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以弗所书生命读经 · 第89篇

为著建造得𫗪养而长大

GROWTH BY FEEDING FOR THE BUILDING
1读经:以弗所书4:11-16,罗马书14:1-3,5-6;16:17;1,哥林多前书5:9-11,提多书3:10,约翰二书7,9-11。神创造人类,为著完成祂永远的定旨。然而,因著堕落,人类分裂且分散了。当基督死在十字架上完成救赎时,祂除灭了所有的规条,好把祂的选民带回到一里,并在祂自己里面创造成一个新人。然而,仇敌撒但用规条分裂了基督所创造的新人。基督教里的分裂、公会和宗派,乃是源于这些规条。
1Scripture Reading: Eph. 4:1 1-1 6; Rom. 1 4:1-3, 5-6; 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:9-11; Titus 3:10; 2 John 7, 9-11 14:1-3, 5-6; 16:17; God created mankind for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose. However, through the fall, mankind was divided and scattered. When Christ died on the cross to accomplish redemption, He slew all the ordinances in order to bring His chosen people back into oneness and to create in Himself one new man. However, the enemy, Satan, has used ordinances to divide the new man Christ has created. The divisions, denominations, and sects in Christianity have their source in these ordinances.
分裂的原因
THE CAUSE OF DIVISION
2今天主正在把祂的子民从分裂中带出来,为要恢复祂的召会。从分裂中被带出来,就是从作为分裂根源的规条中被带出来。因此,主为了要恢复召会,就必须使祂的子民弃绝那些成为分裂原因的规条。我们若对规条这事不清楚,就可能把规条带进召会生活中,重蹈基督教历史分裂的覆辙。我们不愿基督教的历史在我们中间,在主的恢复中重演。有些宝爱主恢复的亲爱圣徒,也许不清楚关于规条的事。他们若坚持符合他们规条的作法,就会在召会里引起难处。我们也许看见了召会的立场,但我们若没有彻底的认识规条,就不能稳妥的在召会生活里。单单弃绝分裂是不彀的,我们也需要看见,规条乃是分裂的根源。
2Today the Lord is seeking to recover His church by bringing His people out of the divisions. To be brought out of division is to be brought out of ordinances as the source of division. Therefore, in order to recover the church, the Lord must cause His people to set aside the ordinances that have been the cause of division. If we are not clear about this matter of ordinances, we may bring ordinances into the church life and cause a repetition of the divisiveness that has occurred in the history of Christianity. We do not want the history of Christianity to be repeated among us in the Lord’s recovery. Certain dear ones who love the Lord’s recovery may not be clear about ordinances. If they insist on practices that correspond to their ordinances, they will cause problems in the churches. Although we may see the ground of the church, we cannot be in the church life in a secure way until we have a thorough understanding of ordinances. It is not sufficient simply to forsake divisions. We also need to recognize that ordinances are the source of division
3当主的恢复开展到全地时,不同背景的人都会被带进来。在恢复里因为没有组织,也没有人为的控制,可能某些地方的圣徒就想要持守各种各样的作法。倘若这事发生了,召会生活就会因著分裂而严重的受破坏。因此,我劝你们都把规条这事带到主面前,求祂使你们对召会生活中规条的严重性,能有透亮的认识。我们不能留一点地步,在任何作法上有所坚持。为著召会的建造,我们必须乐意放弃一切的规条。
3As the Lord’s recovery spreads throughout the world, people with different backgrounds will be brought in. Since there is no organization nor human control in the recovery, it is possible in certain places for saints to insist on various practices. If this should happen, the church life would be seriously damaged through division. There fore, I encourage you all to bring this matter of ordinances to the Lord. Ask Him to make you crystal clear about the seriousness of having ordinances in the church life. No ground whatever can be given to the insistence upon any practice. For the building up of the church we must be willing to drop all ordinances.
