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歌罗西书生命读经 · 第36篇

包罗万有的基督与文化相对

The all-inclusive Christ versus culture
1读经： 歌罗西书一章二十七至二十八节，二章二节下至四节，六节，八至九节，十六至十九节，三章三至四节，九节下至十一节。
1Scripture Reading: Col. 1:27-28; 2:2b-4, 6, 8-9, 16-19; 3:3-4, 9b-11
2论到基督与文化相对，相当不容易，因为我们有照天然的观念来领会这样的话的危险。说基督与文化相对，并不是说我们应该丢弃文化，不带着任何文化而活。我们若想这样丢弃文化，不过就是再发展另一种形式的文化，就是丢弃了我们的文化而有的文化。没有文化，人就成了禽兽。没有基督的人，当然需要照著文化而活。
2It is difficult to speak concerning Christ versus culture, for there is the danger of understanding such a word according to the natural concept. In saying that Christ is versus culture, we are not saying that we should drop our culture and then live without any culture whatever. If we try to drop our culture in this way, we shall simply develop another form of culture, a culture of dropping our culture. Without culture, people would become beasts. Those who do not have Christ certainly need to live according to culture.
神的目的
God’s intention
3对于包罗万有的基督与文化相对这件事，我们需要看见，照着圣经完全的启示，神的目的是要把祂自己作到祂所拣选的人里面。这个目的是圣经里神圣启示的中心点。神要把祂自己作到我们里面，祂就必须是三一的。神是三一的─父、子、灵，这是奇妙且美妙的事实。父是源头，具体化在子里，子乃是父的彰显。子来时，总是与父同来。这指明父不能与子分开，子也不能与父分开。子是父的具体化身、实际与彰显。藉着死与复活的过程，子成了那赐生命的灵，（林前十五45下，）就是赐人生命的圣灵。因此那灵乃是子的实化，正如子是父的具体化身一样。
3Concerning this matter of the all-inclusive Christ versus culture, we need to see that according to the full revelation in the Bible God’s intention is to work Himself into His chosen people. This intention is the focal point of the divine revelation in the Scriptures. In order for God to work Himself into us, He must be triune. It is a wonderful and marvelous fact that God is triune — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Father as the source is embodied in the Son, who is the very expression of the Father. When the Son comes, He always comes with the Father. This indicates that the Father cannot be separated from the Son, nor the Son from the Father. The Son is the embodiment, reality, and expression of the Father. Through the process of death and resurrection, the Son became the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45), the Holy Spirit who gives life. Hence, the Spirit is the realization of the Son, even as the Son is the embodiment of the Father.
4父、子、灵不是三位神，乃是一位神在其三一里。因为神是三一的，所以祂能将祂自己分赐到我们里面。藉着基督的成为肉体，神在子里临到我们。基督死在十字架上救赎我们，并了结了旧造。然后在复活里，祂成了赐生命的灵。一面，基督坐在诸天之上的宝座上，作万有的元首和主。另一面，祂是那灵，住在我们里面作我们的生命。基督作赐生命的灵，是我们生命的供应，并且祂之于我们乃是一切正面事物的实际。
4The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are not three Gods, but one God in His tri-unity. Because God is triune, He can dispense Himself into us. God came to us in the Son through Christ’s incarnation. Christ died on the cross to redeem us and to terminate the old creation. Then in resurrection He became the life-giving Spirit. On the one hand, Christ is sitting on the throne in the heavens as the Head and Lord of all. On the other hand, as the Spirit He dwells within us to be our life. As the life-giving Spirit, Christ is our life supply, and He is to us the reality of every positive thing.
