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以弗所书生命读经 · 第60篇

在神的经纶里经历基督

EXPERIENCING CHRIST IN GOD’S ECONOMY
1基督正在圣化、洁净、保养、顾惜我们，为要把一个荣耀的召会献给祂自己。召会这样献给基督，不是没有任何豫备，在主耶稣回来显现时，就突然发生的；这与宗教的观念相反。基督献上荣耀的召会，乃是包括一个过程，开始于使徒时代，并且历世历代以来一直在进行著。今天我们也有分于这过程；藉著这个过程，基督正把荣耀的召会献给自己。这个呈献乃是祂圣化、洁净、保养和顾惜的目标。
1Christ is sanctifying, cleansing, nourishing, and cherishing us in order to present to Himself a glorious church. Contrary to the religious concept , this presentation will not take place suddenly, without any preparation, when the Lord Jesus appears in His coming back. Rather, Christ’s presentation of the glorious church involves a process which began at the time of the Apostles and which has been going on throughout the centuries. Today we also are participating in the process through which Christ is presenting the glorious church to Himself. This presentation is the goal of His sanctifying, cleansing, nourishing, and cherishing
2自从我们头一次呼喊主耶稣，并接受祂到我们里面的那一天起，祂就一直在寻找机会，要把祂自己作到我们里面。祂的元素越多作到我们里面，我们就越多被祂自己浸透，并且我们也越被圣化、洁净、保养和顾惜。这过程的终极完成，将是祂把召会在荣耀里献给自己。
2Since the day we first called upon the Lord Jesus and received Him into us, He has been seeking opportunities to work Himself into our being. The more His element is worked into us, the more we are saturated with Himself and the more we are sanctified, cleansed, nourished, and cherished. The ultimate consummation of this process will be the presentation of the church to Himself in glory
被基督浸透
SATURATED WITH CHRIST
3基督把祂自己作到我们里面，这不在于行为或自我改良，乃在于我们全人从内里被神那看得见的荣耀浸透。假如一根又硬又冷又黑的铁棍，被丢在火里且留在那里。最后火会把铁烧透，使铁燃烧发光。这样，铁就失去天然的颜色，成为白热的。就一面说，铁的颜色被火吞灭了；现今铁在照耀且燃烧发光。然而，若有人教导铁要照耀，这是没有用的，甚至是可笑的。能叫铁照耀的，不是教训，乃是焚烧。铁必须被焚烧，直到火浸透铁的本质。这会使铁成为带光体。然而，铁若要一直燃烧发光，就必须一直留在火里。铁若留在火之外一段时间，其天然的颜色和黑暗都要复原。照样，今天我们所需要的不是字句道理；我们所需要的乃是被基督焚烧，并且被祂这内住之神的荣耀浸透。
3Christ’s working Himself into us is not a matter of behavior or self-improvement. It is a matter of our being inwardly saturated with the Shekinah glory of God. Suppose a steel rod, hard, cold, and black, is thrust into fire and held there. Eventually, the fire will saturate the steel and cause it to glow. In this way the steel loses its natural color and becomes white hot. In a sense, the color of the steel is swallowed up by the fire. Now the steel is shining, glowing. However, it would be useless, even ridiculous, for someone to teach steel to shine. What can cause the steel to shine is not teaching, but burning. It must be burned until fire has saturated its very substance. This will cause the steel rod to become a bearer of light. If this steel is to keep on glowing, however, it must remain in the fire. If it is kept out of the fire for any length of time, its natural color and darkness will return. In a similar way, what we need today is not doctrine in letters; we need to be burned by Christ and saturated with Him as the indwelling glory of God
在话中就近基督
COMING TO CHRIST IN THE WORD
4我能见证，我从基督教所接受的教训，多半没有给我太多帮助。那些教训实际上拦阻并打岔我跟随主往前。今天，圣经对我主要的不是一本教训的书，乃是一本启示活基督之人位的书。当我读经时，我向主敞开，我立刻经历到祂在我里面焚烧。我既有祂的焚烧，还需要教训作甚么？
4I can testify that most of the teachings I received in Christianity did not afford me very much help. They actually hindered me and frustrated me from going on with the Lord. Today to me the Bible is not mainly a book of teachings, but a book that reveals the Person of the living Christ. As I read the Word, I open to the Lord, and immediately I experience His burning within me. Since I have His burning, what need do I have for mere teachings?