规条与道理
ORDINANCES AND DOCTRINE
4我们已经指出,以弗所书不是论到个人的救恩,乃是论到团体的召会,在这卷书中至少有四种事物破坏召会生活:规条、道理、旧人、以及斑点和皱纹。我们已经释放了好些关于规条的信息,现在要来看道理这个题目。道理多半以规条为依据,规条又是由道理产生出来的。很难说到底先有道理,还是先有规条。一面说,道理产生规条,另一面说,规条提供道理的依据。然而,我们清楚知道,这两件东西是密切相关、无法分开的。
4We have pointed out that in Ephesians, a book concerned not with personal salvation but with the church in a corporate way, there are at least four categories of things that damage the church life: ordinances, doctrine, the old man, and the spots and wrinkles. After a number of messages concerning ordinances, we come now to the subject of doctrine. Most doctrines are based on ordinances, and ordinances are produced from doctrines. It is difficult to say which comes first, doctrines or ordinances. On the one hand, doctrines produce ordinances, but, on the other hand, ordinances provide the basis for doctrine. Nevertheless, we can be clear that these two matters are intimately related and cannot be separated
需要人的合作
THE NEED FOR HUMAN COOPERATION
5以弗所一章说到基督的身体,就是那在万有中充满万有者的丰满。二章说到一个新人,并结束于神的建造。为著新人的缘故,神正在把祂自己分赐到祂所拣选的人里面,正如三章所启示的。神格中的三者都包括在这分赐里。我们被那灵加强到里面的人里,使基督能安家在我们心里,结果我们就被充满,成为神一切的丰满。在三章八节,保罗说到基督的丰富。如果新人要被建造成为神在灵里的居所,基督的丰富就必须分赐到这新人的每一部分。为了这样的分赐能发生,所有构成这一个新人的信徒,都必须被那灵加强到他们里面的人里。然后基督带著祂一切的丰富,就能安家在我们心里。至终,新人要被充满,成为神一切的丰满。这指明新人乃是一个充满神的人,就是一个与三一神调和的团体实体。以弗所三章结束于新人被充满,成为神一切的丰满。然而,这不是这卷书的结束。这里仍然需要人的合作。虽然基督已经废除了一切的规条,为要创造新人,但作为新人的召会仍然需要被建造。基督不是直接建造召会,乃是用使徒、申言者、传福音者、牧人和教师来成全圣徒,以完成召会直接的建造。元首基督,把一些恩赐赐给祂的身体,好成全圣徒。圣徒们藉著这些恩赐的供应就被成全,直接建造召会。因此,召会不是直接由基督建造的,也不是直接由使徒、申言者、传福音者、牧人和教师建造的,乃是由被成全的圣徒直接建造的。这指明召会的建造需要神子民的合作。
5Chapter one of Ephesians speaks of the Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all. Chapter two speaks of the one new man and concludes with a word about God’s building. For the sake of the new man, God is dispensing Himself into His chosen people, as revealed in chapter three. All Three of the Godhead are involved in this dispensation. We are strengthened by the Spirit into the inner man, so that Christ may make His home in our hearts, with the result that we are filled unto all the fullness of God. In 3:8 Paul speaks of the riches of Christ. If the new man is to be built up as the habitation of God in spirit, surely the riches of Christ need to be dispensed into every part of this new man. In order for such a dispensation to take place, the inner man of all those who makeup the one new man must be strengthened by the Spirit. Then Christ with all His riches will be able to make His home in our hearts. Eventually, the new man will be filled unto all the fullness of God. This indicates that the new man will be a God-filled man, a corporate entity mingled with the Triune God. Chapter three of Ephesians ends with the new man filled unto all the fullness of God. This, however, is not the end of the book. There is still the need for human cooperation. Although Christ has abolished all the ordinances in order to create the new man, the church as the new man still needs to be built up. Christ does not build the church directly. Rather, He uses the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers to perfect the saints to carry out the direct building up of the church. As the Head, Christ presents certain gifts to His Body for the perfecting of the saints. Having been perfected through the ministry of these gifts, the saints build the church directly. Hence, the church is not directly built by Christ or by the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers; it is built directly by the perfected saints. This indicates that the building of the church requires the cooperation of God’sp eople.