5三一神是那包罗万有的灵，正将祂自己作到我们里面。我们这个人的最深处，乃是被魂和身体所包围的灵。人的身体包藏着魂，魂包藏着灵，而灵是接受神、盛装神的器皿。基督这经过过程、包罗万有、赐生命的灵是在我们的灵里；祂正寻求将祂自己扩展到我们魂的每一部分，至终还要浸透我们的身体，使我们和祂毕像毕肖。那时，我们整个人就都要被祂自己浸透。这就是神照着祂的经纶而有的救恩。
5As the all-inclusive Spirit, the Triune God is working Himself into our being. The deepest part of our being is the spirit, which is surrounded by the soul and the body. Man’s physical body contains the soul, and the soul contains the spirit, which is a vessel to receive God and contain Him. Christ as the processed, all-inclusive life-giving Spirit is in our spirit, seeking to spread Himself into all the parts of our soul and eventually to saturate our bodies to make us absolutely the same as He is. When this takes place, our whole being will be permeated with Himself. This is God’s salvation according to His economy.
文化拦阻我们经历基督
Culture hindering our experience of Christ
6许多事物拦阻神完全救恩的完成。两个比较明显的拦阻是罪与世界，然而最诡诈的拦阻乃是文化。文化阻挠神所拣选的人，使他们不能经历基督、享受基督。包罗万有的基督是与文化相对的。然而，我们不是说我们该丢弃文化，像野蛮人一样行动。我们绝不鼓励任何人行事好像没有文化一样。那些没有基督的人，当然需要文化。小孩在长大时，不仅需要文化，还需要律法。但我们接受基督之后，不该让文化限制基督，或是拦阻我们经历基督。所有的人在接受基督之前，都需要文化。但接受基督之后，我们应当照着基督生活，而不是照著文化生活。不要以为文化是不必要的。文化保全人、规正人并改良人。但是基督进到我们里面之后，在我们的经历里，我们就当开始凭基督而活。难处乃在于，基督受到我们文化的限制。
6Many things hinder the accomplishment of God’s full salvation. Two of the more obvious hindrances are sin and worldliness. The most subtle hindrance, however, is culture. Culture frustrates God’s chosen people from experiencing Christ and enjoying Him. The all-inclusive Christ is versus culture. However, we are not saying that we should drop our culture and act like barbarians. We are by no means encouraging anyone to act as if we are free of culture. Those who do not have Christ certainly need culture. As children are growing up, they need not only culture, but also the law. But after we have received Christ, we should not allow our culture to limit Christ or to frustrate us from experiencing Him. Prior to receiving Christ, all people need culture. But after receiving Christ, we should live according to Christ, not according to culture. Do not think that culture is unnecessary. Culture preserves, regulates, and improves people. But after Christ has come into us, in our experience we should begin to live by Christ. The problem is that Christ is limited by our culture.
7我们已经看见，神的目的是要把基督作到祂所拣选的人里面。神用文化来保全人，直到他们接受基督。孩子们在接受基督以前，必须照著文化并在律法之下接受训练。千万不要告诉小孩子说，他们不需要文化；反倒要教导他们孝敬父母、爱别人、以及与别人分享他们的东西。最终，当他们长得相当成熟时，他们就会决定，把基督接受到他们里面。然后我们需要帮助他们长到基督里，并且与基督同长。这样，我们就逐渐的帮助他们从文化转向基督。至终他们不是照著文化，乃是照着基督而活。青年人，不要宣告你们丢弃了文化，反而要向别人作见证说，你们已经接受了基督，现在你们活基督、长基督并产生基督。
7We have seen that God’s intention is to work Christ into His chosen people. God uses culture to preserve people until they receive Christ. Before children receive Christ, they must be trained according to culture and under the law. Never tell little children that they have no need for culture. On the contrary, teach them to honor their parents, to love others, and to share their possessions with others. Eventually, when they attain to a certain maturity, they will decide to receive Christ into them. Then we need to help them grow into Christ and with Christ. Gradually we can help them turn from culture to Christ. Eventually, instead of living according to culture, they will live according to Christ. Young people, do not proclaim that you have dropped your culture. Instead, testify to others that you have received Christ and that now you are living Christ, growing Christ, and producing Christ.