5在约翰五章三十九至四十节，主对宗教人士说，『你们查考圣经，因你们以为其中有永远的生命，为我作见证的就是这经。然而你们不肯到我这里来得生命。』这两节指明，宗教甚至会帮助人尊重并尊敬圣经，但是甚至这对圣言的尊敬，也会被用来使人们离开活的基督的同在。如果我们正确的读经，圣经总会把我们带到主面前。每当我们来就近圣经，我们也必须就近祂，好使我们得著生命。
5In John 5:39 and 40 the Lord Jesus said to the religionists, “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is these that testify concerning Me; and you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” These verses indicate that religion may even help people to honor and respect the Bible, but that very respect for the holy Word may be used to keep them away from the presence of the living Christ. If we read the Word properly, it should always bring us to the Lord. Whenever we come to the Bible, we must also come to Him so that we may have life
没有帕子遮蔽的脸
AN UNVEILED FACE
6我们已经看见，神所渴望的乃是得著荣耀的召会。惟有作神荣耀之彰显的基督，才能使召会成为荣耀的，因为只有祂自己是那荣耀的火焰，将祂的荣耀烧进我们里面。摩西有过这样的经历；他四十天之久，在山上与神同在之后，他的面皮就因神的荣耀而发光。（出三四29～35。）神的荣耀已经焚烧到他里面；这不是宗教教训的结果，乃是来自直接观看神的荣耀。保罗在林后三章十八节告诉我们，我们众人需要以没有帕子遮蔽的脸，好像镜子观看并返照主的荣光。请注意『没有帕子遮蔽的脸』一辞，这辞指明脸上本来有帕子遮蔽，现在帕子已经除去了。我非常关心我们许多人仍然被宗教的观念和教训所遮蔽。哦！我们何等需要以没有帕子遮蔽的脸来观看主！因此，我们都该祷告说，『主阿，除去我的帕子。』被遮蔽是何等可怜。然而，许多信徒被层层的帕子遮蔽，却不知道有帕子。为此，保罗有负担要使圣徒能除去帕子。然后，我们就能以没有帕子遮蔽的脸，观看并返照主的荣光。这样，我们才会真正被变化，从一种程度的荣耀到另一种程度的荣耀。这样的变化乃是藉著主灵发生的。因此，我们不观看道理、教训，我们观看主的荣光。再者，我们也不是受教导或被改正，我们乃是被变化成为基督的形像，从荣耀到荣耀。
6We have seen that God’s desire is to obtain a glorious church. Only Christ who is the expression of God’s glory can make the church glorious, for only He Himself is the fire of glory that burns His glory into us. Moses had an experience along this line. After Moses had spent forty days in the Lord’s presence on the mountain, the skin of his face shone with God’s glory (Exo. 34:29-35). The glory of God had been burned into him. This was not the result of religious teaching; it came from directly beholding the glory of God. In 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul tells us that we all, with an unveiled face, need to behold and reflect as mirrors the glory of the Lord (Gk.). Pay attention to the term “unveiled face.” This term indicates a face that used to be veiled and from which the veil has been removed. I am deeply concerned that many of us are still veiled by religious concepts and teachings. Oh, how we need a face unveiled to behold the Lord! Hence, we all should pray, “Lord, remove the veils from me.” How pitiful it is to be veiled. Nevertheless, many believers a recovered by layers of veils they do not even realize are there. For this reason, Paul was burdened that the saints would be unveiled. Then with unveiled faces we can behold and reflect the glory of the Lord. In this way we are genuinely transformed from one degree of glory to another. Such a transformation takes place through the Lord Spirit. Therefore, we do not behold doctrines and teachings; we behold the glory of the Lord. Moreover, we are not taught or corrected, but we are transformed into the image of Christ from glory to glory.
