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 | 保羅的完成職事(22):教會是活神的家 |
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保羅的完成職事(22):教會是活神的家
提前三 15『倘若我耽延，你也可以知道在神的家中當怎樣行；這家就是活神的教會，
真理的柱石和根基。』弗二 19『這樣，你們不再是外人和寄居的，乃是聖徒同國之
民，是神家裡的親人。』
神的家人（神的家庭）就是神的家。家與家人是指同一樣東西─由信徒組成的會集
（弗二 19，來三 6）。這家是活神的居所，其實際是在我們的靈里（弗二 22）。我
們必須在我們的靈里生活行動，使神能在這家中顯明為活的神。
活在教會裡的活神，對教會必是主觀的，不是客觀的。在異教廟裡的偶像是無生命
的。但神是活的，不僅在他活的殿，教會中活著，並且在其中活動、行動並工作。
因為他是活的，教會也就在他裡面、憑他並同他活著。
活的神與活的教會，同活著、同行動、同工作。活的教會是活神的家和家人，因此
成了神在肉體的顯現。
教會，活神的家，是活在父的名里和父的生命里，意即教會是活在父的實際里。神
的家是一個活的組成，由許多在父的生命和實際里的兒女所組成。這就是說那裡有
神的家，那裡就有父神同他的生命和實際。這與教會是基督的身體相同。
基督與他身體的肢體不是分開的，因為基督作身體的頭，乃是住在眾肢體裡面。因
此，基督不該算作身體上分開的肢體，因為他在身體的所有肢體裡面。教會是神的
家原則也是一樣。父不是家人中分開的一員，乃是在所有的兒女裡面。
教會的身分的第一個特點，就是教會是從世界中召出來的會眾。第二個特點是教會
是神的家，由那些神所生的人組成。這第二個特點不僅是一件分別出來的事，而是
屬靈、神聖的出生。
為要成為會集，我們需要被聖別，就是從世界被分別出來。然而要成為神家的一分
子，我們需要從神而生。任何不是神所生的人，都不能成為他家（家庭）的一部分。
教會，神在地上的居所，是神能得著安息並寄託的所在。神在這居所里生活行動，
以成就他的意願並滿足他心裡的渴望。教會乃是信徒的組成；而信徒是神的兒女，
由神而生，有他的生命和性情。因此，他們就成為神家裡的親人。
根據以弗所二章十九節…，猶太和外邦信徒都是神家裡的親人。神的家是生命和享
受的問題；所有的信徒都由神生到他的家裡，享受他的豐富。神家裡的親人加在一
起就成為神的家，神的居所。
神的居所就是他的家人，他的家庭；他的家庭是藉著神的生育而產生的。我們若沒
有從神而生，神就不可能得著家庭。然而，神的確有一個大家庭，是宇宙中最大的
家庭，由那些從他所生作他兒女的人所組成。…
因此，就內在的一面說，教會是神的家人，乃是在我們這為神所創造、蒙神重生、
有神內住的靈里（新約總論第七冊，二一一至二一三、二一五至二一六頁）。
參讀：新約總論，第二百零八篇；提摩太前書生命讀經，第三篇。
1 Tim. 3:15 "But if I delay, I write that you may know how one ought to
conduct himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and base of the truth." Eph. 2:19 "So then you are no longer
strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and
members of the household of God."
The household, the family, of God is the house of God. The house and
the household are one thing─the assembly that is composed of the believers
(Eph. 2:19; Heb. 3:6). The reality of this house as the dwelling place of
the living God is in our spirit (Eph. 2:22). We must live and act in our
spirit so that in this house God can be manifested as the living God. (1
Tim. 3:15, footnote 2)
The living God, who lives in the church, must be subjective to the church
rather than objective. The idol in the heathen temple is lifeless. The God
who not only lives but also acts, moves, and works in His living temple,
the church, is living. Because He is living, the church too is living in
Him, by Him, and with Him. A living God and a living church live, move,
and work together. The living church is the house and the household of the
living God. Hence, it becomes the manifestation of God in the flesh. (1
Tim. 3:15, footnote 3)
The church, the house of the living God, is living in the Father's name
and in the Father's life. This means that the church is living in the Father'
s reality. God's house is a living composition of His many children in the
Father's life and reality. This means that where the house of God is, there
is God the Father with His life and reality. This is similar to the church
being the Body of Christ. Christ is not separate from the members of the
Body, for, as the Head of the Body, Christ dwells in all the members. For
this reason, Christ should not be counted as a separate member of the Body,
because He is in all the members of the Body. The principle is the same
with the church as God's house. The Father is not a separate member of the
household, the house, but is in all the children.
The first characteristic of the status of the church is that it is an
assembly called out of the world. The second characteristic is that the
church is God's house composed of those who have been born of God. This
second characteristic is a matter not merely of separation but of a spiritual,
divine birth. In order to be the assembly, we need to be sanctified, that
is, separated
from the world. But to be a component of the house of God, we need to be
born of God. Anyone who has not been born of God cannot be part of His house,
part of His family.
The church, the dwelling place of God on earth, is the place in which
God can have His rest and put His trust. In this dwelling place God lives
and moves to accomplish His will and satisfy the desire of His heart.
The church is a composition of the believers, and the believers
are children of God, born of Him and having His life and nature. Thus,
they become members of the household of God.
[According to] Ephesians 2:19...both the Jewish and the Gentile believers
are members of God's household. God's household is a matter of life and
enjoyment; all believers were born of God into His household to enjoy His
riches. The members of God's family added together become the household
of God, which is the house, the dwelling place, of God.
God's dwelling place is His household, His family, and His family comes
into being by God's begetting. If we had not been begotten of God, God could
not have a family. But God does have a great family, the largest family
in the universe, composed of those who have been born of Him to be His children.
...Intrinsically speaking,...the church as God's household is in our God-created,
God-regenerated, and God-indwelt spirit. (The Conclusion of the New Testament,
pp. 2228-2229, 2231-2232)
Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 208; Life-study
of 1 Timothy, msg. 3
- 未完待續
保羅的完成職事(23):教會是活神的家_2
保羅的完成職事(21):人的心思置於靈是生命平安
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