Four Areas where W. Lee was Flat Wrong

Cal · 04-09-2012, 11:09 AM

Error #1: Equating knowledge with evil.

Lee liked to call the tree of knowledge of good and evil "the tree of knowledge," changing the meaning of the metaphor. But the Bible never equates knowledge with evil. It says knowledge is not an end in itself and can be abused, but that is true for most things God created.

Error #2: Psychology is worthless to spirituality.

In my experience, psychology is very important to spirituality. In fact, much of what we consider spirituality is actually, legitimately, mostly psychology. Paul instructs us how to think in Philippians 4. Proverbs 23:7 says as a man thinks, so he is. Our mind is a very powerful tool for modifying our behavior. Habits are a matter of our mind. Our subconscious mind affects us more than we realize. To dismiss psychology wholesale is to put oneself at an extreme disadvantage. Psychology is simply the way people manifestly operate. To disdain it is to disdain man himself and God’s creation.

Error # 3: God wants to work himself into our beings.

This is one of Lee’s biggest errors, that the actual element of God is somehow being fused into our souls. Nowhere does the Bible suggest that such a thing is going on. And experience does not support it. Transformation is being made more like God in our soul. That means, primarily, learning to value things and think about things the way God does. I.e., it is primarily a matter of what we think about and how we think about it. Where our thoughts go, the rest of our being follows. As we become more obedient, naturally the Spirit is manifested more in our lives because He flows more freely through us, but that doesn’t mean He’s been “worked into our being.”

Note: 1, 2 and 3 above show a pattern whose cumulative effect is to put listeners in a compromised mental state.

First they are taught to mistrust knowledge itself, thus embracing ignorance. Second, they taught to mistrust the way their minds are manifestly designed to work, thus becoming dull of mind. Thirdly, they are taught to trust a vague and unverifiable process which operates beyond the scope of their experience. So even though there is no evidence that God is infused into anyone’s soul, they believe this is happening, to the disdain of anything else shown to be more accurate and effective. It is only years or decades later that they realize that none of this had the effect that was promised.

Error #4: Rapture and reward depend on growth.

The Bible never teaches either. Rapture is taught by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4 as one event and he never suggests any believers will be left behind. Time and again, reward in the Bible is taught as based on faithfulness, not growth. This error leads believers to focus on their own condition, rather than on service to the Lord.

04-09-2012, 11:09 AM	#1
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,333	Four Areas where W. Lee was Flat Wrong Error #1: Equating knowledge with evil. Lee liked to call the tree of knowledge of good and evil "the tree of knowledge," changing the meaning of the metaphor. But the Bible never equates knowledge with evil. It says knowledge is not an end in itself and can be abused, but that is true for most things God created. Error #2: Psychology is worthless to spirituality. In my experience, psychology is very important to spirituality. In fact, much of what we consider spirituality is actually, legitimately, mostly psychology. Paul instructs us how to think in Philippians 4. Proverbs 23:7 says as a man thinks, so he is. Our mind is a very powerful tool for modifying our behavior. Habits are a matter of our mind. Our subconscious mind affects us more than we realize. To dismiss psychology wholesale is to put oneself at an extreme disadvantage. Psychology is simply the way people manifestly operate. To disdain it is to disdain man himself and God’s creation. Error # 3: God wants to work himself into our beings. This is one of Lee’s biggest errors, that the actual element of God is somehow being fused into our souls. Nowhere does the Bible suggest that such a thing is going on. And experience does not support it. Transformation is being made more like God in our soul. That means, primarily, learning to value things and think about things the way God does. I.e., it is primarily a matter of what we think about and how we think about it. Where our thoughts go, the rest of our being follows. As we become more obedient, naturally the Spirit is manifested more in our lives because He flows more freely through us, but that doesn’t mean He’s been “worked into our being.” Note: 1, 2 and 3 above show a pattern whose cumulative effect is to put listeners in a compromised mental state. First they are taught to mistrust knowledge itself, thus embracing ignorance. Second, they taught to mistrust the way their minds are manifestly designed to work, thus becoming dull of mind. Thirdly, they are taught to trust a vague and unverifiable process which operates beyond the scope of their experience. So even though there is no evidence that God is infused into anyone’s soul, they believe this is happening, to the disdain of anything else shown to be more accurate and effective. It is only years or decades later that they realize that none of this had the effect that was promised. Error #4: Rapture and reward depend on growth. The Bible never teaches either. Rapture is taught by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4 as one event and he never suggests any believers will be left behind. Time and again, reward in the Bible is taught as based on faithfulness, not growth. This error leads believers to focus on their own condition, rather than on service to the Lord.