Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

John.3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 3:2 The same came to him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him."

Stealing something does not make a person the thing stolen, it makes the person an idolater! Many of Christian's has read Christ words here and taken them to mean their works proving they are of God, or their religion. The problem with that theory is does God Spirit indwell them? Moreover, can they discern between flesh and Spirit?

Levitius 19:11 "'You shall not steal; neither shall you deal falsely, nor lie to one another.

John 10:10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

Christ was indwelt with God, by God's Spirit doing good works, and proving the works to be from God, can we say that? This man, the Pharisees, Nicodemus could see God working through the Christ, not some other man or his religion using the bible and boasting that their works are of God because they uses the scriptures.

John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. 5:40 Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.
5:41 I don't receive glory from men. 5:42 But I know you, that you don't have God's love in yourselves.

This than is what brought Nicodemus to Christ the works he was doing for his Father glory, not his own! The context here for any Christian's reading this chapter of John is about Holy Spirit, being born of God by Holy Spirit, having God indwell them with his Spirit so they can do the works of God. What this chapter is not about is stealing verses from the bible to justify our personal works as a Christian's, but why?

Romans 1:23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.

John 8:50 But I don't seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges.

It is actually very simple, there are no other works for a Christian's but Christ, what? Yes, this is what Christ is going to build on for the Jews, and us, if we can put our shinning out of the way? Christ did nothing of his own originality and/or will. He did the will of his Father because he was lead by Spirit, not the flesh that is the story of the rest of our bible. Those born again would be new in Christ doing the will of their head Christ Jesus who does only the will of his Father.

1 Corinthians 10:18 Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don't those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?

1 Corinthians 15:50 Now I say this, brothers,{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} that flesh and blood can't inherit the Kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

Those works are God's works, no need to defend because God is a big boy and will uphold his own works of Holy Spirit. No man or woman is the Christ, they are redeem by Christ works. In other words, Christ was sinless, doing perfectly the will of his Father. God approved those works making Christ immortal and incorruptible giving him all other life, making him King to bring us to life under his rulership.

Heb.1:3 His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 1:4 having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have. 1:5 For to which of the angels did he say at any time, "You are my Son. Today have I become your father?"{Psalm 2:7} and again, "I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?"{2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles 17:13} 1:6 Again, when he brings in the firstborn into the world he says, "Let all the angels of God worship him."

We are redeem, purchased by Christ merit, and/or works. From that point, we belong not to the old self or its will, but to Christ will and his body allowing us to do the works of God, for his glory, and what he desire us too do. This is why Christ could say don't believe me, believe the works. This is why some sin against Holy Spirit because they cannot see the works of God in Christ, but instead get bogged down into words wars from the scriptures thinking it is righteous and what make them do the works of God, a complete deception.

John.15:4 Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can't bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. 15:5 I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn't receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Christ took no credit for doing God's works, he gave God the glory, Christian's ought to give their headship glory for good works done through them by Holy Spirit. The truth is Nicodemus was a great teacher but he found out the truth was not just by scripture, but by being born again by the Spirit of God is truth. Self approval was not in Christ mind, why should it be in those born a new in Christ? This battle of flesh against Spirit plagues every Christian's since Christ; is it their own will, or the will of the Father? Let us remember because we can form a legal argument by scriptures and win the argument does not mean it was directed by our headship in Christ.

James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously"? 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."{Proverbs 3:34}

Mixtures of two wills, two heads, is not how Christ conquered this world in being approved of God YHWH. None of us without Christ could have gain eternal life for ourselves, and/or the rest of the human race by our works, giving them enough merit to redeem them from death.

Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

We must accept the works of God, not man's or teachers because they can uses the bible efficiently, we are redeem by one person merit, which is humbly given us freely, but God's love, let us boast in Christ!

Ephesians 2:9 not of works, that no one would boast.
2 Corinthians 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

2 Corinthians 10:17 But "he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."{Jeremiah 9:24}

Philip.2:1 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion, 2:2 make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 2:3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; 2:4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. 2:5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
2:6 who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 2:7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
2:9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;

See also: www.nu-truth.com