7在主的职事里我们一直在争战，要除去圣徒们的帕子。宗教的影响是何等诡诈！牠的诡计可见于牠使主的子民被遮蔽的事实。虽然许多人真诚的寻求主，但他们完全被宗教及其教训和观念所遮蔽。因此我再说，我们在这里不是为著字句道理，乃是要真正的恢复对基督的经历。我们都需要以没有帕子遮蔽的脸来观看主。今天种种东西都能成为我们的帕子，正如这些东西曾是犹太人的帕子一样。犹太人是被圣经字句、律法、规条、和宗教系统的犹太教所蒙蔽。今天基督徒特别受到教训和规条的遮蔽。我有负担要使所有的帕子都除去，好使圣徒有一个没有帕子遮蔽的脸，可以观看主的荣光。
7In the Lord’s ministry we are fighting to remove the veils from the saints. How subtle is the influence of religion! Its subtlety is seen in the fact that it causes the Lord’sp eople to become veiled. Although many are sincerely seeking the Lord, they have been completely veiled by religion with its teachings and concepts. Therefore, I say once again that we are here not for doctrine in letters, but for the genuine recovery of the experience of Christ. We all need an unveiled face to behold the Lord. Various things can be veils to us today, just as they were veils to the Jews. The Jews were veiled by the Scriptures, by the law, by the ordinances, and by Judaism as a religious system. Today Christians are veiled especially by teachings and ordinances. I am burdened that all the veils would be removed so that the saints may have an unveiled face to behold the glory of the Lord
被规条所蒙蔽
VEILED BY ORDINANCES
8我们要更详细的来看规条是帕子这件事。有时在我们的聚会中，我们向主高呼赞美。来访的人也许因我们的喊叫受困扰；他们甚至会认为我们在聚会中的火热，类似球赛中群众的狂热。这种对喊叫的批评，是出于对聚会所立的规条。其他的人批评聚会，可能因为他们在我们的聚会中没有看见说方言这类恩赐的运用。这也指明他们有关于恩赐的规条。还有些人也许对某些圣徒的服饰有反应。这指明他们有关于在召会聚会中正当穿著的规条。让我们放下一切规条，回到基督活的人位这里。
8Let us consider in more detail the matter of ordinances as veils. Sometimes in our meetings we shout praises to the Lord. Visitors may be troubled by our shouting. They may even think that our enthusiasm in the meetings matches that of a crowd at a sporting event. Such a criticism of shouting comes from an ordinance regarding meetings. Others may criticize the meetings because they see no exercise of such gifts as speaking in tongues. This indicates that they have an ordinance concerning gifts. Still others may react to the way certain of the saints dress. This indicates that they have an ordinance concerning the proper way to dress for a church meeting. Let us drop all the ordinances and come back to the living Person of Christ
9在一篇接一篇的信息里，我们只盼望作一件事：指出你们需要活的基督。你们需要被祂圣化、洁净、保养并顾惜。尽管如此，不论我们多么强调经历基督作我们生命和人位的需要，许多人还是被一些与我们聚会或召会生活实行有关的次要事情所霸占，因为他们仍然受他们的规条所蒙蔽。所以，我们巴不得宣告说，我们在这里不是为著任何特殊的作法，我们在这里乃是为著主耶稣基督这奇妙的人物。
9In message after message we desire to do just one thing: to point out your need for the living Christ. You need to be sanctified, cleansed, nourished, and cherished by Him. Nevertheless, no matter how much we emphasize the need to experience Christ as our life and our person, many are still preoccupied with secondary matters related to our meetings or our practice of the church life, because they are still veiled by their ordinances. Therefore, we wish to declare that we are not here for any particular practice. We are here for the wonderful Person of the Lord Jesus Christ
10历年来，基督徒因各种的规条而分裂，今天仍然因规条在不断的分裂。譬如，坚持祷读的作法就不对。我们不是祷读的召会。然而，拒绝祷读也不对。这两者都有关于祷读的规条。我们需要从一切的规条转向那位圣化、洁净、保养并顾惜我们的基督。
10Over the years Christians have been divided by various ordinances and are still being divided by ordinances today. For example, to insist upon the practice of pray- reading is wrong. We are not a church of pray-reading. However, to reject pray-reading is also wrong. I neither case, there would be an ordinance regarding pray - reading. We need to turn from all ordinances to the Christ who sanctifies, cleanses, nourishes, and cherishes us.
