EGW - Apparent Contradictions

Apparent Contradictions in the Spirit of Prophecy

Apparent contradictions between two categories of statements in the Spirit of Prophecy. The first group of statements tells us that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is Christ Himself, and "He is the Comforter." The second group of statements says that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, a "distinct personality", in other words a personality that is distinct from the personality of Christ.

Godhead view
Trinitarian view

Christ Himself as the Comforter The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, as the third person of the Godhead

"The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ; it is His representative. Here is the divine agency that carries conviction to hearts." {13MR 313.3} (1895)
"The prince of the power of evil can only be held in check by the power of God in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit." --Special Testimonies, Series A, No. 10, p. 37. (1897) {Ev 617.2}

" When God's people take the position that they are the temple of the Holy Ghost, Christ Himself abiding within, they will so clearly reveal Him in spirit, words, and actions. . ." (3SM 211)
"Evil had been accumulating for centuries and could only be restrained and resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead . . ." {TM 392.2}

". . . and the Holy Spirit is the comforter, as the personal presence of Christ to the soul." (RH 29 Nov 1892)
"[Christ] determined to give His representative, the third person of the Godhead." {ST, December 1, 1898 par. 2}

". . . the enemy has brought influences of a discouraging nature to bear upon trembling souls. He has sought to shut Jesus from their view as the Comforter . . ." (RH 26 Aug 1890)
"The Holy Spirit is a person; for He beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. . . —Ms 20, 1906. (*)

"As by faith we look to Jesus, our faith pierces the shadow, and we adore God for His wondrous love in giving Jesus the Comforter." {19MR 297, 298}
"The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind 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." —Ms 20, 1906. (*)

"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." (RH 27 Jan 1903)
"The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, in Christ's name. He personifies Christ, yet is a distinct personality." {20MR 324.2}

Footnotes:

(*) Ms 20, 1906. In this manuscript, EGW was addressing the "controversy over the spiritualistic representations" (par. 1) being promoted by Dr. Kellogg in his book, "Living Temple." Thus, in context, EGW was battling the "spiritualization" of the Holy Spirit versus his personality and a belief in a personal God. In the manuscript you will read such quotes as follows:

Our ministers are not given the work of discussing these subjects of spiritualistic science. They are to keep strictly to Bible truth, “It is written.” {21LtMs, Ms 20, 1906, par. 2}

Dr._____ and his associates are already diseased with a species of spiritualistic sentiments, and unless they change they will in the near future be swayed into accord with the wonderful miracle-working power that the Word of God has said will be seen in these last days. “Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” Those who have been feeding their minds on the supposedly excellent but spiritualistic theories of Living Temple are in a very dangerous place. {21LtMs, Ms 20, 1906, par. 10}

This means that the next step will be a denial of a personal God, pulling down the bulwarks of the faith that is plainly revealed in the Scriptures. {21LtMs, Ms 20, 1906, par. 13}

I think all would agree that these two categories of statements appear to present a contradiction – thus we have a case of an apparent contradiction. However, we can be perfectly confident that this contradiction can be fully harmonized just as it reads in these passages, and we will take a look at that in the next part of this study.

But for now we will only state that the trinity doctrine is in no way whatsoever able to create full harmony out of this apparent contradiction. This should be evident for anyone knowing that the trinity doctrine teaches that the three persons of the Godhead are three separate and distinct persons. They fully deny that Christ "Himself" is the Holy Spirit. Thus the trinity doctrine creates total disharmony out of this apparent contradiction – it is not able to solve it. The trinity doctrine thus blatantly denies and rejects the first category of statements by the Spirit of Prophecy.

Apparent contradictions in the personality of Jesus Christ. First we are told that Christ is not truly God in personality. Secondly we are taught the great importance of the truth of the absolute Godhead of Jesus Christ.

Godhead view Trinitarian view

Jesus Christ - God in infinity, but not in personality The absolute Godhead of Jesus Christ

"The apparently weak soul, who with a contrite, trusting spirit takes God at His word, and with a sense of his unworthiness asks for help, will be given grace to win victory after victory, and to gain the eternal weight of glory in the future life. The Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, is truly God in infinity, but not in personality. He has wrought out the righteousness that enables human beings to overcome every assault of Satan. He will impute His righteousness to the believing saint who walks as He walked when on earth." {UL 367.4}
"The greatness of God cannot be measured or comprehended. And that doctrine that denies the absolute Godhead of Jesus Christ, denies also the Godhead of the Father; for no man knoweth the Son but the Father." {ST, June 27, 1895 par. 3}

How are these statements to be reconciled? We can rest assured that the statements can be harmonized, but you know, the trinitarians can hardly believe EGW really wrote this first statement! It represents a tremendous contradiction for the trinity doctrine.

Apparent contradictions on whether Christ was born or eternal. The first group states Christ is begotten of God, not adopted, nor created but begotten, a real Son born by God in deed and in truth and in love, He was brought forth before all of creation, and afterwards was brought up with His Father. The second group states Christ is the eternal and self-existent Son of God, and His pre-existence cannot be measured by figures as He has existed from everlasting.

