Finis Dake’s Theological Errors Concerning the Holy Spirit

Introduction: The Importance of Orthodox Pneumatology

The doctrine of the Holy Spirit, known as pneumatology, stands as one of the most vital yet frequently misunderstood areas of Christian theology. Throughout church history, believers have recognized the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity—fully God, coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Son. This understanding, refined through centuries of biblical study and theological reflection, finds its roots in Scripture and has been consistently affirmed by the church universal.

Finis Jennings Dake (1902-1987), a Pentecostal minister and author of the popular Dake Annotated Reference Bible, made significant contributions to biblical study through his extensive note-taking and cross-referencing system. His work “God’s Plan for Man,” a comprehensive 1,000-page systematic theology, has influenced many Christians, particularly within Pentecostal and Charismatic circles. However, despite his genuine zeal for Scripture and his desire to help believers understand the Bible, Dake taught several serious theological errors concerning the nature and person of the Holy Spirit that diverge dramatically from orthodox Christian doctrine.

These errors are not minor disagreements over secondary matters but strike at the heart of the Christian understanding of God Himself. When we examine Dake’s teachings about the Holy Spirit in detail, we discover that he fundamentally redefines the nature of God, teaching that the Holy Spirit possesses a physical body and exists as a completely separate being from the Father and Son in ways that orthodox Christianity has always rejected as heretical.

This analysis will carefully document Dake’s teachings using extensive quotations from his own writings, particularly from “God’s Plan for Man,” and will contrast these teachings with historic Christian orthodoxy as supported by Scripture. Our purpose is not to attack Dake personally but to protect the church from theological errors that, if embraced, would lead believers away from the biblical understanding of who God is and how He relates to His creation.

Part I: Dake’s Teaching That the Holy Spirit Has a Physical Body

The Explicit Teaching in “God’s Plan for Man”

Perhaps the most startling of Dake’s theological errors concerning the Holy Spirit is his explicit teaching that the Holy Spirit possesses a physical body. This teaching appears most clearly in “God’s Plan for Man,” where Dake makes several definitive statements about the nature of God and the Holy Spirit.

This statement reveals several interconnected errors in Dake’s theology. First, he explicitly states that the Holy Spirit has His own “separate and personal body.” Second, he claims the Holy Spirit has a “soul” and “spirit” distinct from His body. Third, he argues that because of this bodily nature, the Holy Spirit cannot actually indwell believers in any real sense but only in terms of “union” of purpose.

Dake elaborates on this teaching throughout his work, consistently presenting God—including the Holy Spirit—as possessing material substance. On page 51 of “God’s Plan for Man,” he provides what he considers a definitive statement about the nature of the Trinity:

The Implications of This Teaching

The implications of Dake’s teaching that the Holy Spirit has a physical body are profound and deeply troubling from an orthodox Christian perspective. If the Holy Spirit possesses a material body, several theological problems immediately arise:

First, it contradicts the very nature of God as Spirit. Jesus explicitly declared in John 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” This statement does not mean that God is “a spirit” among many spirits, but that His very essence is spiritual, not material. The Greek construction here (pneuma ho theos) emphasizes the quality of God’s nature—He is essentially and eternally spirit.

Second, it limits God’s omnipresence. If the Holy Spirit has a physical body confined to space and time, He cannot be truly omnipresent. A body, by definition, exists in one location at a time. Yet Scripture consistently teaches that God’s Spirit is everywhere present. David declares in Psalm 139:7-10: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.”

Third, it undermines the doctrine of divine indwelling. If the Holy Spirit cannot “enter bodily” into believers, as Dake claims, then the numerous biblical promises of the Spirit’s indwelling become meaningless metaphors rather than spiritual realities. Yet Paul explicitly teaches in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God?” The Greek preposition “en” (in) here indicates actual indwelling, not merely external influence or agreement of purpose.

Dake’s Redefinition of Biblical Terms

To maintain his position that the Holy Spirit has a body while still appearing to affirm biblical language about the Spirit’s indwelling, Dake engages in a systematic redefinition of biblical terms. He takes the concept of “interpenetration”—a theological term historically used to describe the mutual indwelling of the persons of the Trinity—and completely redefines it:

Here Dake attempts to maintain biblical language while completely evacuating it of its traditional meaning. When Scripture speaks of the Spirit dwelling in believers, Dake reduces this to mere agreement of purpose or alignment of will. This redefinition allows him to use orthodox-sounding language while teaching heterodox doctrine.

