Open Face
The Divinity of Christ
David Clayton
In undertaking to write on this topic I am aware that I am treading on sacred ground. I am mindful of the fact that there is the need for caution and reverence in approaching this subject. I have not undertaken it without earnest prayer and much thought. Yet I am also aware that this article is necessary because there is much confusion, misunderstanding and assumption in this area, as a consequence of which multitudes are in darkness concerning the true identity and nature of Christ.
Every word of inspiration is given to us for our learning. By these words God is seeking to help us to understand divine truths; both simple and profound. It is my conviction that in studying these words of God and in carefully comparing them with each other, we will be enabled to come to a proper understanding of the truth concerning Christ's divinity, provided we are submissive to His Spirit and will drop all traditional and preconceived ideas. Some will emotionally and foolishly declare, “do not discuss this subject! It is too sacred for discussion!” Yet, this is the spirit of the Papacy, for it is the Papacy which first introduced the concept that things which God has revealed in His word were too high for the contemplation of human minds and consequently forbade the study of the Scriptures.
Contradictions
Some who claim to be earnest Christians have embraced the following ideas all of which they claim to be the truth.
1. God gave His Son to the world to show His love for men, but the one whom He gave was not truly His Son.
2. Jesus Christ is God and God cannot die, yet Jesus Christ died on Calvary.
3. A human sacrifice could not atone for the sins of the world, yet only the human part of Christ died. His divine nature did not - could not - die.
4. Death is an unconscious sleep, yet Jesus raised Himself from the dead, therefore must have been conscious in death.
When a reasonable person, seeking for understanding points out these impossible contradictions and seeks for an explanation, there is none forthcoming. He is told that these things are an “impenetrable mystery,” and that it is harbouring on blasphemy to even question whether these things are true. By such methods the father of lies has kept men in darkness ever since the mystery of iniquity first reared its venomous head in the Christian Church.
Is Jesus Christ Truly God?
I have discovered that many times people spend a lot of time arguing unnecessarily, sometimes for many hours, simply because both parties have different understandings of a particular word. Therefore let me clarify my words at the beginning.
The word “God,” when used with reference to the true God has two applications in the Scriptures.
1. Firstly, it is used as a title with reference to the Supreme Being in the universe, the One who is over all others, the source of all things.
2. Secondly, it is used to refer to the qualities and attributes of divinity.
When the word, “God” is used as a title to refer to the supreme Being in the universe, how many Beings, or Persons does it refer to? If the Scriptures are true, then it can refer to one Being only. In this sense, the Father is, “the only true God (John 17:3),” there is but “one God, the Father (1 Cor. 8:6),” there is “none other [God]but He (Mark 12:32),” there is but “one God and Father of all (Eph. 4:6).” These verses clearly declare that the supreme Ruler of the universe, the One who is above all others, barring none, is, God the Father.
However, the word “God” is used in a few places with reference to the fact that Jesus, as the Son of God possesses all the attributes and qualities of divinity. One striking example of this is John 1:1 where it says, “the word [Jesus] was with [the]God [the Father]and the word [Jesus] was God (a divine Being, possessing the attributes of God).” Please note that in the Greek Scriptures the word the, the definite article, is before the word God when used with reference to the Father, because it is speaking of a particular person. However, it is not used when the word refers to Christ, because then, it is not referring to a person, but to a quality. It is not saying that Jesus, or the Word was the person, God. He was not the same Person He was with, but He had the attributes, the qualities of God, or of divinity.
Jesus then, is truly God by nature!! He possesses all the fullness of the godhead (Col. 2:9). He possesses “all power [exousia - authority, not dunamis as in Matt. 6:13]” in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18). The ability to give life, to create, to know all things, to see all things, to do all things are His. The apostle Paul declares that in His pre-existence He was “in the form of God (Phil. 2:6),” that He is “the express image” of God (Heb. 1:3),” that He is before all things (Col. 1:17) and that He upholds all things “by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3). Therefore, none can deny the divinity or godhood of Jesus Christ. To do this, one must first of all deny the Scriptures.
Yet, even as we take account of the truth of the full divinity of Jesus Christ, we must also acknowledge, if we are honest, that the Bible consistently speaks of God as a single individual Person, and makes it clear that this Person is exclusively, God the Father. The following verses illustrate this truth clearly.
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. (1 Cor 11:3)
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)
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 Cor 8:6)
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph 4:6)
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (Rev 21:22)
These verses are just examples. There are dozens more which teach the same truth. How then can we reconcile ttwo truths, both of which are clearly taught by Scripture, yet which seems to contradict each other?
(a) That Jesus is God by nature, fully divine.
(b) That there is only one God, who is the Father.
Human Inventions
Several, and varied are the ways in which men have sought to harmonize these truths, yet few have taken the simple route of merely accepting all that the Bible says on the matter. Instead, they have “sought out many inventions (Eccl. 7:29).”
(a) Some have concluded that Jesus and the Father must be the same Person operating in different roles at different times. These persons are often referred to as the “oneness” or the “Jesus only” people.
(b) Others have chosen to redefine the word “God.” Instead of the word referring to a single great, almighty individual who is Lord over all, they have decided that the word really refers to a divine “substance.” A mysterious entity which is made up of three parts, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, all three together making up God. This is the popular concept of the trinity which was formulated by the Catholic Church and which has been embraced by the majority of Christian denominations.
(c) Others, notably the Seventh-day Adventist Church, have concluded that the word, “God” is a collective noun, which really refers to three Gods (!) working together in unity. The SDA church will deny that it teaches or believes in three Gods. However, semantics will not deny the truth. The SDA belief in three co-equal, co-eternal, co-omnipotent Beings who are not related to each other clearly teaches Tritheism, a doctrine of three Gods, even though it is claimed that the three are one in the sense that they are united in character, goals and purposes.
(d) Some, like the Jehovah's Witnesses have felt that in order to preserve the truth that the only true God is the Father (John 17:3) they had to deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, and so they have concluded that Jesus was a created being who has been elevated above all other created beings, thus making Him into a kind of god, but not a divine being in the same sense as the Father.
All these theories have been formulated in an attempt to reconcile the two truths mentioned before: (1) That there is only one God. (2) That Jesus Christ is a divine Being, equal with God. Sadly and unaccountably none of these theories have attempted to harmonize ALL the biblical evidence. Indeed they have all served to becloud the truth in a fog so dense that the only explanation, which they can give to the inexplicable contradictions of these theories, is to declare that the subject of God is a mystery. That the particular theory (depending on which group you encounter) must be accepted and its contradictions and inconsistencies assigned to the realm of “mystery.”
The Bible truth, however, is so wonderfully plain and simple that every child who reads the Bible without being poisoned by human influence will readily discern it. Over and over the Scriptures declare that Jesus Christ is the “Son of God,” the “only begotten Son of God.” In this wonderfully simple, yet profound truth lies the clear answer to the seeming contradictions.
A True Son, Subject To God
Jesus Christ was, is, and always will be the only begotten Son of the only true God, the Father. Truly begotten (why do I need to emphasize this when the Bible says it so clearly?), truly the Son of God. Brought forth from the Father's own substance, begotten (not created), in the distant eternity past, He became at birth a separate, distinct Person from the Father, of the same kind of “substance” but not (as the Nicene Creed suggests) sharing the same “substance” as the Father. (not consubstantial - The Nicene Creed suggests that He partakes of the same identical substance as the Father, making Him and the Father a part of the same being. In actual fact He was separated from the Father's substance, but became a separate individual when He was begotten, possessing the same nature, being of the same kind of substance.) He possesses by inheritance all the attributes and qualities of His Father, therefore is truly divine, is truly God in His nature in the fullest possible sense. Yet we can clearly see how the Biblical insistence that there is only one God, the Father, is also true, because the Father is the source of all things - the absolute highest authority, even above Jesus Christ. This relationship between Father and son where Jesus is ruler over all, but still subject to His Father who is God over all, including Jesus, is brought out in 1 Cor. 15:27-28:
For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Here we see that it is God (the Father) who put all things under Christ, but that He Himself is not subject to Christ. Rather, even though Christ rules over all, He is still subject to the Father. This plain biblical teaching, divorced from the “mysteries” invented by human minds explains simply and clearly how Jesus Christ is a divine Being, God by nature, and yet, how it is still true that the only true God is the Father.
Who Died On Calvary?
Every false idea builds a wall of other falsehoods around itself. This is a necessity in order to answer the contradictions which inevitably result from every lie. Yet always, whenever this wall, or chain of lies is examined it is found to be rotting at the foundations, full of gaping holes which cannot be patched by all the lies in the world. Thus it is with the falsehood of the three-in-one, or the one-in-three god. Let us examine some of the stones in this decaying wall.
