Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Victim/Entitlement/Truth
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James Christ half brother ask us a question?

James. 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.

Do we believe? Then let us at least speak truth! Was Christ a victim, seeking entitlement, or was he the truth? So, if we believe God is one then let us speak truth? Well, we know the demons believed, but do they speak truth?

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another.

Romans 15:3 For even Christ didn't please himself. But, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."{Psalm 69:9}

Are we a victim? Do we think we deserve entitlements from someone, a religion, a government, a business that has victimized us? Did Christ believe he did? Do we say we are a Christian's? Did Christ see himself as a victim and preach that message he was a victim so others so we would give him things and feel sorry for him?

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost."

Luke 9:56 For the Son of Man didn't come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." They went to another village.

Did Christ have entitlement spirit that because he was the Son of God and empty himself from God's form in richness; if we did not do something for him, giving him something he would have nothing to do with us, and would speak evil words about us that because of his ministry we owed him something, a payment, property, money that is the only way we could join him in God's Kingdom? Did Christ uses his ministry to promote a business, a religion and/or a government?

Matthew 20:28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers{TR adds ", raise the dead"}, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.

Do we say we believe in Christ, yet prove false to the power of Christ life? Just as stated by Christ half brothers James the demon believe but they prove false to the power of God and Christ. Do we imagine demons give freely, or do they enslave us? So we know something more is required then just belief in Christ or God, isn't that true? Yes! We know the demon are against all that is God's and Christ, and they believe they both exist!

Christ the Victim

We live in a world of victimization where people and groups are being justified in their hates, prejudice, and demands for rights because they were, or are a victim or perhaps their forefathers were victimized.

1 Timothy 6:4 he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions.

1Pet.2:11 Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
2:12 having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.

We know that Christ was victimized as God's lamb, he was lead to the slaughter for our sins. But did Christ uses that victimization to control and make people do or give him concession by guilt because they had victimization him, and/or to give him rights or entitlements? Where indeed does that spirit victimization come from if we have it?

Acts 8:32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn't open his mouth.

Clearly not God's love! Christ victimization did not fill him full of hate, prejudice, or did he play the victim card everytime he wanted his way; playing upon the guilt of others to extract payment, or entitlements from them by constantly preaching of guilt to those who victimized him.

1Pet.2:15 For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
2:16 as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.
2:17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Christ gave of himself and the gifts of God to others while being victimized by a society, by so called brothers and sisters, that is, of the same faith that boasted in loving God. Christ was ostracized, mocked, and humiliated by that society as having a demon and being from the Devil. Moreover, any of those listening to Christ gifts from God too them were brutalized as evil apostates from that societies leaders.

John 5:42 But I know you, that you don't have God's love in yourselves.

John 8:42 Therefore Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven't come of myself, but he sent me.

Did Christ teach his followers to use their own victimization for reparations from the government to given them entitlements and rights? No! We will not find that in any history of Christ and/or in the first century congregation teachings, no rights or demands, such conduct was unheard of that thought was foreign to Christian's thinking.

Matt. 5:39 But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
5:40 If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
5:41 Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
5:42 Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
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,

Christ Our Victim

There are many victims that are haughty, and there are very few victims that are humble, those that are haughty reject Christ humility it does not move their hearts into love for him or God.

Luke.7:37 Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of ointment.
7:38 Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner." 7:40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." He said, "Teacher, say on." 7:41 "A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
7:42 When they couldn't pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?" 7:43 Simon answered, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most." He said to him, "You have judged correctly." 7:44 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.
7:45 You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. 7:46 You didn't anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."
7:48 He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

Christ victimization only appealed to the humble of heart usually not those rich in this world, but those tossed about by wicked Shepard over them. Those with the spirit of haughtiness are filled with getting even and/or making others pay for what they believe they deserved and were deprived of by someone.

Psalms 103:3 who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases;

Luke 7:49 Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,{NU omits "to heal the brokenhearted"} to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed.

