DO SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS

(S.D.A.s) WORSHIP THREE GODS?

Part 1
By Derrick Gillespie
*AN ‘END TME’ *(Revised) LEAFLET FOR ‘ADVENTISTS’

INTRODUCTION:

“You are baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. You are raised up out of the water to live henceforth in
newness of life--to live a new life. You are born unto God, and you stand
under the sanction and the power of THE THREE HOLIEST *BEINGS
IN HEAVEN, who are able to keep you from falling… When I feel
oppressed, and hardly know how to relate myself toward the work that God
has given me to do, I just *CALL UPON THE THREE GREAT
WORTHIES, and say; You know I cannot do this work in my own
strength. You must work in me, and by me and through me, sanctifying
my tongue, sanctifying my spirit, sanctifying my words, and bringing me
into a position where my spirit shall be susceptible to the movings of the
Holy Spirit of God upon my mind and character. And this is the prayer
that every one of us may offer.”
-E.G. White, Manuscript Release, Vol.7, pgs. 267, 268 (Ms
95, 1906, pp. 8-12, 14-17; "Lesson from Romans 15," October 20, 1906.)

There is a strong conviction among a group of concerned individuals within the

Seventh-day Adventist Church that ‘Adventists’ (S.D.A.s) believe in, teach and worship
three Gods or three “beings” (or TRI-THEISM). These concerned groups of individuals
(who have the democratic and God- given right to their opinion) go as far as stating that
the S.D.A. Church has committed the greatest ‘heresy’ against the Bible in teaching, what
they call, ‘three Gods’, in contradiction (to their minds) to 1 Corinthians 8:6 which
declares:
“there is one God ,the Father”.
They argue that Jehovah God is an absolute unit and there is only one (1) of Him,
therefore no one else is ‘TRULY GOD’ as the Father, the first Person of the Godhead as
outlined in Matthew 28:19.They appeal to the perspectives of the Jews and Muslims to be
their standard of MONOTHEISM (or a belief in one God). It should be noted however
that both Judaism and Islam reject Jesus as Deity (or God) or that, as Mrs. White puts
it, Jesus is “God essentially [not just ‘God-like’] and in the highest [nothing higher]
sense” as well as Jesus is “truly God in the infinity [no limits]”. Emphasis in brackets
[ ] supplied. See S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 10, pg, 287 and Manuscript 116- Dec.
1905 for the above quotes from Mrs. White. Note the words of the Koran (of the
Muslims) denying the divinity of Christ (as taken from several chapters and verses):

[3.59] Truly, the likeness of (Prophet) Jesus

with Allah [God], is as the likeness of Adam, He
created him from dust then He said to him
"Be" and he was.
There is no god except Allah…
[3.64] … 'People of the Book [Christians], let us come to
a common word between us and you that we
will worship none except Allah, that we will
associate none with Him, and that none of us
take others for lords besides Allah...'
[4.171] People [Christians] of the Book, do not exaggerate
your religion. Do not say about Allah except

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the truth. Indeed, the Messiah, Jesus son of
Mary, is only a Messenger (and Prophet) of
Allah, and His Word, which He gave to
Mary, and a (created) spirit by Him. So believe
in Allah and His Messengers and do not say:
'Three [Trio or Trinity].' Refrain, it is better for you. Allah is
only One God...
[5.72] The unbelievers are those who say:
'Allah is the Messiah [or Jesus is God], the son of Mary.' But the
Messiah said: 'Children of Israel, worship
Allah, my Lord and your Lord.' He who
associates anything with Allah, Allah has
indeed forbidden Paradise to him, and his
abode shall be in the Fire. The harmdoers
shall have no helpers.
[5.73] Indeed those who say: 'Allah is the third
of Three [a Trio or Trinity]’ became unbelievers. There is
but One God. If they do not desist in what they
say, a painful punishment will afflict those of
them that disbelieve.
[5.74] Will they not turn to Allah in repentance
and ask His forgiveness? He is Forgiving,
Merciful.
[5.75] The Messiah, the son of Mary, was not
except a Messenger, other Messengers had
gone before him.”- The Koran

Notice that the idea of a divine Son, and three personalities in the Godhead is seen as
blasphemous to the Muslim, just like the Jews who see only the Father as Sovereign, and
that “He reigns alone”(according to the ancient Jewish hymn)!! They would never see
Jesus as “Everlasting Father”, and worse, as “my Lord and my God”. It should
also be noted that the Jews and Muslims both do not see the Godhead operating as an
“US” (Gen. 1:26/ Gen.3: 22/ Gen. 11:7/ Is. 6:8). The Jews rejected Jesus while the
Muslims believe, according to their sacred Koran (scriptures), that God [Allah]
cannot have a divine Son since He is an indivisible substance, or no one else can be
of like substance. No one can be associated with Him, or be equal with Him. It can
safely be said that any one who rejects or belittles the nature and authority of Jesus,
should not be trusted to be the standard for, or to expound on the deep things
related to, the subject of the Godhead, or “Divine Nature” or “Essence” of Jehovah.

