How can we differentiate between the spirit and the emotion? When a man's spirit is released, it is released with his emotion. If his emotion and spirit are in harmony with each other, the release of the spirit will strike a response in us, and we will sense that this release is pure, gentle, and firm. But when a man's spirit is released through his emotion and the two are not in harmony with each other, the result will be an intrusion of the emotion; others will not sense his spirit. His emotion will contaminate his spirit and defile it. When there is only the release of the emotion, without the release of the spirit, this release will be a kind of defilement.
Watchman Nee
The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, Set 3 Vol. 58: Spiritual Judgment and Examples of Judgment
I think I've read this complete quote about 7 or 8 times and I still can't grasp what Watchman Nee is actually saying here. Where in the Bible does it ever tell us that we are to "differentiate between the spirit and the emotion"? I don't think this is our job. This is the job of the Holy Spirit. This is job of the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit". To say that "we will sense that this release is pure" is trusting in man's natural abilities and not in the Spirit or Word of God.
"His emotion will contaminate his spirit and defile it." This is not only nonsensical, it is just plain unbiblical. If it is true that our human spirit is where the Holy Spirit dwells (which Nee taught and the Bible teaches) then it is impossible for our "emotion" to "contaminate" our human spirit. This kind of nonsensical, unbiblical teaching really exemplifies the danger in someone like Watchman Nee becoming the chief theologian for an entire Christian movement. And we all know what happen when Witness Lee assumed the reigns and proceeded on with another 50 years of make-it-up-as-you-go-along theology. Lord have mercy.
-