God Convinces, But He Does Not Coerce

On page 66, volume 1, Watchman Nee writes, "Man's darkened mind and fallen spirit is made alive through being strengthened by the Holy Spirit into accepting God's life. This is new birth."

If you read this as regeneration (made alive) first by the Holy Spirit, then able to accept (into) God's life, then you have calvinism, which is a false teaching, since God does regenerate a person first before they can believe. The same portion in the LSM TSM is worded in a way that gives no indication of calvinism despite calvinism being one of the 6 major sins of leeism throughout their writings.

Since I have read so many books of Nee's at CFP and CLC, and I have never once come across a calvinism teaching, but it is always synergistic osas arminian in approach which gives glory to God, I must conclude this portion reads as follows:

(A) "Man's darkened mind and fallen spirit is made alive through being strengthened (drawn) by the Holy Spirit into accepting (being convinced of) God's life";

or

(B) "Man's darkened mind and fallen spirit is made alive through being strengthened by the Holy Spirit by (into) accepting God's life."

My head wants to agree with (A) because of God's drawing. God convinces, but He does not coerce. He draws, but He does not regenerate people first. However, (B) is more intuitive, for when you believe "into accepting God's life" then "man's darkened and fallen spirit is made alive through being strengthened by the Holy Spirit." In either case the principle is the same, that the spirit is regenerated upon believing.

Troy Brooks