Moreover, they are filled with hate and jealousy for those whom victimized them unlike Christ that loved those mistreating him knowing that they were mostly ignorant, and mislead by the power of sin and death in them. Many that came to the light Christ Jesus having their wicked ways reproved were cut to their heart that an innocent man who only loved them and God was so badly mistreated by the human race who demanded Christ be killed for some perceived wrong that took away some right from them

Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.

Christ gladly gave of his life, so we could obtain to forgiveness of our sins. He gladly paid the price for our sin freeing us from the guilty of victimization that our whole world is in, and uses victim hood to gain power, control to defeat their enemies to justify their own victimizing of others once they have gotten power.

Luke 6:37 Don't judge, and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.

John 8:36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Christ understood mankind could never be made whole, that is, free from sin, without the power of God's love. It took God's love to free mankind from the power of the guilt of sin, so they could come to know the love of God that God only looks for the good in us. Without that hope there is no love there is only death which compares itself against others in their flesh as to what they have, what they want, what they lust to obtain too, creating a victimization culture that gains rights to lusting for the same; the power over a person to have what they have.

James.4:1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your pleasures that war in your members?
4:2 You lust, and don't have. You kill, covet, and can't obtain. You fight and make war. You don't have, because you don't ask.
4:3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.
4:4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

None of us would have ever known the love of God, or what true love is, giving freely, that is, without guilt of payment in some form of concession, if God had not expressed his own love to us, which has been so badly malign by the evil of sin found in all mankind.

Rom. 3:10 As it is written, "There is no one righteous; no, not one.
3:11 There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.
3:12 They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not, so much as one."{Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20}
3:13 "Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit."{Psalm 5:9} "The poison of vipers is under their lips;"{Psalm 140:3}
3:14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."{Psalm 10:7}
3:15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood.
3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways.
3:17 The way of peace, they haven't known."{Isaiah 59:7-8}

Christ Never Taught or Believed Life on Earth is Justice or Fair

Christ did not empty himself into a man into the thinking of their flesh that he would get a fair shake in justice on this earth. He never fancy the idea of changing the world and its governments into a better more fair place to live. But once he was fashioned as a man in the flesh, and was treated unjustly, he did not start teaching human rights to change the world to anyone.

Philippians.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.

Moreover, he did not teach he would take corruption and make it good by putting his life and God's Spirit into corruption creating a better lump that would transform Satan world of darkness into a wonderful fair place that all would be treated equally, and fairly, making life paradise on earth by fighting to have all human rights restored to each gender, tribe, tongue, race, religion, government into a one world government that would unit us by human rights!

John 7:7 The world can't hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil.

John 8:23 He said to them, "You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.
John 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.

John 14:30 I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me.

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 17:14 I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 18:36 Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn't be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here."

Christ understood what so many victimized Christian's don't today that corruption is not of God, and the world is corruption, not of God, and justice of eternal life can't be found on earth, that is, found in corruption.

James.3:8 But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
3:9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.
3:10 Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
3:11 Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water?
3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
Matt.7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
7:16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
7:17 Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.
7:18 A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.
7:19 Every tree that doesn't grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.

Christ understood all that sin our victims of the first lie that the only solution was in helping sinners come to God's love that is what will set them free - God's love! Setting them free into a new heavens and one day a new earth where true righteousness dwells (not the old earth and heavens of corruption), that is, true righteousness does not exist in mankind or spirit son's of God, but in one place the incorruptible life of God, who is love. He taught his followers that life on earth would be fraught with problems and pain, but the love of God, who is Christ in us and for us, would conquer the corruption of this world because nothing is stronger than God's love which cannot fail.