THE ONLY SAFE PATH FOR ADVENTISTS:

The doctrine of God and the Godhead continues

to be the most controversial issue in the Church
today. The individual faith and conviction of
every Christian must always be based on the
Bible. However, since the Bible is the subject
of various conflicting human interpretations,
the safety of the Remnant Church lies in the
confirmation of it’s teachings by the Spirit; or
truth as confirmed by the ‘Spirit of
Prophecy’ in the writings of Mrs. Ellen G.
White.
Some trust their own intellect to understand the
complex issues related to the Godhead or deny
the reality that there are ‘mysteries’ involved
which need special discernment or spiritual
insight (see 1Tim.3: 16/1Cor. 2: 1-16)
Some narrowly claim that since the Bible
and the Bible only should be appealed to then
there is no real place for the ‘Spirit of
Prophecy’ in the establishment or

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understanding of doctrine. This is a fallacy and the reason for much disunity evidenced
by the detractors in the Church on this critical issue. ‘Sola scriptura’ (or “the sriptures
alone) obligates us to “Quench not the Spirit… despise not prophecyings…believe the
prophets and you will prosper” (see 1 Thess. 5:19,20; 2 Chron. 20:20). This
instruction given by the Bible itself is essential so that we be not “tossed to and fro” but
“all come in the UNITY of the faith (Eph. 4:11-15).
So therefore the Remnant Church (Rev. 12:17/Rev. 19:10/Rev.22: 8,9), identified by the
“Spirit of prophecy” is blessed with the insights of Mrs. White on critical yet
controversial doctrines such as the Godhead or the “essence” or nature of God. The writer
of this leaflet is not contending that the “Spirit of Prophecy” writings should be the
source of doctrine but rather should be the means of confirmation of doctrines, which
were drawn from the Bible only (Is. 8:20).

THE BLUNDER OF THE DETRACTORS:

On the Godhead issue, many of the detractors (‘concerned groups’ referred to earlier) in
the S.D.A. Church appeal to the early writings of early pioneers (J.M. Stephenson, James
White, J.H. Waggoner etc.), much of which is no longer in print. While these give
valuable insights into the personal thoughts and individual perspectives of our well
respected pioneers, the following is glaringly evident to this writer: shockingly the
detractors ignore or ‘downplay’ the specific declarations and teachings of Mrs.
White (the leading pioneer) on the Divine Nature of God or the Godhead. Some even
blatantly declare that the “God”-“head” is the Father only because “the head of
Christ is God” (a clear deceptive misuse, and or misunderstanding of the one word
“Godhead”).
They also ignore the warning that the writings of some pioneers, of “the first fifty years”
of our Church development, was a mixture of correct personal perspectives, perspectives
acquired from S.D.A. Church doctrines being developed but not fully hammered out in
all points, as well as these writings contained “errors” (Mrs. White –Manuscript 11, 1910
and Selected Messages, Vol. 1, pg. 165). Therefore the only safe path is to test every
personal Biblical perspective, whether past or present, with the “Spirit of Prophecy”
writings, which would be free from error in perspectives or misinterpretation of scripture.
Mrs. White state authoritatively in years leading up to her death:

“ All… truths are immortalized in my writings. The Lord never

denies his Word. Men may set up scheme after scheme, and the
enemy will seek to seduce souls from the truth, but all who believe that the
Lord has Spoken through Sister White, and has given her a message, will
be safe from the many delusions that will come in these last days”
(Manuscript Release, pg, 22,23).
Mr
s. White further declared that we should hold fast to the pillars of truth, “not one jot or
tittle has changed”. What is it that we are to hold to, and what is it that has not changed?
Certainly not just the perspectives of other pioneers and the colleagues of Mrs. White in
the early Adventist Church, perspectives which in some respects have been expanded on
and or corrected by Mrs. White, but truth as it has been confirmed and “tested” by the
‘Spirit of Prophecy’ as the Church gradually hammered out truth.
Note carefully the following from Mrs. White:

1. “…we are to hold fast the principles of our

DENOMINATED faith...that has been SUBSTANTIATED BY THE
SPIRIT OF GOD …that which Holy Spirit TESTIFIED TO AS TRUTH
…is the solid foundation of truth”.
(Special Testimonies, Series B7, page 57-58)

2. “…we must be refused to be drawn away from the platform

of eternal truth which has… STOOD THE TEST”.
(Selected Messages, Bk.1, pg 199-200)

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This presentation therefore will seek to show what Adventists really gradually hammered
out and declared as truth “tested” and “substantiated” by the special gift of the “Spirit
of Prophecy”. This leaflet will show what Adventists really believe today, as taught by
the Bible, by using the authoritative test of doctrines: the inseparable dual test of the
Bible and the confirmation in the ‘Spirit of Prophecy’ writings, the “lesser light” leading
to the “greater light”.

ONE GOD OR THREE GODS?

