JW Why do JWs reject the Bible teaching on the Trinity (Triune Godhead... one God in three persons)?

BobRyan

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Any ideas why they reject John 1:1?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Heb 1:6?
6 And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says,
And let all the angels of God worship Him.”

John 20:28
28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!

Rev 22
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he *said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God.”
 
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Basically they interpret those passages differently and reject a great deal of Christian history beyond the 2nd century. They used KJV originally but produced their own translation. One difficult passage for them to wrangle with is doubting Thomas's response to Jesus after touching his hand. Thomas worshiped Jesus, and if He were not God in the flesh, the proper response to Thomas would have been a harsh rebuke, the one true God alone is worthy of worship. Long ago I ran off some JW's bringing this passage to light.
 
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BobRyan

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Basically they interpret those passages differently and reject a great deal of Christian history beyond the 2nd century. They used KJV originally but produced their own translation. One difficult passage for them to wrangle with is doubting Thomas's response to Jesus after touching his hand. Thomas worshiped Jesus, and if He were not God in the flesh, the proper response to Thomas would have been a harsh rebuke, the one true God alone is worthy of worship. Long ago I ran off some JW's bringing this passage to light.

Good point - I am adding that one to the OP --

John 20:28
28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!

Rev 22
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he *said to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God.”
 
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Barney2.0

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Bs"d

They reject it because the Bible NOWHERE teaches that God is three or three in one.

What the Bible teaches is that God is ONE. And therefore not three.
Trinitarians believe God is One. The New Testament definitely teaches that the Godhead is a plurality and this is also hinted in the Old Testament aswell.
 
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Eliyahu52

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Trinitarians believe God is One. The New Testament definitely teaches that the Godhead is a plurality and this is also hinted in the Old Testament aswell.
Bs"d

Trins don't believe God is one, they believe God is three.

The Hebrew Bible nowhere says that God is three, on the contrary, it says everywhere that God is ONE:

"Hear Israel, Y-H-W-H is our God, Y-H-W-H is ONE!" Deut 6:4

"Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One" Holman Christian Standard Bible

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." English Standard Version

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!" New American Standard Bible

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." New International Version

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" New King James Version"







"And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, THE LORD IS ONE; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that HE IS ONE, and there is no other but he; and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."" Mark 12:28-34 Revised Standard Version

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one." .... "You are right in saying that God is one" New International Version

"Here is the most important one. Moses said, 'Israel, listen to me. The Lord is our God. The Lord is one." .... "You are right in saying that God is one." New International Readers Version

"Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, The Lord is One." .... "You have correctly said that He is One," Holman Christian Standard Bible

"Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one:" .... "thou hast well said that he is one;" American Standard Version

"Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is:Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one." New King James Version

"Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" .... "You have truly said that he is one," English Standard Version

"Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one;" .... "A wonderful answer, Teacher! So lucid and accurate—that God is one" The Message

"‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." .... “You are right in saying that God is one" New International Version







"Now an intermediary implies more than one; but GOD IS ONE." Gal 3:20 Revised Standard Version

"Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but GOD IS ONE" King James Version

"A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but GOD IS ONE." New International Version

"Now an intermediary implies more than one, but GOD IS ONE." English Standard Version

"Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but GOD IS ONE." American Standard Version

"and the mediator is not of one, and GOD IS ONE" Youngs Literal Translation







"You believe that GOD IS ONE; you do well." James 2:19 Revised Standard Version

"thou -- thou dost believe that GOD IS ONE; thou dost well," Youngs Literal translation

"Thou believest that GOD IS ONE; thou doest well:" American Standard Version

"You believe that GOD IS ONE; you do well." Holman Christian Standard Bible.

"*Thou* believest that GOD IS ONE. Thou doest well." Darby Translation.

"It’s good that you believe that GOD IS ONE." Common English Bible

"You believe that GOD IS ONE; you do well." English Standard Version

"You believe that GOD IS ONE; you do well." Amplified Bible

"You believe that GOD IS ONE You do well;" New American Standard Bible




So the Bible teaches clearly that God is ONE.



"And J-e-h-o-v-a-h shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall J-e-h-o-v-a-h be one, and his name one." Zach 14:9 American Standard Version

"And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— “The LORD is one, And His name one." New King James Version

"And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one." English Standard Version

"And the Lord shall be King over all the earth; in that day the Lord shall be one [in the recognition and worship of men] and His name one." Amplified Bible
 
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Barney2.0

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Bs"d

Trins don't believe God is one, they believe God is three.