Part II: Dake’s Tritheistic View of the Trinity

Three Separate Beings Rather Than One God

Dake’s teaching that each person of the Trinity has a separate body, soul, and spirit leads inevitably to tritheism—the belief in three gods rather than one God in three persons. While Dake uses the word “Trinity” and speaks of “one God,” his actual teaching describes three separate divine beings who are united only in purpose and agreement, not in essence or being.

This becomes clear when we examine how Dake explains the relationship between the persons of the Trinity. He consistently emphasizes their separateness and distinctness while minimizing or redefining their unity:

Notice how Dake places the relationship between the persons of the Trinity on the same level as the relationship between God and humans. In his system, the Father and Son are “in” each other in the same way that believers are “in” Christ—through agreement and unity of purpose, not through unity of essence or being. This fundamentally misrepresents the unique relationship within the Trinity.

The Problem of Material Substance

Dake’s insistence that God has material substance creates insurmountable theological problems. In his commentary on Revelation in “Revelation Expounded,” Dake argues that angels have bodies of “material substance” and extends this same reasoning to God:

Dake then applies this same logic to the persons of the Trinity, arguing that they must have bodies that can be “pushed back” and can engage in physical combat. This materialistic view of God stands in direct contradiction to the biblical teaching that “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and that He is invisible (Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17).

The early church fathers and the ecumenical councils were careful to distinguish between the incarnation of the Son—where the second person of the Trinity took on human nature—and the eternal nature of God as spirit. Dake collapses this distinction, teaching that all three persons of the Trinity have always possessed material bodies.

Historical Orthodoxy on the Trinity

The historic Christian doctrine of the Trinity, as articulated in the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed, affirms that God is one in essence (ousia) and three in persons (hypostases). The three persons are not three separate beings but three distinct persons sharing one divine essence. This is not merely a unity of purpose or agreement but a unity of being.

The Athanasian Creed states: “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.”

This careful formulation preserves both the unity of God and the distinction of persons. The persons are not three gods agreeing to work together but one God existing eternally in three persons. This is a mystery that transcends human comprehension, but it is clearly taught in Scripture and has been consistently affirmed by the church throughout history.

Part III: Dake’s Misunderstanding of Divine Indwelling

Reducing Indwelling to External Influence

One of the most precious promises of the New Testament is that the Holy Spirit actually dwells within believers. Jesus promised His disciples, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

However, Dake’s teaching that the Holy Spirit has a physical body forces him to reinterpret all biblical passages about the Spirit’s indwelling. According to Dake, when the Bible speaks of the Spirit dwelling “in” believers, it cannot mean actual indwelling because:

This reduction of indwelling to mere “union of purpose” empties the biblical promise of its power and comfort. The apostle Paul teaches that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who is “in” us (1 Corinthians 6:19). The Greek word “en” means “in, within, inside.” It does not mean “near” or “in agreement with” but indicates actual location within.

The Biblical Teaching on Indwelling

Scripture consistently teaches that the Holy Spirit actually resides within believers:

Romans 8:9-11: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Notice the repeated emphasis on the Spirit dwelling “in” believers. This is not metaphorical language but describes a spiritual reality—the omnipresent God taking up residence within His people in a special way.

1 Corinthians 3:16: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

The imagery of a temple is particularly significant. In the Old Testament, God’s presence dwelt in the temple in a special way, manifesting His glory in the Holy of Holies. Now, Paul says, believers themselves are God’s temple, with the Spirit dwelling within them. This is not merely external influence but internal residence.

Galatians 4:6: “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!'”

The Spirit is sent “into” our hearts, not merely to influence them externally. From within, the Spirit enables us to cry out to God as Father, creating an intimate relationship that external influence alone could never produce.

Dake’s Problematic Analogies

To support his redefinition of indwelling, Dake uses various human analogies that actually undermine rather than support his position:

These analogies fail because they describe human relationships, not the unique relationship between the infinite, omnipresent God and His creatures. Humans cannot literally indwell one another because we are finite beings confined to physical bodies. God, being spirit and omnipresent, is not limited in this way. To apply human limitations to God is to commit the error of anthropomorphism—attributing human characteristics to God inappropriately.

Part IV: Dake’s Overemphasis on Physical Manifestations

The Focus on Power and Signs

Throughout his writings on the Holy Spirit, particularly in “The Truth about Baptism in the Holy Spirit,” Dake places enormous emphasis on physical manifestations and demonstrations of power as evidence of the Spirit’s presence. While not denying that the Holy Spirit can and does work miracles, Dake’s teaching creates a problematic hierarchy where physical manifestations become the primary or even sole evidence of spiritual reality.