8诡诈的撒但利用一些好东西，甚至利用神所赐的东西，使我们不经历基督。连圣经也被撒但用来阻挠人对基督的享受。然而，没有一样东西像文化那样使人离开基督。文化对那些真正爱主的基督徒，尤其是一个阻挠。事实上，我们越爱祂，文化就越拦阻我们经历祂。
8In his subtlety Satan will use good things, even things given by God, to keep us from experiencing Christ. Even the Bible has been used by Satan to frustrate people from the enjoyment of Christ. However, nothing keeps people from Christ more than culture. Culture is a frustration especially to those Christians who truly love the Lord. In fact, the more we love Him, the more culture will hinder us from experiencing Him.
9让我们看看彼得的事例，作为例证。虽然彼得是个渔夫，但他通晓犹太人的神学。有一天，彼得得着启示，就说，主耶稣是基督，是活神的儿子。主回答说，彼得所得的启示是从天上的父来的。主接着说到召会的建造，也说到十字架。（太十六18，24。）在使徒行传里，我们看见主使用彼得建立头一个地方召会，就是在耶路撒冷的召会。彼得虽然这样被主使用，但他仍然受犹太文化的限制。彼得在行传十章的经历，可以证明这事。当彼得祷告时，他对那灵的经历受到他对外邦人的文化观念所限制。彼得以为对基督的享受仅限于犹太人。他是典型的犹太人，认为外邦人、异教徒乃是猪。他这种态度乃是犹太文化的产物。虽然彼得与主是一，但他对基督的经历却受到文化的局限。在行传十章，彼得看见一个异象，有一块大布“里面有地上各样四足的走兽和爬物，并天空的飞鸟”。（12。）当时有声音向他说，“彼得，起来，宰了吃！”彼得却说，“主阿，绝对不可，因为一切凡俗并不洁之物，我从来没有吃过。”（13～14。）这异象一连三次临到彼得。当彼得正思想这异象的意思时，几个外邦人来到他住宿的地方寻访他。神的目的是要把对基督的享受扩展延及外邦人。为了这个对基督之经历的扩大，彼得需要放下他的文化背景。
9Let us consider as an illustration the case of Peter. Although Peter was a fisherman, he was familiar with Jewish theology. One day, Peter received the inspiration to say that the Lord Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. The Lord replied that Peter received this revelation from the Father in heaven. Then He went on to speak about the building up of the church and about the cross (Matt. 16:18, 24). In the book of Acts we see that Peter was used by the Lord to establish the first local church, the church in Jerusalem. Although Peter was used by the Lord in this way, he was still limited by his Jewish culture. This is proved by Peter’s experience in Acts 10. As Peter was praying, his experience of the Spirit was limited by his cultural concepts concerning Gentiles. Peter thought that the enjoyment of Christ was limited to Jews. As a typical Jew, he thought of the Gentiles, the heathen, as swine. His attitude toward them was a product of Jewish culture. Although Peter was one with the Lord, his experience of Christ was confined by culture. Then in Acts 10 Peter saw a vision of a great sheet “wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air” (v. 12). When a voice said to him, “Rise, Peter; kill, and eat,” Peter answered, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean” (vv. 13-14). This vision came to Peter three times. As Peter was considering what this vision might mean, some Gentiles arrived at the place where he was staying and asked about him. God’s intention was to expand the enjoyment of Christ to include the Gentiles. For this enlargement of the experience of Christ, there was the need for Peter to lay aside his cultural background.
