[Paul Miletus]

Originally Posted by Igzy

Watchman Nee's teaching on submission being absolute and obedience being relative are interesting, but it's not supported by the Bible. My belief is that it is mostly a transference of Chinese culture to the Bible, with a bunch of M.E. Barber added.

There's no verse that says submission should be "absolute." In fact, the Bible says "submit to one another." Now, if you are submitting to me and I'm submitting to you how can either submission be "absolute?"

Secondly, I'm not sure how one cannot obey and still be submitting. The concept sounds good but it makes no sense.

Nee's words are not the Bible, his interpretation is not the Bible either, and his teachings on authority have become a tool for a few to try to control many.

Would you like to try the following Scriptures if God would not want you to submit to authority? Do you think it is alright for you to submit to authority if ever you would like to? Or, will you submit to authority because it is imperative for us to submit to authority? In other words, submission to authority is absolute! Please take note of the word "everyone" and also see an excerpt from Brother Watchman Nee's "Authority and Submission".

Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Romans 13:5
Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

God’s children must learn to know authority and find out to whom they should submit. Wherever we go, the first thing we should ask is whose authority should we be under. As soon as we move to a place, we should not expect to be the master, asking others to submit to us. Instead, we should be like the centurion, who told the Lord Jesus, “For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me” (Matt. 8:9). Here was a man who truly knew authority. He could submit to authority; therefore, he was able to be a deputy authority himself. We have said that God upholds and maintains the whole universe with His authority. He also begets His children with His authority (John 1:12) and binds them together with His authority. Therefore, if a man is independent, individualistic, and free from any God-appointed deputy authority, he is an outsider as far as God’s administration over the whole universe is concerned. He cannot get along with other children of God, and as such, he cannot accomplish God’s work on earth today. God has established deputy authorities in the church; the church is built up and maintained by the authority of God. For this reason every child of God should look for the authority to whom he should submit so that he can coordinate with others in a proper way. Unfortunately, many people have failed in this point.