New Book by Henry Hon

[Evangelical]

As highlighted by Freedom and others, it seems Mr Hon still holds onto the vision he has received from the Recovery about God not just wanting to save people but having a higher purpose. He distinguishes between what Lee calls the low gospel which is about what God can do for man, and the high gospel about what God wants man to do for Him.

Also, him pointing out the shortcoming of Rick Warren's book is an observation I have also made.

Hon also mentions God's consummate goal which is language that is very Lee-like. However where Lee would say God's goal is to head up all things in Christ, which is biblical,
Hon says it is Oneness.


Sentences by Hon such as this one:

"People the world over, though diverse, have the same yearning: to live in peace and come together as one. "

sound a little like the Utopian dream of the New Age movement - world peace and oneness.

The bible however makes clear that God's goal is to head up all things in Christ, the Kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem. Before that happens there won't be oneness but warfare and division.

God's consummate goal can be found in the last book of the bible, Revelation, and it is not the Oneness that Hon claims although Oneness will be there.

What distinguishes Hon's group from a typical house church movement is the holding into Recovery-like ideas such as oneness, God's consummate goal and the deficiencies in Christiandom.

So I think describing his group as a "local church sect" is an okay description. The word sect means a cut, so it seems to be a cut away of the local church.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

As highlighted by Freedom and others, it seems Mr Hon still holds onto the vision he has received from the Recovery about God not just wanting to save people but having a higher purpose. He distinguishes between the low gospel which is about what God can do for man, and the high gospel about what God wants man to do for Him.

Every church I have ever attended spoke, "about God not just wanting to save people but having a higher purpose." Are you serious, EvanG?

And, btw, the so-called "high calling purpose" in the Recovery has nothing to do with God's needs, but has everything to do with LSM's needs.

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Every church I have ever attended spoke, "about God not just wanting to save people but having a higher purpose." Are you serious, EvanG?

And, btw, the so-called "high calling purpose" in the Recovery has nothing to do with God's needs, but has everything to do with LSM's needs.

You got that from Rick Warren I suppose. Was this higher purpose oneness like the Recovery and Hon believes? I don't think many churches know that God's purpose is oneness. They typically think God's purpose is some sort of ministry or activity.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

You got that from Rick Warren I suppose. Was this higher purpose oneness like the Recovery and Hon believes? I don't think many churches know that God's purpose is oneness. They typically think God's purpose is some sort of ministry or activity.

Is God's purpose really oneness?

Christians have been obsessing over "oneness" for two millennia, and it has never turned out well for us. The Catholic "oneness" church obsessed over oneness, and look where it led them. Same with the Exclusive Brethren and the so-called Recovery. Why is it every time church leaders obsess over oneness, their followers end up obsessing over their leader? Think Popes, Oracles, and MOTAs.

This is why I often say, based on church history, that distorted oneness has done more damage to the church of God than any other heresy, and that's exactly what obsessing over distorted oneness is, a horrible heresy in the church. The Catholics held endless inquisitions (and tortures) over perceived violations of their distorted oneness, and the Exclusives and Lee/Blendeds have held endless quarantines (and lawsuits) over perceived violations of their own distorted oneness.

The Lord Jesus commanded us to love God and to love our neighbors. In this regard, love is to be much more desired than oneness. It's also much more difficult to fake love than oneness, since oneness can be so easily disguised as uniformity, manufactured by an unholy allegiance to an earthly headquarters.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Is God's purpose really oneness?

Christians have been obsessing over "oneness" for two millennia, and it has never turned out well for us. The Catholic "oneness" church obsessed over oneness, and look where it led them. Same with the Exclusive Brethren and the so-called Recovery. Why is it every time church leaders obsess over oneness, their followers end up obsessing over their leader? Think Popes, Oracles, and MOTAs.

This is why I often say, based on church history, that distorted oneness has done more damage to the church of God than any other heresy, and that's exactly what obsessing over distorted oneness is, a horrible heresy in the church. The Catholics held endless inquisitions (and tortures) over perceived violations of their distorted oneness, and the Exclusives and Lee/Blendeds have held endless quarantines (and lawsuits) over perceived violations of their own distorted oneness.

The Lord Jesus commanded us to love God and to love our neighbors. In this regard, love is to be much more desired than oneness. It's also much more difficult to fake love than oneness, since oneness can be so easily disguised as uniformity, manufactured by an unholy allegiance to an earthly headquarters.

Good point Ohio. Ephesians 1 and 3 plainly state God's eternal plan or purpose is to sum up (Recovery version alone says head up) all things in Christ, and that it has already been accomplished (3:11). Through the mysterious stewardship of God the Apostle Paul was given grace to participate in and reveal, we gentile believers along with Jewish believers in the assembly are given sonship, an inheritance, and peace through Christ, and are the first to hope in Christ. And, his working in us is to be to the praise of the glory of God's grace, and be a display to the heavenly rulers and authorities.

Evangelical is right that Revelation is a good place to see God's plan manifested.

[ZNPaaneah]

Originally Posted by Ohio

The Lord Jesus commanded us to love God and to love our neighbors. In this regard, love is to be much more desired than oneness. It's also much more difficult to fake love than oneness, since oneness can be so easily disguised as uniformity, manufactured by an unholy allegiance to an earthly headquarters.

