以弗所書4:1-16

 

4:1 我為主被囚的勸你們：既然蒙召，行事為人就當與蒙召的恩相稱。
4:2 凡事謙虛、溫柔、忍耐，用愛心互相寬容，
4:3 用和平彼此聯絡，竭力保守聖靈所賜合而為一的心。
4:4 身體只有一個，聖靈只有一個，正如你們蒙召同有一個指望。
4:5 一主，一信，一洗，
4:6 一上帝，就是眾人的父，超乎眾人之上，貫乎眾人之中，也住在眾人之內。
4:7 我們各人蒙恩，都是照基督所量給各人的恩賜。
4:8 所以經上說：他升上高天的時候，擄掠了仇敵，將各樣的恩賜賞給人。
4:9 （既說升上，豈不是先降在地下嗎？
4:10 那降下的，就是遠升諸天之上要充滿萬有的。）
4:11 他所賜的，有使徒，有先知，有傳福音的，有牧師和教師，
4:12 為要成全聖徒，各盡其職，建立基督的身體，
4:13 直等到我們眾人在真道上同歸於一，認識上帝的兒子，得以長大成人，滿有基督長成的身量，
4:14 使我們不再作小孩子，中了人的詭計和欺騙的法術，被一切異教之風搖動，飄來飄去，就隨從各樣的異端；
4:15 惟用愛心說誠實話，凡事長進，連於元首基督，
4:16 全身都靠他聯絡得合式，百節各按各職，照著各體的功用彼此相助，便叫身體漸漸增長，在愛中建立自己。

 

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it^[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives
    and gave gifts to his people.”^[b]

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) ¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

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    在此讓我們看見：基督徒蒙召之後，大家要努力一起建立基督的身體，除了個人的靈命培養之外，也需要大家一起配搭。也因此說，我們成為基督徒不是單單個人的事，要和其他弟兄姊妹互相建立，才能成為真正的基督徒。

 

    當然基督徒在教會有不同的功能，正如保羅所說：「他所賜的，有使徒，有先知，有傳福音的，有牧師和教師」；然而上帝最終的目的是：「為要成全聖徒，各盡其職，建立基督的身體，直等到我們眾人在真道上同歸於一，認識上帝的兒子，得以長大成人，滿有基督長成的身量。」

 

    所以，教會要好好培養信徒，使信徒都滿有基督長成的身量，在地上帶領人進入上帝的國度，盼望在永恆中都與基督同的榮耀，一同做王到永遠！好讓上帝的名，因我們而得著榮耀！

 

 

 

以弗所書3:14-21

 

3:14 因此，我在父面前屈膝，
3:15 （天上地上的各（或譯：全）家，都是從他得名。）
3:16 求他按著他豐盛的榮耀，藉著他的靈，叫你們心裡的力量剛強起來，
3:17 使基督因你們的信，住在你們心裡，叫你們的愛心有根有基，
3:18 能以和眾聖徒一同明白基督的愛是何等長闊高深，
3:19 並知道這愛是過於人所能測度的，便叫上帝一切所充滿的，充滿了你們。
3:20 上帝能照著運行在我們心裡的大力充充足足地成就一切，超過我們所求所想的。
3:21 但願他在教會中，並在基督耶穌裡，得著榮耀，直到世世代代，永永遠遠。阿們！

 

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family^[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

 

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    保羅以三一上帝的形式，來論述上帝在信徒當中的作為。以禱告的方式讓弟兄姊妹清楚我們的生命中的救恩，是完完全全來自三一上帝全備的作為。而其中一個入門鑰匙就是「基督耶穌裡」，也就是信靠耶穌基督接受洗禮成為教會之一員。

 

    而信靠耶穌基督接受洗禮成為教會之一員之後，就領受聖靈為記號，讓我們清楚自己的心裡有基督住在裡面，肯定自己必定領受上帝的愛，「能以和眾聖徒一同明白基督的愛是何等長闊高深，並知道這愛是過於人所能測度的，便叫上帝一切所充滿的，充滿了你們。上帝能照著運行在我們心裡的大力充充足足地成就一切，超過我們所求所想的。」

 

    這是何等的恩典，都是透過進入基督裡而來的！願上帝大大賜福與保守，在領受這些恩典之後，勇敢向世人宣告上帝奇妙的作為，讓大家一同得著在基督裡的好處！

 

 

 

以弗所書3:1-13

 

3:1 因此，我─保羅為你們外邦人作了基督耶穌被囚的，替你們祈禱（此句是照對十四節所加）。
3:2 諒必你們曾聽見上帝賜恩給我，將關切你們的職分託付我，
3:3 用啟示使我知道福音的奧祕，正如我以前略略寫過的。
3:4 你們念了，就能曉得我深知基督的奧祕。
3:5 這奧祕在以前的世代沒有叫人知道，像如今藉著聖靈啟示他的聖使徒和先知一樣。
3:6 這奧祕就是外邦人在基督耶穌裡，藉著福音，得以同為後嗣，同為一體，同蒙應許。
3:7 我作了這福音的執事，是照上帝的恩賜，這恩賜是照他運行的大能賜給我的。
3:8 我本來比眾聖徒中最小的還小，然而他還賜我這恩典，叫我把基督那測不透的豐富傳給外邦人，
3:9 又使眾人都明白，這歷代以來隱藏在創造萬物之上帝裡的奧祕是如何安排的，
3:10 為要藉著教會使天上執政的、掌權的，現在得知上帝百般的智慧。
3:11 這是照上帝從萬世以前，在我們主基督耶穌裡所定的旨意。
3:12 我們因信耶穌，就在他裡面放膽無懼，篤信不疑地來到上帝面前。
3:13 所以，我求你們不要因我為你們所受的患難喪膽，這原是你們的榮耀。

 

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

² Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ³ that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. ⁴ In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. ⁶ This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

⁷ I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. ⁸ Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, ⁹ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. ¹⁰ His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, ¹¹ according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. ¹³ I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

 

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    保羅敘述自己得了啟示，明白上帝要透過基督拯救外邦人，使非猶太人也可以在基督裡承受永生，並且與上帝和好，同為上帝的兒女，藉由福音。而保羅自己就是領受這樣使命的使徒，是出於上帝的恩典！雖然為這樣的使命，成為基督耶穌的囚犯，也覺得是件榮耀的事情，要以弗所教會的弟兄姊妹以此為榮，不要覺得害怕和失去勇氣。

 

    而外邦人靠基督而得救，是上帝永恆的旨意，正如保羅所論述：「為要藉著教會使天上執政的、掌權的，現在得知上帝百般的智慧。這是照上帝從萬世以前，在我們主基督耶穌裡所定的旨意。」

 

    而基督的拯救是透過教會進行，這個教會是指主耶穌的身體，也就是全體基督徒的組合，是超越宗派與組織的！但是，在執行上還是要透過組織，但是這組織要遵照聖經的教導來進行，是以基督為教會唯一的根基！

 

 

 

以弗所書2:19-22

 

2:19 這樣，你們不再作外人和客旅，是與聖徒同國，是上帝家裡的人了；
2:20 並且被建造在使徒和先知的根基上，有基督耶穌自己為房角石，
2:21 各（或譯：全）房靠他聯絡得合式，漸漸成為主的聖殿。
2:22 你們也靠他同被建造，成為上帝藉著聖靈居住的所在。

 

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

 

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     以弗所書的重心是在於教會的建造，然而教會不是建築物，是受呼召之人的集合。