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歌罗西书生命读经 · 第52篇

在基督里面已经生根，并正被建造（二）

HAVING BEEN ROOTED IN CHRIST AND BEING BUILT UP IN HIM (2
1读经：歌罗西书2:7a,19;3:10-11，哥林多前书3:6,9;6:17，以弗所书2:21;4:13b,15-16。我们读圣经或查考圣经的时候，很容易把许多事情视为理所当然。我们读到歌罗西二章七节，说到我们在基督里面已经生根，并正被建造，我们也许认为自己懂得这一节，事实上我们的领会非常肤浅。甚至像约翰三章十六节这样的经节也是一样。一面，我们对这一节有些了解；但另一面，我们却将牠当作理所当然。不仅如此，我们读圣经也许很容易避开难的经节；对一些经节我们不愿意深入，不愿就著这些经节祷告，并求主向我们开启。我们思想歌罗西书、哥林多前书、以及以弗所书的许多经节时，不该视为理所当然，也不该逃避这些经文所说到的难题。我的负担特别是要让我们看见这些经文里所含示的意义。
1Scripture Reading: Col. 2:7a, 19; 3:10-11; 1 Cor. 3:6, 9; 6:17; Eph. 2:21; 4:13b, 15-16 In reading or studying the Bible, it is easy to take things for granted. We may read a verse such as 2:7, which speaks of having been rooted in Christ and of being built up in Him, and we may assume that we understand it, when actually our understanding is very superficial. The same may be true even of verses such as John 3:16. On the one hand, we have some understanding of this verse. But, on the other hand, we may take very much for granted. Furthermore, in reading the Bible we may have the tendency to avoid difficulties. We may prefer not to dig into certain verses, pray about them, and ask the Lord to open them to us. As we consider a number of verses from Colossians, 1 Corinthians, and Ephesians, we should not take things for granted, and we should not avoid any difficulty presented by these verses. In particular, my burden is for us to see the implications in these verses
生根、长大、并被建造
ROOTED, GROWING, AND BEING BUILT
2在歌罗西二章七节，保罗说到在基督里面已经生根，并正被建造。生根一辞所含示的意义非常丰富。生根完全是一件生命的事。一棵在土壤里生了根的植物，在地里生长，甚至长到地里。这是生长在土壤里活的生机体。反之，如果把一根枯枝插入地里，我们就不能说，那根枝子在土壤里生根。当植物的根伸展到土壤里，就从土壤吸取丰富。吸取到植物里的养分，成了使植物长大的元素。一棵植物要长大，就必须藉著根来吸收一些实质或元素。藉著这个实质，植物就长大了。
2In 2:7 Paul speaks of having been rooted and being built up in Christ. The word rooted is very rich in its implications. To be rooted is altogether a matter of life. A plant that has been rooted in the soil grows in the earth and even into the earth. It is a living organism which grows in the soil. If, on the contrary, a dead stick is thrust into the earth, that stick cannot be said to be rooted in the soil. As the roots of a plant spread into the soil, they absorb the riches from the soil. The nourishment that is absorbed into the plant becomes the very element by which the plant grows. In order for a plant to grow, it must receive through the roots a certain substance or element. It is by this substance that the plant increases in size
3我们这些信徒，已经生根在基督里。这含示我们乃是活的生机体，不是插在土壤里没有生命、没有根的枝子。因为我们已经生根在基督里，现今就可以把基督的丰富吸收到我们里面。从基督这土壤里所吸取的这些丰富，成了使我们长大的元素。
3As believers, we have been rooted in Christ. This implies that we are living organisms, not lifeless and rootless sticks thrust into the soil. Because we have been rooted in Christ, we now may absorb the riches of Christ into us. These riches, absorbed from Christ as the soil, become the very element which enables us to grow
4二章七节说到在基督里面已经生根，并正被建造。植物越长大，就越把自己建造起来。譬如，一棵树从土壤里吸取丰富，就把自己建造起来。这含示生机的活动。藉著这样的活动，就把土壤里的养分吸收到树里面。
4Colossians 2:7 speaks of having been rooted in Christ and of being built up in Him. The more a plant grows, the more it builds itself up. A tree, for example, builds itself up by absorbing into itself nourishment from the soil. This implies organic activity. Through this activity the nourishment from the soil is absorbed into the tree.