Dake writes extensively about the need for believers to demonstrate the same miraculous powers that Christ displayed:

While it is true that Jesus promised His followers would do great works (John 14:12), Dake’s interpretation focuses almost exclusively on miraculous demonstrations while minimizing the Spirit’s primary work of conviction, regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.

The Problem of Making Power the Test

Dake goes so far as to suggest that those who do not demonstrate miraculous powers have not truly received the fullness of the Spirit:

This teaching creates a two-tier Christianity where those who perform miracles are truly Spirit-filled while those who do not are spiritually deficient. This contradicts Paul’s clear teaching that not all believers have the same gifts (1 Corinthians 12:29-30): “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?”

Furthermore, Jesus Himself warned against making miracles the test of spirituality. In Matthew 7:22-23, He declares: “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”

The True Evidence of the Spirit

Scripture teaches that the primary evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence is not miraculous power but spiritual fruit and transformation. Paul writes in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Jesus said we would know false prophets “by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16), not by their miracles. The true test of the Spirit’s presence is moral and spiritual transformation, not supernatural demonstrations.

Additionally, Paul emphasizes that love is greater than all spiritual gifts. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, he writes: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”

Part V: Comprehensive Comparison Table

The following table provides a comprehensive comparison between Dake’s teachings on the Holy Spirit and orthodox Christian doctrine, with supporting Scripture references:

Topic	Dake’s Teaching	Orthodox Christian Teaching	Scripture References
Nature of the Holy Spirit	The Holy Spirit has a physical body, soul, and spirit separate from the Father and Son. “They all have their own separate and personal bodies, souls, and spirits.”	The Holy Spirit is pure spirit, not possessing a physical body. He is the third person of the Trinity, sharing the same divine essence as the Father and Son.	John 4:24; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Hebrews 9:14
Trinity Relationship	Three separate beings with separate bodies, united only in purpose and agreement. Each exists “outside” the others.	One God in three persons, sharing the same divine essence while maintaining personal distinctions. The persons mutually indwell one another (perichoresis).	Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; 14:10-11; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Divine Indwelling	The Holy Spirit cannot actually enter believers because He has a body. “Dwelling in” means only unity of purpose or agreement.	The Holy Spirit truly indwells believers, taking up residence within them as temples of God. This is a spiritual reality, not merely metaphorical.	John 14:17; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 4:6
Omnipresence	Limited by having a physical body that exists in one location. Cannot be everywhere present in the traditional sense.	The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, not limited by space or time. He can be fully present everywhere simultaneously.	Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:24; Acts 17:27-28
Evidence of the Spirit	Primarily miraculous powers and physical manifestations. Those without such powers lack the fullness of the Spirit.	Primarily spiritual fruit and moral transformation. Gifts vary among believers according to God’s sovereign distribution.	Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:11, 29-30; Romans 8:14-16
Baptism in the Spirit	Primarily for power to perform miracles and signs. Those without miraculous powers are not fully baptized in the Spirit.	For empowerment for service, but not all receive the same gifts. The Spirit’s presence is assured to all believers.	Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30
Material Substance	God has material substance, though in a “glorified” state. Similar to resurrected human bodies.	God is spirit, not possessing material substance except in the incarnation of the Son.	John 4:24; Luke 24:39; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16
Incarnation	All three persons of the Trinity have always had bodies, so incarnation is impossible in the traditional sense.	Only the Son became incarnate, taking on human nature while remaining fully God. The Father and Spirit did not become incarnate.	John 1:14; Philippians 2:6-8; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14

Part VI: The Historical Development of Orthodox Pneumatology

Early Church Understanding

The early church’s understanding of the Holy Spirit developed gradually as believers grappled with the biblical revelation and defended against various heresies. From the beginning, Christians recognized the Holy Spirit as divine, but the precise articulation of His relationship to the Father and Son required centuries of careful theological reflection.

The Apostolic Fathers, writing in the late first and early second centuries, consistently spoke of the Holy Spirit as divine and personal. Clement of Rome (c. 96 AD) wrote of the Spirit’s divinity and His role in inspiring Scripture. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110 AD) emphasized the Spirit’s work in the incarnation and in the life of the church.

As the church encountered various heresies, it was forced to articulate its understanding more precisely. The Montanists in the second century claimed new revelations from the Spirit that superseded Scripture, leading the church to emphasize the Spirit’s work in illuminating rather than replacing biblical revelation. The Pneumatomachi (Spirit-fighters) of the fourth century denied the full divinity of the Holy Spirit, prompting the church to affirm explicitly that the Spirit is fully God.