Godhead view Trinitarian view

Christ is a Son begotten by the Father Christ is the self-existent Son of God

"A complete offering has been made; for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,"-- not a son by creation, as were the angels, nor a son by adoption, as is the forgiven sinner, but a Son begotten in the express image of the Father's person, and in all the brightness of his majesty and glory, one equal with God in authority, dignity, and divine perfection. In him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." {ST, May 30, 1895 par. 3}
"Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God. . . . In speaking of his pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him."--Signs of the Times, Aug. 29, 1900. {Ev 615.2}

"Through Solomon Christ declared: "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. . . . 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." {ST, August 29, 1900 par. 14}
"He was equal with God, infinite and omnipotent. . . . He is the eternal, self-existent Son" (manuscript 101, 1897). {LHU 17.9}

"God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to His Son." {8T 268.3}
"Christ shows them that, although they might reckon His life to be less than fifty years, yet His divine life could not be reckoned by human computation. The existence of Christ before His incarnation is not measured by figures."--Signs of the Times, May 3, 1899. {Ev 616.1}

"Christ is the Son of God in deed and in truth and in love, and is the representative of the Father as well as the representative of the human race." {14MR 83.2}
"While God's Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding His pre-existence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with His Father. From everlasting He was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted Him, were to be blessed. "The Word was with God, and the Word was God." Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God."--Review and Herald, April 5, 1906. {Ev 615, 616}

This presents an apparent contradiction especially for the trinity doctrine. The trinitarians cannot reconcile the idea of begottenness with the idea of eternal existence. Thus they spiritualize away the real Sonship of Christ, claiming that this Sonship is just symbolic, a role entered into by Christ. But by doing this, the first category of statements are unfortunately denied and rejected. We must be able to create harmony out of this apparent contradiction.
Apparent contradictions on whether there are two or three beings in the Godhead.

Godhead view Trinitarian view

Two beings in the Godhead Three beings in the Godhead

"The Father and the Son alone are to be exalted." {YI, July 7, 1898 par. 2} 1900: The work is laid out before every soul that has acknowledged his faith in Jesus Christ by baptism, and has become a receiver of the pledge from the three persons--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

"The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father's throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both. About the throne gathered the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng--"ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands" (Revelation 5:11.), the most exalted angels, as ministers and subjects, rejoicing in the light that fell upon them from the presence of the Deity. Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will. The Son of God had wrought the Father's will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due. Christ was still to exercise divine power, in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. But in all this He would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God's plan, but would exalt the Father's glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love." {PP 36.2}
1901: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the three holy dignitaries of heaven, have declared that they will strengthen men to overcome the powers of darkness.

"The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate--a co-worker. . . . Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father--one in nature, in character, in purpose--the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God." {PP 34.1}
Have you been born again? Have you become a new being in Christ Jesus? Then cooperate with the three great powers of heaven who are working in your behalf.

"Christ became one with them. The only Being who was one with God lived the law in humanity, descended to the lowly life of a common laborer, and toiled at the carpenter's bench with His earthly parent…" {TMK 363.3}
1904: The three great and glorious heavenly characters are present on the occasion of baptism.

"Father and Son are pledged to fulfill the terms of the everlasting covenant. . . . Christ was not alone in making His great sacrifice. It was the fulfillment of the covenant made between Him and His Father before the foundation of the world was laid. With clasped hands they had entered into the solemn pledge that Christ would become the surety for the human race …" {FLB 76.3}
1904: The eternal Godhead--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost--is involved in the action required to make assurance to the human agent.

"God, in counsel with His Son, formed the plan of creating man in His own image." {Con 10.1}
1905: We are to co-operate with the three highest powers in heaven, --the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,--and these powers will work through us, making us workers together with God.

"The plan of redemption was arranged in the councils between the Father and the Son. Then Christ pledged himself to render an account for man if he proved disloyal. He pledged himself to make an atonement which would unite every believing soul to God. {RH, May 28, 1908 par. 12}
1909: The three highest powers in the universe are pledged to labor with those who will seek to save the lost. God wants his people to claim his promised help for the accomplishment of his work in the world.

In the above, there are two apparently different facts:

Apart from the Father, there is only One Divine Being in the whole universe: Jesus Christ. The Father and Christ alone are to be exalted, and the only Being that is equal with God the Father, is Christ. The counsel of of the Godhead, also called "the counsel of peace", has only two members in it.

The Godhead is a trio, and these three are described as "three powers", "three dignitaries", "three agencies", "three worthies". Yes these are one place even said by EGW to be "three beings" and "three persons".

For now we will just conclude that it is perfectly understandable that some feel that EGW is supporting the trinity doctrine when they read statements from the second category. But the trinity doctrine rejects the first group of statements that clearly says that there are only two divine beings! We read that the "counsel of peace shall be between them both" – and how many is "both"? "Both" clearly means two, and not three.

The point is that you have to come up with an understanding that brings harmony between these two apparently contradictory statements. Any interpretation that rejects one of the groups, must be in error, and only ends up rejecting the authenticity of the Spirit of Prophecy. We must never ever come up with such an understanding – then we are enemies of the Word and creators of confusion.

The truth must be that both things are true: there are only two beings in the Godhead, and at the same time there are three beings too in the Godhead! You might well ask: How can we possibly avoid ending up with a real contradiction in this case?