Quote:
Originally Posted by DistantStar
That explains their condescending view of other churches. But why use the word "economy"? Or are they using it as a kind of synonym for "recovery"? "Economy" seems out of place.
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I think Ohio misread you, and answered for the "Lord's recovery". Supposedly the church got degraded, then God raised up specially anointed vessels like Martin Luther, Watchman Nee, and Witness Lee to recover the truth. Sorry, only one Specially Anointed Seer per age (generation), so don't apply. Also supposedly the "age of spiritual giants" is now over, because Witness Lee recovered all possible truth from the Bible.
What you were referring to is known as "God's economy", and it means that salvation is by getting filled with the Spirit of God and this will "Sonify" you or "Divinize" you. Make you God in life and nature but not in the Godhead.
So salvation isn't dead works but inner filling with the Holy Spirit which transforms you into the same image, from glory to glory. They also call it "dispensing".
But it seems to me, having been out of that group for some time now, that they miss the idea of obedience. Their idea is, Just get filled, and enjoy God, and you will become God bye and bye (that's colloquial English for at some point, eventually).
But it is Jesus' obedience that gives us hope. We the unrighteous see the Righteous One, and live. And then He calls us, and says, "Follow Me". Follow Him how? Dispensing? No, obeying. "Even as I obeyed the Father's commandments, so you obey My commandments."
But how can we obey, if we are the sinful, disobedient ones? Because by faith we see Jesus before us. Like Peter who looked out of the boat, and saw Jesus there, walking. "Lord if this is indeed You, bid me come". By faith we follow Jesus. By faith we see Him (this is only by the Spirit that we see Him[Jo 15:26]), and by faith we follow. He calls His sheep by name, and they hear His voice, and follow.
Anyway, that's my alternative to "dispensing" and "God's economy".