Those who insist that Jesus Christ is the eternal, almighty God, Himself, encounter serious difficulty in explaining the death of Christ. You see, the Bible clearly teaches that God cannot die. This is impossible (1 Tim. 6:16). Yet the Scriptures plainly declare that Jesus Christ died for our sins
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Heb 2:9)
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Heb 2:14)
Jesus Himself declares, “I am He that liveth and was dead…” (Rev. 1:18).
Believers in a three-in-one God attempt to navigate this difficulty by suggesting that Jesus Christ was made up of two distinct and separate personalities. There was the human side and there was the divine side. They claim that the human side died, but the divine did not, because of course, God cannot die. Yet this unscriptural suggestion only creates a greater difficulty. If it were true that only the human part of Christ died while the divine part continued to live, undisturbed on the eternal plane, then we would have two serious accusations to make against God. The first is that God has provided only a human sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. Can a human sacrifice suffice to redeem humanity and satisfy the claims of God's broken law? The second accusation would be that God Himself did not make a sacrifice at Calvary. What He really would have done, according to this theory, was create a human being in Mary's womb, then come to share the body of that human being for thirty-three and a half years, but when that being was put to death on Calvary, He abandoned him and left him to pay the price alone. If this is true, what sacrifice then did God make? It would not be God who suffered, but rather the poor human creation, the son of Mary whom God allowed to suffer and die.
According to the teachings of this theory, Jesus Christ must have been a three-part being. First, there was the human body, secondly there was the human spirit or mind, and thirdly, there was the divine spirit. What part of this being did God give? It must have been the divine spirit. This spirit, according to this theory, was the second person of the godhead and was a part of Jesus which could be separated from the rest of Him. The human body and human spirit were created in Mary's womb. Their existence began the year, the month and the day that Mary became pregnant. The creation of this human part did not require a sacrifice on God's part. God's sacrifice consisted of the divine spirit which He placed in that body, the Being who had been with the Father from the days of eternity.
Yet if that Spirit did not, and could not die, but left the human part at the moment of death to continue conscious existence, would the death of this being have demonstrated the love of God? Could we then agree that God poured out all heaven in one gift, that the Son of God suffered and died for our sins, if all that died on Calvary was a human being, created for the purpose of being sacrificed?
These are the foul, rotting timbers by which the doctrine of the three-in-one God is supported.
Divinity and Humanity Combined
Only in the truth will we find an end to all these contradictions. The truth is simply and clearly outlined in the Scriptures. The word of God plainly declares that the divine, pre-existent Son of God became a human being. He did not merely visit a human body, only to depart when that body got into trouble. He became a human being. It is what He was. It was His new identity.
(John 1:14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…
(Heb 2:9) But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels….
Yet we need to understand something before we go any further. No matter what form He took or how weak He became, Jesus Christ could never cease to be who He really was, that is, the only begotten Son of God. As long as He existed He would always possess the nature He was born with. He could not cease to be who he was, and because He was God's Son, He possessed the divine nature.
As an illustration of what I mean, we may dress a man in the disguise of a chimpanzee, but he will still be a human being. Or, we may cut off his hands, legs and remove his tongue so that he cannot speak, but he will still be human. What he is cannot change, because the spirit within him is a human spirit. His identity does not depend on how he looks or upon how much of his human capabilities he retains, but upon the nature of the spirit within him. In the same way, Jesus' divinity did not rest in the glory of God, or in the power of God (Jesus Himself said that these belong to the Father for ever. Matt. 6:13). ). Remember He accepted human flesh, but his spirit or mind was the pure. As A. T. Jones said:
“He is the seed of David according to the flesh. He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Don't go too far. He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, not in the likeness of sinful mind. Do not drag His mind into it. His flesh was our flesh, but the mind [spirit] was ‘the mind of Christ Jesus.” (1895 General Conference Bulletin, p. 327)
His divinity consisted of the fact of His identity. He was God's Son. He possessed the mind, the characteristics, the nature of God, whether in human or divine form. Therefore He was divine, whether in heaven or on earth. Whether possessing all power, or having laid it aside.
The Hallmark of Divinity
The quality of God which is most emphasized in the Scriptures is His love; His selfless character of love. John stated that, “God is love.” (John 4:8). Not that God has love, but that God is love. It is His identity, His nature, His character. Jesus declared it when He stated, “there is none good but one, that is God (Matt. 19:17).” Again, when Moses beseeched God to show him His glory, the Lord passed by before him and rather than giving Moses a demonstration of His awesome power, He proclaimed to Moses His awesome character of love and mercy, justice and truth (Ex. 34:6,7). These cases illustrate the truth that the true identifying mark of the true God is not how much power He has (although all power is His), but rather, the purity and holiness of His character. Many believe that the chief attribute of divinity is absolute power. This, however is not true. The greatest attribute of divinity is a pure holy character of perfect love. This is why Jesus could say in such an unqualified way to Philip, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father (John 14:9).” Clearly, He was not referring to the Father's literal visible glory, for no man can see this and live (Ex. 33:20; 1 Tim. 6:16), but rather to God's pure character of love..
Satan possesses a great deal of power and he would like humans to think that this power makes him God. However, even if he could raise the dead and create life this would not make him into God. God is good and God is love. This, Satan will never be. This is why, as God tries to reveal Himself to the world through Christian men and women He does not focus so much on giving them supernatural gifts and abilities to impress the world with His power. These gifts Satan can, and does counterfeit. However, there is one thing which the devil cannot reproduce and this is God's love. Therefore Jesus says, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:35).”
The point I am making in all of this is that when Jesus was on earth, He did not in Himself, possess the divine power of God. All this glory and power He laid aside. All His miracles were performed by the Father, dwelling in Him by the holy Spirit (John 14:10). This divine power in a sense belonged to Christ, because as He said, “All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you (John 16:15) .” However, these things were not His inherently.
The Difference with Christ
We find then, that Jesus was a partaker of divine power, through the indwelling of His Father's Spirit. We also may become partakers of divine power and the divine nature by the indwelling of that same spirit. But was this the only sense in which Christ was divine? If we partake of the holy Spirit will we become divine in the same way that Christ was divine? Absolutely not! Christ had one quality which we will never have. Something which would set Him apart from all creatures and proclaim His divinity in trumpet tones even if He were to take the form and abilities of a worm. This quality was His character of infinite love and goodness. This was His divine nature, His “spirit of stainless purity (DA 461).” This was what He was, regardless of whether or not He possessed all the powers of God, or only the limited abilities of humanity. No other being in the universe possesses such a character except God the Father. This is why Jesus, even when on earth was truly divine although He had laid down His power and glory. It was because His character, His spirit, His nature was the same divine, pure, holy character of matchless love which had existed with the Father from the days of eternity. His divinity was not in His power, but in His character.
The power and the glory belong to the Father. He is the source of all power. The power and authority which Christ possessed both in His pre-incarnation and after His return to heaven were bestowed upon Him by His Father.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Mat 28:18)
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Col 1:19)
This is why the Scripture says that although it was Jesus Christ who did the actual work of Creation, yet it was God who created all things by Him. It was by means of God's power at work in Him that Christ accomplished the creation of the entire universe. (Eph. 3:9; Heb. 1:2)
“I do nothing of Myself,” said Christ; “the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father.” “I seek not Mine own glory,” but the glory of Him that sent Me. John 8:28; 6:57; 8:50; 7:18. In these words is set forth the great principle which is the law of life for the universe. All things Christ received from God, but He took to give. So in the heavenly courts, in His ministry for all created beings: through the beloved Son, the Father's life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyous service, a tide of love, to the great Source of all… {DA 21}
Did Divinity Die?
Now that we understand this, let us return to the question: Did divinity die on Calvary? We have seen that there were two aspects to the divinity of Jesus Christ. First, there was the divine Spirit and power of the Father dwelling in Him, and secondly, there was His own divinity, His character, His nature of perfect love and purity. The Bible makes it clear that Christ Himself died. He was made lower than the angels specifically so that He could die. (Heb. 2:9,14). But what is death? Death is a separation of body and spirit where the body ceases to function and the spirit lapses into a state of unconscious sleep. This is exactly what happened to Jesus. Look at how Ellen White describes the state of Jesus while He was dead:
“When He closed His eyes in death upon the cross, the soul of Christ did not go at once to heaven, as many believe, or how could His words be true—”I am not yet ascended to my Father”? The spirit of Jesus slept in the tomb with His body, and did not wing its way to heaven, there to maintain a separate existence, and to look down upon the mourning disciples embalming the body from which it had taken flight. All that comprised the life and intelligence of Jesus remained with His body in the sepulcher; and when He came forth it was as a whole being; He did not have to summon His spirit from heaven…” (3SP 203, 204).
