Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Daily Bible Thought: "My Lord Delays His Coming!"

Luke.12:45 But if that servant says in his heart, 'My lord delays his coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken, 12:46 then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn't expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn't know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.

Is this the master you serve? But of far more interest, why did this servant say in his heart his master delays? Moreover, why did this seeming delay cause a beating of other menservants and maidservants?

James.3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth. 3:15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

First, we can unequivocally state this servant did not appreciate and/or did not understand unmerited kindness. This servant thought something was owed him by God and man, he was not redeemed and was not walking in love. He had forgotten his own cleansing thinking he had earned it by some religious effort he had put forth. One does not beat another unless they believe they have authority over them. But what authority?

Rom.13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Matthew 18:32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.

Romans 8:12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Religious authority which is "flesh"; the power of religion rest in fleshly thinking in disciplining the flesh. In controlling the flesh, in reforming the flesh, in dressing the flesh up by painting on makeup on a dead body and then calling it Christ on earth. This servant was ruling over what was dead in Christ, the good for nothing sinful flesh which cannot be made clean by any works of law! Here he had made himself king, a ruling dictator through the power of laws condemning the fleshes sins, holding it for payment by guilt and judgment giving himself power, and authority.

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don't find it doing that which is good.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.{NU omits "who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"}

But how had his master delayed? What made him think the masters return had past, which delay meant he wasn't coming at all, causing this slaves hate for his fellow servants? The servant had deceived himself with false authority by power over his fellow slaves sinful flesh, he ruled by the power of the flesh, but not the Spirit. His authority came from teaching of the scriptures, the unraveling of the mystery of God, which impresses the fleshly mind with awe. His predictions, and seeming wisdom gave him great power as a prophet, like Christ over others. He was no longer a servant as the rest, but the Christ, seating himself in the judgment throne of Christ in the flesh upon earth, for that was his kingdom, (a kingdom of corruption; sins of the flesh) his glory, his pride, his power was making the flesh obey! Certainly Christ would uphold him in making the flesh righteous, in his self-appointed cleansing of the flesh, in his self importance. But he didn't! The time had past, and people, and fellow servants was questioning his authority.

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;

1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:5 You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.

The other slaves wondered had themselves been deceived, were they taken in, just as Christ had warned not to be? His power was eroding, distrust set in, (fear of judgment found in the flesh) and with that came a complete collapse of the wicked servant kingdom he had been ruling over. Now without the atoning sacrifice of Christ because the evil servant had put his faith in works of law, that is, the power of reforming the flesh on earth by religious structures; he was not washed clean and sanctified by Christ righteousness through the gift of undeserved kindness, just like all that are not redeemed, whom think, they are not so bad, but practices sins in the flesh, hiding them in their hearts with religious works and words for the feeling of self-righteous.

1 Peter 3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you--not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Rom.7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death? 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law.

The unfaithful slave avoided the truth of all flesh, for the truth of exposing other slaves sins by uses of God's righteous laws. The real truth he had avoided and missed was unmerited kindness, which must be found in us in true repentance that we don't deserve God's love, and freedom from judgments because we know what dwells in our fallen flesh. This is the beating this evil slave had been measuring out long before his master arrived, at an hour, he did not plan on by works of the flesh.

Matt.7:1 "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged.
7:2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 7:3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye? 7:4 Or how will you tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye? 7:5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye.

He had flatter himself thinking he was good and righteous in his flesh, that he had put away the filth of his flesh by he strong judgments of the flesh in his religious practices. But his works landed him in the filth of his own flesh, he measured out his own judgment, instead of unmerited kindness. Thus, Christ words of truth became his truth, his real condition, what he thought he had gain by the power of his flesh, was dead to Christ. What he had taken for power and authority was measured back to him. He was never worthy, never better, and certainly not ever cleaner in his flesh before Christ than others. He had missed the whole truth, of Spirit, for pride in battles with the flesh, in debates over words, beating his opponents with cleaver legal arguments string them together from the scriptures, but none of that had anything to do with Spirit and truth.

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Philippians 1:11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.

See also: www.nu-truth.com