Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

GUILT!

Ezra 9:13 After all that is come on us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, seeing that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant.

Is guilt redeeming? Is the feeling of being guilty about our lives the magic solution in gaining God's favor? Many Christian's actually do go through life with a sense of guilt believing that it is humility before God, in fact, they cannot imagine another way of worship because that would be presumptuous.

Proverbs 22:4 The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh is wealth, honor, and life.

Yes, pretentiousness creating a saint-hood mentality that without guilt no one can enter into the Kingdom of God. On the other hand, there are those thinking; “ I am good enough no matter how obnoxious my conduct is!”

Philippians 2:3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself.

So just like so many things among the wisdom of the world there exist two extremes regarding guilt and its value or not?

Guilt Bring One to Truth

Most of would agree without guilt there would be no growth into truth about ourselves. Parents as well as every form of society uses guilt to bring order and growth to society, it is a part of life, so should it not also be a part of religion?

Guilt as well as many other primary teaching help children to grow into adults, but should never become a way of life. In other words, if a person feels guilt for breaking a law they shouldn't be breaking the law - all their life? Well of course not, the guilt should work for a positive in their life, to stop doing something that is wrong.

Subsequently, a Christian's should move beyond the primary doctrine of Christ one of which is repentance a byproduct of guilt, into a full grown person in the Christ.

Colossians 2:23 Which things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Nagging Guilt

What causes a nagging guilt among Christian's? It is very simple, it is trying to justify ones self against the high standards of God's word. Many Christian's do not understand what it means to justify ourselves while being a Christian's.

Luke 16:15 He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

They are in a constant state of taking every action in their lives looking to the bible for a scripture to justify why they are doing something, or not doing something. However, as shocking as this is that conduct of justifying ourselves is dead works!

Yes, dead works which has nothing to do with being a Christians, even-though it is a common practice among all Christian's religions.

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection--not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God.

In fact, this is taught by religiou leaders, and those mentoring other in all world religions to new Christian's; making it into a form of righteousness, which is practice by using the scriptures to justify our actions, but how is this dead works?

Faith Defeats Dead Works

Dead works are works of our flesh, which are not of the Spirit. In other words, because we uses the scriptures does not make what we do, not a dead work. The Jews were famous in using God's word, but they were dead to Christ Jesus teachings, and the works of the Spirit of God. So we can as a Christian fall into the trap of believing because we uses a name such as “Christian” or Jehovah, all that we do is justified by the scriptures; if we can quote one while looking for an excuse to justify an action.

Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Touching something unclean by a holy word does not make it clean, it just gives an unrighteous person and excuse to do as they want. This practice is very common place among all religions of our world, it is nothing more than justifying unrighteous action, which are acts of the sinful flesh.

Haggai 2:13 Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, will it be unclean?" The priests answered, "It will be unclean."

Haggai 2:14 Then Haggai answered, "'So is this people, and so is this nation before me,' says Yahweh; 'and so is every work of their hands. That which they offer there is unclean.

In fact, anything outside of faith for a Christian is a dead work, it is not justified in Christ Jesus, why? Well simply put, we are justified in Christ Jesus, and we cannot be in Christ Jesus without faith!

Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

What Is Faith?

Profoundly, most Christian's once again quote a scripture to explain in a legal definition of what faith is, but the truth is, the apostle Peter found that faith is a live, and powerful enough to make him walk on water, however, Peter like most Christians' doubted in his own goodness, that is, guilt, in being worthy enough to walk on water, and than sunk into the sea.

Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.

Yes, Peter became self-absorbed, in thinking faith came from his own goodness as do most Christians, grunting too muster up faith by the will of their flesh in repeating words of the bible. But faith is trust, how does one grunt too trust? Trust mean putting faith in another worthiness not our own to do something for us, correct?

Mark 2:5 Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

Guilt than in faith cannot work because we are putting faith in ourselves; what a mistakes according to God's word the bible! Faith is from God too us, it is God goodness not our own, it is a part of the fruit of God Holy Spirit given us as a gift. Peter was no better than the rest of the apostles, who did not get out of the boat too walk upon the water.

Mark 11:22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.

Peter may have thought he was until he started comparing his own righteousness against Christ Jesus, and sunk into the sea of doubt.

Matthew 19:16 Behold, one came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"

Matthew 19:17 He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments."

