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歌罗西书生命读经 · 第30篇

圣徒与基督联合的生活─在人性生活中彰显基督，

The living of the saints in union with Christ: Expressing Christ in the human life
1持续的祷告与智慧的行事读经：歌罗西书三章十八节至四章六节。在本篇信息中，我们要来看歌罗西三章十八节至四章六节。歌罗西书这段话包括了我们基督徒生活中几件紧要的事。我们不该将这一段和本书前面的章节隔开。相反的，我们需要看见，这乃是保罗一切所论及之事的延续。我们一再的指出，歌罗西书启示基督是谁，基督是甚么。最后我们在三章十至十一节看见，基督乃是新人。因著基督是新人，我们与基督乃是一。这是本书中最基本且最紧要的点。
1Praying with perseverance, and walking in wisdom Scripture Reading: Col. 3:18—4:6 In this message we shall consider 3:18—4:6. This portion of Colossians contains matters that are crucial for our Christian life. We should not isolate this part of the book from the foregoing chapters and verses. On the contrary, we need to see that it is a continuation of all that Paul has covered. We have pointed out again and again that Colossians reveals who Christ is and what Christ is. Eventually, in 3:10 and 11, we see that Christ is the new man. Because Christ is the new man, we and Christ are one. This is the basic and most crucial point in this book
2在一至二章里，保罗说到基督的许多方面。基督是众圣徒的分、不能看见之神的像、一切受造之物的首生者、从死人中复活的首生者、三一神的丰满居住在其中的那一位、神经纶的奥秘、神的奥秘、内住之荣耀的盼望、一切智慧和知识的宝藏都藏在其中的那一位。在二章里，保罗又继续宣告说，基督乃是一切影儿的实际。因为这样一位基督在新人里是一切，又在一切之内，而我们又是新人的一部分，所以基督至终要成为我们。我们与基督乃是一。神经纶的终极目标，乃是要得著这个新人；这新人是由居首位、包罗万有的基督，作到一个团体的人里面所构成的。我们对神的经纶都需要有这样高的看见。根据这个看见，我们与基督乃是一，因为我们与祂有同一个生命，同一个生活。保罗写歌罗西书的目的，乃是要使所有的信徒对基督是一切的事实有深刻的印象。犹太的信徒们应当忘掉他们的规条和仪式，外邦的信徒应当撇弃他们的哲学观念。我们重生并不是为了这些仪式和观念。我们重生乃是为了基督。现今我们需要被基督充满、被基督浸透、被基督浸润，直到基督成为我们。
2In chapters one and two Paul covers many aspects of Christ. Christ is the portion of the saints, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation, the firstborn from among the dead, the One in whom the fullness of the Triune God dwells, the mystery of God’secon o my, the mystery of God, the indwelling hope of glory, and the One in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In chapter two Paul goes on to declare that Christ is the reality of all the shadows. Because such a Christ is all and in all in the new man, of which we are a part, Christ eventually becomes us. We and Christ are one. God’s ultimate goal in His economy is to gain this new man constituted of the preeminent, all-inclusive Christ wrought into a corporate people. We all need to have such a high view of God’secon o my. According to this view, we and Christ are one, for we and He have one life with one living. Paul’sin tent i on in writing the book of Colossians was to impress all the believers with the fact that Christ is everything. The Jewish believers should forget their ordinances and observances, and the Gentile believers should lay aside their philosophical concepts. We were not regenerated for the sake of such observances and concepts. We were regenerated for Christ. Now we need to be filled with Christ, saturated with Christ, and permeated with Christ until Christ becomes us
3我们已经指出，在神的经纶里只有一个人位─基督，和一条道路─十字架。藉著这一个人位和这一条道路，神才能得著新人。新人乃是基督构成到我们里面。一面说，新人是基督；另一面说，我们信徒乃是新人。为这缘故，在新人里，基督与我们乃是一。
3We have pointed out that in God’secon o my there is one Person, Christ, and one way, the cross. Through this one Person and one way, God will gain the new man. The new man is Christ constituted into us. On the one hand, the new man is Christ; on the other hand, we, the believers, are the new man. For this reason, in the new man, Christ and we are one.
4我们既是新人的一部分，就需要让基督的平安在我们里面作仲裁，并让基督的话丰丰富富的住在我们里面。如果我们这样作，我们就会自然而然的在日常生活中彰显基督。这意思是说，我们将活出基督，因为我们与祂是一，我们有祂的平安，并且我们有祂的话。因此，我们就实际的成为基督的彰显。
4As those who are part of the new man, we need to let the peace of Christ arbitrate within us and let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. If we do this, we shall spontaneously express Christ in our daily living. This means that we shall live out Christ, for we are one with Him, we have His peace, and we have His word. Therefore, we become the expression of Christ in a practical way
壹 在人性生活中彰显基督
I. EXPRESSING CHRIST IN HUMAN LIFE
5神渴望基督能藉著人性生活得著彰显。我们在歌罗西三章十八节至四章一节看见这事，这一段是以弗所五章二十二节至六章九节的姊妹节，说到信徒的伦理关系。以弗所书著重在正常的召会生活里，为著基督身体的彰显，需要有被灵充满的伦理关系。歌罗西书强调我们该藉著让祂丰富的话住在里面，持定基督作我们的元首，并以祂作我们的生命，使最高的伦理关系能以实现，叫祂得著彰显。这种伦理关系不是出于我们天然的生命，乃是出于作我们生命的基督。
5God desires that Christ be expressed through human life. We see this in 3:18—4:1, a sister passage to Ephesians 5:22—6:9, regarding the believers’ ethical relationships. In Ephesians the emphasis is on the need of spirit-filled ethical relationships for the expression of the Body in the normal church life. In Colossians the emphasis is that we should hold Christ as our Head and take Him as our life by having His rich word dwelling in us, that the highest ethical relationships, issuing not from our natural life but from Christ as our life, may be realized for His expression
6如果我们过与基督联合的生活，基督就要藉著我们的人性得著彰显。基督是在人性生活中，不是在天使的生活中得著彰显；天使不能彰显基督。父已经命定我们这些祂所拣选的人作祂儿子的彰显。诗歌第三百零四首说到『从我活出你的自己』，这该是我们的祷告。如果我们要作一班让基督能从我们活出来的人，我们就必须先经过歌罗西书的头两章半。然后到了三章十五至十六节，我们必须是有基督的平安作仲裁，并有基督的话丰丰富富的住在里面的人。这样，基督就能在我们的人性生活中得著彰显。许多印度教徒、佛教徒、和天主教徒都贬低人性的生活。他们不在意婚姻，也不在意正当的家庭生活。他们宁可不嫁不娶，他们羡慕过一种天使般的生活。但天使般的生活不能彰显基督。反之，基督需要在那些作丈夫、作妻子、作父母、作儿女、作主人、作奴仆的人中间得著彰显。为了要彰显基督，我们需要有正确的、正常的人性生活。
6If we live in union with Christ, Christ will be expressed through our humanity. Christ is to be expressed in the human life, not in the angelic life. Angels cannot express Christ. The Father has ordained that we, His chosen ones, be the expression of His Son. “Live Thyself, Lord Jesus, through me,” should be our prayer (see Hymns #403). If we would be those through whom Christ can live, we need to pass through the first two and a half chapters of the book of Colossians. Then, coming to 3:15 and 16, we need to be those in whom the peace of Christ arbitrates and in whom the word of Christ dwells richly. Then Christ will be expressed in our human living. Many of those in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Catholicism have a low estimate of human life. They do not care for marriage or for the proper family life. They prefer to remain unmarried, and they aspire to live a type of angelic life. But the angelic life cannot express Christ. On the contrary, Christ needs to be expressed in those who are husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, and slaves. In order to express Christ, we need to have a proper and normal human life.
