[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by OBW

Besides, if you buy Lee's version of the verse, then you have to assume that Paul is busy talking about something that has absolutely nothing to do with the Trinity other than to consider the body that Jesus received in resurrection. Then suddenly, in the middle of that discussion, Paul had a serious bout of ADHD, shouted "squirrel" and rambled on about how Jesus became the Holy Spirit (without ever actually saying those words) then just as suddenly returned to the discussion he had been carrying on before.

There is a term used in relation to the buying and selling of real estate: "Location, Location, Location!". Suppose you were in the market for buying a home and a realtor tells you "I have the perfect house for you". Then he goes on to describe the house in great detail, right down to the color of the front door and how shiny the brass door knobs are. Naturally your response would be, "great, just where is this perfect house located?" Then the realtor gets all indigent and says "you foolish person, I just told you that I found the perfect house for you. You must be under the influence of all those people who think only of location. Location, Location, Location? Fooey on Location!"

Please forgive me for the lame story, but it does have some application to what we are discussing here. When it comes to interpreting many of the passages in the Bible (especially the New Testament, and particularly in the writings of Paul) the concern is also Location, Location, Location - or to put a finer point on it, Context, Context, Context!

1 Corinthians 15:45 is written within a particular context, and we can zoom out just a little, putting it within the context of the immediate surrounding verses, (maybe verses 44-46) or we can zoom out to the entire chapter, or the entire book of 1 Corinthians, or the entire body of Paul's writings, and on and on. But no matter what, if we are going to be "rightly dividing the Word of truth" we must take care to interpret any particular word, term or phrase within as large of a context as is necessary to accurately ascertain the correct interpretation. If we don't do this then we are going to end up cutting off our hands and plucking out our eyes!

Witness Lee proclaiming "how many spirits are there that give life?" is like somebody saying "what part of cutting off your hands and plucking out your eyes do you people not understand? Now shut up and pass out the swords and gouges and get to work!".

"The last Adam became a life giving spirit". Firstly we might ask, does every reference to "spirit" refer to the Holy Spirit? Sometimes it IS appropriate to answer a question with a question, especially if the question is to clarify the context of any particular word, term or phrase. So, job one here, it seems to me, is to accurately ascertain what Paul meant by "spirit". The apostle Paul was a master theologian and was very thoughtful and precise in his use of language, so there is no reason that any latter day theologian should not be as thoughtful and precise as well.

Sorry, too long of a post already.

Originally Posted by OBW

Then suddenly, in the middle of that discussion, Paul had a serious bout of ADHD, shouted "squirrel" and rambled on about how Jesus became the Holy Spirit

Shouted "squirrel"