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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="043005a0dwnjzk.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EDWARD WATSONS WEBWORLD"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B> | </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>EDWARD WATS</B><B>ON'S WEBWORLD</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SECTION 3: INTRODUCTION"><U><B>SECTION 3: INTRODUCTION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id113.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1"><U><B>1</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2"><U><B>2</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id115.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3"><U><B>3</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>4</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id117.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SECTION 3: CONCLUSION"><U><B>SECTION 3: CONCLUSION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id138.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ABBREVIATIONS"><U><B>ABBREVIATIONS</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>[MORMONISM. The Faith of the Twenty-first Century. Volume 1. Edward K. Watson. (Liahona Publications. Copyright © 1998 Edward K. Watson.) pp. 431-433. MORMONISM: Section 3, Chapter 4. All rights reserved.]    </B></div> <bR> <div> <U>CHAPTER 4</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is the Holy Ghost</B> <B> Subordinate to theFather and Son?</B></div> <bR> <div>      Just as the case with the status of Jesus in MORMONISM: Section 2, we need to define what “subordinate” means. Is the Holy Ghost <I>inferior</I> <I>in position and rank </I>to the Father and Son<I>, </I>just as a major is inferior to a general and colonel? Sure!  He is sent by both the Father (John  14:16,26) and  Son (John  15:26; Acts  2:33). He says what the Father and Son tell him to say (John  16:13-14). On the other hand, is the Holy Ghost an<I> inferior being</I> in comparison with the Father and Son, just like a cricket is inferior to a dog and human? Definitely not.  He shares the “God” nature the Father and Son possess just like all humans share the “human/man” nature. There are over 5 ½ billion creatures on earth who share the “man” nature/species; and there are three [that we know of] who share the “God” nature/species.</div> <div>      Consequently, the Holy Ghost is:</div> <bR> <div>      Inferior in position/rank to the Father and Son.</div> <div>      Not inferior in being/nature to the Father and Son.</div> <bR> <div> <B>“One or seven” or “one and seven”?</B></div> <bR> <div>      Certain religions argue that there is no such thing as the Holy Ghost but as we've seen, the NT is replete with passages that mention the Holy Ghost. These anti-Mormons may say that according to Rev  1:4;  3:1;  4:5 &  5:6 there are actually  seven Spirits of God. This is a nonsensical argument because these seven Spirits or angels have nothing to do with the Holy Ghost.</div> <div>      There have been varied opinions as to who these seven are:<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >1</FONT></div> <bR> <div> 1) Some relate these passages with Zech  4:10 for the seven eyes of the Lord or the seven special representatives of God. Traditionally, these seven were considered the expanded group of archangels,<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >2</FONT> whose head was Michael (Dan  8:16;  9:21;  10:13,20;  12:1; Luke  1:19; 1 Th  4:16; 1 Tim  5:21; Jude  1:9; Rev  8:2;  12:7), the pre-mortal Adam (D&C  27:11;  107:54). The others were Gabriel (Dan  8:15-26;  9:21-27; Luke  1:19,26), Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Remiel (also called Jeremiel).<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >3</FONT> </div> <div> 2) Others view them as the seven guardian angels of these churches similar to the guardian angels of various countries (Deut  32:8 LXX; Dan  10:13,20;  12:1), communities (Ex  32:34; Num  20:16) or of individuals (Ps  91:11-12; Luke  4:10-11; Matt  18:10; Acts  12:15).<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >4</FONT></div> <div> 3) Others see these “seven spirits” to refer to the seven characteristics of the Holy Ghost:</div> <bR> <div>   Isa <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>11:2 And <I>the spirit of the LORD</I> shall <I>rest upon him</I>, <I>the spirit of wisdom</I> and<I> understanding,</I> the<I> spirit of counsel</I> and <I>might, </I>the <I>spirit of knowledge</I> and of<I> the fear of the LORD</I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> 4) Some view these seven spirits to be the human heads of the church.</div> <div> 5) The most accepted view is these seven angels are spiritual personifications of the churches in contrast to their earthly existence.”<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >5</FONT></div> <bR> <div>      Regardless, these seven mentioned in Revelations aren't the Holy Ghost. They are subservient to him because as we've seen, the Holy Ghost is really a member of the biblical  Triad.</div> <bR> <div>      There are occasions when the Spirit, Spirit/Light of God, Spirit/Light of the Lord, Spirit/Light of Christ,  are referring to the  impersonal force that comes from God (D&C  88:11-13) but I believe the Holy Ghost uses this force which fills the universe to do Heavenly Father's will. The Holy Ghost is a being like the sun who is only in one place at a time but whose power is everywhere at once. </div> <div>      The passages in the Bible which gives the impression that the spirit of God is a force and not a personage (and is even contrasted in Moro  6:9) is probably called “the Spirit of Christ,” which is sometimes referred to as our conscience (Moro  7:16) but other times is referring to the Holy Ghost. It isn't about the literal spirit of Jesus (his being) which is contained within his glorious immortal body since if he were to leave his body, he would die again (Jas  2:26) which  contradicts  what  the New Testament  teaches  (Rom  6:9). </div> <div>      The “impersonal” verses have reference to the force and power that emanate from God because at the same time, there are many passages that show the Spirit of God as a personage. </div> <div>      The Holy Ghost does certain things that the Father and Son only do with the sanctified (having mutual interpenetration). The Holy Ghost <I>literally </I>dwells in people (Rom  8:11; Ezek  2:2) even though they may not yet be sanctified. He testifies of the truthfulness of the Gospel. He speaks through and inspires God's prophets (2 Sam  23:2; 2 Pet  1:21). He reveals all Truth and what we must do (2 Ne  32:5). He witnesses and testifies of the Father and Son (2 Ne  31:18; D&C  42:17; Mos  5:9;  7:11). </div> <div>      Certain anti-Mormons will only focus on those passages that show the nonpersonal nature of the spirit of God without bringing attention to the other parts that show without a doubt that the Spirit of God is also a personage. They do this since they know most people aren't biblical experts and for the ordinary Mormon to have the passages on hand that shows the Holy Ghost being a personage is extremely unlikely.</div> <div>      The Holy Ghost can enter those who aren't baptized (Acts  10:44-45) but one needs the ordinance of receiving the  Gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, to have the privilege of having him as one's constant companion.</div> <bR> <div> <B>[ENDNOTES]:</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.For example see HGR. pp. 33-34; IBD. pp. 51-52; NSBD. p. 47.</div> <div> 2.There's a group of four and a group of seven archangels. Also see Sir 17:17; Tob 12:15; 4 Ez 4:1;  Jub 35:17; 1 En 9:1; 21:10; 20:1-7; 81:5; 90:21-22; Hermas. <I>Sim</I> 5;9; ABD. 1:252; OM. p. 61; OTP. 1:16,23-24,59,70,529.</div> <div> 3.1 En. 19:1-20:7. Also chapter 9; OTP. 1:16,23-24.</div> <div> 4.ABD. 1:255.</div> <div> 5.ABD. 1:255; NSBD. p. 47.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca"><U>e-mail me!</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>