Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Matt.8:5 When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him, 8:6 and saying, "Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented." 8:7 Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8:8 The centurion answered, "Lord, I'm not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8:9 For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and tell another, 'Come,' and he comes; and tell my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, "Most certainly I tell you, I haven't found so great a faith, not even in Israel.

What is faith, really? Here we find two tremendous events the healing a man having leprosy humanly impossible to cure, and now a centurion whose servant is paralyzed in grievous tormented. Both speak of great faith, why?

Matthew 17:20 He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Both men did not doubt Christ authority, the rest of Israel demanded proof of Christ authority, but why such a vast difference where Christ stated that not even in Israel had he found such a faith? Shocking the very people chosen by faith to be God's people challenged if Christ was the Christ, if he had God's authority when he was doing great works among God's people Israel.

Romans 9:32 Why? Because they didn't seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

Here is the point, faith is not a legal argument where like the world thinks an intelligent person does testing each word, thought and actions for the person to prove their worth to us before putting trust in them. Israel was under God's inspection not the other way around they had the written word, the law, the prophets they should have had faith in Christ if they loved God! But only a very few had faith a small remnant out of all Israel. Those thinking God must prove his worth to them for worship, instead put faith in leaders, in men, and in themselves they were emptied headed the creation speaks of God's glory day after day, and night after night!

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.

Luke 19:22 "He said to him, 'Out of your own mouth will I judge you, you wicked servant! You knew that I am an exacting man, taking up that which I didn't lay down, and reaping that which I didn't sow.

Today many Christian's think they have a right to put God and Christ to the test and if he can beat them in a word game, a legal argument they will but faith in him. Christ knocks we open, and if we trust him, that is, a big word, put faith in his authority he will sup with us teaching us the truth based upon what? Our trust in him, nothing less or nothing more. We are the receivers of God's grace, his love, and we are blessed because he saves us, not the other way around. Many teach accurate knowledge to know God, what does that mean? A legal bible studying dismissing your every doubt? Making God prove himself because some man can make excuse for God's actions found in your bible?

Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
17:6 The Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, 'Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. 17:7 But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say, when he comes in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down at the table,' 17:8 and will not rather tell him, 'Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me, while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink'? 17:9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. 17:10 Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.'"

Many believed outside of Israel without an accurate knowledge of God, many outside of Israel didn't know the temple and its service who was great and was not? Such as the Roman centurion mention above, and so many others that acted toward God without constant legislating of bible teachings. Knowledge of God is not bad, but it often does just the opposite making a person a legal minded judge of what is truth and what is not using laborious testing by legal measure to make God prove himself to man. Those with such a mind have no faith they walk in fear and demand God prove himself to them. Those acting upon love for God, because he is God and can do no evil towards those walking in love themselves act not upon fear, but truth, imputing only good to God, knowing he is the rewarder of those loving him.

1 John 4:19 We love Him, because he first loved 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.

James 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. 1:18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

See also: www.nu-truth.com