Sabbath School
Quarterly Studies
Lesson 3

Study to show thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15

Prepared by: Restitution Ministries,
P.O. Box 7137 Kariong
NSW 2250 Australia
www.acts321.org

Lesson 3
Sabbath Afternoon

The study begins with Luke 1:35 as the memory text.

Following the text, we have a commentary on the leading of the Spirit throughout Christ’s ministry. The comment correctly states Christ’s unreserved submission to His Father’s will through the direction of the Spirit.

But the student is misled when we read in the first paragraph the words. “Jesus was endowed with the Spirit as He descended on Him in the form of a dove.”

Where in the four Gospels is it recorded of the Spirit that He descended on Him in the form of a dove?

Why do the compilers use unscriptural language to emphasize their point? Particularly when the Gospel of John records “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.” John 1:32

Sunday
Miracle Birth

Matt. 1:18-20 and Luke 1:35
We looked at these texts in our opening study. In Matt 1:18,20 Scripture records “she was found with child of the Holy Ghost...that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

Here we see Jesus was conceived or fathered by the Spirit.
In Luke 1:35 the angel tells Mary “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee…”
Here we see the Holy Ghost is called “the power of the Highest” The Highest refers to God the Father. Vs 32, Mark 5:7
One could correctly interpret Luke 1:35 as the Spirit of the Highest which means the Spirit of the Father.

The trinitarian believes “God the Spirit” fathered Jesus. So how do they interpret Luke 1:35? They would have to conclude the Spirit of the Highest is the Spirit of “God the Spirit” and that He is the highest. This of course contradicts Scripture and even their own belief.

We should accept texts for what they say. Which is exactly what the study says in Sunday’s lesson “Those, however, who trust in the power of God and the truth of God’s word can accept the texts for what they say.”

Let us remember this advice as we review Monday’s lesson.

Monday’s Lesson

Matt. 3:16, 17 ; Mark 1:10 ; Luke 3:21, 22 ; John 1:32 – 34

Regarding Christ’s baptism the commentary states “that all three persons of the Trinity were manifested.” This unscriptural statement is supposed to be supported from the above texts.

We noted earlier in our opening study DA 112 regarding the baptism. The Spirit that descended in the form of a dove, the “beams of God’s glory” It was the glory of God, His personal presence that brought comfort and assurance to the Son as He was to begin His public ministry.

None of the texts above speak of a trinity or a co-eternal Spirit. Let us note what they do say:

Matt 3:16,17 “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
In verse 16 we see the Spirit called “the Spirit of God” Vs 17 and the Father speaking from heaven “this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Mark 1:10,11 the Gospel of Mark records the same words Vs 11” Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”

Luke 3:21,22 Luke records the same “ and a voice came from heaven and said Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”

Jn 1:32-34 The Gospel of John records the testimony of John the Baptist Vs 34 “I saw and bear record that this is the Son of God.”

Remember earlier we saw from a trinitarian author that “the Father Son relationship should be understood in a metaphorical sense.” Understanding The Trinity p 97

All four Gospels declare the record that Jesus is the Son of God. Three Gospels record the words of the Father Himself. But trinitarians want to tell us it’s a metaphor, (it’s not real) God doesn’t really mean what He says. He is really three people who are all co-eternal.

No wonder Scripture records these words.

“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” 1John 5:10

And we just finished reading in Sundays lesson that we are to “accept the texts for what they say.”

And as far as the Spirit being a third co-eternal member of a trinity, these texts are completely silent.

The following texts relate to the Spirit leading Christ into the wilderness. Again these texts say nothing about a trinity. Matt. 4:1 ; Mark 1:12 ; Luke 4:1

Q – Who was it that led Christ in His whole life?
A – John 5:20 “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all
things that himself doeth:”

John 8:29 “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

John 10:18 “…This commandment have I received of my Father.”

John 12:49 “…the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”

John 14:31 “…as the Father gave me commandment, even so do…”

Many more texts could be sighted but from these we can clearly see the Son was led by His Father throughout His life. Thus He was an example to us.

When the Spirit led the Lord into the wilderness it was the Spirit of His Father, who led Him.

And if we are faithful it will be the same Spirit that will lead and guide us.

