When Jesus tells His disciples He is leaving, He promises them a parakletos. The word carries the weight of several English translations — Comforter, Advocate, Helper — all of them pointing to someone called alongside a person in need.

In John 14:16-18 Jesus says the Parakletos{Comforter} will "abide with you for ever" and that "ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

Then, in verse 26 He names this Parakletos directly: "the Holy Spirit". Then John writes this in his first letter: "If anyone sins, we have a Parakletos with the Father — Jesus Christ the righteous." ( 1 John 2:1 )

The same Greek word. In John 14:26, Jesus says the Parakletos is the Holy Spirit. In 1 John 2:1, John says the Parakletos is Jesus Christ. That is not a riddle requiring outside theology to solve — Jesus is the Holy Spirit.

For My SDA Friends: Ellen agrees:

"It is not safe to catch the spirit from another. We want the Holy Spirit, which is Jesus Christ..." -Ellen White, Lt66-1894

"The reason why the churches are weak and sickly and ready to die is that the enemy has brought influences of a discouraging nature to bear upon trembling souls. He has sought to shut Jesus from their view as the Comforter..." -Ellen White (RC 21)

"There is no comforter like Christ, so tender and so true. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities..." -RH, October 26, 1897, par. 15

Jesus stated eight times in the Gospel of John that He spoke nothing of His own authority — only what the Father commanded:

1. “The Son can do nothing of His own accord” ( Jn5:19 ).
2. “I can do nothing on my own” ( Jn5:30 ).
3. “My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me” ( Jn7:16 ).
4. “he that sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these speak I unto the world.” ( Jn8:26 )
5. “I do nothing on my own authority but speak just as the Father taught me” ( Jn8:28 ).
6. “The Father has given me a commandment — what to say and speak” ( Jn12:49 ).
7. “The words I say I do not speak on my own authority” ( Jn14:10 ).
8. “The word you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me” ( Jn14:24 ).

And John 12:48 establishes the standard of final judgment: “The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”

We will be judged by the Father’s words, transmitted through the Son. Not by a creed. Not by a council formula developed 300 years after Christ. By the actual words Jesus spoke — which never once mention a single tenant of the trinity.