晨興聖言-經歷、享受並彰顯基督(W24-綱要)

第二十四週　恩賜的賜與者與神軍裝的構成成分

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讀經：弗四7～16，六10～20

【週　一】

壹　以弗所四章七至十六節向我們陳明基督是恩賜的賜與者，為著內在的建造基督生機的身體；這建造乃是藉著神聖恩典的賜給、分賜，而恩典是照著基督恩賜的度量賜給的：

一　基督身體的每一個肢體都是身體上不可少的恩賜—7節，林前十二14～22，羅十二4～5：

1　基督的恩賜，乃是一個被神聖三一所分賜到他裏面基督的生命和元素構成的人—參林後一15。

2　每一個有恩賜的人都有一個度量，而神聖的恩典乃是照著那度量賜給他、分賜到他裏面的—弗四16，參羅十二3。

二　基督生機身體內在的建造，乃是藉著元首基督在祂的升天（包括祂的復活）裏，將那些由神聖三一的分賜所構成有恩賜的人，就是使徒、申言者、傳福音者、以及牧人和教師，賜給基督的身體—弗四8～12：

1　以弗所四章八節說，『祂既升上高處，就擄掠了那些被擄的，將恩賜賜給人』：

ａ　『高處』引自詩篇六十八篇十八節，指錫安山，（15～16，）象徵第三層天，神的居所。（王上八30。）

ｂ　詩篇六十八篇含示，在約櫃得勝之後，神在約櫃中升到錫安山；（民十35；）這描繪基督如何得了勝，且凱旋的升到諸天之上。

ｃ　基督藉著祂宇宙的歷程並在祂的升天裏，把那些撒但的俘虜擄掠過來，並把他們作成恩賜賜給祂的身體—弗四8～11：

（一）　被贖的聖徒在還未藉著基督的死和復活得救以前，乃是被撒但所擄的—參路四18。

（二）　基督在升天時，擄掠了他們，就是把他們從撒但的擄掠中拯救出來，歸給祂自己—詩六八18。

（三）　基督在祂的升天裏，帥領了一列被征服的仇敵，把他們帶到諸天之上，並將他們作成恩賜，賜給祂的身體。

（四）　現今基督在慶祝祂在所征服之仇敵身上的得勝，並在祂那為著建造身體之職事的行動裏，在凱旋的行列中帥領他們作俘虜—林後二14。

2　基督越在我們裏面上去下來，擄掠並征服我們，祂就越以祂自己充滿我們，而將我們構成祂身體的恩賜—參弗四9～10。

【週　二】

三　基督生機身體內在的建造，乃是藉著有恩賜的人在神聖的分賜裏成全聖徒，使眾聖徒都能作新約職事的工作，就是建造基督的身體— 11～12節：

1　有恩賜的人成全聖徒，是按照生命樹，以生命的供應餧養他們，藉此使他們在生命上長大—創二9，林前三2，6。

2　有恩賜的人成全聖徒，使眾聖徒都作他們所作的，以直接建造基督的身體—太十六18，弗四11～12，參提前一16，四12。

3　這成全的結果是要使我們眾人都達到信仰上並對神兒子之完全認識上的一，達到長成的人，達到基督豐滿之身材的度量—弗四13，參約十七23。

4　這成全要使我們不再作小孩子，為波浪漂來漂去，並為一切教訓之風所搖蕩，這教訓是在於人的欺騙手法，在於將人引入撒但錯謬系統的詭詐作為—弗四14。

5　這成全要使基督身體的每一肢體成為在愛裏建造的肢體—長到元首裏面，並且本於元首盡功用—15～16節。

【週　三】

貳　以弗所六章十至二十節啟示，基督是神軍裝的構成成分：

一　神全副的軍裝是為著基督的整個身體作團體的戰士，不是為著基督身體上任何單個的肢體；我們必須在基督的身體裏打屬靈的仗，絕不能單獨作戰—10～13節，雅四7，參羅十三12～14，申三二30。

二　在以弗所二章，我們是與基督一同坐在諸天界裏，有分於祂一切所成就的；（6；）在四章和五章，我們是在地上，在基督的身體裏行事為人，以成就神永遠的定旨；（四1，17，五2，8，15；）然後在六章，我們是在諸天界裏，在基督的大能裏站住，以抵擋神的仇敵。（11，13～14，參約壹五4，18，約三6下。）

