Questions Answered by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Apr 25, 1878

Questions Answered.

By James White

WILL Elder White or Smith please explain what is meant by sinning against the Holy Ghost, and what the Holy Ghost is? B. S.

ANS. The sin against the Holy Ghost in the days of the first advent of Christ was to attribute the power of God manifested in the miracles of Christ to the work of Satan. At one time they charged our Lord with casting out devils through Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Matt. 9:34; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15. Those who now attribute the work of the Holy Spirit manifested in the gifts of the church to the power of Satan, commit the sin which has no forgiveness. This sin has been committed by those restless spirits, who have gone out from us declaring that the gift of prophecy, which has been graciously manifested to our people, to be the work of Satan. The work of these is to tear down. They cannot rest unless they are accursing the remnant, that keep the commandments of God under the third message.

The Father is a person, the Son is a person: but the Holy Ghost is the same as the Holy Spirit. It is a divine influence emanating from the Father and the Son, and probably is never manifested to the children of men only in connection with the ministration of holy angels, when these come forth from the world of glory to minister unto the children of men, these are enveloped with the light and glory which surrounds the throne of God. When these are brought in connection with God's people they partake of that light and glory, which gives them peace and joy. This accounts for those happier emotions enjoyed by the assembly of the saints. The attending angels of each one of them is present. Also seasons of darkness of the people of God are occasioned by the presence of fallen angels, permitted to come forth from Satan and the realms of darkness, to try the faith of the people of God. J. W.