7我有八个儿女，二十多个孙儿女，我这个老人能见证说，主知道如何为我们选择最好的丈夫或妻子，主也知道我们该有怎样的儿女。祂也知道怎样破碎我们，使我们成为透明的，能以彰显基督。藉著家庭生活，我们从主学到许多宝贵的功课。我信天使都在观看，我们有没有在家庭生活中活出基督。在召会中活出基督，不像在家中活出基督那样困难。但若是一位弟兄或姊妹能在婚姻生活中活出基督，那真是何等的好！在主的恢复中，没有一位弟兄或姊妹该羡慕过修士或修女般的生活。到了合式的时候，弟兄姊妹们都该结婚，然后藉著婚姻生活的经历学习功课，好在他们的人性生活中彰显基督。圣徒们过与基督联合的生活，结果该是在人性生活中彰显基督。如果我们看见这事，我们就会为著我们的人性生活赞美主！不仅如此，我们对婚姻生活该有新的珍赏。我能见证，为著我的妻子、儿女和孙儿女们，我满了感谢。我为著主藉著他们所给我学到的功课而满了感谢。我年岁越长，就越珍赏我从人性生活的过程中所学到的功课。在夫妻的关系中，在父母与儿女的关系中，我们需要活出基督并彰显基督。
7As an elderly person with eight children and more than twenty grandchildren, I can testify that the Lord knows how to choose the best husband or wife for us and what kind of children we should have. He also knows how to break us and make us transparent so that we can express Christ. Through our family life we learn many valuable lessons from the Lord. I believe that the angels are observing to see whether or not we live out Christ in our family life. It is not as difficult to live out Christ in the church as it is to live Him out at home. But how wonderful it is for a brother or sister to express Christ in his or her married life! No brother or sister in the Lord’s recovery should aspire to live like a monk or nun. At the right time, the brothers and sisters should marry and then learn through the experiences of married life to express Christ in their human living. The living of the saints in union with Christ should result in the expression of Christ in human life. If we see this, we shall praise the Lord for our human living. Furthermore, we shall have a fresh appreciation for married life. I can testify that I am thankful for my wife, children, and grandchildren. I am grateful for all the lessons the Lord has taught me through them. The more I advance in years, the more I appreciate the lessons I have learned through the course of my human life. In the relationship between wife and husband and between children and parents we need to live out Christ and express Him
8在主仆的关系中，原则也是一样。保罗在歌罗西三章二十二至二十五节，嘱咐作奴仆的。他在二十四节说到得著『基业为赏报』。在这一点上，以弗所六章八节没有这里说得清楚。『基业』是信徒所要承受的。（罗八17，徒二六18，彼前一4。）『基业为赏报，』指明主用祂所要给信徒的基业作激励，使他们在对祂的事奉上忠信。不忠信的人必要失去这赏报。（太二四45～51，二五20～29。）
8The principle is the same in the relationship between masters and servants. In verses 22 through 25 Paul gives a charge to the slaves. In verse 24 he speaks of receiving “the reward of the inheritance.” This point is not made as clear in Ephesians 6:8 as it is here. There is an inheritance for the believers (Rom. 8:17; Acts 26:18; 1 Pet. 1:4). The reward of the inheritance indicates that the Lord uses the inheritance which He will give His believers as an incentive that they may be faithful in their service to Him. The unfaithful ones will surely miss this reward (Matt. 24:45-51; 25:20-29
贰 持续的祷告与智慧的行事
II. PRAYING WITH PERSEVERANCE and walking in wisdom
一 持续的祷告
A. Persevering in Prayer
9在歌罗西四章二至四节，保罗转到祷告的事上。他在二节说，『你们要坚定持续的祷告，在此儆醒感恩。』坚定持续，乃是坚忍、坚定并热切的持续。在祷告上我们需要儆醒、警戒，不可轻忽。这种儆醒该带著感恩。缺少感恩，指明没有祷告；祷告生活是藉儆醒感恩维持的。
9In Colossians 4:2-4 Paul turns to the matter of prayer. In verse 2 he says, “Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving.” To persevere is to continue persistently, steadfastly, and earnestly. In prayer we need to be watchful and alert, not negligent. Such watchfulness should be accompanied by thanksgiving.