6有些人读以弗所书,也许认为保罗应该停在三章末了。按照他们的意见,这一章的末了是该书的高峰和完成。他们只看见基督成就了一切的事实。不错,基督成为肉体,经过了人性生活,并且死在十字架上,完成了救赎,也对付了一切消极的事物,包括规条在内。在祂包罗万有的死以后,祂在坟墓里安息了。这个安息乃是真正的安息日。然后,在七日的第一日,祂从死人中复活;一个带著新人性的新时代开始了。在神那一方面,一切都成就了,但在神的经纶里,祂需要人的合作。祂的经纶是基于成为肉体的原则,就是神人相调、神人同工以完成神目标的原则。主耶稣在约翰十五章说,『离了我,你们就不能作甚么。』(5。)然而,离了我们,基督也不能作甚么,这同样是真的。我们可以告诉主:『主耶稣,我怎样需要你,你也照样需要我。离了你,我们不能作甚么;离了我们,你也不能作甚么。』我们若这样对主说,祂会同意。基督成为肉体,这事实指明神的经纶有神的一面和人的一面。这原则也可应用到以弗所书。头三章强调神的一面,这几章启示基督已成就了一切,新人已经被基督的丰富所充满,成为神一切的丰满。然后从四章到六章,我们看见人的一面,就是我们与主合作的一面。阿利路亚,我们需要神,神也需要我们!我们若不与祂合作,就会引起严重的问题。因此,为了完成神的经纶,我们履行与祂合作的责任是非常重要的。
6Some readers of Ephesians may think that Paul should have stopped at the end of chapter three. According to their opinion, the end of this chapter is the high point and completion of the book. They see only the fact that Christ has accomplished everything. Yes, Christ has been incarnated, has passed through human life, and has died on the cross to accomplish redemption and to deal with all negative things, including ordinances. After His all-inclusive death, He rested in the tomb. This rest was a true Sabbath. Then on the first day of the week He was resurrected from among the dead, and a new age with a new humanity came into being. On God’ss i de, everything has been accomplished. But in His economy God requires human cooperation. His economy is based on the principle of incarnation, that is, of God and man mingled and working together to accomplish God’s goal. In John 15 the Lord Jesus said, “ Apart from Me you can do nothing” (v. 5). However, it is also true that apart from us Christ can do nothing. We can tell the Lord, “Lord Jesus, just as I need You, You also need me. We can do nothing without You, and You can do nothing without us.” If we would speak to the Lord in this way, He would agree. The very fact that Christ was incarnated indicates that God’secon o my has both the divine aspect and the human aspect. This principle applies to the book of Ephesians. The first three chapters emphasize the divine aspect. These chapters reveal that Christ has accomplished everything and that the new man has been filled with the riches of Christ unto all the fullness of God. Then in chapters four through six we see the human aspect, the aspect of our cooperation with the Lord. Hallelujah, we need God, and God needs us! If we fail to cooperate with Him, we cause a serious problem. Therefore, it is crucial that we fulfill our responsibility to cooperate with God in the carrying out of His economy
不仅是教训,更是长大
NOT MERE TEACHING, BUT GROWTH
7许多基督徒以为,人这一方面所需要的,主要的是教训。不错,在四章里保罗的确题到牧人和教师。然而,这里的观念与今天基督教的宗教观念完全不同。基督教已经变成道理的宗教。世界上没有其他任何宗教的道理像基督教这么多。想想看每年基督教的作家出版了多少的书;别的宗教出版的书,在数量上肯定比不上基督教。这些书多半只满足道理讲说的欲望。不仅如此,这些书多半都与规条有关。有人喜欢某种特别的作法,于是就写书鼓吹那个作法。
7Many Christians think that what is mainly needed on the human side is teaching. Yes, in chapter four Paul does mention shepherds and teachers. However, the concept here is altogether different from the religious concept in today’s Christianity. Christianity has become a religion of doctrine. No other religion in the world has as many doctrines as Christianity has. Consider how many books are put out by Christian writers every year. Surely no other religion can equal it in the number of books published annually. Most of these books merely feed the desire for doctrinal talk. Furthermore, most of these books are related to ordinances. Because someone favors a particular practice, he writes a book in order to advocate it.
