9月7日 福音呼召平安与合一
福音呼召平安与合一
“身体只有一个”，这不是哲学或自然意义上的实体，而是奥秘的身体，也就是教会。
爱的丝线并非在自然的织机上编成，它们唯独由神的启示织就。因此，保罗满有把握地劝勉基督徒，要“以和睦联系，竭力持守圣灵所赐的合一”（弗4:3，新译本）。
接着，使徒提醒神的百姓：“身体只有一个。”（弗4:4）这不是哲学或自然意义上的实体，而是由众多圣徒组成的奥秘身体，也就是教会。人体内的肢体若彼此交战，实属反常，因为它们皆因彼此连结才得以存活；既然如此，在奥秘的身体中，肢体彼此相争就更是不妥。
此外，还有“一位圣灵”使所有真圣徒得生命；祂之于整个基督徒群体的关系，正如同灵魂之于整个人（弗4:4）。人体肢体若彼此交战，以致赶走那使它们在合一中得生命的灵魂，这显然是违背自然的怪事。基督徒若因彼此争竞纷争而迫使圣灵离开，那就更加悖谬。要为圣灵的离去打开一扇更大的门，恐怕再容易不过了。
此外，使徒劝勉基督徒保守合一，是因为“蒙召同有一个指望”，就是我们众人盼望在天上得着的福乐（弗4:4）。那日即将到来，而且不再迟延；那时我们将在天上以爱相聚，同席赴宴，绝不会嫉妒邻舍盘中的福分。完全享受神就是那筵席本身，而平安与爱则是伴随筵席的甜美乐音。既然我们要在天上一同赴宴，如今在地上彼此争斗是何等愚妄。如今，正是福音邀请我们赴这筵席，也呼召我们进入这合一。在同一份神的邀请与命令上，还刻着其他真理，即“一主，一信，一洗”（弗4:5）。这些留待你自己去查考。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：撒下1章，林前12章，
个人灵修：结10章，约11章
SEPTEMBER 7, MONDAY
THE GOSPEL ARGUES FOR PEACE AND UNITY
“There is one body,” not a philosophical or natural entity but a mystical one—the church.
The cords of love are not woven in nature’s loom; they are textured only by divine revelation. Thus Paul confidently exhorts Christians “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
The apostle then reminds God’s people that “there is one body,” not a philosophical or natural entity but a mystical one— the church—which consists of many saints (v. 4). If it is not normal for one member of a man’s body to battle another, when they are all preserved in life by their union together, so much less in the mystical body.
Again, there is “one Spirit” who quickens all true saints, and He is to the whole body of Christians as the soul is to the whole man (v. 4). Now it is a strange violence against nature for members of a man’s body to war against one another and drive out the soul, which gives life to them in their oneness. Surely it would be even more perverse for Christians to force the Holy Spirit to leave because of their contention and strife. A wider door cannot easily be opened for Him to go.
Further, the apostle persuades Christians to preserve unity because of the “one hope of your calling”—the bliss which we all hope for in heaven (v. 4). There is a day coming—and it cannot be far away—when we shall lovingly meet in heaven and sit at the same feast together, with no envy at what is on our neighbor’s plate. Full fruition of God will be the feast, and peace and love the sweet music that accompanies it. How senseless it is, then, for us to fight on earth when we shall feast together in heaven. Now it is the Gospel which invites us to this feast and calls us to this unity. Other truths are engraved on the same holy invitation and command—“one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (v. 5)—but I shall leave these for your own study.