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Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!
Ferguson said above: "probably," therefore he admits it's just his take on it. And everyone I read interprets scripture to say we have three parts (in the image and likeness of the triune God who created us).... even if these authors are on the fringe, I see the aspect of three all over creation, in scripture, and yes, in man too.
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If everyone you read interprets scripture in only one way, then perhaps you should broaden your reading list. Read people that you don't agree with, read people that challenge your thinking. Then read people who challenge them! If you only read people who say exactly what you're thinking, how can you learn, grow, change?
And you say, "I see the aspect of three all over creation, in scripture, and yes, in man too." But others see other aspects - for example, I see the aspect of seven in Revelation chapter 1. John looks up from prayer, sees "the one on the throne", then "the seven before the throne", then "the one walking in between the seven in front of the throne". Doesn't look like a trinity to me.
Or, consider the verse cited by
Trapped. Mark 12:30
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trapped
To provide some more granularity regarding the tripartite man teaching, according to Nee/Lee, the three parts of man are further divided up thus:
body - physical body
soul - mind, emotion, will
spirit - conscience, fellowship, intuition
(heart = soul plus conscience)
I did note with interest one of the verses that was referenced in one of the articles you mentioned, Mark 12:30:
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Heart, soul, mind, and strength. This would mean that, according to the LC teaching, in that verse Jesus is telling us to love God with:
-our whole soul plus 1/3 of our spirit (heart)
-our whole soul (soul)
-1/3 of our soul (mind)
-some % of our body (strength)
It would make no sense for Jesus to tell us to love God but leave 2/3 of our spirit (the main organ to contact God according to the LC, remember) out of it.
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So, what 'aspect' did Jesus see? That's the real question. I'm not aware that he presented systematic theology. I don't see the "three parts of man" in "Love the LORD your God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength."
And I don't see the 'trinity' in "the One on the throne, the Seven Spirits burning before the throne, and the One walking in the midst of the Seven Lampstands". Yet that is what I am reading in Scripture.
We all see what we're conditioned to see. Or, we see what we see after we reject our conditioning. Imagine a young boy growing up in the Gaza Strip. He's probably conditioned to see the Jews one way, as how they relate to his immediate and extended family, his tribe, his nation and people. History will be fabricated in order to create a view, which he will be expected to share, and pass on to the next generation. That's his 'aspect' of reality, or view of the world around him.
But suppose he decides that whatever path this leads him to is wrong (creating IEDs, bombing civilians, participating in rock-throwing or more organized violence). Suppose he rejects antagonism. That doesn't mean that he becomes a Christian. He might become agnostic, or pacifistic Islamist, or atheist or Buddhist. So, he rejects one 'aspect' and creates another, but is he nearer objective 'truth' as we're trying to collectively define it here? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Rejecting views, and holding others, is not perforce truth.
But Soul & Spirit - different or same or unknown isn't getting me, personally, closer to Jesus. It just presents me with someone's aspect, or view. But I want to know Jesus' view. I want to know the view of Paul (might lend to tripartite interpretation) and John (might not).
We all know where the 'tripartite' view brought us once - deeper into Witness Lee's lair. Now, someone can show me how it brings us closer to Jesus' view, his living, his walk, his glory? Certainly he didn't teach it.
(btw, some of my favourite authors taught the tripartite view, long before Watchman Nee [think Desiderius Erasmus, the "Enchiridion"]. But I'm willing to hold it at arms length, anyhow. Jesus taught, you must be willing to lose your soul, lose your favorite authors best writings)