第二十五週　基督為我們的美德、神的平安、我們的祕訣、和那加我們能力者

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讀經：腓四5～9，11下～13

【週　一】

壹　在腓立比四章五至九節我們所經歷基督的美德，乃是活基督之生活的彰顯—一19～21上，二5～13，三8～10：

一　保羅認為謙讓宜人和沒有罣慮是活基督之生活彰顯的頭兩面。

二　罣慮來自撒但，是人生活的總和，攪擾信徒活基督的生活；謙讓宜人來自神，是活基督之生活的總和；二者完全相反—太六22～34。

【週二、週三】

貳　『當叫眾人知道你們的謙讓宜人。主是近的』—腓四5：

一　按照基督徒的經歷，謙讓宜人是包羅一切的，因為它包含了基督徒一切的美德；謙讓宜人實際上乃是包羅萬有的基督作為包羅萬有的靈，同著祂全備的供應—一19～21上：

1　謙讓宜人是待人合理，體諒，顧到別人，不嚴格要求合法的權利；謙讓宜人的意思是我們很容易滿足，甚至以少於我們所當得的為滿足：

ａ　謙讓宜人包含愛、忍耐、恩慈、謙卑、憐恤、體諒、以及服從，就是心甘情願的降服；我們若有這樣一個包羅萬有的美德，也就有了公義與聖別。

ｂ　謙讓宜人也包括自制、適度、溫和、了解、同情、智慧、憐憫、和平、仰望主，甚至包括承認主在一切事上有主宰權柄的美德—參林後十二7～9。

2　一個謙讓宜人的人總是合式的，他的行為總是合宜的—參六1下，十1，腓一1 9，賽十一2：

ａ　我們若謙讓宜人，就會有智慧與能力供應別人的需要；我們也會有充分的知識，知道要對別人說甚麼話，以及該甚麼時候說—五十4～5，西一28，箴二五15。

ｂ　謙讓宜人就是顧到我們所作或所說的，會怎樣影響別人—代下一10。

二　謙讓宜人是個包羅一切的美德，也就是基督自己；基督既是謙讓宜人，保羅活著就是謙讓宜人—腓一21上：

1　叫眾人知道我們的謙讓宜人，就是叫眾人知道我們所活、所顯大、所引為榜樣、並所竭力追求作標竿的基督。

2　惟有主耶穌過一種滿了謙讓宜人的生活，而今天惟有基督纔能成為我們完全的謙讓宜人—路二四15～19，28～31，太十七24～27，約十一20～34。

3　叫人知道我們的謙讓宜人，就是過彰顯基督為一切人性美德之總和的生活。

4　保羅說到謙讓宜人之後，緊接著就說，主是近的；（腓四5；）就空間說，主對我們是近的，是很便當的幫助；就時間說，主與我們是近的，不久就要來；（參羅十8～13；）主是近的，主要的是說到主與我們同在。（太一23，出三三14。）

三　我們在各種環境、境遇、和遭遇裏，都需要學基督作我們漸漸變化（也就是在天然的生命裏新陳代謝的改變）的祕訣；（腓四12；）這實際又簡單的祕訣在六至七節—『應當一無罣慮，只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求，帶著感謝，將你們所要的告訴神；神那超越人所能理解的平安，必在基督耶穌裏，保衛你們的心懷意念。』

【週　四】

參　『我們生活中有問題，不必去問別人，因為我們裏面有靈，並且主就是那靈，在我們靈裏，對我們是何等親近。我們凡事都可以問問祂，不必打電話，也不必用傳真機，祂就在我們裏面和我們談話。你可以凡事和祂談一談，商量一下。主的話說，「應當一無罣慮，只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求，帶著感謝，將你們所要的告訴神。」（腓四6。）因此，你有難處只要告訴祂，祂就在你裏面，面對面與你同在。父、子、靈三一神在我們裏面，不是麻煩我們，乃是作我們的保惠師、安慰者、扶持者。我常常禱告說，「主阿，我現在要去走路了，求你支持我，維持我，還要加我力量。」這就是喝主。這樣，我就沒有罣慮。罣慮一來了，你就要說，「主阿，這罣慮是你的，不是我的；我交給你了，因為你替我罣慮。」這樣，你就在裏面得著主的成分，你裏面就會常常起新陳代謝的作用，結果你外面顯出來的就是基督。這就是活基督。不知道這祕訣的人，以為活基督是很難的事；其實你只要操練常與主說話，你自然就會活基督』—神救恩生機的一面，五五～五六頁：

