Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
lol you and others here define the LSM by its extremes all the time...
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I think this is the danger of a thread titled "do you think Christianity is degraded"
Clearly we would all agree that there are worldly people, there are people who are nominal Christians, there are people who are conflicted or compromised Christians, there are Christians who are not completely faithful, and let's be real, there are not any Christians anywhere who have "arrived" and are now in a position to judge others.
The title invited your judgement, but we all know we have been told very clearly to not judge until the time:
1Cor 4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 5 Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall each man have his praise from God.
We all have opinions about what is good and what isn't, but we don't know the hidden things of darkness nor do we know the counsels of the heart. Until these things are brought to light we cannot judge.
This thread is a response to Witness Lee's teachings that Christianity is degraded, it is a window into how comments like this spawn divisive and extreme comments. It is illustrative of how these comments are irresponsible. This is similar to Paul's word concerning Cretans, saying that "this word is true therefore rebuke them strongly".
Let's assume for the sake of rational discussion that WL was not referring to frauds, charlatans and nominal Christians but rather to dear believers who have fallen into a "degraded" situation. This kind of teaching will not lead to them being delivered but rather to an air of superiority, being puffed up one against another, people glorying in things that they received freely and which they should therefore give freely. You act like you are rich and are already reigning as kings, leaving the other 99% of Christians behind. This kind of teaching leads to complacency as though you are filled and have need of nothing.
Would a father teach a son this, or would a charlatan trying to sell some snake oil teach this? This kind of teaching sounds like ten thousand other used car salesmen hawking their wares and why everyone else's product is inferior.
WL had great swelling words, but where was the power? It is a tiny group that continues to splinter into ever smaller fragments.