The Bible declares over and over that there is one God. Jesus, functioning in the role of a
man, a “servant” and our pattern, called Him Father and declared to Satan “ Him only
shalt thou serve”. The Bible also declares over and over that only God should be
worshipped. The Bible also declares that there is only “one Father” and that only “one
God created us” (Mal. 2:10). It immediately calls into question: How do we reconcile
with the fact that Jesus is over and over called God (John 20:28), over and over
Jesus is worshipped and served as the Creator and, to top it all off, He is called, just
like His Father, the “Everlasting Father”(past, present and future), and yet the
Bible declares “one God” and “one Father”? Also Jesus is called the “one Lord”, yet
the Father is also “Lord”, not just “LORD” (Jehovah).
The Nature of God or the Godhead is therefore clearly a MYSTERIOUS one despite
some try to deny this fact and almost claim they fully understand The Divine Nature of
Jehovah. Let us now explore what is really truth for the Seventh-day Adventist.
Firstly, it should be stated that Adventists do not teach three Gods, that is the
charge or accusation of the detractors as they interpret for themselves the Adventist
teachings in light of our use of the word “Trinity” and our acknowledgement that
all three Persons in the baptismal formula (Matt. 28:19) are fully God, fully
separate or distinct (not just one Person called truly “God”), and all have no
beginning, including Jesus the Son, begotten from the Father (see Hebrews 7:1-
3/John 1:1/Is.43:10).
It is certainly true that the early SDA pioneers all denounced, what some called the
“dark Catholic doctrine” (the Trinity) of God being one substance indivisible, with
three “heads” or “forms”. The Bible clearly teaches a unity in the Godhead, but
distinct Persons. So does the Trinity. It is true they saw the Catholic “Trinity” as a
“three headed heathen monstrosity”, yet Adventism today teaches “One God, the
Father” who cannot be known, accepted, served or worshipped without the Son and
Spirit being equally accepted, served or worshipped (the “Three Living Persons of
the Heavenly Trio”, said E.G. White). Why? Because the pioneers themselves, and
before the year 1915, changed their thinking gradually to accept basic
Trinitarianism. True, it may ‘boggle’ the mind but no detractor can explain away
that reality.
The true acceptance of Jehovah as God, whether by the Jew or Muslim (both monotheists
who reject the Deity of Jesus) , or whether by Christian or pagan, is a threefold
acceptance . There is no escaping this fact!
Adventists gradually established, after years of study, searching and ‘Spirit
of Prophecy’ confirmation, a revolutionary concept of a “TRIO” in the Godhead. It
should be noted that the word “Trio” for the Godhead is not found in Scripture but
is a ‘coined’ word by Mrs. White who had ‘visions’ on the Godhead in specific terms
to throw greater light on hinted or ‘implied’ truths in the Bible. Nowhere in the
Bible is it specifically stated that the word “Godhead” should relate to or cover the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However it was so used by Mrs. White in keeping with
hints in the Bible and her declared ‘visions’. Nowhere in the Bible are the Persons in
the Godhead called, together, “three Holiest Beings in Heaven” or “Living Persons”
or together called “Dignitaries” or together called “Powers Omnicient and Infinite”
or together called the “Highest Authorities”, but they were so called by Mrs. White
in light of the ‘implied’ truths in the Word of God and her visions of the Godhead.
The concept of a “TRIO” was also revolutionary because none of the pioneers (in
their own expressions) before her death in 1915 ever used such a word, and, also,
Mrs. White declared that “THE THREE LIVING PERSONS OF THE
HEAVENLY TRIO”, though being a distinct Father, Son and “ The Third Person
of the Godhead”, the Holy Spirit, in keeping with the truths of the Bible and self –
evident logic, that they must all be served UNITEDLY as ONE “GREAT

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THREEFOLD POWER”(Manuscript 11,1901 and S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol.6,
pg.1075).
This UNITED SERVICE (WORSHIP) was clearly stated in the following way:

“When we have accepted Christ and in the NAME

[SINGULAR] of the Father, and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit have pledged ourselves to SERVE [WORSHIP]
[1] God, the Father, [2] Christ and [3] the Holy Spirit-
the Three Dignitaries [PLURAL] and Powers of Heaven-
pledge Themselves[PLURAL] that every facility shall be
given us if we carry out our …vows”
(Manuscript 85,1901)

Was Mrs. White contradicting the Bible that only God should be “SERVED”(Matt. 4:10)
or that “no man can serve two masters”(Matt. 6:24)? And how about serving three
Persons unitedly? Is this a Biblical contradiction? Clearly NO! This declaration was the
result of ‘IMPLIED’ truths in the Bible and Mrs. Whites special ‘gift’ of insight,
inspiration and ‘visions’ of the true unity of the Persons in the Godhead who, though
distinct, are served UNITEDLY as ONE, since they are all called “GOD” or, as Mrs.
White puts it, they are each “the fullness of the Godhead”. This “fullness of the
Godhead” or Divine Nature is not the kind that Christians will be filled with on accepting
Christ through the Holy Spirit but rather it means the nature or condition of being
“Powers Infinite and Omnicient”(E.G. White), being Omnipotent and having the quality
of being GOD. Detractors who make this comparison should be careful of 2 Peter3: 15-
18. Christians will never become God in substance, as Jesus is.
Logic struggles to understand how these Three are not three Gods, but for the
illustration in the Bible which shows clearly that a woman and a man (two separate
or distinct beings) are seen through spiritual eyes as “one flesh” and “one body” or
simply “one”, though they retain their individuality (see Gen.2: 24/1Cor.6: 16). They
are so spiritually united that a wife is the husband “himself”, in a representative
way (Eph.5: 28). Originally humanity was called one name “Adam” and is led and
represented by the “man” or “him”, though both were included in the “him”, both truly
equal and both truly human (Gen.5: 1,2; 3:22-24).
So likewise, there is one God, the Father, who is revealed in the Godhead unity of
the distinct Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who must all be served (worshipped) no
matter your capacity, willingness or unwillingness to reconcile this requirement
with the idea of one God! No triad or pagan trinity of gods, though counterfeiting
this unity, can properly reflect the love, cooperation and harmony within the
Godhead or Divine Nature of Jehovah, the one true God in the universe.
The concept of Godhead “Trio” was established in the late 1800s (after 1888) and
the early 1900s, not the “first fifty years” (1844-1894) of Adventism. Detractors within
the Church mislead the public to believe that the S.D.A. Church is today teaching a
brand of Trinitarianism called Tri-theism. A Recognition of this blundering of the
detractors (by the writer of this leaflet) was the prime reason for the publishing of this
article.
This has been Part 1 of a series of two articles on this issue: “DO ADVENTISTS
WORSHIP THREE GODS”? The continuation of this article will give more incisive
points from Mrs. White to show how they clearly stumble and fall over the awesome
“mystery” of the Divine Nature of Jehovah or the Godhead of Father (Mal.2: 10), the Son
(John 1:1/ Is.9: 6/Is.43: 10) and the separate and “Third Person”(“Living Person”) of the
Godhead, the Holy Spirit (Is.48: 16/2 Sam.23: 2,3/Ez.8: 1-5/Acts 5:3,4/Acts 13:2).

