God's Eternal Purpose

[zeek]

Originally Posted by awareness

Thanks Zeek. You nailed it. So was eating Jesus by calling and pray-reading figurative as well? That explains why no transformation ... even for Lee.

And his claim, that I heard him say, that just by attending conferences, we'd be transformed into the image of Christ, was just empty hyperbole ; more con from Lee ... and more of his megalomania.

I didn't mean to suggest that, because Lee gave a figurative interpretation of the verse, he denied it's spiritual power. So, no, I don't think that his figurative interpretation of the verse explains or necessarily supports your claim that there is "no transformation even for Lee".

[awareness]

Originally Posted by zeek

I didn't mean to suggest that, because Lee gave a figurative interpretation of the verse, he denied it's spiritual power.

I'm not sure what spiritual power your talking about: the power of the verse, or power of eating the bread of life.

Originally Posted by Zeek

So, no, I don't think that his figurative interpretation of the verse explains or necessarily supports your claim that there is "no transformation even for Lee".

Neither do I know what transformation you are speaking about.

Please clarify.

[zeek]

Originally Posted by awareness

I'm not sure what spiritual power your talking about: the power of the verse, or power of eating the bread of life.

I think I assumed those were the same for Lee. Are they different?

Neither do I know what transformation you are speaking about.

Please clarify.

According to the Recovery Version of the Bible footnote on Romans 12:2[3c]:

"Transformation is the inward, metabolic process in which God works to spread His divine life and nature throughout every part of our being, particularly our soul, bringing Christ and His riches into our being as our new element and causing our old, natural element to be gradually discharged. As a result, we will be transformed into His image ( 2 Cor. 3: 18 ), that is, conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God as His many brothers ( 8: 29 ). Thus we will be suitable for the building up of His Body."

[awareness]

Originally Posted by zeek

I think I assumed those were the same for Lee. Are they different?

According to the Recovery Version of the Bible footnote on Romans 12:23c:

Thanks. Well done. Your Recovery quote is in need of editing.

But the quote/footnote stands as it is:

"Transformation is the inward, metabolic process in which God works to spread His divine life and nature throughout every part of our being, particularly our soul, bringing Christ and His riches into our being as our new element and causing our old, natural element to be gradually discharged. As a result, we will be transformed into His image ( 2 Cor. 3: 18 ), that is, conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God as His many brothers ( [Romans] 8: 29 ). Thus we will be suitable for the building up of His Body."

I'm as skeptical of transformation/deification/theosis into God, or into the image of Christ, as I am that the bread and wine of the Lord's table becomes the actual flesh and blood of Jesus.

I wonder if the transformation Paul is talking about is at the sound of the trumpet, when the resurrection, and change of our bodies into immortality happens?

This reference, for example:

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

What does this mean? If see look thru a glass darkly, as Paul says elsewhere, how accurate can we change into the same image we're beholding?

“God became man so that men might become gods,”-Athanasius/Witness Lee

But the Bible never comes out and says such a thing outright. It has to be embellished out the ying yang, as Witness Lee did.

Let's face it, The Eternal Purpose of God, according to Lee, hinges on this outlandish embellishment of claiming we can become deified.

So I have to ask: Can I be transformed into God?

Hey, I once was a very sexual being. Now I'm celibate. Does that mean I've been transformed?

I think claimers of theosis are confusing divine transformation with the change in our biology as we age.

Cuz so far, I've seen only one in all history that was deified. Even Paul, and definitely Witness Lee, were never deified (except for the claims of the Lee myth makers).

[Cal]

"Transformation is the inward, metabolic process in which God works to spread His divine life and nature throughout every part of our being, particularly our soul, bringing Christ and His riches into our being as our new element and causing our old, natural element to be gradually discharged. As a result, we will be transformed into His image ( 2 Cor. 3: 18 ), that is, conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God as His many brothers ( 8: 29 ). Thus we will be suitable for the building up of His Body."

This is mostly a bunch of non-biblical preening designed to impress the weak-minded with high-sounding words.

Where does the Bible say God spreads his divine life and nature throughout our being as a new element causing our natural element to be discharged? This is not in the Bible. Lee made it up. Sounds great, but it's pure speculation.