5在二章七节，保罗把生根和建造相题并论，这是很有意义的。原因在于：生根是为著长大，而长大就是真正的建造。长大不只是为著建造，长大事实上就是建造。一棵树长大时，就把自己建造起来。人也是这样。作母亲的都知道，孩子越得著健康食物的滋养，他们就越长大，而藉著长大，他们就被建造。他们里面所进行的生机活动，使他们长大；这个长大就是他们肉身的建造。生根带进长大，而长大就是建造。我们若没有长大，就不能有甚么建造。我们乃是藉著吸取土壤中丰富、营养的元素而长大。我们在基督里面已经生根，如今在祂里面正被建造。我们已经在基督里生根，并且藉著把祂的丰富吸收到我们里面而长大。这个长大就是在基督里把自己建造起来。
5It is significant that in 2:7 Paul puts being rooted and building together. The reason for this is that being rooted is for growing, and growing is genuine building. Growth is not only for building, but is actually the building itself. As a tree grows, it builds itself up. The same is true of human beings. As all mothers realize, the more their children are nourished with healthy food, the more they grow, and by growing, they are built up. The organic activity that takes place within them causes them to grow. This growth is the building of their physical bodies. Being rooted brings in the growing, and the growing is the building. If we do not grow, we cannot have any building. We grow by absorbing the rich, nourishing element of the soil. Having been rooted in Christ, we now are being built up in Him. We have been rooted in Christ, and we grow by absorbing His riches into us. This leads to growth, which is the building up of ourselves in Christ
持定元首
HOLDING THE HEAD
6在二章十九节保罗说到，『持定元首；本于祂，全身藉著节和筋，得了丰富的供应，并结合一起，就以神的增长而长大。』持定元首等于住在基督里。当然，持定元首含示我们没有与祂分离，没有与祂隔绝。保罗写信给歌罗西人的时候，他们因著文化，已经有点与基督分离了。文化能成为一种绝缘体，使我们离开基督。持定元首就是留在基督里，在我们与祂之间没有任何的绝缘体。十九节里『本于祂』一辞指明有些东西从元首出来，使身体长大。身体的长大在于有东西从基督这位元首出来，正如植物的长大在于养分从土壤进到植物里。植物若没有从土壤里吸取养分，就无法长大。照样，我们若没有接受从基督这元首所出来的，身体也无法长大。所以，持定元首就等于在基督这土壤里面生根。
6In 2:19 Paul speaks of “holding the Head, out from Whom all the Body, by means of the joints and bands being supplied and knit together, grows with the growth of God.” Holding the Head is equal to abiding in Christ. Of course, to hold the Head implies that we are not detached, or severed, from Him. At the time Paul wrote to the Colossians, they had been somewhat detached from Christ by their culture. Culture can be a form of insulation which keeps us from Christ. To hold the Head is to remain in Christ without any insulation between us and Him. The words “out from Whom” in verse 19 indicate that something is coming out from the Head to cause the Body to grow. The growth of the Body depends on what comes out of Christ as the Head, just as the growth of a plant depends on what comes into the plant from the soil. If a plant does not absorb nutrients from the soil, the plant cannot grow. Likewise, if we do not receive what comes out from Christ as the Head, the Body cannot grow. Holding the Head is, therefore, equal to being rooted in Christ as the soil
以神的增长而长大
GROWING WITH THE GROWTH OF GOD
7保罗在二章十九节说，身体『以神的增长而长大』。神自己不需要长大，因祂永远是完整、完全的。然而，基督的身体仍然需要以神在我们里面的增长、加多而长大。神越加到我们里面来，我们就越长大。这就是以神的增长而长大的意义。任何一个活的生机体要长大，都必须有某种元素使牠长大。我们必须有一些东西，使我们能凭以并藉以长大。譬如，小孩子不吃就无法长大。我们在属灵上长大的路，乃是让神加到我们里面。这意思是说，我们藉著神加到我们里面，以神的加添、增多而长大。二章十九节的『以』这个小小的字很重要。身体以甚么长大？是以道理或圣经知识长大么？不，基督的身体乃是以神的增长而长大。我们是以神在我们里面的增加而长大。神自己是完全、完整的，但祂仍需要在我们里面增多。
7In 2:19 Paul says that the Body “grows with the growth of God.” With God Himself there can be no growth, for He is complete and perfect eternally. Nevertheless, the Body still needs to grow with the growth, the increase, of God in us. The more God is added into us, the more we grow. This is what it means to grow with the growth of God. In order for any living organism to grow, there must be some element which causes it to grow. We must have something with which and by which to grow. For example, if children do not eat, they cannot grow. The way we grow spiritually is to have God added into us. This means that we grow with the addition, with the increase, of God, by having God added into our very being. The little word “with” in 2:19 is important. With what does the Body grow? Does it grow with doctrine or Bible knowledge? No, the Body grows with the growth of God. We grow with the increase of God within us. God in Himself is perfect and complete, but there is still the need for Him to increase within us.
