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歌罗西书生命读经 · 第44篇

在基督里面已经生根,以神的增长而长大

HAVING BEEN ROOTED IN CHRIST TO GROW WITH THE GROWTH OF GOD
1读经:歌罗西书2:6,7,19;1:28,以弗所书4:15-16,13。因为我们已经接枝到基督里面,我们就进到祂里面。我们进到基督里面,与生命和生命的长大有关。我们进到基督里,与进到一个房间里不一样。进到房间里,与生命或长大毫无关系。然而,进到基督里,却包含长大的过程。保罗在罗马六章五节说,我们『在祂死的样式里与祂联合生长』。现今我们乃是在基督复活的样式里与祂联合生长。
1Scripture Reading: Col. 2:6, 7, 19; 1:28; Eph. 16, 13 Because we have been grafted into Christ, we have entered into Him. Our entrance into Christ is related to life and to the growth of life. We do not enter into Christ in the same way that we walk into a room. Walking into a room has nothing to do with either life or growth. However, entering into Christ involves the process of growth. In Romans 6:5 Paul says that “we have grown together with Him in the likeness of His death.” Now we are growing with Christ in the likeness of His resurrection.
接枝与长大
GRAFTING AND GROWTH
2在前一篇信息中我们指出,在受浸中,我们就在基督死的样式里与祂联合生长。受浸不是无生命的仪式;受浸乃是与生命和长大有密切关系的经历。每当我们给信徒施浸时,我们应当帮助他们体会,在受浸中,他们将与基督联合生长,因为他们已经接枝到钉十字架并复活的基督里面。基督的钉十字架,使祂身上有了一个切口,叫我们得以接枝到祂里面;祂的复活又把我们引进长大的过程中。我们现今既已接枝到基督里面,就该天天在祂里面长大。
2In the foregoing message we pointed out that it is in baptism that we grow together with Christ in the likeness of His death. Baptism is not a lifeless ritual; it is an experience that is very much related to life and growth. Whenever we baptize believers, we should help them realize that in baptism they will grow together with Christ, because they have been grafted into the crucified and resurrected Christ. Christ’s crucifixion provided an opening in Him for us to be grafted into Him, and His resurrection ushers us into the process of growth. Now that we have been grafted into Christ, we should grow in Him day by day
3在林前三章,保罗也说到长大。在九节他指出信徒乃是神的耕地。在六节他说,『我栽种了,亚波罗浇灌了,惟有神叫他生长。』这含示圣徒乃是神耕地上的植物。在召会中,在神的耕地上,我们乃是生长的植物。像植物那样生长的观念,也见于罗马十一章;保罗在那里用野橄榄树的枝子接在好橄榄树上来作例证。在神眼中,我们都是植物或树木。在六章五节,保罗用了一个特别的希腊字指明长大(恢复本译为『联合生长』)。在英文中要找出相等的字很不容易;这字的意思是,藉著栽种或接枝而长大。栽种和接枝都是为著长大。一棵树栽种在土里便能长大;照样,接枝的目的也是长大。最近,一位弟兄指出,在哥迪特(FrederickLouisGodet)所著的罗马书评注中,对这希腊字有很特别的解释。根据哥迪特所说的,(二四三页,)这字指明:『一者有分于另一者的生命、长大、和生存状态而有的生机联结。』两棵植物藉著接枝而有了生机的联结,一棵植物就有分于另一棵植物的生命与特征。何等奇妙的长大方式!把这解释应用到我们的属灵经历中,我们可以说,我们已经接枝到包罗万有、赐生命、经过过程的三一神这棵『树』上了;祂乃是包罗万有的灵。我们已藉著接枝与祂成为一,现今就有分于这位包罗万有者的生命与特征,并且以这种方式长大。
3In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul also speaks of growth. In verse 9 he points out that the believers are God’s farm. In verse 6 he says, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the growth” (Gk.). This implies that the saints are plants in God’s farm. In the church, God’s farm, we are plants growing. The concept of growing like plants is also found in Romans 1 1, where Paul uses the illustration of grafting a branch from a wild olive tree into a cultivated olive tree. In the eyes of God, we all are plants, or trees. In Romans 6:5 Paul uses a particular Greek word to indicate growth. It is very difficult to find an English equivalent for this word, which means to grow by being planted or grafted. Both planting and grafting are for growth. A tree is planted in the soil so that it may grow. Like wise, the purpose of grafting is growth. Recently, a brother pointed out a marvelous definition of this Greek word found in Commentary on Romans by FrederickLouis Godet. According to Godet (p. 243), the word denotes “the organic union in virtue of which one being shares the life, growth, and phases of existence belonging to another.” Through the organic union of two plants, accomplished by grafting, the one plant partakes of the life and characteristics of the other plant. What a wonderful way of growth! Applying this definition to our spiritual experience, we may say that we have been grafted into the “tree” of the all-inclusive, life- giving, processed Triune God, who is the all-inclusive Spirit. Having become one with Him through grafting, we now partake of the life and characteristics of this all-inclusive One, and in this way we grow.