The Cappadocian Contribution

The Cappadocian Fathers—Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa—made crucial contributions to the church’s understanding of the Holy Spirit in the fourth century. They articulated the distinction between ousia (essence) and hypostasis (person), explaining how God could be one in essence yet three in persons.

Basil the Great’s treatise “On the Holy Spirit” (375 AD) provided a comprehensive defense of the Spirit’s divinity, arguing from Scripture, tradition, and theological reasoning. He demonstrated that the Spirit possesses all the attributes of divinity and performs all the works of God, therefore must be fully God.

Gregory of Nazianzus, in his “Fifth Theological Oration,” argued powerfully for the Spirit’s divinity and personality, showing that the Spirit is not merely a force or power but a distinct person within the Godhead. He emphasized that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and is sent by the Son, maintaining both unity and distinction within the Trinity.

The Council of Constantinople (381 AD)

The First Council of Constantinople expanded the Nicene Creed to include a fuller statement about the Holy Spirit: “And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.”

This formulation carefully affirmed the Spirit’s full divinity (“the Lord”), His life-giving work, His eternal relationship with the Father (procession), His equality with the Father and Son (worshiped and glorified together), and His role in revelation (spoke by the prophets). The council rejected any subordination of the Spirit to the Father and Son while maintaining the distinction of persons.

Augustine’s Contribution

Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) made significant contributions to Western pneumatology through his work “On the Trinity.” He developed the concept of the Spirit as the bond of love between the Father and the Son, emphasizing the unity of the divine essence while maintaining personal distinctions.

Augustine strongly emphasized that the Spirit truly indwells believers, not merely influencing them externally. He wrote: “God then does not dwell in anyone except in those in whom He dwells in such a way that they also dwell in Him.” This mutual indwelling is possible because God is spirit, not limited by physical constraints.

Augustine also developed the important distinction between the Spirit’s mission (being sent in time) and His procession (His eternal relationship within the Trinity). This helped the church understand how the Spirit could be sent at Pentecost while being eternally God.

Medieval Developments

During the medieval period, scholastic theologians further refined the church’s understanding of the Holy Spirit. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) in his “Summa Theologica” provided detailed philosophical arguments for the Spirit’s divinity and personality, integrating Aristotelian philosophy with biblical revelation.

Aquinas emphasized that God is pure act (actus purus) without any potentiality, meaning God has no physical body since matter implies potentiality and change. The Holy Spirit, being fully God, must therefore be pure spirit without material substance. This philosophical insight reinforced the biblical teaching that “God is spirit.”

The medieval church also developed a rich tradition of experiencing the Holy Spirit in contemplative prayer and mystical union. Writers like Bernard of Clairvaux and Bonaventure described the Spirit’s work in transforming believers from within, emphasizing the reality of divine indwelling.

Reformation Affirmations

The Protestant Reformers strongly affirmed the orthodox doctrine of the Holy Spirit while emphasizing His work in applying salvation to believers. Martin Luther stressed the Spirit’s role in creating faith and enabling believers to understand Scripture. John Calvin developed a comprehensive pneumatology, emphasizing the Spirit’s work in regeneration, sanctification, and assurance.

Calvin particularly emphasized the reality of the Spirit’s indwelling, writing in his Institutes: “The Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ effectually unites us to himself.” He rejected any reduction of indwelling to mere external influence, insisting that the Spirit truly resides within believers.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) summarized Protestant orthodox pneumatology: “In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.”

Part VII: Biblical Foundations for Orthodox Pneumatology

The Spirit as God

Scripture clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is fully God, possessing all the attributes of deity. This is not a later theological development but is evident throughout the biblical text.

Divine Attributes: The Holy Spirit possesses all the attributes that belong to God alone:

Omniscience: “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).

Omnipresence: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there” (Psalm 139:7-8).

Omnipotence: “And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God'” (Luke 1:35).

Eternality: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14).

Divine Works: The Holy Spirit performs works that only God can do:

Creation: “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job 33:4). “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2).

Regeneration: “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit'” (John 3:5-6).

Resurrection: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

Inspiration of Scripture: “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

The Spirit as Person

The Holy Spirit is not merely a force or power but a distinct person with intellect, emotions, and will:

Intellect: The Spirit knows (1 Corinthians 2:11), searches (1 Corinthians 2:10), and teaches (John 14:26).

Emotions: The Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), insulted (Hebrews 10:29), and blasphemed (Matthew 12:31).

Will: The Spirit distributes gifts “as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:11), forbids certain actions (Acts 16:6-7), and speaks (Acts 13:2).