Sea of Guilt

We live in a sea of guilt that is humanity lot in life, we are all sinners, and death proves it, so we have guilt, from the sheer fact we cannot do right all the time. So we have built a system of things to justify our guilt by material things, personal talent we may posses, power, intellect, position education and so on …

Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.

Mankind is in a constant state of justifying themselves to survive in this world from the cradle to the grave. It is the grain of the tree of mankind, they justify the bad by the good, to rid themselves of guilt. Subsequently, the religions of our world have built up by laws of flesh, dead works, a system of self-justification, that is, a stair way to heaven by good works.

Matthew 7:17 Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.

This system has enslaved nations to laws of the flesh making people believe if they touch an uncleaned thing of the flesh against the holy word of God it becomes clean, that is, justified. But the sea of guilt churns in works of the flesh, not righteousness causing hate and turmoil for all the nations of our earth.

Haggai 2:12 'If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with his fold touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any food, will it become holy?'" The priests answered, "No."

Guilt Away of Life

So guilt is a way of life, if religion is built from the same stuff as all the nation use than guilt is a way of life for Christian's. So it should be of no surprise that religion has made an unclean work of the flesh; guilt, into a holy unspoken doctrine of God, that is, guilt is holy and from God, and it please God, earning us merit with Him. It is than the foundation of being a Christian, a constant state of guilt and justification through our own good efforts by works done by using the scriptures.

Romans 3:30 since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith.

But what pleases God, is it guilt or faith? Is it trust in ourselves, or trust in God? Can we please God in a constant state of guilt, is guilt a protection we hid in for a mocked humility of our flesh.
Is this the lowliness of of mind Christ Jesus spoke too that God loves? Well, Christ Jesus is lowly of mind, but he had no sin, and sin is guilt.

Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

So is our way of life faith in God power of redemption once for all time, or do we live in guilt, hoping if we condemn ourselves enough that we may be worthy enough of God's love?

Rom.8:8 Those who are in the flesh can't please God. 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn't have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.

In other word, a child is born, the child will be either loved or hated by its parent, but choice was not the factor in child's birth, the child could not conceive itself. If we are a child of God our we conceived by guilt or God's love? Did God conceive his children in fear of guilt or did he conceive them in freedom from sin, and guilt by the life of His Son Christ Jesus?

The question is what enslaves a person too guilt, love, or laws of the flesh?

Rom.8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. 8:15 For you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba{Abba is an Aramaic word for father or daddy, often used affectionately and respectfully in prayer to our Father in heaven.}! Father!"

Enslaved By the World

Here we have the most fundamental question each of us has to answer to be a Christian, are we in slavery to sins laws, do we have a foreboding fear of punishment thinking that such fear is righteous? Do we wrangle constant about sins, and God's laws that condemn it? Moreover, do we look to God's word as a contract with God, reading the find print so we are not deceived by our own wickedness? Do we believe salvation come from our own ability to figure out the contracts fine print?

2 Timothy 1:7 For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

Authority is power that is why we have so many position within government giving power to authority to keep people in check by the power of authority, but is this the authority of Christ Jesus and his bothers upon earth?

Matthew 18:2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of them,

Matthew 18:4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Authority produces guilt by it nature, what does this mean? What gives authority its power, the law, what laws, the laws of the flesh, yes, law that have power over our flesh, not our spirit.

The power to destroy this life, that is, our flesh, fear inspiring power, the control of all nations of our earth. The power Satan wanted to give too Christ Jesus himself, enslaving the nations too fear and guilt. But Christ came to free us from the fear of death, by removing the thing judging us death.

This power, unrighteous men have gobbled up, in the name of religions to form powerful government – religions – institution; gaining such power by using God's word, enslaving nations and people by guilt of punishment; creating a ugly fault finding God looking at us with a magnifying glass for our sins, which, contradict the purpose of Christ Jesus own righteous life.

Mark 10:15 Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it."

Does Love Cast Fear Outside?

To those legal defining God's word by contract the thought of love casting fear outside alludes them, in fact, if they are honest with themselves not hiding behind a contract called doctrine, they cannot stop fearing in the constant state of judgment, they are in, and what does this mean?

It means judgment cause us fear, yes, judgment! Even-though legal contract Christian's believe it take away fear by using God's word in judging others, it does not, but why? Because when we judge we judge ourselves, what we measure out is measure back to us.

