20. Our Fellowship is with the Father and His Son

When we keep Christ’s commandments, there are two spirits that come to make their home with us.

In the second century, Justin Martyr told the Roman Emperor that the spirit of prophecy was a third person born on the waters in Genesis 1:2. In 381, the spirit of prophecy became the third person of a “Godhead,” the image of a lion, a leopard, and a bear (Revelation 13:2)—the “image of the beast.”

But John said, “You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things” (1 John 2:20).

The “ruah of ELOHIM” described the breath of God, the spirit of God in wisdom, and the hand of Yihvah on the prophets, with feminine pronouns. But the Spirit of God Himself was always described with masculine pronouns. 

The Prophet Isaiah described the Spirit of Christ in the Old Testament as “the Messenger of His Face” (Isaiah 63:9) which Paul called “the image of the invisible God,” and the Targum called “the Word,” the Helper of Israel in the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament, the expression “the Spirit” with the definite article only described a Spirit as a being. The Spirit of Christ was called “the Spirit” throughout the New Testament.

After the day of Pentecost, the spirit of God became the holy spirit in His Church and was described as “spirit” without the article.

John described a relationship with two persons, saying, “indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father and I will make our home with him” (John 14:23). When we keep His commandments, there are two spirits that make their home with us—the spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20) and the Spirit of His Son (Galatians 4:6).

“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not welcome him into your house or give him a greeting, for he who gives him a greeting, shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 10).