The Nature of Christ Controversy--Truth or Heresy?
by
Clarence
Settle
Click to go to our Home PageToday,
there are many winds of doctrine sweeping through independent Adventism. This
was predicted by the Lord’s servant who told of the chaff being separated
from the wheat as we read: “God
will arouse His people; if other means fail, heresies will come in among
them, which will sift them, separating the chaff from the wheat.”
5T: 707. One of the most
prevalent heresies now being taught centers around the Godhead, and as a
result many people are confused as to what is really the truth regarding this
matter, and one thing people getting involved in this controversy fail to ask
is whether this is present truth or not. Is this truly a subject that God’s
people living in these last days need to focus so much time and energy on? We
shall see. The adherents of these teachings believe, regarding
the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit is NOT a distinct personality, but
merely an “essence” or a vague “intelligence” or “divine influence” without
substance, which is merely a variation of the pantheistic heresy promoted by
Kellogg in the days of E.G. White, and strongly condemned by and directly
contrary to the many clear statements of the Bible and the Spirit of
Prophecy. There are also a few who have taken it to an even more extreme view
and believe that since God created man in His own image [male and female
created He them], and since the Father is male as is the Son, then logically,
the Holy Spirit MUST be female. Perhaps there are not too many who believe in
this absurdity because if one only considers the role that the Holy Spirit
played in the incarnation of Jesus Christ [Luke 1:35], then it can be seen
that to hold this view carries one directly into the foul pit of blasphemy. This
study will focus on the second member of the Godhead, our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. The belief being taught is that Jesus Christ, at some far
distant time did not exist but was LITERALLY “brought forth” into
existence; that somehow He LITERALLY “proceeded” or emanated out of the
Father. Is this truth, or is it heresy?
Let us look at this matter through the words of inspiration. I will
present the words of those adherents of this doctrine [both living and dead]
and their opinions and conclusions will be compared with the words of
inspiration, and each one will decide for him/herself
what they choose to believe. C.S. Longacre, a
prominent S.D.A. religious liberty leader for many years
states: “Christ always existed in the bosom of the Father, even before He was
begotten as the Son of God…So Christ existed in the bosom of the Father from
all eternity but was manifested when He was begotten by the Father.” THE
DEITY OF CHRIST pg.17. So here this author indicates that Jesus Christ
LITERALLY dwelt within the Person of the Father, apparently like some kind of
“divine fetus” waiting to be brought forth, until He was to be manifested at
the time He was begotten. Is this LITERAL interpretation truly in harmony
with the statement that tells us: “The Eternal Father, the unchangeable
One, gave His only begotten Son, tore from His bosom Him who was made in the
express image of His person, and sent Him down to earth to reveal how greatly
He loved mankind.” RH. July 9, 1895. ? We further read: “Then joy, inexpressible joy,
filled heaven. And the heavenly host sang a song of praise and adoration.
They touched their harps and sang a note higher than they had done before,
for the great mercy and condescension of God in yielding up his dearly
Beloved to die for a race of rebels. Praise and adoration were poured forth
for the self-denial and sacrifice of Jesus; that he would consent to leave
the bosom of his Father, and choose a life of suffering and anguish, and
die an ignominious death to give life to others.” 1SG: 26. And
again we read: “Jesus was the Majesty of heaven, the
beloved Commander of the angels, whose delight was to do his pleasure. He
was one with God, in the bosom of the Father; yet He thought it not a
thing to be desired to be equal with God while man was lost in sin and
misery. He stepped down from his throne. He left his crown and royal
scepter, and clothed his divinity with humanity. He humbled Himself even to
the death of the cross, that man might be exalted to a seat with Him upon his
throne.” Bible Echo and Signs of the Times 03-15-93 So we see that Christ did
not LITERALLY dwell WITHIN the bosom of His Father, for if it were so then we
must believe that His throne, crown and scepter were LITERALLY within the
Father, and that He commanded the angels from there also in some kind of a
kangaroo pouch-like arraignment. What folly and utter foolishness and yea
blasphemy indeed! What the term “within His bosom” simply is intended to
convey is the indescribably close and intimate relationship that the Son and
Father had which could not be any closer in the least degree. To
reiterate, C.S. Longacre states that Christ “was
manifested when He was begotten by the Father.” Is this truly in
accordance with what inspiration says? We will see what the Bible says about
WHEN Jesus LITERALLY became the only BEGOTTEN Son of God. Let us first
go to Luke 1: 35, last part which states: “…therefore also that
Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of
God.” Again, let us go now to Hebrews 1:6 which states: “And
again, when He bringeth in the first begotten
into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.”
