Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Vusik
As all you know, or at least the people that at one time where a part of TLR, that there is a very high emphasis put on the ideology of “we must choose to eat of the tree of life”, and don’t be like Adam and Eve and choose the wrong thing.
However, unless I’m mistaken, there isn’t a single verse of scripture that equates Jesus Christ to the tree of life, nether calls Him the tree of life. I don’t care about symbolism or typology, nether do I care about some interpretation that says so. As far as I know and doing some studies on the matter, there is only 12 times that the tree of life is mentioned in the Bible, and not one of those referring to Christ!
The reason I’m posting this is to find out if anyone here can or had done some studies about it and has some input.
Just a side note, I’m not interested in any recovery bible verses, or footnotes, or quotes. I have a very strong suspicion where all this comes from, but was hoping to get some feedback first to see if it connects the dots.
Thanks.
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I’ve found, to my great frustration, that Witness Lee proposes many things that, on the surface, may sound very “Christian” but are rather really odd when you dig deeper. Is it really so radical to compare Jesus to the Tree of Life? The man in whom is eternal life? The man who said “eat me and live forever”? The man who said “my words are life” and that he is life? I would say that it is not so radical. The Tree of Life offered eternal life to man, and now Jesus does. It’s not the craziest thing I’ve heard.
No, my problem is with Lee’s extreme view on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and his portrayal of all pursuit of knowledge being somehow inherently bad. This idea of “eating Christ” which is derived from biblical scriptures and the idea of avoiding “good and evil” because it’s on the “wrong tree” has several dangerous pitfalls that can be damaging to interpersonal relationships within The Lord’s Recovery and to the congregation at large which consumes many of Lee’s teachings. All critical thought is shut down, especially any thoughts that are critical of Lee, the elders, or the teachings of The Lord's Recovery which come from their own little "Watchtower" known as Living Stream Ministry. This teaching, along with their "Minister/Ministry of the Age" doctrines, is rooted in a desire for complete and total thought control which discourages the saints from really and truly meditating over and studying the scriptures and, subsequently, the teachings that are being given to them on a nearly daily basis by this denomination.
You want to talk about doctrines and scriptural analysis? Nope! That’s knowledge, and knowledge brings death! Let’s just “eat Christ”! You have genuine questions and misgivings about the “Ministry” and want to talk about it? Nah, brother, just focus on “eating Christ”! You want to critique one of the teachings/ideas found in the morning revival? Nope! That’s death! We’re just here to “eat” and “enjoy Christ”! You have a problem with the way certain brothers/elders handle church matters or a certain word they gave to the congregation? Nope! That’s death, so stop talking about it! Why focus on trash when you can focus on the good stuff? Just “eat Christ”! Even if you’re right, it’s just “true trash” that will upset people and potentially cause division! Would you really just want to be right at the cost of causing divisions? That’s not very Christ-like! Don’t be a divider! Don’t let all those questions get in the way of the “fellowship”! Don’t let the Devil take a hold of you! Just “eat Christ”! Oh, this sister wrote and published an open letter where she poured out her heart to the brothers and sisters in The Lord’s Recovery about her struggles and concerns? Nope! That’s just an attack from Satan and it brings death! Don’t even read her letter unless you want to touch death! Stay away! Just “enjoy Christ” with the brothers and sisters! Just “eat Christ” with the saints! Such a constant stream of thought-stopping language instills in the saints a deep-seated fear of examining the teachings being given to them, making them vulnerable to further spiritual abuse by their brothers, sisters, and leaders.
What completely infuriating and utterly thorough
nonsense is Lee’s concept of “eating Christ” and his false dichotomy of “life vs knowledge.” When I hear most Christians talk about Jesus being the Tree of Life, I know they simply mean he is where we get eternal life, but when I hear the saints in The Lord’s Recovery talk about Jesus being the Tree of Life and “eating Christ”, I am well aware of all the hidden meanings that such seemingly innocuous words entail, and it makes me sick to my stomach. I’ve said it elsewhere and I’ll say it here: there is no set of doctrines that piss me off more than Lee’s tainted teachings regarding “knowledge” and “the dead letter” which stem from his perverted presentation of the concepts of “life” and “death.”