10如果我们要在人性生活中彰显基督，并保全我们从主所接受的恩典，我们就需要持续的祷告。当我们花时间来看歌罗西书中所启示包罗万有的基督时，我们必定从主得著恩典。至终，我们就看见，我们与基督乃是一，祂的平安在我们里面作仲裁，并且祂的话充满我们。然后我们就能活出祂并彰显祂。然而，不论我们从主得著多少恩典，我们若不持续的祷告，恩典就会漏掉。惟有祷告才能维持我们所得著的恩典。也惟有藉著祷告，这恩典才能在我们的经历中成为活而有效的。基督徒的生活实在是一种接受恩典的生活，但这种生活必须靠祷告来维持。维系我们肉身生命最重要的是呼吸。呼吸甚至比吃喝还重要。我们可以几天不吃不喝，却不能几分钟不呼吸。祷告乃是属灵的呼吸，祷告就是呼吸。有些圣徒一听到祷告，就立刻问要如何祷告。我们都该忘掉如何祷告，就是简单的去祷告。譬如，小孩子学走路就是去走。很少有父母亲教孩子怎样走路。同样的原则，我们是藉著祷告而学习祷告。
10If we would express Christ in our human living and preserve the grace we have received from the Lord, we need to persevere in prayer. As we spend time to consider the revelation of the all-inclusive Christ in Colossians, we shall surely receive grace from the Lord. Eventually, we shall see that we and Christ are one, that His peace is arbitrating within us, and that His word is filling us. Then we shall be able to live Him out and express Him. However, no matter how much grace we receive from the Lord, it will leak away if we fail to persevere in prayer. Only prayer can maintain the grace we receive. Only through prayer can this grace become prevailing and living in our experience. To be sure, the Christian life is a life of receiving grace. But this life needs to be sustained by prayer. The most important matter in the maintenance of our physical life is breathing. Breathing is even more important than eating and drinking. We can go for days without eating or drinking, but only a few minutes without breathing. Prayer is spiritual breathing. To pray is to breathe. When some saints hear a word about prayer, they immediately ask how to pray. We should forget about how and simply pray. For example, a child learns to walk by walking. Few parents teach their children to walk. In the same principle, we learn to pray by praying
11保罗在四章二节嘱咐我们，要坚定持续的祷告。这意思是说，我们不仅该持续祷告，更该奋力的持续祷告。在我们的环境中，几乎每件事都与祷告相对。我们要祷告，就必须反我们环境中的潮流。如果我们不祷告，我们就会随波逐流。惟有祷告能使我们反潮流。因此，我们需要持续的祷告，坚定的祷告。我们需要天天操练祷告。我们甚至每天都该有定时的祷告。不要原谅自己，说你没有负担祷告，即使你似乎没有负担，即使你对主好像无话可说，你仍要祷告。你对别人有许多话可说，为甚么不把你对别人说的话，对主说呢？假如你真不知道该向主说甚么，你可以这样祷告：『主阿，我到你跟前来，但我不知道要说甚么，也不知道该怎样祷告。主阿，教导我祷告，告诉我当说甚么。在这件事上，主阿，求你怜悯我。』如果你这样作，你会发现通常你一这样祷告，就有一些真的祷告出来了。当你觉得有负担祷告时，你的祷告不一定是真的。但当你到主跟前祷告，甚至没有负担，你仅仅告诉祂，你无话可说，你会发现你在主里得著复苏，而能有真正的祷告。当我们向主敞开，并承认我们不知道要向祂说甚么时，我们就吸入新鲜的属灵空气，并蒙保守在主的恩典中。
11In 4:2 Paul charges us to persevere in prayer. This means that we should not merely continue in prayer, but we should strive to continue. Almost everything in our environment is contrary to prayer. In order to pray, we must go against the tide, the current, of our environment. If we fail to pray, we shall be swept downstream. Only prayer can enable us to go against the current. Therefore, we need to persevere in prayer, to pray persistently. Day by day we need to exercise ourselves to pray. We should even set aside certain times each day for prayer. Do not excuse yourself by saying that you do not have the burden to pray. Pray even when you seem to have no burden, or when apparently you have nothing to say to the Lord. You have much to say to others. Why not go to the Lord and tell Him the very things you tell them? If you do not know what to say to the Lord, pray like this: “Lord, I come to You, but I don’t know what to say, and I don’t know how to pray. Lord, teach me to pray and tell me what to say. Lord, in this matter have mercy on me.” If you do this, you will find that often when you pray in this way, some genuine prayer will come forth. When you feel that you are burdened to pray, your prayer may not be genuine. But when you go to the Lord in prayer even without a burden, telling Him that you have nothing to say, you will find yourself refreshed in the Lord and able to pray genuinely. When we open to the Lord and admit that we do not know what to say to Him, we breathe in fresh spiritual air, and we are preserved in the Lord’s grace.
