All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Let My People Think Let My People Think (1) Let my people think. Let them read the word plainly so that they may believe. Redeem the times for we are in the last days. We shall be saved by whom we know and not what we do. There is a judgment. Our actions are weighed in the balances of heaven now to reveal whether we will do what we profess to believe what God has said. This is life and death. Our fellowship should be with the “Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” There is only one God. He lives with his only begotten Son. Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV[4] Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Deuteronomy 4:35,39 KJV[35] Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him. [39] Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. There is a single person who alone is God. He is not a plurality of persons. All the pronouns like thee, thou, him and he are singular. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 KJV[5] And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. [6] And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: [7] And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 10:20 KJV[20] Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. We are to love him. We are to fear him. What is his name? Exodus 15:3 KJV[3] The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. Exodus 6:3 KJV[3] And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. Psalm 68:4 KJV[4] Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. Psalm 83:18 KJV[18] That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. God says he is not a trinity. He is God alone. He has one true name. His Son also was not trinity believer. Jesus revealed his Father as the one true God. Mark 12:32-34 KJV[32] And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: [33] And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. [34] And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. Let My People Think (2) John 17:3 KJV[3] And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 3:16 KJV[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God did not send himself. He sent his only begotten Son. The Son of God was begotten by God. He was sent by God. He had to be begotten before he was sent. He was was not sent and then begotten. It is written. He said he “came out of God.” He “came forth from the Father.” The disciples believed his testimony that he came forth from God. The disciples were not trinitarians. John 16:27-30 KJV[27] For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. [28] I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. [29] His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. [30] Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. John 8:42 KJV[42] Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Proverbs 8:22-25 KJV[22] The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. [23] I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. [24] When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. [25] Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: Proverbs 8:27-31 KJV[27] When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: [28] When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: [29] When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: [30] Then I was by him, as one brought up with him : and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; [31] Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. Jesus has a Father. Jehovah is his God and his Father. They are equal in nature. They are united in purpose. Only the Father is greater than the Son. John 5:18 KJV[18] Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Let My People Think (3) John 10:30 KJV[30] I and my Father are one.John 14:28 KJV[28] Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.John 20:17 KJV[17] Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.1 Corinthians 15:24,27-28 KJV[24] Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. [27] 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. [28] 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. 1 Corinthians 8:4,6 KJV[4] As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. [6] 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. Ephesians 4:4-6 KJV[4] There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; [5] One Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 1 Corinthians 1:9 KJV[9] God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 John 1:3 KJV[3] That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:23 KJV[23] And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 1 John 4:8-10 KJV[8] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. [9] In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. [10] Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:14 KJV[14] And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 1 John 4:15 KJV[15] Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 1 John 5:5 KJV[5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:13 KJV[13] These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 2:21-23 KJV [21] I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. [22] Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. [23] Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 下一篇 圣经里的安息日是哪一天？ 说到安息日呢，各个教派都有各自的看法，各说纷纭。许多基督教派和天主教一样，都称安息日为星期日，基督复临安息日会则说是星期六，而另一些基督徒则说安息日是任你选择的任何一日，都可以是安息日。还有一些人则宣称，我们必须遵守月相安息日。简单来说，月相安息日（Lunar Sabbath）就是每一次月朔之后的第七日就算为安息日，再过七日之后就是第二个安息日，依此类推，直到下一次的月朔，又开始新一轮的循环。 这导致每个月的安息日都会落在不同日，这个月可能落在星期四，而下个月则可能落在星期二。那么到底哪个说法才是真理呢？圣经所谓的安息日是哪一日呢？星期六还是星期日？我们可以自由选择把安息日定在哪一日吗？还是说我们必须使用阴历来得出安息日是哪一日呢？ 今天我们就要来探讨这些问题以寻找真相，以确定我们应当遵守的是哪一日。今天我就给大家介绍五个证明安息日是星期六的理由。 五个证明安息日是星期六的理由： 第一，犹太人素来遵守星期六为安息日 这其实是非常重要的，因为犹太人从几千年以来都一直遵守着星期六，每周的第七日为安息日，从未改变。自从摩西上西奈山从上帝手中领受了十条诫命，而以色列民又从摩西手中领了上帝的律法之后，他们就一直遵守着第四条诫命的安息日，直到今日依然如此。 大家必须知道，安息日的时间段是从星期五的日落开始直到星期六的日落才结束的。因为根据圣经的说法，一日的开始和结束都是在日落。我们在圣经的开头，创世纪这本书中就首次看到了这个概念。上帝在创世的时候顺序以黑夜和白昼视为一天。 创世纪 1：5 上帝称光为昼，称暗为夜。有晚上，有早晨，这是头一日。 换句话说，以晚上作为开始，也就是日落标志着第一日的开始，而随后的日子也同样以日落作为开头和结束。这是上帝在最初所设立的原则。把一日的开始和结束定在午夜12点是人为的杰作，其实是罗马人设立的。 第二，耶稣在星期日复活 圣经里有关耶稣复活的记载能帮助我们辨认哪一日是安息日。 马可福音 16：9 在七日的第一日清早，耶稣复活了，就先向抹大拉的马利亚显现，耶稣从她身上曾赶出七个鬼。 众所周知，耶稣是在星期日复活的。因此，所谓的复活日就落在星期日，是为了纪念基督的牺牲与复活。因此，圣经里七日的第一日是指星期日。既然星期日是第一日，那么可想而知，第七日就必定是星期六了，因为圣经说，安息日是每周的第七日，也就是现今的星期六，而不是每周的第一日即星期日。 出埃及记 20：8-11 “当记念安息日，守为圣日。六日要劳碌作你一切的工，但第七日是向耶和华你上帝当守的安息日。这一日你和你的儿女、仆婢、牲畜，并你城里寄居的客旅，无论何工都不可作，因为六日之内，耶和华造天、地、海和其中的万物，第七日便安息，所以耶和华赐福与安息日，定为圣日。” 第三，天主教把安息日从星期六改成星期日 罗马天主教曾多次公开承认他们把圣经里第七日的安息日改成第一日的星期日。其中一个例子是在天主教教义教理详解中找到。 “问：哪一日是安息日？ 答：星期六是安息日。 问：为什么要守星期日代替安息日？ 答：我们守星期日代替星期六的原因是(公元 336年)天主教在老底嘉大公会议上将星期六的神圣性转移到了星期日…… 问：为什么天主教以星期日代替星期六？ 答：教会以星期日代替星期六是因为基督在星期日从死里复活，圣灵是在星期日降到使徒身上。 问：教会借着什么权柄以星期日代替星期六？ 答：教会以星期日代替星期六是完全借着耶稣所赐她的神圣权柄而行！ （彼得•耶尔曼神父《天主教教义教理详解》第50页） 天主教宣称他们有凌驾于圣经之上的权柄，因此有权力把安息日从星期六改成星期日。但事实上没有任何人或教会有权柄改变上帝的律法，就算是天主教也没有这种权力。上帝的律法是神圣永不改变的，祂也从不曾赐给任何人权柄来改变祂的诫命。 申命记 4：2 所吩咐你们的话，你们不可加添，也不可删减，好叫你们遵守我所吩咐的，就是耶和华你们上帝的命令。 第四，星期六这一天在许多语言中被称为安息日 你知不知道星期六，在世界各地许多语言中的名称相等于安息日，词根也都源自安息日的希伯来文shabbath和希腊文Sabbaton？ 比如说在西班牙语，一周的第七日，即星期六被称为sabado，英文翻译过来就是Sabbath，安息日的意思。在俄罗斯的俄语当中，第七日则被称为Subbota，词根也同样是源于希伯来文shabbat或希腊文Sabbaton，该国守安息日的人被称为Subbotic。马来语和印尼语的第七日都被称为Sabtu，这也与马来语或印尼语的Sabat相似，就是安息日或安息的意思。 这只是许许多多例子中的几个罢了。事实上，在超过100种中古代和现代的语言中，一周的第七日的命名都与Shabbat安息日极其相似。为什么呢？难道这纯粹是巧合吗？肯定不是的！ 其中的原因很简单，由于挪亚的后裔分散在全地上，遍布各个大大小小的国度，虽然他们的语言被混乱了，以至都说不同的语言，但是他们都保存着安息日的知识，并且知道上帝的安息日是在第七日，也就是今天的星期六，因此，他们都以安息日来给第七日命名。我觉得这实在是太奇妙了！ 第五，根据现代权威词典，星期六一律被视为第七日，也是安息日 你要是到在线英文词典dictionary.com搜寻Saturday的话，这里就说，星期六，一周的第七日。同样的，你搜寻Sunday的话呢，它就会告诉你，星期日是一周的第一日。那么你要是到任何汉语词典的软件或网站去搜寻安息日，那里就会说： “《圣经》记载，上帝在六日内创造天地万物，第七日完工休息。犹太教尊这天为圣日，名叫安息日（即星期五日落到星期六日落的一昼夜时间）。这一天礼拜上帝，不做工作。基督教以星期日为安息日，又称主日。” 英文词典也一样，它说：“每周的第七日，星期六，是犹太人和一些基督徒休息和进行宗教活动的日子。这里他还引用了出埃及记20：8-11，即第四条诫命。” 但是第二个安息日的定义是“每周的第一日，星期日，大多数基督徒守这一日，以纪念基督的复活。” 这根本不是圣经的教导，而是跟从罗马天主教的传统。因为我们之前也谈过，天主教滥用自己的权柄，更改了或尝试去更改上帝的安息日，从第七日转变为第一日。 绝大多数的基督教派都说他们遵守第一日，即星期日为安息日，作为纪念基督复活的日子。但是圣经从未教导我们这样做！况且，圣经也不曾说过，第一日已经成了新的安息日，因为耶稣在那一日复活。这个论点是完完全全压根没有任何圣经根据的。 此外，安息日是不能也不可能转变为另一日的。其中一个最明显的原因是因为安息日是给我们纪念上帝的创造大工的，大家可以参考出埃及记 20：8-11。 简单来说，上帝用了六日的时间来创造天地万物和人类的始祖，因此在第七日便安息，祂就赐福予这一日，把它定为圣日，以作为人类纪念上帝伟大的创造大工的日子。倘若上帝有意要设立另一日为安息日的话，比方说星期日，那祂就必须重新创造天地万物，并在星期日安息，再把这一日定为圣日了。只要这事情一天没有发生，那么安息日依然是星期六，每周的第七日。 谈到月相安息日Lunar Sabbath呢，其中一个论点就是，既然犹太人的节期都是根据阴历的，那么安息日也必须根据阴历来设定。但是这也不是根据圣经的教导的。因为圣经里的安息日是根据七天周期的循环，而不是每个月周期的循环。 总而言之，各种证据都显示，圣经里的安息日，确实是星期六，每周的第七日。我们来简单地总结一下。根据圣经，安息日是第七日，耶稣则是在第一日复活，也就是星期日。犹太人千百年来持续遵守着安息日，而他们所遵守为安息日的日子恰恰是星期六。 星期六在许多国家的语言里都与安息日的希伯来原文Shabbat一词相同。各权威词典也告诉我们，星期六是一周的第七日。罗马天主教更承认把第七日的安息日改为第一日，这乃是一项圣经从不支持的更改行动。 说到一些人认为他们可以随意挑选任何一日作为安息日的呢，圣经说，安息日是第七日，而不是七日的任何一日。这神圣的日子是上帝所定下来的，轮不到我们自作聪明，擅自为上帝挑选日子，这样做相当于把自己当成上帝，甚至凌驾于上帝之上。 安息日这个课题其实非常的广阔高深，可以探讨的资料和经文也多不胜数。但是今天我们暂且谈到这里，我们在下一期将继续研究攸关安息日的课题，从圣经中寻找相关安息日的真理，并解开大多数基督徒对安息日所持有的迷思与误解。 愿上帝赐福每一位。 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

返回研究目录 上一篇 下载中文 Read in English 下一篇 救恩归与谁 救恩归与谁？ 启示录 7:9-10 9 “此后，我观看，见有许多的人，没有人能数过来，是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的，站在宝座和羔羊面前，身穿白衣，手拿棕树枝，10 大声喊着说：“愿救恩归与坐在宝座上我们的上帝，也归与羔羊。” 这章节对任何会基本算数的人都很清楚，它说救恩归与两位生物。 就是“做宝座上我们的上帝” ...也... 归于“羔羊”。撒迦利亚也为我们确认了这和平的会议是在这两位生物之间，他写道：“。。。使...两职...之间筹定和平。” 撒迦利亚书 6:12-13 12 “对他说，万军之耶和华如此说：看哪，那名称为大卫苗裔的，他要在本处长起来，并要建造耶和华的殿。13 他要建造耶和华的殿，并担负尊荣，坐在位上掌王权。又必在位上作祭司，使两职之间筹定和平。 使徒行传第7章记载了司提反看见一个异象，他所见的如以下： 使徒行传 7:55-56 55 “但司提反被圣灵充满，定睛望天，看见上帝的荣耀，又看见耶稣站在上帝的右边， 56 就说：“我看见天开了，人子站在上帝的右边。” 因此我们知道耶稣是那 “羔羊”，是站在上帝右边的那位。 但是，那位 “在宝座上” 的上帝是谁？ 以弗所书 1:17-20 17 “求我们主耶稣基督的上帝，荣耀的父，将那赐人智慧和启示的灵赏给你们，使你们真知道他。18 并且照明你们心中的眼睛，使你们知道他的恩召有何等指望，他在圣徒中得的基业有何等丰盛的荣耀；19 并知道他向我们这信的人所显的能力是何等浩大，20 就是照他在基督身上所运行的大能大力，使他从死里复活，叫他在天上坐在自己的右边， 耶稣说… 启示录3：21… “得胜的，我要赐他在我宝座上与我同坐，就如我得了胜，在我父的宝座上与他同坐一般。” 因此在宝座上的那位上帝是天父上帝而在祂右边的是祂儿子耶稣基督。 所以救恩是归与谁呢？ 圣父和圣子！ 救恩并不归与什么 “三位一体神”。 我们不会因”三位一体神”而得救。 我们会因天父上帝和祂儿子耶稣基督得救。 而且这就是为什么敬拜也会归给父上帝和耶稣，直到永永远远。 启示录 5:13 “我又听见在天上、地上、地底下、沧海里和天地间一切所有被造之物都说：“但愿颂赞、尊贵、荣耀、权势都归给坐宝座的和羔羊，直到永永远远。” 由此我们如今也不应该与“三位一体神”相交，而是如圣经所说与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交。 约翰一书 1:3 “我们将所看见、所听见的传给你们，使你们与我们相交。我们乃是与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交的。” 的确，我们乃是与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交的。 也正因为救恩是归于父上帝和祂儿子，所以耶稣确认了永生是基于对父和子这两位的认识。 约翰福音 17:1-3 “耶稣说了这话，就举目望天说：“父啊，时候到了，愿你荣耀你的儿子，使儿子也荣耀你；2 正如你曾赐给他权柄管理凡有血气的，叫他将永生赐给你所赐给他的人。3 认识你独一的真神，并且认识你所差来的耶稣基督，这就是永生。 你是否靠着天父和祂儿子得救？ 还是你被欺骗而敬拜三位一体假神？ 世人必须弃偶像，归向上帝，要服侍那又真又活的上帝 （天父），并等候他儿子（耶稣）从天降临。（帖撒罗尼迦前书1：9-10） 上一篇 返回研究目录 下一篇 到最頂

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next The God of Our Fathers "THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS" (Acts 3:13, 5:30) This page has been created to be a quick go to page for people looking for Bible verses referring to the one true God and His Son. Bible verses are also listed showing the Holy Spirit as being the Spirit of Christ Himself, which He received from God the Father. So please make free use of this page. Share it, copy it and help to spread the truth of the one true God and His Son. God the Father is the One True God. Matthew 4:10 ...'Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.' Matthew 11:25 ...'At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.' (Repeated in Luke 10:21 - Also Reference this verse with Revelation 14:7, Acts 4:24-27 and John 17:1-3) Mark 12:28-34 ...'And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.' John 4:22-24 ...'Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.' John 8:54 ...'Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God.' John 14:1-6 ...'Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.' John 17:1-3 ...'These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' John 20:17 ...'Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.' Acts 3:13 ...'The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.' (Note: The God of the Old Testament fathers was God the Father) Acts 4:24-27 ...'And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed.' Acts 5:30 ...'The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.' 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 ...'As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 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 Corinthians 11:3 ...'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.' 2 Corinthians 1:3 ...'Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.' 2 Corinthians 11:31 ...'The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.' Romans 1:7-9 ...'To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with? my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.' Ephesians 1:2-3 ...'Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.' Ephesians 1:17 ...'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.' Ephesians 4:4-6 ...'There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.' (Please reference this with 1 Corinthians 8:6) Hebrews 9:24 ...'For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.' 1 Timothy 2:3-5 ...'For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, AND one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' Hebrews 12:22-24 ...'But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, AND to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.' 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 ...'For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.' 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 ...'Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.' 2 Thessalonians 2:16 ...'Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.' Philippians 2:11 ...'And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' 1 John 5:20 ...'And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.' Jude 1:4 ...'For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.' Revelation 3:12 ...'Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.' Revelation 7:10 ...'And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.' Revelation 21:22 ...'And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.' Revelation 22:1 ...'And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.' Jesus Christ is the Literal, Begotten Son of God Psalm 2:7 ...'I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.' Proverbs 8:22-30 ...'The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.' (NOTE: 1 Corinthians 1:24 confirms that Christ is 'the wisdom of God') Proverbs 30:4 ...'Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?' Micah 5:2 ...'But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.' John 16:27-29 ...'For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, AND am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.' John 17:7-8 ...'Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.' John 8:42 ...'Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.' Matthew 3:17 ...'And lo a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' Matthew 14:33 ...'Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, of a truth thou art the Son of God.' Matthew 16:15-17 ...'He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.' Matthew 17:5 ...'While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.' Mark 1:1 ...'The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.' Mark 3:11 ...'And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, thou art the Son of God.' John 1:14 ...'And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.' John 1:18 ...'No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.' John 3:16-18 ...'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.' John 3:34-36 ...'For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.' John 5:26 ...'For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.' John 5:43 ...'I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.' John 6:68-69 ...'Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.' John 10:36 ...'Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?' John 11:4 ...'When Jesus heard that, he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.' John 11:27 ...'She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.' John 17:1 ...'These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.' John 20:17 ...'Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.' John 20:31 ...'But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.' Acts 3:13 ...'The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.' Acts 9:19-20 ...'Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.' Romans 1:9 ...'For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.' Romans 8:3 ...'For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.' Ephesians 1:3 ...'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.' Ephesians 3:14 ...'For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Galatians 2:20 ...'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' Galatians 4:4 ...'But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.' Galatians 4:6 ...'And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' Colossians 1:13-15 ...'Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.' 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 ...'For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.' Hebrews 1:1-5 ...'God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?' Hebrews 4:14 ...'Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.' Hebrews 5:5 ...'So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.' 1 Peter 1:3 ...'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.' 1 John 1:3 ...'That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.' 1 John 1:5-7 ...'This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.' 1 John 2:22-24 ...'Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 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.' 1 John 3:8 ...'He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.' 1 John 4:9 ...'In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.' 1 John 4:15 ...'Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.' 1 John 5:5-13 ...'Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record 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 Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.' (PLEASE NOTE: verse 7 is known to be an 'added' verse that is not inspired) 1 John 5:20 ...'And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.' 2 John 1:3 ...'Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.' Revelation 1:5-6 ...'And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.' Revelation 2:18 ...'And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass.' Revelation 3:21 ...'To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.' Revelation 14:1 ...'And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.' The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Son The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God the Father, which He has given to His Son Jesus. These verses show that the Holy Spirit is not a 'third being', but rather the Spirit of Christ, which He has received from God. Job 33:4 ...'The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.' Psalm 51:10-11 ...'Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.' Psalm 139:7 ...'Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?' Joel 2:28 ...'And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.' Matthew 12:15-18 ...'But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.' Matthew 18:20 ...'For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.' Mark 1:8 ...'I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.' Luke 21:14-15 ...'Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.' (Reference this verse with Luke 12:12) Luke 24:49 ...'And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.' (Reference this with Acts 2:33) John 3:34-35 ...'For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.' (Reference this with Acts 2:33) John 4:10 ...'Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and He would have given thee living water.' John 7:37-39 ...'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.)' John 14:17-21 ...'Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.' John 17:22-26 ...'And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.' John 20:21-22 ...'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.' Acts 1:1-2 ...'The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that HE through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.' Acts 2:32-33 ...'This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.' Romans 8:9-10 ...'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. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.' 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 ...'But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.' 