Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

1Pet.3:8 Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, 3:9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.

What are we called to as Christian's? Some think judgment of others to wake them up to reality, others thinking telling it as it were! Still others, being bold, standing up for the truth is the single biggest thing for which they were called, but few, oh, so few inherit a blessing from being courteous, compassionate, tenderhearted, like minded, why?

Matt. 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor,{Leviticus 19:18} and hate your enemy.{not in the Bible, but see Qumran Manual of Discipline Ix, 21-26}' 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 5:45 that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? 5:47 If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

It does not seem to be our nature, we would like to think so, but few people now days if any are drawn to these quality if their honest about the apostles Peter words here. We all have two minds, one is fleshly mind, and the other is a spiritual mind renewed by Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is what Peter speaks to here, which is a gift to God's children from above and when they have the gift of Holy Spirit it produces the wonderful fruit Peter was speaking to here. But there is the other side of this coin, a fleshly mind and what is it drawn to rendering evil for evil, reviling for reviling, but perhaps not the way one might think?

James 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. 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. 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

You see, these brothers and sisters sins of their flesh had be abolished, how had they been abolished? The simple answer is by their flesh not being judge any longer by God, and how had that happen? Each one had been put to death in their sinful flesh in Christ Jesus, and made new in his life. In other words, they live to God as a spirit person, not a fleshly person. Thus, because they had died in their flesh before God they now lived by Spirit. Hence, having no flesh neither could there be a judgment of their flesh, dead in Christ. But let us remember as hard as this is for some, they still lived on earth in their sinful body, but their sinful bodies were dead to God's judgments by laws for the flesh, like the old law of Moses, which condemned them in their flesh.

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.

Colossians 2:13 You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.

Colossians 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.

Here than is the deception for them and us, when we are freed of judgment, and we judge others whom are also freed in Christ from judgment what have we done? Have we returned good for good done to us, or have we return evil for evil, for our not being judged? Actually we fall right into what Christ himself spoke. Don't judge so you won't be judged, it that simple. Here these brothers and sisters were called to blessing in Christ provided they loved the things of the Holy Spirit, if not? Than as all flesh does it will steal the words of God claiming such gives them the right to return evil as a judge of law.

James 4:11 Don't speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.

James 4:12 Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another?

See more at: www.nu-truth.com