12保罗也鼓励我们要在祷告上儆醒。我们需要儆醒抵挡仇敌。我们不知道下一刻会有甚么事情发生。我们需要儆醒，因为基督徒的生活乃是争战的生活，战斗的生活。
12Paul also encourages us to watch in prayer. We need to be watchful against the enemy. We do not know what will happen in the next few minutes. We need to be watchful because the Christian life is a life of fighting, a life of warfare
二 智慧的行事
B. Walking in Wisdom
13保罗在四章五至六节说，『你们对于外人要凭智慧行事，要赎回光阴。你们的言语总要带著恩典，好像用盐调和，就可知道你们应当怎样回答各人。』赎回光阴，乃是把握每一个有利的机会来供应生命。这就是行事为人像有智慧的人。（弗五15。）在这邪恶的世代，每一日都是邪恶的，满了邪恶的事，叫我们的时间变为无效、受缩减、被夺去。所以，我们的行事为人必须有智慧，才能赎回光阴，把握每一可用的时机。凭智慧行事，乃是把握每一个机会赎回光阴。这样赎回光阴，与我们对别人说话的方式有关。我常常向主悔改，承认我对人说话时的愚昧。我以某种方式对人说话时，我是在浪费时间。我不彀有智慧将生命供应给人，而免去争端。我反而浪费时间在毫无生命供应的谈话中。我们需要祷告，求主使我们在与别人接触时有智慧。如果我们在对人说话时的事上凭智慧而行，就会赎回我们的光阴。我们都是因著花时间在愚昧的谈话上，而失去了供应生命的机会。赎回光阴最好的路乃是坚定持续的祷告、儆醒、并凭智慧行事。我们若这样作，就能把握一切有利的机会来供应生命。如果我们不坚定持续的祷告，也不儆醒，我们就失去供应生命的机会。每当我们与人接触时，若不运用智慧，我们就浪费时间。有时我们浪费了半个小时谈话，却没有一点生命的供应。我们都必须学习祷告、儆醒，并寻求主的智慧，好使我们能赎回光阴。
13In 4:5 and 6 Paul says, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” To redeem the time is to seize every favorable opportunity to minister life. This is to be wise in our walk. In this evil age, every day is an evil day, full of pernicious things which destroy, spoil, and waste our time. Therefore, we must walk wisely that we may redeem the time, seizing every available opportunity. To walk in wisdom is to grasp each opportunity to redeem our time. This redeeming of the time is related to the way we speak to others. Often I must confess to the Lord my foolishness in talking to people. By talking to them in a certain way, I wasted time. I did not use wisdom enough to minister life and thereby to avoid friction. Instead, I wasted time by engaging in conversation in which there was no ministry of life. We need to pray that the Lord will grant us wisdom in our contact with others. If we walk in wisdom in speaking to others, we shall redeem our time. We all have missed opportunities to minister life because we spent the time in foolish talk. The best way to redeem our time is to pray perseveringly, to be watchful, and to walk in wisdom. If we do these things, we shall grasp all the favorable opportunities to minister life. If we do not persevere in prayer and if we are not watchful, we shall fail to grasp opportunities to minister life. Whenever we contact others without the exercise of wisdom, we waste time. On some occasions we may waste a half hour in conversation where nothing of life is ministered. We all must learn to pray, to watch, and to seek the Lord for His wisdom so that we may redeem our time
14保罗在六节说，『你们的言语总要带著恩典，好像用盐调和，就可知道你们应当怎样回答各人。』在以弗所四章二十九节，保罗说到将恩典供给听见之人的话语。恩典乃是基督作我们的享受和供应。我们的话应当将这恩典载送给人。建造人的话，总是将基督当作恩典供应听见的人。我们的话语带著恩典，意思就是基督藉著我们的话语得著彰显。这意思是说，我们的话语应当是基督的彰显与发表。每一句话都必须是那作恩典之基督的彰显。我们的言语也当用盐调和。盐使食物的味道合式、可口。言语用盐调和，使我们彼此保持和平。（可九50。）如果我们的话语带著恩典，并用盐调和，我们的话语就能使事情和谐，并激起别人正当的胃口。保罗在歌罗西四章二至六节说到五件重要的事：祷告、儆醒、智慧的行事、赎回光阴、言语带著恩典并用盐调和。我们很难决定这几节中那一项是主要的点：是祷告，或是赎回光阴？但无论我们以那一项为中心点，正确的基督徒生活需要我们赎回光阴，这件事是无庸置疑的。今天所有地上的人都在浪费光阴，耽误许多宝贵的机会。但我们需要赎回每一时刻，把握每一机会。为了要过这样的生活，我们需要被基督充满并被基督浸透。我们需要与基督是一，让祂的平安在我们里面作仲裁，并让祂的话充满我们。这样，我们就能藉著祷告、儆醒、并智慧的行事来彰显祂。如果我们是这样的人，我们就是赎回光阴，抓住每一可用的机会来供应生命的人。不仅如此，我们的言语也不至于引起麻烦。相反的，藉著主彻底的对付，从我们口中所出的每句话，就都是用盐调和过的恩典之话。这样的话要使事情和谐，合人口味。愿我们学习并操练这些事。
14In verse 6 Paul says, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” In Ephesians 4:29 Paul refers to words that give grace to those who hear. Grace is Christ as our enjoyment and supply. Our speech should convey this grace to others. The word that builds up others always ministers such grace to the hearers. For our speech to be with grace means that Christ is expressed through our words. This means that our words should be the expression and utterance of Christ. Every word must be the expression of Christ as grace. Our speech should also be seasoned with salt. Salt makes things agreeable and pleasant to the taste. Speech seasoned with salt keeps us at peace with one another Mark 9:50). If our words are with grace and are salted, they will cause things to be agreeable, and they will also arouse the proper taste in others. In 4:2-6 Paul covers five important matters: praying, watching, walking in wisdom, redeeming the time, and speech that is with grace and seasoned with salt. It is difficult to determine whether the main point in these verses is prayer or redeeming the time. But no matter which one we take as the focal point, it is a certainty that the proper Christian life requires that we redeem the time. All those on earth today are wasting time and missing valuable opportunities. But we need to redeem every moment and grasp every opportunity. In order to live such a life, we need to be filled with Christ and saturated with Him. We need to be one with Christ and allow His peace to arbitrate in us and His word to fill us. Then we shall express Him by praying, by watching, and by walking in wisdom. If we are such persons, we shall be those who redeem the time and seize every available opportunity to minister life. Furthermore, our words will not be a cause of trouble. On the contrary, through the thorough dealing of the Lord, whatever proceeds out of our mouth will be a word of grace seasoned with salt. Such a word will make things agreeable and pleasant to the taste. May we all learn these things and practice them