8当我就著二章十九节祷告的时候，主给我看见，虽然祂永远是完全、完整的，我里面却没有多少祂的成分。我晓得我需要神在我里面增长，需要神加到我里面。那时我蒙了光照，看见保罗在二章十九节所说『以神的增长而长大』的意义。我们都需要神多而又多的加到我们里面。我们需要祂在我们里面长大，在我们里面增长。我们来看二章十九节时，必须了解神不仅仅是一个名词，神自己也不仅仅是我们敬拜的对象。神在各方面都是丰富的。神的荣耀是丰富的，祂一切神圣的属性也是丰富的。祂的爱、恩慈、怜悯、光、生命、能力、力量都是丰富的。哦，神的丰富是无穷无尽的！如今这位丰富的神正在把祂自己加到我们里面。『以神的增长而长大，』这句话含示这个意思。神的丰富乃是我们藉以长大的元素和实质。
8As I was praying over 2:19, the Lord showed me that although He is eternally perfect and complete, I did not have that much of Him within me. I realized my need for God to grow in me, to have Him added into me. At that time I was enlightened to see the meaning of Paul’sex press i on in 2:19, “grows with the growth of God.” We all need God to be added into us more and more. We need to have Him grow in us, to increase in us. As we consider 2:19, we must realize that the word God is not merely a term, and God Himself is not simply the object of our worship. God is rich in every way. He is rich in glory and in all the divine attributes. He is rich in love, kindness, mercy, light, life, power, and strength. Oh, God’s riches are endless! Now this rich God is adding Himself into us. This is implied by the phrase, “grows with the growth of God.” God’s riches are the element and substance by which we grow
新人
THE NEW MAN
9保罗在三章十至十一节说到新人，在新人里『并没有希利尼人和犹太人、受割礼的和未受割礼的、化外人、西古提人、为奴的、自主的，惟有基督是一切，又在一切之内』。在新人里，基督是一切的肢体，又在一切的肢体之内。天然的人没有地位。美国人、中国人、英国人、法国人、你和我，都没有地位。在新人里，基督乃是一切。在作为新人的召会里，基督就是一切。这含示祂是每一位弟兄、每一位姊妹。这也含示每一位弟兄姊妹都必须由基督所构成。在新人里，没有犹太肢体，也没有外邦肢体只有基督肢体。倘若我们要由基督所构成，基督就必须多而又多的加添到我们里面。我们必须被基督漫溢，被基督浸透，并让基督生机的作到我们里面。至终，我们就会被基督所顶替。然后在实际里，祂就是一切，又在一切之内。祂乃是新人的每一肢体、每一部分。
9In 3:10 and 11 Paul speaks of the new man, where there “cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman, but Christ is all and in all.” In the new man Christ is all the members, and He is in all the members. There is no room for the natural man. There is no room for Americans or Chinese, for British or French, for you or me. In the new man Christ is all. In the church as the new man, Christ is everything. This implies that He is every brother and every sister. This also implies that every brother and sister must be constituted of Christ. In the new man there cannot be Jewish members and Gentile members; there can only be Christ - members. If we would be constituted of Christ, Christ must be added into us more and more. We must be permeated with Christ, saturated with Christ, and have Christ organically wrought into our being. Eventually, we shall bere placed by Christ. Then, in reality, He will be all and in all. He will be every member, every part, of the new man.
