Trinity Doctrine Always Taught - Never Discovered by Only Reading the Bible

[2timothy316]

I came across a very interesting read.
https://www.trinityexamined.com/why-no- ... initarian/

It is a VERY long explanation as to why one person abandoned the trinity doctrine. There is one particular sentence that really stood out.

"No one today became a Trinitarian from reading the Bible alone. The doctrine of the Trinity is “learned theology.” So if you are a Trinitarian, just like myself, you didn’t learn this doctrine from the Bible."

Is there anyone out there who by just reading the Bible alone and no outside influence teaching them the trinity, became a trinitarian? Please post on this thread if you have. I'd like to know how you came to conclusion that God is a triune God. If you were taught the trinity and didn't come by it on your own, then I'm not looking for a discussion with you.

[SiNcE_1985]

[Replying to 2timothy316 in post #1]

Trinity is not a Biblical word.

However,

Father, Son and Holly Spirit are ONE God. There are many Scriptures which support this doctrine.

May God give you a heart that desires HIS truth and not yours or anyone else’s.

Kate

Did you read the Bible alone and decided to look for a trinity? Or were you taught the trinity before you read the Bible?

Did you decide to not celebrate Birthdays based on what you read in the Bible on your own?

Or were you celebrating birthdays before you became a witness, but once you became a witness you allowed their interpretation of the scriptures to dictate yours?

[MissKate13]

[Replying to SiNcE_1985 in post #21]

I was taught much false doctrine as a child. Until I read the Scriptures for myself, I did not know the truth.

Here is what I’ve learned from 47 years of personal study. The term “Trinity” is not in the Bible. Therefore, I don’t use it.

I also learned that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are ONE.

“””For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7)

I pray your day is blessed, and that you always seek HIS truth and not your own. I pray this for myself as well.

Kate

PS. Birthdays are off topic. I have no idea why you would ask.

[JehovahsWitness]

Did you decide to not celebrate Birthdays based on what you read in the Bible on your own?

I never read the bible before I started studying with the Witnesses but I don't think it takes any interpretation to draw conclusions from biblical FACTS

FACT : there is no account in scripture of any of the hundreds of faithful men and women in celebrating their or anyone's birthday

FACT The Lord on no occassion is depicted as celebrating or commaning his disciples celebrate or commemorate the day of his birth

FACT The two birthdays depicted in scripture were celebrated by pagans and included executions (one of which was of a faithful prophet)

The TRINTITY on the other hand is a matter of "interpretation" which is needed since neither the word nor the explicit concept is found in scripture.

[SiNcE_1985]

I never read the bible before I started studying with the Witnesses but I don't think it takes any interpretation to draw conclusions from biblical FACTS

I agree.

But what those facts are/aren't, is where the contention lies.

FACT : there is no account in scripture of any of the hundreds of faithful men and women in celebrating their or anyone's birthday

Hmm.

Lets see how this logic lines up with other things..

1. There is no account in scripture of any married couple in the Bible wearing wedding rings.

2. Therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses (Jehovah's alleged organization) should not wear wedding rings.

So, I should not see any married JW couple wearing wedding rings again.

FACT The Lord on no occassion is depicted as celebrating or commaning his disciples celebrate or commemorate the day of his birth

Yeah, nor does it say that they didn't, either.

Nor does it say that they (we) shouldn't.

The fact of the matter is; the Bible is silent on this issue.

Christians actually give praise to God for allowing them to see another year, all while sharing the joy of this yearly personal milestone with family and friends.

So what we have here, on birthdays, is usually fellowship with family and friends.....kinda like in Job 1:4..

4 Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them.

And we are allowed to have days set aside as special/sacred to us..Rom 14:5-6..

5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord.

Again, there is what the JW's believe, and then there is what the Bible actually says.

FACT The two birthdays depicted in scripture were celebrated by pagans and included executions (one of which was of a faithful prophet)

1. Two pagans executed men on their birthdays.

2. Therefore, Christians should not celebrate birthdays.

#2 does not logically nor Biblically follow from #1.

The TRINTITY on the other hand is a matter of "interpretation" which is needed since neither the word nor the explicit concept is found in scripture.

I beg to differ for previously given reasons.

[onewithhim]

I don't know how you can be so critical of Jehovah's Witnesses, because, as I said, the brothers that put together the Watchtower and other literature read a lot of stuff from non-JW sources. Historical, scientific, and current news. Why would they "discourage" us from reading the same things? They don't.

