He who overcomes, I
will make him a pillar
in the temple of My God, and he shall go out
no more. I will write
on him the name of My God
and the name of the
city of My
God, the New
Jerusalem, which comes down
out of heaven from My
God.
And I will write on
him My new name.
He who has an ear,
let him hear
what the Spirit says
to the churches.
Revelation 3:12–13
Before I
continue with the study on the deity of the Holy Spirit I must address a rule
that must be followed if a correct interpretation or translation of the
Scriptures is to be had: CONTEXT! CONTEXT! CONTEXT! A major problem with many
is that they use PROOF TEXTS, to attempt to prove a presupposition or
supposition. We must, that is, if we are to reach a correct understanding use
the context above and below a verse(s) and then to address a verse(s) in
context of the book, and the Holy Bible as a whole on a teaching. I just had a
small debate, or in the least a conversation with a Jehovah Witness at Barnes
& Nobles where I was meeting with the pastor of my church along with the
pastor for the Red Bluff Church. This man, who stated for 40 years he had been
ordained: such that was not done in the Watchtower Association, overseers, yes,
traveling overseers, etc., but no one was “ordained” so from that standpoint we
started with a lie for no one was ever said to be “ordained.’ Be as that may,
he wanted to discuss the above verses as though he had the truth for does it
not say, “My God?” Yes! Now to just use that verse to prove your theology it
would then be true that Jesus was not God, for He had a God in which He was
addressing. Is this true? NO! The context will not allow for such translation
or interpretation. Read on! Jesus sand that He would write the name of My God
and the name of he city of My God, the New Jerusalem upon the one overcoming
(vs. 11). Then Jesus says; “καί.” “and,” I will write on him my new name: “καί
τό όνομά μου τό καμόν” (vs 12): “and the name my the new” literal translation
and the adders word for English is “I will write on him,” is added for
clarity and syntax of the sentence, but notice in your Bible they do italicize
those words so that you know they were added and not in the Greek. The “καί” or
“and,” can be used copulative or cumulative or both and as copulative then it
simply adds to the antecedent, and if cumulative it then gives an increase or
growing as a successive addition. It is clear that this is a cumulative use of
the Greek word “καί” for sense to be had this sentence in verse 12b, the last
sentence, makes sense for both God and Jesus are having the one name written on
the foreheads of the over comers. Does the Bible call Jehovah the Almighty?
Yes! Some 48 times in the Old Testament God is called “Shadday” and the New
Testament quotes 2 Samuel 7:14 in 2Corinthians 6:18 that calls God the LORD
Almighty. Now in Revelation Jesus says that He is the Alpha and the Omega. Is
God ever called the Alpha and the Omega, that is the First and the Last? Yes!
Isaiah 41:4: and now in Revelation Jesus is said to be the Fist and the Last,
the Alpha and the Omega. Both are said to be the First and the Last thereby
conjoining both God, the Father and Jesus Christ the Son to be called the same
making them both the same, one God, and then furthermore, God is called the
“Almighty,” and Jesus is Called the Almighty (Revelation 1:8b). In Context
alone, it is plain and clear that Jesus as the Son of God, as both the Son of
Man, has both the nature of man and the nature of God. Jesus is the Wisdom of
God and God, the Supreme, as the Father, the One sending forth His Wisdom to be
in the flesh as man, then Jesus calls God as My God. This is true for as man,
as the Savior of Man, having return to heaven bodily; did not the disciple in
the least see Him rise heaven bound bodily and this they did: “Now when He
had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a
cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). As we are discussing the
Holy Spirit and it is true that Jesus is God, the Son of God, the Wisdom of God
and is speaking to the Church, then it is said: “let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.” The Spirit speaks, God speaks, Jesus speaks,
and all are saying the same thing, and in those verses alone the Trinity is
demonstrated: The Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and the
Holy Spirit has a personality. The personality of the Holy Spirit has been the
faith of the Church from its inception. Origen states: “The Holy Sprit
Himself receives instruction. This is clear from what is said about the
Paraclete and the Holy Spirit: ‘He will take of min and will declare it to
you.’ “Does he, then, from these instructions, take in everything that the Son
Himself knows, gazing at the Father from the first?” (Origen 228 A.D.). An
earlier Church father states: “If you are patient, the Holy Sprit that
dwells in you will be pure. He will not be darkened by any evil spirit, but,
dwelling in a broad region, he will rejoice and be glad…But if any outburst of
anger takes place, immediately the Holy Spirit, who is sensitive, is constricted.
For He does not have a pure place, and He seeks to depart. For he is choke by
the vile spirit” (Hermas 150 A.D.).
Next blog I
will address that which is in regard to His nature: Is He a Person, a Person of
the Trinity, or a mere power, as do the Jehovah Witnesses’ teach?
Behold, I am coming as a thief.
Blessed is he
who watches,
And keeps his garments, lest he
Walk naked and
they see
His shame.
Revelation 16:15
Alongside you is the Paraclete: you do not have to sin
Richard L. Crumb
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