生命的建造(五):建造的教会有四种光景(续)
启二二1~2 天使又指给我看在城内街道当中一道生命水的河，明亮如水晶，从神和
羔羊的宝座流出来。在河这边与那边有生命树，生产十二样果子，每月都结出果子。
第一，教会若被建造，就有神的同在。第二，教会若被建造，里面就有神的宝座，
就有神的掌权。你看见在新耶路撒冷城里面有神的宝座。这个宝座不光是神同在的
问题，还是神掌权的问题。
因著神的宝座设立在这里，神就能在这里通行他的权柄。…你若要知道一个教会是
不是被建造的，你就要看在他们中间有没有神的宝座，有没有神的主权。
有的时候，你到一个地方去，碰到一些弟兄姊妹，你会感觉在他们中间，没有神的
宝座，倒有人的宝座。你如果参加他们的事奉聚会，看他们每一个人说话的光景，
那真是像坐在宝座上一样。
这一个话还没有说完，另一个就抢上来说了。你在许多地方看不见…被建造的光景。
反而你看见到处充满了人的手法和组织。若是你们也靠拉拢，也靠联络，你要知道，
在你们中间已经没有神的建造了。
教会不能靠拉拢，也不能靠联络，教会乃是要在神里头同被建造。…所以要看一处
教会有没有被建造，不是看在他们中间有没有联络和热情，乃是看在他们中间有没
有神的同在，有没有神的宝座。
第三，教会被建造，就有生命的流通和供应。圣经给我们看见，从这个宝座流出来
一道生命水的河，在河两边有生命树，生产十二样果子，每月都结出果子。这就是
说，在神的同在和掌权里，有生命的流通。
在这里有生命的活水，能解决人的乾渴，使人得著滋润。在这里也有生命树的果子，
使饥饿的人得著饱足。凡到这里来的人，都能得著他所需要的供应。
一个真实被建造的教会，定规就有这一种光景。你在那里定规碰见神生命的流通，
碰见神生命的运行。无论甚么样的人，到了那里都能得到供应。
一个教会若是有建造，众圣徒彼此之间有和谐，在那里定规就有生命活水的流通，
有生命粮食的供应。人到他们中间去，不一定听见好的道，却必定碰著活水，碰著
粮食，感觉神的同在，感觉神的掌权。人在那里就能得著滋润、饱足和安息。
教会被建造，还有第四种光景，就是有光。在新耶路撒冷城里有光。…
这个光就是神自己。在这里神是光，基督是灯。神在基督里显出他的荣耀来，这个
荣耀就是这城的光。
在这一座城里头，不需要日月光照，意思就是说，在这一个建造里面，不需要天然
的光。他们中间的神在基督里显出来，就是光。或者说，他们在基督里，让神彰显
出来，就是光。所以你到他们中间去，你感觉在那里是明亮的。
许多时候，你进到一个被建造的教会中，也会觉得那里是明亮的，那里有亮光。也
许你私下有为难的事，虽然经过祷告、读经，寻求神的意思，仍然不清楚。但是有
一天，你进到他们的聚会中，你坐在他们中间，你就感觉里面亮了。
有的时候…就是那个聚会的空气，就叫你里面的感觉清楚了，明亮了。这就是因为
在那里有光，在那里有神的荣耀显出来。这一种光景就说出那是一个被建造过的教
会。 参读：神的建造，第七篇。
English Version
Rev. 22:1-2 "And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its
street. And on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life,
producing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit each month..."
[First], if the church is built up, [it will have God’s presence, and second],
it will have the throne of God, the ruling of God. In the New Jerusalem
there is the throne of God. This throne is not only a matter of God’s presence
but also a matter of God’s ruling....Because the throne of God is established,
God can exercise His authority. If we want to know whether a certain church
is being built up, we need to see whether there is God’s throne and God’s
dominion among them.
Sometimes when you go to a certain place...you can sense that among them
there is not the throne of God but the throne of man. When you attend their
service meeting, you notice they speak as if they are sitting on a throne....
Before one finishes speaking, another one speaks over him....In many places
you cannot see any building. On the contrary, everywhere you see human skills
and organization....If we also depend on these ways of facilitating communication
and winning people over, then the building of God no longer will be among
us. The church cannot depend on these ways; the church has to be built up
in God....To determine whether or not a church has been built up, we should
not look at whether they have communication and warmth among them; instead,
we should see whether or not they have God’s presence and God’s throne among
them. (The Building Work of God, pp. 91-93)
Third, a builded church has the flow and supply of life. The Scriptures
show us that there is a river of water of life proceeding out of the throne,
and on both sides of the river there is the tree of life, producing twelve
fruits, and yielding its fruits each month (Rev. 22:1-2). This indicates
that in God’s presence and God’s reigning there is the flow of life. Here
there is the water of life which quenches people’s thirst and causes people
to be watered. Here there are also the fruits of the tree of life which enable
the hungry people to be satisfied. Everyone who comes here can obtain the
supply he needs.
A church which has truly been built up surely has this kind of condition.
In a built up church you will touch the flow as well as the moving of God’s
life. Whoever goes there will receive the supply.
If a church has experienced the building and there is harmony among the
saints, then surely that place will have the flow of the water of life as
well as the supply of the food of life. When people go into the midst of
these believers, they may not hear a good message, but surely they will
touch the living water and food, and they will also sense God’s presence
and God’s ruling. They will be watered, they will be satisfied, and they
will have rest.
Fourth, a builded church has light. In the New Jerusalem there is light
(Rev. 21:23)....This light is God Himself. God is the light while Christ
is the lamp. God shines forth His glory in Christ, and this glory is the
light of the city. That the city has no need of the sun or of the moon means
that in this building there is no need of natural light. The God who is
manifested in their midst in Christ is the light. Or we may say that God
in Christ expressed through them is the light. Therefore, when you go into
the midst of a group of people like this, you feel that it is bright there.
Very often when you are in the midst of a builded church, you also will
sense that there is light and that it is bright there. You may have some
private problems that you do not know how to deal with although you have
prayed, read the Scriptures, and sought the will of God. But when you go
to a meeting of a built up church and sit among them, you will feel enlightened.
Sometimes just...by the atmosphere of their meeting, you become clear and
enlightened. This is because there is light there, and the glory of God is
expressed. This kind of situation tells us that that church has been built
up. (The Building Work of God, pp. 93-95)
Further Reading: The Building Work of God, ch. 7
- 未完待续
生命的建造(六): 金银宝石材料与十字架雕凿
