Quote:
Originally Posted by UntoHim
The bottom line, in my view, is not whether or not there will be rewards for those who have been "a good and faithful servant"....that is clearly stated in the Word. The issue is the basis upon which the "unfaithful" servants will be judged. Will these unfaithful servants be judged upon the Person and work of Jesus Christ the Righteous, or upon the person and work of a a man and his "ministry"? I am very confident about the first...I'm very doubtful and suspicious about the latter. Of course my "experience" (such as that may be) leads me to have lots of confidence and even boastfulness in the judgments and righteousness of Jesus Christ...and not so much in the judgments and righteousness (or lack thereof) of Witness Lee.
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I am basically fine with where this thread has gone since I "rebooted" it (from where it was over a year ago). I do believe that WL went too far and planted damaging seeds of fear about outer darkness, and how one could easily wind-up there for 1000 years. Yup - been there, done that and wore the T-shirt plumb out a while ago! Praise the Lord He has shown, and is showing us that fear is not the basis for His motivation and dealing with us - NOT AT ALL.
His basis and His motivation toward us is that of a loving Father who wants a real and living relationship with His children. That is His purpose. Yes, He will get His purpose (His family), but He is not a giant steamroller who delights in crushing us if we get in His way (that's what I used to imagine). That makes no sense to me now.
"There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment. 1 John 4:18 No way to say that better!!!
But, let me also say I am thankful to the Lord that He specifically led me somewhere which taught there was accountability for our works in this life (namely the LC). The unfaithful servant in Matthew 25 was afraid of the Lord and this resulted in him acting in unprofitable ways, and shows he was not perfected in love. Fear; Unfaithfulness; Not truly knowing Christ in his life (so he viewed Christ inaccurately) = a result of not profiting in his works.
The Lord gave me smaller doses of the Recovery than He did many others (let me say I am most thankful for His love to me and His timing of where He's led me). Others spent more time under the ministry of WL, and this doctrine of God crushing them if they (for instance) left the LC, and probably got more of this errant teaching into them than what got into me.
But praise Him for fresh light regarding His love for us!
So again, all of us have some basic agreement on the below three principles in the word, right?
1. The Father loves us and we are reborn with a gift of new life - His life - in us, and therefore children of God who are true believers are thereby saved eternally.
2. There are many warnings in OT and NT telling us we are accountable - there is some degree of scrutiny by God in the next life (and also this life) - for our works after we receive the new birth.
3. God is righteous and His judgments are just. He is firm yet He is fair in all His ways.
Wataya think of dem apples?