Erroneous Teaching of Lee Concerning Natural Affection

[Raptor]

Originally Posted by Igzy

Natural affection isn't favoritism. It's just the natural feeling of liking people. [.

But it can easily lead to favoritism. That´s the point, that by being "natural" in the sense of without God, it easily yields different kinds of bad results, favoritism is just one of the possible bad results. So you "naturally like" someone but don´t like another one. God says to like both. Now you easily fell into favoritism.

It´s not about God prohibiting affection. It´s about having affection without God.

You "naturally" love someone, with your own love...till it runs out, then you don´t want to love them anymore. But God says forgive 7x70, and Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You can´t make it.

OR,

You just "naturally like" a sister, but God says no, not that one. But you insist and insist and both of you are damaged.

OR

You just naturally like your friend from college, you have such a good time together. Until that day when he starts telling you this joke about the Lord and using His name in vain. Now the Lord is burning in you to "sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, being always ready for a defense...." Yet you "naturally like" your friend so much you don´t want to offend him, so you say nothing, and when you get back home your spirit is dead and you are full of shame.


These kinds of things happen all the time, and the Bible is full of examples like these. If the words "natural affection" cause so much confusion to understand these basic things in God´s word then come up with another phrase.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by Raptor

But it can easily lead to favoritism.

Sorry, Raptor, but I think you are off-base. That's LR thinking, IMHO.

Marriage can easily lead to being distracted, so let's ban marriage. Sexuality can lead to lust, so let's ban sex. Eating can lead to gluttony, so let's ban eating. Having kids can lead to bringing the world in your house, so let's ban families. And on and on.

"Anything that is not a need is an indulgence." I actually heard a sister say that, like it was some powerful insight. (She was very grim and tedious person.) I've heard it all. All these things sound very spiritual, but they are man's wisdom, not God's. They are doctrines of demons.

be affectionate by the Spirit

Well, of course. Who ever endorsed anything outside the Spirit?

What causes problems in God's house is living outside the Spirit. There is no need to target affection as some kind of insidious weapon of the enemy. Paul never discouraged affection. He encouraged it. Sounds to me like you have it backwards.

Lee discouraged affection because he wanted all loyalty and affection directed at him. It's a classic ploy of abusive groups to discourage close relationships between members. The goal is to make you emotionally dependent on what the group is selling.

Don't worry about have too much affection, Raptor. Worry about not having enough. Do you think Lee had affection for the people he cut down at the knees? No, I'm sure he told himself, "I can't be natural, shove the knife in."

Nothing personal, Raptor. But the lies of the LR are subtle.