James White on the Trinity.
“Jesus prayed that his disciples might be one as he was one with his Father. This prayer did not contemplate one disciple with twelve heads, but twelve disciples, made one in object and effort in the cause of their master. Neither are the Father and the Son parts of the “three-one God.” They are two distinct beings, yet one in the design and accomplishment of redemption. The redeemed, from the first who shares in the great redemption, to the last, all ascribe the honor, and glory, and praise, of their salvation, to both God and the Lamb.” (James White, 1868, Life Incidents, page 343)
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for THE faith which was once delivered unto the saints…” (Jude 3, 4) …The exhortation to contend for the faith delivered to the saints, is to us alone. And it is very important for us to know what for and how to contend. In the 4th verse he gives us the reason why we should contend for THE faith, a particular faith; “for there are certain men,” or a certain class who deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.… The way spiritualizers have disposed of or denied the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ is first using the old unscriptural Trinitarian creed, viz., that Jesus Christ is the eternal God, though they have not one passage to support it, while we have plain scripture testimony in abundance that he is the Son of the eternal God.” (James White, January 24, 1846, The Day Star)
“The inexplicable Trinity that makes the Godhead three in one and one in three, is bad enough; but that ultra Unitarianism that makes Christ inferior to the Father is worse. Did God say to an inferior, “Let us make man in our image?”” (James White, November 29, 1877, Review & Herald)
“The Father was greater than the Son in that he was first.” (James White, January 4, 1881, Review & Herald; found in EGW Review and Herald Articles, vol. 1, page 244)
“We are told by those who teach the abolition of the Father’s law, that the commandments of God mentioned in the New Testament, are not the ten, but the requirements of the gospel, such as repentance, faith, baptism and the Lord’s supper. But as these, and every other requirement peculiar to the gospel, are all embraced in the faith of Jesus, it is evident that the commandments of God are not the sayings of Christ and his apostles. To assert that the sayings of the Son and his apostles are the commandments of the Father, is as wide from the truth as the old trinitarian absurdity that Jesus Christ is the very and Eternal God. And as the faith of Jesus embraces every requirement peculiar to the gospel, it necessarily follows that the commandments of God, mentioned by the third angel, embrace only the ten precepts of the Father’s immutable law which are not peculiar to any one dispensation, but common to all.” (James White, August 5, 1852, Review & Herald, vol. 3, no. 7, page 52, par. 42)
“Bro. Cottrell is nearly eighty years of age, remembers the dark day of 1780, and has been a Sabbath-keeper more than thirty years. He was formerly united with the Seventh-Day Baptists, but on some points of doctrine has differed from that body. He rejected the doctrine of the trinity, also the doctrine of man’s consciousness between death and the resurrection, and the punishment of the wicked in eternal consciousness. He believed that the wicked would be destroyed. Bro. Cottrell buried his wife not long since, who, it is said, was one of the excellent of the earth. Not long since, this aged pilgrim received a letter from friends in Wisconsin, purporting to be from M. Cottrell, his wife, who sleeps in Jesus. But he, believing that the dead know not anything, was prepared to reject at once the heresy that the spirits of the dead, knowing everything, come back and converse with the living. Thus truth is a staff in his old age. He has three sons in Mill Grove, who, with their families are Sabbath-keepers.” (James White, June 9, 1853, Review & Herald, vol. 4, no. 2, page 12, par. 16)
“Catholic Reasons for Keeping Sunday
1. Because “it is also called Sunday from the old Roman denomination of Dies Solis, the day of the sun, to which it was sacred.” “Sunday was a name given by the heathens to the first day of the week, because it was the day on which they worshipped the sun.”
