Doesn’t the Bible say the Holy Spirit is an intercessor (Romans 8:26, 27)? Why is that not enough to prove that the Holy Spirit is another being who intercedes on our behalf (like Christ does)?
Even the Spirit of Prophecy tells us the same thing:
“Christ, our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding in man's behalf, but the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ, who presents His blood, shed from the foundation of the world; the Spirit works upon our hearts, drawing out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiving. The gratitude which flows from our lips is the result of the Spirit's striking the cords of the soul in holy memories, awakening the music of the heart. {1SM 344.1}
Answer
Let us first examine the scripture in question then we can examine the quote.
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26, 27
The idea that people have is that the Spirit is another intercessor. Is this what Paul meant? The only one who can make intercession for us is Jesus Christ. Paul confirms this fact only a few verses later:
“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:34
So the question is, do we have two intercessors? The answer is a resounding no. Paul, the author of Romans, makes it clear that this is not his belief at all. Notice His emphatic words to the young preacher Timothy:
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2:5
Jesus Christ is the only mediator between us and God. There can be no one else. The word mediator also means intercessor:
3316. mesites mes-ee’-tace; from 3319; a go-between, i.e. (simply) an internunciator, or (by implication) a reconciler (intercessor):— mediator. (Strong’s Concordance)
Mediator and intercessor are interchangeable. Jesus is our only mediator and intercessor
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25
Paul uses the words “intercessor” and “mediator” interchangeably. Christ is called both the mediator and intercessor in the book of Hebrews (see Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24).
It is only through Christ that we can come to the Father. There is absolutely no other way:
“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Ephesians 2:18
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
Thus, Paul is telling us in Romans 8 that Christ, by His spirit is our intercessor. He draws out our prayers and presents them before God in language better than ours. The Lord Jesus is that Spirit who works in each and every heart.
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17
The Spirit of Prophecy sheds more light on this. It confirms that Christ is the only way and medium between us and the Father.
“We have only one channel of approach to God. Our prayers can come to him through one name only,--that of the Lord Jesus our advocate. His Spirit must inspire our petitions. No strange fire was to be used in the censers that were waved before God in the sanctuary. So the Lord himself must kindle in our hearts the burning desire, if our prayers are acceptable to him. The Holy Spirit within must make intercessions for us, with groanings that cannot be uttered.” {RH, February 9, 1897 par. 10}.
Wonderful statement! The Holy Spirit is “within” making intercessions for us. Our prayers come through only one channel, not two! That one channel is our Lord Jesus. The spirit of Jesus, “His Spirit”, inspires us as we pray. It is “the Lord himself” who kindles our hearts! Jesus draws them out and He presents them before His Father in heaven.
“While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above, He is still by His Spirit the minister of the church on earth.” {Desire of Ages, p. 166}.
How many ministers are mentioned here? Is it not only the one minister, the Lord Jesus? Yes, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2:5. This one mediator works on two levels. He is in heaven in the flesh interceding before the Father, and He (the same one: Jesus) is in our hearts in the Spirit. But it is the one and the same Jesus in both cases who is in heaven and who is also in our hearts. (see Colossians 1:27; 3:11, Galatians 1:16, John 6:56, John 14:17, 18, 20, 23, John 15:4, John 17:23, Romans 8:10 etc.) In every one of those texts it plainly says that Christ is in us, not someone else. Yet Christ is not in us in His physical flesh form, but He is in us by His Spirit for He is both flesh (John 1:14) and he is also Spirit (1Cor. 15:45). We do not have two intercessors.
Let us now examine the statement in question which some understand to mean that we do have two intercessors or mediators:
“Christ, our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding in man's behalf, but the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ, who presents His blood, shed from the foundation of the world; the Spirit works upon our hearts, drawing out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiving. The gratitude which flows from our lips is the result of the Spirit's striking the cords of the soul in holy memories, awakening the music of the heart. {1SM 344.1}
Based on the above statement, two objections arise:
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If Christ is the Holy Spirit, then how come Sister White says “the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ, who presents His blood, …the Spirit works upon our hearts...”
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The Holy Spirit can not be the Father because the Father can not intercede with Himself.
Therefore, the Spirit must be a third individual being like the Father and Son.
We will try to answer them separately:
1. If Christ is the Holy Spirit, then how come Sister White says “the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ, who presents His blood, …the Spirit works upon our hearts...”