8保罗在四章里的观念,与今天基督教的观念完全不同。这章里基本的观念乃是长大,直到我们众人都达到了长成的人。所有作母亲的都知道,孩子们的长大主要是藉著𫗪养,不是藉著教训。当我们都达到了长成的人,我们就不再是属灵的小孩子。在人这一方面主要的需要不是道理,乃是长大。我们需要长大,直到我们都达到了长成的人。我们需要成为长成的人,为要『使我们不再作小孩子,为波浪漂来漂去,并为一切教训之风所摇荡,这教训是在于人的欺骗手法,在于将人引入错谬系统的诡诈作为』。(四14。)要注意,保罗在这里不是说一切异端或假道理之风,乃是说一切教训之风。这样的教训可以包括健全、基要、合乎圣经的道理。然而,甚至这种道理也可能被人诡诈作为的欺骗手法所利用,而把人引入错谬的系统。任何使信徒受打岔离开基督与召会的教训,即使是合乎圣经的,都是将他们从神的中心定旨带开的风。使我们受打岔离开神经纶的教训,乃是撒但以其狡诈,利用人的欺骗手法和诡诈作为,所鼓动的骗言,为要阻挠神建造基督身体的永远定旨。分裂的教训为撒但所组织并系统化,造成严重的错谬,因而破坏基督身体生活实行的一。倘若这件事不严重,保罗就不会用这么多强烈的字眼来描写。
8Paul’s concept in Ephesians 4 is absolutely different from the concept in today’s Christianity. The basic concept in this chapter is that of growth until we all arrive at a full-grown man. As all mothers know, growth of children comes by feeding, not mainly by teaching. When we all arrive at a full-grown man, we shall no longer be children spiritually. On the human side the main need is not doctrine; it is growth. We need to grow until we arrive at a full-grown man. We need to become a full-grown man so that “we may be no longer babes tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching in the sleight of men, in craftiness with a view to a system of error” (4:14). Notice that here Paul does not speak of every wind of heresy or false doctrine, but of every wind of teaching. Such teaching may include sound, fundamental, scriptural doctrine. However, even this kind of doctrine may be used by the sleight of men in craftiness with a view to a system of error. Any teaching, even a scriptural one, that distracts believers from Christ and the church is a wind that carries them away from God’s central purpose. Teachings that distract us from God’secon o my are instigated by Satan in his subtlety with the sleight of men, in order to frustrate the building up of the Body of Christ. The teachings systematized by Satan cause serious error and thus damage the practical oneness of the Body life. If this matter were not serious, Paul would not use so many strong terms to describe it
9道理可以比作钓鱼所使用的饵钩。鱼没有注意到钩子,一去咬饵就上钩了。照样,许多基督徒受到道理的『饵』所迷惑,只得被隐藏其中的『钩』抓住了。因为主子民中间有许多人忽略藏在诱人道理里面的『钩』,他们就被仇敌非常诡诈的系统化了。
9Doctrine may be likened to a baited hook used to catch fish. Ignorant of the hook, the fish go for the bait and are caught. In like manner, many Christians have been lured by the “bait” of doctrine, only to be caught on the “hook” concealed within it. Because many of the Lord’sp eople are ignorant of the “hook” inside an enticing doctrine, they have been systematized by the enemy in a very subtle way
10保罗在十五节继续说,『惟在爱里持守著真实,我们就得以在一切事上长到祂,就是元首基督里面。』保罗不是说我们要长到圣经道理的知识里面,他乃是说我们要长到作元首的基督里面。这指明,为著完成神的经纶,在人这一面所需要的乃是长大。惟有藉著长大,我们才不再作小孩子,为一切教训之风所摇荡。
10In verse 15 Paul goes on to say, “But holding to truth in love, we may grow up into Him in all things, Who is the Head, Christ.” Paul does not say that we shall grow up into the knowledge of Bible doctrine. On the contrary, he says that we shall grow up into Christ as the Head. This indicates that what is needed on the human side for the fulfillment of God’secon o my is growth. Only by growth shall we be no longer children who are carried about by every wind of teaching.
