I used my copy of Nee's three-volume work until it was dog eared. Nee taught a similar total surrender idea combined with an anatomical scheme of sanctification. I studied Watchman Nee's book series The Spiritual Man and did my best to live accordingly. But our personal piety was also combined with flawed doctrine, that in my case, was very much like Chambers'. We lived by faith and dedicated ourselves to serving Christ by helping others. I belonged to a Christian commune where we lived together with no personal assets and no salary. We too were about complete dedication to Christ and willingness to forgo personal benefit. As I read his biography I was reminded of the group I joined as a young Christian. He would do anything for anyone and was not concerned with personal benefit. By all accounts he was a highly dedicated Christian. I am not criticizing Chambers' personal piety. I will also address the issue of his body, soul and spirit teaching in regard to sanctification. Knowing his theology has put Utmost into perspective.

Not knowing that he believed these things was the cause of confusion in my reading. The second blessing doctrine colors what he says in Utmost. The allegorical method takes us away from the meaning of the Biblical authors. There are two key issues: 1) the allegorical method of Biblical interpretation 2) a second blessing teaching in which total surrender is the key to sanctification. Finally, reading his biography and other writings has led me to the basis of his theology. I found much that was Biblically wrong but still was not sure why. I set out to do so about six years ago by carefully reading Utmost, taking notes on every page. Some have told me that his teachings led them into mysticism that was hard to get out of. Over the years CIC readers have asked me to critique Chambers. It is just recently that I managed to discover that Nee's (slightly later than Chambers) teachings were nearly the same as Chambers'. Ironically I ended up unknowingly reading and following the same theology through Watchman Nee.

I assumed it was because he was British and I simply did not understand his idioms. I started using it but found that what he said rarely made any sense to me, so I quit.

When I was in Bible College in the early 1970's someone gave me a copy. Oswald Chambers' devotional My Utmost For His Highest has been read by millions of Christians. Personal Piety Combined With Flawed Theology Oswald Chambers: Personal Piety Combined With Flawed TheologyĪ Biblically based commentary on current issues that impact you

Oswald chambers devotional