[UntoHim]

I would suggest that if God does have "an economy" (a dubious notion I believe), then it cannot be in contention with, much, much less, antithetical to the Gospel as presented to us in the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is great danger in taking the teachings and theology of the apostle Paul, and taking them to be superseding those teachings, sayings and parables of Jesus Christ during his life and ministry here on earth.

There is a quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Laying aside for a moment the identity of the messenger (which is questionable anyhow) I have always considered this stinging condemnation of us modern day Christians as a legitimate indictment from God himself. Also, taking into consideration the life and times and history of the main proponents of this notion (God's economy) - Witness Lee and his followers - we should all find it painfully obvious that this teaching is not only unbiblical, it is virtually antithetical to the Gospel.

Witness Lee claimed that Paul's teachings in Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians were "the heart of the divine revelation". Well I would contend that the heart of the divine revelation can only be discovered in the heart of the divine Revelator, and the heart of the divine Revelator is originally, and most profoundly, revealed to us in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Our beloved apostle Paul did not teach "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt 5:48) "You therefore" follows 5 crucial verses: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?"

Brothers and sisters, friends, enemies, lurkers. There is a very good reason why the wise men who decided to order the books of the New Testament in the order that they did. The Gospels are first.
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