I thought this needed to be repeated. Jesus commanded us to love one another. With oneness He prayed that we would all be one, but it was not the law of liberty. In fact there are many instances in the NT where you would be required to "not be one" with someone.

Uniformity comes to us an angel of light, as "oneness". Unholy allegiance comes to us as an angel of light, as "oneness". Hatred, back biting, insults, and self justification comes to us as an angel of light, by condemning all others for not "caring of the oneness". In this way they ignore the Lord's command to love one another.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

I thought this needed to be repeated. Jesus commanded us to love one another. With oneness He prayed that we would all be one, but it was not the law of liberty. In fact there are many instances in the NT where you would be required to "not be one" with someone.

Uniformity comes to us an angel of light, as "oneness". Unholy allegiance comes to us as an angel of light, as "oneness". Hatred, back biting, insults, and self justification comes to us as an angel of light, by condemning all others for not "caring of the oneness". In this way they ignore the Lord's command to love one another.

Great points.

And wouldn't he who claimed to be the Minister of the Age qualify also for what Paul called a "Super Apostle?"

[JJ]

I connected with Henry Hon by e-mail and phone over the last week.

He has an interesting story.... which is told in his book.

It seems he got in trouble with TLR leadership and expelled from their meetings for doing exactly what the "Vital Groups" books by WL promoted (meeting in homes and preaching the gospel from door to door). Go figure!

He was bewildered by it, because the leaders who confronted him couldn't tell him what he had done wrong, offered no witnesses of wrong doing privately, and didn't "tell it to the church" either. They were mostly upset because they didn't have any control over it.

After a while he realized they had done him a favor. He was free to continue doing what he and his family had been doing for 20 years, just outside TLR. So he has.

He doesn't want any part of being bitter, just positive. He's moved on, and continues to enjoy Christ and spread His good news.

[awareness]

Did Hon and his little sect declare the ground somewhere?

Originally Posted by Evangelical

As highlighted by Freedom and others, it seems Mr Hon still holds onto the vision he has received from the Recovery about God not just wanting to save people but having a higher purpose. He distinguishes between what Lee calls the low gospel which is about what God can do for man, and the high gospel about what God wants man to do for Him.

Also, him pointing out the shortcoming of Rick Warren's book is an observation I have also made.

Hon also mentions God's consummate goal which is language that is very Lee-like. However where Lee would say God's goal is to head up all things in Christ, which is biblical,
Hon says it is Oneness.


Sentences by Hon such as this one:

"People the world over, though diverse, have the same yearning: to live in peace and come together as one. "

sound a little like the Utopian dream of the New Age movement - world peace and oneness.

The bible however makes clear that God's goal is to head up all things in Christ, the Kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem. Before that happens there won't be oneness but warfare and division.

God's consummate goal can be found in the last book of the bible, Revelation, and it is not the Oneness that Hon claims although Oneness will be there.

What distinguishes Hon's group from a typical house church movement is the holding into Recovery-like ideas such as oneness, God's consummate goal and the deficiencies in Christiandom.

So I think describing his group as a "local church sect" is an okay description. The word sect means a cut, so it seems to be a cut away of the local church.

[countmeworthy]

Why won't people just let the Holy Spirit be our TEACHER AND LEAD??

Jesus told us He would send Him to us.
“But the Helper, (the Comforter) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

I also know the LORD GOD also raises people to teach..
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

(I think Ephesians 4:10-12 gave the enemy the license to entice religious people with these offices. So now we have "apostle so and so" 'bishop so and so", "Evangelist so and so" "Pastor so and so"... and of course the MOTA.)

and yet Hebrews 8:11 says
they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them.

Originally Posted by awareness

Did Hon and his little sect declare the ground somewhere?

[Koinonia]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

As highlighted by Freedom and others, it seems Mr Hon still holds onto the vision he has received from the Recovery about God not just wanting to save people but having a higher purpose. He distinguishes between what Lee calls the low gospel which is about what God can do for man, and the high gospel about what God wants man to do for Him.

Also, him pointing out the shortcoming of Rick Warren's book is an observation I have also made.

Hon also mentions God's consummate goal which is language that is very Lee-like. However where Lee would say God's goal is to head up all things in Christ, which is biblical,
Hon says it is Oneness.


Sentences by Hon such as this one:

"People the world over, though diverse, have the same yearning: to live in peace and come together as one. "

sound a little like the Utopian dream of the New Age movement - world peace and oneness.

The bible however makes clear that God's goal is to head up all things in Christ, the Kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem. Before that happens there won't be oneness but warfare and division.

God's consummate goal can be found in the last book of the bible, Revelation, and it is not the Oneness that Hon claims although Oneness will be there.

What distinguishes Hon's group from a typical house church movement is the holding into Recovery-like ideas such as oneness, God's consummate goal and the deficiencies in Christiandom.

So I think describing his group as a "local church sect" is an okay description. The word sect means a cut, so it seems to be a cut away of the local church.

Evangelical, spiritual truths--if they are truths--are not owned by Witness Lee or "the Recovery." That you seem to think so would demonstrate how narrow you are.