of Christ, the very person of Christ is with us, so that Jesus himself is walking with us, teaching us, reproving us and comforting us. In other words, Christ was to be with the disciples in another way, by His Spirit, invisible to them. Sister White says the disciples could not understand this sort of spiritual manifestation, that Christ, a physical being, should manifest himself and be with the disciples and yet be unseen by the world. Many today have the same problem. They do not understand that the Spirit is the personal presence of Christ himself. They do not understand the meaning of a spiritual manifestation of the very person Jesus.
That Christ should manifest Himself to them, and yet be invisible to the world, was a mystery to the disciples. They could not understand the words of Christ in their spiritual sense. They were thinking of the outward, visible manifestation. They could not take in the fact that they could have the presence of Christ with them, and yet He be unseen by the world. They did not understand the meaning of a spiritual manifestation. The Southern Review- 09-13-98. {RC 129.2}
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