一　基督自己就是神那超越人所能理解的平安—腓四7，賽九6，約十四27，路七50，羅三17，五1，八6，十五13，十六20。

二　『凡事』這辭，指每天臨到我們的許多不同的事；禱告是一般的，帶著敬拜和交通的成分；祈求是專一的，為著特殊的需要；我們的禱告和祈求，都該帶著對主的感謝—腓四6。

三　『告訴神』，直譯，給神知道；『給』，表示向前的動作，有活的聯合並交往之意，含示交通；因此，這裏『告訴神』的意義，乃是『在與神的交通中』—6節。

四　在禱告中與神交通的結果，乃是得享神的平安；神的平安實際上就是平安的神自己，（9，）藉著我們禱告與祂交通，注入我們裏面，抗拒苦惱，化解罣慮。（約十六33。）

五　平安的神在基督裏，在我們的心懷意念前巡查，保守我們平靜安寧；（賽三十15上；）我們若要過一無罣慮的生活，就必須領悟，我們所有的遭遇，不論是好是壞，都是神派定的，目的是要使我們達到贏得基督、活基督並顯大基督的定命。（羅八28～30，太十29～31，林後四15～18。）

【週　五】

肆　『末了的話，弟兄們，凡是真實的，凡是莊重的，凡是公義的，凡是純潔的，凡是可愛的，凡是有美名的；若有甚麼德行，若有甚麼稱讚，這些事你們都要思念』—腓四8：

一　這些美德乃是神屬性的彰顯，從那些追求神具體化身之基督的人裏面活出來。

二　這些美德乃是活基督之生活管治的六方面：

1　活基督的生活是真實的—在道德上是真實的，沒有虛偽和假冒。

2　活基督的生活是莊重的—可尊重的，高貴的，端莊的，穩重的，有分量的，值得尊敬的—提前三8，11，多二2，參羅九21。

3　活基督的生活是公義的—在神和人面前是對的—腓三9。

4　活基督的生活是純潔的—在意願和行動上是單純的，毫無攙雜—太五8。

5　活基督的生活是可愛的—令人愛的，合人意的，討人喜歡的。

6　活基督的生活是有美名的—聞名的，有好名聲的，吸引人的，動人的，親切的—何十四7。

三　德行和稱讚是前六項的總綱；前六項，每一項都有一些德行或優越，都有值得稱讚的—太五16。

四　作正確的人，就是藉著在我們人性美德裏神聖的屬性彰顯神，也就是過一種充滿基督作神屬性之實際的人性生活—參創一26。

【週　六】

伍　『我已經學會了，無論在甚麼景況，都可以知足。我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處富餘；或飽足、或飢餓、或富餘、或缺乏，在各事上，並在一切事上，我都學得祕訣。我在那加我能力者的裏面，凡事都能作』—腓四11下～13：

一　保羅是以基督為祕訣而經歷基督，在任何環境、任何境遇、任何事上，都能因著基督知足喜樂—4節。

二　『我都學得祕訣』，直譯，『我都已經被引進』；這是個隱喻，說到人被引進祕密社團，受其基本原則的教導—西二2，弗三3～4，五32：

1　保羅悔改信主之後，被引進基督與基督的身體—徒九3～19，25～28，二二6～21，十三1～4。

2　保羅學得如何以基督為生命，（西三4，）如何活基督，（腓一21上，）如何顯大基督，（20，）如何贏得基督，（三8，12，）以及如何過召會生活（一8，19，二1～4，19～20，四1～3）的祕訣。

3　腓立比四章的祕訣乃是在那加我們能力的基督裏作一切事；（13，補充本詩歌四三二首；）保羅是一個在基督裏的人，他經歷基督，並將祂應用在一切景況中；（腓三9；）這位基督是真實的、活的、相近的、便利的、且卓越的。（四5下，詩歌四○○首。）

4　保羅說到基督是加力者的話，特別適用於基督加我們能力，使我們活祂作我們人性的美德，因而在任何環境裏都顯大祂那無限的偉大—腓四8～13。

5　藉著基督的加力，我們能過知足的生活，並且成為真實的、莊重的、公義的、純潔的、可愛的、有美名的；（11～12，8；）要過這一切美德的生活，比作基督教的工作難多了。

6　我們若要經歷基督作加力者，就需要在以下的事上與祂合作：

ａ　我們在地上實際的生活，必須是一直禱告的人，來到神面前，進到祂裏面，並活在祂的面光中—詩四二5，11，八十1，3，7，19。

ｂ　我們需要基於主在十字架上的流血，徹底並新鮮的經歷罪得赦免—來九14，十19，22，出二四8，太二六28。

ｃ　我們需要知道甚麼叫作升天，並且知道我們所得的生命乃是屬天的生命；我們該知道我們已經與主一同升到天上，因此是屬天的人；從外面看，我們還生活在地上，但從我們裏面的生命和心情而言，我們乃是活在天上—弗二6，來八1～2，四14～15，七25～26。

Week One

Christ as Our Virtues, the Peace of God, Our Secret, and the One Who Empowers Us

E. M.; Hymns: 523, 564, God’s Eternal Economy

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Scripture Reading: Phil. 4:5-9, 11b-13

§ Day 1

I. The virtues of Christ for our experience in Philippians 4:5-9 are the expression of a life that lives Christ—1:19-21a; 2:5- 13; 3:8-10:

A. Paul considers forbearance and the lack of anxiety as the first two aspects of the expression of a life that lives Christ.

