Nee/Lee — Ecclesiology
b3 — Basic Elements of Christian Life, Volume 1
Body of Christ
Christ died to build up the Body of Christ. The church is His Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
“Unto the building up of the Body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12, cited in Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 5, § “About Two Servants of the Lord”).
Interpretation: Body of Christ = living community of believers, built up by Christ Himself through His resurrection and ascension.
Nee/Lee teach that man’s three parts (spirit, soul, body) correspond to three worlds (spiritual, psychological, physical). Only through the human spirit can the spiritual world (God as Spirit) be contacted.
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit” (John 4:24, cited in Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 5, § “The Key to Experiencing Christ”).
Church
The ministry of Nee and Lee focused on the practice of the church life and the building up of the Body of Christ.
“Watchman Nee…stressed the practice of the church life and the building up of the Body of Christ” (Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 5, § “About Two Servants of the Lord”).
In China, their work resulted in hundreds of established churches. Lee continued this work in Taiwan (more than one hundred churches) and later in the USA.
“The ministry and work of these two servants of God brought in a great revival among the Christians in China, which resulted in the spreading of the gospel throughout the country and in the building up of hundreds of churches” (Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 5, § “Witness Lee”).
Mission
Mission takes place through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, who baptizes chosen members into one Body.
“After His ascension Christ poured out the Spirit of God to baptize His chosen members into one Body” (Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 5, § “Major Beliefs”).
Interpretation: Mission = Spirit-outpouring that baptizes people into the Body of Christ, worldwide.
Kingdom
Christ will return at the end of this age to judge the world and establish His eternal Kingdom.
“At the end of this age Christ will come back to take up His believers, to judge the world, to take possession of the earth, and to establish His eternal Kingdom” (Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 5, § “Major Beliefs”).
Overcoming saints will reign with Christ in the millennium; all believers in Christ will participate in the divine blessings in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth.
Baptism
Baptism follows regeneration as an outward sign of salvation.
“After regeneration, a believer needs to be baptized (Mark 16:16)” (Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 1, § “God’s Full Salvation”).
Interpretation: Baptism is an act after salvation, not a condition for salvation. Reference to Mark 16:16.
Fellowship
Believers need to attend Christian meetings to be nourished and grow in the life of God.
“After receiving this life a believer needs to attend Christian meetings in order to be nourished and supplied by the life of God that he may grow and mature in this life. In fellowship with other believers in the Body of Christ a believer can enjoy the riches of the presence of Christ” (Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 1, § “God’s Full Salvation”).
Love for other believers is proof of salvation and part of church life.
“We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers” (1 John 3:14, cited in Nee/Lee, Basic Elements of Christian Life, Vol. 1, chapter 2, § “Our Love for the Brothers Is Proof”).