文化被基督顶替
Culture replaced by Christ
10然而，我们若没有这样一位基督的异象，就不该想要丢弃文化。但只要异象来了，我们就必须把文化背景撇开，不让文化顶替基督或限制基督。基督进来了，我们的文化就必须离开。但我们若没有基督，就不该丢弃文化。事实上，我们所关心的不在于文化，乃在于对基督的经历。我们要说的乃是，我们既然接受了基督，就不该让文化成为祂的代替品。在基督里我们有自由将文化摆在一旁，好使我们享受主的度量能彀扩大。我们里面所有的地位都必须让给基督。我们里面全部的地位若都让给祂，我们里面的文化自然而然就被基督顶替了。不过，没有基督而丢弃文化，却是非常可怕的。但是基督来了，我们就当告诉主，我们要祂来拥有并占有我们里面所有的地位。
10However, we should not endeavor to drop our culture without such a vision of Christ. But as soon as the vision comes, we must set aside our cultural background and not allow it to replace Christ or to restrict Him. When Christ comes in, our culture must go. But we should not try to drop culture without Christ. Actually our concern is not with culture — it is for the experience of Christ. The point we are making is that since we have received Christ, we should not allow culture to become a substitute for Him. In Christ we have the liberty to set aside our culture in order to enlarge our capacity to enjoy the Lord. All the room within us must be given over to Christ. If our entire inward capacity is made available to Him, spontaneously the culture within us will be replaced by Christ. However, it is terrible to drop culture apart from Christ. But when Christ comes, we should tell the Lord that we want Him to possess and occupy all the ground within us.
11文化是经历基督的一大阻挠。在主的恢复里，主的确已经眷临我们。使我们不能 享受祂的，主要的不是罪，不是世界，乃是文化。我们在无意中或在下意识里，都受了文化的阻挠，以致无法经历基督。许多圣徒多年渴望更多经历基督，然而他们对基督的经历并没有扩大。那限制他们对基督的享受，使其不能扩大的因素，乃是文化。我们里面的文化，自然而然的使我们无法真正的经历基督。在聚会中，我们也许宣告基督是我们的生命，召会生活真荣耀。但是我们散会回家之后，又自动的照着我们的文化，不照着基督而活。管治我们家庭生活的原则不是基督，乃是我们的文化。我们在聚会中一同赞美并领受同样的启示时，彼此好像都一样；但在聚会之外，在文化观念和行为上，我们又各不相同了。我们也许照著文化的影响去作一些事，或是不作一些事。因此，我们的生活不是受基督，乃是受文化规律并管理。有中国背景的人就照着中国文化而活，美国人则照着美国文化而活。
11Culture is a great frustration to the experience of Christ. In His recovery the Lord surely has come to visit us. What keeps us from enjoying Him is not mainly sin or worldliness; it is culture. Unconsciously and subconsciously, we are frustrated by culture from the experience of Christ. Many saints have been desiring for years to experience more of Christ. However, their experience of Him has not expanded. The factor that limits the expansion of the enjoyment of Christ is culture. Spontaneously the culture within us keeps us from the real experience of Christ. In the meetings we may declare that Christ is our life and that the church life is glorious. But when we return home after the meetings, we automatically live according to our culture, not according to Christ. The governing principle of our life at home is not Christ; it is our culture. In the meetings all of us may be the same as we share in the same praises and aspirations, but outside the meetings we are different in our cultural concepts and behavior. We may do certain things or refrain from doing those things according to the influence of culture. Hence, our living is regulated and governed not by Christ, but by culture. Those with a Chinese background live according to Chinese culture, and the Americans live according to American culture.
12假如一位弟兄和妻子有了难处。他迫切向主祷告，求问祂怎能成为以弗所五章所描述的那种丈夫。另一位弟兄也许鼓励他要接受基督作他的生命和人位。不过，头一位弟兄也许不得不承认，即使他听了许多凭基督而活的信息，但他仍不晓得如何接受基督作他的生命和人位。这指明多年来这位弟兄始终把基督放在一边，而照着他的文化活着。在为难的时候，他迫不得已来到主面前。但是不久之后，他又自然而然的回到他的文化里。
12Suppose a certain brother is having problems with his wife. In desperation he prays to the Lord and asks Him how he can become the kind of husband described in Ephesians 5. Another brother may try to encourage him to take Christ as his life and person. However, the first brother may have to admit that even though he has heard a number of messages on living by Christ, he simply does not know how to take Christ as his life and as his person. This indicates that for years this brother has been putting Christ aside and has been living according to his culture. In times of trouble he is forced to the Lord. But a short while later, he spontaneously reverts to his culture.
