Blending

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Trapped

I was thinking about the word "blended" as used by Lee in the recovery version in 1 Cor. 12:24 the other day. ("...But God has blended the body together....")

Does anyone know anything about the Greek word behind it and if there is a solid reason for why Lee chose to use "blended" (besides misapplying it in the churches)?

The application and understanding of this word has to be viewed in context with what was happening at LSM both publicly and behind the scenes.

First, let's get into Paul's use of the word. His thought here was "many members, but one body." There is no mention of "many churches, but one body," or the prevailing thought -- "many churches but one ministry." Ugh!

The context of this word in the epistle to Corinth addressed the attitude of members towards one another, specifically the attitudes towards those members who are not comely, whom we don't like, who may be a pain in the neck, who may be vastly different with diverse gifts and shortcomings, etc. How does Paul address this problem? He tells us that we need these members, that God has also placed them in the body, that "God has tempered the body together giving more honor to those that lack," and that the members should love one another. Chapter 13 provides excellent descriptions of love, starting out, "Love is patient, love is kind ..."

Vine's defines this Greek word "sunkerannumi" to mix or blend together, of the combining of the members of the human body into an organic structure, as illustrative of the members of a local church in I Cor 12.24. Strong's defines as "commingle, i.e. to combine or assimilate -- mix with, temper together." This very positive work of God in His body should affect all of us in our attitudes toward one another.

Back to my initial comment. W. Lee used this word "blending," not to encourage love, acceptance, and longsuffering among the members in the body of Christ, but to exact human methods to negate differences and opinions among the members. By removing our liberties in the Spirit, Lee attempted to facilitate his own brand of "oneness" with himself as the head, calling that blending. His own son Philip, as "Office Manager" at LSM, used heavy-handed techniques to beat elders and workers around the globe into subjection, calling that blending. Lee also eliminated the ministries of the gifted members in all the churches, demanding only his material to be taught in all the churches, calling that blending.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Ohio

The context of this word in the epistle to Corinth addressed the attitude of members towards one another, specifically the attitudes towards those members who are not comely, whom we don't like, who may be a pain in the neck, who may be vastly different with diverse gifts and shortcomings, etc. How does Paul address this problem? He tells us that we need these members, that God has also placed them in the body, that "God has tempered or "blended" the body together giving more honor to those that lack," and that the members should love one another. Chapter 13 provides excellent descriptions of love, starting out, "Love is patient, love is kind ..."

Compare God's work of "blending" in the body of Christ with W. Lee's goals of "blending" for the recovery:

• God intended via blending the more abundant honor be given to those members that lack, those members which are less comely
• Lee intended via blending that all honor be given to the ministry of Lee at LSM

What a contrast! What a distortion of truth! What a failure here by Lee.

[Nell]

The origin of the use of the term might be interesting. Of course, the word "blended" was not used until after Witness Lee's death in 1997 when the big question was "who's in charge"? The answer seemed to be something like "a group of responsible brothers will 'coordinate' leadership." I thought (right or wrong) that being "Scriptural" was secondary. They needed somebody to be in charge, an heir to the throne. The MOTA was dead. There was no "oracle/speaking". What to do?

No problem. Everything he said had been recorded and mostly reduced to print. Of course, this isn't the same as fresh, up-to-date speaking. Fresh, up-to-date is over. We've heard it all.

Think about the problem they faced. For decades they had touted the "up to date speaking from the throne". WLee had "the annointing". Now what? What happens to the "up to date speaking"? Where was "the annointing"? These are two claims that couldn't be passed down to anyone. You either had the "up to date..." or you didn't. You either had "the annointing" (from the throne) or you didn't. When the "Minister of the Age" died, would it not be logical to assume that the "age" was over?

They had to come up with a successor and there was no MOTA.v2

Enter "the blended brothers".

Nell

[leastofthese]

Originally Posted by Nell

Enter "the blended brothers".

Nell

What are the chances that the blendeds fall on their sword and pursue the Lord and His Spirit rather than Witness Lee?

The LSM movement is fruitless and dying - the answer on how to move forward should be obvious. Can we pray that the hearts of these guys can be moved in such a way that the the gospel of Christ can be praised and lived out rather than the words and wishes of a dead man?

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by leastofthese

What are the chances that the blendeds fall on their sword and pursue the Lord and His Spirit rather than Witness Lee?

The LSM movement is fruitless and dying - the answer on how to move forward should be obvious. Can we pray that the hearts of these guys can be moved in such a way that the the gospel of Christ can be praised and lived out rather than the words and wishes of a dead man?

A resounding YESS!!! Even though I am far removed from the LC/LSM.. I have a soft spot for the brethren I was once connected to. They helped me grow in the Lord and in His Word. Helped me to lean on the Holy Spirit in my spirit.
That was back in the day.. in the mid 70s.

[awareness]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

A resounding YESS!!! Even though I am far removed from the LC/LSM.. I have a soft spot for the brethren I was once connected to. They helped me grow in the Lord and in His Word. Helped me to lean on the Holy Spirit in my spirit.
That was back in the day.. in the mid 70s.