FOR MORE CALL:

(876) 539-4734 or 963-1847
or write: DERRICK GILLESPIE
MUNRO COLLEGE P.O.
ST ELIZABETH
JAMAICA W.I.

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SEE PART 2 ON NEXT PAGE

Do Seventh-day Adventists
WORSHIP THREE GODS? Part 2
By Derrick Gillespie

AN ‘END TIME’ LEAFLET FOR ‘ADVENTISTS’

INTRODUCTION:

In the first leaflet, Part 1, it was clearly established that the Seventh-day Adventist
Church has both the Biblical authority, and ‘Spirit of Prophecy’ confirmation, to believe
and teach that the worship of Jehovah is a ‘threefold’ service. No Jew, Muslim, pagan
or Christian, accepting the ‘gospel’, can properly serve Jehovah without an
acceptance and worship of the Son, who is “God in the infinity”, or without an
acceptance of and service given to the Holy Spirit, who is called “God” and a
“Living Person”, a Being even, “the Third Person of the Godhead”. It was clearly
established that though the Bible declares over and over that “there is one God, the
Father”, no detractor can deny that Mrs. White agrees that the Bible clearly teaches
that more than one Person in the Godhead is called “truly God” or “ God in the
highest sense” or “God in the infinity”. No detractor can deny that more than one
Person in the Godhead is called “Father” or “the Everlasting Father”, even though
Jesus, in His humility as a Man, never claimed any of these things for Himself
(see Phill. 2:6-8). No detractor can deny that both man and angels properly give
more than one Person in the Godhead worship, as “Creator” (not ‘Creators’) of the
entire universe. No detractor can deny that the ‘Spirit of Prophecy’ clearly instructs the
‘Remnant’ Church that all Three in the Godhead should be “SERVED” or worshipped,
despite the fact that only “God”, or any one having the right to the capital noun title
“GOD” should receive such service (Matt.4: 10/ Rev.22: 8,9/Acts 10:25,26). No
detractor can deny that the Father is distinct from the Son, and that the Holy Spirit
is called “the THIRD Person” [“Living Person”] of the Eternal Godhead”.

THE FAILURE OF LOGIC:

It must be recognized that many of the detractors accept that all Three are “God”,
and all Three are called “Persons” but, they contend, only the Father is “truly God”. Jesus
is not “Everlasting”(past, present and future) in the absolute, but in a limited sense, since
He is, they contend, the “Begotten” of God (see Heb. 7: 3). Jesus is “God” in nature, but
is not equal in authority to the Father, they also contend (He is therefore not “God in the
highest sense”). The Holy Spirit is not a “Third” and separate “Person” or “Being”.
Therefore, to them, “Person” and “Being” mean different things, while the word “Third”
is not exclusive or separate from “First”, but is an extension of it. The dictionary
meanings of “Person” and “Third”, and “Trio” are therefore made spurious and of non-
effect by them. It should be noted, however, that every dictionary gives the word

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“Person” the same meaning as “Being”. Mrs. White, who this writer trusts over any
Biblical commentary, always spoke of “the Third PERSON of the Godhead”, but
NEVER ‘the Third Personality of the Godhead’, since the word ‘personality’
(‘expression’) does have a different meaning from the word “Person”. Notice how
Heb. 1:3 (in various translations) gives the words “Person” and “Being” the same
meaning; a passage Mrs. White herself used in talking about the “Person”, or
“Being”, of the Father. Clearly she was not using the “third person” style of
language, because this would not explain her reference to the “Trio”. All these points
will be closely explored further in this article. Just read on!
In the last article it was admitted that logic would fail to understand how there
were not, so called, “three Gods” to be worshipped in the Godhead, but for the
common illustration of “one body…one flesh” (but separate individuals) in the
spiritual union of a male and a female, the complete nature of Man. Notice, “ONE
BODY”, not just one in mind, purpose, and action. Logically, they are separate
individuals entirely, not “one body” literally, but are so spiritually united that the
wife is the husband “himself”(Eph.5: 28). Separate individuals they are, but so
united that only one pronoun “HIM” is needed to cover BOTH in Gen. 3:22-24.
Compare the same illustration used in 1 Cor. 12:4-6, with the rest of the chapter.
So what about the unity in the Godhead? Logic, it must be recognized is not
always the proper tool to use to understand the things of God, since “who by searching
can find out God” (Job 11:7-9)? For instance, logically, John should not call Jesus “my
Lord and “MY God”(John 20:28), if he understood that there is no other Person
who should be his “God” but Jehovah above, as Ex. 20:3 demands clearly. Logically,
Mrs. White should see Jesus dying as both Man and “Deity” (God), since He was
one Man, with “two natures blended”. However, she defied logic, and the views of
the other pioneers of her time, and declared, quote, “ …it was His human nature
that died. Deity did not sink and die, that would have been impossible. Who by
searching can find out God?” See Letter 240, Sept.3, 1904. It is clear these two
writers had more spiritual insight than logic will ever be able to grapple with.
Placing science and logic above the things of God is the blunder of many.
Detractors today in the S.D.A. Church are dismissing even the “mysteries” of God
(1Tim 3:16), acknowledged by the S.D.A. Church, as, what they call, the Church’s
“ excuse” to support it’s, so called, “indefensible” and “apostate” teachings about the
Godhead. They continue to ask: “How can you insult our logic and reason in trying to
lead us to accept that only the HUMAN part of Jesus died, or that “one God” relates to a
unity of Three distinct Persons? How can Three Persons be one Father and one Creator?”
That, I humbly submit is the root of the problem for many who are sincere in declaring
“the Bible and the Bible only”, but fail to see it’s ‘mysteries’, as they study it’s pages. So
the only safety of the Remnant Church lies in the confirming it’s teachings, by the ‘Spirit
of Prophecy’ insights, NOT by the views of ‘learned men’. Let the pen of insight and
inspiration continue to speak in this article, despite the protestations and appeal to logic
on the part of others.