There was no part of Jesus which remained alive and conscious on another plane. Jesus Christ was the begotten Son of God, possessing in His own nature the pure spotless character which belongs only to divinity - to God and His Son. Therefore it was a divine Being who died on Calvary. It was a divine sacrifice that was made for the redemption of mankind and not merely a human substitute that suffered and died two thousand years ago.
Yet it should be obvious that though Christ Himself, the divine Son of God died, yet The life of the Father could not die. This life, the holy spirit which had been in Christ working in and through Him, could not die, and it is in this sense that Ellen White could be correct in saying, “divinity did not die.” {1SM 301}
It is very simple. Jesus said, “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die…(John 11:26).” What did He mean by this? Do not Christians die just the same as unbelievers? It seems that way. However, the following quote from Ellen White explains better than I can what He really meant:
“Christ became one flesh with us, in order that we might become one spirit with Him. It is by virtue of this union that we are to come forth from the grave,—not merely as a manifestation of the power of Christ, but because, through faith, His life has become ours. Those who see Christ in His true character, and receive Him into the heart, have everlasting life. It is through the Spirit that Christ dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of the life eternal.” {DA 388}
It is because Christ's life has become our life that we can never die. We do die, Just as Christ died. We pass into the unconscious sleep called death in which the body ceases to function and the spirit returns to God. But since Christ's life has been joined to ours and “our life is hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:3),” then as long as Christ is alive, we cannot die.
Similarly, the life of Christ was united to His Father's. The Father's life was His life in the same way that his life is our life. It was in this sense that it may be said that “divinity did not die.” The life and power of the Father which was in Christ could not die. However, Christ Himself died as fully, as totally, as completely as any human being has ever died. It is this understanding alone which fulfills all the specifications of the word of God.
Let us briefly re-examine the main points.
a. Jesus is truly, literally the Son of God, begotten from the Father's own substance in the eternity past.
b. Jesus is a divine Being. This divinity of Christ is manifested in the fact that His pure, spotless character of perfect love is exactly like that of God's.
c. Jesus' divine nature and character are His, inherited from His Father by birth. However, His authority and power have been given to Him by the Father and therefore could be laid aside by Christ in His incarnation. Please note, He could and did lay down divine Power but He could not, and did not lay aside His divine nature and character. If He could have done this, He would have ceased to be the Son of God and would no longer have been divine.
d. Jesus is God in the sense that He has the nature and qualities of God, but He is not God in the sense of being the Supreme Being in the universe. That description applies to God the Father alone.
e. Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God died fully and completely on Calvary. His divine life did sleep in death. However, the divine life and power of the Father, the holy Spirit which filled Him during His life on earth could not, and did not die. In this sense, divinity did not die, even though the divine Son of God truly and fully died.
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At our recent campmeeting (July 2000), brother Keith Coombs requested the time to do a presentation on the subject of the holy Spirit. This presentation generated a good deal of opposition as most felt that the ideas presented were not in harmony with Scripture. However, because of the limitations of time brother Coombs felt that he was unable to properly explain his points and has written a letter to better clarify what he was saying. We are not in agreement with many of brother Coombs' points, but are publishing the letter with a rebuttal at the end in which we have responded to those points in his article which we find to be most objectionable. We have numbered the paragraphs of Brother Coombs' letter for easier reference.
Brother Coomb's Letter
1. Christian greetings. At your recently concluded camp meeting I was given the opportunity to express my ideas on the person/personality of the Holy Spirit. At this meeting Father (Percival) Clayton asked the following question:
“in light of Eph. 4:6, 1 Cor. 8:6 and 1 Tim. 2:5 where does the Holy Spirit come into the picture?”
Indeed, because of the length of the presentation this important question was not addressed. I ask your permission to allow space to print my response to this question in your news letter with an abridged version of the presentation that was made at your camp meeting.
2. Now in considering 1 Cor. 8:6 the preceding verse (i.e. 1 Cor. 8:5) states of a truth that there are gods and lords many–and the scripture cannot be broken. Therefore I understand from these texts that there is only one person who happens also to be a divine being of whom are all things; that is all created things. He is the Father. Additionally only of one person can it be said, “by Him all things are created.” This person happens to be Jesus Christ the principal Lord to the Christian. So Jesus spoke creation into existence. By means of him are all things. However, Jesus took the things of the Father that all things can truly be said also to be of the Father.
3. Of course I believe that Jesus is God (John 1:1). By this I understand that Jesus is of divine, self existence. A pertinent text to consider just now is Hebrews 10:5,6,7. Christ received another body to allow Him to continue to do His delight, i.e. the will of God His Father. Indeed we teach that the real person is not his body (which may decay) but his will and character.
4. Before we consider Eph. 4:6 and 1 Tim. 2:5 there is a crucial principle for studying and interpreting scripture that at the outset needs to be known and sacredly adhered to–this principle is embodied in the following passages of scripture:
5. Deut. 29:29, Rom. 11:33, Job 11:7 and Prov. 25:2 that is, God does not reveal everything about himself, so we cannot by searching find out God or the divine secrets. However he compares and reveals the divine character, purpose and government (order) to that of earthly/created or the natural man. Therefore the bible does not compare the divine against the divine. Thus for example the following questions it does not answer
a. Is God the Father more divine than His Son or the Holy Spirit?
b. Is the Son more or less mighty in power?
6. Again I stress by commenting on further phrases the effect on interpretation. Consider the phrases “one God”, “Almighty” “one true God” and “one Lord” “one God”—this is not saying the Father is the only real God and the Son a lesser divine person. “Almighty”—this is not comparing the divine against the divine but comparing the divine against created beings saying that God can accomplish all his purposes as compared to finite man “only true God”—showing that in comparison to other false gods he is the God who created heaven and earth “one Lord”—this is not saying that God the Father is not also a Lord but that at this point in time all who would have access to the Father will accept the authority designated in heaven i.e. all blessings flow through the Son to us, all praises return to the Father through Jesus who is Lord and Savior.
7. Let's consider 1 Tim. 2:5 the burden of this text is not to say there is only one really divine person, i.e. God the Father but rather to state that which is mentioned in 1 Cor. 8:6 namely, that Jesus as mediator connects us to one person i.e. God the Father who is divine. 1 Tim. 2:3 describes none other than Jesus as God our Savior. (this suggestion I suppose is debatable) so I add Jude 20-25 emphasizing that the person presenting you and me faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy is called the “only wise” God our Savior–none other than Jesus Christ. Again the phrase “only wise God” must not be interpreted to mean that God our Father is without wisdom but basically to accept that the only designated place for creation to obtain the wisdom of the divine is in Christ. At this point all may freely rehearse what is said of Wisdom throughout scripture.
8. Similarly Eph. 4:6 throws light on the authority structures of creation showing that one person who is our God and Father is supreme in authority. Incidentally, Jesus who is Lord of Lords as the name implies means just as it says-over all the Lords/rulers but only in creation. Eg. Principalities, kings, prime ministers (political or religious) parents etc. for Jesus is Lord of the Lords (of creation) and 1 Cor. 15:24-28 confirms that God our Father is excepted. That is, Jesus is not the Lord of God the Father.
9. Now lets consider the place of the Holy Spirit. Implied in Pastor Clayton's question was the idea that there is no place given for the Holy Spirit to be an independent person or a differing person from God the Father and God, the Son of God. Both in the Old Testament (Isaiah 48:16) and New Testament (Matt. 28:19, Eph. 4:4, Rev. 4:5 Rev. 1:4) the Holy Spirit is categorized separately from God and His Son, though there are times when He is considered either as the Spirit of the Father and/or the Son i.e. as an extension of the Father or Son. Obviously and rightly any understanding of scripture must take into account these varying ideas (for the scriptures cannot be broken.) Thus in Rom. 8:27 we are not just told that the Spirit makes intercession for us (obviously between God and man) but that the Spirit itself. Thus the writer emphasizing that the Holy Spirit acting of Himself is doing something for us. To leave no room for doubt Paul shows in Rom. 8:28 and Rom. 8:34 that this intercessory work is different from that performed by our High Priest, Jesus.
10. In fact, Rom. 8:27 coupled with Rom. 8:16, 1 Cor. 2:11 and Rev. 1:4 suggests that the Spirit has a mind of its own. Again for there to be intercession there must be three parties–two at variance with the third going between these two. In particular Eph 4:4-6 clearly demarcates on one Spirit separate from One Lord separate from One God. For the burden of Paul's address in Ephesians was to show the principal varying features in the Christian faith and how all come together, united in Christ as head, with God, the Father ultimately over all and in all. Similarly, Jesus' discourse on the unpardonable sin clearly seeks to demarcate/differentiate between Himself and the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:9,10)
Your brother in Christ
Keith Coombs
Our Response to the Letter
Some of the points in brother Coombs' article which we consider to be erroneous have been covered in our main article, The Divinity of Christ. Nevertheless, we will comment further on those particular sentences or paragraphs where we believe Brother Coombs has gone wrong.