13原则上我们都是这样。我们听过基督作我们的生命和人位的信息。然而，在我们的日常生活里，我们乃是照着我们的文化而活。当我们在召会聚会中唱诗赞美时，我们也许受到聚会空气的感染。但是在家庭里，我们是照着自己的文化活着。为这缘故，主给我们很重的负担，要所有在主恢复里的圣徒，都实际的学习如何接受基督作他们的生命和人位，以顶替他们的文化。我再说，重点不是丢弃文化，乃是接受基督作我们的生命和人位，而逐日、逐时、逐刻的顶替我们的文化。我们若这样行，就真是凭基督，而不是凭我们的文化活着。
13The principle is the same with all of us. We have heard messages on Christ as our life and our person. Nevertheless, in our daily life we live according to our culture. As we sing and praise the Lord in the church meetings, we may conform to the atmosphere of the meetings. But at home we live according to our culture. For this reason, we are heavily burdened by the Lord that all the saints in the Lord’s recovery may learn in a practical way how to take Christ as their life and person to replace their culture. Once again I say that the point is not that we drop our culture. It is that we take Christ as our life and as our person to replace our culture day by day, hour by hour, and even moment by moment. If we do this, we shall truly live by Christ, not by our culture.
不照着基督乃照著文化的生活
Living according to culture instead of Christ
14你们也许不懂，照著文化和照着基督而活之间有甚么不同。在召会中，有来自不同背景的人。照着各人的文化，有些圣徒是敞开、坦诚、爽快的，他们很难保守任何秘密；但是他们缺少忍耐。有些圣徒的背景又不同，他们是保守、隐藏的；人很难说出他们的心事，或他们对事情的感觉。还有人有另一种不同的文化背景，他们可以说是没有甚么表情的；这样的人，你说不出他是喜欢你，还是不喜欢你。即使这些背景不同的人得救了，也开始寻求主了，他们还是保留自己文化的特征，甚至把这些特征带到召会生活中。难处在于，他们在召会中照着自己的文化而活，远过于照着基督而活。他们爱主耶稣，但他们仍然凭他们的文化而活。不管他们的文化背景怎样，他们没有让基督在他们里面有多少地位。所以日常的召会生活就被文化占据，而没有被基督占有。我们对这事有很重的负担。我们需要问，在我们实际、日常的召会生活中，基督到底在那里。
14Perhaps you are wondering what the difference is between living according to culture and living according to Christ. In the church we have those from different cultural backgrounds. According to their culture, some saints are open, frank, and quick. It is very difficult for them to keep anything secret. However, they are lacking in patience. Other saints, with a different background, are reserved and hidden. It is very difficult for anyone to tell what is taking place within them or how they feel about things. Others, with still a different cultural background, may be virtually expressionless. You cannot tell whether such a person is happy with you or displeased with you. Even after those from these different cultures are saved and have begun to seek the Lord, they retain their cultural characteristics and even bring them into the church life. The problem is that in the church they all live much more according to their culture than according to Christ. They love the Lord Jesus, but they still live by their culture. No matter what their cultural background may be, they do not give Christ very much ground within them. Therefore, the daily church life is occupied by culture instead of by Christ. We are heavily burdened about this. We need to ask where Christ is in our practical, daily church life.
