This quote from Watchman Nee sent me scurrying for my Bible:
We are never told in the Word of God to examine our inward condition.Immediately my head floods with scriptures that I think contradict his statement. So I search and find that none of them actually do. I continue reading and find that the Bible in fact says numerous times that God reveals our hearts to us. Our hearts are not revealed to us by our turning within.
Psalm 36:9: “In thy light shall we see light”.
“The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (psalm 119:130 A.V.).
“The word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:12,13).
Later Nee writes:
Scripture shows us how the saints were brought to self-knowledge. It was always by light from God, and that light is God Himself. Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Peter, Paul, John, all came to a knowledge of themselves because the Lord flashed Himself upon them, and that flash brought revelation and conviction. (Isa. 6:5; Ezek. 1:28; Dan. 10:8; Luke 22:61, 62; Acts 9:3-5; Rev. 1:17).These passages show us that it is God who reveals our heart to us and He does so by revealing Himself to us. We cannot discover this knowledge by turning within and examining ourselves. Knowledge of self is revealed through a knowledge of God. Knowledge of God is revealed through His Son Jesus Christ. In Christ all of our trying, effort, and energies are unnecessary. It is his work in us that brings about revelation and change of self. This would include our efforts to examine our own hearts to discover what needs to change and our efforts to change by our own strength. Christ has done all the work, we are called to walk by faith in his finished work.
Faith says with Christ "it is finished".
Self-examination asks: what is undone?
one last quick clip from Nee:
only a thorough understanding of the Cross can bring us to that place of dependence which the Lord Jesus Himself voluntarily took when He said: “I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 5:30).
1 Cor. 11
ReplyDeleteBut let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner[e] eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s[f] body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
2 Cor. 13
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
Tim,
ReplyDelete2 Cor 13:5 was the first verse that came to mind when I read this part of Nee's book. Upon a closer examination I discovered that Paul is exhorting the Corinthians to examine themselves to make sure they are in the faith. This is a good thing since some of them were in sin (verse 2). Whereas Paul calls for examination of self to be sure we are in the faith he never calls for those who are in the faith to examine themselves. Do you see the difference? In the following verse he directs their attention to the fact that Christ is in us and because of that we will pass the test. When we examine ourselves, what we must look for is Christ in us. Once we know that Christ is in us, self-examination is of no use for us for it is Christ in us that brings us into the will of God through the spirit.
In 1 Cor 11 Paul is writing regarding the Lord's supper and this verse is the one commonly used by clergy to promote self examination during communion but examining ourselves to find sin or to discern if we are in the spirit is not what Paul is calling for. He is calling for us to recognize the Lord's body at the Lord's table. It is not concerned with self-knowledge.
Consider what Paul writes in other places in his letters to the church in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 4:3
But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
1 Corinthians 4:4
For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.
Nee was a great man of God, but he is playing with words here to try and make what he thinks is a dramatic point. I think you have joined him in this without carefully examining what he does with words and what you have to do with the 2 texts I just gave that give a clear call for us to examine ourselves to allow Nee's point to stand. You have to mince words and put minute definitions on them or take something from the context and expand it to mean that the word examine doesn't mean what it clearly does, or that it only applies to a narrow scope, etc. These are the makings of arguments that have no substantive distinction or benefit to anyone. If I were to put a few more texts out that do not use the word "examine" or "judge" but call for thinking about ourselves as to examine or judge sin in our lives that the Word of God brings to light and the Holy Spirit brings conviction on, you would have to come up with some interesting reading on these texts to maintain Nee's belief system about non-self-examination.
ReplyDeleteI am aware that our self-examination is not always accurate or can be quickly excused away to protect bad habits and attitudes. This reality does not mean any self examination is worthless or against God's Word.
If you accept Nee's assertion that you should not examine yourself except for:
1. Discerning of the Lord's body
2. Whether you are in the faith
then you make it very difficult to do what the NT says we are to do, and not do what the NT says we are to not do.
If I were to suggest that my self examination totally apart from God's Word or the Holy Spirit is of value, then I would be completely wrong. Nee would be right. I don't know anyone who would ever suggest this. Of course God's Word and the Holy Spirit are essential for any revealing of the sin that is inside us. I think Nee is setting up a straw-man that does not exist. I say both the individual and the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are needed together to bring repentance and conformity to the image of Christ.
