Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
Thanks, Freedom. I think LCers believe the point is to only need the Spirit; to reach some plane where the behavioral principles of the Bible are unnecessary. But I don't know anyone who has achieved such a state. The Bible's principles are a natural protective framework in which we can go about our lives with reasonable confidence that we are behaving in a way pleasing to God. Within that framework, the Spirit speaks to us.
Witness Lee talked about "living Christ." I think this idea was his attempt to reach this plane of not needing everyday knowledge and wisdom for behavioral decisions, but only the Spirit. He himself confessed failure at achieving this standard.
It is, in fact, a false goal. Certainly we should walk as intimately with God as possible. But have your ever tried to hear the Spirit's leading on every little thing you do moment by moment? God doesn't give it. When I try to do that He seems to say to me, "That's not how it works. I'm not going to micromanage you."
|
When I think about all I heard about "living Christ" in the LC, it all once seemed so reasonable, but just look at the outcome. Things are a mess, and that's an understatement. That's not to say that we shouldn't strive for what Paul spoke of in Phil 1:21 "For me to live is Christ". But what does this actually mean? Barnes notes on this verse has a helpful explanation:
Quote:
For to me to live is Christ - My sole aim in living is to glorify Christ. He is the supreme End of my life, and I value it only as being devoted to his honor - Doddridge.... This implied the following things:
(1) a purpose to know as much of Christ as it was possible to know...
(2) a purpose to imitate Christ - to make him the model of his life...
|
It we equate "for me to live is Christ" with a simple desire to glorify Christ and make that our aim, the pieces all fall into place. there is nothing overly complicated or esoteric about that. Let's compare this to what WL says:
Quote:
The Christian life is not merely an ethical life, a good life, or a moral life. The Christian life, of course, should be ethical, moral, and excellent. But strictly speaking, it is not an ethical life. It is something higher than an ethical life. The Christian life is a life that lives Christ. In our living as a Christian, others should not see merely our goodness, our ethics, or our morality. They should see Christ. We Christians should live a life that lives Christ and magnifies Him.
Witness Lee, The Christian Life, Ch 1
|
When reading this statement, it might sound somewhat reasonable at first, but there's just something not quite right about it. And that is, of course, the fact that WL tries to separate ethics/morality from "living Christ." What he says seems to be intended to minimize the importance of ethics/morality. The flaw in his logic the failure to recognize that these are interdependent if we desire to glorify God.
Speaking of the Christian life, WL says, and I quote "
it is not an ethical life." Ummm, yes it is. Very much so. It is impossible to glorify Christ if we're morally deficient or lacking in basic ethics. Jesus himself said:
For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Of course, this doesn't mean that righteousness is found in ourselves, but through faith in Christ (Phil 3:9).