God in Life and Nature... Oh Really?

[zeek]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

In a way it has been "lost" in particular types of Christianity -evangelicalism for example. I think what is recovered in not the idea itself per se, as it was never really hidden as you showed, but its rightful place as the "high peak of divine revelation".

Between different churches the gospel is not too different, however their belief in the goal or purpose of salvation might be different. One might see earthly prosperity as the goal, others may see humility and obedience as the goal, others might see getting to heaven as the goal. The early church seemed to have "deification" or "glorification" as the goal - to be fully conformed to the image of the Son. That must be God's highest purpose for mankind.

Glorification, according to Lee is "when the spirit, soul and body are reconstituted wholly." "...sanctification consummates in the believers' glorification." (The Spirit with Our Spirit, Chapter 11, Section 6)

The doctrine has never been totally lost. The question is whether or not deification actually ever occurs and if so to whom?

I assume you think it's occurring in Lee's local church movement. I was in that group for thirteen years. I saw people working hard for their own sanctification.

But it's a tricky proposition. Seeking to be sanctified and glorified is seeking your own ultimate salvation. What did Jesus say? "...whoever desires to save his life will lose it..."

I saw that the leaders including Lee himself, sought their own "glorification." I saw him who was supposed to be the furthest along in the deification process suing Christians who disagreed with him.

I saw an elder who was supposed to be the spiritual leader in the locality drum people out because they didn't hold the right opinion not about Christ but about Witness Lee. I saw leaders take the money that the saints gave to the Lord use it to live in an opulent life-style.

When I saw what was actually going on versus the "vision", the leaders lost the hold of their "spiritual authority" over me and I left.

So, the doctrine doesn't need to be recovered. It was never lost. The spiritual reality is the problem. If the proof is in the pudding, where's the pudding?