基督活在我里面
CHRIST LIVES IN ME
15读经：歌罗西书1:27，3:4，加拉太书2:20上，约翰福音14:19-20，15:4-5。
15Scripture Reading: Col. 1:27; 3:4; Gal. 2:20a; John 14:19- 20; 15:4-5
16歌罗西书虽然很短，却包含许多奥秘的事物。这卷书信的思想很深。因此一章和二章很难记住并背诵。我们读一章的时候，必须特别注意保罗所用的字眼。在十二节他说，父叫我们彀资格『在光中同得所分给众圣徒的分』。父怎样使我们彀资格？按照十三节，祂是藉著拯救我们脱离黑暗的权势，把我们迁入祂爱子的国里，而使我们彀资格。保罗在十五节继续说，基督是那不能看见之神的像，是一切受造之物的首生者。按照十六节和十七节，万有都是在祂里面，藉著祂并为著祂造的，并且万有也在祂里面得以维系。不仅如此，祂也是从死人中复活的首生者，所以，祂是召会身体的头。（18。）在十九节保罗告诉我们，一切的丰满都乐意居住在祂里面。『丰满』这辞在此是指一个活的人位，而不是一件东西，因为一个没有人位的物质或东西是不会有所乐意的。这丰满乐意居住在基督里面，就是在那位叫万有与自己和好的包罗万有者里面。（20。）
16Although the book of Colossians is short, it contains many things which are mysterious. The thought in this Epistle is deep. For this reason chapters one and two are difficult to memorize and recite. As we read chapter one, we must pay close attention to Paul’s terminology. In verse 12 he says that the Father has qualified us “for a share of the portion of the saints in the light.” In what way has the Father qualified us for this? According to 1:13, He did this by delivering us out of the authority of darkness and transferring us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. In 1:15 Paul goes on to say that Christ is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation. According to verses 16 and 17, all things were created in Him, through Him, and unto Him, and all things subsist together in Him. Furthermore, as the firstborn from among the dead, He is the Head of the Body, the church (v. 18). In verse 19 Paul tells us that all the fullness was pleased to dwell in Him. The word “fullness” here denotes a living person, not a thing, for an impersonal substance or thing cannot be pleased about something. This fullness was pleased to dwell in Christ, in the all-inclusive One who has reconciled all things to Him (v. 20
神的经纶
GOD’SECON O MY
17从二十四节开始，保罗接著说到神的经纶。神的经纶是甚么？我们也许作了基督徒多年，却不晓得神的经纶是甚么；我们甚至也没有求神把祂的经纶启示给我们。神的经纶与祂将自己分赐到我们里面有关。然而，经纶的意义包括更广。经纶这辞在希腊原文是oikonomia，奥依克诺米亚，含示安排或行政管理的意思。因此，神的经纶乃是一个行政的安排。在一些地方，如一章二十五节，这辞最好译为『管家职分』。神的经纶就是祂行政的安排，祂的管家职分，为要将祂的丰富分赐到我们里面。富有的家庭怎样有一个安排，要把家里的财富分给家中的人，在神的经纶里也照样有一个安排，要把祂的丰富分赐到祂的儿女里面。赞美主，我们是神家里的人！神的经纶乃是将基督那追测不尽的丰富，分赐到所有蒙神拣选的人里面，使他们能成为祂的儿女，并成为宇宙、神圣家庭的一分子。我们既是神的儿女，我们就在祂行政的安排之下，祂要藉此将祂自己作到我们里面。
17Beginning with verse 24, Paul goes on to speak of God’s economy. What is God’s economy? We may have been Christians for years without knowing what God’s economy is, or without even asking Him to reveal His economy to us. God’s economy is related to the dispensing of Himself into us; however, it involves even more. The Greek word for economy, oikonomia, implies the thought of arrangement or administration. Hence, God’s economy is an administrative arrangement. In some places, as in 1:25, the Greek word is best rendered “stewardship.” God’s economy is His administrative arrangement, His stewardship, to dispense His riches into us. Just as wealthy families have an arrangement to distribute the wealth of the family to its members, so God has an arrangement in His economy to dispense His wealth into His children. Praise the Lord that we are members of God’sho use hold! God’secon o my is to dispense the unsearchable riches of Christ into all those chosen by God that they might become His children and members of the universal, divine family. As children of God, we are under His administrative arrangement by which He works Himself into our being.
神分赐的目标
THE GOAL OF GOD’S DISPENSATION
18神将祂自己分赐到我们里面的目标，乃是一个新人。新人的终极完成，乃是新耶路撒冷。今天新人乃是永远之新耶路撒冷的雏型。两者的差别不在性质上或素质上，乃在大小及程度上。今天我们享受新人作神经纶的结果，但在永世里我们将享受新耶路撒冷，作神将祂自己分赐到我们里面的终极结果。我们每一个在主恢复里的人，都需要这样来认识神的经纶。
18The goal of God’s dispensation of Himself into us is the one new man. The ultimate consummation of the new man will be the New Jerusalem. Today the new man is a miniature of the eternal New Jerusalem. The difference is not in nature or essence, but only in size or degree. Today we enjoy the new man as the issue, the result, of God’secon o my. But in eternity we shall enjoy the New Jerusalem as the ultimate issue of God’s dispensing of Himself into us. It is necessary for all of us in the Lord’s recovery to know God’secon o my in this way
生命的长大
THE GROWTH OF LIFE
19我在本篇信息中的负担乃是指出，神经纶的完成不在于我们的努力，乃在于生命的长大。神经纶的中心点不是我们的作为，乃是生命的长大。因此，重要的是我们要看见长大是甚么，以及如何长大。神不需要我们作甚么，凡我们凭自己作的都不算数。然而，神要我们长大。要叫一个东西长大，当然必须先有生命。桌子不会长大，因为牠没有生命。然而植物会生长，因为植物满有生命。譬如，我妻子在我们后院种了一棵蕃茄。这棵植物长得很大，结出许多蕃茄，真令我惊奇。因著蕃茄长得太大了，所以需要架子支撑住，使牠长得好。这棵蕃茄需要有一个经纶来管理。