With these verses in mind, it seems clear that Jesus was NOT LITERALLY
born out of the Person of the Father, as these people are teaching, but that
He LITERALLY became the only born or begotten Son of God at His human
birth, and these verses predicted that! But there is still another fulfillment which is
prophesied in Psalm 2:7. “I will declare the decree:
the Lord hath said unto, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten Thee.”
This verse speaks of a FUTURE event, something to come, not something that
happened in the past, and what is that? Let us go to Acts 13: 33 which
states: “God hath fulfilled [Fulfilled what? The prophecy, as
we shall see.] the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised
up Jesus again as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my
Son, this day have I begotten Thee.” So it is the fact that Jesus
Christ was raised from the dead that makes Him God’s begotten, not that God
“begat” Him. This is stressed for us again in such verses as 1 Peter 1:3
which reads: “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.” Again we read: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the
faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead…” Rev. 1:
4. So it seems that the word “begotten” has been erroneously used to mean
“begat” [which always means to physically bear or give birth with the one
exception of Deut. 32: 18!] when the Bible plainly tells us that Christ was
“begotten” from divinity into humanity in Hebrews 1:6, and He was “begotten”
from mortality into immortality in Acts 13: 13––not “birthed” from the Father
as this heresy attempts to prove! Let us now look at this powerful inspired
statement: “In Him was life; and the life was the
light of men. It is not physical life that is here specified, but
immortality, the life which is exclusively the property of God. The Word, who
was with God, and who was God, had this life. Physical life is something
which each individual receives. It is not eternal or immortal; for God, the
life-giver, takes it again. But the life of Christ was UNBORROWED. No one can
take this life from Him. ‘I lay it down of myself,’ He said. In Him was life
ORIGINAL, UNBORROWED, UNDERIVED. This life is not inherent in man. He can
possess it only through Christ.” 12MR
395. Let us now look at a very similar statement and
how Mr. Longacre explains it: “Probably the most frequently
misquoted statement cited in order to “prove” the Jesus is not really the Son
of God is "Jesus declared. ‘I am the resurrection, and the life.’ In
Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. ‘He that hath the Son hath life. The divinity
of Christ is the believers assurance of eternal
life.” DA. 530. People
misinterpret this quotation to mean, ‘The life of the Son is, and has always
‘originated’ from Himself, was never at anytime, ‘borrowed,’ or ‘derived’
from His Father. In context, this quotation is simply emphasizing His ability
to resurrect and give life, in a way which no created being can.” ‘What kind of life did the Father have in Himself?
In God ‘is life original, unborrowed, underived, immortal, independent.’ ‘He is the source of life,’ Christ says,
‘As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given’––the same life,
original, unborrowed, underived
life to the Son. It was ‘given’ to Him by His Father. Christ was made the
source of life just as the Father was the source of life. Christ had the same
life the Father had in Himself in His own right. He did not have to derive or
borrow it, it was independent of the Father, hence
not dependent, derived or borrowed. He could bestow and give life and create
just as the Father could, but the Father gave this life to His Son.” Ibid:
pg. 4,5. Perhaps I am just not
astute enough to follow this man’s reasoning, but the way I see it if Jesus
derived or borrowed life it HAD to be derived or borrowed from the Father.
Who else could He derive or borrow it from? Yet the Spirit of Prophecy states
that it was NOT derived or borrowed, but ORIGINAL! However the above
statement in one breath says it was “never at anytime, ‘borrowed,’ or ‘derived’ from His
Father”, yet “As the Father hath life in
Himself; so hath He given’––the same life, original, unborrowed, underived
life to the Son… He could bestow and give life and create just as the
Father could, but the Father gave this life to His Son.” It sounds contradictory and confusing to me, but let
the reader decide for him/her self. I will now write down
some more of these quotations by a few of the promoters of this teaching. “And as to the Son of God…and did…at
some point in the eternity of the past, have beginning of days. So
that if we use Paul’s language in an absolute sense, it would be impossible
to find but ONE being in the universe, and that is God the Father, who is
without father, or mother, or descent, or beginning of days, or end of life.”