HOW CAN THREE BE CALLED “HIM”?

Logic and common experience teaches that only one person is called “HIM”. So
how can Adventists logically refer to the Three in the Godhead as a united “Him” or
“He” and at the same time contend that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are distinct?
Are they regarded as one Creator? The answer is not found in science or logic but can
be discerned only through spiritual eyes. Allow ‘Spirit of Prophecy’ to speak, emphasis
in brackets [ ] supplied where necessary:
“The existence of a personal God, the UNITY of Christ with His
Father, lies at the foundation of all TRUE SCIENCE”.
(Ms. 30,Oct. 29,1904 –E.G. White)
“As God’s servants proclaim these things Satan steps up to some who
have itching minds and presents His scientific problems. Men will be
tempted to place science above God. But who by searching can find out
God? Christ is one with the Father…but the unity does not destroy the
Personality of either”.(Ms. 58,May 19, 1905 –E.G. White)

“…The physical creation testifies of God [the Father] and Jesus Christ
[the God-Man] as the great CREATOR [singular] of all things. All

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 things were made by HIM [not ‘Them’]; and without Him was not any
thing made that was made. In Him was life …(John 1:1-3)”
(Ms. 117,Sept. 21,1898- “A Personal God”)

"God says, [notice after this whom the writer means says this] "Come
out from among them, and be ye separate, . . . and touch not the
unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you,
and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
[Now notice carefully] This is the pledge of [not one person, but] the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit [i.e. the *pledge to receive and be
"a Father" to you]; made to you if you will keep your baptismal vow,
and touch not the unclean thing…After we have formed a union with
the great THREEFOLD POWER [singular; collective], we shall regard
our duty toward the members of God's family with a sacred
awe.”

-E.G. White, Signs of the Times, June 19, 1901

Turn these three quotations any which way, the following are very clear about Mrs.
White’s understanding about God:
Just like the Bible (Gen. 1:26/Gen.3: 22/Gen. 11:7 and Is.6:8), Mrs. White
always presents “one God”, a “Personal God”, as a UNITY, not just the Father
talking to His Son, as in “let us make man”. There is often this “US” in the Bible, or
on occasions, a “Christ” [“Messiah”-Man] and “Father”, UNITED, or always
mentioned together (1 Cor. 8:6). She even made it clear that “true science” would
respect this UNITY of Persons when the “Personal God” of the Bible is being
considered. This is far from what a Muslim, a monotheist who declares one single
solitary God Person, called ‘Allah’, would even be willing to consider. Notice how she
calls them collectively “CREATOR”(singular), not ‘Creators’. Notice also that in
quoting John 1:1-3 she uses the one passage to call both Father and Son “HIM” [not
‘Them’], despite she knew that they are distinct Persons, and despite the passage
was originally about CHRIST ALONE. This use of “him” is similar to the “him” in
Gen.3: 22-24, showing the spiritual unity of Humans (male and female).
Notice also that she was aware of the challenge that “God’s people” would face to
overcome those encumbered by logic and “science”. The writer of this article
challenges any detractor to supply any other issue that Mrs. White was addressing,
if it was not the question of ‘how can one God be in UNITY’, when she referred to
the “scientific problems” presented by those with “itching minds”. What really
would be the “scientific problem” for “some” in teaching a unity in the Godhead?

The question is also, did Mrs. White teach a “Duo” of

“Beings” in the Godhead or a “TRIO” of “PERSONS”
[same meaning as “Beings”, see dictionary]?

Did Mrs. White ever consider the Holy Spirit when she wanted to outline the “essence”
of the Christian’s God? Is He ever considered a part of this UNITY? Read on.

THE “ESSENCE” OF GOD IS THE GODHEAD

The word “Godhead” means the nature or “essence” of God or that

which qualifies a Being as God or Deity. ‘Nature’ here means that which make anything
what it is. See your dictionary for “ essence” and “nature”(in context of course).
Firstly it should be recognized that the question of the “essence” of God was at the heart
of the “Trinity” controversy in the various Church Councils, such as the Council of
Nicea, the Council of Constantinople, and the Council of Chalcedon. It was the
recognition that all Three in the Godhead are recognized by the Bible as “God”, and are
properly called “Persons”, that ‘forced’ them to recognize the “essence” of one divinity

