第八週•週四

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晨興餧養

西二9 ～ 10『因爲神格一切的豐滿，都有形有體的居住在基督裏面，你們在祂裏面也得了豐滿。祂是一切執政掌權者的元首。』

歌羅西二章七節裏『已經生根』這話含示土壤的意思。八至十五節詳盡的描述基督乃是我們在其中生根的土壤。我們旣然在土壤裏生根，就藉着從土壤裏所吸收的元素長大。我們知道，作爲土壤的基督乃是在我們的靈裏。…這塊特殊土壤的頭一方面是在九節。…神格一切的豐滿，都有形有體的居住在祂裏面，我們在這一位裏面已經生根。

我們在作土壤的基督裏生根時，頭一件發生的事就是，我們在祂裏面得了豐滿。（10。）『得了豐滿』…這個希臘字含示完備、完全、滿足、和完滿的完成。在基督這土壤裏，我們都被充滿、得完備、被成全、得滿足、並徹底得着供應。…土壤的頭一個元素乃是神格的豐滿。當我們從土壤裏將豐富的養分吸收進來，我們就享受這豐滿。然後這豐滿使我們得了豐滿，使我們完備，使我們完全，使我們滿足，爲我們成就一切，並徹底供應我們每一樣的需要。（歌羅西書生命讀經，五七四、五七六頁。）

信息選讀

哦，這豐滿乃是包羅萬有的，包括了公義、稱義、聖別、成聖、以及我們所需要的一切。我們旣栽種在這豐滿裏，就該從其中吸取滋養。我們這樣作，就會發現我們一無所缺。釘十字架和復活的經歷都在這豐滿裏。…基督旣是我們已經生根於其中的美地，我們在這豐滿裏就已經生根了；我們在其中已經得了豐滿、完備並完全。

我們在基督這美地裏生根以前，…我們與肉體、規條、和黑暗的權勢有關聯。但如今我們已在美地裏生根，這豐滿就成了我們的，我們也得着一切正面事物的供應。在這包羅萬有且延展無限的豐滿裏，我們得着了一切。我們有神，有提高的人性，並且有神聖的屬性和人性的美德。你需要生命麼？生命就在這豐滿裏。你需要愛和忍耐麼？愛和忍耐也包括在這豐滿裏。

不僅如此，我們在基督裏，也受了非人手所行的割禮；我們在受浸中與祂一同埋葬，也在受浸中與祂一同復活。（西二11 ～ 12。）…那在規條上所寫，攻擊我們的字據，已經塗抹了，執政的和掌權的，也已經脫下了。〔14 ～ 15。〕這些事在基督裏都是真實的。

以上所題的事，都是我們在其中生根之基督這豐富土壤的元素。這土壤的頭一個元素就是神格的豐滿，其他的元素包括割禮、埋葬、復活、規條的塗抹、以及黑暗權勢的脫下。

讚美主，在基督這土壤裏有割禮的元素，將肉體治死！在基督這土壤裏有殺死的能力。這殺死的元素可以比作鹽，加在土壤裏，就能將腐敗消殺。我們在其中所生根的美地，其上的土壤乃是割禮的『鹽』。這種元素不能使任何作物生長，但對於殺菌卻很有果效。它割除肉體，並殺死肉體。

殺死以後，就需要埋葬。…不僅如此，還有另一種元素使我們復活。因此，在基督這土壤裏的元素，首先埋葬我們，然後叫我們復活。在作土壤的基督裏，我們被治死、埋葬、復活、並得着生命。殺死和埋葬將反面的事物從我們身上帶走，而復活將我們帶離反面的事物。然後土壤裏賜人生命的元素，就使我們活着。因此，在作土壤的基督裏面，有殺死我們、埋葬我們、使我們復活、並使我們活着的元素。（歌羅西書生命讀經，五七八、六一六至六一七、五七九至五八○頁。）

參讀：歌羅西書生命讀經，第五十三、五十五至五十七篇。

WEEK 8 — DAY 4

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Morning Nourishment

Col. 2:9-10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you have been made full in Him, who is the Head of all rule and authority.

The expression having been rooted in Colossians 2:7 implies that there is soil. Verses 8 through 15 are a full description of Christ as the soil in which we have been rooted. Having been rooted in the soil, we grow with the elements that we absorb from the soil. We know that Christ as the soil is in our spirit. The first aspect of this very special soil is found in verse 9…We have been rooted in the One in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.

When we are rooted in Christ as the soil, the first thing to take place is that we are made full in Him (v. 10)…The Greek word [for made full] implies completion, perfection, satisfaction, and full accomplishment. In Christ as the soil, we are filled, completed, perfected, satisfied, and thoroughly supplied…The first element of the soil is the fullness of the Godhead. As we absorb into our being the rich nourishment from the soil, we enjoy this fullness. Then this fullness makes us full, completes us, perfects us, satisfies us, accomplishes everything for us, and thoroughly supplies our every need. (Life-study of Colossians, second edition, pp. 453-455)

Today’s Reading

Oh, this fullness is all-inclusive. It includes righteousness, justification, holiness, sanctification, and whatever we may need. Having been planted into this fullness, we should simply absorb nourishment from it. As we do so, we will find that we have no lack. The experiences of crucifixion and resurrection are in the fullness…Since Christ is the good land in which we have been rooted, we have been rooted in this fullness; in it we have been made full, complete, and perfect.

Before we were rooted in Christ as the good land, …we were involved with the flesh, the ordinances, and the power of darkness. But now that we have been rooted in the good land, the fullness has become ours, and we are supplied with every positive thing. In this all-inclusive and extensive fullness, we have everything. We have God, we have an uplifted humanity, and we have divine attributes and human virtues. Do you need life? It is found in this fullness. Do you need love or patience? They also are included in the fullness.

Furthermore, in Christ we were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, we were buried with Him in baptism, and we were also raised together with Him (Col. 2:11-12)…The handwriting in ordinances, which was against us, has been wiped out, and the rulers and authorities have been stripped off [vv. 14-15]. All these things are true in Christ.

All the matters mentioned above are elements of Christ as the rich soil in which we are rooted. The first element of this soil is the fullness of the Godhead. Other elements include circumcision, burial, being raised, the wiping out of the ordinances, and the stripping off of the powers of darkness.

Praise the Lord that in Christ as the soil we have the element of circumcision, which puts the flesh to death! In Christ as the soil, there is killing power. This killing element can be compared to salt, which when added to soil can kill corruption. In the soil of the good land in which we are rooted is the “salt” of circumcision. This element does not cause anything to grow, but it is effective in killing germs. It cuts the flesh and kills it.

After the killing, we have burial…Furthermore, there is another element that raises us up. Thus, first, the elements in Christ as the soil bury us; then they raise us up. In Christ as the soil, we are put to death, buried, raised up, and given life. The killing and the burial take the negative things away from us, whereas being raised takes us away from the negative things. Then the element in the soil that gives life makes us
living. Therefore, in Christ as the soil, there are elements that kill us, bury us, raise us up, and make us living. (Life-study of Colossians, second edition, pp. 456-457, 489, 457-458)

Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 53, 55-57