Witness Lee Went Too Far; Christendom Probably Not Far Enough

[Sons to Glory!]

Lee said, "God became man, so that man could become God" as part of the so-called "high peak revelation." And it should be stated that he does add to this phrase, "but not in the aspect of the Godhead." However, a quick Google search of that phrase shows that Lee was certainly not the first. Athanasius, who lived in the 4th century AD, seems to have stated this originally. However, while various scriptures might be pulled in to back this notion up, the saying is nonetheless extrabiblical. That is, it can't be found in the bible. Therefore, I believe Lee goes too far with it.

However, it also occurs to me that much of Christendom does not go far enough in this respect of God's purpose with man. While we are exhorted rightly to focus on Christ alone, we also have to realize why our beloved Christ came - to lovingly restore man to God's original intention, authority and fellowship.

I've heard this statement lately and I think it reflects God's purpose in Christ more clearly, and can be supported directly in scripture:

The Son of God became a Man so that men would become the sons of God.

[Jeffery James]

Yeah, there are very good reasons why Christians neither emphasize nor bother to teach this doctrine in America, unless you are learning church history.

Concerning Lee's teaching. Its a downright poor understanding of what the Orthodox church preserved over the years. They SOUND the same, but they are definitely different, which is why Lee's teaching of man becoming God bathes in heresy.

My personal interpretation of why Lee went off the wall here was for multiple reasons.

First, he needed a "come-back" teaching to distract the Local Recovery (LR) movement from the dangerous aftermath of the "God Ordained Teachings" era, which did not sit well with many churches, families, and Christians in the 1980s. (In fact, even this year, I heard about coworkers being suppressed for wanting to continue practicing these extremist teachings)

Second, maintaining influence within an organization like this requires constantly "loading the language" to shape the followers’ thought patterns. A key aspect of the totalistic teaching of the "Minister of the Age" is the claim that this "Minister" uniquely reveals and recovers some aspect of God’s truth in their time. Implicitly, the "Minister" must perpetually do this to maintain their reputation and authority. All this to say, "God became man so that man could become God" was the shell, but Lee's inaccurate theology and controlling ideology were the content.

[PeterG]

There is probably another reason. WL started preaching the “God-man” at the time when he also complained that his work with the church never reached the standard of the original vision. So at this point he drifted into mysticism and the over-expectation of the individual. Unfortunately, the completely wrong consequence...

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!