2. Because it is “in honor of the blessed Virgin Mary.”
3. Because “it is a day dedicated by the apostles to the honor of the most Holy Trinity.”“
(James White, April 4, 1854, Review & Herald, vol. 5, no. 11, page 86, par. 16-18)
The Position of the Remnant
As fundamental errors, we might class with this counterfeit sabbath other errors which Protestants have brought away from the Catholic church, such as sprinkling for baptism, the trinity, the consciousness of the dead and eternal life in misery. The mass who have held these fundamental errors, have doubtless done it ignorantly; but can it be supposed that the church of Christ will carry along with her these errors till the judgment scenes burst upon the world? We think not. “Here are they [in the period of a message given just before the Son of man takes his place upon the white cloud, Rev. 14:14] that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” This class, who live just prior to the second advent, will not be keeping the traditions of men, neither will they be holding fundamental errors relative to the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. And as the true light shines out upon these subjects, and is rejected by the mass, then condemnation will come upon them. When the true Sabbath is set before men, and the claims of the fourth commandment are urged upon them, and they reject this holy institution of the God of heaven, and choose in its place an institution of the beast, it can then be said, in the fullest sense, that such worship the beast. The warning message of the third angel is given in reference to that period, when the mark of the beast will be received, instead of the seal of the living God. Solemn dreadful, swiftly approaching hour! (James White, September 12, 1854, Review & Herald, vol. 6, no. 5, page 36, par. 8)
“Here we might mention the Trinity, which does away the personality of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, and of sprinkling or pouring instead of being “buried with Christ in baptism,” “planted in the likeness of his death:” but we pass from these fablesto notice one that is held sacred by nearly all professed Christians, both Catholic and Protestant. It is, The change of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment from the seventh to the first day of the week.” (James White, December 11, 1855,Review & Herald, vol. 7, no. 11, page 85, par. 16)
“The “mystery of iniquity” began to work in the church in Paul’s day. It finally crowded out the simplicity of the gospel, and corrupted the doctrine of Christ, and the church went into the wilderness. Martin Luther, and other reformers, arose in the strength of God, and with the Word and Spirit, made mighty strides in the Reformation. The greatest fault we can find in the Reformation is, the Reformers stopped reforming. Had they gone on, and onward, till they had left the last vestige of Papacy behind, such as natural immortality, sprinkling, the trinity, and Sunday- keeping, the church would now be free from herunscriptural errors.” (James White, February 7, 1856, Review & Herald, vol. 7, no. 19, page 148, par. 26)
“We have not as much sympathy with Unitarians that deny the divinity of Christ, as with Trinitarians who hold that the Son is the eternal Father, and talk so mistily about the three-one God. Give the Master all that divinity with which the Holy Scriptures clothe him. ..”(from : Review and Herald June 6, 1871 James and Ellen White’s – Western Tour.)
“We invite all to compare the testimonies of the Holy Spirit through Mrs. W., with the word of God. And in this we do not invite you to compare them with your creed. That is quite another thing. The trinitarian may compare them with his creed, and because they do not agree with it, condemn them. The observer of Sunday, or the man who holds eternal torment an important truth, and the minister that sprinkles infants, may each condemn the testimonies’ of Mrs. W. because they do not agree with their peculiar views. And a hundred more, each holding different views, may come to the same conclusion. But their genuineness can never be tested in this way.” { James White RH June 13, 1871}
“He(Jame White) received a commendation that few others have attained. God has permitted the precious light of truth to shine upon His word and illuminate the mind of my husband. He may reflect the rays of light from the presence of Jesus upon others by his preaching and writing.”{E. G. White, Testimonies for the Church Volume 3, p. 502}
“Many of the pioneers, who shared with us these trials and victories, remained true till the close of life, and have fallen asleep in Jesus. Among these is the faithful warrior who for thirty-six years stood by my side in the battle for truth. God used him as a teacher and leader to stand in the front ranks during the severe struggles of those early days of the message; but he has fallen at his post, and, with others who have died in the faith, he awaits the coming of the Lifegiver, who will call him from his gloomy prison-house to a glorious immortality.” {RH, November 20, 1883 par. 6}
Did God have a form?
What is God?
He is material, organized intelligence possessing both body and parts. He is in the form of Man.
What is Jesus Christ?
He is the Son of God and He is like His Father, being the brightness of the Father’s Glory and the express image of His person. He is material, intelligence with body, parts and passions, possessing immortal flesh and immortal bones. — James White, August 19, 1858
“In the beginning, man was created in the likeness of God, not only in character, but in form and feature.” (EGW GC 645)
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Since the people of the church are still so indoctrinated on this issue and even face being disfellowshipped, what is the best way to begin presenting this material?
Indeed! I was scattered because I refused to teach lies to my students in ” sunday school”. They really freaked out when I exposed holloween. Since teachers are held to a higher standard, I would in no way take that risk. I now have 5, 6 or even 8 hours a day to study scriptures because I do not waste any time in churchianity. Fellowship, yes…paganism, NO!
Hi David….my husband and I are convinced that the best way to begin is not to first attack “cherished doctrines” that are in error. That is how we began (kindly, we thought, sort of like: “We have been studying and have been shocked to find out that the trinity doctrine is a false doctrine!”) with our family members, and it has totally turned them off and put them on guard. We wish we had been wiser, starting out with gentle asking of questions that provoke thought, and gently teaching them what the pioneers taught, etc.
