Question What Does the Trinity Teach?

satsfacsin

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Oct 5, 2020
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I was a Jehovah's Witness for 50 years. During that period of my life I became very proficient at debunking the doctrine of the Trinity (or so I thought). I knew all the arguments.

If Jesus was God who did he pray to? The Son does not know the day or hour only the Father. Jesus referred to the Father as the only true God. Very few could defend the doctrine they claimed to believe, against my very prepared barrage of scriptures to the contrary.

Then I became a Christian. How could I possibly ever adopt this obviously false teaching. You will never believe what I discovered. Almost all who argue against the doctrine of the Trinity do not know what the actual doctrine teaches. Point in fact is the Jehovah's Witnesses had a whole publication dedicated to arguing against the Trinity entitled "Should you believe in the Trinity?" As it turned out, the whole brochure was basically dedicated to arguing against the doctrine of Modalism not the Trinity. I had never heard of Modalism. As a matter of fact many who claim to believe in the Trinity, when asked to explain the teaching,, will describe Modalism.

So I am curious if any in this forum, who do not believe in the Trinity can post what they THINK the doctrine teaches.

I can answer the question but would like to see what you think "What does the Trinity Teach?"
 
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GraceMade

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https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/trinity/
From my current vantage this is what informs my understanding and disbelief in the numerous Trinity Models. From what I gather the language informing the various theories is agreed upon but not the interpretation. Is that an accurate characterization?
 

satsfacsin

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Fairly accurate. The article states

"The guiding principle has been the creedal declaration that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of the New Testament are consubstantial (i.e. the same in substance or essence, Greek: homoousios). Because this shared substance or essence is a divine one, this is understood to imply that all three named individuals are divine, and equally so. Yet the three in some sense “are” the one God of the Bible.

So what is meant by same substance or nature? A good example is a family consisting of a father, mother, and child. The are all individuals. The can talk with one another, they can be in unity in the family goals but their is a hierarchy of responsibility. Father is the head of the house. Wife and child are in subjection to the father, the child answers to both mother and father. So although not equal in power or authority they share the same nature or substance in that they are all humans. They are all equally human.

The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that there are three entities that share the same nature not that they have equal power and authority. This view of the Trinity is called the "Complementarian" view in which the chief decision maker and ultimate authority rests with the Father. This view is the most widely accepted and taught by bible scholars, apologists and bible translators.,

This distinguishes the Trinity vs Modalism which teaches there is one entity that has three modes. Illustration often used is a man my say he is a father, he is also a son and is also a grandfather.

And of course yet to discuss is doctrine of Arianism and other ideas shared in this site. Please state what you believe or disbelieve.

Thanks for your comments
 

mountee

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Hi,

Yea as a JW for 40+ years I was also adapt at arguing against the trinity:rolleyes:, and then I learned the flaws in my very selective arguments. We accept "Group Identities" everywhere in life, even the Governing Body as an expression is a plural in as much as it's a group made of individual persons, putting it simply that's what the Trinity teaches, a grouping of 3 separate persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but together having the group identity and sharing the same divine nature.

Here's a simple chart to illustrate the simple 8 scriptural points that ultimately made me realise the trinity was correct and I had un-learn so many wrong teachings about it

Readjw - Simple comparison of teachings on Jesus
 

satsfacsin

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Really liked that chart. From a biblical point of view Trinity is the only logical explanation. Problem with most that do not accept the Trinity is they do not understand what it teaches. Following is a video from a brother Jay Hess, We was a JW for decades. We was actually asked to submit articles to the writing department in NY. When he submitted an article that it was ok to worship Jesus it was the end of his WT writing career. Today he teaches the doctrine of the Trinity in seminaries. He is also a member for last 25 years of the Evangelical Society. This video is the best I have ever seen on how to explain the Trinity to JW's and really helps anyone who does not understand the teaching. If you view video would appreciate leaving comments about what you think.

 
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Mariela

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Oct 5, 2020
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Hi,

Yea as a JW for 40+ years I was also adapt at arguing against the trinity:rolleyes:, and then I learned the flaws in my very selective arguments. We accept "Group Identities" everywhere in life, even the Governing Body as an expression is a plural in as much as it's a group made of individual persons, putting it simply that's what the Trinity teaches, a grouping of 3 separate persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but together having the group identity and sharing the same divine nature.

Here's a simple chart to illustrate the simple 8 scriptural points that ultimately made me realise the trinity was correct and I had un-learn so many wrong teachings about it

Readjw - Simple comparison of teachings on Jesus
Hi,

Yea as a JW for 40+ years I was also adapt at arguing against the trinity:rolleyes:, and then I learned the flaws in my very selective arguments. We accept "Group Identities" everywhere in life, even the Governing Body as an expression is a plural in as much as it's a group made of individual persons, putting it simply that's what the Trinity teaches, a grouping of 3 separate persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but together having the group identity and sharing the same divine nature.

Here's a simple chart to illustrate the simple 8 scriptural points that ultimately made me realise the trinity was correct and I had un-learn so many wrong teachings about it

Readjw - Simple comparison of teachings on Jesus
I believe it all starts and ends with really getting Who Jesus truly Is. I was born in the JW false teachings, I left at 24 years old. Once someone truly gets to know Jesus and has a relationship with Him and worships Him for Who He truly Is everything changes. Thanks so much for putting this together
 

Messy Nessy Grace

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I was a jw for years I could not read when i started studying I can read a bit better now I never read the trinity bro it was to hard i just believed what they said I started to look at Christian videos an it made more sense now I think of the threefold cord they are stronger together
 
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LeeB

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Dec 3, 2022
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What is puzzling is that if the trinity doctrine is true I would think it would have been the greatest news ever to enter human knowledge and that scriptures would from Matthew to Revelation be plastered with this news. The Apostles and Jesus would have frequently and clearly taught it so that it would never be in suspicion of being false and thus having to convene a council to investigate and determine it’s validity. The doctrine would have ranked superior even above all others. It would have been something so awesome and well known that doubt would have never entered. It would have been plain and undeniable. Due to the actual events that transpired however there is a very strong negative indication of its validity , credibility and soundness. It would be comparable to forgetting or confusing that Jesus was the messiah and son of God. Sorry, news of that magnitude would never have been forgotten or confused after the passing of only about a little over two hundred years.
 

LeeB

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In Matthew 1:18 , it is extremely plain the the Holy Spirit is the father of Jesus and confirmed by Gabriel in Luke 1:35 . You and I know that there are different versions of the trinity. There are divisions among trinitarians as to just what the trinity is. The complementarian view you said is the most widely held view but I could not confirm this by internet search. It seems that the traditional view of the Catholic Church is the most widely held belief. This is how I will address the issue. The three are equal in all ways and have individual personalities but can never be separated in any way. Use of this declaration has existed for almost 1,700 years unchanged. It makes it almost impossible to present an argument against the trinity when the definition of it changes. It’s like Doctor Fauci changing the definition of vaccine and gain of function in the midst of his obvious guilt in an attempt to vindicate himself.

There are many scriptures, like those I gave above, that you admit you know about, that totally destroys the idea of the trinity. Verses used by trinitarians to prove the trinity are either very bad translations or deliberately altered verses like 1 John 5:7 . I at one time believed in the trinity then believed in a binary and finally came to see that the Father is indeed the only true God. It is your right and mine to believe whatever we want. However we need to completely examine every scripture before we reach a conclusion.