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.

The more judgment, the better we see the law, and execute the law on others the greater becomes our own fear and judgment, that is, darkness and not light.

Rom.7:21 I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present. 7:22 For I delight in God's law after the inward man, Rom.7:23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. 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.

When we judge we are not looking to love, even though legal contract Christian's will tell you judgment is love, none of them like being judged and it is not love when it is being done too them.

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.

So how does love cast fear outside?

The Law of Freedom

James 2:12 So speak, and so do, as men who are to be judged by a law of freedom.
2:13 For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

What is the law of freedom, which is also called the Royal Law? What is the Royal law? Well, it is love, why love? Because YHWH is our rightful King, and He is love, so love coming from God it is a Royal from the King who is love, but much more so it is God's love too us.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God, and knows God.

It is God's love that cast fear outside, outside of what, Christ Jesus, what does this mean? It means there is no judgment in Christ Jesus, he has no sin, and has proved faithful unto death; made a live in the spirit as an incorruptible King. Hence, in Christ Jesus there is no laws of the flesh, because Christ Jesus has not flesh, he is a spirit being made into the exact representation of his Father YHWH.

Rom.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"} 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

Thus, there is freedom in Christ Jesus, so there is no fear of judgment, so neither can there be guilt for not meeting a law of our flesh perfectly.

Subsequently, being in Christ Jesus, that is, in his body as a Christian's we walk in love, and we judge not by the laws of our flesh but by the same law we are judged by freedom, which is, God's Royal law of love. We stop judging our brothers and sisters by the laws of a group, or our flesh, and start judging them by the law of love that has no judgment, what does this mean?

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,{or, faithfulness} 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things “there is no law”.

It simply means love is light, it looks for the good, and not the sin in us. Love believes all things, it does not believe some things good and evil about others.

1Cor.13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 13:8 Love never fails.

Love than puts us into a position of leaving such judgment(s) in God very capable hands, which means, knowing we can never be the love that God is, and expresses perfectly in the life of His Son Christ Jesus.

1Cor. 13:3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.
13:4 Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, 13:5 doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;
13:6 doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.

When we do this we cast out fear of our own judgments, because we know our judgments are flawed with emotions and sin, even though we use God's perfect laws, we are wanting, how? Because we are condemned by those same laws, for example: It was just stated above that love believes all things, not some good, and some evil about others.

Each person reading those words are condemned by the law of love, because no human being can do that, not even the best of mankind believes only good about others all the time. That comment alone should tell us how far we fall short of God's glory, hence, if God was enforcing laws, any law, the law of love, by merit of conduct, no human being could stand.

Rom.2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. 2:2 We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

Rom.2:3 Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Casting Fear Out by Love

How can we cast out fear than if we cannot stop judging? Well, we can't if we are honest, it requires a gift of God to cast such fear out, and our putting faith in what God has given us such a gift by His own love, does it not?

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

In other words, two road exist for each person on this earth, and for those professing Christianity, and that is, one road is about self through laws of merit, and the other road is about Christ Jesus and his merit which God has accepted to atone for us.

Romans 3:27 Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what manner of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

Romans 3:28 We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

If we chose self, that is, saying we can live up to love, or God's commandments, instead of Christ Jesus life imputed to us because we cannot, no matter how much we love God, then we are upon the broad and spacious road leading into destruction of our world, what does this mean?

It means the world we have built up using Christ Jesus name, which means claiming we have done so in Christ Jesus righteousness, by using his name, and what he spoke, will come to end.

Why? We simply cannot justify ourselves by God's word, or what Christ Jesus spoke, moreover, we cannot justify ourselves by acting like Christ Jesus did on earth, but why? The justification for human sin, is Christ Jesus, not us, we justify nothing by acting like Christ Jesus. On the other hand, when we are justified by Christ Jesus life, we become a Christian's, that is, we are a Christ-like person because we have the life of Christ Jesus in us, and we are a part of his life.

1 John 5:20 We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

In this manner and in this manner only fear is cast out because Christ Jesus does not have fear of judgment, Moreover, fear of judgment does not exist within his body Christ who abolished our judgment by his righteous life, which was justified by God's righteous Law.

God is Greater Than Our Hearts.

