[OBW]

Originally Posted by Cassidy

I interpreted OBW's "fortune cookie gospel" characterization of the truth (#10) that we are saved in His life as a statement of disagreement.

I don't think you understand my comment about "cookie cutter gospel" or those of others who take on the kind of things that Lee taught.

When I refer to a cookie cutter gospel, I am referring to the finding of words in a phrase (or sentence), tearing it from its context, and making significant statements of alleged doctrinal importance when those words, placed back in context, are saying something entirely different. An example is Paul's discussion with the Corinthians concerning the nature of the resurrected body that they would receive. The only meaningful example was the recorded observations of the resurrected Christ. So he used that. The discussion was in no way about the nature of the Trinity. But in the middle of it, Paul is alleged to have had a "look! shiny!" moment and declared that Jesus became the Holy Spirit, then just returned the discussion about the resurrected body. I very recently heard the man who wrote The Prayer of Jabez speak. He was actually a pretty good speaker, and fairly sound theologically. But that little book tends to suggest that the example of a prayer by an otherwise unknown person in the OT that was answered means that all we have to do it pray like that and we better watch out because the prayer will come true. Scripture makes no such claim. But he did.

In this case, it is very true that we are saved in His life. But Lee said "Stop! Look no further! We only need his life! We need do nothing!" But if you look at the rest of the letter to the Romans, it seems that there is more than "just life." We have to do something with it. We have to hunger and thirst for righteousness, not just bask in "life." We ultimately must agree with "life" and set our minds according to it. We must step out in the faith that the "life" is going to work in us, so we walk according to it. We don't bask in it and one day discover that we just automatically act righteously.

In fact, all evidence is that those who simply bask and presume that life will take care of everything discover that nothing changes. Yes, there are the testimonies of some who put their faith in Christ and are immediately and permanently freed from alcoholism or drug addictions. But most do not experience that. And it isn't about lack of faith. It is that we mostly become what we set our minds to do, and then practice doing. There is the exceptional pianist who claims to have simply sat down at a piano at age 4 for the first time and began to play and quickly became a prodigy. But most start with difficultly and fits of despair that they will ever play, but with years and years of practice become equally exceptional.

Change can be instantaneous, brought on by an outside force. Or, like medicine, it can be brought on by a healing force added to a body that must be fed and exercised to return to its intended condition. Yes, God does heal a few miraculously. But he mostly allows us to work through our difficulties as he provides the support and will to do what we must do.

Lee denied that we do anything. I may be forgetting what I read several years ago now, but I think I recall that when he came to Romans 8, he pretty much blew right by walking by the Spirit. It suggested that we actually do something, not just take in dispensing. No. He didn't skip it altogether. But I'm pretty sure that he didn't say a lot about it. Just moved on to the next thing he wanted to major in.

We absolutely are saved in His life. But that is not a fact to the exclusion of all other statements about our salvation, sanctification, etc. It is a part of the whole. But Lee would raise it to the level of "this is it . . . . Look no further." If we do not have His life, then there is nothing for us to set our minds on and walk according to. But if we fail to set our minds and walk, it isn't much better. Maybe a little. We can remain spiritual infants forever. And despite all the claims of spiritual superiority, the kind of theology Lee pushed convinced too many to remain spiritual babies, at least in terms of doing the hard work of sanctification.

And this is just one of the many proofs that Lee missed the point of transformation. It is not an outside force (even if we say it is in our spirit) simply working on us. It is the result of us working with the mighty hand of God.