19My burden in this message is to point out that the fulfillment of God’secon o my does not depend on our effort. Rather, it depends on the growth of life. The focal point of God’secon o my is not our doing; it is life growing. Hence, it is crucial for us to see what it means to grow and how to grow. God does not need our doing. Anything that we do in ourselves means nothing. However, God wants us to grow. In order for something to grow, it must, of course, have life. A table cannot grow, because it does not have life. However, a plant will grow because it is full of life. For example, my wife planted a tomato plant in our backyard. I am amazed how much this plant has grown and how many tomatoes it has produced. Because that tomato plant grew so much, there was the need of stakes to support it and to direct its growth. There was the need for an economy to manage this tomato plant
20我愿意题醒你们，神创造人之后，就把人放在一个园子里，那是一个生长的地方。神没有把人放在学校里，使他受教育；也没有把人放在工厂里，使他制造东西；神乃是把人放在一个园子里，在那里生命能以生长。今天在召会里我们所需要的乃是长大，而为了长大，我们就必须有生命。
20I would remind you that after God created man, He put him into a garden, a place of growth. God did not put man into a school, where he could be educated, or into a factory, where he could manufacture things, but into a garden, a place where life could grow. Our need today in the church is for growth, and in order to grow we must have life
基督最高的启示
THE HIGHEST REVELATION OF CHRIST
21现在我们来到一个紧要的问题：我们的生命是甚么？也许我们都会回答说，我们的生命是基督。那么，基督是甚么？在召会里长大的生命，以及召会长大所需要的生命，乃是基督。但这位基督是甚么？这问题的答案在歌罗西书中可以找到。根据这卷书，基督是神的丰满、不能看见之神的像、一切受造之物的首生者、从死人中复活的首生者、一切的丰满乐意居住在其中的那一位、神经纶的奥秘、神的奥秘、一切正面事物的实际、以及新人的成分。多年来我们指出基督是生命，但是我们也许不彀注意基督是甚么。简单的说，基督是我们的生命，是我们的一切，也是宇宙中一切正面事物的实际。这就是歌罗西书里的启示。
21Now we come to a crucial question: What is our life? Probably we all would answer this question by saying that our life is Christ. What, then, is Christ? The life that grows in the church and which is needed for the growth of the church is Christ. But what is this Christ? The answer to this question is found in Colossians. According to this book, Christ is the fullness of God, the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, the firstborn from among the dead, the One in whom all the fullness is pleased to dwell, the mystery of God’secon o my, the mystery of God, the reality of all positive things, and the constituent of the new man. For years we have pointed out that Christ is life, but perhaps we have not adequately paid our attention to what Christ is. In short, the Christ who is our life is everything, the reality of every positive thing in the universe. This is the revelation in the book of Colossians.
22歌罗西书包含新约中基督最高的启示。没有别卷书告诉我们，基督是一切受造之物的首生者，或基督是神的奥秘。歌罗西书却启示，基督是神经纶的奥秘，也是神自己的奥秘。根据这卷书，基督乃是我们的一切。
22Colossians contains the highest revelation of Christ in the New Testament. No other book tells us that Christ is the firstborn of all creation or that He is the mystery of God. Colossians reveals that Christ is the mystery of God’secon o my and the mystery of God Himself. According to this book, Christ is everything to us
凭基督活著，不凭文化活著
LIVING BY CHRIST, NOT BY CULTURE
23我们若看见基督是一切，我们自然就领悟，我们一无所是，我们算不得甚么。用加拉太二章二十节的话说，我们已经与基督同钉十字架，并且基督活在我们里面。祂乃是那忍耐、恩慈、亲爱、且满了生命的一位。然而我们许多人不是活基督，反而不知不觉的努力挣扎，想要改良自己。譬如，一个即将结婚的青年弟兄，也许定意要作一个理想的丈夫。这样作若不是照著我们自己制订的文化，就是照著承继的文化而活。有时在特会中，圣徒们也许会见证说，特会完后他们绝不再像从前那样。因著这样的说法是照著文化，所以特会之后不到几天，那些人又是老样子了。我们何等容易在自己身上加上文化的标准！我们加在自己身上的文化，实际上乃是一种禁欲主义。假定有位弟兄发现，他很受不了他的妻子，虽然她是主里亲爱的姊妹。这位弟兄就许愿，无论出甚么代价，都要作自己妻子的好丈夫。他要容忍他的妻子，即使咬著牙也要忍受。这位弟兄是照著禁欲主义生活。每次我们下定决心要改良自己，要不一样的时候，我们就是照文化活著，而不是照基督活著。
23If we see that Christ is everything, we shall spontaneously realize that we are nothing and nobody. In the words of Galatians 2:20, we have been crucified with Christ and Christ lives in us. He is the One who is patient, kind, loving, and full of life. However, instead of living Christ, many of us unconsciously strive to improve ourselves. For example, a young brother who is about to get married may make up his mind to be an ideal husband. To do this is to live either according to our self-made culture or according to the culture we have inherited. Sometimes in conferences saints may testify that after that conference they will never be the same. Because such a statement is according to culture, a few days after the conference that person is the same as before. How easy it is to impose a cultural standard on ourselves! The culture we impose on ourselves is actually a form of asceticism. Suppose a certain brother finds his wife difficult to bear, even though she is a dear sister in the Lord. This brother vows that, whatever the cost, he will be a good husband to his wife. He will bear with her, even if it is with gnashing of his teeth. This brother is living according to asceticism. Every time we make a decision to improve or to be different, we are living according to culture instead of according to Christ.