11人到洛杉矶来，想要学习我们如何实行召会生活，这是一个错误。因为我们一直在改变，连我们自己都不知道过召会生活的方式。一九六六年之前我们没有祷读，一九六八年之前我们也没有实行呼求主名。也许再过一段时间，主会给我们看见，我们应当实行更进一步的事。坚持说我们知道过召会生活的路，会造成麻烦。基督徒很容易因作法而分裂。有些人喜欢高声赞美主，但有的人反对高声喊叫。对于聚会是否要安静，或是否要说方言，基督徒也有不同的看法。我们若真看见召会，就晓得一切在作法上的规条必须摆在一旁，因为一切这类的规条都是引起分裂的。许多亲爱的圣徒爱主并且寻求主，但是他们不知道，他们的规条会造成分裂。
11It is a mistake to come to Los Angeles with the intention of learning how we practice the church life. Because we are constantly changing, not even we ourselves know the way to have the church life. Prior to 1966 we did not have pray-reading, and before 1968 we did not have the practice of calling on the name of the Lord. Perhaps after another period of time, the Lord will show us something further that we should practice. To insist that we know the way to have the church life is to cause trouble. Christians are easily divided over practices. Some like to shout praises to the Lord, but others oppose shouting. The same is true regarding quiet meetings or speaking in tongues. If we have truly seen the church, then we shall realize that all ordinances regarding practices must be set aside, for all such ordinances are divisive. Many dear saints love the Lord and seek Him, but they do not realize the divisiveness of their ordinances
12神的经纶非常简单，就是把基督作到我们里面，使祂能活在我们里面，并使我们能凭祂而活。我们若走神经纶的路，召会至终要成为荣耀的，因为基督─神的荣耀─要不断的把祂的荣耀烧到我们里面。我们在这里不是为著召会生活中特殊的作法或方式。我们在这里单单是为著基督。召会乃是享受基督的结果。正确的召会生活乃是我们都享受基督，然后来在一起彰显祂，并且不坚持任何彰显基督的特殊方式。我们今天在主的恢复里所需要的，不是一种特殊的作法，乃是活的基督。论到活的基督，我们已经指出，基督回来时要从我们里面出来。祂要在我们里面扩展，用祂自己浸透我们，并且吞没我们里面的每一部分。然后祂将从我们里面出来。有些人听到这话时，也许会争辩说，新约教导我们，基督要从诸天降临。不错，有相当多的经节告诉我们主在诸天之上，并且祂来时，要从诸天降下。然而，对许多人而言，主从天降临的教训已成为宗教的先入为主的观念。所以，我们也必须注意那些强调基督在我们里面3:4的经节。譬如，歌罗西三章四节说，基督显现的时候，我们也要与祂一同显现在荣耀里；但一章二十七节说，基督在我们里面成了荣耀的盼望。
12God’s economy is so simple: it is just to work Christ into us so that He may live in us and we may live by Him. If we take the way of God’secon o my, the church will eventually become glorious, for Christ, the glory of God, will continually burn His glory into us. We are not here for a particular practice or way of having the church life. We are here only for Christ. The church is the issue of the enjoyment of Christ. The proper church life is a matter of us all enjoying Christ and then coming together to express Him, without insisting upon any particular way of expressing Christ. What we need in the Lord’s recovery today is not a particular practice—it is only the living Christ. Concerning the living Christ, we have pointed out that in His coming back Christ will come out from within us. He will spread within us, saturate us with Himself, and swallow up every part of our inward being. Then He will come out through us. When some hear of this, they may argue that the New Testament teaches that Christ will descend from the heavens. Yes, a number of verses tell us that the Lord is in the heavens and that in His coming He will descend from the heavens. However, for many, the teaching of the Lord’s coming from heaven has become a religious preoccupation. There fore we must also pay attention to the verses which emphasize the fact that Christ is in us. For example, Colossians says that when Christ appears we shall appear with Him in glory, but Colossians 1:27 says that Christ in us is the hope of glory.