15在歌罗西的难处不像在哥林多的难处是罪，也不像在加拉太的难处是律法和犹太教。在歌罗西的难处乃是文化。文化的某些方面，包括哲学、传统和世上的蒙学，都组成到圣徒里面，并在圣徒的日常生活中顶替了基督。在歌罗西，文化成了基督的代替品。基督在信徒的日常生活中没有足彀的地位。所以保罗写信给歌罗西人，来对付这个难处。
15At Colosse the problem was not sin, as in Corinth, or the law and Judaism, as in Galatia. The problem in Colosse was culture. Certain aspects of culture, including philosophy, tradition, and the elementary principles of the world, had been wrought into the saints and were replacing Christ in their daily living. In Colosse culture had become a substitute for Christ. Christ did not have adequate ground in the daily living of the believers. Therefore, Paul wrote the Epistle to the Colossians to deal with this problem.
包罗万有之基督的异象
A vision of the all-inclusiveness of Christ
16我信现在是释放基督与文化相对之信息的时候了。最要紧的是，我们都必须看见包罗万有之基督的异象。在我们的日常生活中，基督必须成为我们的一切。基督是神的彰显，是神经纶的奥秘，现今活在我们里面。那住在我们里面的基督，不是小的、有限的基督。祂乃是那位不能看见之神的像、神丰满的具体化身、以及神经纶的中心点。这样一位基督，现今就住在我们里面，等候机会把祂自己扩展到我们全人里。我们需要时时刻刻凭祂而活。在生活中，我们不该给文化留任何地位，反而该把我们里面一切的地位，都留给那住在我们里面，作我们荣耀盼望之包罗万有的基督。我们若看见这样一位内住、包罗万有之基督的异象，就会自然而然的丢弃我们的文化。从前基督是被文化顶替，然而一旦我们看见这异象，我们里面的文化就要被基督所顶替。
16I believe that the time is right for messages on Christ versus culture to be released. It is vital for us all to see a vision concerning the all-inclusiveness of Christ. Christ must become everything to us in our daily living. The Christ who is the expression of God and the mystery of God’s economy now lives in us. The Christ who indwells us is not a small, limited Christ. He is the One who is the image of the invisible God, the embodiment of the fullness of God, and the focal point of God’s economy. Such a Christ now dwells in us and is waiting for the opportunity to spread Himself throughout our being. We need to live by Him moment by moment. We should not give any ground in our living to culture. Instead, all the room within us should be given over to the all-inclusive Christ who dwells in us to be our hope of glory. If we see such a vision of the indwelling, all-inclusive Christ, we shall spontaneously drop our culture. Formerly, Christ was replaced by culture. But once we see this vision, the culture within us will be replaced by Christ.
17这位是神的像的基督，乃是神经纶的奥秘，也是神自己的奥秘。祂是神的具体化身，是宇宙中一切正面事物的实际。然而，这些美妙的话，对今天大多数的基督徒来说，好像是外国话。
17The Christ who is the image of God is the mystery of God’s economy and the mystery of God Himself. As the embodiment of God, He is the reality of every positive thing in the universe. These wonderful words, however, are like a foreign language to most of today’s Christians.
18我们不该被人的花言巧语所欺骗，也不该被人的哲学、传统或文化所掳去。我们应当只在意基督。基督应当占有我们、拥有我们、并接管我们。在我们里面的人里，不该有任何地位留给哲学或世上的初阶原则。我们里面之人的每一部分，都该被基督占有。对我们来说，基督是真神、真食物、真饮料、真衣服、以及真安息日。祂是一切正面事物的实际。所以我们里面不该让基督之外的任何事物有地位。
18We should not be deluded by persuasive speech or carried off by man’s philosophy, tradition, or culture. We should care only for Christ. Christ should occupy us, possess us, and take us over. In our inner being there should be no room for philosophy or for the rudimentary principles of the world. Every part of our inward being should be occupied by Christ and with Christ. To us Christ is the real God, the real food, the real drink, the real clothing, and the real Sabbath. He is the reality of every positive thing. Therefore, we would not give ground in our being to anything other than Christ.
