This book does not seek to diminish Jesus in any way. God forbid! Neither should it ever be used to try and do so. He is everything the Holy Bible says he is, the virgin born, righteous, anointed, appointed, approved Son of God, Messiah of Israel.

Finally, I have approached the subject of this writing carefully and prayerfully as its importance is too great to get it wrong. I have also kept in mind Jesus' words to Peter, "Feed my sheep" and "feed my lambs." These are of different maturity and need different food. Perhaps there are even a few goats. The challenge is to awaken the goats without harming the sheep and lambs. Only time will tell if I have succeeded. I love you all.

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Dear Friend In Christ:

This book is presented only with our desire that you read it prayerfully and give it the test of Holy Scripture.  It was written with a hunger for greater Biblical understanding and in the belief that God’s people love truth more than tradition, and “thus saith the word of God” more than the precepts of men.

Perhaps you are aware that the Nicean Council met in 325 A.D. and decided that Jesus our Savior is “co-equal, co-eternal with God...very God of very God,” but no firm conclusion was reached regarding the Holy Spirit.  That was not done until 56 years later at the Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.).  This council concluded that the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father and the Son” and “with the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.”

Thus the Harper Collins Encyclopedia of Catholicism and other sources correctly refer to the doctrine of the Trinity as a “a late-fourth century Christian doctrine.”  But is the Holy Spirit a third person of God , or the breath and power of God the Father Himself?  Please consider:

1.     Jesus used the terms “the Spirit of your Father” and “the Holy Ghost” interchangeably (Matt. 10:20; Mark13:11).

2.     In Scripture there are never three thrones pictured in heaven.  There is one throne of Almighty God and Jesus seated at His right hand.  (Ps. 110:1; Mark 16:19; Acts 7:55; Heb. 10:12; Rev. 3:21; 4:2; 7:10).

3.     In each of his 13 epistles Paul sent greetings from “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” but never once sent greetings from a person named “the Holy Spirit.”  “I bow my knees unto the Father...strengthened with might by his Spirit” (Eph. 3:14, 16).

4.     Christians are taught in Scripture to pray “in the Spirit” and “with the Spirit” but never once are we commanded to pray “to” or “worship” the Holy Spirit.

5.     In 400 A.D. Augustine was still struggling to define the place of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity.  This speaks volumes.

One final note.  The word “glory” in the N.T. is the Greek word “doxa,” and it means to recognize a person or thing for who or what it is.  Until we in Christianity recognize God our Father for who He is, the One Most High God (John 5:44; 17:3; I Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; I Tim. 1:17; 2:5; Rom. 16:27), we cannot possibly give Him the awesome glory that He demands and deserves.  To God be the glory!

Love in Christ Jesus,

Joel Hemphill

P.S.  Please feel free to contact us at anytime with questions or comments.