And I learned about the Tripartite Man :

Check this out at Wiki. Nee and Lee are in a long list of supporters of the tripartite man :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_(theology)

[leastofthese]

Originally Posted by awareness

And I learned about the Tripartite Man :

Check this out at Wiki. Nee and Lee are in a long list of supporters of the tripartite man :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_(theology)

That was my first interaction with “fellowship” at the LSM churches. A fulll time brother repeating his schpeal on tripartite man - doing what a good full timer would do, diagrams and all. I could tell he was frustrated that I wasn’t in awe by the teaching. I’m sure he thought this was a “gem” that only Witness Lee and his group had thought about.

I don’t know if this frustration led him to talk about calling on the Lord or that was just the next chapter in the full time playbook - but he talked about how calling on the Lord while driving put him in a trance like state that produced the sensation that he was flying.

I had already experienced the Lord in my life and knew Him... much different from learning something in an Anaheim meeting room.

[Trapped]

Okay, for example, in "Raising Up the Next Generation for the Church Life", Lee says:

"God has blended the Body together (1 Cor. 12:24).The word blended also means adjusted, harmonized, tempered, and mingled. God has blended the Body, adjusted the Body, harmonized the Body, tempered the Body, and mingled the Body. The Greek word for blended implies the losing of distinctions. One brother's distinction may be quickness, and another's may be slowness. But in the Body life the slowness disappears and the quickness is taken away. All such distinctions are gone."

So here he claims the Greek word implies the losing of distinctions. How is it possible for someone who doesn't know Greek to know if that is true or if Lee is just saying whatever he wants to say?

[countmeworthy]

Originally Posted by awareness

And I learned about the Tripartite Man :

Check this out at Wiki. Nee and Lee are in a long list of supporters of the tripartite man :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripartite_(theology)

I am not bothered by the doctrine of the tripartite man. It is biblical. Many believers understand this doctrine..not fully.. and I have never heard it explained in depth as I did when I was in the LC in the 70s.

I pray all the time for the LORD to renew my MIND! Romans 12:2 My mind tends to go into la la land, land of the world.. not the land filled with milk and honey.

Sometimes I feel far away from the Lord and thus I pray Psalm 51:10

I once heard a bible teacher not affiliated with Nee or Lee or the LC/LSM describe the tripartite man this way: I am a spirit. I have a soul and I live in a body.

You may not agree with it..or like it. That's ok. As I have stated many a time, not everything taught in the LC especially in the 70s was baaaad. I had a great teacher/mentor in John Smith who is now absent from the body and present with the LORD.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Nell

The origin of the use of the term might be interesting. Of course, the word "blended" was not used until after Witness Lee's death in 1997 when the big question was "who's in charge"?

Really?

I heard about blending and blended brothers much earlier while Lee was still alive.

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Really?

I heard about blending and blended brothers much earlier while Lee was still alive.

I don’t recall an “official” leadership group until after he was gone, and they wouldn’t be specific about who was a member of the group. That could be just me.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Nell

I don’t recall an “official” leadership group until after he was gone, and they wouldn’t be specific about who was a member of the group. That could be just me.

The official leadership group needed public declarations from Lee himself while he was yet alive, else they were all vain.

[Nell]

Originally Posted by Ohio

The official leadership group needed public declarations from Lee himself while he was yet alive, else they were all vain.

I guess he sprinkled his holy water before he died.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Nell

I don’t recall an “official” leadership group until after he was gone, and they wouldn’t be specific about who was a member of the group. That could be just me.

You are correct about the identities of the official "Blended" membership club. We in the Midwest tried to find out who was in the club, and more specifically, if Titus Chu was a chartered member or not. Apparently he was not.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Ohio

The application and understanding of this word has to be viewed in context with what was happening at LSM both publicly and behind the scenes.

First, let's get into Paul's use of the word. His thought here was "many members, but one body." There is no mention of "many churches, but one body," or the prevailing thought -- "many churches but one ministry." Ugh!

The context of this word in the epistle to Corinth addressed the attitude of members towards one another, specifically the attitudes towards those members who are not comely, whom we don't like, who may be a pain in the neck, who may be vastly different with diverse gifts and shortcomings, etc. How does Paul address this problem? He tells us that we need these members, that God has also placed them in the body, that "God has tempered the body together giving more honor to those that lack," and that the members should love one another. Chapter 13 provides excellent descriptions of love, starting out, "Love is patient, love is kind ..."

Vine's defines this Greek word "sunkerannumi" to mix or blend together, of the combining of the members of the human body into an organic structure, as illustrative of the members of a local church in I Cor 12.24. Strong's defines as "commingle, i.e. to combine or assimilate -- mix with, temper together." This very positive work of God in His body should affect all of us in our attitudes toward one another.

Back to my initial comment. W. Lee used this word "blending," not to encourage love, acceptance, and longsuffering among the members in the body of Christ, but to exact human methods to negate differences and opinions among the members. By removing our liberties in the Spirit, Lee attempted to facilitate his own brand of "oneness" with himself as the head, calling that blending. His own son Philip, as "Office Manager" at LSM, used heavy-handed techniques to beat elders and workers around the globe into subjection, calling that blending. Lee also eliminated the ministries of the gifted members in all the churches, demanding only his material to be taught in all the churches, calling that blending.

Good observations, Ohio. It has been said before (correctly) on this site that some willingness on Lee’s part to be blended more with his coworkers who saw and tried to help him see and deal with his own shortcomings would have been helpful to him and the rest of Christ’s body.

My disappointment in seeing so many loveless divisions among TLR leaders is one of the factors in my leaving TLR (and posting what I saw on these boards).