10新人不是从各国把基督徒聚在一起所产生的。那是一个新组织，不是一个新人。当我们被基督浸透、充满、漫溢，并藉著生机的过程被祂所顶替时，新人就产生了。新人乃是在众圣徒里面的基督漫溢我们、顶替我们，直到所有天然的区别都消失，每一个人都由基督所构成。在新人里，基督是一切，又在一切之内，这不该只是道理。反之，这位丰富、实在的基督必须真正在生机上作到我们里面，直到祂以自己完全顶替我们天然的人。惟有我们一直在祂里面生根，并把祂的丰富吸收到我们里面，才会有这事。然后这些丰富就成为在生机上浸透我们的实质和元素。那时基督要成为我们，我们也要由基督所构成。这不仅是凭基督长大，也是在基督里被建造。
10The new man does not come into existence by taking Christians from various countries and bringing them together. That would be a new organization, not the new man. The new man comes into being as we are saturated, filled, and permeated with Christ and replaced by Him through an organic process. The new man is Christ in all the saints permeating us and replacing us until all natural distinctions have been eliminated and everyone is constituted of Christ. Christ as all and in all in the new man should not be mere doctrine. Rather, the rich, substantial Christ must actually be wrought into us organically until He replaces our natural being with Himself. This can take place only as we remain rooted in Him and absorb His riches into us. These riches will then become the substance, the element, which will saturate us organically. Then Christ will become us, and we shall become constituted of Christ. This is not only to grow with Christ, but it is also to be built up in Christ
从土壤里吸取丰富
ABSORBING THE RICHES FROM THE SOIL
11我们已经看见，长大和建造都在于生根。这就是为甚么保罗用完成式来说『已经生根』。基督这美地乃是众圣徒的分，就是他们所分得的土地。祂既是美地，祂自己就是丰富、肥沃的土壤。我们在基督里面既已生根，就必须天天把祂丰富的滋养吸收到我们里面，作为使我们长大的元素。幼嫩的根该终日吸取基督这土壤的丰富。我们越吸取这些丰富，就越被基督所浸透，并且生机的被祂所顶替。这就是长大，以及在基督里被建造。
11Both the growth and the building depend on being rooted. This is why Paul uses the perfect tense to say “having been rooted.” Christ, the good land, is the portion, the allotment, of the saints. As the good land, He Himself is the rich, fertile soil. Having been rooted in Him, we must daily absorb the rich nourishment of Christ into us to be the element that causes us to grow. All day long tender roots should absorb the riches of Christ as the soil. The more we absorb these riches, the more we shall be saturated by Christ and organically replaced by Him. This is to grow and to be built up in Christ
栽种到基督里
planted into Christ
12保罗在林前三章九节说，圣徒乃是神的耕地。他在六节说，『我栽种了，亚波罗浇灌了，惟有神叫他生长。』这些经节指明，信徒乃是神的耕地，保罗是这位神圣栽培者的帮手。神是真正的农夫，保罗是神的一位同工。（林后六。）保罗与神同工，把信徒栽种到基督里。基督就是土壤。哥林多前书的上文指明这事。一章九节告诉我们，我们蒙召进入神儿子的交通里；三十节说，如今我们得在基督耶稣里，是出于神，祂成了从神给我们的智慧。为著已往，祂是公义；为著现在，祂是圣别；为著将来，祂是救赎。我们被摆在基督里就是栽种到祂里面。许多人藉著保罗所传的福音和话语的职事，被栽种到基督里。因此，保罗能说，他栽种了。以后，亚波罗来浇灌保罗所栽种的。虽然保罗栽种了，亚波罗浇灌了，但叫人生长的乃是神。
12In 1 Corinthians 3:9 Paul says that the saints are God’s farm (Gk.). In 1 Corinthians 3:6 he says, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the growth” (Gk.). These verses indicate that the believers are God’s plantation and that Paul was a helper of the divine Husbandman. God is the real Farmer, and Paul was one of His co - workers (2 Cor. 6:1). Working together with God, Paul 1 planted the believers into Christ. Christ is the soil. The context of 1 Corinthians indicates this. In 1 Corinthians 1:9 we are told that we have been called into the fellowship of the Son of God, and, in verse 30, that of God we are now in Christ Jesus, who has been made to us wisdom. He is righteousness for the past, sanctification for the present, and redemption for the future. To be put into Christ is to be planted into Him. Through Paul’sp reaching of the gospel and ministry of the Word, many were planted into Christ. Thus, Paul could say that he planted. Later, Apollos came to water what Paul had planted. Although Paul planted and Apollos watered, it was God who gave the growth.