1 John 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God's testimony which he has testified concerning his Son.

1 John 3:20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

We as sinner cannot stop having guilt, we fall short of God's glory each day, and some times minute to minute just by our thoughts. Subsequently, our own heart condemns us, we cannot imagine in our flesh that God could be so forgiving with us, we know we stand condemned in every sore spot, so to speak.
We can search for a magic key to save ourselves by searching the scriptures, but we are complete condemned in our own righteousness, or own ways, like a shadows of light under a tall tree. The tall tree being our sins blocking out the light from the sun, which exposes us as liars always changing minute to minute, what hope exist for such flighty unrighteousness we judge in us?

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 1:14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 1:15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. 1:16 Don't be deceived, my beloved brothers. 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

It certainly is not our own love, or that of a person, or an organization claiming ownership upon God's name, no! It is found in God love, His definition of love, His love, as a God of love, not us, or what we think we can produce in good fruit from self-will under the laws of the bible, no!

But God fruit of the Holy Spirit given us freely in the life of Christ Jesus, one of which is faith. Our hearts do condemn us, but God is bigger than our hearts, what does this mean? It mean God law of love, the Royal law He judges us by. It means God cannot lie, God abolished our judgment in the life of Christ Jesus, this is a universal law greater than any man or angel God cannot go back on His word do us. Yes, God is greater than our condemning heart of guilt, He will see us through all the world and its guilt into a glorious freedom of the Son's of God.

God will supply too us His loved expressed in our high priest Jesus Christ by Holy Spirit. God love will cast fear of judgment out by bearing witnesses in your heart, He loves you. All we can offer God is faith, that is, trusting that He is love, and He will do what is correct in redeeming us if we maintain our faith in His goodness. Let us not turn to light of unrighteous men having sin as we do, as God, let us not turn to their composite men of unrighteousness built by God's righteous word, organization, as the tree of life, Jesus Christ.

Rom. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Conclusion of The Matter, Guilt

Ps. 90:9 For all our days have passed away in your wrath. We bring our years to an end as a sigh.
90:10 The days of our years are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty years; yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for it passes quickly, and we fly away.
90:11 Who knows the power of your anger, your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?
90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Guilt is a byproduct of sin, we are all sinners, so we are going to have guilt all the days of our life. The question is how do we deal with such guilt, do we judge others to read ourselves of guilt, do we become a legalistic Christian's thinking we can box God into a moral contract by our doctrine so we are not longer judge for our own judgments?

Do we read ourselves of guilt by becoming the perfect person, while being full of unrighteous judgments for others. Do we look to self to get read of our guilt as though we as a self-justifying god? How do we get read of guilt? It is only by one means, and one means only, our faith in Christ Jesus, not his name, but his righteousness expressed in his blood, that is, his life, what he bought for us with that righteous life that none of us could be or do?

Here than is our life struggle maintain such a faith to the end, not going back to rules of laws that justify the flesh in some good work of self-merit, but rather as we are told to; Stop! Justifying ourselves, or works, and rest in Christ Jesus by faith.

Isaiah 28:12 to whom he said, "This is the resting place. Give rest to weary;" and "This is the refreshing;" yet they would not hear.

The best any of us can do is accept our true condition, accept with humility that God will change it in do time if we have faith in Him, not some legal system creating a merit ladder into heaven we must climb each day. Making a few steps and sliding back down a few more, where our whole life becomes about our salvation, by our good intention of wanting to climb up he success steps, of organized religion, for reward of life. Comparing our steps to others, so we can judge ourselves as good, better, even more righteous than others.

Having guilt is living a lie of who we are in relationship to God, Christ Jesus, and mankind, not accept the truth about ourselves, and trying to prove we are good enough by meeting rules or commandments that do not and cannot justify us in being good enough to redeem ourselves from sin making us righteous!

The truth is one is good enough to help all of us, and it is in putting faith in that chosen one of God, Christ Jesus, we stand before God in our faith.

Heb.4:3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest;"{Psalm 95:11} although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4:4 For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, "God rested on the seventh day from all his works;"{Genesis 2:2} 4:5 and in this place again, "They will not enter into my rest."{Psalm 95:11} 4:6 Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter therein, and they to whom the good news was before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, 4:7 he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), "Today if you will hear his voice, don't harden your hearts."{Psalm 95:7-8} 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 4:9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 4:10 For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 4:11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.

See Also: www.nu-truth.com