在活的土地上生根
ROOTED IN THE LIVING LAND
4歌罗西书含示,信徒要像生根在土壤中的植物那样长大。我们要认识圣经,就必须明瞭其中话语直接的意义与含示的意义。有时候经文藉著含示所表达的启示,比直接的叙述所表达的还要深。歌罗西二章六至七节便是如此。七节说到我们在基督里『已经生根』。这含示在神眼中,我们乃是植物。那些受浸归入基督的人,就是在基督里生根的植物。
4In the book of Colossians there are implications that believers are to grow like plants rooted in the soil. In order to understand the Bible, we need to understand both the direct meaning of the words and also the implications. Sometimes the revelation expressed through the implications of a verse is deeper than that conveyed in the direct statements. This is true of Colossians 2:6 and 7. Verse 7 speaks of our “having been rooted” in Christ. This implies that, in God’se yes, we are plants. Those who have been baptized into Christ are plants rooted in Christ
5『在祂里面已经生根,并正被建造,』这句话与下文所说的『行事为人』有关。我们在基督里面已经生根,并正被建造,就要在祂里面行事为人。这意思是说,我们必须藉著在基督里生根而行事为人。我们若没有在祂里面生根,就无法在祂里面行事为人。我们这些活的植物,乃是会行走(行事为人)的植物。我们藉著在基督里面生根而行事为人。基督徒真是奇妙、奥秘的植物!我们乃是在基督里行事为人并长大的植物。我们一面能生根,另一面又能行走(行事为人),有些人会以为这样说不合逻辑。一个在基督里已经生根的人,如何也能在祂里面行走(行事为人)?答案是我们在其中生根的土地,乃是活的土地。因著我们是在活的、行动的土地上生根,我们就能在祂里面行走(行事为人)。因此,事实上不是我们在行走,乃是土地在行动。赞美主,我们乃是在基督这块活的土地上生根!因著土地行动,我们就也能行动。从这些经文所含示的意义来看,这样说乃是恰当的。
5The phrase “having been rooted and being built up in Him” is related to those who are walking in the preceding verse. We are to walk in Christ, having been rooted and being built up in Him. This means that we are to walk by having been rooted in Christ. If we have not been rooted in Him, we cannot walk in Him. As living plants, we are walking plants. We walk by being rooted in Christ. What wonderful, mysterious plants Christians are! We are plants who both walk and grow. Some may think that it is not logical to say, on the one hand, that we can be rooted and, on the other hand, that we walk. How can one who has been rooted in Christ also walk in Him? The answer is that the land in which we are rooted is a living land. Since we have been rooted in a living, moving land, we live and move in Him. Hence, it is not actually that we do the walking, but it is the land which moves. Praise the Lord that we are rooted in Christ who is the living land! Because the land moves, we can move also. According to the implication of these verses, it is proper to speak in this way.