我们的奖赏不被骗取
Not defrauded of our prize
19保罗在歌罗西二章十八节警告我们，不要让人故意骗取我们的奖赏。我们的奖赏乃是完满的享受基督。甚至我们这些在主的恢复中多年的人，也还没有完满的享受基督。我们的享受已经被骗取了。我们看见包罗万有之基督的异象，藉此我们就被带回到我们的奖赏。我们若看见这异象，就没有人能骗取我们对基督完满的享受。当我们有这样的享受，我们就领会，基督乃是我们的实际。在一首说到经历基督作实际的诗歌中，有一节这么说：
19In 2:18 Paul warns us to let no one purposely defraud us of our prize. Our prize is the full enjoyment of Christ. Even those of us who have been in the Lord’s recovery for many years do not have the full enjoyment of Christ. We have been defrauded of this. Through seeing the vision of the all-inclusive Christ, we are being brought back to our prize. If we see this vision, no one will be able to defraud us of the full enjoyment of Christ. When we have this enjoyment, we realize that Christ is our reality. A stanza from a hymn on the experience of Christ as reality expresses it this way:
20基督是真神，基督是真主， 祂是我真光、是我真事物、 是我真衣食、是我真活水、 是我真生命、是我真美味。 （诗歌三七四首第四节。）
20Christ is our real God, our real Lord,Christ is our real life, our real light;Christ is our real food, our real drink,Our real clothing, and our real might. Hymns, #496
21基督对我们既是这样的实际，我们就当凭祂活着，而不凭文化活着。
21Since Christ is such a reality to us, we should live by Him, not by culture.
基督是我们的生命，也是新人的成分
Christ our life and the constituent of the new man
22在三章三至四节我们看见，那是神经纶的中心点，又是一切正面事物之实际的基督，乃是我们的生命。我们的生命与基督一同藏在神里面。这意思是说，今天我们乃是活在神里面。作我们生命的基督，乃是新人的成分。因着基督是新人惟一的成分，所以在新人里希利尼人和犹太人、美国人和中国人、受割礼的和未受割礼的、为奴的和自主的，都没有地位。在新人里，那作我们生命的基督乃是一切，又在一切之内。这就是那与文化相对，包罗万有的基督。
22In 3:3 and 4 we see that the Christ who is the focal point of God’s economy and the reality of all the positive things is our life. Our life is hidden with Christ in God. This means that we today are living in God. As our life, Christ is the constituent of the new man. Because Christ is the unique constituent of the new man, in the new man there is no room for Greeks and Jews, Americans and Chinese, circumcision and uncircumcision, slaves and free men. In the new man the Christ who is our life is all and in all. This is the all-inclusive Christ who is versus culture.
23我盼望我们因着看见这个异象，里面就激起一个深切的渴望。我们需要祷告说，“主耶稣，我愿被你接管，被你占有，被你拥有。我里面全部的地位，一切的空间，都让给你。主，我不要在经历你的事上受到限制、受到阻挠。我要无限无量、无拘无束的享受你。主，我单单要你，不要文化。我要凭你而活，不凭任何一种文化而活。”
23I hope that seeing this vision will stir a deep aspiration within us. We need to pray, “Lord Jesus, I want to be taken over, occupied, and possessed by You. I want to give You my full capacity and all the room in my being. Lord, I don’t want to be limited or frustrated in my experience of You. I want to enjoy You without limitation, restriction, or confinement. Lord, I want to have only You, not culture. I want to live by You, not by any kind of culture.”
