The "Jehovah's Witness" Question -- No. 2
"Jehovah's Witnesses" deny the trinity of the Godhead. That is, they deny that our God is one God made up of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. "Pastor" Russell said, "Verily, if it were not for the fact that this Trinitarian nonsense was drilled into us from our earliest infancy, and the fact that it is soberly taught in Theological Seminaries by gray-haired professors, in many other ways apparently wise, nobody would give it a moment's serious consideration." (Studies in the Scriptures, Series 5, p. 166) "Judge" Rutherford said, "Another lie made and told by Satan for the purpose of reproaching God's name and turning men away from God is that of the "trinity" . . . That there are three gods in one; God the father, God the son, and God the Holy Ghost, all equal in power, substance, and eternity . . . finds no support whatever in the Bible, but, on the contrary, the Bible proves beyond all doubt that it is the Devil's doctrine." (Riches, pp. 185-188).
The thing these men either can't or won't understand is how there can be three persons in the Godhead, and still just one God. They say, "Trinitarians witness that Christ and the Father are one . . . Christ was one, and the Father was one; one plus one are two. (This lesson in mathematics is for Doctors of Divinity; school children will not need it) (Studies in the Scriptures, Series 7, p. 65)
Scripture Statements.
Yes, Christ is one; and the Father is one; but Christ said that he and the Father are one. (John 17:21) How are Christ and the Father One? Let Christ answer, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father . . . Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me." (John 14:9-12) Christ, the Father, and the Holy Ghost are all one. One plus one plus one are three. But, "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (I John 5:7)
The Bible teaches us that the "Godhead" (Acts 17:29; Col. 2:9) is composed of three members. The term "Godhead" simply suggests deity or divinity; and inasmuch as the word of God ascribes divinity to all three, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, all three are God. The Father is called God (I Cor. 8:6); the Son is called God (John 1:1); the Holy Ghost is called God. (Acts 5:3, 4) To deny divinity to any one of these three is to deny God. All three were present in creation: God was there (Rev. 4:11); Christ was there (John 1:1-3); the Holy Ghost was there (Gen. 1:2). Also baptism is in the name of the "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." To try to make a distinction between the equality of these three is to set aside the clear statements of Scripture.
Deity Of Christ Denied
Concerning Christ "Pastor" Russell said, "Our Redeemer existed as a spirit being before he was made flesh and dwelt amongst men . . . At that time as well as subsequently, he was properly known as "a god" . . . a mighty one. As chief of the angels and next to the Father, he was known as the archangel. As he was the highest of all Jehovah's creation, so also he was the first, the direct creation of God, the "only begotten." (Studies in the Scriptures, Series 5, p. 84)
"Judge" Rutherford said, "The scriptures show conclusively that there is but one Almighty God, who is the Life-giver of creatures, and that Christ Jesus is the Son of God, the beginning of creation and the active agent of Jehovah in the creation of all other things." (Riches, p. 186) "Jesus was not God the Son, but he was the Son of God." (Reconciliation, p. 113) Thus, both Russell and Rutherford deny the deity of Christ. Russell goes on to say, "Men, angels, archangels, or even the Son of God, before and during the time he was 'made flesh and dwelt among us' were not immortal—all were mortal." (Studies in the Scriptures, Series 5, p. 389)
The Bible teaches, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. And all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made." (John 1:1-3) This passage teaches: (1) The Word (Christ) was in the beginning; (2) He was with God and was God; (3) Without him was not anything made that was made. If, as the "Witnesses" say, Christ is the first of God's creation, how did Christ come into being? "Without him was not anything made that was made," says John. Did he make himself? Then Paul says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of —God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." (Phil. 2:5-7) Thus Paul says that before Christ humbled himself, he existed in the form of God, and was equal with God. With the passage, as with others which are contrary to their doctrine, the "Witnesses" try to re-translate and rearrange the text so as to teach what they want taught, or else destroy the text altogether.
Additional Passages
Here are additional passages on the nature of Christ: (1) Christ is more than an angel, he is called God. (John 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Heb. 1:8; I John 5:20) (2) When Christ laid down his life for us, it was God dying for us. (I John 3:16) (3) Christ was not created, but was eternal. (John 1:1-3; 8:45; Rev. 1:8; 21:6;22:13) (4) Christ has divine attributes which are exactly the same as those of God: (a) God is eternal; Christ is eternal. (Micah 5:2; John 1:1-15; 8:58; 17:5) (b) God is self-existent; Christ is self-existent. (John 1:4; 14:6; 10:17, 18; Heb. 7:16) (c) God does not change; Christ does not change. (Mal. 3:6; James 1:17; Heb. 13:8) (d) God is the Creator; Christ is the Creator. (John 1:10; Eph. 3:9; Col. 2:16; Heb. 1:2, 10; Rev. 4:11) (e) God is omnipotent; Christ is omnipotent. (Matt. 28:18) (f) God is omniscient; Christ is omniscient. (John 16:30; Col. 2:3) (g) God is omnipresent; Christ is omnipresent. (Matt. 18:20; 28:20) (h) God is called the first and the last; Christ is called the first and the last. (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:17) (i) God calls himself I AM; Christ says, "Before Abraham was, I AM." (Exodus 3:13, 14; John 8:58)
Please keep in mind as you read these statements concerning God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost, that we are not arguing that these three make up one person, but that the three divine persons make up one GOD, working together, being of the same essence and nature. Lacking any one of these three the Godhead would be incomplete.