In John 20:21 we read “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

Jesus was preparing His disciples for their commission and He declares He was sending them in the same way He was sent of His Father.

How was Jesus sent of His Father?
Vs 22 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:”

Notice how Jesus sent them! He breathed on them, He gave them part of Himself, He gave them something that comes from within. His own breath. And Jesus declared this is how His Father sent Him! Remember John 15:26

What a beautiful illustration the Lord gave us.

Adam became a living being when Jesus breathed His breath into
His nostrils. Adam received the character of God, he received the
Spirit of God, made in His image, and likeness.

And when Christ breathed His Spirit upon His disciples He was
imparting to them His own life and character.

Notice from the SOP:

“Christ gives them the breath of His own spirit, the life of His own
life.” {GW 513.2}

“The Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the only begotten Son of
God, binds the human agent, body, soul, and spirit, to the perfect,
divine-human nature of Christ.” {RH, April 5, 1906 par. 16}

Tuesday

Tuesday begins with John 3:34 KJV and Today’s English Version. The latter version emphasizes what we have been saying: “God gives him the fullness of his Spirit.”

The study then asks the following question: “what is Jesus saying with those words?”

Those words were spoken by John the Baptist not by Jesus. Nonetheless all Scripture is inspired by Jesus, Compare 2 Peter 1:21 with 1 Peter 1:10,11

And RH, July 7, 1896 par. 4 “He stood forth in his ministry as one distinguished from every other teacher. He himself had inspired the prophets to write of him.”

The next point refers to how Jesus “had given commandments unto the apostles” through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is true, but as we have already noted this authority was from God the Father.

The commandments Jesus gave were His Father’s. his words were His Father’s spoken under the authority and power of the Holy Spirit!

Christ gave commandments through the Spirit because His words are Spirit John 6:63

And His words are His fathers John 14:24 “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.”

And what He heard of His Father, He made know to His disciples. John 15:15` “…for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you”

Wednesday

Spirit – Directed Activity Part - 1

Wednesday’s lesson begins with quoting Luke 4:18, 19 and commenting on Christ’s Spirit filled ministry.

Matt 12:28 is quoted to show Jesus performed His miracles
through the power of the Spirit.

Notice the parallel text in Luke 11:20

Christ speaks of the Spirit as the finger of God. Many of the prophets described the Sprit in a similar way. David and Isaiah describe the Spirit as the right hand of God. See Ps 139: 7-10 and Isa 41:10

And in 2 Chron. 16:9 the Spirit is described as “the eyes of the Lord”. Note also the marginal reading “to hold strongly with them.”

This is why in Rev 2:1 Jesus declares, He holds the seven stars (His faithful ministers) in His right hand and He walks in the midst of the church.

By His Spirit Christ directs His church and is personally present.

Notice these inspired statements.

“Christ is in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, walking from church to church, from congregation to congregation, from heart to heart.” {RH, May 26, 1903 par. 2}

“Christ walks in the midst of His churches through the length and breadth of the earth. He looks with intense interest to see whether His people are in such a condition spiritually that they can advance His kingdom. He is present in every assembly of the church.” {7BC 956.3}

See also Deut 23:14

The Spirit of God belongs to God, this is why you will never see the term “God the Spirit” in Scripture or SOP.

The Spirit through which Christ performed His miracles, was the Spirit of His Father, which Christ received without measure. John 3:34, Col 2:9; 1:19

We also need to have the correct knowledge of the Spirit.

Note again these parallel texts

Wednesday’s lesson asks the question

“What part did the Spirit play in Christ’s offering of Himself as a ransom for our sins? Heb 9:14”

And no answer is given. You see when they ask “what role did the Spirit play” They mean God the Spirit as a third co-eternal member of a trinity. What part did he play in Christ’s offering of Himself.

The reason why no answer is given is because the text says nothing about anyone else taking part. The text says Christ offered himself through the eternal Spirit.

The marginal reading in the RV translates this text “His Spirit”. In the original the article “the” is lacking which points to the reading His Spirit or by virtue of His eternal Spirit.

Christ offered Himself by virtue of His divine nature. It is His eternal Spirit that made His offering complete. Christ risked His eternal inheritance on the cross.