𫗪养、吃与喝
FEEDING, EATING, AND DRINKING
11长大是藉著𫗪养,并藉著吃与喝而有的。离了这个过程,任何人都不可能长大。因此,今天我们所需要的不是仅仅道理的教训,乃是得著经过过程之属灵食物的𫗪养。我们需要用基督的丰富来𫗪养别人;这丰富是在我们的经历中已经『烹煮过』并经过处理的。这样,人就会得著营养,能彀长大。按照宗教的观念,召会的肢体需要藉教训来规正。但神经纶里的观念乃是,神子民主要的乃是需要有基督的丰富供应给他们,而得著𫗪养。我的妻子每天都给我营养的食物。因此,我很强壮、健康,并且满了活力。我不需要我的妻子教训我,我需要她𫗪养我。在召会生活中也是这样。我们所需要的不是更多的教训,乃是更多基督的丰富分赐到我们里面。我能见证,多年来圣徒们藉著𫗪养长大了。
11Growth comes through feeding and through eating and drinking. Apart from this process, it is impossible for anyone to grow. Therefore, what we need today is not the mere teaching of doctrine; it is the feeding with processed spiritual food. We need to feed others with the riches of Christ that we have “cooked” and processed in our experience. In this way others will receive nourishment and be able to grow. According to the religious concept, the members of the church need to be regulated through teaching. But the concept in God’secon o my is that God’sp eople mainly need to be fed by having the riches of Christ ministered to them. Daily my wife serves me nourishing food. For this reason, I am strong, healthy, and full of energy. I do not need my wife to teach me; I need her to feed me. It is the same in the church life. What we need is not more teaching, but more of the riches of Christ dispensed into us. I can testify that throughout the years the saints have grown through being fed
12长大需要时间;相反的,藉著改正所产生的改变来得很快。譬如,初蒙恩的信徒也许受教导如何穿衣,如何理发。然而,这只能产生外面的改变,而没有一点生命长大的改变。真实长大所产生的改变,是需要时间的。譬如,你能在一小时之内就作出一朵人造花,但要培植一朵真花,就需要好几个月。召会所需要的,乃是那在生命中产生真实长大的𫗪养;这样的𫗪养不是仅仅来自道理。我们已经指出,基督教是一种道理的宗教。基督教里所谓主日早上的崇拜,充满了道理的教训。在主恢复里的聚会必须完全不同,我们不要教导道理,我们需要𫗪养圣徒。我们需要以基督的丰富𫗪养他们。这样,圣徒就会在生命里逐渐长大。为著洛杉矶召会中一切的𫗪养,我感谢主。只有少数几个人被道理占满了。这种情形对他们、对别人都造成莫大的亏损。圣徒们对仅仅得著道理的知识多半不感兴趣,他们所珍赏的,乃是那滋养他们、使他们刚强的𫗪养。在主恢复中的众召会里,我们需要更多带著基督之丰富的𫗪养,更少道理的教训。
12Growth takes time. Change produced through regulation, on the contrary, comes very quickly. For example, a new believer may be taught how he should dress or cut his hair. This, however, would produce mere outward change, change without any growth in life. The change produced by genuine growth needs time. For example, you can make an artificial flower in an hour, but it takes months to grow a real flower. What the church needs is the feeding that produces the genuine growth in life. Such feeding does not come from mere doctrine. We have pointed out that Christianity is a religion of doctrine. The so-called Sunday morning services in Christianity are filled with the teaching of doctrine. The meetings in the Lord’s recovery must be completely different. Instead of teaching doctrine, we need to minister nourishment to the saints. We need to feed them with the riches of Christ. In this way the saints will gradually grow in life. I thank the Lord for all the feeding that has taken place in the church in Los Angeles. Only in a few instances have certain ones become preoccupied with doctrine. This preoccupation has caused great loss both to them and to others. Most of the saints have not been interested in acquiring mere doctrinal knowledge. Instead, they have appreciated the feeding which has nourished them and made them strong. In all the churches in the Lord’s recovery we need more feeding with the riches of Christ and less teaching of doctrine