6我们不该以为我们是在这块土地上行走的人。如果我们想要这样行走,我们就会失脚而跌倒;然后我们会被撒但击败,并且误入迷途。我们应当看自己是在基督这块活的土地上生根的植物。我们是在祂里面生根的人,祂行动我们就行走。这就是在祂里面行事为人。歌罗西二章七节说,要在祂里面行事为人。在祂里面这句话,是形容行事为人这辞。这指明我们若不在基督里生根,就无法在祂里面行事为人。因此,我们是在已经生根于其中的这块活的土地上行事为人。我们思想二章六至七节时,就看见在基督里长大就是在祂里面行事为人。我们已指出,『在祂里面已经生根,并正被建造,』与行事为人有关。这句话告诉我们,在基督里行事为人的意义。因著我们已经在这位行动的基督里生根,我们就在祂里面行事为人。
6We should not think that we are the ones walking in the land. If we try to walk, we shall stumble and fall. Then we may be defeated by Satan and led astray. We should regard ourselves as plants rooted in Christ as our living land. As those who have been rooted in Him, we walk as He moves. This is to walk in Him. Colossians 2:7 says to walk in Him. This adverbial phrase modifies the word walk. It indicates that we cannot walk in Christ unless we have been rooted in Him. Thus, we walk in the living land in which we have been rooted. As we consider 2:6 and 7, we see that to grow in Christ is to walk in Him. We have pointed out that “having been rooted and being built up in Him” is related to the word walk. This phrase gives us the meaning of walking in Christ. Because we have been rooted in the moving Christ, we walk in Him.
7在基督里行事为人是一件长大的事,这事实由生根这辞所指明。植物在土壤里生根,目的是为著长大。一棵树若要长大,就必须正确的生根。没有根,树就会死去,因牠无法从土壤中吸收水分。然而,树藉著根吸收水分,就能长大。虽然生根是为著长大,但二章七节没有题到长大,却说到在基督里行事为人。然而,这样的说法含示,真正的长大包括我们在基督里的行事为人。我们不是藉著在自己里面行事为人而长大;我们乃是藉著在基督里行事为人而长大。我们已经看见,我们若要在祂里面行事为人,首先就必须在祂这块活的土地上生根。然后当祂行动、行事的时候,我们就行事为人。这样的行事为人就是真正的长大。
7The fact that walking in Christ is a matter of growing is indicated by the word rooted. Plants are rooted in the soil for the purpose of growth. If a tree is to grow, it must be properly rooted. Without roots, a tree will die, for it has no way to absorb moisture from the soil. A tree is able to grow, however, when it absorbs moisture through its roots. Although the rooting is for the growing, 2:6 does not speak of growing, but of walking in Christ. However, the implied significance of these terms is that genuine growth consists of our walking in Christ. We do not grow by walking in ourselves; we grow by walking in Christ. We have seen that if we would walk in Him, we must first be rooted in Him as the living land. Then we walk as He moves and acts. Such a walk is genuine growth
以神的扩增而长大
GROWING WITH THE INCREASE OF GOD
8我在本篇信息中的负担是要帮助圣徒看见,在生命里真正的长大是甚么。长大不是以文雅代替粗鲁。在生命里长大乃是以神的增长而长大。这就是以神的扩增而长大。真正的长大乃是神的扩增,神的加多。神自己并不需要增长。祂是永远、完全、完整的。然而,神必须在我们里面增长。你里面有多少三一神?你难道不需要神在你里面更扩增、更加多么?我们都需要神的扩增。我们需要以神的增长而长大;那就是说,我们需要神在我们里面扩增、增长。我再说,神自己无法增长,也不需要增长,但神需要在我们里面增长。
8My burden in this message is to help the saints see what the genuine growth in life is. Growth is not a matter of becoming refined instead of crude. To grow in life is to grow with the growth of God. It is to grow with the increase of God. True growth is the increase of God, the addition of God. In Himself, God does not need to grow. He is eternal, perfect, and complete. However, there is the need for God to grow in us. How much of the Triune God do you have within you? Do you not need more of the increase, the addition, of God within you? We all need the increase of God. We need to grow with the growth of God; that is, we need God to increase, to grow, in us. Ire peat, in Himself God cannot grow and does not need to grow, but it is necessary for God to grow in us.