In paragraph 2, 1 Cor. 8:6 is commented on. This verse says,
“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 Cor 8:6).”
Brother Coombs comments: “there is only one person who happens also to be a divine being of whom are all things; that is all created things. He is the Father. Additionally only of one person can it be said, “by Him all things are created.” This person happens to be Jesus Christ the principal Lord to the Christian. So Jesus spoke creation into existence. By means of him are all things. However, Jesus took the things of the Father that all things can truly be said also to be of the Father.”
Brother Coombs gives the impression that when the Bible says all things are OF God, and all things are BY Jesus Christ, it means simply that Jesus took from the Father, the materials or the elements, or whatever was used to form the creation.
However, Revelation 4:11 credits the Father Himself with actually creating all things. Again, Ephesians 3:9 and Hebrews 1:2 state clearly that God (the Father) created all things by Jesus Christ. How are we to understand this? The only reasonable interpretation of these verses is that the Father's power and authority were being exercised by Christ in the creation of the universe. He took the things of God, yes, God's power and authority (not His own) and by means of these, He called the universe into existence. The truth revealed here is that the Father is the source of ALL things, including all power, all authority and all things created or uncreated.
What is the point of 1 Cor. 8:6? It seems to me to be glaringly evident that the whole point is to establish (a) how many Gods there are and (b) the identity of God. The last part of verse 5 makes this absolutely clear when it says, “there be gods MANY and lords, MANY.” The question is, “how many gods are there really?” Immediately Paul says that to us (to Christians) there is only one and this one is the Father who is the source of all things.
Brother Coombs suggests that Paul's meaning is not that the Father is the only God (brother Coombs evidently believes that there is more than one God) but that Paul is saying that the Father is the only God from whom all things come. In other words, all things did not come from the other Gods, they came only from the particular God called “the Father.” His suggestion is that this does not mean that there are not other Gods. Yet, Jesus called the Father, “the only true God.” Paul agrees with Him over and over. Must tradition impact so heavily upon us that the simplest passages of Scripture become so difficult to comprehend?
In paragraph 3 it is stated, on the basis of John 1:1 that Jesus is “of divine self existence.” I suppose this is based on the phrase, “and the word was God.” Let us think for a moment about what the verse says:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
“The word was with God.” How many beings are referred to here? There are two of them. Who are they? One is the word, (who is this?) and one is God (who is this?). Are they both the same being, or do we have two separate persons? Note again, one of them is God. The other one is not God, He is with God. However, immediately following it says, “and the word was God.” How shall we understand this then? Does it mean,
a. There are two Gods, or
b. He was the same God that He was with (that is, that He was with Himself)?
The first suggestion defies Scripture, while the second abuses reason and common sense. Evidently there is a third meaning, one often ignored or overlooked. When the verse says that the word was God, it is not suggesting that Jesus is God Himself. There is only one person who has the identity of God and that is the Person that the Word was with. The verse is really saying that Jesus had the nature of God, or that He was divine by nature - not that He was God Himself. This verse clearly teaches the truth that there is one God, but two divine Beings.
Let us consider what this implies. Firstly, there is a difference between the term, “God,” and the term, “divine.” God is a particular Person. There is only one of Him. But the word “divine” refers to the qualities and characteristics of that Person, God, which are possessed by Himself and His Son. There are a few differences between God, and all other beings including even His divine Son.
1. God was first. He existed before all others, even Christ, else Christ could not be His begotten Son.
2. God is the source of all power, even the power possessed by Christ. Thus, God created all things by Jesus Christ.
3. God is the supreme authority. None is equal to Him in the absolute sense, though Christ is equal in nature. He has given all authority to His Son, but He Himself is not subject to that authority (1 Cor. 15:27)
This relationship between God and Christ are not merely the “authority structures of creation” as brother Coombs terms it in paragraph 8. This is the reality of the universe. This is the way things are, the reality of God's existence. It is disrespectful to God to suggest that He conveniently assumes roles within the godhead. Roles which are not true reality, but actually a kind of pretense or play-acting. There is not one single place in the Scriptures where it is ever suggested that the authority of Christ is equal to that of the Father. This is to be expected because there are many places where it clearly states that the authority of the Father is greater and not just with respect to Christ's incarnation, or to the creation of the world, but in the ages of Christ's pre-existence, as well as in the eternity of the future.
In paragraph 4 Brother Coombs introduces what he calls “a crucial principle.” In a nutshell, this “principle of interpretation suggests that God compares Himself to men, but He does not compare or contrast Himself to other divine beings. This is an interesting idea, but we are given no suggestion as to where this principle came from or any Scriptures upon which to base it. In fact, this as an assumption rather than a principle, and is without any foundation in the Scriptures. This assumption is necessary to Brother Coombs' argument because there is no other way that he is able to deal with the clear, unequivocal statements which teach that the Father is the only true God. What does the phrase, “one God, the Father,” mean (1 Cor. 8:6; Eph.4:6)? What does the phrase “the Father” refer to”? The New Testament Christians knew there was a Father and they knew there was a Son. The term, “the Father” has a clear reference to the relationship of God to Jesus. He is the Father, only with respect to Christ. Therefore, contrary to Brother Coombs' “principle” the term, “one God, the Father,” clearly is contrasting the Father with the Son and makes it clear that the one God of the Bible is exclusively the Father, The God and Father of Jesus Christ who gave Him to humanity.
Several times in his letter Brother Coombs seems to suggest that the relationship of authority between God and His Son is merely an arranged relationship. That it is not the reality of how things really are, and by this means he opens God to the charge of pretense and role-playing. He speaks of “the authority structures of creation” (par. 8), “the authority designated in heaven” (par. 6) (designated by whom?). Here are strange terms which are absolutely without any biblical foundation. Where can we find, anywhere within the sacred Scriptures, any suggestion that the authority of the Father over the Son is simply a designated thing? On the contrary, the Bible speaks over and over again of the absolute and eternal authority of the Father over all other beings, including His Son. 1 Cor. 15:24-28 is one striking passage where this truth is unmistakably taught.
In paragraph 7 Brother Coombs quotes two verses which are clearly speaking of God the Father and suggests that they are speaking of Christ. His reason for doing this is that the word, “Saviour” is used in both verses. A Saviour is simply one who saves. We have come to associate the term with Jesus because He died to save us from our sins. Does this mean that the Father is not also our Saviour? Who initialized the plan of salvation? Who gave His Son? Who sent the holy spirit to enable us to overcome sin? The very name, “Jesus,” means, “Jehovah is salvation.” There absolutely is nothing strange, unusual or improper or difficult about God the Father being referred to as “our Saviour,” as He evidently is in these verses.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
In paragraph 9 it is pointed out that the holy spirit is in a few places “categorized separately from God and His Son.” To Brother Coombs this is evidence that the holy spirit is a separate Person from either. Well then, what about when the apostle Paul categorizes his own spirit as being separate from himself? Are we to conclude that his spirit was another person, different from himself? Notice his statement in 1 Cor. 5:3,4.
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Paul himself in actual fact was not present, but he claimed that his spirit would be there. I doubt that Brother Coombs would claim that Paul was speaking of two different persons. Why must we change the rules as soon as we begin to speak of God? Must the rules of Scripture and common sense be discarded in favor of tradition.
Later, in the same paragraph Brother Coombs again applies an interpretation which we must describe as unfortunate. He says, “Thus in Rom. 8:27 we are not just told that the Spirit makes intercession for us (obviously between God and man) but that the Spirit itself. Thus the writer emphasizing that the Holy Spirit acting of Himself is doing something for us.” Here he misunderstands the reason for the use of the word, “itself.” He mistakenly supposes that the word is used to indicate that the spirit operates in its intercessory role, independently, and separately from Christ in His intercessory work. “The spirit itself,” meaning, “the spirit on its own initiative.”
A simple examination of the verse without any preconceived ideas makes the issue abundantly clear. There is no mention of the intercessory work of Christ in this passage. Christ's and the holy spirit's work are not being contrasted. It is our intercession which is being contrasted with the intercession of the holy spirit. We don't know how to pray, or what to pray for, but, “the spirit itself …” (in contrast to our inadequacy) is making intercession (not by groaning before God, but) through our groanings as we are touched with feelings which are so deep that we are unable to utter words, but can only groan before God.