没有系统化
NO SYSTEMATIZING
13有些宗教教师企图将新约的启示系统化。在这样系统化之教训的影响下，有些人以为基督既然在第三层天上，祂就不能在别的地方，特别是不能在我们里面。然而，圣经说基督在第三层天上，也在我们里面。（罗八34，。）不仅如此，虽然基督已经在我们里面，但是祂还要来。这意思是说，祂现今在这里，同时祂还要再来。我无法使这事一致，我只是简单的相信这两面，因为新约启示这两面。最近有个年轻人来问我，是否相信主耶稣是在诸天之上神的右边。我确定的向他说是的。然后他又问我，是否相信主已经带著身体复活。我告诉他说，我也确实相信这事。然后我劝他，不要把神启示在新约中的真理系统化。主耶稣在祂复活那天，进到门徒聚集的房间里。虽然门是关著的，但祂突然显现在他们中间。按照路加二十四章三十七节，『他们却惊惶害怕，以为看见了灵。』主对他们说，『看我的手，我的脚，这就是我自己；摸我看看，灵没有肉没有骨，你们看我是有的。』（39。）主在复活里当然还有物质的身体。那么，祂如何能进入那关闭的房间？我们不该想要去解释这事或把牠系统化，我们只该简单的相信圣经的明言。新约说，基督是赐生命的灵，住在我们的灵里。作为这样一位内住者，祂正在我们里面扩展，并以祂自己浸透我们，寻找机会从我们里面出来。但圣经也启示，基督是在第三层天的宝座上，祂回来时，要降临到地上。我们不要想办法使主再来的主观一面与客观一面一致，让我们简单的相信这两面，因为这两面都启示在新约里。
13Certain religious teachers attempt to systematize the revelation in the New Testament. Under the influence of such systematic teachings, some suppose that since Christ is in the third heaven He cannot be elsewhere, particularly not in us. Nevertheless, the Bible says that Christ is both in the third heaven and in us as well (Rom. 8:34, 10). Furthermore, although Christ 10 is in us already, He is coming. This means that He is both here now and He is coming. I cannot reconcile this. I simply believe both aspects because the New Testament reveals both. Recently a young man approached me and asked if I believed that the Lord Jesus was at the right hand of God in the heavens. I assured him that I did. Then he asked me if I believed that the Lord had been resurrected with a body. I told him that I definitely believed this also. Then I encouraged him not to systematize the truth of God’sr evelation in the New Testament. On the day of His resurrection, the Lord Jesus entered the room where the disciples were gathered. Although the doors were closed, He suddenly appeared in their midst. According to Luke 24:37, “They were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.” The Lord said to them, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (v. 39). Certainly the Lord in resurrection still had a physical body. How then was He able to enter that closed room? Instead of trying to explain this or to systematize it, we should simply believe the plain word of the Bible. The New Testament says that Christ is the life-giving Spirit indwelling our spirit. As such an indwelling One, He is spreading within us and saturating us with Himself, seeking the opportunity to come out through us. But the Bible also reveals that Christ is on the throne in the third heaven and that in His coming back He will descend to the earth. Instead of trying to reconcile the subjective aspect and the objective aspect of the Lord’s coming, let us simply believe both because both are revealed in the New Testament.