13我能作见证,我对道理的讨论毫无兴趣,也没有一点胃口。有人问起我,像绝对的恩典、永远的保证、受浸的形式、说方言、各种被提的看法这类的问题时,我对这些事情的道理谈论一点兴趣也没有。我惟一的渴望就是把基督的丰富供应给众圣徒,使他们能在祂里面长大。
13I can testify that I have no interest in doctrinal discussion and no appetite for it. When some ask me questions about things such as absolute grace, eternal security, the mode of baptism, speaking in tongues, or various views of the rapture, I simply have no desire to talk about these things in a doctrinal way. My only desire is to minister the riches of Christ to the saints so that they may grow in Him
一本生命的书
A BOOK OF LIFE
14你有没有注意到,启示录不强调道理?相对的,这卷书说到七倍加强的灵,就是在神宝座前焚烧的七灵。启示录也说到七星、七灯台、生命树、以及生命水的河。这里一点没有题到绝对的恩典或永远的保证。事实上,就整体来看,圣经主要的不是一本道理的书,乃是一本生命的书。我们来到圣经这里,主要的不是为著学习道理,乃是要得著活粮的滋养。我们需要像申言者耶利米一样说,『我得著你的言语,就当食物吃了。』(耶十五16。)愿我们弃绝道理,弃绝规条,只注意𫗪养。我们若这样作,至终我们将达到长成的人,不再被教训之风摇荡。如果有人带著道理上的问题来到你这里,也许你该把以弗所四章十四节读给他听。那些的伪装寻求交通,想要讨论道理的人,也许受到撒但诡计的影响。请记住,要防备隐藏在『饵』里面的『钩』。
14Have you ever noticed that in the book of Revelation there is no emphasis on doctrine? By contrast, this book speaks of the sevenfold, intensified Spirit, that is, of the seven Spirits burning before the throne of God. Revelation also speaks of the seven stars, the seven lampstands, the tree of life, and the river of water of life. There is nothing about absolute grace or eternal security. Actually, the Bible as a whole is not primarily a book of doctrine; it is a book of life. We should come to the Scriptures not primarily to learn doctrine, but mainly to be nourished by the living bread. We need to be like the prophet Jeremiah who said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them” (Jer. 15:16). Let us drop the doctrines and the ordinances and concentrate on nourishment. If we do this, we shall eventually arrive at a full-grown man and no longer be those carried about by winds of teaching. If someone comes to you with doctrinal questions, perhaps you should read him Ephesians 4:14. Those who want to discuss doctrine under the guise of having fellowship may be influenced by the cunning craftiness of Satan. Remember to beware of the “hook” concealed within the “bait
15正确的滋养和真实的长大我们必须尽可能不牵扯到道理的讨论里,尤其当我们接触新人,或访问其他地方的基督徒聚会时。不仅如此,我们当然不可按著道理的标准批评别人。我们不该谈论道理,只该享受基督,并把基督供应给别人。这是主在祂恢复里的路。在恢复里,我们所需要的不是道理,乃是正确的𫗪养,那会引进真实的长大。让我们防备撒但要用道理引我们离开神的经纶的诡计;让我们多注意𫗪养、滋养和长大。这是今天主恢复里的需要。
15PROPER NOURISHMENT AND GENUINE GROWTH We should try our best not to become involved in discussions over doctrine, especially as we contact new ones or visit Christian meetings in other places. Furthermore, we should certainly not criticize others according to a doctrinal standard. Instead of talking about doctrine, we should enjoy Christ and minister Christ to others. This is the Lord’sway in His recovery. In the recovery what we need is not doctrine, but the proper nourishment that leads to genuine growth. Let us beware of Satan’s subtle use of doctrine to distract us from God’secon o my, and let us pay attention to feeding, nourishment, and growth. This is the need in the Lord’s recovery today.