第九週 • 週六

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晨興餧養

腓二14~15 凡所行的，都不要發怨言，起爭論，使你們無可指摘、純潔無雜，在彎曲悖謬的世代中，作神無瑕疵的兒女…。

怨言是出於情感，多半發自姊妹；爭論是出於心思，多半起於弟兄。這二者都阻撓我們，使我們不能完成自己的救恩到最完滿的地步，也不能經歷並享受基督到極點。

順從神就消殺一切的怨言和爭論。我們若要作成自己的救恩，就必須順從那在我們裏面運行的神。祂自己就是我們的救恩；我們順服祂，就是作成我們的救恩。

保羅在腓立比二章十四節論到發怨言、起爭論的話，進一步指明，保羅寫腓立比書的目的與道理無關，卻與經歷非常有關。發怨言和起爭論是阻撓我們基督徒生活的重要因素。…我們常常在重大的事情上不發怨言，不起爭論，但我們卻容易在小事上發怨言，起爭論。任何一種的怨言或爭論，都是不順從三一神在我們裏面的運行。我們何等需要主拯救我們脫離發怨言和起爭論！（腓立比書生命讀經，一二六至一二七頁）

信息選讀

人背叛權柄，是表現在話語中、理由上、思想上。人若不認識權柄，就有譭謗的話，但這是從理由來的，是因他有理由。挪亞赤身露體，含是有理由譭謗的。米利暗說摩西娶古實女子是說事實，是有理由的。但順服權柄、活在權柄下的人，就不活在理由裏。又如可拉黨及二百五十個首領，他們說，全會眾都是聖潔的，耶和華也住在他們中間，〔摩西和亞倫〕為何自高超過耶和華的會眾呢？這些人的背叛也是有理由的。譭謗的話語常是從理由產生的。大坍、亞比蘭所說的，好像理由更充分，他們對摩西說，你沒有將我們領到流奶與蜜之地，也沒有把田地和葡萄園給我們為業，這裏是曠野。你不過想遮蔽我們的眼目，難道你要剜我們的眼睛麼？（民十六13~14）這意思是：〔他〕們的眼睛看得很清楚。他們越想越有理由。…越想理由越多。世界的人都是活在理由裏，如果我們也活在理由中，就與世人有何分別呢？

到底我們的生活是根據理由，還是根據權柄？…光一照，甚麼理由都丟掉了。保羅在往大馬色的路上，被大光一照，就真瞎了眼睛，再也不管理由了（徒九3、8）。摩西不是剜掉了眼睛的人，但他好像沒有眼睛一樣。…事奉神的人，眼需要瞎，要脫離理由的生活。心中的理由是背叛的頭一個原因。所以若不把理由對付清楚，話語是禁止不住的。

〔在〕利未記十八至二十二章，神每次吩咐以色列人當怎樣作怎樣作之時，中間就插進來說，『我是耶和華』，…沒有理由。『我是耶和華』就是理由，你若看見了，從今天起你就不再靠理由活着。要對神說，往日我一直靠着思想、理由活着，今天我俯伏敬拜神，只要這一個是神作的，我就彀了，我就要敬拜。保羅從大馬色路上倒下之後，理由都丟掉了，光一照人就倒了。保羅頭一句話說，『主阿，我當作甚麼？』〔徒二二10〕他馬上順服下來。認識神的人都不是講理由的。真被光照審判，理由就被消滅了（倪柝聲文集第三輯第一冊，二○三至二○四、二○九頁）。

參讀：倪柝聲文集第一輯第九冊，耶和華；權柄與順服，第九至十篇。

WEEK 9 — DAY 6

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Morning Nourishment

Phil. 2:14-15 Do all things without murmurings and reasonings that you may be blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation…

Murmurings are out of our emotion, mostly on the part of the sisters; reasonings are out of our mind, mostly on the part of the brothers. Both frustrate us from carrying out our salvation to the fullest extent, from experiencing Christ to the uttermost.

Obedience to God slays all murmurings and reasonings. In order to work out our salvation, we must obey the very God who operates in us. He Himself is our salvation, and our obedience to Him is the working out of our salvation.

Paul’s word in Philippians 2:14 about murmurings and reasonings is a further indication that his purpose in writing [this] book…was not related to doctrine but very much related to experience. Murmurings and reasonings are important factors that frustrate our Christian life…Often in important matters we may not murmur or reason. But in small matters we are prone to murmurings and reasonings. Any kind of murmuring or reasoning is disobedience to the inner working of the Triune God. How we need the Lord to save us from our murmurings and reasonings! (Life-study of Philippians, pp. 105-106)

Todays Reading

Man’s rebellion is manifested in words, reasons, and thoughts. If a man does not know authority, there will be reviling words…Man speaks because he thinks he has a reason. Ham thought that he had a reason to revile Noah because he was naked. Miriam’s word concerning Moses marrying an Ethiopian woman was a fact; she had a reason. However, those who submit to authority and live under authority do not live in their reasons. Korah’s company and the 250 leaders said that Moses and Aaron should not put themselves above the others because the whole congregation was holy and Jehovah was in their midst. Again, their rebellion had a reason behind it. Reviling words often come from reasons. Dathan and Abiram had even more reasons. They charged that Moses had not brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, that he had not given them the inheritance of fields and vineyards, but rather that they were still in the wilderness. They charged that Moses was just covering up their eyes, saying, “Will you put out the eyes of these men?” (Num. 16:14). This meant that their eyes were very clear. The more they thought, the more reason they had…The more thinking there is, the more reasons are stirred up. In the world everyone lives in reasons. What difference is there between us and the worldly people if we also live in reasons?

Are our lives based upon reasons or upon authority?…Once the light comes, all reasons are gone. Once Paul was enlightened on the way to Damascus, he became truly blind. From then on he did not care for reasons (Acts 9:3, 8). Moses’ eyes were not put out, but he was like a man without eyes…A servant of the Lord must be blind. He must be delivered from a life of reasons. Reasoning in the heart is the first cause of rebellion. Hence, if we do not deal thoroughly with reasons, it is impossible to stop the words.

Every time the Lord commanded the Israelites to do something in Leviticus 18—22, He inserted the words, “I am Jehovah,” in between the commands…There need be no other reason. “I am Jehovah” is the reason. If we see this, we will not live by reason from this day on. We have to say to God, “In the past I lived by my thoughts and reasons. Today I bow down and worship You. As long as it is of You, it is enough for me. I will worship You.” When Paul was struck down on the way to Damascus, all reasons vanished from him. Once light shines in, a person falls down. The first word that came out of Paul’s mouth was, “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). Immediately, he became obedient. Those who know God do not reason. When the light judges, the reason disappears. (CWWN, vol. 47, “Authority and Submission,” pp. 184-185, 189)

Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 9, issue no. 21; CWWN, vol. 47, “Authority and Submission,” chs. 9—10