The book "Evangelism" by Ellen G. White has been a great source of truth for a lot of people, but the section between pages 613-617 have been reconsidered in this two part series.
Notes:
With the Father at Sinai—When they [Israel] came to Sinai, He took occasion to refresh their minds in regard to His requirements. Christ and the Father, standing side by side upon the mount, with solemn majesty proclaimed the Ten Commandments.—Historical Sketches, p. 231. (1866). Ev 616.3
Amen! Where was the Spirit? Where is the THRONE of the Spirit? The holy place of the sanctuary has only two stacks of bread on it… (Leviticus 24:5-6). There are only two crowns on that same table, one hand breadth apart… (Exodus 25:24-25). Why DOESN’T the Spirit have a throne or a crown, and why wasn’t the Spirit mentioned as being there on Mount Sinai?
The Eternal Dignitaries of the Trinity—The eternal heavenly dignitaries—God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit—arming them [the disciples] with more than mortal energy, … would advance with them to the work and convince the world of sin.—Manuscript 145, 1901. Ev 616.4
The context is interesting—including the angels:
“The Lord Jesus described the difficulties they should meet. Having called their minds to rise to an eminence, He bids them behold the vast confederacy of evil arrayed against God, against Christ, against all who unite with these holy powers. Christ tells them they were to fight in fellowship with all the children of light; that satanic agencies would combine their forces to extinguish the light of the life of Christ out of their ranks. But they were not left to fight the battles in their own human strength. The angelic host coming as ministers of God would be in that battle. Also there would be the eternal heavenly dignitaries—God, and Christ, and the Holy Spirit—arming them with more than mortal energy, and would advance with them to the work, and convince the world of sin.” 16MR 204.4
“The angelic host coming as ministers…” Doesn’t Hebrews say, “Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:14.
“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.” YI June 29, 1893, par. 8
“The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.” DA 324.1
Colossians 1:27 God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
“Christ was the Spirit of truth. The world would not listen to His pleadings. They would not accept Him as their guide. They could not discern unseen things; spiritual things were unknown to them. But His disciples see in Him the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And they shall have His abiding presence. They shall have an experimental knowledge of the only true God and of Jesus Christ whom He has sent. To them He says, You will no more say, I cannot comprehend. No longer shall you see through a glass darkly; you shall comprehend with all saints what is the length and depth and breadth and height of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. He who has begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Christ Jesus.” Ms44-1897.8
Personality of the Holy Spirit—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.). Ev 616.5
In Revelation 1:13-18, who was the one in the midst of the churches? Wasn’t it Jesus Christ?
Notice the context of the above stenographer’s quote: “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.” Ms66-1899.11
What about the word “unseen” that was left out of Evangelism?
“Now they come to meet with Christ. They are not to stand in the shadow of the cross, but in its saving light. They are to open the soul to the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. With hearts cleansed by Christ’s most precious blood, in full consciousness of His presence, although unseen, they are to hear His words, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” John 14:27.” CCh 301.5
“How few realize that Jesus, unseen, is walking by their side! How ashamed many would be to hear His voice speaking to them and to know that He heard all their foolish, common talk! And how many hearts would burn with holy joy if they only knew that the Saviour was by their side, that the holy atmosphere of His presence was surrounding them, and they were feeding on the bread of life! How pleased the Saviour would be to hear His followers talking on His precious lessons of instruction and to know that they had a relish for holy things!” CT 342.1
“Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His Father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself, divested of the personality of humanity, and independent thereof. Christ would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit,—as the Omnipresent. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall [although unseen by you] teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. . . . Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.”” PrT May 30, 1895, par. 7
Can a “successor” come before, or only after something or someone? Only after… =)
In order to be “divested of the personality of humanity” wouldn’t it make sense that the Spirit had to be first INVESTED with it first? I don’t believe EGW used that word accidentally.
Christ is said to be omnipresent in all places by His Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a person, for He beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. When this witness is borne, it carries with it its own evidence. At such times we believe and are sure that we are the children of God…. Ev 616.6
The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God. “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”—Manuscript 20, 1906. Ev 617.1
The above quote is not difficult to understand, especially with all the evidence that Jesus is to be known as the Comforter:
“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, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”” Ms7-1902.10
Notice also who was speaking when this was said: Revelation 2:23 All the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
The Power of God in the Third Person—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.—Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 10, p. 37. (1897). Ev 617.2
Don’t forget, DA said, “The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.” DA 324.1
In the Old Testament story of Daniel 10, when Gabriel couldn’t gain victory over the enemy, who did He call, the Holy Spirit? No! He called Michael! (See Jude 1:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
Notice a clear description of who can help us overcome all tendencies to evil: “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.” DA 671.2
In Co-operation With the Three Highest Powers—We are to co-operate with the three highest powers in heaven,—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,—and these powers will work through us, making us workers together with God.—Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 7, p. 51. (1905). Ev 617.3
EGW never calls the Spirit a “being.” He (or it) is a person, “divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof.” The Spirit as a dove was emblematical:
“Never had angels listened to such a prayer. They were solicitous to bear to the praying Redeemer messages of assurance and love. But no; the Father himself will minister to his Son. Direct from the throne proceeded the light of the glory of God. The heavens were opened, and beams of light and glory proceeded therefrom and assumed the form of a dove, in appearance like burnished gold. The dove-like form was emblematical of the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” YI March 1, 1874, par. 4
Christ is working in Heaven and on earth in the hearts of men:
“Though the ministration was to be removed from the earthly to the heavenly temple; though the sanctuary and our great high priest would be invisible to human sight, yet the disciples were to suffer no loss thereby. They would realize no break in their communion, and no diminution of power because of the Saviour’s absence. While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above, He is still by His Spirit the minister of the church on earth. He is withdrawn from the eye of sense, but His parting promise is fulfilled, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20. While He delegates His power to inferior ministers, His energizing presence is still with His church. DA 166.2
Notice the other two times EGW uses the phrase, “eye of sense.”
“The work of the ministry is no common work. Christ is withdrawn only from the eye of sense, but he is as truly present by his Spirit as when he was visibly present on earth. The time that has elapsed since his ascension has brought no interruption in the fulfillment of his parting promise,—“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” God has provided light and truth for the world by having placed it in the keeping of faithful men, who in succession have committed it to others through all generations up to the present time. These men have derived their authority in an unbroken line from the first teachers of the faith. Christ remains the true minister of his church, but he delegates his power to his under-shepherds, to his chosen ministers, who have the treasure of his grace in earthen vessels. God superintends the affairs of his servants, and they are placed in his work by divine appointment.” ST April 7, 1890, par. 6
“There may be a similarity in moral character between believers and some unbelievers; nevertheless there is a difference between them, which the human conception does not comprehend. The difference may not always be seen, but it exists unseen by the eye of sense and unappreciated by the unconverted mind. This difference is in the state of the heart; the one has an abiding hope and faith in Jesus Christ; while the other is unmindful of God and of spiritual things. Christ dwelling in the heart by faith is a fortress to the believer. The Christian struggling against opposing influences may sometimes be overcome and speak and act in a manner unbecoming to a Christian. But the Lord will pardon. He is very tender of the bruised lambs of His fold.” Lt317a-1904.18
John 14:20-23 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, 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.
Notes: https://phm.org/evangelism-613-617-reconsidered/
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