Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger
When I finally started making moves that would eventually lead to my departure, there was an abiding fear within me – “What will ‘the brothers’” think. It was a very real, palpable fear, and one that had been cultivated in me over almost three decades, over several localities, by scores of leading ones. I think it is inarguable that such a fear is indeed cultivated in the saints.
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Quote:
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1Jo 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has torment, and he that fears has not been made perfect in love.
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I think it's pretty clear that the root cause of the thing is that there was a general lack of love, a lack of understanding about love, a lack of experience of love, just whatever there is related to love, there was a serious lack of that. Love is the most important theme in the New Testament yet it was completely displaced by Lee's focus on teachings regarding administration and dispensing. A friend of mine has suggested what we really need is a "Love-Study" of the New Testament.
Many seem to think that the camaraderie experienced inside the Local Church towards the saints is the evidence of the proper love. With regard to many situations, we surely did love the saints. Yet is there fear there? If the love is there, than it cannot be that there is fear. If there is fear, then that cannot be love.
I think I understand that Lee taught that "love is the expression of life" but if that's so, the lack of love would seem to indicate that there isn't really much life in the Local Church after all.
The abounding and overflowing love of God in our lives, originating in the operation of divine life that we all share, should clearly be obviously expressed within families, to people we work with, to the saints around us, to unbelievers, to our enemies, everywhere.
After all, love is how they know we are His disciples.