Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Rom.8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 8:17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

The Spirit testifies with our flesh? No! It is our spirit! Many today practice Christianity in their flesh, if their flesh feels good by something they read from bible, or heard at a meeting, but that is not what Paul is referring to here. Paul continues with his thought and states what actually happens in our flesh if we have the witness of the Spirit of God, and what is that?

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.

We suffer in our flesh, contrary to what most believe, which is why Paul spoke about the flesh so pointedly above in this chapter, and is so offensively to some. The Spirit and the flesh are opposed to each other, if we are in our flesh wanting the Spirit to bear witness with it, we are dead to Christ. If the Spirit bears witness with our spirit we are alive to Christ, and/or in him which makes us God's children. Why the distinction? God separates us from our flesh being put to death in it, and made alive in the spirit with Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:29 But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the assembly;

In other words, God has dealt with the evil in our flesh, by killing it to his judgment, that is, the wages sin pays is death. Now we live if we are in Christ (Spirit), by our spirit freed from the judgments of our flesh. This is why Paul in the book of Corinthian's says in the name of Christ to hand over the wicked man to Satan for destruction of his flesh, so the spirit of the man could be saved.

1Cor.5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5:5 are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Moreover, this is why Christ himself said stop judging, he was speaking to those under law. The law confirmed one thing, which is nothing good dwelt in our flesh it was dead to eternal life, if not, Christ died in vain! Not one person under the law proved sinless, that is, not needing redemption by blood in all of Israel history, from great to small all had to see by the witness of the blood the condition of sin in their flesh. Those lacking faith in Israel could not see past the flesh, that is, the truth of the flesh, and why it must die to judgment of God, why nothing good dwelt in it. Although, they build altars to the dead prophets and worship their bones they missed the point of Adam and Eve's judgment for the sight of great men and woman in the flesh.

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

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.

Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death.

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"}

There is no hope in our flesh for eternal life, not a bible teaching, the flesh must die somehow, by God's judgment of it paying the price for its sin so it can stand right before him, and/or die at the death from sin. Paul died in his flesh twice, once as a righteous man in Christ, and at his physical death on earth of his tent that testimony speak loud to our true condition of sin.

Luke 5:37 No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 5:38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

Romans 6:2 May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?

Romans 6:7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

Romans 7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

When the flesh is put to death unwillingly by God's Spirit the witnesses Christ life has blotted out our sins, by removing the judgment of our sinful flesh before God, we are made new, we are not refined in our flesh upon earth as many religion teach and boast in the flesh, we are a new creation. Not a new flesh, but new as in our spirit being made part of Christ Jesus as body members. This condition makes us sinless in our spirit allowing us to be son's of God. All son's of God must be sinless, or they cannot be adopted into Christ who is sinless.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another.

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.

1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me."

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace;

Ephesians 4:24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

1 John 3:6 Whoever remains in him doesn't sin. Whoever sins hasn't seen him, neither knows him.

This is Paul's context here in chapter eight of Roman's, we suffer because of our rebellious flesh lusting against the Spirit of God in us. Many Christian's in their flesh are waiting a time of tribulation and persecution. However, those anointed with God's Spirit, and who are indwelt with Christ suffer daily in their flesh it is a mighty battle of flesh violently lusting against the Spirit this is why the house of God has been under judgment for some two thousand's years. A person cannot be in Christ and not suffer while upon earth, the Spirit is opposed to the sinful flesh, a war exist, a violent war. Moreover, this is why Christ said those entering into the Kingdom of God seize it by violence.

Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.{or, plunder it.}

1 Peter 3:18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

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,

1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;
Rom. 8:36 Even as it is written, "For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter."{Psalm 44:22}
8:37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Philippians 1:29 Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf.

1 Corinthians 12:26 When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

2 Corinthians 1:6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.

See also: www.nu-truth.com