Ellen White explains it thus:
“We have only one channel of approach to God. Our prayers can come to him through one name only,—that of the Lord Jesus our advocate. His Spirit must inspire our petitions. No strange fire was to be used in the censers that were waved before God in the sanctuary. So the Lord himself must kindle in our hearts the burning desire, if our prayers are acceptable to him. The Holy Spirit within must make intercessions for us, with groanings that cannot be uttered.” (RH- February 9, 1897)
Christ our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding in man's behalf, but the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ, who presents His blood, shed from the foundation of the world; the Spirit works upon our hearts, drawing out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiving. The gratitude which flows from our lips is the result of the Spirit's striking the cords of the soul in holy memories, awakening the music of the heart. (SM1-344)
Finally, why does Christ differentiate between Himself and the holy spirit when speaking of the unpardonable sin? It is for the very same reason that He referred to the holy spirit as “another comforter” in John 14:16. Christ, in His bodily form was known and recognized by the world, but when He returned it would be in a form in which He would be unknown and unrecognized by the world. The true disciples would know Him then, and they know Him today. Others do not. They think it is another person, though He plainly declares that it is He who would, “go away and come again unto you.” John 14:28) His work and His presence would be so different from when He was here in the flesh, that to the world He would seem to be another person.
Christ in His bodily form can speak to us audibly, on a physical level. His words may reach our ears, but even Christ, when relating to us physically can only reach the physical senses. On a deeper level, the spiritual level, or the level of the mind, the work must be done spirit to spirit. The spirit of God and Christ is the only power which can touch the spirit of man on that deep inward level of the conscience. A man may resist the words of Christ because he truly is not convicted. However, when the spirit of Christ touches the conscience, it brings conviction. The person who resists that conviction is resisting truth at the deepest level. How else can God reach him? When he resists at this level, at the level on which God works by His spirit, then there is no more hope for such a person. God has nothing else, no other power by which he may convict such a person, and so, such a person has committed the unpardonable sin. He has in this way blasphemed against the holy spirit.
It is very difficult for even the best of us to be truly open-minded and without bias. The influence of our previous training and long-held traditions are very difficult to break. Yet if these could be laid aside and the Bible taken simply as it reads, how easy it would be for us to discern the truth about God, His Son and His holy spirit, for the Bible does not contradict itself and in its pages God has clearly revealed Himself to mankind. Let us lay aside the inventions and speculations of men and allow God's word to teach us. Only in this way will we be enabled to come to a proper understanding of truth.
The Love of Christ
June Gay Pringle
“The contemplation of the love of God manifested in His Son will stir the heart ...” (DA - 478)
Such a beautiful thought . Let us give it its due and open it up a bit. What mind pictures can we draw upon to find this opening?
A little boy comes to a disciple, Andrew, and offers his little bit to help feed the multitude. Andrew has been with his Master long enough to know that it would not do to follow his earthly feelings to smile and brush the offered lunch aside, or possibly, to ridicule the small boy. Nor does it surprise Andrew that the Master of heaven and earth, receives with thanks the two fishes and five barley loaves. What a dear love picture this is.
With the little lad's lunch in His hand He orders the crowd to be seated, raises the gift for a blessing from His Father, and proceeds to divide, sharing out portions of fish and bread to His waiting disciples to pass around to the vast assembly.
With thanks, every one is fed. Fed enough to have leftovers and a happy little boy returns to tell the story at home. How can such a wonderful thing be? What joy there must have been in his family that night.
O love of God, so sweet it is!
I see again a woman on the temple floor – her shame written all over her sinful body – and Jesus defying her accusers openly. At last the blessed words are spoken. She hears the compassion in His voice... “neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more.”
Another time, and another woman was defended by the blessed man.
“she has done this as a memorial to my burial. Washing my feet was more than any of you had offered to do for me. Leave her alone. She has been forgiven much therefore she has loved much.”
This outreach of love was always being extended in the Saviour's path. God manifesting Himself through his Son, thwarting the disciples rebukes, Jesus bade the little children to come to Him. Their mothers too, were recognized. Their wants and desires appreciated.
Little Zacchaeus, the tax collector, scorned, derided for his extortion of government revenue. He too was recognized by the Saviour. Well He knew, because He cared, how much that interlude would mean to Zacchaeus.
“Come down Zacchaeus, for I am going to your house today.” What a shock to the onlookers! And very many there were that day. But to commend and encourage a ‘wee little man' meant far more to Him than all the raised eyebrows and dubious questions and misgivings as to this man's integrity.
Then again, always looking out for the castaways, the derided ones, Jesus openly and highly commended the poor widow who brought her little mite to contribute to the money box.
Yes indeed! When I contemplate the love of God manifested in His Son, be those “lovings” ever so small, my heart is stirred, my soul aroused.
No beggar, blind man, deaf, dumb, lame, halt, leprous, wounded, was ever passed up when He passed by. Indeed “the goodness of God does lead to repentance.”
And then we reach to that wretched cross ... and even before. There bends the lovely, lowly Jesus over His betrayer's feet. What is He doing there on the floor? Washing His disciples feet, longing as He wipes the dirt away, to have a response from Judas that would change his course of action and lead him to repentance.
Even “while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for the ungodly.” Little did the weary followers realize the terrible struggle their leader was passing through in contemplation of the fearful ordeal just ahead of Him.
“Take this cup from me Father ...” (what a human cry) ...”but if not, let Thy will be done.”
Well He would remember the deliverances of Isaac tied up on that wood pile. No knife would cut his throat. But for Himself ...? Son of man, Son of God, there was no escape.
And then came the denial! Oh the agony! Cut to the heart by Peter's voice echoing through the hall, “...I don't know the man!” Cut deeper than any of the thirty-nine lashes, I dare say. Both men, I do believe, wept that night.
Bitter is the bite of devilry. The serpent surely was bruising the beloved's feet those two thousand years ago.
“When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain, I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.”
No mercy did they show to Him whose name is LOVE. No pity to the One altogether lovely. Battered, bruised, scorned and abused, but with all His faculties intact, He refused to evade the torture. Suffer He would, because therein lay the only hope for His precious mother to see His face again, for Peter to be rid of that painful, bitter recollection of his denial of his Lord.
For the despairing disciples, for the hope-filled plea from the cross beside Him, “remember me ...” a common thief, but yet, when Christ was on the cross, he was on His mind!
Suffer, yes He would drink the bitter cup down to the last dregs.
“For the joy that was before Him.” Oh the joy! What perfect joy to know that all would not be lost. His loved ones would not perish!
A world would be restored. A universe would be made complete once more. Adam's fallen race would be returned to their Edenic home once again, and perhaps greatest of all, His blessed Father's name would forever stand as LOVE supreme. Disobedience, sin and death would be forever gone. Love and only love can fulfill the law's demand.
“I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Amen”
“Love in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see;
Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
Love paid the ransom for me.
More On Bishop Hill
You will recall that in our last newsletter we mentioned that we would keep you abreast as we received additional information concerning Bishop Hill. Well, while visiting at Smyrna Gospel Ministries in the United States, I was able to speak with him face to face for a period of approximately six hours, and also heard him preach a sermon.
By the time it came to actually meeting Bishop Hill, I must confess that several things had happened which were causing me grave misgivings.
1. First, a friend of mine from Guyana had seen the videotape with the interview between David Mould and Bishop Hill and had immediately accused Bishop Hill of being a fraud. He stated that he had been a policeman in Guyana and that he had known Bishop Hill there under the name of Edward Washington, and that he had arrested him there on a charge of murder for which he had been convicted, and had spent time in jail.
2. Second, Elder John Grosboll had claimed in his Landmarks magazine that Bishop Hill was a fraud and had suggested that Bishop Hill had attempted to defraud him of $10,000.00.
3. Third, friends of mine in New Jersey had warned me to be careful, stating that if I wanted to know the truth about Bishop Hill, then I should talk to Al Newhart from American Cassette Ministries.
So you will understand why, when it actually came to the time to meet him, I was having grave misgivings. However, in the back of my mind there was some faint hope that maybe, just maybe in some miraculous way he would be able to clear up all these seemingly damning accusations.
The first thing I did as soon as we sat down was to tell him that I had heard quite a few negative things about him and that I wanted to ask him some very straightforward and direct questions. His reply was, “I have found that Seventh-day Adventists are the quickest people in the world to judge people on the basis of hearsay. Is this the way for Christians to operate?” He asked me, furthermore, “doth our law judge any man before it hear him?” (John 7:51). Right away I felt a little guilty, but assured him that I was willing to hear his story before I formed any judgments.
I, along with Brothers Allen Stump and Lynnford Beachy, asked many questions and really grilled Bishop Hill. But I have to confess that when we came to the end we were pretty much satisfied that he had amazingly answered every question which we had thrown at him in a way which was straightforward and reasonable. I must also add that we afterwards made every effort to check up on his story as best as we could and in everything which we were able to corroborate we found his story to be nothing but the truth. Here is his story in a nutshell as he told it to me, as best as I can remember.