A.J. Morton SIGNS OF THE TIMES Oct. 26, 1891, P. 342. The Bible verse itself states “Without father,
without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of
life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth
a priest forever.” Heb. 7:3 Where in the Bible is it mentioned
that the Father “abideth a priest forever”? “The Word, then, is Christ. This text speaks of
His origin. He is the only begotten of the Father. Just how He came into
existence, the Bible does not inform us any more definitely; but by this expression
and several of a similar kind in the Scriptures, we may believe that Christ
came into existence in a manner different from that in which other beings
first appeared; that He sprang from the Father’s being in a way not
necessary for us to understand.” C,W, Stone The
Captain Of Our Salvation. Pg. 17, 1886. “As Christ was twice born,––once
in eternity, the only begotten of the Father, and again here in the
flesh, thus uniting the divine with the human in the second birth.” W.W.
Prescott RH
April 14, 1896, Pg 232. “He was born of the Holy Ghost. In other word,
Jesus Christ was born again. He came from heaven, God’s first-born, to
the earth, and was born again.” A.T. Jones Lessons
on Faith, Aug. 1, 1899, Pg. 154. The
preceding were statements from some of the pioneers prominent in the SDA
church, but that fact in itself does not assure one that they were correct in
these beliefs, does it? Each one of us can bring to mind current “bright
lights” that have abandoned the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints. Following are some statements by some who were part of the separation
movement which began to manifest itself during the mid to late 1980’s. Fred Alaback – [whereabouts unknown] “The Father’s only
begotten Son was a duplication of Himself…an actual division of
the very person of God the Father…” No New Leaders…No New Gods.
Pgs. 15, 16. [Does he have in mind some kind of divine mitosis, like
an amoeba when it divides to reproduce itself? And isn’t strange how they all
have different theories as to how it happened? What does that tell you?] Caleb Alonso-[whereabouts unknown] “…[Jesus is the]
first born of every creature. First born; what does it mean by first born?
All the rest were created. So, after God, came Jesus…He is the beginning
of the creation of God…Christ was born from the foundation of the
world… And that’s why He has life in Himself. The Father gave it to Him
originally.” Taped sermon from the home of Rosalee
Flores, Marty Wold – [believed deceased] “My purpose has been…to
establish the Bible truth of One God, the Father, out of which came the ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON…” “I do NOT believe that there are THREE
co-eternal, self-existent, Persons or Beings that have original life
INDEPENDENT of the ONE GOD, the Father.” OPEN FORM
LETTER< 8-19-87. Bill Stringfellow – [deceased] “God the
Father begat or reproduced or produced a Son…God raised His son from
His birth [before earth’s creation] to be just like His Father in every
way…God brought up His Son to be exactly like Him in every way….God begat or
brought forth a Son…And He came into being through His Father’s omnipotent
miraculous powers…Therefore there was a time before Christ was Sanctified
[made a God] by His Father…Christ was one day ordained as a part of
divinity. He wasn’t always worshipped, but there came a definite time when
God ordained that Jesus be worshipped just like Himself…the heavenly
Father is one, singular…the only true God…Jesus didn’t refer to Himself as
God…One’s one and it can’t be anymore…they [the Hebrews] had One God, and One
God only.” VIDEO TAPED PRESENTATION, MARCH 1994. And now to some none-SDA sources: Jehovah’s Witnesses – “Jehovah’s Witnesses…believe that the Son is
merely ‘a god’…but He is definitely NOT Almighty God – Jehovah…And Jesus is
only called ‘a god’ by way of concession.” JEHOVAH WITNESSES: ANSWERED
VERSE BY VERSE, Pg. 42, by David Reed. Spiritualism – “Holy is God, the Father of all things, the One who is before the
First Beginning.” THE SECRET TEACHINGS OF ALL AGES, p.XL an OCCULT PUBLICATION. Spiritualism – “Son of God, First-Born…the Second Logos or
Higher Self––the first emanation from the Father, the Absolute, or the
First Logos.” DICTIONARY OF ALL SCRIPTURES AND MYTHS by G.A. Gaskell,
p. 702. An OCCULT PUBLICATION. Spiritualism – “The eternal Birth or generation of the Son or Divine
Word…From
our proper Source, that is to say, from the Father and all that which
lives in Him, ‘there shines, says Ruysbroeck, ‘an eternal
Ray, the which is the Birth of the Son…We are celebrating the feast of the
Eternal Birth which God the Father has borne…” MYSTICISM Pg 146.