神怎样叫人生长
HOW GOD GIVES THE GROWTH
13现在我们必须继续来看，神怎样叫人生长。神乃是藉著进到我们里面，叫我们生长的。神越加到我们里面，就越使我们生长。我们已经看见，在我们里面若没有神的加多，就不会有长大。基督身体的长大在于我们里面神的增长，神的加添，神的增多。所以，神是以非常主观的方式把祂自己给了我们，而叫我们生长。
13Now we must go on to ask in what way God gives the growth. He gives the growth by getting into us. The more God is added to us, the more growth He gives. As we have seen, without the increase of God within us, there cannot be any growth. The growth of the Body depends on the growth of God, the addition of God, the increase of God, within us. Therefore, God gives the growth by giving Himself to us in a very subjective way
14神既然藉著这种方式叫人生长，我们就需要花时间来吸取祂。有一首著名的诗歌劝我们要『花时间成为圣别』。事实上，我们的需要乃是花时间吸取神。我们每天怎样花时间吃东西，我们也该照样花时间吸取主，花时间吸收基督的丰富。我们与主接触不该匆匆忙忙的。如果我们匆匆忙忙，就不能吸收多少祂的丰富。我们需要有充分的时间来祷告，这使我们能更多吸取神的丰富。我们已经指出，神不仅仅是一个名词，也不仅仅是敬拜的对象。祂乃是真实的、丰富的、实在的，我们需要吸取祂。今天我们的神乃是经过过程、包罗万有的灵，而我们有灵可以吸取祂。因此，我们必须操练我们的灵，留在神的面光中来吸取祂。这是需要花时间的。虽然我们都经历过吸取神的丰富，但我们的经历还不彀充分。因这缘故，我们必须花更多的时间来吸取祂。不要浪费时间在心思、情感、意志里，乃要更多花时间在灵里爱慕主，赞美祂，向祂献上感谢，并且自由的对祂说话。你这样与祂交通，就吸取祂的丰富，祂也会更多把祂自己加到你里面。神越加到我们里面，就越使我们生长。这就是神叫人生长的路。
14Since God gives growth in this way, we need to take time to absorb Him. A well-known hymn exhorts us to “take time to be holy.” Actually, our need is to take time to absorb God. As we daily take time to eat food, we should daily take time to absorb the Lord, take time to assimilate the riches of Christ. Our contact with the Lord should not be rushed. If we are in a hurry, we shall not be able to absorb much of His riches. We need to allow adequate time for prayer. This will enable us to absorb more of the riches of our God. As we have pointed out, God is not simply a term nor an object of worship. He is real, rich, and substantial, and we need to absorb Him. Our God today is the processed, all-inclusive Spirit, and we have a spirit with which to absorb Him. Thus, we must exercise our spirit to stay in His presence to absorb Him. This takes time. Although we all have experienced absorbing the riches of God, our experience is not yet adequate. For this reason, we must spend more time to absorb Him. Do not spend so much time in your mind, emotion, and will, but spend more time in your spirit to adore the Lord, to praise Him, to offer thanks to Him, and to speak to Him freely. As you fellowship with Him in this way, you will absorb His riches, and He will add more of Himself into you. The more God is added into us, the more growth He gives to us. This is the way God gives the growth
15惟有神能叫人生长。在我的职事里，我所能作的，顶多只是栽种或浇灌。我无法叫人生长，因为我不能把神给人。惟有神才能把祂自己给你。没有祂，我们就无法长大。神自己是我们的粮食，我们必须在祂的餐桌上寻求祂，我们必须花时间在那里慢慢的吃祂。然后祂就更多加到我们里面来。神这样加到我们里面，就是祂使我们生长。神使我们生长，事实上乃是把祂自己赐给我们。
15Only God can give growth. In my ministry the most I can do is to plant or water. I cannot give growth to anyone, for I cannot give God. Only God can give you Himself. Without Him, we cannot have growth. God Himself is our food, and we need to seek Him at His dining table, where we need to take time to eat Him slowly. Then more of Him will be added into us. This addition of God into us is the growth He gives. For God to give us growth actually means that He gives us Himself
与主成为一灵
ONE SPIRIT WITH THE LORD