His Story
In the 1960s David Hill was a part of the black civil rights movement in America. He marched with men like Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson and was actually on the stage when Malcolm X was assassinated. During this time he instigated and led a move to picket the McDonalds fast food stores for several months in order to force them to sell franchises to black people. This eventually forced the owners to sell five of the franchises to black persons including Sidney Poitier and Mahalia Jackson. A lawsuit was brought against David Hill however, and he was charged with five counts of blackmail as it was claimed that he had forced the owners to sell the franchises against their will. He was found guilty by an all-white jury and sentenced to 25 years in prison. While the sentence was being appealed, his friends in the civil rights movement, obtained a false passport and false identity papers for him and made arrangements for him to leave the United States for Guyana with a new identity, that of Edward Washington. Under this new name he went to Guyana where he was received by the Socialist government of Forbes Burnham and became a political activist, a supporter of the Burnham government even while continuing to work (as he had done in the USA) as a Pentecostal minister.
Some years later when Burnham's government had lost power and the new party in power was “witch-hunting,” a man came forward and claimed that nine (9) years previously Edward Washington (Bishop Hill) had ordered him to assassinate a man. Though this accuser could produce no evidence and did not even remember the name of the man he was supposed to have assassinated, Bishop Hill was arrested and tried, found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He spent 18 months in jail but at the end of this period he was released on “humanitarian grounds.” The authorities were well aware that the charges against him had been fabricated.
During the mid 1990s Bishop Hill received an offer to work as a Bishop in New Jersey. By this time the charges against him in the USA had long been dropped. The civil rights picture in the United States had changed drastically since the 60s. Bishop Hill accepted the call and moved back to the United States after 27 years and resumed his old identity of David Hill. With him came his wife Elizabeth whom he had met and married in Guyana, and also his three sons.
While working as a minister in his new job in New Jersey, Bishop Hill was surprised one day when one of his members asked him, “Bishop, why do we worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? Is it because Jesus changed the day?” Bishop Hill reassured this sister that this was the reason and promised her that he would preach on the subject the next Sunday. He went home to prepare his sermon and found himself in a dilemma. He could not find the support for Sunday worship which he had been sure was in the Bible. He was not ready the following Sunday, nor the next and by the time he was finally ready, he had become totally convinced that the Sabbath was still the Lord's day and should be kept holy.
Later, he found out the reason for the sister's question. She had had a dream in which she saw two lines of people. One line which seemed to have no end was behind a banner which said “Sunday.” The other line which had only a few people in it was behind a banner which said, “Sabbath.” In her dream she asked the Lord, “Lord, why is it that so many people worship on Sunday and so few on Saturday, is it because you changed the day of worship?” The Lord replied, “ask your Bishop.” So she did, and the result was that when David Hill finally got his message ready, it was a powerful sermon showing the church the need for God's people to still observe the seventh-day Sabbath. In consequence of this, he lost his job with the Pentecostal Church and was thrown out of the home which the church had provided for him.
Not long afterwards Bishop Hill was introduced to the writings of Ellen G. White and after studying a great deal into her writings, he decided to be baptized and become a member of the SDA Church. He was received with open arms and for a while he was in great demand as a speaker all over Adventism in the United States.
Before being finally accepted Bishop Hill spent a week with SDA leaders at the General Conference headquarters in Washington D.C. they heard every detail of his story and accepted him into fellowship. He was given a special license to operate as an SDA minister (I saw this license myself) and was baptized by the president of the New Jersey Conference of SDAs.
At this point, Bishop Hill's story becomes something of a nightmare. He was approached by Al Newhart, the man in charge of American Cassette Ministries who asked him to make some audio tapes. He was told by this man that he would not be paid for these tapes because Ellen White had stated that we should not ask for pay for this kind of work. Several tapes were made which were sent all over the world by this man. Later, Bishop Hill was informed the tapes were being sold and that this man was making a lot of money from them. When he was again approached by Mr. Newhart to make more tapes he refused. Mr. Newhart became upset and claimed that it was because of him why Bishop Hill was able to remain in the SDA church and stated that he knew all about his past. From this moment rumors began to circulate that Bishop Hill was a fraud, and that he was wanted for murder in Guyana under a different name.
By this time Bishop Hill and those who had been put out of the Pentecostal church with him because of his new-found faith, had bought a small church and had started worshipping as seventh-day Adventists. Now he was told by the SDA leaders that he needed to hand over the title to the building to the denomination. When he inquired as to why, he was told that this was SDA policy. Every SDA church building had to be the property of the denomination. Bishop Hill refused and was ordered to remove the name “Seventh-day Adventist” from the church building or face a lawsuit. This marked the end of his romance with the SDA denomination. Later when rumors began to spread in Adventism that he was a fraud, wanted for murder in Guyana, he asked the leaders why they did not make the truth known since he had told them the whole story before he had been accepted into Adventism. The reply was, “Bishop Hill, you refuse to cooperate with us. How can we cooperate with you if you do not cooperate with us?”
The next thing that happened was that Bishop Hill received a call from Steps To Life and was given a job as a minister. He was given a car and with the job also came a house. He was told that his assignment would be to work with the black people. In discussion with Elder Grosboll, Bishop Hill stated that he had learned that the cable network BET (Black Entertainment Televison) was going to be sold. Elder Grosboll showed great interest and asked him to make inquires about it. Brother Hill spoke to the company's lawyer who suggested that if he made a small deposit it would ensure that Steps To Life would be given priority consideration when the time came for the company to be sold. The lawyer suggested that $10,000.00 might be a reasonable sum. The money was produced by Steps To Life and was duly passed on to the BET lawyer by Bishop Hill.
About this time Elder Grosboll learned about a black church (ex Armstrongites) who had been saving their tithe for years (ever since Armstrong's church rejected the Sabbath) and which had accumulated a considerable sum. The people were friends of Bishop Hill. Elder Grosboll immediately gave Bishop Hill the job of getting these people to turn this tithe money over to Steps To Life. Bishop Hill had initial discussions with these folk, but they were not sure that this was what they wanted to do with their tithe. Elder Grosboll insisted that Bishop Hill should get these people to make the donation stating that, “you can do it, they will listen to you.” Bishop Hill stated that sometimes Elder Grosboll would call him almost every hour to ask, “when are we going to get the donation?” Sensing that Bishop Hill was reluctant to continue pressuring these people about the tithe, Elder Grosboll became very upset and in one heated exchange, Bishop Hill hung up the phone on him. That was the end of his romance with Steps To Life.
Elder Grosboll now claimed that he had learned that Bishop Hill was a fraud. He had heard that BET was not for sale and had never been for sale and he wanted back his $10,000.00 (incidentally, while we was having these discussions with Bishop Hill it was announced on NBC that BET had been sold.) Elder Grosboll sent out his newsletters to thousands of people in which he declared David Hill to be a fraud and suggested that he had robbed him of $10,000.00. But as Bishop Hill said to us, “I am 73 years old and I had just been given a job with a house and a car and a salary of $1,250.00 every two weeks. Why would I throw this away for $10,000.00? Again, if I was a con man and had taken their $10,000.00 why would I hang around for them to find out and to demand the money from me?” As it is, Bishop Hill was able to recover $5000.00 from the BET lawyer which he returned to Steps To Life. The other $5000.00 the lawyer claimed was his fee and refused to return it. Bishop Hill is now repaying this money to Steps To Life $1000.00 per month and has already made two payments. Understandably he is bitter and disillusioned at the treatment which he has received in Adventism. Unfortunately, this was not the end of the story. There was more to come.
While preaching in Florida Bishop Hill was approached by David Mould who stated that he wanted him to make five videotapes for which he would pay him. Bishop Hill had no idea what he should charge for these tapes, but was offered $2000.00 per tape by David Mould, or a total of $10,000.00 He agreed and was given $1000.00 in advance for his expenses while he was in Florida making the tapes. The tapes were duly made and he was told that he would be paid at the end of the month. Several months passed however and there was no word from David Mould. Then he received a call from David Mould. Would he come to make two more tapes? When Bishop Hill inquired about the money for the first tapes, Mould explained that he had had some financial setbacks, but that if he could get the two additional tapes he would be able to get them sold at the upcoming G.C. where a friend of his had obtained a booth and he would be able to pay off Bishop Hill immediately. So Bishop Hill agreed and made the other two tapes.
More time passed and still no word from David Mould. Then Bishop Hill spoke to a man who worked with Mould who told him that Mould had stated that he did not owe him any money. Bishop Hill went to see David Mould along with the man and said to Mould, “this man says that you said that you don't owe me any money.” Mould replied, “you could get me into a lot of trouble. We can't talk here.” Then he turned and walked out. That was the last David Hill heard from him (up to the time we spoke about five weeks ago), but he has heard that David Mould has said that he would not receive another penny from him because he was a fraud.