The prophet of the Lord is not saying that the Spirit is another being separate from Christ; neither is she saying that the Spirit is not Christ. She is simply telling us that the Holy Spirit and Christ are performing different tasks. Now this can be understood in two ways:
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that they are 2 different beings
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or Christ is doing a twofold work on two different fronts
A very plain point that the Spirit and Christ are not two different or separate beings is the fact that Sister White tells us in the questioned statement:
“Christ, our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding in man's behalf”
Now if Christ and the Holy Spirit are two separate beings, then we are saying that we have two intercessors because she said that both of them are “constantly interceding”. But we have seen earlier the plain Bible testimony that we only have one intercessor (mediator and advocate), never two. It is Jesus Christ our Lord:
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” 1 Timothy 2:5
“The mightiest created intellect cannot comprehend God; words from the most eloquent tongue fail to describe Him. . . . Men have only one Advocate, one Intercessor, who is able to pardon transgression. …” {LHU 319.4}
The Spirit of Prophecy is simply saying that Christ in His flesh that He took upon Himself, is in the presence of the Father interceding on our behalf by ministering His blood, while by His own Spirit He is ministering to His people on earth by working on their hearts, drawing out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiving. In doing this twofold work He is truly a mediator, touching us and connecting us with God. The words of inspiration say it well:
“With one hand He lays hold of sinners upon earth, and with the other He grasps the throne of the Infinite, and thus He makes reconciliation for us. Christ is today standing as our Advocate before the Father. He is the one Mediator between God and man. Bearing the marks of His crucifixion, He pleads the causes of our souls.” {10MR 177.1}
We mentioned this quote earlier, but here it is again with more context shedding further light on the question at hand:
“Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Heb. 7:25. Though the ministration was to be removed from the earthly to the heavenly temple; though the sanctuary and our great high priest would be invisible to human sight, yet the disciples were to suffer no loss thereby. They would realize no break in their communion, and no diminution of power because of the Saviour's absence. While Jesus ministers in the sanctuary above, He is still by His Spirit the minister of the church on earth. He is withdrawn from the eye of sense, but His parting promise is fulfilled, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:20.” {DA 166.2}
So when it says “the Spirit works upon our hearts” it means exactly what is stated elsewhere:
“Through the Holy Spirit Christ works in the heart to create holiness therein; but this cannot be done unless the human agent will work with Christ.” {SW, March 1, 1909 par. 7}
And just so no one misunderstands, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ:
“The impartation of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ. It imbues the receiver with the attributes of Christ.” {DA 805.3}
“Whenever it [feet washing] is celebrated, Christ is present by His Holy Spirit. It is this Spirit that brings conviction to hearts.” {Ev 275.1}
“How does Christ subdue His chosen people to Himself?--It is by the power of His Holy Spirit; for the Holy Spirit, through the Scriptures, speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the hearts of men.” {1SM 133.3}
“Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit, as the Omnipresent.” {14MR 23.3}
That should settle the matter plainly and clearly for any one who wishes to examine the evidence.
It is precisely what the Bible made clear long ago:
Acts 20:28 “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.”
Now we can examine our next and last objection:
1. The Holy Spirit can not be the Father because the Father can not intercede with Himself.
First of all we have to understand that the Spirit does not work as Christ does by standing before the Father and pleading or interceding in our behalf. Only Christ can do that.
Having said that, we agree with the above objection. If the Spirit stands before the Father and intercedes on our behalf, then logically it can not be the Father Himself because the Father can not intercede or plead with Himself.
It is the same as when a trinitarian says that Jesus and the Father are the same being! Then what happened in Gethsemane? Was Jesus praying and pleading with Himself? Of course it is not logical.
The key to understand this is the fact that the Spirit does not intercede with the Father as does Christ. It works on our hearts to bring us to the Father through His Son. It is the Spirit of Jesus in our heart that connects us with Him and His Father.
“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:17
“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Ephesians 2:18
Thus the Father through His Spirit, which is also the Spirit of Christ, works on our every heart drawing it to the great intercessor, Christ Jesus.
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44
“And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” John 6:65
(See also Titus 3:5, 6. The Father gives us the Spirit through Jesus.)
Christ and Christ alone is the one that stands before the Father and pleads His blood on our behalf. He is our only mediator and intercessor. Praise His name!
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