The Spirit performs personal actions that only a person, not an impersonal force, could perform. He speaks (Acts 8:29; 13:2), intercedes (Romans 8:26), testifies (John 15:26), guides (John 16:13), commands (Acts 8:29), and sends (Acts 13:4).

The Spirit as Distinct from yet One with the Father and Son

Scripture presents the Holy Spirit as distinct from the Father and Son while being one with them in essence:

Distinction in the Baptism of Jesus: “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'” (Matthew 3:16-17). Here we see all three persons simultaneously: the Son being baptized, the Spirit descending, and the Father speaking.

Unity in the Baptismal Formula: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Note the singular “name” (not “names”) indicating unity, with three distinct persons listed.

Unity in the Apostolic Benediction: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). The three persons are placed on equal footing, each contributing to our salvation.

The Biblical Teaching on God as Spirit

One of Dake’s fundamental errors is his denial that God is essentially spirit. Yet Scripture is clear on this point:

John 4:24: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The Greek construction (pneuma ho theos) emphasizes that spirit is God’s essential nature, not merely one of His attributes.

Luke 24:39: After His resurrection, Jesus said, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” Jesus here distinguishes between spirit (which does not have a physical body) and His own resurrected body. If God the Father and the Holy Spirit have always had bodies, as Dake claims, Jesus’ statement makes no sense.

1 Timothy 1:17: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.” God is described as invisible—something that would be impossible if He had a physical body.

Colossians 1:15: Christ is described as “the image of the invisible God.” Again, God (referring to the Father) is called invisible. Physical bodies are not invisible.

1 Timothy 6:16: God “alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.” No human has seen God the Father because He is spirit, not possessing a physical form that can be seen with physical eyes.

Part VIII: The Dangers of Dake’s Pneumatology

Practical Consequences for Christian Life

Dake’s errors concerning the Holy Spirit are not merely academic theological disputes but have serious practical consequences for Christian life and faith. When believers accept Dake’s teaching that the Holy Spirit cannot truly indwell them, several spiritual dangers arise:

1. Loss of Assurance: If the Holy Spirit does not actually dwell within believers but only influences them externally, the biblical basis for assurance of salvation is undermined. Paul writes in Romans 8:16, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” This internal witness requires the Spirit’s actual presence within us, not merely external agreement.

2. Weakened Prayer Life: Romans 8:26 teaches that “the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” If the Spirit is not actually within us but only externally influencing us, this precious promise of the Spirit’s intercessory work is reduced to metaphor rather than spiritual reality.

3. Diminished Sanctification: The process of sanctification depends on the Spirit’s internal work of transformation. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” This transformation is an inside-out process requiring the Spirit’s indwelling presence.

4. Spiritual Elitism: Dake’s emphasis on miraculous manifestations as the primary evidence of the Spirit’s fullness creates a spiritual hierarchy in the church. Those who perform miracles are seen as truly spiritual, while those who “merely” display the fruit of the Spirit are viewed as lacking. This contradicts Paul’s teaching that the body of Christ has many different members with different functions, all necessary and valuable (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

Theological Consequences

Beyond the practical implications, Dake’s pneumatology has serious theological consequences that affect the entire structure of Christian doctrine:

1. Undermining the Trinity: By teaching that the three persons of the Trinity have separate bodies and exist as three distinct beings, Dake effectively teaches tritheism—belief in three gods. This fundamentally alters the Christian understanding of God and places his teaching outside the bounds of orthodox Christianity. The Athanasian Creed states clearly: “So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.”

2. Compromising Divine Attributes: If God has a physical body, He cannot be omnipresent, immutable, or invisible—all attributes that Scripture clearly ascribes to God. A God who is limited by physical form is not the God of the Bible but a reduced deity more akin to the gods of paganism.

3. Distorting the Incarnation: If all three persons of the Trinity have always had bodies, the incarnation of Christ loses its unique significance. The wonder of the incarnation is that “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14)—the eternal Son took on human nature. If He always had a body, the incarnation becomes merely a change of bodies rather than the profound mystery of God becoming man.

4. Misrepresenting Salvation: Salvation includes the promise of the Spirit’s indwelling as a seal and guarantee of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14). If this indwelling is reduced to external influence, the very nature of salvation is altered. We become not temples of the Holy Spirit but merely influenced by Him from outside.

The Danger of Redefinition

Perhaps one of the most insidious aspects of Dake’s teaching is his practice of using orthodox theological terms while completely redefining their meaning. He speaks of the “Trinity,” “indwelling,” and “baptism of the Spirit,” but means something entirely different from what these terms have meant throughout church history.