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as three Personalities in one Godhead, to preserve the idea of “one God” in Deut 6:4. It
was this reality that was denounced by most of the early Adventist pioneers, not most of
the later ones (after 1888).
Today, Adventists have come almost full circle to recognize the Divinity or
Deity of all Three Persons in the Godhead, seeing them as a distinct “TRIO” or
“Three Distinct Persons in a Unity” (the literal meaning of ‘trinus’ or ‘trinity’).
They are distinct Persons, but united as the “GREAT THREEFOLD POWER” or
‘AUTHORITY’, said E.G. White. This properly reflects the “ECHOD” (Hebrew) or
compound “UNITY” [“oneness”] of Jehovah’s family name in Deut. 6:4, not just the
“YACHEED”(Hebrew) or idea of the ASBSOLUTE UNIT, as in the NUMBER
‘ONE’. Clearly more than one Person in the Godhead has the name “LORD”.
Did Mrs. White support the idea that the “essence” of God is simply the Father, the 1st
Person of the Godhead, “the absolute Godhead”, full stop? Or did she see the “essence of
God” in the way modern Adventism teaches it –a unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Let the pen of inspiration answer:
“The great teacher [Jesus] held in his hand the entire map of truth…
The question of THE ESSENCE OF GOD was a subject on which He
maintained a wise reserve , for their entanglements and specifications would
bring in science [logic] which could not be dwelt upon without confusion. In
regard to God and in regard to His personality, the Lord Jesus said…
he that has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9)”
(Ms. 45,May 14, 1904, “That They All May Be One”-E.G.
White)

The writer of this article purposefully paused the quotation to have you the reader
recognize the following critical considerations before reading the full quote:
1. Notice the heading under which Mrs. White dealt with the “essence” of
God. The presentation was entitled “THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE”. This is
very illuminating. Jesus maintained a wise reserve on the complex issue of the
UNITY of the Godhead to keep His disciples united as ONE ‘flock’.
2.Notice that she refers AGAIN to the “science” and “specification” problems
that many, married to logic, would seek to resolve, so Jesus, she said, maintained a wise
reserve. If the matter was not complex, but simple, if the matter had no ‘mystery’ this
“reserve” would not be necessary on the part of Jesus.
3. Jesus was able to say “he that has seen me has seen the Father” not just
because He is “God essentially and in the highest sense”, like the Father, but also
because of the spiritual UNITY that exist between the Father and Son, where Jesus
would be rightly called “the Everlasting Father” (Is, 9:6/ Heb. 7:3), along with His
Father, even while a Man on earth.

Now that those critical points have been made let us now go back to the SAME
manuscript to see if Mrs. White equated the “essence” of God with a UNITY of only
Two (2), a ‘Duo’, or with Three, a “Trio”, as modern Adventism claims.

MRS. WHITE DECLARED:

“…In the place of devoting your powers to theorizing, Christ has

given you a work to do. His commission is, Go throughout the world
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the NAME
[a singular noun of unity] of the Father, and of the Son , and of the
Holy Ghost [Matt. 28:19].
Before the disciples shall compass the threshold, there is to be the
Imprint of the sacred name, baptizing the believers in the name of the
Threefold Powers in the Heavenly world [A Real Place].
The work of salvation is not a small matter, but so vast that the
Highest Authorities are taken hold of …The Eternal Godhead- the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost- IS [not ‘ARE’] involved…”
(Ms. 45,May 14,1904-“That They All May Be One”-E. White)

“The Godhead [not just God, the Father] was stirred with pity for the
race and the Father ,the Son and the Holy Spirit gave Themselves

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 [in the “courts” of Heaven] to the working out of the plan of
redemption” (Counsels on Health, pg. 222, 1899 –E.G. White)

Now, if the “Godhead”, or the “Divine Nature of God” (literal meaning of “Godhead”),
were simply the First Person of the Godhead, the Father, then the writings of the ‘Spirit
of Prophecy’, which this writer trusts over any Biblical commentary, would show this,
over and over. That, however, is not the case. Over and over Mrs. White equated the
“essence” of the “Personality” of God to the UNITY among, not just the Father and
Son, but also the Holy Spirit.
Careful note should be made of the fact that immediately after referring to the
“question of the “essence of God” and “His personality” she dealt with the “Eternal
Godhead”, then she outlines the symbolism in the baptismal formula, “the sacred
NAME” [not ‘names’]’ and shows the united action of the Father, Son and Spirit, not just
in the life of the Christian, but also (in other writings) in the “Heavenly courts”, where
the “plan of redemption” was worked out in the Divine Council of the Godhead. It is also
remarkable how Mrs. White was careful to show the UNITY of the Godhead by saying
“the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost IS involved…” instead of using ‘ARE
involved…’ in Ms. 45, 1904.
It is logical, where logic may be utilized, that if the Father is the “absolute Godhead”
(E.G. White- 7 Bible Comm., pg. 914) then Jesus, being everything that the Father is,
must be equal to this as well, since as E.J. Waggoner (a pioneer) puts it, “if He [Jesus]
lacked one iota of being Equal to God [the Father]” He could not be our Saviour, while
bringing us to the Father. It is also logical to recognize that since God is Spirit, then
every time God is referred to, then His Spirit, “the Third Person of the Godhead”,
who represents both Father and Son, not as two Spirits, but “one Spirit”(Eph. 4:4),
must of necessity be considered (see Is. 48:16). God is eternal, so therefore the Spirit
must be eternal also (Heb.9: 14), and He is always described as a part of the
“Eternal Godhead”(E.G.W).
Also, no one can logically
worship the Father and
Son, a necessary
requirement for salvation
(‘salvific’), without
worshipping His Spirit,
whether you believe He is a
Person, a Being or a
“Third Person”. Semantics
is hardly the issue at stake,
but SERVING God is. It
was Mrs. White who stated
that we should “SERVE”
Father, Son and Holy
Spirit, UNITEDLY. If this
is not the TRUE requirement
in serving Jehovah, then the
‘prophet’ (E.G. White) is a
‘fraud’, and the Adventist
Church is simply a band of
deluded ‘post-Milleritists’
who really believe in, and
worship, ‘Three Gods’.
However, those who believe
Bible truth recognize that
this is NOT the case. Let us
now consider why Tri-theism
is out of the question, when
considering the Godhead or
“ESSENCE” of Jehovah.
THE
‘STUMBLING STONE’
FOR DETRACTORS