I myself read where David Mould in one of his newsletters suggests that Bishop Hill is an “agent.” Interestingly however, David Mould now has a program on TV in Jamaica and for the past two weeks he has shown the first interview which he had with Bishop Hill and is offering it for sale!
None of this is my personal business, but I hate injustice. David Hill has rights too and if half of his story is true, he has been treated in a way which is almost unbelievable by people who claim to be “God's remnant people.” Even worse, some of these people dare to call themselves reformers. These people have made merchandise of him, yet have slandered and maligned his name to hundreds of thousands of people. He himself has no way of defending himself. He has no mailing list, no newsletter, no huge organization. He has traveled on occasion for hundreds of miles after receiving an invitation to speak, only to find on arrival that the rumours had arrived ahead of him and that he had to turn around and head back home without speaking a word. What I consider remarkable is the fact that David Hill still believes in the Advent message.
Interestingly, while he was meeting with the SDA leaders in Washington D.C. Bishop Hill claims that he was given a book called “The Rise of The Trinity” and taught the truth about the godhead by a doctor who met him there and warned him about the disappointments he would meet in Adventism. He rejected the Trinity and accepted the truth about God, His Son, and God's holy Spirit as we understand it. When he went to work with Steps To Life, the second sermon which he preached there was on “Trinity Lies.” He states that after the sermon Elder Grosboll went to the front and stated that anybody who did not believe in the Trinity was an infidel. Afterwards he told Bishop Hill that in future he should not preach on any controversial subject without discussing it with him first. Bishop Hill's reply was that he had not known that elder Grosboll and Co. were Trinitarian.
This is the story in a nutshell. I have left out many of the details which were given to me by Bishop Hill in the interest of space, but this is the basic story. If you have heard that David Hill is a fraud, perhaps this will help to undo some of the damage which has been done to this man's character and perhaps this will help us to better understand the principles on which some who claim to be Christians operate. It might even help us to understand why some cannot accept the truth about God.
Newsnotes
BAPTISMS
Brother Jason Isaacs was recently baptized by brother Howard Williams. There was great joy at the addition of this new member to the church-family in Kingston. Brother Jason has since moved to Miami where he is now an active member of the little group there, led by brother Ben Vela.
There was similar rejoicing in Mandeville at the addition to the group of brother Dervin Henry. This very sincere and zealous brother was baptized by brother Neville Morris at Alligator Pond. Brother Henry has shown a genuine love for the Lord and his truth and has shown an earnest desire to share his faith with all those whom he encounters in the course of his daily activities. We rejoice with these two brothers and know that they will appreciate your continuous prayers on their behalf.
BABIES
One way or another the independent movement in Jamaica does not seem to be in any danger of becoming extinct. Though we probably number not much more than a hundred members in the entire island, no fewer than six babies have been born to members of the group during the past three months.
The new additions are as follows:
•To Moni and Dian Smith, a baby girl.
•To Wayne and Lorraine Sutherland, a baby boy.
•To Marlon and Debbie Clayton, a baby boy.
•To Garfield and Alathea Lewis, a baby girl.
•To Jason and Maudrey Francis, a baby girl.
•To Steve and Wendy Bailey, a baby boy.
Outreach Program
Perhaps sometimes you find that your life as a Christian is growing dry and almost meaningless. Maybe you recognize that your experience has been transformed from reality to formality, that you are now substituting the good for the better, the outwards for the inner, the temporal and material for the spiritual and eternal, and an experience with God for a form of godliness?
Here in Albion we recognized that our condition was worsening with the passage of time. A revival, a touch from God, was what we needed, and as always our Father sent us just what we needed, a message to remind us of our purpose in being his children on earth.
This was the message in a nutshell :-
“The reason why there is no deeper religious fervor and no more earnest love for one another in the church is that the missionary spirit has been dying out. Little is now said concerning Christ's coming, which was once the theme of thought and of conversation. There is an unaccountable reluctance, a growing disrelish for religious conversation; and in its stead, idle, frivolous chitchat is indulged in, even by the professed followers of Christ.
My brethren and sisters, do you desire to break the spell that holds you? Would you arouse from this sluggishness that resembles the torpor of death? Go to work, whether you feel like it or not. Engage in personal effort to bring souls to Jesus and the knowledge of the truth. In such labor you will find both a stimulus and a tonic; it will both arouse and strengthen. By exercise your spiritual powers will become more vigorous, so that you can with better success work out your own salvation. The stupor of death is upon many who profess Christ. Make every effort to arouse them. Warn, entreat, expostulate. Pray that the melting love of God may warm and soften their icebound natures. Though they may refuse to hear, your labor will not be lost. In the effort to bless others your own souls will be blessed.” 5T 387
We immediately recognized that we had been falling down on our duty, which is to make disciples by bringing to the world the message of God's Love for man.
Our message
While it is important to warn the world of a coming crisis, we realized that the world needed to know more about God, who He is, and His great Love for each individual person. People may be drawn to profess Christianity for fear of the coming crisis, but this profession, based on fear will never enable us to become what God wants us to be. It is only when love draws us, that we will have a genuine experience and one which will be able to survive any crisis.
So we decided to make our focus, the true message about, “The only true God and his Son Jesus Christ.” This message is unpopular and cannot be associated with any religious sect, but only with the Bible. We published two new tracts on the subject, “The God of the Bible,” and “Which God.” These are combined with another tract that was already in circulation, “Satan's Deadliest Lie.” (These tracts are available, free of cost to anyone who wishes to have them)
The Plan
We divided the entire church into three(3) groups, these groups being responsible for the three counties in Jamaica, Cornwall (west), Middlesex (central) and Surrey (east).
These groups have started out on an intensive tract drive with the intention of reaching every town and village in Jamaica. At least once per month the members of these groups go out together, targeting one of the major towns in Jamaica. However, others are working continually, going out at least once every week. The experiences we have been having so far have been really encouraging although we have met with a lot of opposition and hostility as would be expected. But even these negatives have served to make us stronger. One heartening aspect of this tract drive is the fact that even the small children are eager to get involved and have taken great joy in participating in the tract distribution.
Appeal
“It is those who are not engaged in this unselfish labor who have a sickly experience, and become worn out with struggling, doubting, murmuring, sinning, and repenting, until they lose all sense as to what constitutes genuine religion. They feel that they cannot go back to the world, and so they hang on the skirts of Zion, having petty jealousies, envyings, disappointments, and remorse. They are full of fault finding, and feed upon the mistakes and errors of their brethren. They have only a hopeless, faithless, sunless experience in their religious life.”- Review and Herald, Sept. 2, 1890.
Do you want to break this yoke that binds you? Then let us get involved, in this work of spreading the message!
(If you desire to work, but have no material with which to work, write to us and we would be glad to supply you, free of cost!)
Howard Williams
CONVENTION REPORT 2000
It was November 25 of the year 2000, as the sun in all its brilliance made its way over the horizon, adding its warmth to the Holy Sabbath day of rest. A great feeling of fellowship could be felt for it was convention time. It was the day when all the groups around the island of Jamaica, Clarendon, Kingston & Montego Bay would unite together for a grand fellowship. How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Ps. 33:1). The theme for the day was “Reviving the focus”
Singing prepares the heart for divine communion and a very lively song service was conducted by Daniel Clayton, accompanied by Ayon Baxter on the keyboard. By the time this was over there was hardly an empty chair. The very important word ‘welcome' was on the lips of Howard Williams, as he made everyone feel at home. David Wilson gave the opening remarks by depicting an old railway station which was out of use, and how it deteriorated from lack of activity. In light of the theme, he encouraged us to be true soldiers. Once again we were blessed with music as Machelle Clayton added her bit in song, “Carry your candle, and light the world.”
The way of the Lord is strength to the upright and they seek always to learn at his feet. Neville Morris shared with us for Sabbath school from Revelations chapter 13. He encouraged us to be prepared for the coming crisis, for the world is at sleep and this condition reaches us as God people. The study was truly a blessing to all. By this time we had to be making space for more chairs, the building was packed. To close Sabbath school the ladies quartet of the Manchester group sang, “The Blood that Jesus shed.”
The theme song was “Seeking the Lost” which the congregation sang as we prepared for the divine hour. A male quartet from the Manchester group paved the way in song for the speaker. Everyone knew from the program sheet that David Clayton was the main speaker for the hour, but no one had seen him since morning, which was rather strange. Bro. Howard then told us that David had fallen sick earlier that morning. Everyone was disappointed for we had not seen David for a few weeks, and we all were waiting to see him, and hear the tidings. God's eyes are always on His children, and nothing happens to them without His consent. Our prayers went up to God for Bro. David one by one. Bro. Howard filled in for Bro. David, choosing for his theme, the message, “No Time To Lose.” The message was well received by everyone for it charged us to lay aside the things that confuse our vision, since it is high time for us to be ready for the coming of Jesus.
