Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Eph.1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love;

Why would humans find the words above almost impossible to believe? Simply put, in this life everything for most of us is gotten by gaining merit through education, work, family ties, and/or friends we are expected to earn our-way nothing is handed too us for free. If we don't fight to get it, it will be taken away.

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.

That human experience taints everything we think and do in this world unfortunately it effects how we interpret the bible as will! So when a person hears that some individuals are chosen before the foundation of our world, and God by virtue of his power, that is, love cleanse us from every dead works of sin it does not fit into the reality of our fleshly mind, and the world we live in.

Hebrews 13:6 So that with good courage we say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?"{Psalm 118:6-7}

The problem is playing by a set of rules that having nothing to do with game we are in. When the mind is set on certain standard, it is almost impossible for us to think in any other terms, everything the mind digest will come out by those standards. It is as if two different language are been spoken, and each person is trying to interpret the others person language by their own rules, nothing but confusion and fear is learned.

Romans 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!"

Human can use the word love, but it is not them, or their personality to where all thoughts and actions come from us is done out of love. We can learn love over years of experience, we might even come to put others interest before our own, but none of us can say we are ruled by love. Yet, we think we can interpret our experience of love into the God of love, impossible!

Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

Ephesians 2:3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

First, let us speak truth, the mind we have is a judgmental mind, created from judgment, some of us are more or less judgmental, but we are all judgmental. We assume judgment in life for survival is the same standard as God's mind. Moreover, without judgment we will get ourselves into all sorts of bad experiences from marriage into finance. Subsequently, reading the love of God from the human mind set under judgment thinks first in a judgmental love, by earning merit step at time until one can trust the another person. This standard of love mean drawing up contract negotiating new agreement from time to time, setting down the rules of the relationship over and over again.

1 Timothy 1:5 but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith;

1 Corinthians 2:12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.

Romans 8:32 He who didn't spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?

In other words, the relationship we call love is in a constant state of distrust, not trust, but a working relationship with readjustments for reassurances the person loves us so we can trust them. However, the relationship the apostle Paul speak of here is not a human relationship with ever changing emotion of a person, it is rather with the perfect light that has no various in his love for us. If he created us from love before the founding of our world then for us to interpret that love by a another language can only come up in confusion, darkness, and fear; so what must we do?

1Cor.2:9 But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."{Isaiah 64:4} 2:10 But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God's Spirit.
2:12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God. 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things. 2:14 Now the natural man doesn't receive the things of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can't know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 2:15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.

Here is the humbling dilemma Christian's face in this life just a Paul was dealing with at his time in writing this letter? Without faith one cannot please God. If than a person goes back to the old person and its ways of surviving by human judgments even though those judgment be based upon the bible we cannot understand God mind in Christ Jesus, or his love. Trust mean faith in a person that loves us, faith means trusting God to always do what is out of love for 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. 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. 1:19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

We cannot search for hidden evil in God by his word the bible and have trust for God. Without trust we cannot have Holy Spirit to teach us God's love, and we will continued to imputing human emotions and our judgments into God. Thus, when we read certain verses in the bible that we don't understand we will skip them going to where we are in our life, and build a legal case and even preach it to others out of fear of judgment believing fear is God's love!

James 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.

But we are deceived by the thoughts of our fleshly mind which are not God's or from him. We must be taught by God, from above, by our trusting him in humility at all times, or we are inputting our fears into God and making ourselves a god.

Romans 10:9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 6:45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

See also: www.nu-truth.com