This redefinition creates confusion among believers who may think they are embracing orthodox doctrine when they are actually accepting heretical teachings. It’s a form of theological deception that Paul warned against: “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

When teachers use familiar Christian vocabulary but pour different meanings into the words, they create a false sense of security among their followers. People assume they are learning biblical truth because biblical terms are being used, but the content contradicts Scripture and historic Christian faith.

The Impact on Worship

Dake’s teaching that God has a physical body also affects Christian worship. Jesus taught that “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). This statement came in response to the Samaritan woman’s question about the proper location for worship. Jesus’ point was that because God is spirit, not confined to physical location, true worship is not about physical place but about spiritual reality.

If God has a physical body located in one place, as Dake teaches, then worship becomes about reaching that location rather than engaging with the omnipresent God who is equally accessible to all believers everywhere. This returns us to an Old Testament economy where God’s presence was localized in the temple, negating the significance of the torn veil and the new covenant reality of God’s presence with all His people.

Part IX: Responding to Potential Objections

Objection 1: “But Dake was a Godly Man Who Loved Scripture”

No one questions Dake’s sincerity or his love for Scripture. Many false teachers throughout history have been sincere and devoted to their understanding of the Bible. Sincerity, however, does not guarantee truth. Paul was sincere when he persecuted the church, believing he was serving God (Acts 26:9-11). The Pharisees were sincere in their devotion to the law, yet Jesus condemned their teaching (Matthew 23).

We must remember Paul’s warning to the Ephesian elders: “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:29-30). False teaching can come from within the church, from those who appear godly and sincere.

The test of any teaching is not the sincerity or character of the teacher but whether it aligns with Scripture properly interpreted within the context of the whole counsel of God and the historic faith of the church.

Objection 2: “Dake’s Extensive Biblical Knowledge Validates His Teaching”

Dake certainly possessed extensive biblical knowledge and could cite numerous Scripture references for his positions. However, knowledge alone does not guarantee proper interpretation. The devil himself quoted Scripture to Jesus during the temptation (Matthew 4:6), but he misapplied it.

James warns, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). Teachers bear greater responsibility precisely because their extensive knowledge gives them influence over others. When that knowledge is misapplied, it can lead many astray.

Furthermore, Dake’s practice of proof-texting—citing isolated verses without considering their context or the overall teaching of Scripture—led to many of his errors. For example, he cites passages about humans becoming “one” to explain how the Trinity is “one,” failing to recognize the fundamental difference between created beings and the uncreated God.

Objection 3: “These Are Secondary Issues That Don’t Affect Salvation”

The doctrine of God—who He is and how He relates to His creation—is not a secondary issue but lies at the very heart of the Christian faith. Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Knowing the true God, not a false conception of God, is essential to eternal life.

The early church recognized that errors about the nature of God and the Trinity were not minor matters but struck at the heart of the faith. That’s why the early councils spent so much time carefully articulating these doctrines and why they condemned as heretical teachings that compromised them.

When someone teaches that God has a physical body, that the Trinity consists of three separate beings, and that the Holy Spirit cannot truly indwell believers, they are not dealing with peripheral matters but with central truths of the Christian faith.

Objection 4: “But Dake’s Teachings Have Helped Many People”

It’s possible for false teaching to contain enough truth to be helpful in some ways while still being dangerously wrong in others. A clock that has stopped is right twice a day, but you wouldn’t want to rely on it for telling time.

Many of Dake’s observations about Scripture are accurate and helpful. His emphasis on taking the Bible seriously and studying it carefully is commendable. However, these positive aspects do not negate the serious errors in his theology.

Paul warned the Galatians about those who would pervert the gospel: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). The danger of mixing truth with error is that the error corrupts the truth, like leaven working through dough (Galatians 5:9).

Objection 5: “Judge Not Lest You Be Judged”

While Jesus warned against hypocritical judgment (Matthew 7:1-5), He also commanded believers to “judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). The Bible repeatedly calls Christians to test teachings and discern truth from error:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

“Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).

Examining teaching in light of Scripture is not judgmental but obedient. We are commanded to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). This requires identifying and opposing false teaching, not out of personal animosity but out of love for truth and concern for those who might be led astray.

Part X: The Biblical Doctrine of the Holy Spirit’s Indwelling

The Promise of Indwelling

One of the most precious promises of the New Covenant is that God Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit, would dwell within His people. This was a radical advancement from the Old Covenant, where God’s presence was localized in the tabernacle and later the temple. Now, believers themselves become temples of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promised this indwelling before His crucifixion: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

Notice the progression: the Spirit was “with” the disciples during Jesus’ earthly ministry but would be “in” them after Pentecost. This is not merely a change in external relationship but a fundamental transformation—God taking up residence within His people.