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 ...'Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them: and that rock was Christ.' 2 Corinthians 3:17 ...'Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.' 2 Corinthians 13:3-5 ...'Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?' Ephesians 3:14-17 ...'For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love ...' Ephesians 4:7-11 ...'But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that HE might fill all things.) And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.' Galatians 2:20 ...'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' Galatians 4:6 ...'And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' Philippians 1:19 ...'For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.' Colossians 1:27 ...'To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.' Hebrews 1:8-9 ...'But unto the Son he saith, thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.' Titus 3:4-6 ...'But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.' 1 Peter 1:10-11 ...'Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.' 1 John 2:27-28 ...'But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.' Revelation 1:12,13,20 - Revelation 2:1 ...'And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man ... the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.' Revelation 2:18,29 ...'And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass ... He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.' Revelation 3:20 ...'Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.' Revelation 5:6 ...'And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, HAVING seven horns and seven eyes, WHICH ARE the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.' Revelation 22:1 ...'And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.' There are only Two Beings in the Godhead When the Bible speaks of the Godhead (Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20), it is actually referring to God the Father. Paul confirmed in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that the 'HEAD of Christ IS GOD'. So God the Father is the 'God-head'. He is the 'source of all things' (1 Cor.8:6). But we include Christ in the Godhead, because Jesus Christ is the literal Son of God the Father, as shown above, which means Christ is 'OF' the Godhead. And as Colossians 2:9 confirms, all the fulness of the Godhead (God the Father) 'DWELLS IN' Jesus Christ, as Jesus confirmed Himself in John 14:10. But the main purpose of this section is to expose the false trinity doctrine which says there are '3 beings' in the Godhead.Genesis 1:26 ...'And God said, let us make man in our image.' John 1:1-3 ...'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with [THE] God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.' Ephesians 3:9 ...'And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.' Zechariah 6:13 ...'the counsel of peace shall be between them both.' 2 John 1:9 ...'He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.' Luke 10:22 ...'All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.' John 16:3 ...'And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.' 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 ...'For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 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 John 1:3 ...'and truly our fellowship is with the Father, AND with his Son Jesus Christ.' John 17:1-3 ...'Father ... this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, AND Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' 1 Corinthians 1:3 ...'Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, AND from the Lord Jesus Christ.' Ephesians 1:2 ...'Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, AND from the Lord Jesus Christ.' 2 John 1:3 ...'Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, AND from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.' James 1:1 ...'James, a servant of God AND of the Lord Jesus Christ.' 2 Peter 1:2 ...'Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God AND of Jesus our Lord.' 1 John 2:22 ...'Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father AND the Son.' John 15:23 ...'He that hateth me hateth my Father also.' 1 Timothy 2:5 ...'For there is one God, AND one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' John 5:23 ...'That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.' John 8:18 ...'I am one that bear witness of myself, AND the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.' Revelation 21:22-23 ...'And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty AND the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, AND the Lamb is the light thereof.' Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Is the Holy Spirit the Third Highest Being in Heaven Is the Holy Spirit the Third Highest Being in Heaven? The Trinity doctrine teaches 3 CO-EQUAL beings and hence it claims the 3 highest BEINGS in Heaven are therefore the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus the Trinity doctrine declares the Holy Spirit is the third highest being in heaven. But according to Ellen White in the first chapter of Patriarchs and Prophets (p. 35), the third highest being in Heaven before the entrance of sin was Lucifer. And after the fall, Ellen White says Gabriel was the next in line. “It was Gabriel, the angel next in rank to the Son of God, who came with the divine message to Daniel.” — (E.G. White, DA, p. 234) Now consider the following. Who wants to be like the most High and be worshipped and prayed to as God? Isaiah 14:12-14 informs us that this is Satan's desire. Has Satan devised a clever scheme to regain his lost third position and the worship he craves? By Satan creating the Trinity doctrine, it creates a non-existent third being. Satan can then step into that position he has created and not only receives the worship he desires, but he would also effectively regain the position he lost as the third highest being in heaven. This is known as worship by representation and is what Satan has also done with Sunday worship. Has Satan succeeded in accomplishing his goal of being included as deity? If we now believe the Holy Spirit can be worshipped and prayed to just like the Father and the Son, who actually receives our worship? If the Holy Spirit is not a third being then what spirit would we have according to our belief and who would we be giving our adoration to? It would be Satan himself! Below is even a clearer quote from Ellen White that reveals the Holy Spirit is NOT a being let alone the third highest being as the Trinity doctrine claims. She wrote that Satan was second to Christ making Satan the third highest being in heaven. Hence the Holy Spirit is not some third being called “god the holy spirit” as the Trinity doctrine claims but the Spirit of the Father and Son. Below we find that Satan wanted to be next to God and have Christ second to Him. In other words, for the three highest beings in Heaven to be the Father, Satan and Christ. This also proves Ellen White was not a Trinitarian and never saw the Holy Spirit as a third being as some have misunderstood due to her use of the word person in regards to the Holy Spirit. “Satan, who was once a beautiful angel in the heavenly courts, became a fallen angel because HE DID NOT WANT TO OCCUPY A SECONDARY PLACE, BUT TO BE NEXT TO GOD. HE WOULD HAVE THE LORD JESUS BECOME SECOND TO HIM, for his own glory was very precious in his own sight. He was jealous of Christ, the Saviour. Study the Word of God, and see what this jealousy led to in the end. There is nothing to be gained by jealousies. Although in the beginning Satan was an exalted angel of great glory in the heavenly courts, THAT GLORY BECAME EXTINGUISHED THROUGH HIS CRAVING TO BE THE HIGHEST ONE NEXT TO GOD.” — (E.G. White, Ms74, March 20, 1910) This quote from Ellen White proves inarguably that the Holy Spirit is NOT and CANNOT be a third highest CO-EQUAL being in Heaven, and hence is NOT and CANNOT be a being at all. By Satan creating the Trinity doctrine and the idea of the Holy Spirit as a third being, Satan effectively gets his third highest position back, but more importantly, he obtains worship as a god by representation just as he always wanted. Thus the third person in the Trinity is actually Satan! It should be obvious that if you get this wrong you will not be in the kingdom. Note the table for clarity. The Holy Spirit is not included in the Biblical view as it is not a literal being but the Spirit of the Father and Son. Satan used to hold the third highest position in Heaven until he was thrown out and Gabriel took his place. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Roswell F. Cottrell on the Trinity Roswell F. Cottrell on the Trinity More words from one of the founding members of the Seventh day Adventist Church and the truth the Adventist Church was founded on. “He proceeded to affirm that “man is a triune being,” consisting of body, soul and spirit. I never heard a Disciple confess faith in the doctrine of the trinity; but why not, if man consists of three persons in one person? especially, since man was made in the image of God? But the image he said, was a moral likeness. So man may be a triune being without proving that God is. But does he mean that one man is three men? I might say that a tree consists of body, bark and leaves, and no one perhaps would dispute it. But if I should affirm that each tree consists of three trees, the assertion would possibly be doubted by some. But if all admitted that one tree is three trees, I might then affirm that there were ninety trees in my orchard, when no one could count but thirty. I might then proceed and say, I have ninety trees in my orchard, and as each tree consists of three trees, I have two hundred and seventy. So if one man is three men, you may multiply him by three as often as you please. But if it takes body, soul and spirit to make one perfect, living man; then separate these, and the man is unmade.” — (R.F. Cottrell, Review and Herald, November 19, 1857) “The Trinity, or the triune God, is unknown to the Bible; and I have entertained the idea that doctrines which require words coined in the human mind to express them, are coined doctrines.” — (R.F. Cottrell, Review and Herald, June 1, 1869) “That one person is three persons, and that three persons are only one person, is the doctrine which we claim is contrary to reason and common sense. The being and attributes of God are above, beyond, out of reach of my sense and reason, yet I believe them: But the doctrine I object to is contrary, yes, that is the word, to the very sense and reason that God has himself implanted in us. Such a doctrine he does not ask us to believe. A miracle is beyond our comprehension, but we all believe in miracles who believe our own senses. What we see and hear convinces us that there is a power that effected the most wonderful miracle of creation. But our Creator has made it an absurdity to us that one person should be three persons, and three persons but one person; and in his revealed word he has never asked us to believe it. This our friend thinks objectionable... But to hold the doctrine of the Trinity is not so much an evidence of evil intention as of intoxication from that wine of which all the nations have drunk. The fact that this was one of the leading doctrines, if not the very chief, upon which the bishop of Rome was exalted to popedom, does not say much in its favor. This should cause men to investigate it for themselves; as when the spirits of devils working miracles undertake the advocacy of the immortality of the soul. Had I never doubted it before, I would now probe it to the bottom, by that word which modern Spiritualism sets at nought.… Revelation goes beyond us; but in no instance does it go contrary to right reason and common sense. God has not claimed, as the popes have, that he could “make justice of injustice,” nor has he, after teaching us to count, told us that there is no difference between the singular and plural numbers. Let us believe all he has revealed, and add nothing to it.” — (R.F. Cottrell, Review and Herald, July 6, 1869) “But if I am asked what I think of Jesus Christ, my reply is, I believe all that the Scriptures say of him. If the testimony represents him as being in glory with the Father before the world was, I believe it. If it is said that he was in the beginning with God, that he was God, that all things were made by him and for him, and that without him was not anything made that was made, I believe it. If the Scriptures say he is the Son of God, I believe it. If it is declared that the Father sent his Son into the world, I believe he had a Son to send. ... Children inherit the name of their father. The Son of God “hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than the angels.” — (R.F. Cottrell, Review and Herald, June 1, 1869) Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

Back to Contents Previous Download 看中文 Next Denominational Statements on the Sabbath AMERICAN CONGREGATIONALIST QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH The current notion that Christ and His apostles authoritatively substituted the first day for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in the New Testament. —Dr. Layman Abbot, in the Christian Union, June 26, 1890. ANGLICAN QUOTES ABOUTTHE SABBATH And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day... The reason why we keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many other things, not because the Bible, but because the Church, has enjoined it. —Isaac Williams, Plain Sermons on the Catechism, pages 334, 336. BAPTIST QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH There was and is a command to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will however be readily said, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week, with all its duties, privileges and sanctions. Earnestly desiring information on this subject, which I have studied for many years, I ask, where can the record of such a transaction be found: Not in the New Testament – absolutely not. There is no scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week. —Dr. E. T. Hiscox, author of the ‘Baptist Manual’. To me it seems unaccountable that Jesus, during three years' discussion with His disciples, often conversing with them upon the Sabbath question, discussing it in some of its various aspects, freeing it from its false [Jewish traditional] glosses, never alluded to any transference of the day; also, that during the forty days of His resurrection life, no such thing was intimated. Nor, so far as we know, did the Spirit, which was given to bring to their remembrance all things whatsoever that He had said unto them, deal with this question. Nor yet did the inspired apostles, in preaching the gospel, founding churches, counseling and instructing those founded, discuss or approach the subject. Of course I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history as a religious day as we learn from the Christian Fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of Paganism, and christened with the name of the sun-god, then adopted and sanctified by the Papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism. —Dr. E. T. Hiscox, report of his sermon at the Baptist Minister's Convention, in 'New York Examiner,' November 16, 1893 The Scriptures nowhere call the first day of the week the Sabbath. . .There is no Scriptural authority for so doing, nor of course, any Scriptural obligation. —The Watchman. We believe that the law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of His moral government. —Baptist Church Manual, Art. 12. There was never any formal or authoritative change from the Jewish seventh-day Sabbath to the Christian first-day observance. —WILLIAM OWEN CARVER, The Lord's Day in Our Day, page 49. There is nothing in Scripture that requires us to keep Sunday rather than Saturday as a holy day. —Harold Lindsell (editor), Christianity Today, Nov. 5, 1976 BRETHREN QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH With the views of the law and the Sabbath we once held ... and which are still held by perhaps the great majority of the most earnest Christians, we confess that we could not answer Adventists. What is more, neither before or since have I heard or read what would conclusively answer an Adventist in his Scriptural contention that the Seventh day is the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10). It is not 'one day in seven' as some put it, but 'the seventh day according to the commandment.' —Words of Truth and Grace, p. 281. CATHOLIC QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, and all other Christians, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church. —Priest Brady, in an address, reported in the Elizabeth, NJ ‘News’ on March 18, 1903. Protestants ... accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change... But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that ... in observing Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the Church, the pope. —Our Sunday Visitor, February 5th, 1950. Of course these two old quotations are exactly correct. The Catholic Church designated Sunday as the day for corporate worship and gets full credit – or blame – for the change. —This Rock, The Magazine of Catholic Apologetics and Evangelization, p.8, June 1997 Q. Have you any other proofs that they(Protestants) are not guided by the Scripture? A. Yes; so many, that we cannot admit more than a mere specimen into this small work. They reject much that is clearly contained in Scripture, and profess more that is nowhere discoverable in that Divine Book. Q. Give some examples of both? A. They should, if the Scripture were their only rule, wash the feet of one another, according to the command of Christ, in the 13th chap. of St. John; —they should keep, not the Sunday, but the Saturday, according to the commandment, "Remember thou keep holy the SABBATH-day;" for this commandment has not, in Scripture, been changed or abrogated;... —Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism; New York in 1857, page 101 Imprimatuer Q. Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept? A. Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; —she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority. —Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism; New York in 1857, page 174 Q. In what manner can we show a Protestant, that he speaks unreasonably against fasts and abstinences? A. Ask him why he keeps Sunday, and not Saturday, as his day of rest, since he is unwilling either to fast or to abstain. If he reply, that the Scripture orders him to keep the Sunday, but says nothing as to fasting and abstinence, tell him the Scripture speaks of Saturday or the Sabbath, but gives no command anywhere regarding Sunday or the first day of the week. If, then he neglects Saturday as a day of rest and holiness, and substitutes Sunday in its place, and this merely because such was the usage of the ancient Church, should he not, if he wishes to act consistently, observe fasting and abstinence, because the ancient Church so ordained? —Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism; New York in 1857, page 181 Question: Which is the Sabbath day? Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day. Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday. —Rev. Peter Geiermann C.SS .R., The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50 Q. Must not a sensible Protestant doubt seriously, when he finds that even the Bible is not followed as a rule by his co-religionists? A. Surely, when he sees them baptize infants, abrogate the Jewish Sabbath, and observe Sunday for which [pg. 7] there is no Scriptural authority; when he finds them neglect to wash one another's feet, which is expressly commanded, and eat blood and things strangled, which are expressly prohibited in Scripture. He must doubt, if he think at all. … Q. Should not the Protestant doubt when he finds that he himself holds tradition as a guide? A. Yes, if he would but reflect that he has nothing but Catholic Tradition for keeping the Sunday holy; ... —Controversial Catechism by Stephen Keenan, New Edition, revised by Rev. George Cormack, published in London by Burns & Oates, Limited - New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: Benzinger Brothers, 1896, pages 6, 7. The Church, on the other hand, after changing the day of rest from the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day of the week, to the first, made the Third Commandment refer to Sunday as the day to be kept holy as the Lord's Day. The Council of Trent (Sess. VI, can. xix) condemns those who deny that the Ten Commandments are binding on Christians. —The Catholic Encyclopedia, Commandments of God, Volume IV, © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company, Online Edition © 1999 by Kevin Knight, Nihil Obstat - Remy Lafort, Censor Imprimatur - +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York, page 153. The [Roman Catholic] Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. In this matter the Seventh-day Adventist is the only consistent Protestant. —The Catholic Universe Bulletin, August 14, 1942, p. 4. All of us believe many things in regard to religion that we do not find in the Bible. For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath Day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the Church outside the Bible. —The Catholic Virginian, To Tell You The Truth,” Vol. 22, No. 49 (Oct. 3, 1947). ... you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify. —The Faith of Our Fathers, by James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, 88th edition, page 89. Originally published in 1876, republished and Copyright 1980 by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., pages 72-73. Deny the authority of the Church and you have no adequate or reasonable explanation or justification for the substitution of Sunday for Saturday in the Third - Protestant Fourth - Commandment of God... The Church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact.' —Catholic Record, September 1, 1923. But since Saturday, not Sunday, is specified in the Bible, isn't it curious that non-Catholics who profess to take their religion directly from the Bible and not the Church, observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Yes, of course, it is inconsistent; but this change was made about fifteen centuries before Protestantism was born, and by that time the custom was universally observed. They have continued the custom, even though it rests upon the authority of the Catholic Church and not upon an explicit text in the Bible. That observance remains as a reminder of the Mother Church from which the non-Catholic sects broke away - like a boy running away from home but still carrying in his pocket a picture of his mother or a lock of her hair. —The Faith of Millions Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the Church ever did, happened in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed from Saturday to Sunday. "The Day of the Lord" (dies Dominica) was chosen, not from any directions noted in the Scriptures, but from the Church's sense of its own power. The day of resurrection, the day of Pentecost, fifty days later, came on the first day of the week. So this would be the new Sabbath. People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole authority, should logically become 7th Day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy. —Sentinel, Pastor's page, Saint Catherine Catholic Church, Algonac, Michigan, May 21, 1995 If Protestants would follow the Bible, they would worship God on the Sabbath Day. In keeping the Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church. —Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the Cardinal, in a letter dated February 10, 1920. The observance of Sunday by the Protestants is homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church. —Monsignor Louis Segur, ‘Plain Talk about the Protestantism of Today’, p. 213. What Important Question Does the Papacy Ask Protestants? Protestants have repeatedly asked the papacy, "How could you dare to change God's law?" But the question posed to Protestants by the Catholic church is even more penetrating. Here it is officially: You will tell me that Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath, but that the Christian Sabbath has been changed to Sunday. Changed! but by whom? Who has authority to change an express commandment of Almighty God? When God has spoken and said, Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day, who shall dare to say, Nay, thou mayest work and do all manner of worldly business on the seventh day; but thou shalt keep holy the first day in its stead? This is a most important question, which I know not how you can answer. You are a Protestant, and you profess to go by the Bible and the Bible only; and yet in so important a matter as the observance of one day in seven as a holy day, you go against the plain letter of the Bible, and put another day in the place of that day which the Bible has commanded. The command to keep holy the seventh day is one of the ten commandments; you believe that the other nine are still binding; who gave you authority to tamper with the fourth? If you are consistent with your own principles, if you really follow the Bible and the Bible only, you ought to be able to produce some portion of the New Testament in which this fourth commandment is expressly altered. —Library of Christian Doctrine: Why Don't You Keep Holy the Sabbath-Day? (London: Burns and Oates, Ltd.), pp. 3, 4. There is but one church on the face of the earth which has the power, or claims power, to make laws binding on the conscience, binding before God, binding under penalty of hell-fire. For instance, the institution of Sunday. What right has any other church to keep this day? You answer by virtue of the third commandment (the papacy did away with the 2nd regarding the worship of graven images, and called the 4th the 3rd), which says 'Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.' But Sunday is not the Sabbath. Any schoolboy knows that Sunday is the first day of the week. I have repeatedly offered one thousand dollars to anyone who will prove by the Bible alone that Sunday is the day we are bound to keep, and no one has called for the money. It was the holy Catholic Church that changed the day of rest from Saturday, the seventh day, to Sunday, the first day of the week. —T. Enright, C.S.S.R., in a lecture delivered in 1893. Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act. And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters. —C. F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons, in answer to a letter regarding the change of the Sabbath, November 11, 1895. Tradition, not Scripture, is the rock on which the church of Jesus Christ is built. —Adrien Nampon, Catholic Doctrine as Defined by the Council of Trent, p. 157 The Pope is of so great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine law". The pope can modify divine law, since his power is not of man, but of God, and he acts a vicegerent of God upon earth —Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca, art. Papa, II, Vol. VI, p. 29. The leader of the Catholic church is defined by the faith as the Vicar of Jesus Christ (and is accepted as such by believers). The Pope is considered the man on earth who "takes the place" of the Second Person of the omnipotent God of the Trinity. —John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, p. 3, 1994 ...pastoral intuition suggested to the Church the christianization of the notion of Sunday as "the day of the sun", which was the Roman name for the day and which is retained in some modern languages.(29) This was in order to draw the faithful away from the seduction of cults which worshipped the sun, and to direct the celebration of the day to Christ, humanity's true 'sun'. —John Paul II, Dies Domini, 27. The day of Christ-Light, 1998 (Prominent protestant leaders agree with this statement - See here for a statement by Dr. E. T. Hiscox, author of the ‘Baptist Manual’) The Sun was a foremost god with heathen-dom…The sun has worshippers at this hour in Persia and other lands…. There is, in truth, something royal, kingly about the sun, making it a fit emblem of Jesus, the Sun of Justice. Hence the church in these countries would seem to have said, to 'Keep that old pagan name [Sunday]. It shall remain consecrated, sanctified.' And thus the pagan Sunday, dedicated to Balder, became the Christian Sunday, sacred to Jesus. —William Gildea, Doctor of Divinity, The Catholic World, March, 1894, p. 809 The retention of the old pagan name of Dies Solis, for Sunday is, in a great measure, owing to the union of pagan and Christian sentiment with which the first day of the week was recommended by Constantine to his subjects - pagan and Christian alike - as the 'venerable' day of the sun. —Arthur P. Stanley, History of the Eastern Church, p. 184 When St. Paul repudiated the works of the law, he was not thinking of the Ten Commandments, which are as unchangeable as God Himself is, which God could not change and still remain the infinitely holy God. —Our Sunday Visitor, Oct. 7, I951. Question: How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holydays? Answer: By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same Church. —Henry Tuberville, An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine (1833 approbation), p.58 (Same statement in Manual of Christian Doctrine, ed. by Daniel Ferris [1916 ed.], p.67) Some theologians have held that God likewise directly determined the Sunday as the day of worship in the NEW LAW, that he himself has explicitly substituted Sunday for the Sabbath. But this theory is entirely abandoned. It is now commonly held that God simply gave His church the power to set aside whatever day or days she would deem suitable as holy days. The church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days. —Vincent J. Kelly, Forbidden Sunday and Feast-Day Occupations, Washington, DC, Catholic University of America Press, Studies in Sacred Theology, No. 70.,1943, p. 2. If we consulted the Bible only, we should still have to keep holy the Sabbath Day, that is, Saturday, with the Jews, instead of Sunday; ... —A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies, by Rev. John Laux M.A., Benzinger Brothers, 1936 edition, Part 1. Sunday is a Catholic institution, and... can be defended only on Catholic principles.... From beginning to end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public worship from the last day of the week to the first. —Catholic Press, Aug. 25, 1900 The Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday. The Church altered the observance of the Sabbath to the observance of Sunday. Protestants must be rather puzzled by the keeping of Sunday when God distinctly said, 'Keep holy the Sabbath Day.' The word Sunday does not come anywhere in the Bible, so, without knowing it they are obeying the authority of the Catholic Church. —Canon Cafferata, The Catechism Explained, p. 89. Reason and sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either Protestantism and the keeping holy of Saturday, or Catholicity and the keeping holy of Sunday. Compromise is impossible. —John Cardinal Gibbons, The Catholic Mirror, December 23, 1893. CHRISTIAN CHURCH QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH I do not believe that the Lord's day came in the room of the Jewish Sabbath, or that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh to the first day, for this plain reason, where there is no testimony, there can be no faith. Now there is no testimony in all the oracles of heaven that the Sabbath is changed, or that the Lord’s Day came in the room of it. —Alexander Campbell, in The Reporter, October 8, 1921 It has reversed the fourth commandment by doing away with the Sabbath of God's Word, and instituting Sunday as a holiday. —Dr. N. Summerbell, History of the Christian Church, Third Edition, p. 415 There is no direct scriptural authority for designating the first day the Lord's day. —Dr. D. H. Lucas, Christian Oracle, Jan. 23, 1890. The first day of the week is commonly called the Sabbath. This is a mistake. The Sabbath of the Bible was the day just preceding the first day of the week. The first day of the week is never called the Sabbath anywhere in the entire Scriptures. It is also an error to talk about the change of the Sabbath. There never was any change of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. There is not in any place in the Bible any intimation of such a change. —First-Day Observance, pp. 17, 19. CHURCH OF CHRIST QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH But we do not find any direct command from God, or instruction from the risen Christ, or admonition from the early apostles, that the first day is to be substituted for the seventh day Sabbath." "Let us be clear on this point. Though to the Christian 'that day, the first day of the week' is the most memorable of all days ... there is no command or warrant in the New Testament for observing it as a holy day. The Roman Church selected the first day of the week in honour of the resurrection of Christ. ... —Bible Standard, May, 1916, Auckland, New Zealand. ... If the fourth command is binding upon us Gentiles by all means keep it. But let those who demand a strict observance of the Sabbath remember that the seventh day is the ONLY sabbath day commanded, and God never repealed that command. If you would keep the Sabbath, keep it; but Sunday is not the Sabbath. The argument of the 'Seventh-day Adventists' is on one point unassailable. It is the Seventh day not the first day that the command refers to. —G. Alridge, Editor, The Bible Standard, April, 1916. There is no direct Scriptural authority for designating the first day the Lord's day. —DR. D. H. LUCAS, Christian Oracle, Jan. 23, 1890. The first day of the week is commonly called the Sabbath. This is a mistake. The Sabbath of the Bible was the day just preceding the first day of the week. The first day of the week is never called the Sabbath anywhere in the entire Scriptures. It is also an error to talk about the change of the Sabbath. There never was any change of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. There is not in any place in the Bible any intimation of such a change. —First-Day Observance, pages 17, 19. It has reversed the fourth commandment by doing away with the Sabbath of God's Word, and instituting Sunday as a holiday. —DR. N. SUMMERBELL, History of the Christian Church, Third Edition, page 4I5. It is clearly proved that the pastors of the churches have struck out one of God's ten words, which, not only in the Old Testament, but in all revelation, are the most emphatically regarded as the synopsis of all religion and morality. —ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, Debate With Purcell, page 214. I do not believe that the Lord's day came in the room of the Jewish Sabbath, or that the Sabbath was changed from the seventh to the first day, for this plain reason, where there is no testimony, there can be no faith. Now there is no testimony in all the oracles of heaven that the Sabbath was changed, or that the Lord's day came in the room of it. —ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, Washington Reporter, Oct. 8, 1821. CHURCH OF ENGLAND QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH Many people think that Sunday is the Sabbath. But neither in the New Testament nor in the early church is there anything to suggest that we have any right to transfer the observance of the seventh day of the week to the first. The Sabbath was and is Saturday and not Sunday, and if it were binding on us then we should observe it on that day, and on no other. —Rev. Lionel Beere, All-Saints Church, Ponsonby, N.Z. in Church and People, Sept. 1, 1947. Nowhere in the Bible is it laid down that worship should be done on Sunday. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. ...! That is Saturday. —P. Carrington, Archbishop of Quebec, Oct. 27, 1949; cited in Prophetic Signs, p 12. The observance of the first instead of the seventh day rests on the testimony of the church, and the church alone. —Hobart Church News, July 2, 1894; cited in Prophetic Signs, p 14. Where are we told in Scripture that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the Seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day. The reason why we keep the first day holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many things, not because the Bible, but because the Church, has enjoined them. —Rev. Isaac Williams, Ser. on Catechism, p. 334. The seventh day, the commandment says, is the Sabbath of The Lord thy God. No kind of arithmetic, no kind of almanac, can make seven equal one, nor the seventh mean the first, nor Saturday mean Sunday. ... The fact is that we are all Sabbath breakers, every one of us. —Rev. Geo. Hodges. Not any ecclesiastical writer of the first three centuries attributed the origin of Sunday observance either to Christ or to His apostles. —SIR WILLIAM DOMVILLE, Examination of the Six Texts, pages 6, 7. (Supplement). There is no word, no hint, in the New Testament about abstaining from work on Sunday. . . . Into the rest of Sunday no divine law enters…, The observance of Ash Wednesday or Lent stands exactly on the same footing as the observance of Sunday. —CANON EYTON, 'The Ten Commandments, pages 52, 63, 65. Is there any command in the New Testament to change the day of weekly rest from Saturday to Sunday? None. —Manual of Christian Doctrine, page 127. The Lord's day did not succeed in the place of the Sabbath....The Lord's day was merely an ecclesiastical institution. It was not introduced by virtue of the fourth commandment, because for almost three hundred years together they kept that day which was in that commandment...The primitive Christians did all manner of works upon the Lord's day, even in times of persecution, when they are the strictest observers of all the divine commandments; but in this they knew there was none. —BISHOP JEREMY TAYLOR, Ductor Dubitantium, Part I, Book II, Chap. 2, Rule 6. Sec. 51, 59. Sunday being the day on which the Gentiles solemnly adore that planet and called it Sunday, partly from its influence on that day especially, and partly in respect to its divine body (as they conceived it), the Christians thought fit to keep the same day and the same name of it, that they might not appear causelessly peevish, and by that means hinder the conversion of the Gentiles, and bring a greater prejudice than might be otherwise taken against the gospel. —T. M. MORER, Dialogues on the Lord's Day, pages 22, 23. The Puritan idea was historically unhappy. It made Sunday into the Sabbath day. Even educated people call Sunday the Sabbath. Even clergymen do. But, unless my reckoning is all wrong, the Sabbath day lasts twenty-four hours from six o'clock on Friday evening. It gives over, therefore, before we come to Sunday. If you suggest to a Sabbatarian that he ought to observe the Sabbath on the proper day, you arouse no enthusiasm. He at once replies that the day, not the principle, has been changed. But changed by whom? There is no injunction in the whole of the New Testament to Christians to change the Sabbath into Sunday. —D. MORSE-BOYCOTT, Daily Herald, London, Feb. 26, 1931. The Christian church made no formal, but a gradual and almost unconscious transference of the one day to the other. —F.W. FARRAR, D.D., The Voice From Sinai, page 167. Take which you will, either of the Fathers or the moderns, and we shall find no Lord's day instituted by any apostolical mandate; no Sabbath set on foot by them upon the first day of the week. —PETER HEYLYN, History of the Sabbath, page 410. Merely to denounce the tendency to secularise Sunday is as futile as it is easy. What we want is to find some principle, to which as Christians we can appeal, and on which we can base both our conduct and our advice. We turn to the New Testament, and we look in vain for any authoritative rule. There is no recorded word of Christ, there is no word of any of the apostles, which tells how we should keep Sunday, or indeed that we should keep it at all. It is disappointing, for it would make our task much easier if we could point to a definite rule, which left us no option but simple obedience or disobedience. . . . There is no rule for Sunday observance, either in Scripture or history. —DR. STEPHEN, Bishop of Newcastle, N.S.W., in an address reported in the Newcastle Morning Herald, May 14, 1924. CONGREGATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH The Christian Sabbath [Sunday] is not in the Scripture, and was not by the primitive [early Christian] church called the Sabbath. —Timothy Dwight, Theology, sermon 107, 1818 ed., Vol. IV, p. 49 Note: Timothy Dwight (1752-1817) was president of Yale University from 1795-1817. It is quite clear that, however rigidly or devoutly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath ... The Sabbath was founded on a specific divine command. We can plead no such command for the obligation to observe Sunday ... There is not a single sentence in the New Testament to suggest that we incur any penalty by violating the supposed sanctity of Sunday. —Dr. Dale, The Ten Commandments, pp. 106, 107. It must be confessed that there is no law in the New Testament concerning the first day. —Buck's Theological Dictionary page 403. There is no command in the Bible requiring us to observe the first day of the week as the Christian Sabbath. —ORIN FOWLER, A.M., Mode and Subjects of Baptism. The current notion that Christ and His apostles authoritatively substituted the first day for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in the New Testament. —DR. LYMAN ABBOTT, Christian Union, Jan. 18, 1882. DISCIPLES OF CHRIST QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH There is no direct Scriptural authority for designating the first day ‘the Lord’s Day.’ —Dr D.H. Lucas, Christian Oracle, January, 1890 EPISCOPALIAN QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH We have made the change from the seventh day to the first day, from Saturday to Sunday, on the authority of the one holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church of Christ. —Bishop Symour, Why We keep Sunday. The Bible commandment says on the seventh-day thou shalt rest. That is Saturday. Nowhere in the Bible is it laid down that worship should be done on Sunday. —Phillip Carrington, quoted in Toronto Daily Star, Oct 26, 1949 [Carrington (1892-), Anglican archbishop of Quebec, spoke the above in a message on this subject delivered to a packed assembly of clergymen. It was widely reported at the time in the news media]. INFIDEL QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH Probably very few Christians are aware of the fact that what they call the 'Christian Sabbath' (Sunday) is of pagan origin. The first observance of Sunday- that history records is in the fourth century', when Constantine issued an edict (not requiring its religious observance, but simply abstinence from work) reading, 'let all the judges and people of the town rest and all the various trades be suspended on the venerable day of the sun.' At the time of the issue of this edict, Constantine was a sun-worshipper; therefore it could have had no relation whatever to Christianity. —HENRY M. TABER. Faith or Fact (preface by Robert G. Ingersoll), page 112. I challenge any priest or minister of the Christian religion to show me the slightest authority for the religious observance of Sunday. And, if such cannot be shown by them, why is it that they are constantly preaching about Sunday as a holy day? … The claim that Sunday takes the place of Saturday, and that because the Jews were supposed to be commanded to keep the seventh day of the week holy, therefore the first day of the week should be so kept by Christians, is so utterly absurd as to be hardly worth considering....That Paul habitually observed and preached on the seventh day of the week, is shown in Acts 18:4-'And be reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath' (Saturday). —Id., pages ,114, 116. LUTHERAN QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH The observance of the Lord's Day (Sunday) is founded not on any command of God, but on the authority of the Church." Augsburg Confession of Faith. They [the Catholics] allege the Sabbath changed into Sunday, the Lord's day, contrary to the Decalogue, as it appears, neither is there any example more boasted of than the changing of the Sabbath day. Great, say they, is the power and authority of the church, since it dispensed with one of the Ten Commandments. —Augsburg Confession of Faith, Art. 28, par. 9. They [Roman Catholics] allege the change of the Sabbath into the Lord's day, as it seemeth, to the Decalogue [the ten commandments]; and they have no example more in their mouths than they change of the Sabbath. They will needs have the Church's power to be very great, because it hath dispensed with the precept of the Decalogue. —The Augsburg Confession, 1530 A.D. (Lutheran), part 2, art 7, in Philip Schaff, the Creeds of Christiandom, 4th Edition, vol 3, p64 [this important statement was made by the Lutherans and written by Melanchthon, only thirteen years after Luther nailed his theses to the door and began the Reformation]. For up to this day mankind has absolutely trifled with the original and most special revelation of the Holy God, the ten words written upon the tables of the Law from Sinai. —Crown Theological Library, page I78. The Christians in the ancient church very soon distinguished the first day of the week, Sunday; however, not as a Sabbath, but as an assembly day of the church, to study the Word of God together, and to celebrate the ordinances one with another: without a shadow of doubt, this took place as early as the first part of the second century. —Bishop GRIMELUND, History of the Sabbath, page 60. The festival of Sunday, like all other festivals, was always only a human ordinance. —AUGUSTUS NEANDER, History of the Christian Religion and Church, Vol. 1, page 186. I wonder exceedingly how it came to be imputed to me that I should reject the law of Ten Commandments...Whosoever abrogates the law must of necessity abrogate sin also. —MARTIN LUTHER, Spiritual Antichrist, pages 71, 72. We have seen how gradually the impression of the Jewish Sabbath faded from the mind of the Christian church, and how completely the newer thought underlying the observance of the first day took possession of the church. We have seen that the Christian of the first three centuries never confused one with the other, but for a time celebrated both. —The Sunday Problem, a study book by the Lutheran Church (1923) p.36 But they err in teaching that Sunday has taken the place of the Old Testament Sabbath and therefore must be kept as the seventh day had to be kept by the children of Israel .... These churches err in their teaching, for scripture has in no way ordained the first day of the week in place of the Sabbath. There is simply no law in the New Testament to that effect —John Theodore Mueller, Sabbath or Sunday, pp.15, 16 LUTHERAN FREE CHURCH QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH For when there could not be produced one solitary place in the Holy Scriptures which testified that either the Lord Himself or the apostles had ordered such a transfer of the Sabbath to Sunday, then it was not easy to answer the question: Who has transferred the Sabbath, and who has the right to do it? —George Sverdrup, ‘A New Day.’ METHODIST QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH This 'handwriting of ordinances' our Lord did blot out, take away, and nail to His cross. (Colossians 2: 14.) But the moral law contained in the Ten Commandments, and enforced by the prophets, He did not take away.... The moral law stands on an entirely different foundation from the ceremonial or ritual law. ...Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind and in all ages. —JOHN WESLEY, Sermons on Several Occasions, 2-Vol. Edition, Vol. I, pages 221, 222. No Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral. —Methodist Church Discipline, (I904), page 23. The Sabbath was made for MAN; not for the Hebrews, but for all men. —E.O. HAVEN, Pillars of Truth, page 88. The reason we observe the first day instead of the seventh is based on no positive command. One will search the Scriptures in vain for authority for changing from the seventh day to the first. The early Christians began to worship on the first day of the week because Jesus rose from the dead on that day. By and by, this day of worship was made also a day of rest, a legal holiday. This took place in the year 321. The reason we observe the first day instead of the seventh is based on no positive command. One will search the Scriptures in vain for authority for changing from the seventh day to the first... Our Christian Sabbath, therefore, is not a matter of positive command. It is a gift of the church... —CLOVIS G. CHAPPELL, Ten Rules for Living, page 61. Sabbath in the Hebrew language signifies rest, and is the seventh day of the week... and it must be confessed that there is no law in the New Testament concerning the first day. —Charles Buck, A Theological Dictionary, Sabbath In the days of very long ago the people of the world began to give names to everything, and they turned the sounds of the lips into words, so that the lips could speak a thought. In those days the people worshiped the sun because many words were made to tell of many thoughts about many things. The people became Christians and were ruled by an emperor whose name was Constantine. This emperor made Sunday the Christian Sabbath, because of the blessing of light and heat which came from the sun. So our Sunday is a sun-day, isn't it? —Sunday School Advocate, Dec. 31, 1921. The moral law contained in the Ten Commandments, and enforced by the prophets, He [Christ] did not take away. It was not the design of His coming to revoke any part of this. This is a law which never can be broken... Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind and in all ages; as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstances liable to change, but on the nature of God and the nature of man, and their unchangeable relation to each other. —JOHN WESLEY, Sermons on Several Occasions, Vol. I, Sermon XXV. The Sabbath instituted in the beginning, and confirmed again and again by Moses and the prophets, has never been abrogated. A part of the moral law, not a jot or a tittle of its sanctity has been taken away. —New York Herald 1874, on the Methodist Episcopal Bishops Pastoral 1874 MISCELLANEOUS QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH You will tell me that Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath, but that the Christian Sabbath has been changed to Sunday. Changed! But by whom? Who has authority to change an express commandment of Almighty God? When God has spoken and said, 'Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day,' who shall dare to say, 'Nay, thou mayest work and do all manner of business on the seventh day; but thou shalt keep holy the first day in its stead'? This is a most important question, which I know not how you can answer. You are a Protestant, and you profess to go by the Bible and the Bible only; and yet in so important a matter as the observance of one day in seven as a holy day, you go against the plain letter of the Bible, and put another day in the place of that day which the Bible has commanded. The command to keep holy the seventh day is one of the Ten Commandments; you believe that the other nine are still binding; who gave you authority to tamper with the fourth? If you are consistent with your own principles, if you really follow the Bible and the Bible only, you ought to be able to produce some portion of the New Testament in which this fourth commandment is expressly altered. —The Library of Christian Doctrine, pages 3, 4. The first precept in the Bible is that of sanctifying the seventh day: 'God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.' Genesis 2:3. This precept was confirmed by God in the Ten Commandments: 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep It holy. ...The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.' Exodus 20: 8, 10. On the other hand, Christ declares that He is not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. (Matthew 5: 17.) He Himself observed the Sabbath: 'And, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.' Luke 4: r6. His disciples likewise observed it after His death: 'They . . . rested the Sabbath day, according to the commandment.' Luke 23: 56. Yet with all this weight of Scripture authority for keeping the Sabbath or seventh day holy, Protestants of all denominations make this a profane day and transfer the obligation of it to the first day of the week, or the Sunday. Now what authority have they for doing this? None at all but the unwritten word, or tradition of the Catholic Church, which declares that the apostle made the change in honour of Christ's resurrection, and the descent of the Holy Ghost on that day of the week. —JOHN MILNER, The End of Religious Controversy, page 71. Sabbath means, of course, Saturday, the seventh day of the week, but the early Christians changed the observance to Sunday, to honour the day on which Christ arose from the dead. —FULTON OURSLER. Cosmopolitan, Sept. 1951, pages 34, 35. I do not pretend to be even an amateur scholar of the Scriptures. I read the Decalogue merely as an average man searching for guidance, and in the immortal 'Ten Words' I find a blueprint for the good life. —Id., page 33. Most certainly the Commandments are needed today, perhaps more than ever before. Their divine message confronts us with a profound moral challenge in an epidemic of evil; a unifying message acceptable alike to Jew, Moslem, and Christian. Who, reading the Ten in the light of history and of current events, can doubt their identity with the eternal law of nature? —Id., page 124. The Sabbath is commanded to be kept on the seventh day. It could not be kept on any other day. To observe the first day of the week or the fourth is not to observe the Sabbath. . . . It was the last day of the week, after six days of work, that was to be kept holy. The observance of no other day would fulfil the law. —H. J. FLOWERS, B.A., B.D., The Permanent Value of the Ten Commandments, page 13. The evaluation of Sunday, the traditionally accepted day of the resurrection of Christ, has varied greatly throughout the centuries of the Christian Era. From time to time it has been confused with the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath. English speaking peoples have been the most consistent in perpetuating the erroneous assumption that the obligation of the fourth commandment has passed over to Sunday. In popular speech, Sunday is frequently, but erroneously, spoken of as the Sabbath. —F. M. SETZLER, Head Curator, Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institute, from a letter dated Sept. 1, 1949. He that observes the Sabbath aright holds the history of that which it celebrates to be authentic, and therefore believes in the creation of the first man; in the creation of a fair abode for man in the space of six days; in the primeval and absolute creation of the heavens and the earth, and, as a necessary antecedent to all this, in the Creator, who at the close of His latest creative effort, rested on the seventh day. The Sabbath thus becomes a sign by which the believers in a historical revelation are distinguished from those who have allowed these great facts to fade from their remembrance. —JAMES G. MURPHY, Commentary on the Book of Exodus, comments on Exodus 20: 8-11. MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This fourth commandment begins with the word 'remember,' showing that the Sabbath already existed when God wrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away with when they will admit that the other nine are still binding? —D.L. MOODY, Weighed and Wanting, page 47. I honestly believe that this commandment [the fourth, or Sabbath commandment] is just as binding today as it ever was. I have talked with men who have said that it has been abrogated, but they have never been able to point to any place in the Bible where God repealed it. When Christ was on earth, He did nothing to set it aside; He freed it from the traces under which the scribes and Pharisees had put it, and gave it its true place. 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.' It is just as practicable and as necessary for men today as it ever was-in fact, more than ever, because we live in such an intense age. —Id., page 46. This Fourth is not a commandment for one place, or one time, but for all places and times. —D.L. Moody, at San Francisco, Jan. 1st, 1881. PRESBYTERIAN QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH The Christian Sabbath (Sunday) is not in the Scriptures, and was not by the primitive church called the Sabbath. —Dwight's Theology, Vol. 14, p. 401. A further argument for the perpetuity of the Sabbath we have in Matthew 24:20, Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day. But the final destruction of Jerusalem was after the Christian dispensation was fully set up (AD 70). Yet it is plainly implied in these words of the Lord that even then Christians were bound to strict observation of the Sabbath. —Works of Jonathon Edwards, (Presby.) Vol. 4, p. 621. We must not imagine that the coming of Christ has freed us from the authority of the law; for it is the eternal rule of a devout and holy life, and must therefore be as unchangeable as the justice of God, which it embraced, is constant and uniform. —JOHN CALVIN, Commentary on a Harmony of the Gospels, Vol. 1, page 277. God instituted the Sabbath at the creation of man, setting apart the seventh day for the purpose, and imposed its observance as a universal and perpetual moral obligation upon the race. —American Presbyterian Board of Publication, Tract No. 175. The observance of the seventh-day Sabbath did not cease till it was abolished after the [Roman] empire became Christian, ... —American Presbyterian Board of Publication, Tract No. 118. The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that not only in regard to the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator who gave it. Neither doth Christ in the gospel in any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation. —Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap. 19, Art. 5. The Sabbath is a part of the Decalogue-the Ten Commandments. This alone for ever settles the question as to the perpetuity of the institution ... Until, therefore, it can be shown that the whole moral law has been repealed, the Sabbath will stand...The teaching of Christ confirms the perpetuity of the Sabbath. —T.C. BLAKE, D.D., Theology Condensed, pages 474, 475. Sunday being the first day of which the Gentiles solemnly adored that planet and called it Sunday, partly from its influence on that day especially, and partly in respect to its divine body (as they conceived it) the Christians thought fit to keep the same day and the same name of it, that they might not appear carelessly peevish, and by that means hinder the conversion of the Gentiles, and bring a greater prejudice that might be otherwise taken against the gospel —T.M. Morer, Dialogues on the Lord's Day There is no word, no hint in the New Testament about abstaining from work on Sunday. The observance of Ash Wednesday, or Lent, stands exactly on the same footing as the observance of Sunday. Into the rest of Sunday no Divine Law enters. —Canon Eyton, in The Ten Commandments. Some have tried to build the observance of Sunday upon Apostolic command, whereas the Apostles gave no command on the matter at all.... The truth is, so soon as we appeal to the litera scripta [literal writing] of the Bible, the Sabbatarians have the best of the argument. —The Christian at Work, April 19, 1883, and Jan. 1884 PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH The day is now changed from the seventh to the first day ... but as we meet with no Scriptural direction for the change, we may conclude it was done by the authority of the church. —‘Explanation of Catechism’ SOUTHERN BAPTIST QUOTES ABOUT THE SABBATH The sacred name of the Seventh day is Sabbath. This fact is too clear to require argument [Exodus 20:10 quoted]… on this point the plain teaching of the Word has been admitted in all ages… Not once did the disciples apply the Sabbath law to the first day of the week, -- that folly was left for a later age, nor did they pretend that the first day supplanted the seventh. —Joseph Hudson Taylor, ‘The Sabbatic Question’, p. 14-17, 41. The first four commandments set forth man's obligations directly toward God.... But when we keep the first four commandments, we are likely to keep the other six. . . . The fourth commandment sets forth God's claim on man's time and thought.... The six days of labour and the rest on the Sabbath are to be maintained as a witness to God's toil and rest in the creation. . . . No one of the ten words is of merely racial significance.... The Sabbath was established originally (long before Moses) in no special connection with the Hebrews, but as an institution for all mankind, in commemoration of God's rest after the six days of creation. It was designed for all the descendants of Adam. —Adult Quarterly, Southern Baptist Convention series, Aug. 15, 1937. Previous Back to Contents Next Top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next The Spirit of Jesus is Our Comforter WE HAVE BEEN LIED TO. THE SPIRIT OF JESUS IS OUR COMFORTER. NOT SOME OTHER GOD AS THE TRINITY CLAIMS! “This refers to the omnipresence of the Spirit of Christ, called the Comforter.” — (Ellen G. White, 14MR 179.2) “Let them study the seventeenth of John, and learn how to pray and how to live the prayer of CHRIST. HE is THE Comforter. He will abide in their hearts, making their joy full.” — (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, January 27, 1903) “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.” — (Ellen G. White, 19MR 297.3) “Christ is to be known by the blessed name of Comforter. “The Comforter,” said Christ to His disciples, “which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you, [John 14:26 quoted]” — (E.G. White, Ms7-1902, January 26, 1902) “The Saviour is our Comforter. This I have proved Him to be.” — (Ellen G. White, 8MR 49.3) Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14:18 __________________________________________________________ NOTE: God raised the Adventist Church as non-Trinitarian. The Trinity doctrine was slowly brought into the Adventist Church long AFTER the death of Ellen White and the pioneers by a suspected Jesuit who is also a known Freemason. The idea of the Holy Spirit as another being was Satan's idea so he could get worship for his creation. The real truth is that the “Holy Spirit” is the power and presence of God and of Christ which can function independently of themselves like a third (but not a literal third) and is how “They” represent “Themselves” where they are not personally present. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Christ Appeared to the Patriachs and Prophets I’m citing a few passage below where the “Almighty” appeared or spoke directly to the patriarchs and the prophets: Gen 35:11 And God said unto him[Jacob], I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; Gen 48:3 “3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, Exodus 6:1-3 “Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them. Exodus 33:11 “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.” Exodus 33: 19-23 "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live……And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. The Almighty appearing to the patriarchs are generally understood to mean that the Father appeared to them... And yet, we are told that no one has seen God: John 1:18 “No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. John 5:37 “And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, NOR SEEN HIS SHAPE.” 1 Tim. 6:13-16. “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things...who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom NO MAN HATH SEEN, NOR CAN SEE; to whom be honor and power everlasting." The way I reconcile these seemingly contradictory statement is that Christ acted in Father's stead as the God of the Old Testament. both Scripture and SOP (if you believe in the writings of Ellen White) make it pretty clear. One thing most people overlook is that the “Almighty” that spoke to Moses on the Mount Sinai actually appeared to him as the “Angel of the Lord.” "Behold, I send an ANGEL before thee, to keep thee in the way, and TO BRING THEE INTO THE PLACE WHICH I HAVE PREPARED. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for HE WILL NOT PARDON YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS: FOR MY NAME IS IN HIM." (Ex. 23:20,21) "And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an ANGEL OF THE LORD in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, THE VOICE OF THE LORD came unto him, Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold." (Acts 7:30-32) "This is he [Moses], that was in the church in the wilderness with the ANGEL which SPAKE TO HIM in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us." (v. 38) [mine] “Christ is the One THROUGH WHOM God has AT ALL TIMES revealed Himself to man. “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 Corinthians 8:6. “This is he [Moses], that was in the church in the wilderness with the Angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us.” Acts 7:38. This Angel was the Angel of God’s presence (Isaiah 63:9), THE ANGEL IN WHOM WAS THE NAME OF THE GREAT JEVOHAH (Exodus 23:20-23). THE EXPRESSION CAN REFER TO NO OTHER THAN THE SON OF GOD.” {PP 761.4} “The priest went through the ceremony of his official work. He took the child in his arms, and held it up before the altar. After handing it back to its mother, he inscribed the name “Jesus” on the roll of the first-born. Little did he think, as the babe lay in his arms, that it was the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory. The priest did not think that this babe was the One of whom Moses had written, “A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you.” Acts 3:22. HE DID NOT THINK THAT THIS BABE WAS HE WHOSE GLORY MOSES HAD ASKED TO SEE. But One greater than Moses lay in the priest’s arms; and when he enrolled the child’s name, he was enrolling the name of One who was the foundation of the whole Jewish economy. {DA 52.2} Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

All trinity studies Previous Download Next Who is Jesus to Me Who is Jesus to Me? Jesus is the Son of the one true God who loves His Son very much. And yet His Father loves us so much that he sent His only begotten Son to die for us. (John 3:16) And yet it seems with all the lies that Satan has perpetuated, that people are questioning this and the hundreds of Scriptures that state ever so clearly that they are a Father and Son, and that there was a risk of eternal loss. Yet this is the mindset Satan has successfully got people to take. There is only one way you can be a Father and Son. And that means that the only being that has always existed, and had no beginning is the one true God the Father. However, in a sense Jesus has always existed. But as God’s Son, he had a beginning and came from what is known as the days of eternity. The time before all things were created. Consider the following. If we could travel at a septuagintacentillion times the speed of light in any one direction, would we ever find the end of the universe, like perhaps a wall with a sign saying this is the end? And if so, what would be on the other side of that wall? And what existed before God created all things through His Son? Was it nothing? And how long did nothing exist for if that was the case? It would have to be forever. And what about God, when did He begin to exist and who created Him? The answer is that there was never a time He did not exist and hence could never have been created. He is God and has always been and so is without beginning. And what about the Son of God who was born of the same substance of God? The same applies. Since Christ is the same substance of His Father, then everything He consists of had no beginning. So His divinity had no beginning, His makeup; His nature had no beginning as it all came from the Father. So in principle, everything Christ is had no beginning. If you trace Christ back you will have to go through the Father and you will never get to a beginning. But His personality as the Son of God began when He was brought forth by His Father. So in effect it was only the personality of Christ that had a beginning. And why should we care if He did? Does this make Him any less of a Saviour? He is God’s Son! So why do some insist on trying to make Christ conform to the image they have of Him before they will accept Him? They expect Christ to be a second god identical to His Father in every way and thus reject Him as being a real Son. And yet the truth of Christ being God's Son is so precious. Just think about it for a moment. Christ is God's very own Son whom He loves very much! Why would anyone desire to destroy this precious Father and Son relationship? There is one being that desires to do this. He wanted to be worshipped like the most high and was jealous of God’s Son. It is Satan! His plan is to have us deny Jesus is the Son of God. Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top

独一真神中文事工坚定和致力于遵循基督复临安息日会先贤於1889年实践和相信的基本原则。 独一真神中文事工坚守 1889 年基督复临安息日会所实践和相信的基本原则，并承认这些原则已得到圣灵的确认和见证（《信函》第95号，1905年,原文第3段），因此“是以绝无疑问的权威为根据的”。 主的使者——怀爱伦 (Ellen G. White) 写道： "上帝要我们坚持基本的原则 ，这些原则乃是以绝无疑问的权威为根据的 " （《教会证言-卷八》，原文第298页，第2段） "有一件事是肯定的，很快就要实现，就是大背道。大背道正在发展扩张，日益加强，并继续增长到主发出呼叫的声音从天降临之日 。我们务须坚守我们教会早期信仰的原则 ，并向前迈进，力量和信心也随着增长。我们应持守从我们经验的早期直到现今上帝的圣灵所支持证实的信仰 。我们现在需要对圣灵的领导有更广大、更深切、更恳挚和坚定不移的信仰。假如我们在早期需要圣灵能力的彰显，作为凭据，来证明真理，现在年载消逝，时至今日，人心正离弃信仰，跟随引诱人的邪灵和鬼魔的道理 ，我们仍需要一切证明真理的凭据，现在切不可有任何灵魂渐渐衰弱。假如在什么时候，我们需要有圣灵的能力灌注在我们的谈话中，在我们的祷告中，在每一项建议的行动中，那就是现在了。我们不要停滞在早期的经验上，固然我们向人们宣讲的还是同样的信息，但这信息应予以加强和扩大 。我们应根据这信息可靠的神圣来源，看出并认明它的重要性。我们务须竭力追求认识耶和华，就可知道他出现确如晨光。我们的心灵极需从万能之源而来的复苏。我们可从过去的经验得着力量和鼓励，而这些经验曾导引我们获致真理的要点，使我们成为现在这一群——安息日复临信徒 。"(《信函》 第326号, 1905年，原文第2段) 先贤怀雅各(James S. White)写道： “安息日复临信徒这个名字确实代表了我们的信仰和实践，这一点是无可否认的。 它是谦虚和谦卑的，并且指向圣父和圣子 ，这也是毫无疑问的 。 那么，每个热爱现代真理的人岂不应该全心全意地采用它吗？” （《复临信徒评论与安息日通讯》，1861 年 11 月 19 日，原文第197页，第12段）[ARSH, Nov. 19, 1861, p. 197.12] 1889年基督复临安息日会信徒的基本原则 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTI S TS IN 1889 中文 English 中英对照 正如其他地方所述，基督复临安息日会没有任何信条，只有圣经； 但是他们持守一些明确定义的信仰，为此他们准备好为“每个询问”他们的人提供理由。 以下陈述可被视为他们宗教信仰主要特征的摘要， 据我们所知，这些都是全体信徒一致同意的。他们相信，—— 一、有一位上帝，一个有位格的灵体生物，是万物的创造主，是全能、全知、及永恒的，有无穷的智慧、圣洁、公义、良善、诚实和慈爱；是永不改变的，藉着祂的代表，即圣灵，祂无处不在。（诗 139：7） 二、有一位主——耶稣基督，永恒之父的儿子，父藉着祂创造了万物，万有也靠祂而立； 祂取了亚伯拉罕后裔的本性，以救赎我们堕落的人类； 祂住在人间，满有恩典和真理，一生为我们的榜样，为我们牺牲，为叫我们称义而被复活，升到高处，成为我们在天上圣所的唯一中保，在那里，藉着祂流血的功劳， 祂使所有悔改归向祂的人的罪孽得到赦免和宽恕； 作为祂作祭司工作的结束部分，在祂作王登上宝座前，祂将为他们的罪孽行大赎罪，他们的罪将被涂抹（徒 3：19）并从圣所除去，如那预示和代表了我们的主在天上事工的利未祭司的职任所示。见利 16; 希 8：4，5; 9：6，7; 等。 三、旧约和新约圣经，都是上帝所默示的，其中包含上帝向人类对祂旨意的全部启示。圣经是信仰和实践的唯一无误准绳。 四，洗礼是基督教会的礼节，遵循信心和悔改，——是我们纪念基督复活的一个礼节，因为藉着这一行为，我们表明我们对祂的埋葬和复活的信心，也藉此，对所有圣徒在末日的复活存有信心；并且没有其他方式比圣经所规定的方式更恰当地代表这些事实，即全身受浸。罗 6：3-5；西 2：12。 五，重生包括使我们进入上帝的国度所需要的全部改变，其中包含两个部分；首先，悔改归主和基督化生活所带来的道德改变（约 3：3，5）；第二，基督复临时身体的变化，如果我们死了，我们就复活成为不朽坏的，如果我们活着，就在一霎时，眨眼之间变成不死的。路 20：36；林前 15：51，52。 六，预言是上帝对人的一部分启示；它包含在对教导人有益的圣经中（提后 3：16）；它是给我们和我们的子孙的（申 29：29）；远非笼罩在难以测透的奥秘之中，它特别构成上帝的圣言，作我们脚前的灯和路上的光（诗 119：105；彼后 1：19）；凡研究它的必得祝福（启 1：1-3）；因此，上帝的子民应该充分理解它，以向他们表明他们在世界历史中所处的位置以及他们手中特殊的责任。 七，从过去的特定日期开始的世界历史，帝国的兴衰，以及按时间顺序发生的事件，一直到上帝永恒国度的建立，都在无数伟大的预言链中概述；除了最后的几幕场景外，这些预言都已经应验了。 八，普世悔改和属世的千禧年之道理是末时的虚谎，旨在使人们陷入肉体的安逸之中，并使主的大日临到他们，像夜间的贼一样（帖前 5：3）；基督的复临是在千禧年之前，而不是之后；因为直到主显现之前，罗马天主教皇势力及其一切可憎之物将继续存在（帖后 2：8），麦子和稗子一起生长（太 13：29，30，39），作恶的和迷惑人的，必越久越恶，正如上帝的话语所宣告的（提后 3：1，13）。 九，1844年复临信徒的错误只攸关当时要发生的事件的性质，而与事件发生的时间无关 ；即没有预言时期是为计算第二次降临而给予的，但最长的一个预言时期，即 但 8：14 中的二千三百日，已于1844年结束，并为我们指向一个称为洁净圣所的事件。 十，新约的圣所就是上帝在天上的帐幕，保罗在希伯来书第8章及之后的章节中谈到了这一点，即是我们的主作为大祭司供职的地方；这个圣所是摩西帐幕所预表的实体，而与此相关的，我们的主作祭司的工作则是前一个时代犹太祭司工作的实体（来 8：1-5 等）；这个天上圣所，而不是地球，是在二千三百日结束时要被洁净的，在这种情况下，所谓的洁净，正如在预表中一样，只是大祭司进入至圣所，完成与此相关的圣职，藉着进行赎罪的工作并从圣所中除去通过在第一层圣所的供职转移到至圣所的罪孽（利 16; 来 9：22，23）；这项工作的实体始于 1844 年，在于涂抹信徒的罪（徒 3：19），并且占据了短暂但不确定的时期，在其结束时，对世界进行的怜悯之工作就会结束，届时基督将会第二次降临。 十一，上帝的道德要求在每一个时代对所有人都是相同的； 这些都已概括地包含在耶和华在西奈山上颁布的诫命中，刻在石版上，并存放在柜中，因此这柜被称为“约柜”，或法柜（民 10：33；来 9：4等）； 这律法是不可变更和永远长存的，是存放在天上真正圣所的约柜中之石版的副本，出于同样的原因，约柜也被称为上帝的法柜； 因为在第七号吹响时，我们得知“上帝天上的殿开了，在祂殿中现出祂的约柜”。 启 11：19。 十二，该律法的第四条诫命要求我们在每周的第七日（普遍称为星期六）禁戒我们自己的工作，并履行神圣和宗教的职责； 这是圣经中唯一指明的每周的安息日，是在失去乐园之前所分别的日子（创 2：2,3），也是在恢复乐园后将继续遵守的一日（赛 66：22,23）； 这些安息日制度所依据的事实将其限制在第七日，因为它们并不适用于任何其他日子；犹太人的安息日（应用于第七日）和基督教的安息日（应用于一周的第一日）这些术语都是人类发明的名称，事实上不符合圣经，而且含义错误。 十三，作为大罪人，罗马教皇必想改变节期和律法（上帝的律法，但 7：25），并且在第四条诫命上误导了几乎整个基督教界，我们发现了一个与此相关的预言，论到在基督复临之前，这方面的改革将在信徒中进行。 赛 56：1，2； 彼前 1：5； 启 14：12等。 十四，基督的跟随者应该是一群独特的子民，不追随世界的规律，也不效法世界的做法；不喜爱其欢乐，也不纵容其愚行； 正如使徒所说：“所以凡想要与世俗为友的，就是与上帝为敌了。”（雅 4：4）； 基督说我们不能有两个主，或者同时又侍奉上帝，又侍奉玛门。 太 6：24。 十五，圣经坚决提倡，对于凡宣称自己是那“心里柔和谦卑”之主的门徒来说，着装朴素和端庄是门徒身份的显着标志，根据提前 2：9，10； 彼前 3：3，4等经文，以黄金、珍珠和贵价的衣裳为妆饰，或任何仅仅为了装饰个人和培养本性的骄傲而设计的东西，都应该弃绝。 十六，支持福音工作的收入来源应该出自人们对上帝的爱和对世人的爱，而不是透过教会彩票或旨在促进罪人爱宴乐、放纵食欲的活动来筹集。例如集市 、节庆、牡蛎晚餐、茶会、扫帚、驴和疯狂的社交活动等等，这些都是自称是基督的教会的耻辱；从前的体制对人们收入所要求的比例，在福音时代也不能少。；亚伯拉罕也是如此（我们既属乎基督，就是亚伯拉罕的后裔，加 3：29），他把将自己所得来的，取十分之一给麦基洗德（基督的预表）（来 7：1-4）； 因为十分之一是属于耶和华的（利 27：30）；除了人们收入的十分一之外，有能力的人也需以额外的捐献来补足，以支持福音的工作。 林后 9：6； 玛 3：8,10。 十七，由于顺性或属肉体的心是与上帝和祂的律法为敌的，这种敌意唯有藉着将不圣洁的原则换成圣洁的原则，达到情感上的彻底转变才能克服、这种转变伴随着悔改和信心，是圣灵的特殊工作，并构成了重生，或悔改归主。 十八，由于所有人都违背了上帝的律法，并且不能靠自己顺从祂公正的要求，因此我们要依靠基督，首先，使我们从过去的过犯中称义，其次，靠着恩典，使我们在将来能够对他神圣的律法献上可蒙悦纳的顺从。 十九，上帝应许祂的灵要藉着某些恩赐在教会中显现它自己，特别是在 林前 12 和 弗 4 中所列举的；因为圣经本身就足以使我们有得救的智慧，所以这些恩赐并不是为了取代或代替圣经，就正如圣经无法取代圣灵一样；藉着不同的运作方式 ，圣灵会显现它自己并与上帝的子民同在，引导人们理解它所默示的话语，使人们知罪， 并在内心和生活中做出改变 ，一直到世界的末了；那些否认圣灵的地位和工作的人，显然否认了圣经中指定圣灵的工作和地位的部分。 二十，上帝按照祂统一对待世人的原则，宣告基督第二次降临的临近；这项工作是启示录第14章的三重信息所代表的，该信息也是最后一个揭示基于上帝律法的改革工作的信息，使祂的子民可以为这事件做好充分的准备。 二十一，洁净圣所的时期（参阅第十条），与宣告第三天使信息的时期同步（启 14：9，10），是一个查案审判的时期。首先，审判已经死了的人，然后，审判在恩典时期结束时活着的人，以决定现在沉睡在地球尘埃中的无数人中，谁配得在第一次的复活中有份，以及在活着的群众中，谁配得被接升天，——在主降临之前必须确定的几个要点。 二十二，用希伯来文“sheol”和希腊文“hades”来表达的“阴间”一词，无论我们愿意与否，都是指一个“没有工作、谋略、智慧或知识”的地方或状态。 传 9：10。 二十三，死亡使我们陷入一种沉默、无活动和完全无意识的状态。诗 146：4； 传9：5，6； 但 12：2。 二十四，人类将透过身体的复活从这个监狱般的坟墓中被释放出来； 义人在基督复临时的第一次复活里有份； 而恶人则在一千年之后的第二次复活里有份。 启 20：4-6。 二十五，在号筒末次吹响时，活着的义人将在一霎时、眨眼之间被改变，并与复活的义人一同被提到空中与主相遇，从此与主永远同在。 帖前 4：16，17； 林前 15：51，52。 二十六，然后，这些不朽坏的人被带到天国的新耶路撒冷，天父的家，那里有许多住处（约14：1-3），他们在那里与基督一同作王一千年，审判世界和堕落的天使，分配在一千年结束时要对他们执行的惩罚（启 20：4；林前 6：2，3）； 在此期间，地球处于荒凉和混乱的状态（耶 4：23-27），这就正如地球起初的状态那样，是用希腊术语“abussos”——“无底坑”来描述的（七十士译本中的创 1：2）； 撒旦将在这里被困一千年（启 20：1，2），并在这里最终被毁灭（启 20：10；玛 4：1）；这个因他的原故而成了宇宙中的一个废墟的剧场，正好适合暂时当他的阴暗监狱，和他最后被处刑的地方。 二十七，一千年结束时，主与祂的子民和新耶路撒冷一起降临（启 21：2），死了的恶人要复活，来到尚未更新的地表上，聚集在圣城周围， 即圣徒的营（启 20：9），有火由上帝那里从天降下并吞噬了他们。 然后，他们的根本和枝条都会被烧尽（玛 4：1），他们就归于无有。 （俄 1：15，16）。 他们要受永远灭亡的刑罚，离开主的面（帖后 1：9），恶人要面临向他们宣布的“永刑”（太 25：46），即永远的死亡。 罗 6：23； 启 20：14,15。 这就是不敬虔之人的灭亡，那烧灭他们的火，虽然“现在的诸天与地还是…存留” ，但到时候，连各种元素也要熔化，又要清除一切由罪孽的咒诅在地球上造成之最深的污迹。彼后 3：7-12。 二十八，新天新地将藉着上帝的大能从旧世界的灰烬中诞生，而这个更新的地球，以新耶路撒冷为大都市和首都，将成为圣徒永恒的产业，并义人永远居住的地方。彼后 3：13； 诗 37：11，29; 太 5：5。 As elsewhere stated, Seventh-day Adventists have no creed but the Bible; but they hold to certain well-defined points of faith, for which they feel prepared to give a reason "to every man that asketh" them. The following propositions may be taken as a summary of the principal features of their religious faith, upon which there is, so far as we know, entire unanimity throughout the body. They believe, — I – That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal; infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth, and mercy; unchangeable, and everywhere present by his representative, the Holy Spirit. Ps. 139： 7. II – That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the one by whom he created all things, and by whom they do consist; that he took on him the nature of the seed of Abraham for the redemption of our fallen race; that he dwelt among men, full of grace and truth, lived our example, died our sacrifice, was raised for our justification, ascended on high to be our only mediator in the sanctuary in heaven, where, through the merits of his shed blood, he secures the pardon and forgiveness of the sins of all those who penitently come to him; and as the closing portion of his work as priest, before he takes his throne as king, he will make the great atonement for the sins of all such, and their sins will then be blotted out (Acts 3：19) and borne away from the sanctuary, as shown in the service of the Levitical priesthood, which foreshadowed and prefigured the ministry of our Lord in heaven. See Lev. 16; Heb. 8：4, 5; 9：6, 7; 2; etc. III – That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, contain a full revelation of his will to man, and are the only infallible rule of faith and practice. IV – That baptism is an ordinance of the Christian church, to follow faith and repentance, —an ordinance by which we commemorate the resurrection of Christ, as by this act we show our faith in his burial and resurrection, and through that, in the resurrection of all the saints at the last day; and that no other mode more fitly represents these facts than that which the Scriptures prescribe, namely, immersion. Rom. 6：3-5; Col. 2：12. V – That the new birth comprises the entire change necessary to fit us for the kingdom of God, and consists of two parts; First, a moral change wrought by conversion and a Christian life (John 3：3,5); second, a physical change at the second coming of Christ, whereby, if dead, we are raised incorruptible, and if living, are changed to immortality in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Luke 20：36; 1 Cor. 15：51,52. VI – That prophecy is a part of God’s revelation to man; that it is included in that Scripture which is profitable for instruction (2 Tim. 3：16); that it is designed for us and our children (Deut. 29：29); that so far from being enshrouded in impenetrable mystery, it is that which especially constitutes the word of God a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps. 119：105; 2 Peter 1：19); that a blessing is pronounced upon those who study it (Rev. 1：1-3); and that, consequently, it is to be understood by the people of God sufficiently to show them their position in the world’s history and the special duties required at their hands. VII – That the world’s history from specified dates in the past, the rise and fall of empires, and the chronological succession of events down to the setting up of God’s everlasting kingdom, are outlined in numerous great chains of prophecy; and that these prophecies are now all fulfilled except the closing scenes. VIII – That the doctrine of the world’s conversion and a temporal millennium is a fable of these last days, calculated to lull men into a state of carnal security, and cause them to be overtaken by the great day of the Lord as by a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5：3); that the second coming of Christ is to precede, not follow, the millennium; for until the Lord appears, the papal power, with all its abominations, is to continue (2 Thess. 2：8), the wheat and tares grow together (Matt. 13：29,30,39), and evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, as the word of God declares. 