Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

John.3:22 After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized. 3:23 John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized. 3:24 For John was not yet thrown into prison.
3:25 There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with some Jews about purification. 3:26 They came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him."
3:27 John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.

Here is the fundamental problem with false religion? Those in false religion, which actually is nothing more than our fleshly mind; live in fear not being good enough, that is, doing enough for God. Thus, fleshly minded persons compete in their works for God by counting numbers of converts, if there is a lose or a lack is found, they believe the other guy has more approval of God than them,i.e., having more merit with God than they do just like the world practices.

Rom.12:2 Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
12:4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function,
12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

This thinking leads into all kinds of works of the flesh, bagging in comparing works, lying, and so on... But the fruit tells the truth, not numbers. Thus. condemned in the flesh that without growth giving giving them man's approval, it is not of God. Here John the Baptist was confronted with such fleshly thinking he had no competition with Christ, he had been given an assignment from heaven, he did not earn it by works of some ministry, it was God's will John preached before the coming of the Christ. John was also given gifts to carry out his work, how could he not rejoice is seeing the very thing he was given and approved for by God in helping clear up the way for Son of man increase while his work was completed?

1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn't receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth.

Here is what false religion cannot get that all any person can do for God must come from God at his appointed time. Fleshly thinking person push with their flesh to obtain something. If it be teaching the bible, or building some organization in God's name they just push harder with the flesh even the will of the flesh is God's approval. Hence, if there no growth fear controls their nature by doing more works, they must see growth or they are not doing the will of God. But here John the Baptist lead by Spirit understood he would decrease while Christ must increase because what each of them had been given was from above, not from below, that is, from flesh, which is of no value at all!

John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

John 8:15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.

The flesh is of no value in God's eyes for doing his work, but the flesh thinks without its great wheeling and dealing God's work would not be done on earth so it pushed by fear, fear of not doing enough, obtaining enough in God's name. This is how false religion unwittingly steals the ground of God's planting, their nature is fleshly and fear thus gaining more gives the flesh comfort food it has gained merit with God.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

Hebrews 13:6 So that with good courage we say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?"{Psalm 118:6-7}

1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

See also: www.nu-truth.com