[ZNPaaneah]

So on this forum Awareness has pointed out that he was disciplined for not receiving the “MOTA” doctrine. Zeek has also confirmed the way this doctrine was shoved down his throat in a “take it or leave” approach. I was told by Joe Davis that in the LRC we don’t teach anything that WL doesn’t teach, regardless of the truth. Others have also confirmed that in different localities Witness Lee and the elders taught that WN was the “Minister of the Age” because he had the “Vision of the Age”. His ministry was therefore the “Ministry of the Age”. What that meant was that it was unique, particular. Unlike other ministries of preaching the gospel or doing some other inspired service to the Lord, this ministry was actually accomplishing what the Lord wanted accomplished in this “age”. Ray Graver spoke openly that Witness Lee was the Minister of the Age because he took up the mantle from Watchman Nee to release the truth concerning the Ground of the Church. Yet despite many, many witnesses having heard this teaching from both elders and Witness Lee all written record of a direct link to Witness Lee seems to have been expunged from the LSM printed materials. In my experience working with LSM as an editor I knew that certain brothers edited content. We were told explicitly that they knew that some things that WL said in the meeting were not to be published. That was not my job, and they did not expound on what items were not for print.

We asked how you define “age” and have not received anything even closely resembling an answer. If a 40 year ministry represents “an age” then logic suggests we have had 200+ ages since Jesus crucifixion. This contradicts Jesus word in Matthew 28 where He says that from that point on till the end of the age — indicating that the period from the resurrection to the second coming is one age. No explanation, no clarification.

We pointed out that the NT makes it very clear that only Jesus is the mediator, there is no other mediator between God and man and describing Witness Lee as a mediator is a damnable heresy that denies the Lord who bought us. Again, no explanation for the message given by Ron Kangas. We pointed out that using OT types of Jesus Christ and applying them to WN and WL is heresy. No response.

We pointed out that this doctrine is the basis for the LRC dividing themselves from other Christians and refusing to eat the Lord’s table with them. Drake and Evangelical agreed but have differing explanations. Drake says he is obeying the Lord’s command to him, similar to where the Lord said He would cause divisions. However, when we looked at that word specifically the division was caused by confessing that Jesus is Lord. So I asked Drake if he equated saying that WL is the MOTA with saying Jesus is Lord. He denied it, agreeing that would be a damnable heresy. Evangelical on the other hand feels that rejecting the doctrine of MOTA is similar to rejecting the gospel or the messages by Paul. So Evangelical equates the doctrine of MOTA with the gospel of Christ.

I would argue that either justification is a perversion of the gospel and they are preaching a different Jesus. However, let’s address Drake’s point in greater detail. It is possible for the Lord to speak something to you that others don’t agree with. For example, the movie about Hacksaw Ridge was a docudrama based on fact. A man joined the army but because of his convictions refused to carry a gun. Yes, you can use the Bible to justify his position as well as to justify the position of those that disagreed. But, he didn’t use this special command of the Lord to justify separating himself from other Christians. I believe the Lord can command him to not carry a gun while at the same time being OK with other Christians who do carry a gun.

But when you justify a sect with this “special command” of the Lord then you have crossed the line into damnable heresy. And this is the line we have crossed. Drake refuses to give a coherent defense of this doctrine using the Bible even though he has elevated it to the items of the faith, things that we cannot compromise on. Evangelical on the other hand is impossible to understand. He refers to "leaders" instead of "unique and particular leader" that Kerry defines. He does not describe the MOTA as a leader but rather a person whose "Ministry he follows". He describes rejecting the doctrine of MOTA as being equivalent to rejecting the gospel of Christ. As though that is somehow different from equating WL with Christ.