This debate rings similar to the reformed view of salvation and their accusations about those who involve human choice and receiving or accepting in the process of salvation. Those who suggest choice is involved would never say that God's election and sovereign grace is not involved, but straw-men are set up against them as if they do say such a ridiculous things and they are labeled Arminian. Accept all 5 points of Calvin's teaching or you are lost. There is much heat and division but little light in this debate.
Nee was a great man of God, but he is playing with words here to try and make what he thinks is a dramatic point. I think you have joined him in this without carefully examining what he does with words and what you have to do with the 2 texts I just gave that give a clear call for us to examine ourselves to allow Nee's point to stand. You have to mince words and put minute definitions on them or take something from the context and expand it to mean that the word examine doesn't mean what it clearly does, or that it only applies to a narrow scope, etc. These are the makings of arguments that have no substantive distinction or benefit to anyone. If I were to put a few more texts out that do not use the word "examine" or "judge" but call for thinking about ourselves as to examine or judge sin in our lives that the Word of God brings to light and the Holy Spirit brings conviction on, you would have to come up with some interesting reading on these texts to maintain Nee's belief system about non-self-examination.
ReplyDeleteI am aware that our self-examination is not always accurate or can be quickly excused away to protect bad habits and attitudes. This reality does not mean any self examination is worthless or against God's Word.
If you accept Nee's assertion that you should not examine yourself except for:
1. Discerning of the Lord's body
2. Whether you are in the faith
then you make it very difficult to do what the NT says we are to do, and not do what the NT says we are to not do.
continued
ReplyDeleteIf I were to suggest that my self examination totally apart from God's Word or the Holy Spirit is of value, then I would be completely wrong. Nee would be right. I don't know anyone who would ever suggest this. Of course God's Word and the Holy Spirit are essential for any revealing of the sin that is inside us. I think Nee is setting up a straw-man that does not exist. I say both the individual and the Word of God and the Holy Spirit are needed together to bring repentance and conformity to the image of Christ.
This debate rings similar to the reformed view of salvation and their accusations about those who involve human choice and receiving or accepting in the process of salvation. Those who suggest choice is involved would never say that God's election and sovereign grace is not involved, but straw-men are set up against them as if they do say such a ridiculous things and they are labeled Arminian. Accept all 5 points of Calvin's teaching or you are lost. There is much heat and division but little light in this debate.
Tim, I'm quite surprized that you find an appeal to context in order to interpret the meaning of a passage as a fault of mine. Context is the key to understanding what is written coupled with revelation of course. You may think that there is nothing benefical but I would strongly disagree. In fact dependance completely upon God to examine and reveal our hearts to us is librating. It frees us to focus on Him and thereby being shown bigger and better glimpses of Gods holiness. It is knowledge of God that convicts us of our failure. We cant change ourselves we are given dliverance by grace through faith. To try is a futile attempt to do the spirits work through the flesh. I am reminded that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
ReplyDeleteIf this puts me in the company of those who embrace the doctrines of grace I see that as a great compliment. Thanks.
"I'm quite surprized that you find an appeal to context in order to interpret the meaning of a passage as a fault of mine."
ReplyDeleteThere are proper ways to use the context and improper ways. I am suggesting you are using it improperly. I'm not sure where you read me saying don't use the context.
"In fact dependance completely upon God to examine and reveal our hearts to us is liberating."
I agree we need to depend on God. I also believe the NT calls us to be involved with God and make use of the supernatural new nature, new creation, mind of Christ, and current levels of conformity to the image of Christ, and have been granted everything we need for life and godliness. I do not see believers as examination incompetents any longer.
I do not view my involvement in examination as meaning I am doing it by myself without God. I do not buy into the assertion that suggests unless you disavow any involvement in evaluation then God is not involved and you are evaluating in the flesh. I am hearing you make this claim with Nee.
The difference between what we are saying is mere nuancing of words. God deals with us both the same even though we claim different words and phraseology on examination. I thank God for that.