16林前六章十七节是圣经最大的经节之一：『但与主联合的，便是与主成为一灵。』这一节所含示的意义奇妙而深邃。真是希奇！我们这些信徒与主乃是一灵。这含示我们在祂里面，祂也在我们里面。这也含示我们与祂已经生机的调和、相调在一起，在生命里成为一了。与主成为一灵，含示我们与祂乃是一个活的实体。我们实在很难用言语来解释这一节的意义。说我们与主成为一灵，绝不是说我们在神格上变成神了。然而，这的的确确含示神性与人性的调和。诗歌第三百八十二首说，『圣中之圣，人中之人，在我灵里作我福分！』与主成为一灵，意思是说，我们在生机上与祂相调，并且在生命里与祂调和。我们迫切需要对这样的调和有更多的经历。我们必须一直在基督里生根，并将祂一切的所是吸收到我们里面。然后我们与祂，祂与我们，就在生命里生机的调在一起，成为一灵。何等深奥！何等奇妙！
16One of the greatest verses in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 6:17, says, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” The implications of this verse are marvelous and far - reaching. We, the believers, are one spirit with the Lord. How tremendous! This implies that we are in Him and that He is in us. It also implies that we and He have been mingled, blended organically, to become one in life. To be one spirit with the Lord implies that we and He are a living entity. We simply do not have words to explain the significance of this verse. To say that we are one spirit with the Lord definitely does not mean that we are deified. However, it certainly does imply the mingling of divinity with humanity. In the words of # 5 0 1 in Hymns, “God mingled with humanity lives in me my all to be.” To be one spirit with the Lord means that we are blended with Him organically and mingled with Him in life. We urgently need more experience of this. We need to remain rooted in Christ and absorb all that He is into us. Then we and He, He and we, will be blended together in life organically to be one spirit. How profound! How wonderful!
17我们与主成为一灵，就不会受到任何消极事物的影响。罪、世界、撒但、阴间与我们毫无关系，因我们与三一神成为一灵。这不该仅仅是个道理。在我们的经历中，这必须是活的、生机的。我们属灵的那一部分，就是里面的人，重生的灵，必须被主漫溢，并且与祂调和，成为一个活的实体。这要带进长大与建造。
17When we are one spirit with the Lord, we cannot be affected by any thing negative. Sin, the world, Satan, and Hades have nothing to do with us, for we are one spirit with the Triune God. This should not merely be a doctrine. In our experience this must be living and organic. Our spiritual being, our inner man, the regenerated spirit, must be permeated with the Lord and mingled with Him to form a single, living entity. This will result in growth and building.
建造的长大
THE GROWTH OF THE BUILDING
18保罗在以弗所书里也说到长大与建造。以弗所二章二十一节说，『在祂里面，全房联结一起，长成在主里的圣殿。』这一节是指宇宙的召会。在神眼中，宇宙的召会乃是一个建造。这建造是藉著吸取基督的丰富而长成的。
18In Ephesians Paul also speaks of growth and building. In Ephesians 2:21 he says, “In Whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord.” This verse refers to the universal church. In the eyes of God, the universal church is a building. This building is growing by absorbing the riches of Christ
达到长成的人
ARRIVING AT A FULL-GROWN MAN
19保罗在以弗所四章十三节说，达到长成的人，达到基督丰满之身材的度量。基督的身体乃是祂的丰满；这个丰满有一个身材，而这个身材有一个度量。因此，基督的丰满乃是基督的身体，就是祂的彰显。我们乃是藉著吃基督所产生的长大和建造，而达到基督丰满之身材的度量。我们吃基督，基督就更多加到我们里面来，使我们长大并被建造。最终，我们就会有基督丰满之身材的度量。这个度量就是新人完全的长成。因这缘故，保罗说要达到长成的人。
19In Ephesians 4:13 Paul speaks of arriving at a full- grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Christ’s Body is His fullness. This fullness has a stature, and the stature has a measure. Thus, the fullness of Christ is the Body of Christ, His expression. We arrive at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ by growth and building which come through the eating of Christ. As we eat Christ, more of Christ is added into us for growth and building. Eventually, we shall have the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This measure is the full growth of the new man. For this reason, Paul speaks of arriving at a full-grown man
长大与被建造
