第二十五週．週六

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晨興餧養

腓四１１～１３　『我並不是因缺乏說這話，因為我已經學會了，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。』

我們教導人作事，甚至微不足道的事，主要也是教導他們祕訣。例如，教導人烤肉的技巧就是如此。若沒有學得烤肉的祕訣，可能會把肉糟蹋了。…同樣，我們也許不知道腓立比四章在基督裏知足的祕訣。關於腓立比書，我們也許談論了許多，卻不知道經歷基督的祕訣。換個比方說，因為我們沒有鑰匙，我們就無法打開經歷基督的門。…一面，保羅說，『我都學得祕訣；』（12；）另一面，他見證：『我在那加我能力者的裏面，凡事都能作。』（13。）

〔在十一節〕『知足』這辭該聯於『我已經學會了』。保羅已經學會了，在一切景況裏，都可以知足。（腓立比書生命讀經，二九○至二九一頁。）

信息選讀

〔腓立比四章十二節的〕『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。保羅不但學得祕訣；他已經被引進，並學得某些基本原則。…在希臘人中間有好些祕密社團。任何人要成為這樣一個社團的成員，都必須學習該社團的基本原則。…保羅用這隱喻說到召會，召會是相當奧祕的，有某些基本原則。保羅悔改信主後，就某種意義說，是被引進召會生活。這就是說，他學得如何享受基督，如何以基督為生命，如何活基督、顯大基督、贏得基督，以及如何過召會生活的祕訣。

雖然召會—基督的身體—有幾分奧祕，但召會確實不是祕密社團。反之，召會是立在山上光明的城。不但如此，召會對凡願意來的人都是敞開的。但因為召會有奧祕的方面，就需要屬靈的引進，以學習召會生活的原則。

召會生活的基本原則與世界的基本原則全然不同。我們也許知道一切世界的基本原則，卻不知道任何召會生活的事。因此，我們得救並進入召會—基督的身體—時就需要藉著學習某些基本原則而被引進。身體生活的祕訣是以基督為我們的生命、活基督、追求基督、贏得基督、顯大基督、並彰顯基督。這些是召會—基督的身體—的基本原則。保羅這已經被引進基督身體的人，已經學得祕訣。

今天許多基督徒沒有這樣被引進召會生活。雖然他們已經歸向基督，受了浸，也加入了一個公會，但他們沒有被引進基督的身體。他們沒有學會如何以基督為生命，如何活基督，如何以基督為他們的榜樣，並如何將一切宗教、文化、和哲學的事物看作糞土，為要贏得基督。他們和保羅不同，他們沒有學得經歷基督的祕訣。保羅已經被引進正確的基督徒生活，和正確的召會生活。（腓立比書生命讀經，二九一至二九二頁。）

參讀：腓立比書生命讀經，第五十九篇；生命的經歷與長大，第十三篇。

WEEK 25 — DAY 6

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Morning Nourishment

Phil. 4:11-13 Not that I speak according to lack, for 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.

In teaching people to do things, even insignificant things, we mainly teach them the secret. This is true, for example, in teaching someone the art of barbecuing meat. If a person does not learn the secret of barbecuing, he may ruin the meat…Likewise, we may not know the secret of sufficiency in Christ found in Philippians 4. We may talk a great deal about the book of Philippians but not know the secret of experiencing Christ. To change the figure of speech, because we do not have the key, we cannot open the door to the experience of Christ…On the one hand, Paul says, “I have learned the secret” (v. 12); on the other hand, he testifies, “I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me” (v. 13).

The phrase to be content [in verse 11]…should not be connected with I am, for the words I am are related to the expression in whatever circumstances. Rather, to be content should be connected to I have learned. Paul had learned to be content in all circumstances. (Life-study of Philippians, pp. 239-240)

Todays Reading

The words I have learned the secret [in Philippians 4:12] are an interpretation of the Greek word that means “I have been initiated.” The metaphor here refers to a person’s being initiated into a secret society with instruction in its rudimentary principles. Paul had not only learned a secret; he had been initiated and had learned certain basic principles. Among the Greeks there were a number of secret societies. Anyone who was to become a member of such a society had to learn the rudimentary principles of that society…By using this metaphor, Paul was saying that a church, which is rather mysterious, has certain basic principles. After Paul was converted to Christ, he was in a
sense initiated into the church life. This means that he was instructed in the secret of how to enjoy Christ, how to take Christ as life, how to live Christ, how to magnify Christ, how to gain Christ, and also how to have the church life.

Although the church, the Body of Christ, is somewhat mysterious, the church definitely is not a secret society. On the contrary, the church is a bright city set on a hill. Furthermore, the church is open to all who are willing to come. But because the church has a mysterious aspect, there is the need of a spiritual initiation in order to learn the principles of the church life.

The basic principles of the church life are altogether different from the basic principles of the world. We may know all the rudimentary principles of the world and yet not know anything of the church life. Thus, when we are saved and come into the church, the Body of Christ, we need to be initiated by learning certain basic principles. The secret of the Body is to take Christ as our life, to live Christ, to pursue Christ, to gain Christ, to magnify Christ, and to express Christ. These are the basic principles of the church, the Body of Christ. As one who had been initiated into the Body, Paul had learned the secret.

Many Christians today have not been initiated into the church life in such a way. Although they have been converted to Christ, have been baptized, and have joined a denomination, they have not been initiated into the Body of Christ. They have not learned how to take Christ as life, how to live Christ, how to take Christ as their pattern, and how to count all religious, cultural, and philosophical things as refuse in order to gain Christ. In contrast to Paul, they have not learned the secret of experiencing Christ. Paul had been initiated both into the proper Christian life and into the proper church life. (Life-study of Philippians, pp. 240-241)

Further Reading: Life-study of Philippians, msg. 59; CWWL, 1989, vol. 3, “The Experience and Growth in Life,” ch. 13