Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
Nee ...suffered from the delusion and self-obsession of one who felt himself (not Jesus Christ) to be the center of God's will.
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Of course any self-respecting Local Churcher would deny such statements, vehemently. Christ is the center of God’s economy! Christ, Christ, Christ! Christ is everything, and everything is in Christ. Like the hymn by A.B Simpson.
In order to understand what I'm saying, therefore, look at Jesus Christ. He brooked no fellowship from common men. When they remonstrated with Him, He refused it. He was here to do the Father’s will. He was the Holy One of God (Mark 1:24); to accept counsel from sinners would distort His path.
“Lord, take some food,” got the reply, “My food is to do the Father’s will.”
“Not so Lord! This will never happen to You!” got “Get behind Me, Satan!”
Etc. The Christ of God was and is, by definition, a singular Entity. There aren't two or three or eight. We all know this: there's only One Pathway to the Father. Jesus Himself is the Way, by definition singular. Jesus is both Lord and Christ, again singular.
But what of the sinners who follow behind Jesus? Is there to be one Vicar of Christ, of whom all else must seek succor? The answer is a resounding no - the safety of the flock lies in the counsel of many. Proverbs says this thrice. Watchman Nee continually ignored this necessary word of caution, and was instead answerable only to God. Nee himself wrote to T.A. Sparks that he had no peers; his revelations had removed them. Witness Lee continued in this folly of Nee. Thus they became the respective centers of their own make-believe worlds, they and those whom they convinced to submit. And thus the delusion of self had a pathway to grow unchecked.
And that's why I see a clear lineage between Nee and the Shouters, EL, Arvore da Vida, and so forth. It's arguably the same deceiving spirit: subjectivity over all. "I'm the Final Apostle with the Final Revelation; I announce to you the Ultimate Blessing which will usher in the Last Revival and End the Age! Hear my High Peak Gospel, and live!" Etc, etc... me, me, me.