2 Tim. 3：1,13. IX – That the mistake of Adventists in 1844 pertained to the nature of the event then to transpire, not to the time; that no prophetic period is given to reach to the second advent, but that the longest one, the two thousand and three hundred days of Dan. 8：14, terminated in 1844, and brought us to an event called the cleansing of the sanctuary. X – That the sanctuary of the new covenant is the tabernacle of God in heaven, of which Paul speaks in Hebrews 8 and onward, and of which our Lord, as great high priest, is minister; that this sanctuary is the antitype of the Mosaic tabernacle, and that the priestly work of our Lord, connected therewith, is the antitype of the work of the Jewish priests of the former dispensation (Heb. 8：1-5, etc.); that this, and not the earth, is the sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the two thousand and three hundred days, what is termed its cleansing being in this case, as in the type, simply the entrance of the high priest into the most holy place, to finish the round of service connected therewith, by making the atonement and removing from the sanctuary the sins which had been transferred to it by means of the ministration in the first apartment (Lev. 16; Heb. 9：22,23); and that this work in the antitype, beginning in 1844, consists in actually blotting out the sins of believers (Acts 3：19), and occupies a brief but indefinite space of time, at the conclusion of which the work of mercy for the world will be finished, and the second advent of Christ will take place. XI – That God’s moral requirements are the same upon all men in all dispensations; that these are summarily contained in the commandments spoken by Jehovah from Sinai, engraven on the tables of stone, and deposited in the ark, which was in consequence called the “ark of the covenant,” or testament (Num. 10：33; Heb. 9：4, etc.); that this law is immutable and perpetual, being a transcript of the tables deposited in the ark in the true sanctuary on high, which is also, for the same reason, called the ark of God’s testament; for under the sounding of the seventh trumpet we are told that “the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Rev. 11：19. XII – That the fourth commandment of this law requires that we devote the seventh day of each week, commonly called Saturday, to abstinence from our own labor, and to the performance of sacred and religious duties; that this is the only weekly Sabbath known to the Bible, being the day that was set apart before Paradise was lost (Gen. 2：2,3), and which will be observed in Paradise restored (Isa. 66：22,23); that the facts upon which the Sabbath institution is based confine it to the seventh day, as they are not true of any other day; and that the terms Jewish Sabbath, as applied to the seventh day, and Christian Sabbath, as applied to the first day of the week, are names of human invention, unscriptural in fact, and false in meaning. XIII – That as the man of sin, the papacy, has thought to change times and laws (the law of God, Dan. 7：25), and has misled almost all Christendom in regard to the fourth commandment, we find a prophecy of a reform in this respect to be wrought among believers just before the coming of Christ. Isa. 56：1,2; 1 Peter 1：5; Rev. 14：12, etc. XIV – That the followers of Christ should be a peculiar people, not following the maxims, nor conforming to the ways, of the world; not loving its pleasures nor countenancing its follies; inasmuch as the apostle says that “whosoever therefore will be” in this sense, “a friend of the world, is the enemy of God” (James 4：4); and Christ says that we cannot have two masters, or, at the same time, serve God and mammon. Matt. 6：24. XV – That the Scriptures insist upon plainness and modesty of attire as a prominent mark of discipleship in those who profess to be the followers of Him who was, “meek and lowly in heart,” that the wearing of gold, pearls, and costly array, or anything designed merely to adorn the person and foster the pride of the natural heart, is to be discarded, according to such scriptures as 1 Tim. 2：9,10; 1 Peter 3：3,4. XVI – That means for the support of evangelical work among men should be contributed from love to God and love of souls, not raised by church lotteries, or occasions designed to contribute to the fun-loving, appetite-indulging propensities of the sinner, such as fairs, festivals, oyster suppers, tea, broom, donkey, and crazy socials, etc., which are a disgrace to the professed church of Christ; that the proportion of one’s income required in former dispensation can be no less under the gospel; that it is the same as Abraham (whose children we are, if we are Christ’s, Gal. 3：29) paid to Melchisedec (type of Christ) when he gave him a tenth of all (Heb. 7：1-4); the tithe is the Lord’s (Lev. 27：30); and this tenth of one’s income is also to be supplemented by offerings from those who are able, for the support of the gospel. 2 Cor. 9：6; Mal. 3：8,10. XVII – That as the natural or carnal heart is at enmity with God and his law, this enmity can be subdued only by a radical transformation of the affections, the exchange of unholy for holy principles; that this transformation follows repentance and faith, is the special work of the Holy Spirit, and constitutes regeneration, or conversion. XVIII – That as all have violated the law of God, and cannot of themselves render obedience to his just requirements, we are dependent on Christ, first, for justification from our past offenses, and, secondly, for grace whereby to render acceptable obedience to his holy law in time to come. XIX – That the Spirit of God was promised to manifest itself in the church through certain gifts, enumerated especially in 1 Cor. 12 and Eph. 4; that these gifts are not designed to supersede, or take the place of, the Bible, which is sufficient to make us wise unto salvation, any more than the Bible can take the place of the Holy Spirit; that, in specifying the various channels of its operation, that Spirit has simply made provision for its own existence and presence with the people of God to the end of time, to lead to an understanding of that word which it had inspired, to convince of sin, and to work a transformation in the heart and life; and that those who deny to the Spirit its place and operation, do plainly deny that part of the Bible which assigns to it this work and position. XX – That God, in accordance with his uniform dealings with the race, sends forth a proclamation of the approach of the second advent of Christ; and that this work is symbolized by the three messages of Revelation 14, the last one bringing to view the work of reform on the law of God, that his people may acquire a complete readiness for that event. XXI – That the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary (See proposition X.), synchronizing with the time of the proclamation of the third message (Rev. 14：9,10), is a time of investigative judgment, first, with reference to the dead, and secondly, at the close of probation, with reference to the living, to determine who of the myriads now sleeping in the dust of the earth are worthy of a part in the first resurrection, and who of its living multitudes are worthy of translation, – points which must be determined before the Lord appears. XXII – That the grave, whether we all tend, expressed by the Hebrew word sheol and the Greek word hades, is a place, or condition, in which there is no work, device, wisdom, nor knowledge. Eccl. 9：10. XXIII – That the state to which we are reduced by death is one of silence, inactivity, and entire unconsciousness. Ps. 146：4; Eccl. 9：5,6; Dan. 12：2. XXIV – That out of this prison-house of the grave, mankind are to be brought by a bodily resurrection; the righteous having part in the first resurrection, which takes place at the second coming of Christ; the wicked, in the second resurrection, which takes place in a thousand years thereafter. Rev. 20：4-6. XXV – That at the last trump, the living righteous are to be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and with the risen righteous are to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, so forever to be with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4：16,17; 1 Cor. 15：51,52. XXVI – That these immortalized ones are then taken to heaven, to the New Jerusalem, the Father’s house, in which there are many mansions (John 14：1-3), where they reign with Christ a thousand years, judging the world and fallen angels, that is, apportioning the punishment to be executed upon them at the close of the one thousand years (Rev. 20：4; 1 Cor. 6：2,3); that during this time the earth lies in a desolate and chaotic condition (Jer. 4：23-27), described, as in the beginning, by the Greek term abussos—“bottom- less pit” (Septuagint of Gen. 1：2); and that here Satan is confined during the thousand years (Rev. 20：1,2), and here finally destroyed (Rev. 20：10; Mal. 4：1); the theater of the ruin he has wrought in the universe being appropriately made, for a time, his gloomy prison-house, and then the place of his final execution. XXVII – That at the end of the thousand years the Lord descends with his people and the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21：2), the wicked dead are raised, and come up on the surface of the yet unrenewed earth, and gather about the city, the camp of the saints (Rev. 20：9), and fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. They are then consumed, root and branch (Mal. 4：1), becoming as though they had not been. Obad. 15,16. In this everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (2 Thess. 1：9), the wicked meet the “everlasting punishment” threatened against them (Matt. 25：46), which is everlasting death. Rom. 6：23; Rev. 20：14,15. This is the perdition of ungodly men, the fire which consumes them being the fire for which “the heavens and the earth, which are now,. . . are kept in store,” which shall melt even the elements with its intensity, and purge the earth from the deepest stains of the curse of sin. 2 Peter 3：7-12. XXVIII – That new heavens and a new earth shall spring by the power of God from the ashes of the old, and this renewed earth, with the New Jerusalem for its metropolis and capital, shall be the eternal inheritance of the saints, the place where the righteous shall evermore dwell. 2 Peter 3：13; Ps. 37：11,29; Matt 5：5. As elsewhere stated, Seventh-day Adventists have no creed but the Bible; but they hold to certain well-defined points of faith, for which they feel prepared to give a reason "to every man that asketh" them. The following propositions may be taken as a summary of the principal features of their religious faith, upon which there is, so far as we know, entire unanimity throughout the body. They believe, — 正如其他地方所述，基督复临安息日会没有任何信条，只有圣经； 但是他们持守一些明确定义的信仰，为此他们准备好为“每个询问”他们的人提供理由。 以下陈述可被视为他们宗教信仰主要特征的摘要， 据我们所知，这些都是全体信徒一致同意的。他们相信，—— I – That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal; infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth, and mercy; unchangeable, and everywhere present by his representative, the Holy Spirit. Ps. 139： 7. 一、有一位上帝，一个有位格的灵体生物，是万物的创造主，是全能、全知、及永恒的，有无穷的智慧、圣洁、公义、良善、诚实和慈爱；是永不改变的，藉着祂的代表，即圣灵，祂无处不在。（诗 139：7） II – That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the one by whom he created all things, and by whom they do consist; that he took on him the nature of the seed of Abraham for the redemption of our fallen race; that he dwelt among men, full of grace and truth, lived our example, died our sacrifice, was raised for our justification, ascended on high to be our only mediator in the sanctuary in heaven, where, through the merits of his shed blood, he secures the pardon and forgiveness of the sins of all those who penitently come to him; and as the closing portion of his work as priest, before he takes his throne as king, he will make the great atonement for the sins of all such, and their sins will then be blotted out (Acts 3：19) and borne away from the sanctuary, as shown in the service of the Levitical priesthood, which foreshadowed and prefigured the ministry of our Lord in heaven. See Lev. 16; Heb. 8：4, 5; 9：6, 7; 2; etc. 二、有一位主——耶稣基督，永恒之父的儿子，父藉着祂创造了万物，万有也靠祂而立； 祂取了亚伯拉罕后裔的本性，以救赎我们堕落的人类； 祂住在人间，满有恩典和真理，一生为我们的榜样，为我们牺牲，为叫我们称义而被复活，升到高处，成为我们在天上圣所的唯一中保，在那里，藉着祂流血的功劳， 祂使所有悔改归向祂的人的罪孽得到赦免和宽恕； 作为祂作祭司工作的结束部分，在祂作王登上宝座前，祂将为他们的罪孽行大赎罪，他们的罪将被涂抹（徒 3：19）并从圣所除去，如那预示和代表了我们的主在天上事工的利未祭司的职任所示。见利 16; 希 8：4，5; 9：6，7; 等。 III – That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, contain a full revelation of his will to man, and are the only infallible rule of faith and practice. 三、旧约和新约圣经，都是上帝所默示的，其中包含上帝向人类对祂旨意的全部启示。圣经是信仰和实践的唯一无误准绳。 IV – That baptism is an ordinance of the Christian church, to follow faith and repentance, —an ordinance by which we commemorate the resurrection of Christ, as by this act we show our faith in his burial and resurrection, and through that, in the resurrection of all the saints at the last day; and that no other mode more fitly represents these facts than that which the Scriptures prescribe, namely, immersion. Rom. 6：3-5; Col. 2：12. 四，洗礼是基督教会的礼节，遵循信心和悔改，——是我们纪念基督复活的一个礼节，因为藉着这一行为，我们表明我们对祂的埋葬和复活的信心，也藉此，对所有圣徒在末日的复活存有信心；并且没有其他方式比圣经所规定的方式更恰当地代表这些事实，即全身受浸。罗 6：3-5；西 2：12。 V – That the new birth comprises the entire change necessary to fit us for the kingdom of God, and consists of two parts; First, a moral change wrought by conversion and a Christian life (John 3：3,5); second, a physical change at the second coming of Christ, whereby, if dead, we are raised incorruptible, and if living, are changed to immortality in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Luke 20：36; 1 Cor. 15：51,52. 五，重生包括使我们进入上帝的国度所需要的全部改变，其中包含两个部分；首先，悔改归主和基督化生活所带来的道德改变（约 3：3，5）；第二，基督复临时身体的变化，如果我们死了，我们就复活成为不朽坏的，如果我们活着，就在一霎时，眨眼之间变成不死的。路 20：36；林前 15：51，52。 VI – That prophecy is a part of God’s revelation to man; that it is included in that Scripture which is profitable for instruction (2 Tim. 3：16); that it is designed for us and our children (Deut. 29：29); that so far from being enshrouded in impenetrable mystery, it is that which especially constitutes the word of God a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps. 119：105; 2 Peter 1：19); that a blessing is pronounced upon those who study it (Rev. 1：1-3); and that, consequently, it is to be understood by the people of God sufficiently to show them their position in the world’s history and the special duties required at their hands. 六，预言是上帝对人的一部分启示；它包含在对教导人有益的圣经中（提后 3：16）；它是给我们和我们的子孙的（申 29：29）；远非笼罩在难以测透的奥秘之中，它特别构成上帝的圣言，作我们脚前的灯和路上的光（诗 119：105；彼后 1：19）；凡研究它的必得祝福（启 1：1-3）；因此，上帝的子民应该充分理解它，以向他们表明他们在世界历史中所处的位置以及他们手中特殊的责任。 VII – That the world’s history from specified dates in the past, the rise and fall of empires, and the chronological succession of events down to the setting up of God’s everlasting kingdom, are outlined in numerous great chains of prophecy; and that these prophecies are now all fulfilled except the closing scenes. 七，从过去的特定日期开始的世界历史，帝国的兴衰，以及按时间顺序发生的事件，一直到上帝永恒国度的建立，都在无数伟大的预言链中概述；除了最后的几幕场景外，这些预言都已经应验了。 VIII – That the doctrine of the world’s conversion and a temporal millennium is a fable of these last days, calculated to lull men into a state of carnal security, and cause them to be overtaken by the great day of the Lord as by a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5：3); that the second coming of Christ is to precede, not follow, the millennium; for until the Lord appears, the papal power, with all its abominations, is to continue (2 Thess. 2：8), the wheat and tares grow together (Matt. 13：29,30,39), and evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, as the word of God declares. 2 Tim. 3：1,13. 八，普世悔改和属世的千禧年之道理是末时的虚谎，旨在使人们陷入肉体的安逸之中，并使主的大日临到他们，像夜间的贼一样（帖前 5：3）；基督的复临是在千禧年之前，而不是之后；因为直到主显现之前，罗马天主教皇势力及其一切可憎之物将继续存在（帖后 2：8），麦子和稗子一起生长（太 13：29，30，39），作恶的和迷惑人的，必越久越恶，正如上帝的话语所宣告的（提后 3：1，13）。 IX – That the mistake of Adventists in 1844 pertained to the nature of the event then to transpire, not to the time; that no prophetic period is given to reach to the second advent, but that the longest one, the two thousand and three hundred days of Dan. 8：14, terminated in 1844, and brought us to an event called the cleansing of the sanctuary. 九，1844年复临信徒的错误只攸关当时要发生的事件的性质，而与事件发生的时间无关 ；即没有预言时期是为计算第二次降临而给予的，但最长的一个预言时期，即 但 8：14 中的二千三百日，已于1844年结束，并为我们指向一个称为洁净圣所的事件。 X – That the sanctuary of the new covenant is the tabernacle of God in heaven, of which Paul speaks in Hebrews 8 and onward, and of which our Lord, as great high priest, is minister; that this sanctuary is the antitype of the Mosaic tabernacle, and that the priestly work of our Lord, connected therewith, is the antitype of the work of the Jewish priests of the former dispensation (Heb. 8：1-5, etc.); that this, and not the earth, is the sanctuary to be cleansed at the end of the two thousand and three hundred days, what is termed its cleansing being in this case, as in the type, simply the entrance of the high priest into the most holy place, to finish the round of service connected therewith, by making the atonement and removing from the sanctuary the sins which had been transferred to it by means of the ministration in the first apartment (Lev. 16; Heb. 9：22,23); and that this work in the antitype, beginning in 1844, consists in actually blotting out the sins of believers (Acts 3：19), and occupies a brief but indefinite space of time, at the conclusion of which the work of mercy for the world will be finished, and the second advent of Christ will take place. 十，新约的圣所就是上帝在天上的帐幕，保罗在希伯来书第8章及之后的章节中谈到了这一点，即是我们的主作为大祭司供职的地方；这个圣所是摩西帐幕所预表的实体，而与此相关的，我们的主作祭司的工作则是前一个时代犹太祭司工作的实体（来 8：1-5 等）；这个天上圣所，而不是地球，是在二千三百日结束时要被洁净的，在这种情况下，所谓的洁净，正如在预表中一样，只是大祭司进入至圣所，完成与此相关的圣职，藉着进行赎罪的工作并从圣所中除去通过在第一层圣所的供职转移到至圣所的罪孽（利 16; 来 9：22，23）；这项工作的实体始于 1844 年，在于涂抹信徒的罪（徒 3：19），并且占据了短暂但不确定的时期，在其结束时，对世界进行的怜悯之工作就会结束，届时基督将会第二次降临。 XI – That God’s moral requirements are the same upon all men in all dispensations; that these are summarily contained in the commandments spoken by Jehovah from Sinai, engraven on the tables of stone, and deposited in the ark, which was in consequence called the “ark of the covenant,” or testament (Num. 10：33; Heb. 9：4, etc.); that this law is immutable and perpetual, being a transcript of the tables deposited in the ark in the true sanctuary on high, which is also, for the same reason, called the ark of God’s testament; for under the sounding of the seventh trumpet we are told that “the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Rev. 11：19. 十一，上帝的道德要求在每一个时代对所有人都是相同的； 这些都已概括地包含在耶和华在西奈山上颁布的诫命中，刻在石版上，并存放在柜中，因此这柜被称为“约柜”，或法柜（民 10：33；来 9：4等）； 这律法是不可变更和永远长存的，是存放在天上真正圣所的约柜中之石版的副本，出于同样的原因，约柜也被称为上帝的法柜； 因为在第七号吹响时，我们得知“上帝天上的殿开了，在祂殿中现出祂的约柜”。 启 11：19。 XII – That the fourth commandment of this law requires that we devote the seventh day of each week, commonly called Saturday, to abstinence from our own labor, and to the performance of sacred and religious duties; that this is the only weekly Sabbath known to the Bible, being the day that was set apart before Paradise was lost (Gen. 2：2,3), and which will be observed in Paradise restored (Isa. 66：22,23); that the facts upon which the Sabbath institution is based confine it to the seventh day, as they are not true of any other day; and that the terms Jewish Sabbath, as applied to the seventh day, and Christian Sabbath, as applied to the first day of the week, are names of human invention, unscriptural in fact, and false in meaning. 十二，该律法的第四条诫命要求我们在每周的第七日（普遍称为星期六）禁戒我们自己的工作，并履行神圣和宗教的职责； 这是圣经中唯一指明的每周的安息日，是在失去乐园之前所分别的日子（创 2：2,3），也是在恢复乐园后将继续遵守的一日（赛 66：22,23）； 这些安息日制度所依据的事实将其限制在第七日，因为它们并不适用于任何其他日子；犹太人的安息日（应用于第七日）和基督教的安息日（应用于一周的第一日）这些术语都是人类发明的名称，事实上不符合圣经，而且含义错误。 XIII – That as the man of sin, the papacy, has thought to change times and laws (the law of God, Dan. 7：25), and has misled almost all Christendom in regard to the fourth commandment, we find a prophecy of a reform in this respect to be wrought among believers just before the coming of Christ. Isa. 56：1,2; 1 Peter 1：5; Rev. 14：12, etc. 十三，作为大罪人，罗马教皇必想改变节期和律法（上帝的律法，但 7：25），并且在第四条诫命上误导了几乎整个基督教界，我们发现了一个与此相关的预言，论到在基督复临之前，这方面的改革将在信徒中进行。 赛 56：1，2； 彼前 1：5； 启 14：12等。 XIV – That the followers of Christ should be a peculiar people, not following the maxims, nor conforming to the ways, of the world; not loving its pleasures nor countenancing its follies; inasmuch as the apostle says that “whosoever therefore will be” in this sense, “a friend of the world, is the enemy of God” (James 4：4); and Christ says that we cannot have two masters, or, at the same time, serve God and mammon. Matt. 6：24. 十四，基督的跟随者应该是一群独特的子民，不追随世界的规律，也不效法世界的做法；不喜爱其欢乐，也不纵容其愚行； 正如使徒所说：“所以凡想要与世俗为友的，就是与上帝为敌了。”（雅 4：4）； 基督说我们不能有两个主，或者同时又侍奉上帝，又侍奉玛门。 太 6：24。 XV – That the Scriptures insist upon plainness and modesty of attire as a prominent mark of discipleship in those who profess to be the followers of Him who was, “meek and lowly in heart,” that the wearing of gold, pearls, and costly array, or anything designed merely to adorn the person and foster the pride of the natural heart, is to be discarded, according to such scriptures as 1 Tim. 2：9,10; 1 Peter 3：3,4. 十五，圣经坚决提倡，对于凡宣称自己是那“心里柔和谦卑”之主的门徒来说，着装朴素和端庄是门徒身份的显着标志，根据提前 2：9，10； 彼前 3：3，4等经文，以黄金、珍珠和贵价的衣裳为妆饰，或任何仅仅为了装饰个人和培养本性的骄傲而设计的东西，都应该弃绝。 XVI – That means for the support of evangelical work among men should be contributed from love to God and love of souls, not raised by church lotteries, or occasions designed to contribute to the fun-loving, appetite-indulging propensities of the sinner, such as fairs, festivals, oyster suppers, tea, broom, donkey, and crazy socials, etc., which are a disgrace to the professed church of Christ; that the proportion of one’s income required in former dispensation can be no less under the gospel; that it is the same as Abraham (whose children we are, if we are Christ’s, Gal. 3：29) paid to Melchisedec (type of Christ) when he gave him a tenth of all (Heb. 7：1-4); the tithe is the Lord’s (Lev. 27：30); and this tenth of one’s income is also to be supplemented by offerings from those who are able, for the support of the gospel. 2 Cor. 9：6; Mal. 3：8,10. 十六，支持福音工作的收入来源应该出自人们对上帝的爱和对世人的爱，而不是透过教会彩票或旨在促进罪人爱宴乐、放纵食欲的活动来筹集。例如集市 、节庆、牡蛎晚餐、茶会、扫帚、驴和疯狂的社交活动等等，这些都是自称是基督的教会的耻辱；从前的体制对人们收入所要求的比例，在福音时代也不能少。；亚伯拉罕也是如此（我们既属乎基督，就是亚伯拉罕的后裔，加 3：29），他把将自己所得来的，取十分之一给麦基洗德（基督的预表）（来 7：1-4）； 因为十分之一是属于耶和华的（利 27：30）；除了人们收入的十分一之外，有能力的人也需以额外的捐献来补足，以支持福音的工作。 林后 9：6； 玛 3：8,10。 