14经历内住的基督许多信徒的难处在于，他们受了关于主再来客观的一面宗教道理的灌输，因而忽略了主观的一面。他们全心注意天上的基督，并坚定的相信祂要再回来。然而，他们忽略了内住基督的事实，甚至也许不知道基督现今是在他们里面。当我们等候基督从诸天之上回来时，我们需要在里面享受祂。主耶稣说，『看哪，我站在门外叩门；若有听见我声音就开门的，我要进到他那里，我与他，他与我要一同坐席。』（启三20。）主这里的话指明，祂已经在这里。我们何等需要经历这位活的、主观的、内住的基督！我的负担乃是把这样一位基督供应给主的子民；我的负担不是教导圣徒如何解经。如果我们对活的基督没有直接的、宝贵的、并亲密的享受，即使我们知道如何正确的解经，又有甚么用？我们何等需要打这个仗，使所有神的儿女能对主有这样的享受！这是今天我们在主恢复里的需要。让我们忘掉规条和作法，让我们说，『哦，主耶稣，我从来不知道我何等需要接受你作我的生命和人位。主阿，我向你敞开我的全人，我接受你作我的生命和人位。我不关心我对召会生活之实行的观念。我只在意对你有活的、亲密的、个人的享受。』
14EXPERIENCING THE INDWELLING CHRIST The problem many believers have is that they have been religiously indoctrinated regarding the objective aspect of the Lord’s coming, to the neglect of the subjective aspect. They pay their full attention to the Christ in heaven and firmly believe in His coming back. However, they neglect the fact of the indwelling Christ, perhaps not even realizing that Christ is now within them. As we are awaiting Christ’s coming back from the heavens, we need to enjoy Him inwardly. The Lord Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20). The Lord’sword here indicates that He is here already. How we need to experience the living, subjective, indwelling Christ! My burden is to minister such a Christ to the Lord’sp eople. It is not to teach the saints how to interpret the Bible. What is the use of knowing how to rightly interpret the Bible if we do not have a direct, precious, and intimate enjoyment of the living Christ? How we must fight the battle so that all the children of God may have such an enjoyment of the Lord! This is our need in the Lord’s recovery today. Let us forget the ordinances and practices, and let us say, “O Lord Jesus, I have not realized how much I need to take You as my life and as my person. Lord, I open my being to You, and I take You as my life and as my person. I don’t care about my concepts concerning the way to practice the church life. I care only to have the living, intimate, and personal enjoyment of You
神在祂的经纶里所关切的
GOD’S CONCERN IN HIS ECONOMY
15关于召会，我们不该想要模倣或反对。我们惟一的目标该是享受基督活的人位，并且在里面更多的经历祂。我们不该关心作法、方法或方式。以各种不同的饮食用具为例，中国人用筷子，美国人用刀叉，印尼人也许用手指。我们不该关心我们用甚么吃，只该关心我们吃甚么。只要人吃进正确的食物，我们就不该关心他们是用筷子、刀叉或手指。然而，有些人也许夸口说，最好的方式是用刀叉。就属灵上说，在召会生活的实行上，我们可能也是这样。我们或许以我们的方式为傲，但是我们的盘子上可能没有任何食物。愿我们不在意属灵的餐桌礼仪，只在意属灵的吃。我们许多人多年饥饿，因为我们只在意礼仪，却不在意食物。这么多的宗教团体里，一切都是规规矩矩，井井有条，但没有食物给主的子民吃。所以，今天主在祂的恢复里，乃是恢复桌上的食物，而不是恢复吃的礼仪。
15Regarding the church, we should have no intention of either imitating or of opposing. Our only aim should be to enjoy the living Person of Christ and to inwardly experience Him more and more. We should not be concerned about practices, methods, or ways. Consider as an illustration the various kinds of eating utensils. The Chinese use chopsticks, the Americans use a knife and fork, and the Indonesians may use their fingers. We should not be concerned about what we eat with, but only about what we eat. As long as people take the proper food into them, we should not be concerned whether they use chopsticks, a knife and fork, or their fingers. However, some may boast that the best way is to use a knife and fork. Spiritually speaking, we may do the same thing regarding the practice of the church life. We may be proud of our way, but we may not have any food on our plate. Let us not care for spiritual table manners; let us care only for spiritual eating. Many of us were starving for years because we cared only for manners, not for food. In so many religious groups everything is well - mannered and in excellent order, but there is no food for the Lord’sp eople to eat. Therefore, in His recovery today the Lord is recovering the food on the table, not the manner of eating the food.
16神在祂的经纶里所关切的不是用具；祂关切的乃是我们经历基督的圣化、洁净、保养和顾惜。惟有当我们这样经历基督时，祂才能把一个荣耀的召会献给自己。赞美祂，这个呈献的过程，乃是天天在里面发生的。愿我们都看见，神在祂的经纶里所关切的，不是形式或作法，乃是祂亲爱的儿子，主耶稣基督。愿我们都得著怜悯，来经历祂并享受祂。
16In His economy God is not concerned about utensils. His concern is that we experience Christ’s sanctifying, cleansing, nourishing, and cherishing. Only as we experience Christ in such a way will He be able to present a glorious church to Himself. Praise Him that the process of this presentation is inwardly taking place day by day. May we all see that in His economy God cares not for forms or practices, but only for His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. May we all receive mercy to experience and enjoy Him