B. Anxiety, coming from Satan, is the sum total of human life and disturbs the believers life of living Christ; forbearance, coming from God, is the sum total of a life that lives Christ; the two are opposites—Matt. 6:22-34.

§ Day 2 & Day 3

II. "Let your forbearance be known to all men. The Lord is near"—Phil. 4:5:

A. According to Christian experience, forbearance is all-inclusive, for it includes all Christian virtues; forbearance is actually the all-inclusive Christ as the all-inclusive Spirit with His bountiful supply—1:19- 21a:

1. Forbearance is reasonableness, considerateness, and consideration in dealing with others, without being strict in claiming ones legal rights; forbearance means that we are easily satisfied, even with less than our due:

a. Forbearance includes love, patience, kindness, humility, compassion, considerateness, and submissiveness, a willingness to yield; if we have such an all-inclusive virtue, we will also have righteousness and holiness.

b. Forbearance also includes self-control, moderation, gentleness, understanding, sympathy, wisdom, mercy, peacefulness, looking to the Lord, and even the virtue of admitting that the Lord is sovereign in all things—cf. 2 Cor. 12:7-9.

2. A forbearing person is one who always fits in, whose behavior is always suitable—cf. 6:1a; 10:1; Phil. 1:19; Isa. 11:2:

a. If we are forbearing, we will have the wisdom and the ability to supply others with what they need; we will also have the full knowledge of what to say to them and when to say it—50:4-5; Col. 1:28; Prov. 25:15.

b. To be forbearing is to consider how others will be affected by what we do or say—2 Chron. 1:10.

B. As an all-inclusive virtue, forbearance is Christ Himself; since Christ is forbearance, for Paul to live was forbearance—Phil. 1:21a:

1. To let our forbearance be known to all men is to let the Christ whom we live and magnify, whom we take as our pattern and pursue as our goal, be known to all men.

2. Only the Lord Jesus lived a life full of forbearance, and only Christ can be our perfect forbearance today—Luke 24:15-19, 28-31; Matt. 17:24-27; John 11:20-34.

3. To make known our forbearance is to live a life that expresses Christ as the totality of all human virtues.

4. Immediately after speaking about forbearance, Paul says that the Lord is near (Phil. 4:5); with respect to space, the Lord is near us, ready to help; with regard to time, the Lord is at hand, coming soon (cf. Rom. 10:8-13); the Lords being near primarily refers to His presence with us (Matt. 1:23; Exo. 33:14).

C. We need to learn Christ as the secret (Phil. 4:12) of being transformed, that is, of being metabolically changed in our natural life, in any kind of environment, situation, or circumstance; this practical and simple secret is in verses 6 and 7—"In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses every mans understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus."

§ Day 4

III. "When we have problems in our daily life, we do not have to seek advice from others, because we have a spirit in us and the Lord as the Spirit dwelling in our spirit is very near to us. We can ask Him about everything, without any need to use the telephone or the fax machine, for He can talk with us right within us. You can talk with Him and confer with Him in everything. The Lords Word says, In nothing be anxious,
but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Phil. 4:6). Hence, if you have some problem, you just need to tell Him. He is right within you, and He is with you face to face. The Triune God— the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—is in us not to trouble us but to be our Paraclete, Comforter, and Supporter. I always pray, O Lord, now I am going to take a walk. Support me, sustain me, and strengthen me. This is to drink the Lord. In this way I have no anxiety. When anxiety comes, you should say, O Lord, this anxiety is Yours, not mine; I give it to You because You bear it for me. Thus, you receive the Lords element into you, and metabolism will work constantly in you. Consequently, what is expressed through you outwardly is Christ. This is to live Christ. Those who do not know this secret consider that to live Christ is a difficult thing. Actually, you just need to practice speaking with the Lord constantly; then spontaneously, you will live Christ"—The Organic Aspect of Gods Salvation, pp. 54-55:

A. Christ Himself is the peace of God, which surpasses every mans understanding—Phil. 4:7; Isa. 9:6; John 14:27; Luke 7:50; Rom. 3:17; 5:1; 8:6; 15:13; 16:20.