1 John 2:15 Don't love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love isn't in him.

1 John 2:17 The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever.

1 John 3:1 Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn't know us, because it didn't know him.

1 John 3:13 Don't be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

Bitterness of Victimization and Entitlement

1 John 4:8 He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.

What drives the spirit of victimization in this world? If it's not the lost of rights, the hate coming from the lost of our rights, causing in us a spirit of vengeance to make others pay for victimizing us to get justice, get even! Subsequently,
rights are demands, and if necessary taking those rights at the cost of someone else life, or their own rights.

Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

This righteous hate coupled with bible teachings compounds exponentially when it comes from those claiming to be our brothers and sisters in Christ. It can make us bitter to the point of affecting us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is that oppression that causes even the wisest among us to act crazy at times.

Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don't marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.

Ezekiel 22:29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery; yes, they have troubled the poor and needy, and have oppressed the foreigner wrongfully.

So the question for Christian's what are we entitled to? To fairness, kindness, equal protection of Gods word, common courtesy, respect, love, family, friends the freedom to tell the truth to chose right and wrong, to serve God or not? In other words, where does the endless list of entitlements end? We can all come up with demanding rights from someone or something because we have been victimized.

1Pet.2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you{TR reads "us" instead of "you"} an example, that you should follow his steps, 2:22 who did not sin, "neither was deceit found in his mouth."{Isaiah 53:9} 2:23 Who, when he was cursed, didn't curse back. When he suffered, didn't threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously; 2:24 who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.
2:25 For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer{"Overseer" is from the Greek episkopon, which can mean overseer, curator, guardian, or superintendent.} of your souls.

Christ never became bitter do you know why? Because he loved God more than his life, the world had no hold on Christ it did not have hooks in Christ so he would come up with an ideology to keep what he didn't want to give up. Christ loved us more than the lost of all things in this life in this world, he could not become bitter while his whole life was a gift given freely from God's love to mankind!

Gal. 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don't consume one another.
5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh.
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.
5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
5:19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,
5:21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,{or, faithfulness}
5:23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

This is why Christ told his disciple and those that would come to him later that we must love him more than this life, and if we try to save this life by the demands of being treated fair, and/or justly we would lose it and him.

Matthew 10:39 He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Christ judgment was taken away from him while on this earth, he want us to know if we gained the Christ, that is, if his life was to indwell us we would be treated exactly the same, for a student is not above his teacher. Moreover, how can we have the life of Christ in us and be treated with anymore rights than what was allowed him while on earth?

Acts 8:33 In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth."{Isaiah 53:7,8}

Christ did not have a victimized spirit in him do you know why? Christ had the Spirit of the living God in him, God is no victim to anyone. Christ had the power in him to conquer a world that is no more then a drop in a bucket to God.

God does not give his children a spirit of victim-hood, that is, of fear and cowardice, but of power and love. How can we owe anyone a single thing if we have that power in us? How can we demand rights if we are filled with the love of Christ and the power of his kingdom?

How can we be righted in a world not of God, not unless we have the spirit of this world in us? Unity will never come from diversity of demanding rights.
When we demand we take, there is no freedom in taking in God, or in Christ, and certainly not in the Spirit. Those that take are thieves that put their needs of their own lives above all others, they add nothing to someone else life because they are victim, entitling them to take what they beleive is rightfully by their own judgments of right and wrong.

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

Luke 23:46 Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last.

Romans 3:17 The way of peace, they haven't known."{Isaiah 59:7-8}

The spirit of victimization is pervasive in the world dividing the whole world into confusion and darkness making life on earth, even for the simplest societies painful and corrupt; forcing them to learn, and live in the ways of war and not peace.

Isa. 2:2 It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of Yahweh's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.
2:3 Many peoples shall go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
2:4 He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Revelation 14:1 I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.

It is the peace of God, not in words, of victimization, but of the fruit of His Spirit that excel all thoughts of our fallen flesh let us have peace, a peace God gives us freely and in abundance when we walk in love.

Romans 14:19 So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

Titus.3:1 Remind them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
3:2 to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men. 3:3 For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
3:4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, 3:5 not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
3:6 whom he poured out on us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior;

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

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