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”Acts 20:28

Note, the he thus refers to the Holy Ghost, just like Hebrews 9:14 states, it cannot refer to the “churches of God”. It would be incorrect grammer, also the church did not purchase itself. It was purchased with the precious blood of Christ.

Note the following statement,

“Men need to understand that Deity suffered and sank under the agonies of Calvary. Yet Jesus Christ, whom God gave for the ransom of the world, purchased the church with His own blood.” {TMK 70.2}

In acknowledging this solemn truth, we ask the trinitarian, who bought your salvation? And what price was paid? Was it “the precious blood of Christ” the Son of God or was it God
the Son a co-eternal, co-equal member of a trinity who could not die?

The trinity denies our Lord and the infinite sacrifice He made. And Scripture prophesied this would happen.

”… there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” 2 Peter 2:1

How do we deny our Lord who bought us?

“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:” 1 John 2:22, 23

Thursday

Part – 2

After quoting 1 Peter 3:18 we are told

“God is one but triune. The three persons of the trinity work together. They are intimately united in their work. Thus, although this text says Jesus was raised from the dead by that Spirit, the other two persons of the Deity united in resurrecting Jesus.”

Where in Scripture are we told “God is triune”?
Where are we told “the three persons of the trinity work together”?
Why are we continually given these statements without one text for their support?

1 Peter 3:18 does not say the three persons of the trinity worked
together in resurrecting Jesus.

It says, He was “quickened (given life) by the Spirit”
And in Rom 8:11 we are told “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead….”
That Spirit of Him is the Spirit of God. Vs 9

This is why Gal 1:1 says “…God the Father, who raised him from the dead”

It was the Father who called Christ from the grave. Notice in DA 785 the paragraph before the one quoted in the study says “When the voice of the mighty angel was heard at Christ's tomb, saying, Thy Father calls Thee” and also p 780 “Son of God, come forth, Thy Father calls thee.”

“the Saviour came forth from the grave by the life that was in Himself. Now was proved the truth of His words, "I lay down My life, that I might take it again. . . . I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” DA 785

Does this mean the saviour did not truly die?
The Bible declares “He was cut off out of the land of the living” and that “He hath poured out his soul unto death”

In 1 SM 301 we read “Humanity died, deity did not die.” And in 5BC 1113 “it was His human nature that died. Deity did not sink and die; that would have been impossible.”

Christ’s Spirit is the Spirit of the Father Rom 8:9. when Jesus died His Spirit (His Divinity) “slept in the tomb with His body” 5BC
1150, 51

When the Father called Him forth He was able through the Spirit to take up His life again. Christ’s Divinity could only work through His humanity. The two natures were not separate, thus when Christ in His humanity died, He could never have come forth. Only His Father could release Him from death.

“He was in that stony prison house as a prisoner of divine justice. He was responsible to the Judge of the universe. He was bearing the sins of the world, and His Father only could release Him.” {5BC 1114.1}

For more on this subject see the booklet “The Deity of Christ”.

Friday

Friday’s discussion question states

“As a class, talk about the incarnation of Jesus, about what it means that God Himself would “come down” into our world and then die for our sins. What hope does this great truth give us?”

This “great truth” is a great deception.
This is pure Roman Catholic Doctrine. What a tragedy that Catholic Doctrines are being taught in our Sabbath schools and the great majority of souls are unaware!

God Himself did not come down and die for our sins.

While it is true that when He took upon Himself human nature Christ was still one with God. And He is the link that unites God with humanity.

This is because He is the Son of God.

God Himself did not come down and die for our sins. This is the Catholic Doctrine of one substance and three hypostases.

Scripture declares,

“God sent His only begotten Son into the world” 1 John 4:9

“God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son…” John 3:16

“God sent not His only begotten Son into the world to condemn…” John 3:17

“He that spared not His own Son but delivered Him up…”Rom 8:32

It is true that His name is Immanuel God with us, and that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself”, however, God the Father did not come down into our world and die on the cross for our sins. He gave His Son. He sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10

And God suffered by His side making darkness His pavilion.

Notice again this inspired statement.

“Men need to understand that Deity suffered and sank under the agonies of Calvary. Yet Jesus Christ whom God gave for the ransom of the world purchased the church with His own blood.” MS 153, 1898