The Hebrew Bible nowhere says that God is three, on the contrary, it says everywhere that God is ONE:

"Hear Israel, Y-H-W-H is our God, Y-H-W-H is ONE!" Deut 6:4

"Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One" Holman Christian Standard Bible

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." English Standard Version

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!" New American Standard Bible

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." New International Version

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" New King James Version"







"And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, THE LORD IS ONE; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that HE IS ONE, and there is no other but he; and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."" Mark 12:28-34 Revised Standard Version

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one." .... "You are right in saying that God is one" New International Version

"Here is the most important one. Moses said, 'Israel, listen to me. The Lord is our God. The Lord is one." .... "You are right in saying that God is one." New International Readers Version

"Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, The Lord is One." .... "You have correctly said that He is One," Holman Christian Standard Bible

"Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one:" .... "thou hast well said that he is one;" American Standard Version

"Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is:Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one." New King James Version

"Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" .... "You have truly said that he is one," English Standard Version

"Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one;" .... "A wonderful answer, Teacher! So lucid and accurate—that God is one" The Message

"‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." .... “You are right in saying that God is one" New International Version







"Now an intermediary implies more than one; but GOD IS ONE." Gal 3:20 Revised Standard Version

"Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but GOD IS ONE" King James Version

"A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but GOD IS ONE." New International Version

"Now an intermediary implies more than one, but GOD IS ONE." English Standard Version

"Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but GOD IS ONE." American Standard Version

"and the mediator is not of one, and GOD IS ONE" Youngs Literal Translation







"You believe that GOD IS ONE; you do well." James 2:19 Revised Standard Version

"thou -- thou dost believe that GOD IS ONE; thou dost well," Youngs Literal translation

"Thou believest that GOD IS ONE; thou doest well:" American Standard Version

"You believe that GOD IS ONE; you do well." Holman Christian Standard Bible.

"*Thou* believest that GOD IS ONE. Thou doest well." Darby Translation.

"It’s good that you believe that GOD IS ONE." Common English Bible

"You believe that GOD IS ONE; you do well." English Standard Version

"You believe that GOD IS ONE; you do well." Amplified Bible

"You believe that GOD IS ONE You do well;" New American Standard Bible




So the Bible teaches clearly that God is ONE.



"And J-e-h-o-v-a-h shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall J-e-h-o-v-a-h be one, and his name one." Zach 14:9 American Standard Version

"And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— “The LORD is one, And His name one." New King James Version

"And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one." English Standard Version

"And the Lord shall be King over all the earth; in that day the Lord shall be one [in the recognition and worship of men] and His name one." Amplified Bible
We don’t believe God is three we believe his deity is numerically one, yet he exists as three. But since all three persons possess the same divine essence then we believe in One God not three.
 
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tampasteve

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MOD HAT ON

Please remember the following rule for this sub forum:
  • Debates are only between orthodox Christian members and members of the specific non-Christian religion or faith being challenged..
In other words, debate in this thread is intended to be between orthodox (Trinitarian) Christian members and Jehovah's Witnesses.

MOD HAT OFF
 
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KingdomLeast

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We don’t believe God is three we believe his deity is numerically one, yet he exists as three. But since all three persons possess the same divine essence then we believe in One God not three.
And where is that exactly in the Bible?
 
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Barney2.0

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And where is that exactly in the Bible?
Why would a doctrine that attempts to explain the biblical portrayal of God be in the Bible. The trinity is simply an attempt to understand God as portrayed through the scriptures.
 
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KingdomLeast

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Why would a doctrine that attempts to explain the biblical portrayal of God be in the Bible. The trinity is simply an attempt to understand God as portrayed through the scriptures.
Exactly my point Al, if it is as you say just an "attempt" and not based on actual Scriptural, then why do the majority of Christians make it an issue of controversy when someone who professes to be a Christian does not believe in the Trinity doctrine? Many as going as far as labeling certain groups as a cult because they reject the doctrine?
 
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Barney2.0

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Exactly my point Al, if it is as you say just an "attempt" and not based on actual Scriptural, then why do the majority of Christians make it an issue of controversy when someone who professes to be a Christian does not believe in the Trinity doctrine? Many as going as far as labeling certain groups as a cult because they reject the doctrine?
Because it’s an attempt to understand what’s based in scripture. So if you reject what’s based on scripture or an attempt to understand scripture then you are crossing the line. The beliefs in a triune Godhead was something held by the early Church which eventually was defined more clearly in the council of Nicaea and recognized as official Church doctrine in response to heresy. So if you do reject it, then you aren’t a Christian as you deviate from historic Church teachings.
 
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