7月12日 属灵的团体

直等到我们众人……长大成人，满有基督长成的身量。（弗四13）

整个人类要重新恢复与神的关系，这正是主耶稣的救赎所成就的。教会什么时候只顾发展本身的组织，就不再是一个属灵的团体了。主耶稣使人类恢复原位的计划，是要人不单个别地，也要在整体上彰显基督。主耶稣差遣使徒和教师，就是为此目的——叫神在教会整体中彰显。我们不是为发展自己属灵的生命，也不是为享受属灵的安静；我们乃是要活出基督，好叫基督的身体得以建立。我是在建立基督的身体吗？还是只求个人的发展？最重要的是我个人与耶稣的关系——“使我认识基督”。要完成神的计划就要完全把自己交付他。每当我要为自己求什么，与神的关系就有所偏差。我们若发现自己并不在乎彰显基督，而只追求彰显他为我所做的事，会为此感动极大羞愧。“我的目标是神自己，而不是喜乐，不是平安，也不是祝福。单是神自己，我的神。”我是否以此衡量自己的生命？还是以次一等的标准来衡量？

祈祷◆噢，主啊，我赞美你。因为当我想到你那奥妙的身体中的肢体，脑海中浮现那伟大的思想。我何等渴望迅速地更多认识到它的奥秘。

July 12 The Spiritual Society

“Till we all come . . unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:13

Rehabilitation means the putting back of the whole human race into the relationship God designed it to be in, and this is what Jesus Christ did in Redemption. The Church ceases to be a spiritual society when it is on the look-out for the development of its own organization. The rehabilitation of the human race on Jesus Christ's plan means the realization of Jesus Christ in corporate life as well as in individual life. Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for this purpose – that the corporate Personality might be realized. We are not here to develop a spiritual life of our own, or to enjoy spiritual retirement; we are here so to realize Jesus Christ that the Body of Christ may be built up.

Am I building up the Body of Christ, or am I looking for my own personal development only? The essential thing is my personal relationship to Jesus Christ – “That I may know Him.” To fulfil God's design means entire abandonment to Him. Whenever I want things for myself, the relationship is distorted. It will be a big humiliation to realize that I have not been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ, but only about realizing what He has done for me.

“My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.”

Am I measuring my life by this standard or by anything less?