Soul Eradication

Soul eradication is the erroneous theory that the soul (the seat of intellect, emotions, and volition or will) is exclusively or largely related to the First Adam and the life inherited from that source--i.e., sin nature. For this brand of eradicationism, the new nature is entirely "of the spirit" and the human attributes of intellect, emotions, and will are made synonymous with the "flesh".

Consequently, spiritual growth, via the truth of identification (the application of the Apostle Paul's teachings of our identification with Christ's in His death and resurrection), results in a concept of spirituality which is largely anti-intellectual, emotionless, and passive (let go, let God). For them, the "soul" is in need of being crucified!

This view is held and promoted by a number of individuals and groups within the "Christian deeper life" community--and a few who even embrace the works of Miles Stanford. The error reflects a lack of clarity and understanding over the Apostle Paul's teachings regarding sanctification. Its root source is typically traced to the influence of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee (see discussion on Nee's "perfectionism") or to a lesser degree, a twisting of the original Plymouth Brethren writings.

On a practical level, the teaching often exalts forms of behavioral passivity and casts a jaundiced eye or comment toward those brethren whose expression of intellect and emotions differ from those who believe they've experienced "crucificion of the soulish life". Most often, this doctrine leads to an arrogant and legalistic attitude, a sectarian spirit, and division amongst those who love the Lord.

Christian growth author, Miles Stanford attempted to counter this erroneous view. At the end of his excellent booklet entitled The Ground of Growth (also included as chapter 39 of The Complete Green Letters), he gave this summation:

The following quotation from a message by Norman F. Douty seems to sum up what we have been seeking to share.

When we say that Christ's life has come into us to displace ours, what do we mean? We do not mean that this life of the Lord Jesus has come in to displace our personality. When I speak of our fallen life, I do not mean the human personality as such. I mean the poison which permeates our personality, the poison of sin which has degraded and defiled and distorted our humanity.

It is not that this new life of the Lord Jesus comes in to take the place of our personality, to take the place of our faculties created by God, but it comes in to take the place of the sinful life which is operating in our personality and employing our faculties. The vessel is the same, but the contents are different--the same vessel, the same person, the same faculties, but the contents different. No longer this sinful element, but the very holy nature of the Lord Jesus Christ filling, interpenetrating, permeating.

Our Father is not seeking to abolish us as human beings and have the Lord Jesus replace us. He is seeking to restore us as human personalities so that we may be the vehicle through which Christ will express Himself. Therefore you find that whenever God gets hold of a man, instead of abolishing his personality, He makes it what He intended it to be.

Redemption is the recovery of the man, not the destruction of the man. And when the Lord Jesus in us is brought to the place He is aiming for, there will not be an atom of the old life left, but the man will be left--glorified in union with the Lord Jesus Christ.

When it comes to personal tastes or cultural preferences, which do not directly or indirectly violate moral precept, there can be danger in standing in judgment on other believers. J. B. Stoney wisely wrote:

We as members of the Body of Christ are made for heaven, we are heavenly; not of the earth, though on it. When this truth first came out, we tried to carry it out in the wrong way, turning away from this thing and that thing in order to be heavenly. That is legality. (Ministry II:246).

Also see, Christian Mysticism--the True and the False.

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