One thing that bothers me about this Trinity subject, is that now so many are all-absorbed by it, instead of going out and preaching the Three Angel’s Messages to a dying World while we still have time.
Secondly, they pull out whatever quotations fit there ideas of who and what God is and who and what Jesus is and who and what the Holy Spirit is and then they put their own ‘spin’ on it all and try to practically force others to accept their views. And if someone does NOT view things in the same way that they do, they claim they are ‘apostates’ or whatever.
Ellen White talked about how one man was doing just that…. trying to put his own spin on what the Holy Spirit is, and that Satan was using him to divert people’s attention away from giving the Three Angel’s Messages to the World, while there is still time. She also said that when we try to define what God is or what the Holy Spirit is, we are sure to come away with faulty ideas.
If people feel they MUST tell others about this subject, then why not simply gather together ALL, and I mean ALL of the various quotations on the subject, instead of trying to pick and choose what seems to back up their own ideas about it, and simply leave their own thoughts about it OUT of it all, and allow people to make up their own minds about it. And stop trying to PUSH their own ideas about it upon everybody else. And stop trying to CONDEMN everybody who views things differently. And simply leave it at THAT. Stop trying to call people OUT of the Church because other people view things differently than you do.
Ellen said we are not to define what the nature of God is, or what the nature of His Spirit is. However respecting who God is, she was very clear that God is one personality, and not three personalities. She also said “the personality of God…is everything to us as a people”.
This issue is not just a minor one. Misunderstanding the idea of a real Father, leads to a misunderstanding of the love of God. It also leads us to distrust Him.
You should read and share the article entitle Christ Equal With The Father by James White in its entirety, where the statement is made about the “inexplicable trinity.” You would see that James White strongly believed in the equality of Jesus and the Father, and you owe to the people reading your website to make sure they can read it for themselves. Otherwise they are being deceived. The article was published as an editorial in 1877.
Christ Equal With God
James White
PAUL affirms of the Son of God that he was in the form of God, and that he was equal with God. “Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Phil. 2 : 6. The reason why it is not robbery for the Son to be equal with the Father is the fact that he is equal. If the Son is not equal with the Father, then it is robbery for him to rank himself with the Father.
The inexplicable trinity that makes the godhead three in one and one in three, is bad enough; but that ultra Unitarianism that makes Christ inferior to the Father is worse. Did God say to an inferior, “Let us make man in our image?”
The great mistake of the Unitarian is in taking Christ when enfeebled with our nature as the standard of what he was with the Father before the creation of the world, and what he will be when all divine, seated beside the Father on his eternal throne.
True, Christ prayed to a superior. This is during the time of his humiliation, when enfeebled by the seed of Abraham. There was no such dependence before he humbled himself that he might reach the feeble sinner in all his weakness and shame. Neither will there be when Christ shall be seated at the right hand of power in Heaven.
We may look upon the Father and the Son before the worlds were made as a creating and law administering firm of equal power. Christ did not then rob God in regarding himself equal with the Father. Sin enters the world and the fall occurs. Christ steps out of this firm for a certain time, and takes upon himself the weakness of the seed of Abraham, that he may reach those who are enfeebled by transgression. With his divine arm our adorable Redeemer has hold of the throne of Heaven, and with his human arm he reaches to the depths of human wretchedness, and thus he becomes the connecting link between Heaven and earth, a mediator between God and man.
We notice the steps leading from Christ’s position with the Father before the worlds were made, down to his being made weak on account of the sinner, then up to his final position, strength, and glory.
1. Before the fall he was equal with God.
2. When he accepted the position as Redeemer with all its dependence and agony. Then he laid aside his glory as one of the creating and law administering firm of equal power. This glory he left with the Father, and then and there made himself of no reputation.
3. He next in due time became obedient to the death of the cross.
4. From this point he rises. God highly exalted Christ at the resurrection. Then and there he left the seed of Abraham, so that it was the divine Son of God that arose from the dead and ascended to Heaven.
5. Then was there given him a name above men and holy angels.
6. Of all created intelligences in heaven and on earth every knee will bow to Jesus Christ, and every tongue will confess. Redemption is then completed, and again the Son is equal with the Father.
The question of the state of the dead is not a practical subject. And yet we discuss it in order to warn the people against spiritualism.
The question of the trinity and the unity is not practical, and yet we call attention to it to guard the people against that terrible heresy that takes from our all-conquering Redeemer His power. J.W.
Taken from the Review and Herald, November 29, 1877, Vol. 50, No. 22, p. 172