三　『所以要站住，用真理束你們的腰』—弗六14上：

1　這裏的真理，是指神在基督裏作我們生活的實際，就是神在我們的生活中被我們實化並經歷；這也就是基督自己從我們活出來—四15，21，24～25，約十四6，八31～32，36。

2　我們所用以束腰的真理，實際上就是我們所經歷的基督；因為保羅的生活模成了基督的模型，所以他有力量面對一切的反對和逆境—弗四20～21，腓一19～21上。

【週　四】

四　『穿上義的胸甲』—弗六14下，林前一30，耶二三6：

1　基督作為義的胸甲，遮蓋我們的良心，就是胸所表徵的；撒但是控告我們的，我們在與他爭戰時，需要有被血潔淨的良心，就是無虧的良心—來九14，十22，徒二四16。

2　『弟兄們勝過他，是因羔羊的血；』（啟十二11；）對撒但的控告，我們應該回應說，『我勝過那控告者撒但，不是靠著我的完全，甚至也不是靠著無虧的良心，乃是靠著羔羊的血；我靠義的胸甲，抵擋他的控告。』

五　『以和平福音的穩固根基，當作鞋穿在腳上』—弗六15：

1　基督已經在十字架上，為我們與神並與人成就了和平，這和平成了我們的福音；這和平的福音已經建立成穩固的根基，好像豫備好的鞋，給我們穿在腳上—二13～17。

2　我們藉著在和平裏站住而打屬靈的仗；我們若失去我們與神之間，或與別的信徒之間的和平，我們就失去了爭戰的立足點—西三15。

【週　五】

六　『此外，拿起信的盾牌，藉此就能銷滅那惡者一切火燒的箭』—弗六16，林後四13，來十二2：

1　火燒的箭就是撒但的試誘、題議、懷疑、問題、謊言和攻擊；我們需要拿起信的盾牌，銷滅這些火燒的箭。

2　我們需要操練我們信心的靈，連同降服且復活的意志，相信主的顯現是要消除魔鬼的作為—約壹三8，太十六22～23，路四39～41，太十二28，路十17，19。

3　我們需要操練我們信心的靈，相信主的死已廢除撒但—來二14，創二17，三15，加二20，羅六3～6，林前十五54～58。

4　我們需要操練我們信心的靈，相信主的復活已叫撒但蒙羞—西二12～15，20，三1，約十四30，腓三10，賽六一10，亞三4～5。

5　我們需要操練我們信心的靈，相信主的升天遠超過撒但的權勢—弗一19～23，二6，六11，13。

6　我們必須相信神；祂是真的、活的、應時的、且便利的—可十一22，啟一18。

7　我們必須相信神的心；神對我們的心總是好的；祂沒有意思要懲罰我們、傷害我們、或叫我們受虧損—羅八28～39。

8　我們必須相信神的信實；神不能說謊，祂對自己的話總是信實的—林前一9，約壹一9，多一2。

9　我們必須相信神的大能—弗三20。

10　我們必須相信神的話；神受了約束，要成就祂所說的一切—參帖前五24，弗六17～18。

11　我們必須相信神的意願—一5，9，11。

12　我們必須相信神的主宰；在祂的主宰權柄下，連我們的錯誤也互相效力，叫我們得益處—羅九19～29。

七　『接受救恩的頭盔』—弗六17上：

1　救恩的頭盔是為著遮蓋我們的心思、思想，抵擋那惡者射到我們裏面的消極思想；這樣的頭盔，這樣的遮蓋，乃是神的救恩。

2　撒但把威嚇、憂慮、罣慮、恐懼、和其他叫人軟弱的思想，注射到我們的心思裏；神的救恩乃是我們抵擋這一切所拿起的遮蓋；這樣的救恩，就是我們在日常生活中所經歷那拯救的基督—約十六33，腓一19，羅五10，十12～13。

【週　六】

八　接受『那靈的劍，那靈就是神的話』—弗六17下：

1　在神軍裝的六項中，惟有那靈的劍是為著攻擊仇敵的；我們用劍砍碎仇敵。

2　基督作那靈與話，能供我們進攻的劍，殺敗我們的仇敵。

3　當婁格斯（logos—聖經中常時的話）對我們成了雷瑪（rhema—那靈現時、即時、活的說話）時，這雷瑪就是砍碎仇敵的劍—參約六63。

九　『藉著各樣的禱告和祈求，…時時在靈裏禱告，並盡力堅持，在這事上儆醒，且為眾聖徒祈求』—弗六17上，18：

1　禱告可視為神軍裝的第七項，因為這一項是憑藉，叫我們藉以應用其他各項。

2　禱告是應用基督作神軍裝惟一的路；禱告使軍裝對我們成為實際可用的。

Week Twenty-four

The Giver of Gifts and the Constituents of God’s Armor

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Hymns: E914

Scripture Reading: Eph. 4:7-16; 6:10-20

§ Day 1

I. Ephesians 4:7-16 presents to us Christ as the Giver of gifts for the intrinsic building up of the organic Body of Christ; this building up is by the giving, the dispensing, of the divine grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ:

