Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Christ’s Spirit, our Comforter.

What Scripture and the pioneers say about the Son of God and the Comforter He promised.

Read the studyWho is the Holy Spirit?

The Comforter

The Spirit as Christ’s representative

Ellen White wrote that the Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative, so that through the Spirit the Saviour would be accessible to all, wherever they are (The Desire of Ages, p. 669).

This page gathers Scripture and the pioneers’ statements on Jesus and the Holy Spirit so readers can study the question for themselves.

John 20:21 – 22

Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.

Christ living in us

The Spirit brings the presence of Christ to every believer, wherever they are.

Study with the pioneers

Compare what the pioneers wrote with what the Bible says.

The full study

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

“The Holy Spirit is Christ’s representative, but divested of the personality of humanity, and independent thereof. Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was for their interest that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His successor on earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or his personal contact with Christ. By the Spirit the Saviour would be accessible to all. In this sense He would be nearer to them than if He had not ascended on high.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 669.

“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Jn. 20:21-22

“Christ breathed on His disciples, and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” This is the great gift of heaven. Christ imparted to them through the Spirit His own sanctification. He imbued them with His power, that they might win souls to the gospel. Henceforth Christ would live through their faculties, and speak through their words. They were privileged to know that hereafter He and they were to be one. They must cherish His principles and be controlled by His Spirit. They were no longer to follow their own way, to speak their own words. The words they spoke were to proceed from a sanctified heart, and fall from sanctified lips. No longer were they to live their own selfish life; Christ was to live in them. . . . He would give to them the glory that He had with the Father, that He and they might be one in God.” Sons And Daughters p.294

When Christ breath on his disciples whose spirit did they receive?

“Christ breathed upon His disciples and said, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Christ is represented by His Holy Spirit today in every part of His great moral vineyard. He will give the inspiration of His Holy Spirit to all those who are of a contrite spirit.” Testimonies To Ministers p.214

What is the result of the breath of Christ in our hearts?

“If we follow Christ we shall not have a spasmodical experience, and be moved by circumstances and influenced by our surroundings. We shall not let feeling control us, and indulge in fretting, envying, fault-finding, jealousy, and vanity. It is indulgence in these things that puts us out of harmony with the harmonious life of Christ, and prevents us from becoming overcomers. We should be actuated by the noble purpose of winning daily victories, and by watchfulness and sincere prayer attain to complete control of self. When petty trials come upon us, and words are spoken that cut and bruise the soul, speak to yourself and say, “I am a child of God, heir with Jesus Christ, a co-laborer with heaven, and I cannot afford to easily take offense, to be always thinking of self; for this will produce a distorted character, and is unworthy of my high calling. My Heavenly Father has given me a work to do, and let me do it worthily for his name’s sake.” Signs of the Times, July 10, 1893.

The Holy Spirit exclusively belong to God the Father, and Jesus is partaker of that Spirit.

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Four Studies to Open Next

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Who is the Holy Spirit?

A study of the Holy Spirit, with Scripture and statements from the pioneers.

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Pioneers

Holy Spirit: Pioneer Writings

What the early Adventist writers taught about the Spirit of God.

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Scripture

John 14: The Comforter

Jesus’ promise of another Comforter, studied verse by verse.

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Scripture

Who Is the Spirit of Truth?

The Bible’s answer to who the Spirit of truth is.

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The guiding principle

The Comforter Brings Christ Near

Jesus told His disciples that it was to their advantage that He go away, so that the Comforter could come.

The Spirit is how the Saviour stays close to every believer, in every place.

What the Bible says

It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. John 16:7

Life in the Spirit

Life in the Spirit

What the presence of Christ by His Spirit means for the believer’s daily walk.

Daily victory

Ellen White urged believers to seek daily victories through watchfulness and prayer.

Christ in the believer

The disciples were to cherish His principles and be controlled by His Spirit.

Power for mission

Christ imbued His disciples with power that they might win souls to the gospel.

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The Pioneers

Pioneer’s Quotes on the Son of God

A collection of statements from the pioneers about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

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