Discuss Theology

ARE THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES RIGHT ABOUT THE TRINITY?

This is from the Christian Research Instiue website:
Jehovah’s Witnesses are the most vocal critics in our society of the doctrine of the Trinity. Are their criticisms of the Trinity right? The CRI perspective in a moment.

In 1989 the Jehovah’s Witnesses published a booklet entitled Should You Believe in the Trinity? Although the Watchtower Society has always attacked the Trinity as a pagan doctrine, this booklet was their first attempt at a systematic refutation of the Trinity. Let me briefly mention just some of the major flaws with the arguments that they use in this booklet.

First of all, the booklet continues the time-honored tradition of the Watchtower to misrepresent the Christian scholars and church fathers, with numerous quotations taken out of context. For example, the booklet actually tries to argue that the church father Tertullian did not believe in the Trinity, when, in fact, Tertullian was one of the first to use the word “trinity.”

Second, the book repeats the usual tired antitrinitarian arguments against the Trinity, for example, that the doctrine of the Trinity was developed in the fourth century. Of course, the Witnesses’ own doctrine concerning God and Christ was developed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, but that doesn’t seem to bother them — they undoubtedly don’t want to be confused by facts.

Third, the booklet contains the standard arguments against the biblical teaching that Jesus was, in fact, God, focusing especially on the fact that Jesus was in submission to God the Father — as if this has escaped the attention of the Christian church for all of these centuries! The Bible, in fact, teaches both that Jesus was God and that, as the Son of God, and especially as a man, Jesus submitted Himself voluntarily to the Father and seeks to bring glory and honor to the Father. Trinitarians affirm both of these biblical truths — Jehovah’s Witnesses do not.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ arguments against the Trinity might sound persuasive at first but, on careful examination, can be clearly seen to be without substance. As usual, they give you the skin of the truth stuffed with a lie. On the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Trinity, that’s the CRI perspective. I’m Hank Hanegraaff.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Walter Martin has thoroughly addressed this topic in the tape: “JW’s, Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity” (C037/$6) and in his book Kingdom of the Cults (B001/$20). These resources are available through CRI. For shipping and handling information, please call CRI or refer to our Resource Listing. To place a credit card order, call toll-free (888) 7000-CRI. To receive a free copy of our Resource Listing, fax us at (714) 858-6111 or write us with your request at P.O. Box 7000, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-7000.