XVII – That as the natural or carnal heart is at enmity with God and his law, this enmity can be subdued only by a radical transformation of the affections, the exchange of unholy for holy principles; that this transformation follows repentance and faith, is the special work of the Holy Spirit, and constitutes regeneration, or conversion. 十七，由于顺性或属肉体的心是与上帝和祂的律法为敌的，这种敌意唯有藉着将不圣洁的原则换成圣洁的原则，达到情感上的彻底转变才能克服、这种转变伴随着悔改和信心，是圣灵的特殊工作，并构成了重生，或悔改归主。 XVIII – That as all have violated the law of God, and cannot of themselves render obedience to his just requirements, we are dependent on Christ, first, for justification from our past offenses, and, secondly, for grace whereby to render acceptable obedience to his holy law in time to come. 十八，由于所有人都违背了上帝的律法，并且不能靠自己顺从祂公正的要求，因此我们要依靠基督，首先，使我们从过去的过犯中称义，其次，靠着恩典，使我们在将来能够对他神圣的律法献上可蒙悦纳的顺从。 XIX – That the Spirit of God was promised to manifest itself in the church through certain gifts, enumerated especially in 1 Cor. 12 and Eph. 4; that these gifts are not designed to supersede, or take the place of, the Bible, which is sufficient to make us wise unto salvation, any more than the Bible can take the place of the Holy Spirit; that, in specifying the various channels of its operation, that Spirit has simply made provision for its own existence and presence with the people of God to the end of time, to lead to an understanding of that word which it had inspired, to convince of sin, and to work a transformation in the heart and life; and that those who deny to the Spirit its place and operation, do plainly deny that part of the Bible which assigns to it this work and position. 十九，上帝应许祂的灵要藉着某些恩赐在教会中显现它自己，特别是在 林前 12 和 弗 4 中所列举的；因为圣经本身就足以使我们有得救的智慧，所以这些恩赐并不是为了取代或代替圣经，就正如圣经无法取代圣灵一样；藉着不同的运作方式 ，圣灵会显现它自己并与上帝的子民同在，引导人们理解它所默示的话语，使人们知罪， 并在内心和生活中做出改变 ，一直到世界的末了；那些否认圣灵的地位和工作的人，显然否认了圣经中指定圣灵的工作和地位的部分。 XX – That God, in accordance with his uniform dealings with the race, sends forth a proclamation of the approach of the second advent of Christ; and that this work is symbolized by the three messages of Revelation 14, the last one bringing to view the work of reform on the law of God, that his people may acquire a complete readiness for that event. 二十，上帝按照祂统一对待世人的原则，宣告基督第二次降临的临近；这项工作是启示录第14章的三重信息所代表的，该信息也是最后一个揭示基于上帝律法的改革工作的信息，使祂的子民可以为这事件做好充分的准备。 XXI – That the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary (See proposition X.), synchronizing with the time of the proclamation of the third message (Rev. 14：9,10), is a time of investigative judgment, first, with reference to the dead, and secondly, at the close of probation, with reference to the living, to determine who of the myriads now sleeping in the dust of the earth are worthy of a part in the first resurrection, and who of its living multitudes are worthy of translation, – points which must be determined before the Lord appears. 二十一，洁净圣所的时期（参阅第十条），与宣告第三天使信息的时期同步（启 14：9，10），是一个查案审判的时期。首先，审判已经死了的人，然后，审判在恩典时期结束时活着的人，以决定现在沉睡在地球尘埃中的无数人中，谁配得在第一次的复活中有份，以及在活着的群众中，谁配得被接升天，——在主降临之前必须确定的几个要点。 XXII – That the grave, whether we all tend, expressed by the Hebrew word sheol and the Greek word hades, is a place, or condition, in which there is no work, device, wisdom, nor knowledge. Eccl. 9：10. 二十二，用希伯来文“sheol”和希腊文“hades”来表达的“阴间”一词，无论我们愿意与否，都是指一个“没有工作、谋略、智慧或知识”的地方或状态。 传 9：10。 XXIII – That the state to which we are reduced by death is one of silence, inactivity, and entire unconsciousness. Ps. 146：4; Eccl. 9：5,6; Dan. 12：2. 二十三，死亡使我们陷入一种沉默、无活动和完全无意识的状态。诗 146：4； 传9：5，6； 但 12：2。 XXIV – That out of this prison-house of the grave, mankind are to be brought by a bodily resurrection; the righteous having part in the first resurrection, which takes place at the second coming of Christ; the wicked, in the second resurrection, which takes place in a thousand years thereafter. Rev. 20：4-6. 二十四，人类将透过身体的复活从这个监狱般的坟墓中被释放出来； 义人在基督复临时的第一次复活里有份； 而恶人则在一千年之后的第二次复活里有份。 启 20：4-6。 XXV – That at the last trump, the living righteous are to be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and with the risen righteous are to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, so forever to be with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4：16,17; 1 Cor. 15：51,52. 二十五，在号筒末次吹响时，活着的义人将在一霎时、眨眼之间被改变，并与复活的义人一同被提到空中与主相遇，从此与主永远同在。 帖前 4：16，17； 林前 15：51，52。 XXVI – That these immortalized ones are then taken to heaven, to the New Jerusalem, the Father’s house, in which there are many mansions (John 14：1-3), where they reign with Christ a thousand years, judging the world and fallen angels, that is, apportioning the punishment to be executed upon them at the close of the one thousand years (Rev. 20：4; 1 Cor. 6：2,3); that during this time the earth lies in a desolate and chaotic condition (Jer. 4：23-27), described, as in the beginning, by the Greek term abussos—“bottom- less pit” (Septuagint of Gen. 1：2); and that here Satan is confined during the thousand years (Rev. 20：1,2), and here finally destroyed (Rev. 20：10; Mal. 4：1); the theater of the ruin he has wrought in the universe being appropriately made, for a time, his gloomy prison-house, and then the place of his final execution. 二十六，然后，这些不朽坏的人被带到天国的新耶路撒冷，天父的家，那里有许多住处（约14：1-3），他们在那里与基督一同作王一千年，审判世界和堕落的天使，分配在一千年结束时要对他们执行的惩罚（启 20：4；林前 6：2，3）； 在此期间，地球处于荒凉和混乱的状态（耶 4：23-27），这就正如地球起初的状态那样，是用希腊术语“abussos”——“无底坑”来描述的（七十士译本中的创 1：2）； 撒旦将在这里被困一千年（启 20：1，2），并在这里最终被毁灭（启 20：10；玛 4：1）；这个因他的原故而成了宇宙中的一个废墟的剧场，正好适合暂时当他的阴暗监狱，和他最后被处刑的地方。 XXVII – That at the end of the thousand years the Lord descends with his people and the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21：2), the wicked dead are raised, and come up on the surface of the yet unrenewed earth, and gather about the city, the camp of the saints (Rev. 20：9), and fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. They are then consumed, root and branch (Mal. 4：1), becoming as though they had not been. Obad. 15,16. In this everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (2 Thess. 1：9), the wicked meet the “everlasting punishment” threatened against them (Matt. 25：46), which is everlasting death. Rom. 6：23; Rev. 20：14,15. This is the perdition of ungodly men, the fire which consumes them being the fire for which “the heavens and the earth, which are now,. . . are kept in store,” which shall melt even the elements with its intensity, and purge the earth from the deepest stains of the curse of sin. 2 Peter 3：7-12. 二十七，一千年结束时，主与祂的子民和新耶路撒冷一起降临（启 21：2），死了的恶人要复活，来到尚未更新的地表上，聚集在圣城周围， 即圣徒的营（启 20：9），有火由上帝那里从天降下并吞噬了他们。 然后，他们的根本和枝条都会被烧尽（玛 4：1），他们就归于无有。 （俄 1：15，16）。 他们要受永远灭亡的刑罚，离开主的面（帖后 1：9），恶人要面临向他们宣布的“永刑”（太 25：46），即永远的死亡。 罗 6：23； 启 20：14,15。 这就是不敬虔之人的灭亡，那烧灭他们的火，虽然“现在的诸天与地还是…存留” ，但到时候，连各种元素也要熔化，又要清除一切由罪孽的咒诅在地球上造成之最深的污迹。彼后 3：7-12。 XXVIII – That new heavens and a new earth shall spring by the power of God from the ashes of the old, and this renewed earth, with the New Jerusalem for its metropolis and capital, shall be the eternal inheritance of the saints, the place where the righteous shall evermore dwell. 2 Peter 3：13; Ps. 37：11,29; Matt 5：5. 二十八，新天新地将藉着上帝的大能从旧世界的灰烬中诞生，而这个更新的地球，以新耶路撒冷为大都市和首都，将成为圣徒永恒的产业，并义人永远居住的地方。彼后 3：13； 诗 37：11，29; 太 5：5。 1889 Yea r Book 1889 - Revised Statements of Belief

All trinity studies Previous Download 看中文 Next Unmasked Bible Study Bible Study Lesson 1 IS IT IMPORTANT, AND CAN WE KNOW? 1. Is God pleased when His people do not know Him? Hosea 4:1 “Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.” (Controversy: strife, dispute, quarrel, something against) 2. What is the whole duty of man?Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” 3. What does it mean to “fear God?”The Bible writers, often used a style of writing called parallelism where they would write a thought and then repeated it using different words, yet implying the same meaning. Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 2:5 “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” “fear of the Lord” = “knowledge of God” 4. What is the first message that we are to give in the last days? Revelation 14:7 “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (A part of the first angels message is to bring back the knowledge of God to the people.) 5. Is it important to know God? Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” 6. Why is knowing God so important? John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” 2 Peter 1:2 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord...” 7. What does knowing God involve? a. Know who God is 2 Timothy 1:12 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (Paul knew who God is, that is why he was able to declare Him to those who worshiped Him ignorantly: Act 17:23) b. Know His ways/glory/character Exodus 33:13 “Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.” Exodus 33:18 “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” (ways = glory) Exodus 34:6,7 “And the LORD passed by before him, and pro-claimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” (God’s character is here displayed as his glory.) 1 John 4:7-9 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” (know God = love God and man, because God is love) c. Keep His commandments Titus 1:16 “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” (Knowing God leads to obeying Him. Doctrine is not the end; it is the means to know God better, to get closer to Him. ) 8. What must I do to know God intimately? Proverbs 2:3-5 “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” 9. Can we know who God is? Has God revealed Himself to us in His Word? Romans 1:20 “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse ...” 1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” 10. What is the only thing we can glory in? Jeremiah 9:23,24 “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” Bible Study Lesson 2 WHO IS THE GOD OF THE BIBLE? 1. According to the Old Testament, how many Gods are there? Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD...” Deuteronomy 4:35 “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.” Jeremiah 10:10 “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.” (see Question 6) 2. According to the New Testament, how many Gods are there? 1 Corinthians 8:4 “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.” Ephesians 4:6 “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” 1Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;...” James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” 3. Who is the most qualified person to tell us about the true God? John 1:18 “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” John 3:11 “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.” 4. According to Jesus— a. Who is “the only true God”? John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” b. Whom did Jesus say we should pray to? Matthew 6:9-13 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” c. Which is the first commandment of all? Mark 12:28-32 “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:” Knowing God is required before we can love Him. A correct knowledge of God is vital for our relationship with Him. The scribe agreed that there is only one God, and none other but He. d. Did Jesus correct the scribe? Mark 12:34 “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.” (The belief of the scribe reflected the faith of the entire Jewish nation. The Jews believed in one God only.) John 8:41 “Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.” e. Who is the God of the Jews? John 8:54 “Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: ...” (see Romans 3:29) f. Who will the true worshippers worship? John 4:21-23 “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” 5. According to the apostles, who is the one God? 1 Corinthians 8:6 “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.” James 3:9 “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.” Romans 15:6 “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 4:6 “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” 2 Corinthians 1:3 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;...” 6. Who is the living and true God? 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10 “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” Bible Study Lesson 3 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD THE FATHER What does the Bible have to say about the sovereignty of the Father? Here are some facts about God the Father that will shed some light on this topic. The Father is the ultimate Source of all things. 1 Corinthians 8:6 “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.” 2 Corinthians 5:18 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;...” Romans 11:36 “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14,15 “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,...” 2. The Father is the God of Christ. a. During the Incarnation Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” b. After His Resurrection John 20:17 “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: …” Revelation 3:12 “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” (see Hebrews 1:9, 1 Peter 1:3) 3. The Father is exclusively called the Most High … Compare the following two verses: Psalms 78:17 “And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.” Isaiah 63:8-10 “For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.” God the Father is the subject of these verses. Two Beings are mentioned, God the Father (who is called “their Saviour”) and Christ (who is called “the angel of his presence”). … While Jesus is called the “Son of the Most High.” Mark 5:7 “And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” Luke 8:28 “When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee,torment me not.” The above verses clearly distinguish between the Father and the Son. The Father is called “the Most High,” while Jesus is called the “Son of the most high God.” 4. The Father is older than Jesus. John 14:28 “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” The word “greater” in the above text comes from (G3187 “μείζων” meizon) which can mean “older” as translated in Romans 9:12, “It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger.” 5. The Father is greater than all. John 10:29 “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” 6. The Father is the head of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:3 “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.” 7. The Father is above all. Ephesians 4:4-6 “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” 8. The Father is the Lord of heaven and earth. Matthew 11:25 “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” (See Luke 10:21) Not only that, but the Bible also reveals to us some things which Jesus received from His Father which sheds a bit more light on the sovereignty of God the Father. 9. What did Jesus receive from His Father? a. His life John 5:26 “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;...” b. His power and authority Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (see Matthew 11:27; John 5:22-27; 17:2) c. His kingdom Daniel 7:14 “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Luke 1:32 “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ...” (see also 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:22) d. His right to receive worship John 5:22-23 “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” (see Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:9-10; Hebrews 1:6) e. His name Philippians 2:9-10 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;...” Hebrews 1:4 “Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” f. All things John 3:35 “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. John 13:3 “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; ...” (see Hebrews 1:2) The above verses are ample evidence to prove to us the sovereignty of God the Father. But, by this, we do not diminish the position, value or divinity of Jesus, the Son of God. (For further information on the equality of the Father and the Son, please refer to Lesson 5.) Bible Study Lesson 4 WHO IS JESUS? 1. Who did Jesus claim to be? John 10:36 “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” 2. What did God the Father say regarding the identity of Jesus? Matthew 3:16, 17 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 17:5 “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” 3. Who did the disciples understand Jesus to be? Matthew 16:15, 16 “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 11:27 “She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” Matthew 14:33 “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” Acts 9:20 “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.” 4. Did the fallen angels know that Jesus was the Son of God? Luke 4:3 “And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.” Luke 8:28 “When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.” Mark 5:7 “And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.”Satan and the fallen angels knew before their fall that Jesus was the Son of God, hence Satan’s challenge in the wilderness and the demon’s confession. 5. Who else is referred to as the “son of God” in the Scriptures? Luke 3:38 “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” Adam was the son of God by creation (Genesis 5:1), as also were the angels ( Job 38:7). 1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” We are sons of God by adoption (Romans 8:15). 6. How is Christ the Son of God? 1 John 4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” Jesus is not a son by creation, as Adam was; nor a son by adoption, like us; but He is the only begotten Son; He is the Son because He was begotten of the Father. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God giving His only begotten Son indicates that God must have had a Son, before the Incarnation, to give. 7. When did Jesus become the Son of man? Galatians 4:4 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” Luke 1:31 “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” Jesus became the Son of man when He was brought forth of Mary; at the Incarnation. 8. When was Christ begotten of the Father? Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” “Goings forth” also means “origin.” Jesus was brought forth in the days of antiquity, or from everlasting (margin: the days of eternity). 9. What happened in the days of eternity? Proverbs 8:22-30 “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.” In the above passage, speaking under the title of wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30; Colossians 2:3), Jesus points the reader to the duration, before the creation of anything, as the time when He was “brought forth” or “possessed” by the Father. 10. Was Jesus referred to as the ‘Son of God’ before Bethlehem? Proverbs 30:4 “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?” Daniel 3:25 “He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Psalms 2:12 “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” 11. During the Incarnation, did Jesus teach that He came forth from the Father? John 8:42 “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.” John 16:27 “For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.” 12. Is it important for us to believe that Jesus is the real and literal Son of God? 1 John 2:22, 23 “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” 1 John 5:10, 11 “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 20:31 “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” 13. Why did the Jews kill Christ? Matthew 26:63-65 “But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.” John 19:7 “The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” Jesus preferred to die than to deny His true Sonship! How much more should we mere mortals confess the Sonship of Jesus? 14. What is promised to those who receive Jesus as the Son of God? John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Bible Study Lesson 5 EQUALITY OF THE FATHER AND THE SON We have established that Jesus is the Son of God because He was begotten/brought forth from the Father in the days of eternity. 1. Are the Father and the Son equal? Philippians 2:6 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:...” In this lesson we will search the Scriptures to see if God reveals to us the basis of this equality. Why are the Father and the Son equal? 2. What did Jesus inherit by virtue of His divine Birth? Hebrews 1:4 “Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Exodus 23:20, 21 “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.” Jesus, as the Son of God, inherited His Father’s name. We also know that Jesus, who was the Angel that went before the Israelites, had the Father’s name back then. Hence, we conclude that Jesus inherited the Father’s name before Bethlehem, which means that Jesus’ Sonship predates the Incarnation. 