An OCCULT PUBLICATION. So,
as we can see from the above quotations, the Satanic, Demonic, Occult
teachings of Spiritualism also believe and teach that the Son of God was
LITERALLY birthed or born out of the Father from eternity before anything
else was created. Strange, isn’t it, that the SDA adherents of this teaching
defend it as allegedly countering the pagan teaching of the Trinity Doctrine,
and yet end up cozying up to the dark, evil, blasphemous forces of
SPIRITUALISM!!! But
now let us see what LIGHT the Spirit of Prophecy and the Bible sheds on this
subject, but first this thought. The Bible says: “For I am the Lord, I
change not…” Malachi 3:6. And again: “Jesus Christ, the SAME
yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13: 8. Here is a question. If there was, as these
people maintain, a time when Christ did NOT exist, and then there came a time
when He did come into existence, then how can they believe that Jesus
is truly the SAME yesterday [from all eternity] as forever [for all
eternity], and how can they maintain that He does not change as the verse
says? “Behold the perfection
of Christ, who possessed all the attributes of the Godhead
and all the perfections and excellencies of humanity. He is our example. You
must learn Christ's way, for it is the only way that will qualify you to
carry on the work that Christ left His disciples to do. Christ has an intense
affection for His purchased possession, and He has
manifested it in dying for the world.”
OMS Vol. 14, pg.82. “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and
power" Colossians 2:9 “Canst thou by searching find out God?
Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?” Job 11:7 “Touching the
Almighty we cannot find Him out.” Job 37:33
“Behold, God is
great, and we know Him not, neither can the number of His years be
searched out.” Job 36:26. “For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8,9. “The
Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed FROM ETERNITY, a distinct
person, yet One with the Father.” 5RH: 227. “I
and my Father are one.” John 10:
30. “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.” Evangelism: 615. “Before men or angels
were created, the Word was with God, and was God...Christ was God
essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God FROM ALL ETERNITY...a
distinct person, yet one with the Father.” 1SM: 247. “He is the eternal,
SELF-EXISTENT Son.” Evangelism:615. “The revelation of
Himself that God has given in His word is for our study. This we may seek to
understand. But beyond this we are not to penetrate. The highest intellect
may tax itself until it is wearied out in conjecture regarding the nature of
God; but the effort will be fruitless. This problem has not been given us
to solve. No human mind can comprehend God. Let NO finite mind ATTEMPT
to interpret Him. Let NO ONE indulge in speculation regarding His
nature. Here silence is eloquence. The Omniscient One is above
discussion.” 8T: 279 “...no man could
witness concerning the mysterious connection of Jesus with the Father;
human knowledge cannot reach the courts of Heaven.” 2
SOP: 170. “The
Word of God, like the character of the divine Author presents mysteries
which can never be fully comprehended by finite beings...The entrance of
sin into the world, the incarnation of Christ, regeneration, the
resurrection, and many other subjects presented in the Bible, are mysteries
too deep for the human mind to explain or even fully comprehend. But God has
given us in the Scriptures sufficient evidence of their divine character, and
we are not to doubt His word because we cannot understand all the
mysteries of His providence...all that God has seen fit to make known we
are to accept upon the authority of His word. Only a bare statement of facts
may be given, with no explanation as to why or how: but though we
cannot comprehend it we should rest content that it is true, because God
has said it. All the difficulty lies in the weakness and narrowness of the
human mind...If it were possible for created beings to attain to a full
understanding of God and His works, then, having reached this point, then
there would be for them no further discovery of Truth...Without the guidance
of the Holy Spirit we shall be continually liable to wrest the Scriptures or
to misinterpret them.” 5T:
699-704 “The revelation of Himself that God has given in His word is for our
study. This we may seek to understand. But beyond this we are not to
penetrate. The highest
intellect may tax itself until it is wearied out in conjecture regarding the
nature of God; but the effort will be fruitless. This problem has not been
given us to solve. No human mind can comprehend God. Let NO
finite mind ATTEMPT to interpret Him. Let NO ONE indulge in
speculation regarding His nature. Here silence is eloquence. The
Omniscient One is above discussion.” 8T: 279 “The
Word of God, like the character of the divine Author presents mysteries
which can never be fully comprehended by finite beings...The
entrance of sin into the world, the incarnation of Christ, regeneration, the
resurrection, and many other subjects presented in the Bible, are mysteries
too deep for the human mind to explain or even fully comprehend. But
God has given us in the Scriptures sufficient evidence of their divine
character, and we are not to doubt His word because we cannot understand
all the mysteries of His providence...all that God has seen fit to make
known we are to accept upon the authority of His word. Only a bare statement
of facts may be given, with no explanation as to why or how: but
though we cannot comprehend it we should rest content that it is true,
because God has said it. All the difficulty lies in the weakness and narrowness
of the human mind...If it were possible for created beings to attain to a
full understanding of God and His works, then, having reached this point,
then there would be for them no further discovery of Truth...Without the
guidance of the Holy Spirit we shall be continually liable to wrest the
Scriptures or to misinterpret them.” 5T: 699-704 WHICH
DO YOU CHOOSE TO BELIEVE, THE RAMBLINGS OF FALSEHOOD, ERROR BLASPHEMY, AND
SPIRITUALISM––OR THE CLEAR, SIMPLE, YET PROFOUND STATEMENTS OF INSPIRATION?
THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY CLEARLY TELLS US WHERE THIS PATH OF FALSEHOOD AND
ERROR WILL LEAD ONE. “But
who that is not infinite can understand the infinite? Christ declares,
"No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son
shall reveal him." It is recorded of Epictetus that when his hearers
said to him, "You have uttered many excellent things of God; but we
cannot as yet understand what he is," he truly and nobly replied,
"Were I able fully to set forth God, I should either be a god myself, or
God himself would cease to be what he is." 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. The mightiest created intelligence
cannot grasp divinity. The principalities and powers of heaven are
overwhelmed with the vastness of the theme of Christ's character and the
mystery of the union of divinity and humanity. The most eloquent notes of
cherubim and seraphim fail to describe him; but the angels of God delight to
be in his presence. They rejoice in beholding his face, and hasten to obey
his command, to fulfill their commission of love to those for whom Christ
died.” 5 ST: 06-27-95. Where
did this teaching originate? Is it derived from the Bible and the Spirit of
Prophecy? Its adherents want to make you believe that it is, but it is only
because they twist and distort those statements they use, and also claim to
“clarify” them for you so you’ll know what Ellen White or the Bible are really
saying. It actually comes from a “Christian” priest by the name of Arius who
lived in Alexandria, and in A.D. 321 was condemned by a synod in that city
for teaching a heterodox view of the relationship of Jesus Christ to the
Father. Jesus is, for Arianism, inferior or
subordinate to God the Father. The specific summary statement that was
rejected by the councils, is that “there was a time
when Christ Jesus was not”; the rejected statement meant that Jesus was a
created being, rather than being coeternal with the Father and the Holy
Spirit. Arianism denies that Jesus Christ and God the Father are
one, seeing them as different Divine entities. In their book ‘Aid to Bible Understanding’ the
Jehovah Witnesses have a section on the deity of Jesus Christ. Part of their
article addresses the concept of Jesus as the “only-begotten Son.” In it, the
author makes his position clear by declaring that Jesus is God’s “sole
direct creation of His Father,” with Jesus being “unique, different from
all the others of God’s sons, all of whom were created of begotten by Jehovah
through that firstborn Son.” As
stated at the beginning of this article, is this controversial, confusing,
and mysterious subject what our minds and energies should be focusing on in
these last days when God is preparing a people to give the last note of
warning? Is this one of the pillars of our faith which distinguishes us from
all other religious believers? We
read: “By the same boastful and deceptive work Satan will seek to draw
converts from the faith. Theories will be brought in that will not be
wise for us to handle. Satan is a cunning worker,
and he will bring in subtle fallacies to darken and confuse the mind
and root out the doctrines of salvation. Those who do not accept the
Word of God just as it reads will be snared in his trap. Today we need to
speak the truth with holy boldness. The testimony borne to the early church
by the Lord's messenger, His people are to hear in this time: "Though
we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which
we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8).” 7MR: 358. Here,
then, are the divine marching orders for God’s faithful people in these last
days: “Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we
should seek to become perfect in Christ…It is in this life that we
are to separate sin from us through faith in the atoning blood of
Christ. Our precious Saviour invites us to join ourselves to Him, to unite
our weakness to His strength, our ignorance to His wisdom, our unworthiness
to His merits…It rests with us to cooperate with the agencies which Heaven
employs in the work of conforming our characters to the divine model.
None can neglect or defer this work but at the most fearful peril to their
souls” GC: 623 “Seventh-day
Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and lightbearers.
To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is
shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been given a work of
the most solemn import––the proclamation of the first, second and third
angel’s messages. There is no other work of so great importance.
THEY ARE TO ALLOW NOTHING ELSE TO ABSORB THEIR ATTENTION.” 9T: 99. “And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was
manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached
unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16. THIS,
THEN, IS THE ISSUE! Clarence
Settle Bonners
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