Spiritual Authority by Watchman Nee

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Peter Debelak

This follows the point I made about Christ being the paradigm shifter in regards to authority. Here's my thesis:

Humans need structures of authority, even delegated authority, UNLESS, they have access to and follow Christs direct demands.

Thoughts?

Nee's paradigm for deputy authority uses Moses as a type of today's spiritual authority in the church. Those who voice their "concerns" about his leadership, will end up with leprosy as Meriam did. Great fear is needed to hold the church under such authority. The curse of Ham for exposing Noah's impropriety was also effectively used to silence the church, and deliver the leadership from accountability.

Moses, however, was never a type of the MOTA or an apostle. Moses was type of Christ. (Heb 3.2-6) Moses as a "deputy authority" was a type of Christ, our New Testament authority, and not some gifted leader or church founder. In the church age, God has given all authority to His Son.

Catholicism uses the concept of "deputy authority" the same as Lee did. They have long proclaimed that the pope is the "vicar" of Christ, thus placing one man on earth (in Rome) in the place of Christ, since He has apparently "left" and gone back to heaven. Likewise, the Recovery uses the concept of "deputy authority" when claiming Lee was the consummate MOTA and the "acting God," claiming that all authority has been placed in one man for God's move on earth.

Another interesting connection between Rome and Anaheim. Rome calls the Pope "the Holy See," while LSM calls Nee the "Seer of the divine revelation." Supposedly they both can "see" things on God's heart which none of us can see, and which were never recorded in the Bible.