24神的目的乃是要将基督分赐到我们里面，使祂能作我们的生命和一切。神要基督作我们的公义、圣别、谦卑和忍耐。基督既是一切，我们就不需要定意作甚么或成为甚么。相反的，我们只应当转向主说，『主，感谢你。你是我的生命，也是我的一切。你是真神又是真人。我需要爱的时候，你就是爱。我需要谦卑的时候，主，你就是谦卑。无论我需要甚么，你就是。』神不要我们努力去作好丈夫、好妻子、好父母或好儿女。神只要一个人位─基督。然而，我们不该太早对儿女传讲这事，乃该先向自己传讲，告诉自己说，神不要我们改良自己，祂只要基督。神已将基督分赐到我们里面，作我们的生命和一切，使我们能活祂，并且祂也能住在我们里面。我们不需要挣扎努力去爱人，我们的爱是有限的。但基督是爱，是无限的爱，而祂就活在我们里面。
24God’sin tent i on is to dispense Christ into us so that He may be our life and our everything. God wants Christ to be our righteousness, holiness, humility, and patience. Since Christ is everything, there is no need for us to decide to do anything or to be anything. Instead, we should simply turn to the Lord and say, “Lord, thank You. You are my life and my everything. You are the real God and the real man. When I need love, You are love. When I need humility, You, Lord, are humility. Whatever I need, You are.” God does not want us to try to be good husbands or wives, parents or children. God only wants one person— Christ. However, we should not preach this to our children prematurely. Instead, we should first preach to ourselves, telling ourselves that God does not want our self-improvement, but that He only wants Christ. He has dispensed Christ into us to be our life and our everything so that we may live Him and that He may dwell in us. There is no need for us to strive to be loving. Our love is limited. But Christ is love, unlimited love, and He lives in us
让基督在我们里面有地位
GIVING CHRIST THE GROUND WITHIN US
25我们需要看见属天的异象，就是在神的经纶里，除了基督，神不要别的。基督太奇妙了。祂是神也是人，祂经过了成为肉体、人性生活、钉十字架、复活、升天、以及登宝座。基督所是的一切，并祂所得著、所达到的一切，都已经复合到包罗万有的灵里。现今祂是那包罗万有赐生命的灵，活在我们里面。在我们的生活中，若没有将一切的地位让给祂，那是何等的愚昧！虽然我们也许爱祂，但因著我们努力要作好的基督徒丈夫或妻子，我们仍然限制、拘束了祂。在我们自己里面，我们仍想要谦卑、忍耐、恩慈、爱人。只要我们这样作，基督就无法活在我们里面。在约翰十四章，主耶稣说到祂的死与复活。祂在十九节说到门徒在祂复活后的经历：『因为我活著，你们也要活著。』根据加拉太二章二十节，主复活以后，就能活在祂的门徒里面，他们也能凭祂而活。
25We need to see the heavenly vision that in His economy, God wants nothing except Christ. Christ is wonderful. As the One who is God and man, He has passed through incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and enthronement. All that Christ is and all that He has obtained and attained have been compounded into the all-inclusive Spirit. Now as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit, He lives in us. How foolish not to give all the ground in our living to Him! Although we may love Him, we may still limit and restrict Him by our efforts to be good Christian husbands or wives. In ourselves, we still try to be humble, patient, kind, and loving. As long as we do this, there is no way for Christ to live in us. In John 14, the Lord Jesus spoke of His death and resurrection. Speaking of the disciples’ experience after His resurrection, He says in verse 19, “Because I live, you shall live also.” It was after His resurrection that the Lord could live in His disciples and they could live by Him, according to Galatians 2:20
26基督要活在我们里面。当祂活在我们里面时，我们就凭祂而活。但今天，让基督在他们里面有自由通路的基督徒在那里？这样的基督徒太少了。连我们在主恢复里的人，也没有让基督有充分的地位活在我们里面。反之，我们努力要谦卑、要爱人；我们努力要作好丈夫、好妻子，作好弟兄、好姊妹。因此，我们里面的地位都被自己和自我努力占有了。我们自己的努力也许失败了，我们就悔改、祷告、求主洁净，然后重新再来。我们甚至欢迎新的一天、一周、一月、或一年所给我们重新开始的机会，使我们能再试一次，作个正当的基督徒。我们也许在一天的末了安慰自己说，到明日早晨我们还有一个新的机会再试一遍。我们也许在每周、每月、每年的末了都是这样。特别是在旧年尾、新年初时，我们应许自己要有一个新的开始。我们也许彻底的清理已往，懊悔我们的短处，为我们的过错悔改，求主赦免我们的错误，然后尝试有一个新的开始。我们也许说，『过去的就算了，在新的一年我要有个新开始。』可惜，不久我们就发现，我们最努力的结果仍是失败。
26Christ wants to live in us. When He lives in us, we live by Him. But where are the Christians today who give Christ the free course to live in them? Very few Christians do this. Even we in the Lord’s recovery do not give Christ the sufficient ground to live in us. Instead, we try to be humble and loving. We try to be a good husband or wife, a good brother or sister. Thus, the ground within us is occupied by ourselves and by our self-effort. Although we may fail in our efforts, we repent, pray, ask for the Lord’s cleansing, and then try once a gain. We may even welcome the opportunity for a new beginning afforded by a new day, week, month, or years o that we may try once again to be a proper Christian. We may comfort ourselves at the end of the day with the thought that in the morning we shall have a fresh opportunity to try again. We may do the same thing at the end of a week, month, or year. Especially at the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, we may promise ourselves to have a new beginning. We may thoroughly clear the past, regret our shortcomings, repent for our mistakes, ask the Lord’s forgiveness for our wrongdoings, and then try to have a new beginning. We may say, “Let the past be the past. With the new year I can have a new beginning.” Nevertheless, before long we find that our best efforts still result in failure.