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 Detractors believe that Adventists serve three Gods because they feel Jesus is “God” in
a limited sense, not “in the highest sense”. They feel Jesus is ‘Eternal’ and ‘Everlasting’
in the limited sense, as He is the Son of God and could not the same age (eternal) as the
Father. They see ‘three Gods’ in Adventism today because they contend that the Holy
Spirit is simply a ‘manifestation’ of the Father, separate from His ‘physical’ spirit ‘body’
on the throne in Heaven, and, while the Holy Spirit, who is often called “IT”, is God, a
Person, He is not a “Third” or separate Being. They are willing to accept that a Godhead
Trio exists, but INSIST that they simply represent the ‘mode of operation’ of God, but
they are not three, co-eternal, co-equal, distinct “Persons” (“Beings”), who are the
“essence” of Jehovah. All these objections are based simply upon their unwillingness to
not limit the things of God by resorting to logic. Let us now look at a few probing
questions, then draw on a few quotes from Mrs. White, and compare her insights with
Scripture, in response to these honest objections of the detractors.
First of all, if Jesus, the Divine ‘offspring’ of God the Father in Heaven, was
just ‘Everlasting’ in the limited sense, what would Hebrews 7:1-3 really be saying
that Jesus had practically, like Melchizedek, “no beginning of days nor end of life”,
but is “FOREVER”? Melchizedek, a mere mortal man, was just a symbol of Jesus,
so there is no written record of his “beginning of days or end of life”, so that he
could properly reflect the Eternal Divine nature of Jesus who is “the I AM”, the
“Everlasting” and, in death, “only His human nature … died”. And remember He
died briefly, not forever, thus His life had no end.
Proverbs 8:22-31 is a passage, which shows the eternal nature of Jesus as a Son “brought
forth” “from everlasting”, and yet He is properly called, over and over, the “I AM” by
Mrs. White. She declared:

“He existed from ALL ETERNITY A DISTINCT PERSON [or Being] with [not
‘in’ but “with”] the Father”
“He was with God [the Father] from ALL ETERNITY”
“There NEVER was a TIME when He was NOT in close FELLOWSHIP
WITH the Father”
Now if the words “ALL ETERNITY” mean anything to honest
and sincere seekers of truth then it should clearly show that Jesus is just simply
eternal, though logic seeks to reconcile with His title of “Sonship”. He was a distinct
Person (or Being) “FOR ALL ETERNITY”. THIS EXCLUDES THE IDEA OF
“LIMITED ETERNITY” IN JESUS’ PRE-EXISTENCE. And for those who just
cannot see Mrs. White’s plain use of English, now here consider :

“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the

midst of them (Matt.18:20). Where Christ is even among the humble few,
this is Christ’s church, for the presence of the High and Holy One WHO
INHABITETH ETERNITY [Is. 57:15] can alone constitute a church”

Proverbs 8:22-31 should not be forced therefore to contradict both the rest of the
Bible and the ‘testimony’, as Is. 8:20 warns, since it is a metaphorical passage, in
many respects, which represents Jesus as a “Her” or female (Prov. 8:1). It makes
Him a child (in some translations) observing the Father creating, not being the
Creator (creative Agent) Himself, as John 1:1-3 shows, but a child playing as
creation was done before His eyes. This passage is clearly giving a picture of Jesus
being declared “created”, “brought forth” or “set up”, as the Son of God, though He
always existed despite being the Father’s begotten Son. He definitely was *not
created, like those of Creation. How is this to be understood?

THE “BOSOM” A PLACE OF FELLOWSHIP, NOT BIRTH

For Jesus to “FELLOWSHIP” for “all eternity” with the Father (according to
Mrs. White) it means He must be separate to fellowship, since the meaning of
‘fellowship’ suggests two or more persons, distinct.
Jesus was, after His ‘begetting’ in Heaven, also “begotten” on earth as a Man (2 Sam.7:
12-14/Acts 2:30) as he “stepped down” “FROM THE BOSOM OF THE FATHER”, said
Mrs. White. Since the “bosom” is a symbol of fellowship, and not birth, this further
STRENGTHENS the point that He always “WAS”(Jn.1: 1), fellowshipping with the
Eternal Godhead. Also, since there can’t LOGICALLY be two Persons called the

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“First and the Last”, except in the case where, as an athlete would recognize, there
would be a “TIE” between the Son and the Father, therefore BOTH are called the
“FIRST and the Last” in time, simply because they are co-eternal (see Rev.22: 12,
13 / Rev. 2:8). On the point of the Eternity of the Spirit, not much need to be said for
obvious reasons (John 4:24/Heb.9: 14).
In the above quotes it should be recognized that Mrs. White spoke of Jesus in the same
way as the Father, He is “THE HIGH AND HOLY ONE, WHO INHABITETH
ETERNITY”. It may however be reasonable to ask if this was just a ‘chance’ statement.
The evidence is to the contrary. Consider the true import of the following quotes:

“As the veil which conceals Christ’s glory from our view is drawn aside
the Saviour is shown to be in His high and holy place, not in solitude
careless and indifferent to our needs, but surrounded by thousands and
thousands of holy angels… The Saviour is in communication with
every part of His vast dominion. He stoops from His throne to
listen to the cries of His Children”
-Ms. 94,Sept. 23, 1904-E.G. White

“Who is our King? He who is called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty

GOD, the EVERLASTING FATHER. He our Saviour and King . The names
Of His children are written in His book of Life”
“Christ ascended to Heaven amidst a cloud of angels who glorified Him,
Saying who is this King of Glory? And from thousands times ten
Thousands the answer comes , the LORD [Jehovah] He is the KING
OF GLORY”(Ms.3, March 1, 1903)

That should settle the issue as to the UNITY of Jesus with the Father, who is not just
Son and Prince, but, AT THE SAME TIME, also “Father” and “King” of the entire
universe, along with His Father. The Father is NOW His God, simply because He
was the only Person in the Godhead who became Man, and he was made in all
things like his brethren (Heb. 2:11-14). They are both our God simply because they
are our UNITED Creator, Father and Divine King.

