Four Titles of the Godhead with Emphasis on the Holy Spirit
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The Godhead is one but consists of three Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father and the Son have their own personalities as does the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead. The existence of the Holy Spirit has been debated among Christians; some have argued that the Holy Spirit comes out of the Father or the Son. Others believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person or Being with a personality like the Father and the Son. This study discusses whether the biblical evidence supports the idea that the Holy Spirit is a living Being or just a power (a substance). A further purpose of the study is to understand the concept held by an influential twentieth-century writer (Ellen White) about the Holy Spirit, especially in terms of the nature of Holy Spirit as a Person or a Being. This writer uses four titles regarding the Holy Spirit which include the Father and the Son. They are: (1) Three Powers in heaven; (2) Three living Persons in heaven; (3) Three Characters in heaven; and (4) Three Dignitaries in heaven. However, the nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery for human beings.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright: Asia-Pacific International University reserve exclusive rights to publish, reproduce and distribute the manuscript and all contents therein.
References
Carpenter, E. & Grisanti, M. (1997). “ֵעָצה” In W. VanGemeren (Ed.), New international dictionary of the Old Testament theology and exegesis (Vol. 1, p. 350). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Jenson, P. (1997). “ֶאָחד” In W. VanGemeren (Ed.), New international dictionary of the Old Testament theology and exegesis (Vol. 1, pp. 349–351). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Knight, G. (2008). Lest we forget. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing Association.
Marshall, A. (1978). The R.S.V. interlinear Greek-English New Testament. London: Samuel Bagster and Sons Limited.
Ministerial Association. (1998). Seventh-day Adventists believe . . . A biblical exposition of 28 fundamental doctrines. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing Association.
Secretariat, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (2005). Seventh-day Adventist church manual (17th ed.). Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing.
White, E. G. (1882). Early writings. Battle Creek, MI: Review and Herald Publishing Association.
White, E. G. (1898). Desire of ages. Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association.
White, E. G. (1901, April 4). Our supply in Christ. General Conference Bulletin, Chapter 45
White, E. G. (1911). The acts of the apostles. Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association.
White, E. G. (1922). Christian experience and teachings of Ellen G. White. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association.
White, E. G. (1946). Evangelism. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing Association.
White, E. G. (1955). Sons and daughters of God. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing Association.
White, E. G. (1958). Selected messages (Vol. 2). Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing Association.
White, E. G. (1990). Manuscript releases (Vol. 6). Silver Spring, MD: Ellen G. White Estate.
White, E. G. (1990). Manuscript releases (Vol. 16). Silver Spring, MD: Ellen G. White Estate.
White, E. G. (1991). Counsels for the church. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association.
White, E. G. (1992). Last day events. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association.