God’s Complete Salvation: refs. include Watchman Nee and Witness Lee

An overview of God’s complete salvation

Man’s problem is twofold

The subjective problem within man

Man’s second problem resulting from the fall is subjective, that is, within himself. By partaking of the tree of knowledge, man did not merely commit an error which could be resolved by God’s forgiveness. Man actually took in the sinful life of Satan. When this satanic life entered into man, his entire being was deadened, ruined and corrupted:

Man’s spirit was deadened (Eph. 2:1), forfeiting its function to contact God and to receive Him as life.
Man’s soul was ruined. His mind, which was created for the purpose of knowing God, became darkened and blinded, unable to know Him (Eph. 4:17-18a). Man’s emotion, with which man was intended to love God, was usurped and drawn away from loving Him. Finally, man’s will, which God gave him in order that he would choose God and obey Him, became rebellious against God (Eph. 2:2b) to the extent that man himself has become the enemy of God (Col. 1:21).
Man’s body was corrupted, changed into the sinful flesh. The sinful life of Satan now indwells man’s body (Rom. 7:17-18a). It is this life, full of lusts and every evil element, that has made man’s body a body of sin (Rom. 6:6b), so strong to sin, and a body of death (Rom. 7:24), so weak to serve the Lord or to please Him.

We have now seen an overview of man’s fallen condition. He has sinned by disobeying God’s commandment and has therefore come under God’s condemnation. He also now has within him the sinful life of Satan. In this condition, man is helpless, unable to save himself or others from God’s coming judgment. Man is also unable to keep himself from sinning and further offending God. Fallen man’s final destination is the lake of fire, which has been prepared by God for Satan and all those who follow him (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:15). Hence, in every way, man is both hopeless and helpless.

Objective Problem | Subjective Problem