IS THE SPIRIT A THIRD BEING IN THE GODHEAD?

Nothing much need to be said about the Holy Spirit on this matter, simply because
“THE LORD IS THE SPIRIT”, as 2 Cor. 3:17,18 declares, meaning that anywhere
God is described the Spirit is automatically being described, as part of the “Great
threefold Power”. He is however shown separately BEFORE the throne (Rev. 1:4),
or as an Individual Being with His own personal “form” (Ez.8: 1-5), even while He
“proceedeth from the Father”. As the Father and Son’s Representative He is called
“The Hand of The LORD”, symbolizing God in action, since the hand is the symbol
of action. The question is, if Jesus is the “arm of the Lord’ (Is. 53:1), and still yet He
is a distinct Person, why should the rules change for the Holy Spirit (See Is 48:16)?
Detractors who insist that the Holy Spirit is the Father ‘manifested’, without
mentioning Jesus, should also note that Mrs. White declared that 2 Cor. 3:17, 18
SPECIFICALLY refers to “ Jesus Christ” being manifested (Manuscript 26, Sept.
11, 1889). The “third Person” manifests the qualities of the other two Divine
Persons. In closing it should be recognized that though the Holy Spirit is called “IT”
by both Mrs. White and the Bible, this is just contextual, just like Jesus being called
“IT” by John in 1 John 1:1-3, in the context of being called the “Eternal Life”. Also,
Jesus Himself appeared in inanimate or impersonal “forms”, such as cloud, fire,
burning bush, and lamb, so therefore whenever the Holy Spirit is presented in
emblems and symbols, such as dove, fire, oil, wind, that is hardly an argument to
discredit His Person since the Spirit Himself refers to Himself as “ME” and “I”
(see Acts 13:2-4). Also, Jesus Himself calls the Spirit “He”, “Him” and “Whom”.
And what of the following modern-day testimony given under the Spirit’s
inspiration?

“You are baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost. You are raised up out of the water to live henceforth in newness of

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life--to live a new life. You are born unto God, and you stand under the
sanction and the power of THE THREE HOLIEST *BEINGS IN
HEAVEN, who are able to keep you from falling… When I feel oppressed,
and hardly know how to relate myself toward the work that God has given
me to do, I just *CALL UPON THE THREE GREAT WORTHIES, and
say; You know I cannot do this work in my own strength. You must work
in me, and by me and through me, sanctifying my tongue, sanctifying my
spirit, sanctifying my words, and bringing me into a position where my
spirit shall be susceptible to the movings of the Holy Spirit of God upon
my mind and character. And this is the prayer that every one of us may
offer.”

-E.G. White, Manuscript Release, Vol.7, pgs. 267, 268 (Ms 95, 1906, pp. 8-
12, 14-17; "Lesson from Romans 15," October 20, 1906.)
CRITICAL CLOSING CONSIDERATIONS

For those who are ‘students’ of logic here are a few choice points to ponder
about the Godhead:
1.If the Father was united with only the Son, in a ‘DUO’, it would
certainly be easy for Jesus to say baptize in the NAME of the Father and
Son, and retain the concept of the Godhead. So why is there such a stress on
the Three or the Trio of Persons, “Living Persons”, both by the Bible and
Mrs. White, who never uses the word ‘Duo’? And why did the early
Christians baptize in the name of Jesus, to show the representative nature of
one Person in the Godhead, sufficiently representing the others.

2. If the “essence” of God was simply The Father, and not the Father
UNITED with others in the Godhead, why has Mrs. White striven to be so
pointed and clear on this matter, in introducing (in her words), the “Three”,
the “Trio”, or “Threefold” UNITY, every time she is stressing a “Personal”
God or the “Personality” of God?

3. If the nature of the Holy Spirit was simply to be explained (as

some detractors state) as a ‘manifestation’ of the Father’s Person, what about
the ‘manifestation’ of the Son’s Person? Also, if the Holy Spirit’s nature is
just a ‘manifestation’ why would Mrs. White state that His nature is a
“mystery” and cannot be explained but suggests we should just accept that
He is the “Third” “Living Person” of the “Eternal Godhead”, a “Holy
Dignitary”, a “Power Infinite and Omniscient”, and one of the “Highest
Authorities in the Heavenly World”, who “is as much a person as God is a
Person”? Isn’t it strange to describe a non-entity, a simple ‘manifestation’
in such a way? Notice she did not say He is the Person, God, but “is a
Person”. Was she confused in her language?

4. If only God, the Father was to be “SERVED”, why would Mrs.

White seem to ‘complicate’ matters by stating that all Three should be
“SERVED”, and directed prayer to all three, including the Holy Spirit?
And is this a contradiction of Matt. 4:10? It is clear Mrs. White has it
absolutely right, the answer lies in the UNITY: One God, the Father…
united always with the Son and the Spirit- The Eternal Godhead.

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14