B. The words in everything refer to the many different things that happen to us day by day; prayer is general, having worship and fellowship as its essence; petition is special, being for particular needs; both our prayer and our petition should be accompanied by our giving thanks to the Lord—Phil. 4:6.

C. To God denotes motion toward, in the sense of a living union and communion, implying fellowship; hence, the sense of to God here is "in the fellowship with God"—v. 6.

D. The result of practicing fellowship with God in prayer is that we enjoy the peace of God; the peace of God is actually God as peace (v. 9) infused into us through our fellowship with Him by prayer, as the counterpoise to troubles and the antidote to anxiety (John 16:33).

E. The God of peace patrols before our hearts and thoughts in Christ, keeping us calm and tranquil (Isa. 30:15a); if we would have a life free of anxiety, we need to realize that all our circumstances, good or bad, have been assigned to us by God in order to serve us in fulfilling our destiny to gain Christ, live Christ, and magnify Christ (Rom. 8:28-30; Matt. 10:29-31; 2 Cor. 4:15-18).

§ Day 5

IV. "Finally, brothers, what things are true, what things are dignified, what things are righteous, what things are pure, what things are lovely, what things are well spoken of, if there is any virtue and if any praise, take account of these things"—Phil. 4:8:

A. These virtues are the expressions of Gods attributes lived out from within the pursuers of Christ, who is the embodiment of God.

B. These virtues are six governing aspects of a life that lives Christ:

1. A life that lives Christ is true—ethically truthful, without any pretense or falsehood.

2. A life that lives Christ is dignified—honorable, noble, grave, solid, weighty, and worthy of reverence—1 Tim. 3:8,11; Titus 2:2; cf. Rom. 9:21.

3. A life that lives Christ is righteous—right before God and man—Phil. 3:9.

4. A life that lives Christ is pure—single in intention and action, without any mixture—Matt. 5:8.

5. A life that lives Christ is lovely—lovable, agreeable, and endearing.

6. A life that lives Christ is well spoken of—renowned, of good repute, attractive, winning, and gracious—Hosea 14:7.

C. Virtue and praise are a summing up of the six foregoing items, in all of which are some virtue or excellence and something worthy of praise— Matt. 5:16.

D. To be a proper human being is to express God through His divine attributes in our human virtues, to have a human life filled with Christ as the reality of the attributes of God—cf. Gen. 1:26.

§ Day 6

V. "I have learned, in whatever circumstances I am, to be content. I know also how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to lack. I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me"— Phil. 4:11b-13:

A. Paul took Christ as the secret to experience Christ, being content and rejoicing in every kind of circumstance, in any situation, and in any matter because of Christ—v. 4.

B. I have learned the secret literally means "I have been initiated"; the metaphor here refers to a persons being initiated into a secret society with instruction in its rudimentary principles—Col. 2:2; Eph. 3:3-4; 5:32:

1. After Paul was converted to Christ, he was initiated into Christ and into the Body of Christ—Acts 9:3-19,25-28; 22:6-21; 13:1-4.

2. Paul learned the secret of how to take Christ as life (Col. 3:4), how to live Christ (Phil. 1:21a), how to magnify Christ (v. 20), how to gain Christ (3:8, 12), and how to have the church life (1:8, 19; 2:1-4, 19-20; 4:1-3).

3. The secret in Philippians 4 is to do all things in Christ as the One who empowers us (v. 13; Hymns, #564); as a person in Christ, Paul experienced Christ and applied Him in all circumstances (Phil. 3:9); this Christ is real, living, near, available, and prevailing (4:5b; Hymns, #539).

4. Pauls word about Christ as the empowering One specifically applies to Christs empowering us to live Him as our human virtues and thereby to magnify Him in His unlimited greatness in every kind of circumstance—Phil. 4:8-13.

5. By the empowering of Christ, we can live a contented life and be true, dignified, righteous, pure, lovely, and well spoken of (vv. 11-12, 8); to live a life of these virtues is much more difficult than doing a Christian work.

6. If we would experience Christ as the empowering One, we need to cooperate with Him in the following matters:

a. In our practical living on the earth, we must be persons who pray continually by coming before God, entering into Him, and living in the light of His face—Psa. 42:5,11; 80:1, 3, 7, 19.

b. We need to experience a thorough and fresh forgiveness of our sins, based on the shedding of the Lords blood on the cross—Heb. 9:14; 10:19, 22; Exo. 24:8; Matt. 26:28.

c. We need to know what ascension is and know that the life we have received is a heavenly life; we should be aware of the fact that we have ascended into the heavens with the Lord and are thus heavenly persons; outwardly, we are still living on the earth, but inwardly, with respect to our inner life and mood, we are living in the heavens—Eph. 2:6; Heb. 8:1-2; 4:14-15; 7:25-26.