9我们要有真正的长大,首先就必须在基督我们的美地─里生根。这含示基督是我们的土壤,我们的土地。不然,我们怎能在祂里面生根?我们乃是植物,在作为土壤的基督里面生根。所以,基督这经过过程、包罗万有的三一神,乃是我们的土地。赞美主,我们已经栽种在其上!我们已经栽种到基督里面了,现今我们在这位活的基督里生根;祂就是我们的美地。我们从一章十二节看见,基督乃是众圣徒的分。我们先前已经指出,繙作分的希腊字,事实上就是一分土地的意思。基督作我们的分,乃是我们的一块地。这意思是说,祂就是众圣徒的美地。以色列人进入迦南地,并且占有那地以后,他们都得著了他们的分,得著了他们的一分土地。今天我们的一分土地就是基督。这块土地,这一分,乃是我们在其中生根的土壤。
9In order to have genuine growth, we must first be rooted in Christ, our good land. This implies that Christ is our soil, our earth. Otherwise, how could we be rooted in Him? We are plants rooted in Christ as the soil. Therefore, Christ, the processed, all-inclusive Triune God, is our land. Praise the Lord that we have been planted! Having been planted into Christ, we are now rooted in the living Christ who is our good land. From 1:12 we see that Christ is the portion of the saints. As we have previously pointed out, the Greek word rendered portion actually means a lot, a tract of land. Christ as our portion is our lot. This means that He is the good land to the saints. After the children of Israel entered into the land of Canaan and took possession of it, they all received their portion, their allotment, of the land. Today our lot is Christ. This lot, this portion, is the soil in which we are rooted
10基督乃是肥沃的土壤,我们这些植物正在其中长大。这土壤是活的、行动的。因著我们已经在基督这活的土壤里生根,祂行动的时候,我们就行动;我们是在祂里面行事为人。因此,我们的行事为人事实上不是我们的,乃是祂的行事为人。这样在作为美地的基督里面行事为人,也就是我们的长大。长大就是以这种方式行事为人。所以,当我们在基督里行事为人时,我们就在祂里面长大。一棵树长大的时候,就从牠所生根的土壤里吸收水分和滋养的元素。树藉著吸收土壤的丰富而长大。这些丰富被树吸收进来,就成了树的增长。树乃是以土壤丰富的增加而长大。照样,我们乃是在作土壤的基督里生根的活植物。基督是行动的,因著我们在祂里面,祂行动的时候,我们也就行走(行事为人)。然而,那些无心寻求主的基督徒,并不在基督行动的时候行事为人。他们没有在主的行动上与祂合作。但我们这些爱主、追求主的人,每当主行动的时候,我们都该与祂合作,并且说『阿们』。我们在祂里面应当非常主动而积极。我们藉著这种在基督里行事为人的经历,就吸取基督的丰富。
10Christ is the fertile soil in which we, the plants, are growing. This soil is living and moving. Because we have been rooted into Christ as such a living soil, we move when He moves, for we walk in Him. Thus, our walking is not actually ours; it is His. Such a walking in Christ as the good land is also our growing. To grow is to walk in this way. Therefore, when we walk in Christ, we grow in Him. As a tree grows, it absorbs water and nourishing elements from the soil in which it is rooted. A tree grows by absorbing the riches from the soil. As these riches are absorbed by the tree, they become the increase of the tree. The tree grows with the increase of the riches from the soil. In like manner, we are living plants rooted in Christ as our soil. Christ is moving, and because we are in Him, we walk as He moves. However, those Christians who have no heart to seek the Lord do not walk when Christ moves. They do not cooperate with Him in His moving. But as those who love the Lord and pursue Him, we should always cooperate with Him and say “Amen” whenever He moves. We should be very active and aggressive in Him. Through this experience of walking in Christ we absorb the riches of Christ.
11我们在基督里行事为人,乃是在祂的行动里与祂的合作。藉著这样与祂合作,我们自然而然就把祂的丰富吸收到我们里面。我们从基督所吸收到里面来的,乃是祂自己作为土壤的丰富元素;我们所吸收的元素,就成了神在我们里面的增长。我们的土地是基督,而基督乃是三一神的具体化身。因此,土地就是三一神。这意思是说,我们吸取土壤的丰富,就是吸取三一神的丰富。事实上,我们乃是吸取三一神自己。藉著这样的吸取,我们就把神更多接受到里面来。神在我们里面这样的加增,就是我们所说神增长的意义。我们乃是在三一神里面生根的活植物。现今我们的根正把三一神的丰富吸收到我们里面。结果,神就加进我们里面。在我们里面土壤的丰富加多了,这就是我们的长大。大约三年前,我们在房子四周种了一些树。这三年来,树木长大了许多。这长大乃是土壤之丰富的增加。土壤的丰富藉著树根带到树里面,而被树所吸收。这些树不断吸收土壤的丰富。这样,这些丰富就成了树木增长的元素。如此树就长大了。这乃是属灵生命真正长大的图画、例证。这也给我们看见长大的路。
11Our walking in Christ is the cooperation we render to Him in His activity. By coopera ting with Him in this way, we spontaneously absorb His riches in to our being. What we absorb of Christ into us — the element of the riches of Himself as the soil—becomes the increase of God within us. Our land is Christ, and Christ is the embodiment of the Triune God. There fore, the land is the Triune God. This means that when we absorb the riches of the soil, we absorb the riches of the Triune God. Actually, we absorb the Triune God Himself. Through this absorption, we take more of God into us. This increase of God within us is what we mean by the growth of God. We are living plants rooted into the Triune God. Now our roots are absorbing the riches of the Triune God into us. As a result, God is added into our being. This addition of the riches of the soil within us is our growth. About three years ago, we planted some trees around our house. In these three years, the trees have grown very much. This growth has been the increase of the riches of the soil. By the roots of the trees, the riches from the soil have been brought into the trees and absorbed by them. The trees are continually absorbing the riches of the soil. In this way these riches become the very element for the increase of the trees. In this way the trees grow. This is a picture, an illust ration, of the genuine growth in spiritual life. It also shows us the way to grow.
