“The Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative, but divested of the personality of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was for their interest that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His successor on earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or his personal contact with Christ. By the Spirit the Saviour would be accessible to all. In this sense He would be nearer to them than if He had not ascended on high.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 669.
“At all times and in all places, in all sorrows and in all afflictions, when the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing, and we feel helpless and alone, the Comforter will be sent in answer to the prayer of faith. Circumstances may separate us from every earthly friend; but no circumstance, no distance, can separate us from the heavenly Comforter. Wherever we are, wherever we may go, He is always at our right hand to support, sustain, uphold, and cheer. . . .” {FLB 56.3}
Part 1: GOD’S SPIRIT AND CHRIST’S SPIRIT
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Rom. 8:9
Paul seems to mention the spirit of God and the spirit of Christ as one and the same. Are they the same?
“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.” Maranatha 302
“Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” This is close language. Who can stand the test? The word of God is to us a daguerreotype of the mind of God and of Christ, also of man fallen, and of man renewed after the image of Christ, possessing the divine mind. We may compare our thoughts, feelings, and intentions with the picture of Christ. We have no relationship with Him unless we are willing to work the works of Christ.” Testimonies For The Church Vol.3 p.537
According to the following passage who dwells with us, and how? Jn 14:23
“God has given us Jesus, and in Him is the revelation of God. Our Redeemer says: “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.” “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.” If we know God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, unspeakable gladness will come to the soul. Oh, how we need the divine presence! For the baptism of the Holy Spirit every worker should be breathing out his prayer to God.” Testimonies to minister p.169-70
On what knowledge is life eternal based? Jn 17:3
“There is a knowledge of God and of Christ which all who are saved must have. “This is life eternal,” Christ said, “that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” The question for us to study is, What is truth—the truth for this time, which is to be cherished, loved, honored, and obeyed? The devotees of science have been defeated and disheartened in their effort to find out God. What they need to inquire is, What is truth? (MS 124, 1903) S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol.6 p.1079-1080.
The scriptures says of Christ, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Therefore the Spirit belongs both to God and Christ.
Part 2: The breath of christ
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Jn. 20:21-22
“Christ breathed on His disciples, and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” This is the great gift of heaven. Christ imparted to them through the Spirit His own sanctification. He imbued them with His power, that they might win souls to the gospel. Henceforth Christ would live through their faculties, and speak through their words. They were privileged to know that hereafter He and they were to be one. They must cherish His principles and be controlled by His Spirit. They were no longer to follow their own way, to speak their own words. The words they spoke were to proceed from a sanctified heart, and fall from sanctified lips. No longer were they to live their own selfish life; Christ was to live in them. . . . He would give to them the glory that He had with the Father, that He and they might be one in God.” Sons And Daughters p.294
When Christ breath on his disciples whose spirit did they receive?
“Christ breathed upon His disciples and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Christ is represented by His Holy Spirit today in every part of His great moral vineyard. He will give the inspiration of His Holy Spirit to all those who are of a contrite spirit.” Testimonies To Ministers p.214
What is the result of the breath of Christ in our hearts?
“If we follow Christ we shall not have a spasmodical experience, and be moved by circumstances and influenced by our surroundings. We shall not let feeling control us, and indulge in fretting, envying, fault-finding, jealousy, and vanity. It is indulgence in these things that puts us out of harmony with the harmonious life of Christ, and prevents us from becoming overcomers. We should be actuated by the noble purpose of winning daily victories, and by watchfulness and sincere prayer attain to complete control of self. When petty trials come upon us, and words are spoken that cut and bruise the soul, speak to yourself and say, “I am a child of God, heir with Jesus Christ, a co-laborer with heaven, and I cannot afford to easily take offense, to be always thinking of self; for this will produce a distorted character, and is unworthy of my high calling. My Heavenly Father has given me a work to do, and let me do it worthily for his name’s sake.” Signs of the Times, July 10, 1893.
The Holy Spirit exclusively belong to God the Father, and Jesus is partaker of that Spirit.
Part 3: What is the relationship between the
glorifying of Jesus and the holy spirit?
“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” Jn 7:37-39
We have the witness of the scripture here that says, “the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” Why was Christ glorification necessary for the giving of the Holy Ghost?
What is the glorifying of Christ? Jn 17:5
“Christ’s ascension to heaven was the signal that His followers were to receive the promised blessing. For this they were to wait before they entered upon their work. When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity. The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished. According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people.” The Acts Of The Apostles p.38
“Heavenly angels had seen the glory which the Son of God shared with the Father before the world was…..” The Great Controversy p.313
Why did Jesus have to go before the comforter could come? Jn 16:7
“The work of the Saviour on earth was finished. The time had come for Him to return to His heavenly home…..As Christ ascends while in the act of blessing His disciples, an army of angels encircle Him as a cloud……At the portals of the city of God, an innumerable company of angels await His coming…..He approaches the Father, and if there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, if the Father rejoices over one with singing, let the imagination take in this scene.” 1SM p.306-307
The spirit is the life of the Father. Jesus had to be glorified with the Father before he could send the Spirit to His disciples.