3. What does “name” mean? Nature: ”Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” Genesis 5:2 Authority: “I am come in my Father’s name.” John 5:43 (see John 10:25; Matthew 21:23) Character: “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1 (see Ecclesiastes 7:1; Proverbs 15:30) By inheriting the Father’s name, Jesus inherited the Father’s God-nature or divine nature. 4. What does this fact make Christ? Hebrews 1:1-3 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Christ is the express image of the Father. He has the same divine nature and life as His Father has. His sonship and inheritance qualified Jesus to be: a. Owner—“heir of all things”b. Creator—“by whom also he made the worlds”c. Image of and equal with God—“the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person”d. Sustainer—“upholding all things”e. Saviour—“himself purged our sins”f. Mediator—“sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” Does the Bible reveal to us that Christ was the image of God before the Incarnation? Revelation 12:7 “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.” “Michael” means “one who is like God.” Again this confirms the fact that Jesus inherited this name in the days of eternity. 6. What else did Christ inherit? John 5:26 “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.” The very same life that the Father has, was given to His Son by inheritance. This is immortal, original life that the Son can give to those who believe ( John 17:2). 7. Does this make Jesus, a divine Being, worthy of our praise and worship? Hebrews 1:8, 6 “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” Colossians 2:9; 1:19 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” The fullness of the Godhead, or divinity, dwells in the Son. He is fully divine because His Father is God. 8. Should we honor the Son as we honor the Father? John 5:23 “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” We honor and worship the Son as much as the Father. They are both of the same divine nature. We pay supreme honor to God when we honor and reverence His Son (Philippians 2:11). 9. Did the Jews understand that Jesus claimed equality with the Father? John 5:18 “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” 10. Why did the Jews want to stone Jesus? John 10:33-36 “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” By claiming to be the Son of God, the Jews understood Jesus to mean that He is equal with God. Jesus also understood that. Jesus’ equality with the Father is based on His Sonship. Bible Study Lesson 6 HOLY SPIRIT—PART 1:GOD’S SPIRIT/MAN’S SPIRIT 1. In what image was man made? Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:...” 2. Who was God talking to? Is there another divine Being in the image of God? The Bible describes Christ as the only divine being in God’s image. 2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” Philippians 2:6 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:...” Colossians 1:15 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:...” Hebrews 1:4 “Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Unless the Bible reveals to us another divine Being in the image and likeness of God, we must conclude that, in Genesis 1:26, God the Father was talking to His Son. 3. What does the term “image” and “likeness” entail? Genesis 5:3 “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth” We see here that Seth was in the likeness and image of Adam. That includes physical and spiritual aspect. 4. What is man (living soul) made of? Genesis 2:7 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” human body + human spirit = living human being 5. If man was made in the image of God, and man has two aspects, a spirit and a body, does that mean that God and Christ have a spirit and a bodily form? a. Does God have a bodily form? •Prophets saw God: –Jeremiah 1 Kings 22:19 “And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.” – Isaiah Isaiah 6:1 “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” (Also Daniel [Daniel 7:9, 13] and John [Revelation 4:2, 3] saw God) •Christ was in the form of God before the Incarnation: Philippians 2:6 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:...” • Jesus said that His Father has a form which no man has seen: John 6:46 “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.” (see also John 5:37) •We will see God: Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” b. Does God have a spirit? Father: John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (see also Matthew 10:20) Jesus: 1 Corinthians 15:45 “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (see also Philippians 1:19) Divine Body/Form + Divine Spirit = Divine Being 6. Are there any parallels between “man and his spirit” and “God and His spirit?” 1 Corinthians 2:11 “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (“even so” means “in like manner”) The above text tells us that “what man’s spirit is to man” is the same as “what God’s spirit is to God.” Yet the text marks out a very important difference. While the spirit of man is “in him,” the spirit of God is not limited to the bodily form of God. 7. What does the spirit of man refer to? • Mind—Daniel 2:1 “And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.” (Obviously Nebuchadnezzar could not sleep because he was thinking of the dream he had. In other words, his mind was troubled.) •Heart—Psalms 34:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (see also Psalms 51:10, 17; 77:6; 78:8; Ezekiel 36:26) • Life/breath—Job 27:3 “All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;...” (Isaiah 38:16; see also Job 27:3; Revelation 11:11) The spirit of man is the personality, character and life of the man. It is one’s own person. 8. How does the Bible explain God’s Spirit? • Mind—compare Isaiah 40:13 with Paul’s quote in Romans 11:34. Isaiah 40:13 “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?” Romans 11:34 “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?” (see also 1 Corinthians 2:16) •Life—John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Romans 8:10 “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (see also Genesis 2:7; Job 27:3; 33:4; Revelation 11:11) Just like the relation between man and his spirit, so is the relation between God and His spirit. The spirit of God is His own personality, character, life and thoughts. 9. If the spirit of man is none other than his own presence/person, then can we say that the spirit of God is His own presence? Psalm 139:7 “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?” Psalm 51:11 “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” Conclusion: God has a bodily form and has a spiritual presence. His spirit is not limited to His body. In the same way that your spirit is your own person, mind, and presence so is God’s spirit His own person, mind, presence. Bible Study Lesson 7 HOLY SPIRIT – PART 2: IDENTITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT In the previous lesson we established that God’s spirit is His own mind, life, presence and person. In this lesson we want to see where the Spirit proceeds from and the identity of the Spirit. 1. What did Jesus promise before He left? John 14:16, 17, 26 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. … But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” 2. According to the Bible, whose spirit is the “Holy Spirit?”Compare the following two verses: Mark 13:11 “But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye:for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.” Matthew records it as follows: Matthew 10:19, 20 “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” Holy Spirit = Spirit of the Father Also compare the following two verses: 2 Peter 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” While in his first letter talking about the same thing, Peter says: 1 Peter 1:10,11 “Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” Holy Spirit = Spirit of Christ According to the previous four verses, we can safely conclude: Spirit of Christ = Holy Spirit = Spirit of your Father 3. How many holy spirits are there? Ephesians 4:4 “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” (See also 1 Corinthians 6:17; 12:13; Ephesians 2:18) 4. When we receive the Holy Spirit who do we receive? John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” According to Jesus, when we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive both, the Father and the Son. 5. Do the Father and the Son possess the same Spirit/life? Romans 8:9, 10 “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. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” In this verse, while talking about the same spirit, Paul uses the following terminologies: Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ, Christ. This tells us Paul believed that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit/ Life of both, the Father and the Son. 6. Where does the Spirit come from? John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:...” 7. Why does the Spirit proceed from the Father? 1 Corinthians 8:6 “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.” Romans 11:36 “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” The Spirit (life of God) proceeds from the Father, because all things are of Him. He is the source of all things. (Please see Lesson 3 for further information.) 8. Through whom does this spirit come to us? Ephesians 2:18 “For through him [Jesus] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” John 20:22 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:...” The Spirit of the Father comes to us through Jesus, and through Him, it returns. 9. Who comes to us to be our Comforter? John 14:18, 19 “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.” 10. How does the Father send Jesus to us? Is it Jesus in flesh or in Spirit? Galatians 4:6 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Note: Paul tells us in Galatians that when we receive the Spirit of Jesus, we cry “Abba Father.” Yet, he also tells us in Romans 8:15 that when we receive the Spirit we cry “Abba, Father.” This is another confirmation that the Holy Spirit is none other than the spirit of Jesus. Also compare Galatians 4:6 with Acts 3:26 11. When we receive the Spirit of Jesus, is that someone different to Christ? 2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Paul told us, in 1 Corinthians 8:6, that there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, and in Ephesians 4:4, that there is one spirit. Yet Paul tells us in the above verse, that “the Lord is that Spirit.” If the Lord is Jesus and there is one spirit, then it is only logical and scriptural to believe that the Holy Spirit is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit form. Jesus Himself comes to us as a personal Comforter. The Spirit is the person of Jesus. 12. Does the Bible tell us that Jesus became a spirit? 1 Corinthians 15:45 “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” 13. Why does the Bible sometimes say that when the Comforter comes both the Father and the Son will come, while in other places it says Jesus is that Spirit? 2 Corinthians 5:19 “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,...” John 14:10, 20 “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” 14. Who is it that knocks on the door of our heart? Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” 15. What is the hope of Glory? Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:...” Bible Study Lesson 8 THE FATHER AND SON IN THE SANCTUARY 1. Where can we look to study and learn more about God’s way?The Bible tells us that God’s way is in the sanctuary: Psalms 77:13 “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?” What does the sanctuary have to say about the Godhead? How many Beings does the sanctuary and its services reveal to us? 2. How many stages does the sanctuary service entail? The sanctuary service entailed three stages the courtyard, the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. We will look at the three stages independently to see what we can learn from them. I. The Most Holy Place: a. What lessons can we learn from the Most Holy Place in regards to the Godhead? God gave strict instructions that only one being, other than Himself, is allowed to enter the Holy of Holies. 1. Jesus, our High Priest: Only the high priest was allowed to enter into the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:6, 7). Jesus is our heavenly High Priest (Hebrews 4:14; 5:10; 6:20). 2. God the Father on the throne: God’s presence dwelt on top of the mercy seat -(Exodus 25:21, 22; Psalms 80:1). God the Father is the One sitting on the throne in the heavenly sanctuary (Revelation 4:2; 5:1-6). 3. Jesus presents our prayers to the Father: Only one being, the high priest, was able to take the incense in before the presence of God on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:11-13). The incense represents the prayers of the saints mingled with Christ’s righteousness (Psalms 141:2, Revelation 5:8; 8:3). It is Christ who receives our prayers and presents them to His Father mingled with His merit and righteousness. b. How many divine Beings does the Most Holy Place present us with? And who are They? A simple study of the Most Holy Place in the earthly sanctuary presents us with only two divine Beings, the Father and the Son, represented by the earthly high priest and God’s presence on the throne. II. The Holy Place: a. What lessons can we learn from the earthly Holy Place in regards to the Godhead? 1. Jesus is our heavenly Priest/High Priest: The priests or the high priest who officiated in the first apartment is a symbol or type of Christ, our High Priest. 2. God’s presence in the Holy Place: The Bible also tells us that in the earthly sanctuary God manifested His glory in both apartments. Exodus 33:9-11 “And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.” (See also Exodus 29:42-44; 30:36; 40:34, 35; 1Kings 8:10, 11; 2 Chronicals 5:13, 14; 7:1, 2.) In Exodus 33:9-11, we have the example of the presence of two living beings—Moses, the Mediator, and God. Of course we know that Moses represents Jesus, the only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). Hence, this example points forward to the presence of both—Jesus, our Mediator and High Priest, and God the Father in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary. 3. Table of Showbread: The Table of Showbread had two rows of bread on it, six in each row (Leviticus 24: 5, 6). These two rows represented the Father and the Son; here is why: • Two Crowns: The Table of Showbread had two crowns or a double crown on it (Exodus 25:2325). Why two? • Jesus is the Bread: The bread represents Jesus (John 6:51). But Jesus said “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). Hence, the bread could represent the Father as well. That is why God instructed the priest to place the bread in two stacks (not 1 or 3), representing the Father and the Son, on a table, which had two crowns (not 1 or 3). • Jesus shares the Father’s throne: Revelation 3:21 tells us that Jesus shares His Father’s throne; hence, there are two divine Beings on the throne. • The Table of Shewbread with the two stacks on it is a fit representation of the Father and Son’s presence in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary in which Jesus fulfilled His ministration in the Holy Place. b. How many divine Beings does the earthly Holy Place present us with? And Who are They? A study of the earthly Holy Place proves the presence of only two Beings: Jesus, the Mediator/Priest, and God the Father. Again only two living Beings, not three. c. What about the Holy Spirit? Is it present in the Holy Place? In the Holy Place there are impersonal and inanimate elements that represent the Holy Spirit, such as the oil used to light the candle stick. But the point is, that nowhere do we see a third living being representing the Holy Spirit. The spirit is there, yes, but not bodily like the Father and the Son. The oil is a symbol of the spirit, yet the oil is used in the Holy Place to produce light, which is a symbol of Jesus (John 8:12, 9:5). II. The courtyard: a. What lessons can we learn from the courtyard in regards to the Godhead? The service in the courtyard involved three living beings: 1. Jesus is the Sacrifice: The sacrifice, whether a lamb or a bullock, etc. (Leviticus 4:3), represented Jesus, the Son of God (John 1:26, 39). 2. We are the sinners: The sinner, who slew the sacrifice with his own hands (Leviticus 4:4) represented the sinner who confesses his sins and offers up spiritual sacrifices (1Peter 2:5). 3. Jesus is the anointed Priest: The anointed priest took the blood into the sanctuary (Leviticus 4:5). This also represents Jesus, our High Priest. (Hebrews 4:14; 5:10; 6:20) b. How many divine Beings does the courtyard service present us with? These were the only living beings that were involved in the courtyard service. We only see one divine Being. c. What do the other priests represent? Of course, more than one priest officiated in the courtyard as well as in the Holy Place. These priests can represent one of two options: 1. a type of Christ 2. all the saints (The Bible calls the followers of Jesus a “royal priesthood” (1Peter 2:9). They represent the people working in cooperation with Divinity.) Regardless which one you believe to be the correct one, the point still stands, there is no living being representing the Holy Spirit. d. What about the Holy Spirit, is it represented in the courtyard? Again we see in the courtyard some representations of the Holy Spirit, but they are impersonal and inanimate unlike the representations for Jesus. For example: 1. fire on the altar of burnt offering—In Acts 2:3, we see the Spirit poured out in the appearance of cloven tongues of fire. 2. water in the laver—In the New Testament, water has been used to represent the Spirit (see John 4:14; 7:38, 39; Revelation 22:1). But the point still stands, nowhere do we see the Spirit represented as a living being like the Father and the Son. e. What is one of the roles of the high priest in the courtyard that relates to Jesus’ work on Earth? It is important to note that one of the roles or duties of the high priest was to teach the people (Ezekiel 44:23), which of course took place outside the tabernacle since none other than the priests could enter therein. In other words, the priest was not only to minister in the sanctuary before God, he was also to go out and teach the people. The fascinating thing is that the priests were to change their garments before going out to the people. They had to put on a different garment (or outfit) than the one they wore in the presence of God. Ezekiel 44:19 “And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.” It is here where I believe the type gives us a very interesting and illuminating insight. One of the duties of Christ, our High Priest, is to teach the people outside the sanctuary. Not only that, but according to the type, He is to wear a different outfit, or He is to appear in “another form,” different than while in the presence of God. And that is exactly what Christ is doing. While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above in His physical or bodily form, He is still—by His Spirit—the minister of the church on Earth. (Galatians 4:6). Jesus Has promised to be with us always, and never leave us or forsake us (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). The Bible tells us that Jesus was with His followers “working with them” (Mark 16:20). As you can see, the earthly sanctuary presents us with only two divine Beings: the Father and the Son. There is no room for a third living being in the sanctuary. In addition to that, the sanctuary service teaches us that to fulfil the type, Jesus has to do what the priest did, namely: go out and teach the people, which He does through His own spirit, the Holy Spirit. The apostles understood that, hence Paul’s declaration that Jesus is the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17, 1 Corinthians 8:6; also please refer to Lesson 7 for further information.) Previous All trinity studies Next Back to top