GROWING UP AND BEING BUILT UP
20在以弗所四章十五至十六节保罗继续说，『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；本于祂，全身藉著每一丰富供应的节，并藉著每一部分依其度量而有的功用，得以联络在一起，并结合在一起，便叫身体渐渐长大，以致在爱里把自己建造起来。』这里的观念与歌罗西二章十九节的相似。我们必须在爱里持守著真实，就得以在一切事上长到元首里面。『供应』一辞指明，我们在元首里长大，从祂得著滋养。藉著从元首而来的供应，身体便长大，在爱里把自己建造起来。这里所含示的意义很丰富。以弗所四章十五至十六节所含示的中心点，乃是我们应当在基督里生根，并且把祂的滋养吸取到我们里面，成为我们长大并被建造的元素和实质。
20In Ephesians 4:15 and 16 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, out from Whom all the Body, fitted and knit together through every joint of the supply, according to the operation in measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love.” The concept here is similar to that in Colossians 2:19. We must hold to the truth in love so that we may grow into the Head in all things. Out from the Head in whom we have grown we have nourishment, as indicated by the word supply. Through the supply which comes out from the Head, the Body grows and builds itself up in love. Much is implied here. The focal point of the implications of Ephesians 4:15 and 16 is that we should be rooted in Christ and absorb His nourishment into our being to become the element and substance with which we grow and are built up
21我们首先个别的长大，然后团体的长大。个别的长大成了团体的长大。因此，不仅肢体个别的建造起来，身体也团体的建造起来。我们肉身的身体可以说明这件事。你的身体乃是藉著个别肢体的长大而建造起来的。如果肢体没有长大，身体就无法长大。身体上的肢体没有长大，就不能把自己建造起来。这样，整个身体就不可能建造起来。所以，身体的建造在于身体上个别肢体的建造。倘若所有的肢体都个别的长大，并且把自己建造起来，身体就会团体的被建造起来。
21First, we grow individually, then corporately. Individual growth becomes corporate growth. Hence, not only are the members built up individually, but the Body is built up corporately. Our physical bodies illustrate this. Your body is built up through the growth of the individual members. If the members do not grow, the body cannot grow. Without growing, the members of the body cannot build themselves up. This would make it impossible for the body as a whole to be built up. There fore, the building of the body depends on the building up of the individual members of the body. If all the members grow and build themselves up individually, the body will be built up corporately.
22召会在一个地方一段时期以后，圣徒们中间，甚至领头的人中间，可能会发生摩擦。如果有这样的摩擦，召会怎能建造起来？一面有摩擦，一面也必须有长大。这个长大会抵消摩擦的作用。我能作见证，这些年来在召会生活中，仇敌一直造成相当的摩擦，但在基督里的长大会消除这一切的摩擦。所以，我们能喜乐的在一起，并且真正是一。基督的丰富补满了我们当中的缺欠，然后我们就个别的长大，也团体的长大。这就是召会真正的建造。召会的建造乃是基于个别肢体的建造。不仅如此，肢体的建造乃是在于肢体的长大，肢体的长大又是在于在基督里生根，并吸取基督的丰富，好成为肢体藉以长大的元素。
22After a church has been in a locality for a certain period of time, friction may develop between the saints, even among the leading ones. How can the church be built up if there is such friction? Along with the friction, there must also be growth. This growth will nullify the effect of the friction. I can testify that throughout the years in the church life, there has been considerable friction caused by the enemy. But the growth in Christ has canceled out all this friction. Therefore, we can be happy together and truly one. The shortages among us are filled by the riches of Christ. Then we grow both individually and corporately. This is the genuine building of the church. The building up of the church is based upon the building up of the individual members. Furthermore, the building of the members depends on their growth, which, in turn, depends upon being rooted in Christ and absorbing the riches of Christ to become the very element with which the members grow