12我们赞美主,我们许多人毫无目的的飘流多年之后,如今在基督里生根了。在召会生活中生根于基督乃是一个祝福。一旦我们在召会中生了根,我们就不容易被拔除。甚至我们也不能拔除自己。有些人想要放弃召会生活,因为有些事情使他们不愉快,但他们始终无法放弃。他们已经生根,怎么也拔不掉了。我们不要想去拔除自己,反倒该被主征服,并且让祂活在我们里面。当我们体会我们在祂里面已经生根,我们自然而然就在祂里面行事为人。照二章六至七节来看,生根必须在行事为人之前。我们已经在基督里生根,现今在祂里面行事为人。我们只要留在基督里,让祂行事为人。这样,祂的行事为人就成了我们的行事为人。
12We praise the Lord that after years of wandering without a goal, so many of us are now rooted in Christ. It is a blessing to be rooted in Christ in the church life. Once we have been rooted in the church, we are not easily uprooted. We cannot even uproot ourselves. Some who tried to give up the church life because something had made them unhappy found that their efforts were not successful. They had been rooted, and they could not be uprooted. Instead of trying to uproot ourselves, we should be subdued by the Lord and allow Him to live in us. When we realize that we have been rooted in Him, we shall automatically walk in Him. According to 2:6 and 7, the rooting must precede the walking. Having been rooted in Christ, we now walk in Him. We simply remain in Christ, and He does the walking. Thus, His walking becomes our walking
13属灵的事无法解释得完全,惟有藉著经历才能充分领会。我们从经历中晓得,当基督行动时,我们就在祂里面行事为人。然后,埋在土壤里的根,就把三一神的丰富吸收到我们里面来。藉著神在我们里面加多,我们就以神的增长而长大。
13Spiritual things cannot fully be explained. Only through experience can they be apprehended adequately. From our experience we realize that when Christ moves, we walk in Him. Then the roots embedded in the soil absorb the riches of the Triune God into our being. Through the addition of God in us, we then grow with the growth of God
持定元首
HOLDING THE HEAD
14二章十九节说到『持定元首』。持定元首基督是甚么意思?身体持定元首的意思是,身体不让自己与头分开。如果我们真持定基督作元首,我们就不会让任何事物使我们与祂分开。当我们凭文化活著,而不凭基督活著的时候,我们就使自己与元首基督分开了,我们的奖赏(对基督的享受)就被骗取了。
14In 2:19 we have the words “holding the Head.” What does it mean to hold Christ as the Head? For the Body to hold the Head means that the Body does not allow itself to be separated from the Head. If we truly hold Christ as the Head, we shall not be separated from Him by anything. When we live by our culture instead of by Christ, we separate ourselves from Christ as the Head and are defrauded of our prize, which is the enjoyment of Christ
15那些在歌罗西的基督徒接受智慧派的学说,并且凭其而活,就与元首隔绝了。他们对基督的享受被骗取、被剥夺了。然而,我们若在基督里生根,并且在祂行动的时候行事为人,我们就自然而然的把基督的丰富吸收到我们里面,并且以神的增长而长大。这长大乃是藉著持定基督作元首而有的。二章十九节说到供应,以及身体结合一起。身体藉著持定元首而得著供应并结合一起,就以神的增长而长大。本节中『本于祂』这辞很重要,指明基督的身体是本于元首而长大的,因为一切的供应都来自元首。一面,基督是元首;另一面,祂乃是土壤。当我们吸收土壤的丰富,我们就持定了元首。照样,从元首接受供应,就是从土壤吸取丰富。我们这些基督徒若要有正确的长大,就必须领悟,神已经把我们当作活的植物摆在基督里了。现在我们都当说,『主,我要留在你里面;当你行动的时候,我就行走(行事为人)。』我们藉著在基督里行事为人,就把土壤的丰富吸收到我们里面。然后,藉著这些丰富在我们里面增加,我们就长大了。吸收土壤的丰富,相当于持定基督作元首。我们因著土壤之丰富的增加而长大;作为身体,我们也是本于元首得著供应而长大。