Hmm.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/ ... r-churches

"It is not explicitly stated in print as far as I'm aware. But it is alluded to. Just a few years ago there was a kingdom ministry article that advised JWs on what to say to "tactfully" refuse christian literature given to them by a householder.

They regard literature from other churches as spiritual poison that can lead them away from the truth if they read it. They also equate accepting such literature with giving moral support to "Babylon the Great", the world empire of false religion. A JW who persists in reading or listening to religious material from other churches would be regarded as being spiritually unclean and would likely be disqualified from having any privileges in the congregation at the very least, possibly even disfellowshipped for apostasy or interfaith activities depending on the particular case and the disposition of the elders.

When offered literature by other christians most JWs would refuse giving excuses like:

"We do not exchange literature"

"We came to your house to offer you our literature so if you want us to accept yours then you have to come to our house to offer us" (yes i've actually heard that very petty and infantile reasoning from a JW)

"We are not looking for the truth we already have the truth so we see no need to accept your literature"

"We only accept literature that talks about God's kingdom" (this is the lying excuse that the KM article suggested they use to decline literature offered to them by other christians)

A few JWs will accept the literature only to discard it at the nearest bin when out of sight of the householder."

......

That^..

Or this..

https://www.bible.ca/Jw-internet.htm

Plethora of info on the forbiddeness that you may/may not be aware of.

You didn't mention that you were talking about material from other religions. That is discouraged, and why would we want to read it? We already have the Truth. We know basically what the other religions teach, many of us having been baptized at one time into one church or another. There is nothing we can learn from other religions' literature. We just kindly turn it down. We are looking for people who are looking for truth. There will be some who will benefit from our literature.

[SiNcE_1985]

You didn't mention that you were talking about material from other religions.

That is discouraged, and why would we want to read it? We already have the Truth. We know basically what the other religions teach, many of us having been baptized at one time into one church or another. There is nothing we can learn from other religions' literature.

Oh, really?

The truth is not found in any man-made organization or group of people.

The truth is found in one man, Jesus Christ.

John 14:6

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jehovah's Witnesses have replaced Jesus with the organization.

They say "the truth is over here", meaning the truth lies within their organization.

Meanwhile, Jesus said "the truth is here, with me"...and he made no mention of any organization to belong to.

There lies the problem, OWH..and you need to realize that this is a problem.

We just kindly turn it down. We are looking for people who are looking for truth. There will be some who will benefit from our literature.

If you want them to look for the truth, you point them to JESUS...not to your organization.

Not trying to come across as brash, but I must speak with conviction here.

This is no joke.

[JehovahsWitness]

I never read the bible before I started studying with the Witnesses but I don't think it takes any interpretation to draw conclusions from biblical FACTS

I agree.

FACT : there is no account in scripture of any of the hundreds of faithful men and women in celebrating their or anyone's birthday

Hmm.

FACT The Lord on no occassion is depicted as celebrating or commaning his disciples celebrate or commemorate the day of his birth

Yeah .... the Bible is silent on this issue.

FACT The two birthdays depicted in scripture were celebrated by pagans and included executions (one of which was of a faithful prophet)

There is no "Hmmm " s about it. The FACTS I presented as such are indisputably so.

But what those facts are/aren't, is where the contention lies.

I don't see anythng to contend. Your conclusions regarding those three FACTS are your own. As long as you don't impose them on others, you are welcome to them. Unless you are suggesting that Jehovah's Witnesses don't have the right to draw a different conclusion from the above FACTS, it's all good.



JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

[JehovahsWitness]

The TRINTITY on the other hand is a matter of "interpretation" which is needed since neither the word nor the explicit concept is found in scripture.

I beg to differ for previously given reasons.

I dont see and reasons given. Do you have a link tl these "previously given reasons"?



JW

[SiNcE_1985]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #27]

You completely ignored the crux of my post and added nothing of value in your response...because there is nothing you can say that can go against the scriptures that I shared (along with common sense reasoning).

Anyways, what I said stands.

Christians will continue following Paul's leadership (Rom 14:5-6) as it pertains to personal sacred days (birthdays)...and we will continue to have fellowship with our loved ones on certain days, as did Job and his children (Job 1:4)...while Jehovah's Witnesses continue to follow the guidance of their uninspired governing body.

[SiNcE_1985]

The TRINTITY on the other hand is a matter of "interpretation" which is needed since neither the word nor the explicit concept is found in scripture.

I beg to differ for previously given reasons.

I dont see and reasons given. Do you have a link tl these "previously given reasons"?



JW

If I recall, we already had exchanges on this subject.

Plus, the Trinity topic is a rabbit hole with a JW.