Is the Holy Spirit equal with the Father and Son?
NO, they are not all three equal or one, only the Father and Son are equal. There are some points that we need to look at in order to see if this is true. 1. Can we find any spirit of prophecy quotes that say they are one? 2. Can we find any scripture that says the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one? 3. What evidence can we find that will show that they are not one or co – equal as the trinity doctrine states. The first verse we will look at is 1 John 5:7, for this one is always used when talking about the trinity doctrine. 1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” KJV Here we have a verse that says the Father, the Word which is Jesus (John 1:1, 14) and the Holy G host and these three are one. Well case closed I was wrong in saying they are not equal or one. But is this the case, or is something missing. Let us ask ourselves some more questions, I love questions. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What do other translations of the Bible have to say? Did any of the pioneers of the Adventist Church quote this verse? Did Ellen White ever quote this verse or have anything to say about 1 John 5:7? What does the SDA church have to say about 1 John 5:7? Does the Holy Spirit seat on the throne in heaven with the Father and Son?
Question number one “What do other translations of the Bible have to say?” Well that is simple I like to use a program that is called e-sword. It is a great Bible program that allows you to have multiple Bibles at once and you can even compare all the Bibles at one time to see what a verse says. (Bishops) For there are three which beare recorde in heauen, the father, the worde, and the holy ghost, and these three are one. (Darby) For they that bear witness are three: (DRB) And there are Three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. (Geneva) For there are three, which beare recorde in heauen, the Father, the Worde, and the h oly Ghost: and these three are one.
(GW) There are three witnesses: (ISV) For there are three witnesses— (JUB) For there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. (KJV) For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (KJV-1611) For there are three that beare record in heauen, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost: and these three are one. (LEB) For there are three that testify, (LITV) For there are three bearing witness in Heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. (TS2009) Because there are three who bear witness: Footnote: As per early Gk. text. Later MSS contain additions. See Explanatory Notes, ‘Comma Johanneum’. (YLT) because three are who are testifying in the heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these—the three—are one; Huh, some have this verse and some do not, but what is the Comma Johanneum? “Comma Johanneum refers to a short clause in Yoḥ. Aleph 5:7-8 / 1Jn 5:7-8 in the Latin Vulgate text which was transmitted since the Early Middle Ages. It was later included in the Textus Recep tus Greek in support of trinity doctrine. The comma does not appear in the older Greek text.” Well isn't that interesting! It was added, not all translations agree that it should be in the Bible. So that brings up the question was 1 John 5:7 inspired like the rest of the Bible? I will let you decide on that for yourself. How important is the trinity doctrine to you? Are you are willing to accept uninspired word? Question number two “Did any of the pioneers quote this verse?” Simple answer I have not been able to find any of the pioneers that have quoted this verse, but I am still looking. Question number three “Did Ellen White ever quote this verse or have anything to say about 1 John 5:7?” simple answer I have not found that she ever quoted this verse.
Question number four “What does the SDA church have to say about 1 John 5:7?” We will need go to the official SDA Bible commentary to see what is said. Because the website https:// egwwritings.org has removed chapter 5 of out of the commentary because of what it says. “SDA Bible Commentary page 675, heading “In Heaven”. Textual evidence attests (cf. p. 10) the omission of the passage “in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth.” The resultant reading of vs 7 and 8 is as follows: “For there are three that bear record, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one” The passage as given in the KJV is in no Greek MS earlier than the 15th and 16th centuries. The disputed words found their way into the KJV by way of the Greek text of Erasmus (see Vol. V, p. 141) it is said that Erasmus offered to include the disputed words in his Greek testament if he were shown even one Greek MS that contained them. A library in Dublin produced such a MS (known as 34), and Erasmus included the passage in his text. It is now believed that the later editions of the Vulgate acquired the passage by the mistake of a scribe who included an exegetical marginal comment in the Bible Text that he was copying. The disputed words have been widely used in support of the doctrine of the trinity, but, in view of such overwhelming evidence against their authenticity, their support is valueless and should not be used.” Question number five “Does the holy spirit seat on the throne in heaven with the Father and Son?” Simple answer NO, he does not, but let’s take a look at Revelation 4, 5, and 7 that talk about the throne. Revelation 4:2 “and immediately I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne was set in the heaven, and upon the throne is one sitting,” Revelation 4:8 “And the four living creatures, each by itself severally, had six wings, around and within are full of eyes, and rest they have not day and night, saying, 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is coming;'” Who is the Lord God Almighty? “The scribe/lawyer asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment. Jesus answering says: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.”…. And the scrib e said unto him, Well Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he.” Mark 12:29-32. Jesus is acknowledging with the scribe that there is only one God. He is not including Himself, as He is the Son of God. Remember, the subject is the first Commandment. “God is our Father, who loves and cares for us as His children; He is also the great King of the universe.” Faith Live By 39.
He is “... The Lord God Almighty….” Revelation 21:22. “The Father… is the great Source of all…” Desire of Ages 21. “It is He (the Ancient of Days) the Source of all being, and the fountain of all law, that is to preside in the judgment.” GC88 479. “I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed on Jesus' countenance and admired His lovely person. The Father's person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light covered Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He said He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, ‘If you should once behold the glory of His person, you would cease to exist’…” EW 54. Revelation 5:6 “and I saw, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb hath stood as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the Seven Spirits of God, which are sent to all the earth,” Revelation 5:7 “and he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who is sitting upon the throne.” Here we see that the Father is seating upon the throne of heaven. The Lamb of God which is Jesus Christ is in the mist of the throne to take the scroll from the hand of the Almighty God. Where is the Holy Spirit? So far we have not seen it seating on the throne of God. Let us continue maybe we will still find it. Revelation 7:9 “After these things I saw, and lo, a great multitude, which to number no one was able, out of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands,” Revelation 7:10 “and crying with a great voice, saying, 'The salvation is to Him who is sitting upon the throne—to our God, and to the Lamb!'” Praise God the Father and His Son, for our salvation! But the question, is “God the Holy Spirit” s eating upon the throne? For they are co – equal, co – eternal and co – existent, but how many do we see on and at the throne of God? TWO only TWO why? Because “god the Holy Spirit” is not God, it is as the bible says the spirit of God is the spirit of Christ, the spirit of your father, the spirit of his son. Who did the Christ come to reveal, his Father which is our God and his God. For we are sealed with the only with the name of the Father Revelation 3:12 and Rev 14:1 “And I saw, and lo, a Lamb having stood upon the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty-four thousands, having the name of his Father written upon their foreheads;” Whose name is written in your forehead?