15Those Christians in Colosse who were embracing Gnosticism and living by it were being severed from the Head. They were being defrauded, deprived, of the enjoyment of Christ. However, if we are rooted in Christ and walk as He moves, we shall spontaneously absorb the riches of Christ into our being and grow with the growth of God. This growth is by holding Christ as the Head. Colossians 2:19 speaks of the supply and of the Body being knit together. When the Body is supplied and knit together by holding the Head, the Body grows with the growth of God. The phrase “out from whom” in this verse is important. It indicates that the Body grows out from the Head, for all the supply comes from the Head. In one sense, Christ is the Head; in another sense, He is the soil. As we absorb the riches of the soil, we hold the Head. Likewise, to receive the supply from the Head is to absorb the riches from the soil. In order to have proper growth as Christians, we need to realize that God has placed us, as living plants, into Christ. Now we should say, “Lord, I want to remain in You and walk whenever You move.” By walking in Christ, we absorb the riches of the soil into our being. Then, through the increase of these riches within us, we grow. Absorbing the riches of the soil is equal to holding Christ as the Head. We grow with the increase from the soil; we also grow as the Body with the supply out from the Head
不容许文化成为基督的代替品
NOT ALLOWING CULTURE to become a substitute for Christ
16在歌罗西书中,保罗告诉我们,要谨防哲学、传统、世上的蒙学。这意思是说,我们应当谨防各种形式的文化:种族的文化、国籍的文化、以及自订和自加的文化。我们不该容许文化成为基督的代替品。虽然我们不需要刻意丢弃文化,但我们应当不再珍赏文化。已往我们宝贝文化,宝爱文化。但如果我们看见文化会成为基督的代替品,我们就不再宝贝文化,或高度珍赏文化,反而看见我们乃是在基督里生根的活植物。我们既在祂里面生根,就不该容许任何东西顶替祂。我们只该在祂这块活的土地上行事为人,并藉著把土壤的丰富吸收到我们里面而长大。这样,土壤的丰富,也就是元首的丰富,就会供应到我们里面。结果,全身就以三一神的增长而长大。自然而然的,基督就会顶替我们的文化。我们应当不断的在基督里行事为人,不珍赏我们的文化,也不宝贝牠。我们越在基督里行事为人,我们就越吸收土壤的丰富,就是元首丰富的供应。这样,我们既持定元首,就经历在基督里真正而正确的长大。
16In the Epistle to the Colossians, Paul tells us to beware of philosophy, tradition, and the elements of the world. This means that we should beware of culture in every form: racial culture, national culture, and self - made and self-imposed culture. We should not allow culture to become a substitute for Christ. Although there is no need for us to deliberately try to drop our culture, we should stop appreciating it. In the past we treasured our culture, lovingly embracing it. But if we see that culture can be a substitute for Christ, we shall no longer treasure it or appreciate it so highly. Instead, we see that we are living plants rooted in Christ. Since we are rooted in Him, we should not allow anything to replace Him. We should simply walk in Him as the living land and grow by absorbing the riches of the soil into us. In this way the riches from the soil, who is also the Head, will be ministered into us. As a result, all the Body will grow with the growth of the Triune God. Automatically, our culture will be replaced by Christ. Continually we should simply walk in Christ, not appreciating our culture and not treasuring it. The more we walk in Christ, the more we shall absorb the riches of the soil, the rich supply of the Head. Then, holding the Head, we shall experience the genuine and proper growth in Christ.