Glad

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by recoveringCK

Growing up in the church one is taught the light on the scriptures from WL & WN was the best available, the current move of the Lord on the earth today, the church was to be the bride of Christ, ushering in the New Jerusalem complete with the Millennial Kingdom as a reward to the overcomers, true believers who pursue Christ according to the doctrines espoused. One could even say the church was the center and meaning of the universe.

Thank you so much for taking the time to come and share your testimony. You have some great observations and insights for such a young person! May the Lord continue to enlighten and strengthen you as you journey on in your pursuit of Christ, who is the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life. If this forum has helped you even just a little bit in this journey, all of us out here will rejoice in the Lord!

What caught my eye the most was your quip: "One could even say the church was the center and meaning of the universe". As you may know, there is/was (at least at one time) a song/hymn in which the opening stanza was "O I’m a man — I’m the meaning of the universe God made me such, I am so much; I’m the center and the meaning of the universe.". Of course these lyrics came directly from Witness Lee's teachings regarding the church, and was actually one of the pillars of Lee's overall ministry. We were "becoming God in life and nature" after all.

To this day, it still amazes me how Witness Lee was able to twist, contort and magically weave such an unbiblical concept and make it seem to be not only biblical, but convince a sizable lot of Christians that it was one of the central themes of the Scriptures. NO! Man is NOT the center and meaning of the universe - not even the redeemed and regenerated man. Not even the resurrected and glorified man is the meaning and center of the universe. The Bible says no such thing! The Scriptures do not even faintly imply such a thing. The center and meaning of the universe is God Himself. Even more specifically – The Truine God – The Trinity – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit are the meaning and center of the universe.

“In the beginning was God” (Genesis 1 and John 1) In the beginning God was the meaning and center of the universe that He created. Man was created by God from the dust of the ground. Yes, Man was made in His image and likeness, but Man was indeed a created creature. Yes, Man was given the image and likeness of God and also put in the garden to tend it. God did not tell Adam and Eve “I was the center and meaning of the universe, but now I have created you to be the center and meaning of the universe”. Thankfully God was not that foolish! When man fell, the center and meaning of the universe would have fallen!

Fast forward to the end of the Bible – the end of Revelation. Who is the center and meaning of the universe at the end? “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:22) In the earthly, original Jerusalem the center and meaning was the temple. Why? Because that is where the center and meaning of the universe dwelt – God Himself dwelt in the temple. The New Jerusalem will have the same center and meaning – God Himself will still be the center and meaning of the universe, just as He has been since the beginning.