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Commentary on "In Spirit and in Truth"
Day 6: Thursday, September 8, 2011 - Worshiping at His Feet
Overview
Christ’s divinity is the foundational reason we worship him. The lesson rightly establishes this by looking at biblical texts that show we are to give our worship only to God and also shows we are to give that worship to our Savior Jesus Christ. The lesson asks the question; “Was He truly the eternal God, One with the Father since eternity? Or, was He created later, a being who came into existence through the creative power of the Father?”
The biblical references provided in today’s lesson make the excellent point that we are to give our worship to our Savior Jesus Christ which means that there can be no doubt that Jesus is wholly God and worthy of our worship.
Observations
The lesson introduces the topic of the originally held Adventist belief in Arianism which is concerned with the divinity of Christ as opposed to the orthodox doctrine of the trinity where the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit are three personalities of a single God. In deviating from the doctrine of the trinity, Adventist theologians have traditionally used the term ‘godhead’ which suggests ‘a committee of three’ and until recent years avoided using the word ‘trinity’. It is well known that James White held the Arian view, which obviously influenced Ellen. The real confusion that the lesson refers to was how to explain away the long held Arian views of the SDA church and adopt a more orthodox Trinitarian stance in line with scripture without contradicting Ellen White’s earlier statements in support of her husband. The real problem was really that of a dilemma not confusion. For Ellen White the challenge was how to change her mind on this topic without appearing to contradict what was already officially accepted and in print.
Here is a random selection of her statements that sound like she always retained an Arian view that denigrates Jesus in relation to the Father. On the other hand, the Trinitarian doctrine holds that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are totally one God. That is, Jesus is and always has been fully God.
Again: Christ is called the Word of God. John 1:1-3. He is so called because God gave His revelations to man in all ages through Christ. It was His Spirit that inspired the prophets. 1 Peter 1:10, 11. He was revealed to them as the Angel of Jehovah, the Captain of the Lord's host, Michael the Archangel. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 761)
"The great Creator assembled the heavenly host, that he might in the presence of all the angels confer special honor upon his Son…The Father then made known that it was ordained by himself that Christ, his Son, should be equal with himself." (Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, pp. 17-18)
"But although Christ's glory was for a time veiled and eclipsed by His assuming humanity, yet He did not cease to be God when He became man...The man Christ Jesus was not the Lord God Almighty, yet Christ and the Father are one." (Ellen White, 1903 ms, SDA Bible Commentary, vol.5 p.1129)
“The mighty angel who instructed John (Rev. 1:1) was no less than the person of Christ." (E. G. White, Manuscript 59.)
"To Christ had been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father" (Testimonies vol. 8, p. 268)
Rev 10:6 "In swearing by the creator, the angel who is Christ, swore by himself" (Ellen White ms 129; Bible Commentary vol. 7, p. 798)
Summary
- Angels are created beings. Jesus Christ, who was wholly God from eternity past, has always existed. It is heresy to suggest our Creator was one of his creations.
- It is another heresy to suggest the Father God had reason to elevate Jesus Christ into equality with himself when Jesus has always been wholly God.
- Jesus Christ never surrendered who he was as the Son of God equal with the Father when he also became wholly man without sin. From this foundational truth on the nature of Jesus being wholly God, we must conclude that it is heresy to suggest Jesus could have sinned or that there was ever any doubt that he would return from the grave three days after Calvary. Remember, he always retained all the qualities of holiness attributed to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
- The bottom line is that you can redefine the Arian views all you want to make them sound Trinitarian and then exchange the word ‘godhead’ for the use of the word ‘trinity’. But if you limit who Jesus Christ is as being somewhat less than wholly God, then you are really retaining your Arian roots of heresy.
- Since Ellen White never recanted from her earlier Arian statements in support of her husband but merely redefined the meaning of words and phrases, was she really a true prophet of God? Sinners lie, cover up and make mistakes. Since our holy God would not do this, neither would his true prophets when they speak ‘in the name of God’.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised August 22, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.
Official Adventist Resources
Standard Edition Study Guide Week 11
Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 11
Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Wk 11
Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings
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