Quote:
Originally Posted by Drake
Sing something..... could preserve you.
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Oh I'm preserved all right....unfortunately I'm lifeless from decades of being submerged in the preserving formaldehyde of "the ministry".
Speaking of preserving, (and this is a deviation from the thread topic so my post is welcome to be moved elsewhere) there is a portion in the Life-Study of Matthew about the preserving aspect of our being the salt of the earth. I definitely do agree there is a preserving aspect of our being the salt of the earth. But as I read it I thought it was a great simple example of how wrong thoughts are so seamlessly interwoven throughout right ones in Lee's speaking and I think is why some struggle so much with what to throw out. You literally have to work through every word.
Green text is what I generally agree with. Red text is what I don't agree with.
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When we say that we are salt, it means that we exercise our influence over the earth created by God to keep it in its original condition.
The earth, which was created by God, has become fallen. In a sense, it has become rotten and corrupted. Salt kills the germs and eliminates this rottenness.
Any medical doctor can tell you that salt kills germs, eliminates rottenness, and preserves things in their original condition.
By nature, salt is an element that kills the germs of corruption and eliminates them. Thus, through its killing and preserving function, salt brings the earth back to its original condition or keeps it in its original condition. Hence, the function of salt is to preserve what God has created. The entire earth is becoming more and more rotten. Therefore, we must exercise our influence over this corrupted earth. To the corrupted earth, the people of the kingdom of the heavens are the element that keeps the earth from being fully corrupted."
The thought that "salt brings the earth back to its original condition" or is "to keep it's original condition" is just not true about salt. Salt preserves something where it is at. It does not have a restorative effect or bring anything back to anything. I would agree that salt is "to keep it's CURRENT condition". But when he said the earth has become rotten, which is true, salt cannot be retroactive to bring things back to it's original condition.
Same concept with "eliminates rottenness". I would agree with "prevents rottenness" or "eliminates the germs that cause rottenness", but "eliminates rottenness" implies the presence of rot already. If you have meat with rottenness already, the salt will not "eliminate" that rottenness.....it will just preserve what is still good in its current condition.
This is by no means earth shattering or faith-changing but it kind of exemplifies why I always had so much trouble with reading the ministry.....inaccuracy is interwoven so much throughout. And where there is a little inaccuracy or deviation from accuracy, that can be built upon over time and you end up far off.
If you were reading a textbook and every other or third or fourth phrase wasn't true, what would you do? Throw that thing out and get a better and more accurate one! What use is it if it is not accurate?