A. Every member of the Body of Christ is an indispensable gift to the Body—v. 7; 1 Cor. 12:14-22; Rom. 12:4-5:

1. The gift of Christ is a person constituted with Christs life and element dispensed into him by the Divine Trinity—cf. 2 Cor. 1:15.

2. Each gifted person has a measure, and the divine grace is given, dispensed, into him according to that measure—Eph. 4:16; cf. Rom. 12:3.

B. The intrinsic building up of the organic Body of Christ is by the giving of the gifted persons, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers, who are constituted by the dispensing of the Divine Trinity, by Christ as the Head in His ascension (including His resurrection), to the Body of Christ—Eph. 4:8-12:

1. Ephesians 4:8 says, "Having ascended to the height, He led captive those taken captive and gave gifts to men":

a. Height in the quotation from Psalm 68:18 refers to Mount Zion (vv. 15-16), symbolizing the third heaven, where God dwells (1 Kings 8:30).

b. Psalm 68 implies that it was in the Ark that God ascended to Mount Zion after the Ark had won the victory (Num. 10:35); this portrays how Christ has won the victory and ascended triumphantly to the heavens.

c. Through His universal traffic and in His ascension, Christ led as captives those who had been taken captive by Satan and made them gifts to His Body—Eph. 4:8-11:

1) The redeemed saints had been taken captive by Satan before they were saved by Christs death and resurrection—cf. Luke 4:18.

2) In His ascension Christ led them captive; that is, He rescued them from Satans captivity and took them to Himself—Psa. 68:18.

3) In His ascension Christ led them to the heavens as His captives in His train of vanquished foes and made them gifts to His Body.

4) Now Christ is celebrating His triumph over them, His vanquished foes, and is leading them as His captives in a triumphal procession in His move for His ministry to build up His Body—2 Cor. 2:14.

2. The more Christ ascends and descends within us, capturing and vanquishing us, the more He fills us with Himself to constitute us as gifts to His Body—cf. Eph. 4:9-10.

§ Day 2

C. The intrinsic building up of the organic Body of Christ is by the gifted persons perfecting of the saints in the divine dispensing so that all the saints may be able to do the work of the New Testament ministry, that is, to build up the Body of Christ—vv. 11-12:

1. The gifted persons perfect the saints by nourishing them according to the tree of life with the life supply for their growth in life—Gen. 2:9; 1 Cor. 3:2, 6.

2. The gifted persons perfect the saints to do what they do for the direct building of the Body of Christ—Matt. 16:18; Eph. 4:11-12; cf. 1 Tim. 1:16; 4:12.

3. The result of this perfecting is that we will all arrive at the oneness of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, at a full-grown man, and at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ—Eph. 4:13; cf. John 17:23.

4. This perfecting will cause us to be no longer little children tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching in the sleight of men, in craftiness with a view to the satanic system of error—Eph. 4:14.

5. This perfecting will cause every member of the Body of Christ to be a building member in love—growing up into the Head and functioning out from the Head—vv. 15-16.

§ Day 3

II. Ephesians 6:10-20 reveals that Christ is the constituents of Gods armor:

A. The whole armor of God is for the entire Body of Christ as the corporate warrior, not for any individual member of the Body; we must fight the spiritual warfare in the Body, not as individuals—vv. 10-13; James 4:7; cf. Rom. 13:12-14; Deut. 32:30.

B. In Ephesians 2 we sit with Christ in the heavenlies to participate in all His accomplishments (v. 6); in chapters 4 and 5 we walk in His Body on the earth to fulfill Gods eternal purpose (4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15); then in chapter 6 we stand in His power in the heavenlies to fight against Gods enemy (vv. 11, 13-14; cf. 1 John 5:4, 18; John 3:6b).