Part 4: “Antoher Comforter”
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” Jn 14:16
Jesus distinctly stated the purpose for his request to the Father. The purpose of this request was that the comforter would abide with the disciples for ever. Who would abide with the disciples for ever? “Another comforter” Let’s look at the meaning of this word, “another” – Distinctly different from the first.(The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language)
“When He should come forth from the tomb, their sorrow would be turned to joy. After His ascension He was to be absent in person; but through the Comforter He would still be with them, and they were not to spend their time in mourning.” The Desires Of Ages p.277
In Jn 14:17-19, did Jesus explain who the comforter is?
“The Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative, but divested of the personality of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was for their interest that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His successor on earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or his personal contact with Christ. By the Spirit the Saviour would be accessible to all. In this sense He would be nearer to them than if He had not ascended on high.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 669.
“The Comforter is called “the Spirit of truth.” His work is to define and maintain the truth. He first dwells in the heart as the Spirit of truth, and thus He becomes the Comforter. There is comfort and peace in the truth, but no real peace or comfort can be found in falsehood. . . .Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the Word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself.” (The Desire of Ages, pp. 668-671).
Inspiration tells that, “Jesus is the comforter!”
“How essential that we have the enlightenment of the Spirit of God; for thus only can we see the glory of Christ, and by beholding become changed from character to character in and through faith in Christ. We turn from the picture of our shortcomings to behold the atonement made for us, and we rejoice as we know that we may be clothed with Christ’s righteousness. In Him all fullness dwells. He has grace and pardon for every soul. As by faith we look to Jesus, our faith pierces the shadow, and we adore God for His wondrous love in giving Jesus the Comforter.” 19MR 297-298
The comforter that Jesus prayed for his Father to send would be the same Jesus in a none bodily form, so by this Spirit form he could be with them, all at once.
Part 5: Pentecost
“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:3-4
“The time had now come. The Spirit had been waiting for the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. For ten days the disciples offered their petitions for the outpouring of the Spirit, and Christ in heaven added His intercession. This was the occasion of His ascension and inauguration, a jubilee in heaven. He had ascended on high, leading captivity captive, and He now claimed the gift of the Spirit, that He might pour it out upon His disciples.” (SW Nov. 28, 1905). S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 6 p.1055.
What similar experience, but of a greater magnitude, awaits the disciples of Christ in the last days? Joel 3:28-29, Hosea 6:3, Zech 10:1
“If this prophecy of Joel met a partial fulfillment in the days of the apostles, we are living in a time when it is to be even more evidently manifest to the people of God. He will so bestow His Spirit upon His people that they will become a light amid the moral darkness; and great light will be reflected in all parts of the world. O that our faith might be increased, that the Lord might work mightily with His people.” (MS 49, 1908). S.D.A Bible Commentaries p.1175
“The time has come when we must expect the Lord to do great things for us. Our efforts must not flag or weaken. We are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. Before the work is closed up and the sealing of God’s people is finished, we shall receive the outpouring of the Spirit of God. Angels from heaven will be in our midst. The present is a fitting-up time for heaven when we must walk in full obedience to all the commands of God.—Letter 30, 1907. Selected Messages Bk.1 p.111.
What will be the result of the final outpouring of the Spirit of God upon his people?
“The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming.” The Great Controversy p.464
The people who live in close connection with God will be worthy of His Spirit in the last days to fit them for a place in Heaven.
Part 6: THE SPIRIT DISAPPEARS AND JESUS REMAINS
“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Rev. 21:22
“In the City of God “there shall be no night.” None will need or desire repose. There will be no weariness in doing the will of God and offering praise to His name. We shall ever feel the freshness of the morning and shall ever be far from its close. “And they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light.” Revelation 22:5. The light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance which is not painfully dazzling, yet which immeasurably surpasses the brightness of our noontide. The glory of God and the Lamb floods the Holy City with unfading light. The redeemed walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day. “I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Revelation 21:22. The people of God are privileged to hold open communion with the Father and the Son. “Now we see through a glass, darkly.” 1 Corinthians 13:12. We behold the image of God reflected, as in a mirror, in the works of nature and in His dealings with men; but then we shall see Him face to face, without a dimming veil between. We shall stand in His presence and behold the glory of His countenance.” The Great Controversy p.676-677.
The Spirit is mentioned briefly in the book of Revelation, what is the spirit really? Rev 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6.
Revelation gives us a very interesting glimpse of what the Spirit is. In chapter one John seem to speak of the Spirit as a separate individual from, “him which is and which was and which is to come” and from, “Jesus Christ.” In chapter three something strange is mentioned, here John is giving the messages to the seven churches and to all the churches his messages is from him who he(John) saw in chapter one. Read chapter one over and over again and then read chapter 3:1, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars…..”
Who was this being that John is here referring to?
We know based on what he saw in chapter one, that he which has the seven stars is, “one like unto the Son of man.” This means that the Son of man(Jesus) also has this Spirit. In chapter four John is brought to the throne room of God and here he mentions that he sees the “seven Spirit of God” before the throne(verse 5) and in chapter five John sees the lamb standing before the throne, “having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” What conclusion can we draw from these scenes in heaven? Obviously the Spirit is exclusively the property of God, and is possesed by his Son to be his by inheritance, from Father to Son.
The Spirit operates on the internal invisible level, representing God and his Son in a non-bodily form.