The Reality of Indwelling

The New Testament consistently presents the Spirit’s indwelling as a present reality for all believers, not merely a metaphor or external influence:

Romans 8:9: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” Paul makes it clear that having the Spirit dwelling within is not optional for Christians—it’s what defines someone as belonging to Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” The temple imagery is particularly powerful. Just as God’s glory filled the Old Testament temple, so the Holy Spirit fills believers.

2 Timothy 1:14: “That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” Paul speaks of the indwelling Spirit as an established fact, the means by which believers can guard the gospel.

1 John 4:13: “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” The mutual indwelling—we in God and God in us—is evidenced by the Spirit’s presence within us.

The Nature of Spiritual Indwelling

How can the infinite, omnipresent God dwell within finite human beings? This is a mystery that transcends human comprehension, but Scripture gives us some understanding:

1. It’s a Spiritual, Not Physical, Indwelling: Since God is spirit (John 4:24), His indwelling is spiritual, not physical. He doesn’t occupy space within us as a physical object would, but He is present in a real, though non-physical, way.

2. It Doesn’t Compromise God’s Transcendence: God’s indwelling of believers doesn’t mean He is contained within us or limited by us. Solomon recognized this at the dedication of the temple: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27). If the heavens cannot contain God, certainly human bodies cannot either. Yet He chooses to dwell within us in a special way.

3. It’s a Personal Presence, Not Merely an Influence: The Spirit’s indwelling is not merely God’s power or influence within us but His personal presence. Jesus promised “another Helper”—using the Greek word “allos,” meaning another of the same kind. Just as Jesus was personally present with the disciples, so the Spirit is personally present within believers.

4. It’s Permanent, Not Temporary: Jesus promised that the Spirit would abide with us “forever” (John 14:16). Paul says believers are “sealed” with the Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). This is not a temporary influence that comes and goes but a permanent residence.

The Purpose of Indwelling

Why does the Holy Spirit indwell believers? Scripture reveals multiple purposes:

1. To Transform Us: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The indwelling Spirit works from within to conform us to Christ’s image.

2. To Empower Us: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1:8). The indwelling Spirit provides power for service and witness.

3. To Guide Us: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). The indwelling Spirit illuminates Scripture and guides believers in truth.

4. To Assure Us: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). The indwelling Spirit provides internal assurance of our relationship with God.

5. To Enable Prayer: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:26). The indwelling Spirit assists us in prayer from within.

6. To Produce Fruit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). The indwelling Spirit produces godly character from within.

Part XI: The Orthodox Doctrine of the Trinity

One God in Three Persons

The doctrine of the Trinity stands at the heart of Christian faith, distinguishing Christianity from all other monotheistic religions. While the word “Trinity” doesn’t appear in Scripture, the concept is clearly taught throughout the Bible. The church has summarized this teaching in the formula: one God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

This is not, as Dake suggests, three separate beings working in agreement, but one Being existing eternally in three distinct persons. The Westminster Shorter Catechism expresses it well: “There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.”

Biblical Evidence for the Trinity

Scripture presents clear evidence for both the unity of God and the distinction of persons:

The Unity of God:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4). This foundational statement of monotheism, known as the Shema, affirms that there is only one God.

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God'” (Isaiah 44:6).

“I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me” (Isaiah 45:5).

The Deity of Each Person:

The Father is called God: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7).

The Son is called God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!'” (John 20:28).

The Holy Spirit is called God: “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…You have not lied to men but to God'” (Acts 5:3-4).

The Distinction of Persons:

At Jesus’ baptism, all three persons are distinguished: “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased'” (Matthew 3:16-17).

In the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Note the singular “name,” not “names,” indicating one God, yet three distinct persons.

In Jesus’ teaching: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper” (John 14:16). Jesus (the Son) prays to the Father to send the Spirit—three distinct persons in relationship.

The Mystery of the Trinity

The Trinity is ultimately a mystery that transcends human comprehension. We can apprehend it (grasp it partially) but cannot comprehend it (understand it fully). Various analogies have been suggested—water existing as liquid, ice, and steam; the sun’s essence, light, and heat; a three-leaf clover—but all analogies ultimately break down because they compare the infinite God to finite creation.

The early church father Gregory of Nazianzus wisely wrote: “No sooner do I conceive of the One than I am illumined by the splendor of the Three; no sooner do I distinguish Three than I am carried back into the One.”

The mystery of the Trinity doesn’t mean it’s irrational or contradictory. We’re not saying God is one person and three persons (which would be a contradiction) but that God is one in essence and three in persons. Essence and person are different categories.