C. "Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth"—Eph. 6:14a:

1. Truth here refers to God in Christ as the reality in our living, that is, God realized and experienced by us in our living; this is actually Christ Himself lived out by us—4:15, 21, 24-25; John 14:6; 8:31-32, 36.

2. The truth with which we are girded is actually the Christ whom we experience; because Pauls living was conformed to the pattern of Christ, he had the strength to face all opposition and adverse circumstances—Eph. 4:20-21; Phil. 1:19-21a.

§ Day 4

D. "Having put on the breastplate of righteousness"—Eph. 6:14b; 1 Cor. 1:30; Jer. 23:6:

1. Christ as the breastplate of righteousness covers our conscience, signified by the breast; in fighting against Satan, our accuser, we need a bloodpurified conscience, a conscience void of offense—Heb. 9:14; 10:22; Acts 24:16.

2. "They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 12:11); our response to Satans accusations should be, "I overcome Satan, the accuser, not by my perfection and not even by a conscience void of offense but by the blood of the Lamb; I am defended against his accusations by the breastplate of righteousness."

E. "Having shod your feet with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace"— Eph. 6:15:

1. Christ has made peace for us on the cross, both with God and with man, and this peace has become our gospel; the gospel of peace has been established as a firm foundation, as a readiness with which our feet may be shod—2:13-17.

2. We fight the spiritual warfare by standing in peace; if we lose the peace between us and God or between us and other believers, we lose the standing to fight—Col. 3:15.

§ Day 5

F. "Besides all these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one"—Eph. 6:16; 2 Cor. 4:13; Heb. 12:2:

1. The flaming darts are Satans temptations, proposals, doubts, questions, lies, and attacks; we need to take up the shield of faith to quench these flaming darts.

2. We need to exercise our spirit of faith with our subdued and resurrected will to believe that the Lords manifestation is to destroy the works of the devil—1 John 3:8; Matt. 16:22-23; Luke 4:39-41; Matt. 12:28; Luke 10:17, 19.

3. We need to exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the Lords death has destroyed Satan—Heb. 2:14; Gen. 2:17; 3:15; Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:3-6; 1 Cor. 15:54-58.

4. We need to exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the Lords resurrection has put Satan to shame—Col. 2:12-15, 20; 3:1; John 14:30; Phil. 3:10; Isa. 61:10; Zech. 3:4-5.

5. We need to exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the ascension of the Lord is far above Satans power—Eph. 1:19-23; 2:6; 6:11, 13.

6. We must have faith in God, who is real, living, present, and available—Mark 11:22; Rev. 1:18.

7. We must have faith in Gods heart; Gods heart toward us is always good; He has no intention to punish us, to injure us, or to cause us to suffer loss—Rom. 8:28-39.

8. We must have faith in Gods faithfulness; God cannot lie but is always faithful to His word—1 Cor. 1:9; 1 John 1:9; Titus 1:2.

9. We must have faith in Gods ability—Eph. 3:20.

10. We must have faith in Gods word; God is bound to fulfill all that He has spoken—cf. 1 Thes. 5:24; Eph. 6:17-18.

11. We must have faith in Gods will—1:5, 9, 11.

12. We must have faith in Gods sovereignty; under His sovereignty even our mistakes work for good—Rom. 9:19-29.

G. "Receive the helmet of salvation"—Eph. 6:17a:

1. The helmet of salvation is for covering our mind, our mentality, against the negative thoughts shot in by the evil one; such a helmet, such a covering, is Gods salvation.

2. Satan injects threats, worries, anxieties, fears, and other weakening thoughts into our mind; Gods salvation is the covering that we take up against all of these, and this salvation is the saving Christ whom we experience in our daily life—John 16:33; Phil. 1:19; Rom. 5:10; 10:12-13.

§ Day 6

H. Receive "the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God"—Eph. 6:17b:

1. Among the six items of Gods armor, the sword of the Spirit is the only one for attacking the enemy; with the sword we cut the enemy to pieces.

2. Christ as the Spirit and the word furnishes us with a sword as an offensive weapon to defeat and slay the enemy.

3. When the logos (the constant word in the Bible) becomes the rhema (the present, instant, living speaking of the Spirit) to us, this rhema is the sword that cuts the enemy to pieces—cf. John 6:63.

I. "By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints"—Eph. 6:18:

1. Prayer may be considered the seventh item of the armor of God, because it is the means by which we apply the other items.

2. Prayer is the unique way to apply Christ as the armor of God; it is prayer that makes the armor available to us in a practical way.