第二十五週．週五

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晨興餧養

腓四８～９　『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。你們在我身上所學習的、所領受的、所聽見的、所看見的，這些事你們都要去行，平安的神就必與你們同在。』

保羅在腓立比四章八節給我們〔活基督之生活管治的六方面〕。…活基督之生活管治的第一方面是『凡是真實的』。這裏的真實一辭，意思是道德上的，不僅僅是事情上的。在活基督之生活的彰顯中，不能有虛假，不能有說謊。我們所作或所說的一切，都必須是真實的。…彰顯基督的生活乃是真實的生活。

第二方面是『凡是莊重的』。莊重的原文意可敬的，值得尊敬的，高貴的，端莊的，（提前三8，11，多二2，）含尊嚴意，能激發並引起人的敬意。活基督的生活將會是可尊重的、高貴的、端莊的、穩重的、有分量的、值得尊敬的。（腓立比書生命讀經，二七八至二七九頁。）

信息選讀

我們不該以為只有較年長的人纔應當有分量。…甚至初中的年輕弟兄也該有尊嚴，因為有神在他裏面。…有尊嚴不是行動表現得很顯要，乃是活神。…我們是盛裝基督的器皿。我們若活祂，就會有真實的尊嚴。

在腓立比四章八節保羅也說到『凡是公義的』。這指在神和人面前是對的（不是指正直的）。…在『凡是純潔的』這短句裏的『純潔』一辭，意思是在意願和行動上是單純的，毫無攙雜。這樣的純潔就是沒有裝假。純潔也是活基督之生活管治的一方面。…這樣的生活管治還有一方面：『凡是可愛的』。『可愛的』這辭意思是令人愛的，合人意的，討人喜歡的。…保羅接著題到『凡是有美名的』。這意思是凡是有好名聲的，吸引人的，動人的，親切的。

我們若活基督，我們的生活必定會彰顯這幾方面。在我們的生活裏就不會有虛假、鬆散或輕率。反之，我們的生活將是真實的、莊重的、公義的、純潔的、可愛的、並有美名的。在許許多多基督徒的德行中，保羅挑選了這六樣，作為管治的六方面。

所有人性的美德都是神所造的。…我們人性的美德是受造的器皿，盛裝神聖的美德，正如手套是照著手的形像造的，以盛裝手。聖經啟示神的像就是基督。（西一15，林後四4。）…說人是按著神的形像造的，意思是他是照著基督的形狀造的。…人是神所設計的，帶有基督的樣式。當基督進到人裏面，那人就成為盛裝基督的器皿。

到腓立比四章八節末了，保羅改變他的措辭，並且說，『若有甚麼德行，若有甚麼稱讚。』德行，原文意優越，即道德的能力，表現在有活力的行動上。稱讚指值得稱讚的事，是伴同著德行的。…德行和稱讚不是附加的兩方面，乃是已經題過的六方面的價值。德行是一般的說法，而不是專一的方面。在真實、莊重、公義、純潔、可愛、以及有美名裏面，都有德行。稱讚的原則也是這樣：在基督徒生活的這六方面，都有值得稱讚的事。…活基督之生活的彰顯何等優越！…在這些優越的方面，每一方面都有某種德行，和值得稱讚的事。這些事我們都該思念；就是說，我們該思想、沉思、考慮這些事。（腓立比書生命讀經，二七九至二八一、二八三頁。）

參讀：腓立比書生命讀經，第二十八篇；生命的經歷與長大，第十四至十五、二十八篇。

WEEK 25— DAY 5

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Morning Nourishment

Phil. 4:8-9 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. The things which you have also learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace will be with you.

[In Philippians 4:8 Paul gives us] six governing aspects of a life that lives Christ…The first governing aspect of a life that lives Christ is “what things are true.” The word true here means “truthful ethically,” not merely true in matter of fact. In the expression of a life that lives Christ, there can be no falsehood, no lying. Everything we do or say must be truthful…A life that is the expression of Christ is a truthful one.

The second aspect is “what things are dignified.” The Greek word rendered “dignified” means “venerable, worthy of reverence, noble, grave” (1 Tim. 3:8, 11; Titus 2:2), implying the idea of dignity, which inspires and invites reverence. A life that lives Christ will be dignified, noble, grave, solid, weighty, and honorable. (Life-study of Philippians, pp. 229-230)

Todays Reading

We should not think that only older people should be weighty…Even a young brother in junior high school should have dignity, for he has God within him…To have dignity is not to act important; it is to live God…We are a vessel containing Christ. If we live Him, we will have true dignity.

In Philippians 4:8 Paul also speaks of “what things are righteous.” This refers to what is right (not just) before God and man. The word pure in the expression what things are pure means “single in intention and action, without any mixture.” To be pure in this way is to have no pretense. Purity is also a governing aspect of the life that lives Christ. Another governing aspect of such a life is “what things are lovely.” The word lovely means “lovable, agreeable, endearing.” Next Paul goes on to mention “what things are well spoken of.” This means what things are of good repute, attractive, winning, and gracious. The Greek word means “sounding well.”

If we live Christ, we will surely have a life that is an expression of all these aspects. In our living there will be no falsehood, looseness, or lightness. Instead, our living will be dignified, pure, right, lovely, and well spoken of. Of the many, many Christian virtues, Paul selected these six as governing aspects.

All human virtues were created by God…Our human virtues are a vessel made to contain the divine virtues, just as a glove is made in the image of a hand to contain the hand. The Bible reveals that the image of God is Christ (Col. 1:15; 2 Cor. 4:4)…To say that man was made in the image of God means that he was made according to the form of Christ…Man was designed by God to bear the pattern of Christ. When Christ comes into a person, that person becomes a vessel containing Christ.

Toward the end of Philippians 4:8 Paul changes his expression and says, “If there is any virtue and if any praise.” The Greek word for virtue here means “excellence,” that is, ethical energy exhibited in vigorous action. Praise refers to things worthy of praise, as the companion of virtue. Virtue and praise are not two additional aspects but values of the six aspects already mentioned. Virtue is a general term rather than a specific aspect. There is virtue in truthfulness, dignity, purity, loveliness, rightness, and being well spoken of. The principle is the same with praise: there is something worthy of praise in all these six aspects of the Christian life. How excellent is the expression of the life that lives Christ!…In each of these excellent aspects there is some virtue and something worthy of praise. We should “take account of these things”; that is, we should think on them, ponder them, consider them. (Lifestudy of Philippians, pp. 230-233)

Further Reading: Life-study of Philippians, msg. 28; CWWL, 1989, vol. 3, “The Experience and Growth in Life,” chs. 14—15, 28