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by ViceGrip on November 16th, 2006

ViceGrip

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Why do we baptize in the singular "name" of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and not in the plural "names" of Jehovah, and Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?

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  • by Nulinvoid on December 22nd, 2006

    Nulinvoid

    I would only like ot step in to clarify one thing. The category is "Jehovah's Witnesses". The asker uses the word "we" in his question which could make it appear as though he is one of Jehovah's Witnesses. If one makes the assumption that he is, one could also easily make the mistaken assuption that all the answers to his question are also from Jehovah's Witnesses. This is not the case.

    First, the asker is NOT one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Second, all answers reffering to the trinity as the reason for the way that baptisms are performed, are also NOT from Jehovah's Witnesses.

    This is a reference to Matthew 28:19 where Christ told his disciples "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit"

    Vice grip believes that he is going to trap one of Jehovah's Witnesses into saying "yes, that's what we do" so that he can respond with "AHA! So you admit the Holy Spirit has a name, and therefore must be a person!

    This is an argument I have heard a thousand times.

    Jehovah's Witnesses baptize in the name of the Father (Jehovah), and of the Son (Jesus Christ), and of the Holy Spirit (WHICH HAS NO NAME).

    Have you ever heard the expressions "in the name of love", or "in the name of justice"? Just because you do something in the name of something does not mean that something has a name or a personality.

    The reasons Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the trinity can be found here:

    http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/21470

    Comments

    • Good clear answer.

      Perryman

      by Perryman on December 22nd, 2006

    • This answer needs bumped up a bit.

      AntigoneRising

      by AntigoneRising on December 22nd, 2006

    • Odzihozo: I understand your answer, but why not ONLY baptize in the name of the Father? Why baptize in the name of all three? If Jesus is God's first creation (even though he isn't ... please see Isaiah 9:6 where Jesus is referred to as ETERNAL) and therefore not equal in QUALITY to God (as opposed to POSITION) and the Holy Spirit is just God's "active force" ... then why, from a JW's point of view, would there be a need to baptize into all three names instead of just the Father, who is (according to JW doctrine) the ONLY Almighty God?

      brian_griffith

      by brian_griffith on January 3rd, 2007

    • BG, you say you understand my answer, and then proceed to clearly demonstrate that you don't. My suggestion to you is the same as in another comment I sent you. If you truly want to understand what we teach and why, the best way to learn it is at our Kingdom Halls, and through a personal Bible study with one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

      Nulinvoid

      by Nulinvoid on January 3rd, 2007

    • Odzihozo: Although I will not visit a Kingdom Hall, I have been having on going Bible studies with a JW named Aida here in my town (Rohnert Park, CA). What is it that I am misunderstanding?

      brian_griffith

      by brian_griffith on January 3rd, 2007

    • BG, we baptize this way because it what Christ commanded at Matthew 28:19. If you're having trouble reconciling this, I suggest you bring it up in your studies. The person you are studying with can show you the answers to all your questions. What you are misunderstanding is that we have no problem with obeying Christ's instruction, while at the same time accepting that there is only one creator, Jehovah, separate and distinct from his son, Jesus, and his active spirit force. Your local congregation can help you understand those distinctions, along with Christ's instruction. They are not contradictory. You already have the best resource available to you for learning these things. My suggestion is that you use them. It's what they are there for.

      Nulinvoid

      by Nulinvoid on January 3rd, 2007

    • why exactly does it matter whether the Holy Spirit is a person with a name, or not?

      purplecows

      by purplecows on May 28th, 2009

    • Well if you're going to have a holy war you have to establish some differences in doctrine.
      .
      Jehovah's Witnesses have been stockpiling nuclear weapons because they know it's only a matter of time until someone comes after them over that ghost thing. :)

      Factotum

      by Factotum on May 28th, 2009

    • @factotum

      You made me laugh really, really hard!

      noblesurvey

      by noblesurvey on March 21st, 2011

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