活基督
Living Christ
24我们不需要定意过某种基督徒的生活。基督今天乃是在我们里面那包罗万有、赐生命的灵。这灵乃是住在我们里面经过过程的三一神。我们不该试着去爱人、试着要仁慈或温柔，这样作不是活基督。不要定意去作甚么事，乃该凭基督而活；祂现今是赐生命的灵，在我们的灵里。我们应当告诉祂：“主，我不知道甚么叫作爱人，甚么叫作谦卑或仁慈。主，我只在意活你。”当一位弟兄受试诱要和妻子争吵时，他应当说，“主，你想要和我妻子吵么？你要吵，我就与你是一来吵。”同样的原则，当你要对孩子说话时，你需要告诉主，在这件事上，你要凭祂而活，你要与祂是一，让祂带头对孩子说话。这就是活基督。定意要怎样行事，是不管用、行不通的。我们所需要作的，是活基督。
24There is no need for us to make up our minds to live a certain kind of Christian life. Christ today is the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit within us. This Spirit is the processed Triune God who indwells us. We should not try to be loving, kind, or gentle. To do this is not to live Christ. Instead of making up our minds to do certain things, we should simply live by the Christ who is now the life-giving Spirit in our spirit. We should tell Him, “Lord, I don’t know what it is to be loving, humble, or kind. Lord, I only care to live You.” When a brother is tempted to argue with his wife, he should say, “Lord, do You intend to argue with my wife? If You are doing this, then I shall be one with You in it.” In the same principle, when you are about to speak to your children, you need to tell the Lord that in this particular matter you want to live by Him and that you want to be one with Him as He takes the lead to talk to the children. This is living Christ. Making up our mind to act in a certain way is of no avail. It simply does not work. What we need to do is just live Christ.
坚定持续的祷告
Persevering in prayer
25保罗在四章二节告诉我们，要坚定持续的祷告。保罗的意思不是要我们忘记日常生活中所有实际的需要，光是去祷告。他的意思是说，我们要祷告，好使我们在逐日所行的一切事上活基督。我们已经说过，我们要和丈夫、妻子、或我们的孩子说话时，就应当祷告。在这样的祷告中，我们可以说，“主，我与你是一，你也与我是一。主，我要对孩子们说话了。主，你在这件事上要带头么？”这就是坚定持续的祷告，也就是不住的祷告。
25In 4:2 Paul tells us to persevere in prayer. It is not Paul’s intention that we forget all the practical necessities of daily life and simply give ourselves to prayer. He means that we should pray in order to live Christ in all that we do day by day. As we have said, we should pray as we are about to talk with our husband or wife or with our children. In such prayer we may say, “Lord, I am one with You, and You are one with me. Lord, I am about to speak to my children. Lord, will You take the lead in this matter?” This is to persevere in prayer, to pray unceasingly.
26事实上，活基督是在于祷告。我们若要凭基督而活，就需要祷告。若是你打算去买东西，要问主是不是喜欢和你一起去。当你要买东西时，要问主是否高兴买那样东西。即使在最小的事上，我们都需要求问主。这样作，就是坚定持续的祷告，并因此而活基督。活基督的路，乃是藉着终日向祂祷告。
26Actually, living Christ is a matter of praying. If we would live by Christ, we need to pray. If you intend to go shopping, ask the Lord if He is pleased to go with you. As you are about to purchase a certain item, ask the Lord if He is happy about buying that item. Even in the smallest details we need to inquire of the Lord. To do this is to persevere in prayer and thereby to live Christ. The way to live Christ is by praying to Him all day long.
27我们若这样活基督，基督在召会生活中就会有许多地位。这样，我们就会有一个脱开文化的召会生活。不论我们的文化背景如何，我们都要照着基督，而不照著文化活着。许多不同背景的信徒，要在活基督上一样，而不是在文化上一样。这是正当的召会生活，就是基督在其中得着彰显的身体生活。在这样真正的召会生活中，我们都被基督充满、渗透且浸透。没有罪、世界、己、肉体和文化。没有别的，只有那与文化相对的包罗万有的基督。
27If we live Christ in this way, Christ will have a great deal of ground in the church life. Then we shall have a church life apart from culture. No matter what our cultural background may be, we shall live according to Christ, not according to culture. Believers from many different backgrounds will be the same, not in culture, but in the living of Christ. This is the proper church life, the Body life in which Christ is expressed. In such a genuine church life, we all are filled, permeated, and saturated with Christ. There is no sin, worldliness, self, flesh, or culture. There is nothing but Christ, the all-inclusive Christ who is versus culture.