Next we had the blessing of several babies which was conducted by Bro. Colin Gyles of the Kingston group. We then broke for lunch at approximately 1:45 p.m. For the morning service there were 126 persons present, including visitors.
The afternoon session was scheduled for outreach planning which was moderated by Bro. Howard, while Bro. Colin did the vesper service. The day that the Lord gave us had ended. Many thoughts and blessings came from Him to us, for the moment our hearts were charged, and we felt regret for our neglect. But we were confident in the belief that God was able, willing and ready to make us new people.
Karleen Williams
A Sampling Of Our Mail
Thank you so much for the audio tapes that you sent me concerning the Trinity. I must say that I have found them extremely interesting. I have listened to them literally scores of times, especially the first one on how the Trinity doctrine developed in the SDA Church. Much of the history I was not aware of and now intend to find out more to make the picture much more clearer for myself....
... there are still questions that I need to ask and articles that I obviously need to read with the latter I feel being very important at this time. I need to read these articles for myself rather than just hearing about them. No disrespect intended as your tapes have sent me along a line of thinking that I have never been along before. Without doubt they have been extremely rewarding....
Bristol, England
Thank you, thank you, thank you for Lloyd Martin's creation (100 and More Mysteries of The Trinity). Is he a Jamaican? How did you get to know about this? I will write again later; but again, thank you, thank you, thank you!
AL, USA
I enclose $600.00 as a love offering. Thank you for the books and papers you sent to me. They have helped me a lot to discover Bible truth. Keep up the good work and may God bless you.
St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
Greetings in the name of Jesus. I just write this short note to let you know tht I have received your books and pamphlets. You have given us on this side of the world something to live for. I have given them to whoever could read; people on the streets, in the factories. They have been inquiring if we have more.
What I have read, and what I have listened to on your cassettes makes me wonder. It makes me feel like I am coming out of a trance. My spirit stirs within me. I never got these teachings in all my Christian life. I thank God for you all.
I was unable to return your call because my phone was out of service. As soon as it is back I will call.
St. Catherine, Jamaica
Thank you so much for the newsletter. We are finding them very thought-provoking. We have been using the tapes on Sabbath as our sermon.
USA
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I would like to request your paper, With Open Face, please.
USA
Could you please send your newsletter to my family and elderly lady friend living with us and any back issue you may have available? They would be welcomed greatly.
Kentucky, USA
Of all the "Christian" web sites I have visited and bookmarked, yours is the first and only one that seems to have a grasp of the Truth.... I do have one question of you. Are you affiliated with the Seventh Day Adventists? ....
I have read several of your tracts on-line, and so far I find them to be in complete agreement with the Word Of God that I also read. I trust the Spirit Of Truth to lead me, and I could never accept the Idea of The Holy Trinity, or that Jesus is God, unless the Holy Spirit led me to believe them, and it has not. I judge from your writings I have seen thus far that you do not put your trust in the teachings of man, but rather in the Truth. Please reply as to my question of SDA.
email USA
I know that I have not e-mailed you lately, but please do not think that I have lost interest in finding out the truth about the ‘trinity' concept.
I have read with great interest all the information that you have forwarded to me and much appreciate the issues of ‘Open Face' and ‘Old Paths'. Please keep contact and keep sending. ...
Bristol, England
Last year a sister in Christ gave me a newsletter, “With Open Face.” I found it very good, as it exposes the R.C. doctrine of the Trinity. Do you have more information on this subject? I would like to buy the 3 audio tapes, The Omega of Deadly Heresies” and “The Spirit of Antichrist.”
Canada
I am writing to request any materials you could send me from your ministries...I am incarcerated at .......correctional (center).
Ohio, USA
This past April I met a sister from Jamaica, Ethlyn Wilson, who brought up the subject of the Trinity with me. I had doubts about that doctrine but I didn't know anyone else but Jehovah's Witnesses who denied the Trinity. I was so glad to hear from Sister Wilson that there are Adventists who do not agree with the Trinitarian idea ....
Penn. USA
I came upon the excerpts from a new book on the Trinity. It said for more information on this book to contact this address.
I would like any information I can get on it as my daughter at present has been told that she cannot worship with a home group because she believes in the godhead (as the Bible teaches) instead of the Trinity. She has been persecuted from all angles...
NSW Australia
...I received your Open Face and it is wonderful, but very hard to read as the print is so very small.
I would like to be on your mailing list and if possible receive the May paper with the article, “Did God Have a Son to Give?” I would also like two other families to receive it starting with May, as they are also studying this message...
Ar, USA
...I was really blessed by the audio tape. Many times I question certain religious groups and come up with no answers. You have shed a lot of light on things that I did not know. Thank you very much...
Clarendon, Jamaica
I have really to give God thanks for you and the spiritual family of Smyrna for the fine efforts of your ministry in the last days. Thank you very much for the regular copies of Old Paths & Open Face....
The revival of the godhead truth, the biblical vindication of the sanctuary doctrine, the proper understanding of the holy spirit, the love of Jehovah and other topics have been all more than blessings...
St. Thomas, Jamaica
Available Materials
We greatly appreciate the sacrifice of those whose donations enable us to give these materials away free.
Audio Tapes
No. Title
1 The Mark of The Beast
3 What is The Mark
7 The Law & The Sabbath,
11 What God Wants
14 The Faith Which Pleases God,
15 The Doctrine of Balaam,
16 Delivered Unto Hardship
24 The Offence of The Cross,
27 Reality of The Ministry of Christ,
28 Is It Easy To Be Saved?
29 Defending The Investigative Judgment
35 The Measure of God's Love,
36 The Things Which Are Revealed
37 God on Trial
38 The Spirit of Antichrist
39 The Omega of Deadly Heresies
40 The Missing Names
46 The Perils of Idolatry
48 The Spirit of Jonathan
50 The Investigative Judgement
53 Sodom's Iniquity
56 The Final Restoration
59 The Cost of True Revival
61 Who or What is The Holy Spirit
62 What is The Church
63 The New Covenant
64 The Greater Purpose
65 The Meat That Endureth
68 Essential Knowledge
73 The Nature of Christ
74 Who is The Antichrist
75 Is Our Foundation Biblical?
76 Denying The Power
77 Who is This God
78 Law and Grace
79 Armageddon
80 Seal of The Living God
83 Omnipresence of God
84 God's Love is Not Enough
85 Religious Deception
86 Is God a Trinity?
88 The Violence Which Takes The Kingdom
89 Is There a Secret Rapture
91 Who Is This God?
92 When Was The Atonement?
94 The Gospel And The Investigative Judgment
96 Harmony of Daniel
97 Shadows or Reality?
98 Some Practical Considerations
100 Building up The Temple
101 Origins of The Trinity
102 Biblical View of the Holy Spirit
103 Return of The Fourth Angel
104 The Missionary Spirit
Videotapes
# 1 - The Sanctuary in Hebrews 9 (David Clayton)
# 2 - When Was The Atonement? (David Clayton)
# 3 - The Judgement (Howard Williams)
Tracts
1888
Are SDAs Advancing in The Light?
Demons in The Church
How To Become a Christian
Is Jesus God's Son?
Religious Deception
Satan's Deadliest Lie
The Gospel of Love
The Mark of The Beast
The Truth About God
The Truth
Who Died on Calvary?
Who Is The Antichrist?
Which God?
Books:
A Time to Choose
This book identifies the beast, the mark of the beast and the number of his name. For indisputable Bible evidence on this important topic you must read A Time to Choose.
Upon this Rock
Upon this Rock explains the unfolding mystery of God's church. This book is the result of a sincere, earnest, and candid effort to explore the Biblical concept of the church. While the findings in this book are not agreeable to the popular institutional church groups, its message is of vital importance!
Who is Telling the Truth About God?
Who is Telling the Truth About God? gives extensive evidence from the Scriptures regarding the doctrine of God. this is followed with comparative statements from Ellen G. White, the early Adventists pioneers, and contrasting statements from the present S.D.A. Church, independent ministries, and the Catholic Church.
The Spirit of Antichrist
What is the main teaching of the antichrist? This booklet shows how this deadly heresy has permeated the thinking of Christendom and reveals the practical implications of this false doctrine. (temporarily out of stock)
100 And More Mysteries of The Trinity
This booklet poses over a hundred questions which demonstrate clearly that the acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity is the greatest evidence of major apostasy in the SDA Church. The questions illustrate the impossible contradictions of the doctrine of the Trinity. Both withing the S.D.A. Church and in the teachings of popular Christendom.
Open Face is published bi-monthly and is sent free to all who desire to receive it.
David Clayton: Editor and Publisher
P. O. Box 23 Knockpatrick
Manchester, Jamaica W.I.
Phone: (876) 904-7392
email: david@restorationministry.com