Heresies Concerning the Trinity

Throughout church history, various heresies have arisen concerning the Trinity. Understanding these helps us appreciate why precision in Trinitarian doctrine matters:

Modalism (Sabellianism): The teaching that God is one person who appears in three different modes or roles—sometimes as Father, sometimes as Son, sometimes as Spirit. This denies the eternal distinction of persons. Dake avoids this error but falls into the opposite extreme.

Arianism: The teaching that the Son was created by the Father and is therefore not eternally God. This was condemned at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD). Dake doesn’t teach this, but his separation of the persons undermines their essential unity.

Tritheism: The teaching that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate gods. This is where Dake’s teaching leads, even though he uses Trinitarian language. By giving each person a separate body and making them separate beings, he effectively teaches three gods, not one God in three persons.

Partialism: The teaching that each person of the Trinity is only part of God, and that they only together make up the full God. This denies that each person is fully God. While Dake doesn’t explicitly teach this, his emphasis on separation tends in this direction.

The Importance of Trinitarian Orthodoxy

Why does precise Trinitarian doctrine matter? Because our understanding of God affects everything else in theology:

1. Salvation: If the Son is not fully God, His death cannot have infinite value to atone for sin. If the Spirit is not fully God, He cannot effectively apply salvation to believers.

2. Worship: We worship the Father, through the Son, in the power of the Spirit. If they are three separate gods, we’re polytheists. If they’re just modes of one person, we lose the relational dynamic of worship.

3. Prayer: We pray to the Father, in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit. The Trinity makes prayer possible and meaningful.

4. Christian Life: We are adopted by the Father, united to the Son, and indwelt by the Spirit. Our entire Christian experience is Trinitarian.

Conclusion: Standing for Biblical Truth

As we conclude this extensive examination of Finis Dake’s theological errors concerning the Holy Spirit, it’s important to reaffirm why this matters and how believers should respond.

Why This Matters

The errors we’ve documented are not minor disagreements about secondary issues but fundamental departures from biblical Christianity. When someone teaches that:

• The Holy Spirit has a physical body
• The Trinity consists of three separate beings
• The Spirit cannot truly indwell believers
• Physical manifestations are the primary evidence of the Spirit

They are not merely offering a different interpretation of Scripture but contradicting core Christian doctrines that have been affirmed by the church universal for two millennia.

These errors affect our understanding of who God is, how He relates to His creation, the nature of salvation, the reality of the Christian life, and the hope of eternal glory. They’re not peripheral matters but strike at the heart of the faith.

How to Respond

1. Return to Scripture: The best defense against theological error is thorough knowledge of Scripture, read in context and interpreted according to the analogy of faith (letting Scripture interpret Scripture). Don’t rely solely on study notes or commentaries, even from respected teachers. Be like the Bereans who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

2. Value Historic Orthodoxy: While Scripture is our ultimate authority, we should be suspicious of any teaching that contradicts what the church has universally believed throughout history. The Holy Spirit has been guiding the church into truth for two thousand years. If someone claims to have discovered something that all previous generations of Christians missed, it’s probably error, not new light.

3. Test the Spirits: John commands us to “test the spirits, whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1). This includes testing teachings against Scripture, examining the fruit they produce, and considering whether they align with the apostolic faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

4. Maintain Balance: While we must reject Dake’s errors about the Spirit’s nature, we shouldn’t swing to the opposite extreme of denying the Spirit’s power and work today. The Holy Spirit remains active in convicting, regenerating, sanctifying, gifting, and empowering believers. We need both sound doctrine and spiritual vitality.

5. Respond with Grace: Those who have been influenced by Dake’s teachings are not our enemies but fellow believers who have been misled. We should correct error firmly but gently, “in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25).

A Final Word

The Apostle Paul warned Timothy: “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

We have been entrusted with “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). This includes the biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit—that He is fully God, pure spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who truly indwells believers and transforms them from within.

Dake’s redefinition of these truths, despite his use of biblical language and his apparent devotion to Scripture, represents a serious departure from biblical Christianity. His teaching that the Holy Spirit has a physical body and cannot truly indwell believers contradicts explicit Scripture and undermines the gospel itself.

May we hold fast to the truth revealed in Scripture, confirmed by the church throughout history, and experienced by believers through the ages: that the Holy Spirit is truly God, truly spirit, and truly dwelling within all who belong to Christ. This is not merely correct doctrine but the foundation of our life in Christ and our hope of glory.

As Paul concludes in 2 Corinthians 13:14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

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