27因为我们都有这个倾向，所以我有负担让大家看见，神不要我们试著去作正当的基督徒，祂只要我们活基督。我们应当忘记要作个好丈夫、作个好妻子，只该留意活基督。愿我们爱祂、接触祂、并与祂是一。祂是何等亲切便利！祂在我们里面与我们成为一灵，等待机会活在我们里面。我们若要让基督有地位活在我们里面，就该停止一切的努力。我们不该求主帮助我们努力，乃该祷告说，『主耶稣，离了你，我就不能作甚么。我何等愚昧，我一直辛苦努力！现在，主，我看见了异象，没有你我就不能作甚么。主，感谢你，你住在我里面。主，我求你作工在我里面。主，赞美你，你是我的生命，你一直等候机会要活在我里面。主，感谢你，我在你里面。现今我乐意将所有的地位给你，让你在我里面作一切，并在我里面成为一切。』这就是基督活在我们里面的意思。我们这样向主祷告之后，就该转向撒但，告诉他不要再试诱我们，使我们离开基督去作甚么。我们要对撒但说，『撒但，不要再这样试诱我。我向你保证，离了基督，我就不能作甚么。不要想来使我作甚么事。』
27Because we all have this tendency, I am burdened that we would see that God does not want us to try to be proper Christians—He only wants us to live Christ. We should forget about trying to be a good husband or wife and care only to live Christ. Let us love Him, contact Him, and be one with Him. How near and available He is! He is within us and is one spirit with us, waiting to be given the opportunity to live in us. If we would give Christ the ground to live in us, we should cease from all our efforts. Instead of asking the Lord to help us in our efforts, we should pray, “Lord Jesus, I can do nothing apart from You. How foolish I have been in trying so hard! Now, Lord, I see the vision that I cannot do anything without You. Lord, I thank You that You dwell in me. I ask You, Lord, to work within me. Lord, I praise You that You are my life and that You are waiting for the opportunity to live in me. Lord, I thank You that I am in You. Now I am willing to give You all the ground to do everything and to be everything in me.” This is what it means for Christ to live in us. After praying to the Lord in this way, we should turn to Satan and tell him to no longer tempt us to try to do anything apart from Christ. Say to him, “Satan, don’t tempt me in this way anymore. I assure you that I cannot do anything apart from Christ. Don’t try to get me to do anything
需要看见异象
THE NEED TO SEE THE VISION
28在召会聚会中，我们也许很享受的唱：『主活我里面，主活我里面。』然而，聚会一过，活的是我们自己，不是基督。不是基督活在我们里面；反之，我们里面的人被我们自己占有了。但我们若看见基督活在我们里面的异象，我们就会停止自己一切的作为。何等有福，我们不必作甚么，只要让基督活在我们里面！主不要我们努力改良自己的行为。祂不要我们努力作个好丈夫、好妻子。基督徒的生活乃是基督在我们里面活著。在这样的生活里，我们和基督同有一个生命和一个生活。基督活在我们的生活里。哦！我们急切需要看见这异象！我们需要祷告：『主，给我们看见这异象，就是神只要一个人位，祂要基督活在我们里面。』这个异象会自然而然的终止我们一切的努力和作为。牠要将我们从自己的努力转向内住的基督。
28In the church meetings, we may enjoy singing, Christ liveth in me, Christ liveth in me.” However, when the meeting is over, we are the ones who live, not Christ. Instead of Christ living in us, our inward being is occupied with ourselves. But if we see the vision of Christ living in us, we shall stop all our doing. How blessed it is to do nothing and to let Christ live in us! The Lord does not want us to try to improve our behavior. He does not want us to try to be a good husband or wife. The Christian life is Christ living in us. In such a life, we and Christ have one life and one living. Christ lives in our living. Oh, we desperately need to see this vision! We need to pray, “Lord, show me the vision that God only wants one Person. He wants Christ to live in me.” This vision will spontaneously terminate all of our efforts and doings. It will turn us from our trying to the indwelling Christ
29基督─我们惟一的标准与原则当我们停止自己的作为时，我们就不在基督之外再有任何标准或原则。基督将是我们的标准与原则。譬如，我们没有一种标准来决定甚么是好丈夫或好妻子，乃是有基督作我们的标准。照样，我们没有关于仁慈、谦卑、和爱的标准，我们惟一的标准乃是基督。当基督成为我们惟一的标准和原则时，祂就有自由的通路活在我们里面。这样，我们就享受祂并经历祂。
29CHRIST—OUR UNIQUE STANDARD AND PRINCIPLE When we cease from our own doing, we shall no longer have any standards or principles apart from Christ. Christ will be our standards and our principles. For example, instead of having a standard that determines what is a good husband or wife, we shall have Christ as our standard. Likewise, instead of having standards concerning kindness, humility, and love, our only standard will be Christ. When Christ becomes our unique standard and principle, He will have the free course to live in us. Then we shall enjoy Him and experience Him
让基督活在我们里面
LETTING CHRIST LIVE IN US
30歌罗西书启示神要的是基督，祂只要基督。在这卷书信里，保罗指出神不要任何属人文化的东西。神不在意哲学、宗教、规条、条例或任何『主义』。神只要那奇妙、居首位、包罗万有的基督，祂是那是一切又在一切之内的一位。虽然基督是包罗万有的，祂却住在我们里面作我们的生命。祂是那位内住者，一直等候机会要活在我们里面。祂是活的、真实的、实际的、也是便利的。一面，祂在宝座上为万有之主；另一面，祂是赐生命的灵在我们里面。在基督徒生活并在召会生活中，基督都是一切。
30The book of Colossians reveals that God wants Christ and Christ alone. In this Epistle, Paul points out that God does not want anything of man’s culture. God does not care for philosophy, religion, ordinances, observances, or any kind of ism. God wants only the wonderful, preeminent, all - inclusive Christ, the One who is all in all. Although Christ is all - inclusive, He dwells in us as our life. As the indwelling One, He is waiting for the opportunity to live in us. He is living, real, practical, and available. On the one hand, on the throne He is the Lord of all; on the other hand, He is the life-giving Spirit in us. Both in the Christian life and in the church life, Christ is everything.
31我们若看见这事，就会停止我们一切的作为。在召会生活中，神不要我们作许多；祂只要基督活在我们里面、长在我们里面。我若有加拉太二章二十节的异象─不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活著─我就绝不再以为自己能作甚么。我会自然而然的停止我一切的努力，因为我知道我一无所是，我算不得甚么，并且知道基督乃是一切。这位活在我们里面并作我们生命的，乃是我们的一切。祂是我们的圣别、我们的能力、我们的智慧。但祂需要得著机会，在我们里面作一切。我们若给祂地位，祂就要进来成为一切，并作一切的事。这就是让基督活在我们里面的意思。
31If we see this, we shall stop all our doing. In the church life, God does not want us to be doing so much; He simply wants Christ to live in us and grow in us. If I have a vision of Galatians 2:20— that it is no longer I, but Christ who lives in me— I shall never assume that I can do anything. I shall spontaneously cease from all my trying, for I shall realize that I am nothing and nobody and that Christ is everything. As the One who dwells in us to be our life, He is everything to us. He is our holiness, our power, and our wisdom. But He needs to be given the opportunity to be everything in us. If we give Him the ground, He will come in to be everything and to do everything. This is what it means to let Christ live in us.