1999春季长老
总题：为着生机建造基督的身体所需要的工作、生活异象（二）
第一篇　被新约职事中的真理所构成
Message One Being Constituted with the Truth in the New Testament Ministry
读经：提前三2，五17，一3~4，西三16，提前四6，三15
Scripture Reading: 1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17; 1:3-4; Col. 3:16; 1 Tim. 4:6; 3:15
壹　一个地方召会中的长老，应当善于将关于神永远经纶的神圣真理，教导给召会的肢体─提前三2，五17，一3~4：
I.　The elders in a local church should be apt to teach the divine truths concerning God's eternal economy to the members of the church—1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17; 1:3-4:
一　一位弟兄若要成为够格的长老，就必须对真理有充分认识;任何人对真理没有认识，就无法充分的照顾召会，就是神的群羊。
A.　If a brother is to be an adequate elder, he needs to have the adequate knowledge of the truth; anyone who does not have the knowledge of the truth cannot take care of the church, God's flock, in an adequate way.
二　我们是否被神圣的设立为长老，乃在于我们被基本新约真理的神圣认识构成了多少：
B.　Whether or not we have been divinely appointed to be an elder depends on how much we have been constituted with the divine knowledge of the basic New Testament truths:
1　行传二十章二十八节那里说到，长老（监督）是由圣灵神圣设立的。─引用经文
1.　In Acts 20:28 there is a word concerning the divine appointment of the elders (overseers) by the Holy Spirit.
2　我们要作长老，就必须被神圣的真理所设立;我们越被新约的真理所构成，就越被神圣的设立为长老。
2.　To be an elder we must be appointed by the divine truth; the more we are constituted with the truths of the New Testament, the more we have been divinely appointed to be an elder.
3　被神圣设立进到长老职分里的人，乃是至少对新约真理的大部分有认识的人;这是他的资格，也是他的资本。
3.　The one who is divinely appointed to the eldership is the one who knows at least a major part of the New Testament truths; this is his qualification and also his capital.
贰　被真理所构成，以完成新约的职事：
II.　Being constituted with the truth to carry out the New Testament ministry:
一　我们要完成新约的职事，以建造基督的身体，首先我们必须被新约的职事所构成。
A.　In order to carry out the New Testament ministry for the building up of the Body of Christ, we must first be constituted with the New Testament ministry.
二　我们若对主认真，并且为着主的恢复来爱主，也是为着主来爱主的恢复，我们就必须叫自己被这新约的职事所构成。
B.　If we mean business with the Lord and if we love the Lord for His recovery and love the recovery for the Lord, we must get ourselves constituted with this New Testament ministry.
三　我们的构成不该是镀在表面上的东西，而必须是作到我们里面的一些东西─启十七4上，西三16，提前四6。
C.　Our constitution should not be something gilded; it must be something wrought into our being—Rev. 17:4a; Col. 3:16; 1 Tim. 4:6.
四　要保守主的恢复在真正的一里，并在神永远经纶的中心线上，长老们需要对真理有充分的认识。
D.　In order to preserve the recovery in the genuine oneness and in the central lane of God's eternal economy, the elders need an adequate knowledge of the truth.
五　我们自己进入新约的职事以后，还必须找出一条正确的路来帮助众圣徒，在新约的职事里扎实的接受教育。
E.　After getting into the New Testament ministry ourselves, we must find a proper way to help the saints to get solidly educated in the New Testament ministry.
叁　建造召会需要真理：
III.　The need of the truth to build the church:
一　作为活神的家，召会需要生命;作为真理的柱石和根基，召会也需要扎实、活的真理─提前三15。
A.　As the house of the living God, the church needs life; as the pillar and base of the truth, the church also needs the solid, living truth—1?Tim. 3:15.
二　召会需要那灵，但那灵乃在于话;每当我们接触话，我们就得着那灵─约六63，弗六17。
B.　The church needs the Spirit, but the Spirit depends on the Word; whenever we touch the Word, we get the Spirit—John 6:63; Eph. 6:17.
三　历史给我们看见，我们迫切需要活的真理，以产生召会，帮助召会存活，并建造召会。
C.　History has shown that there is a desperate need of the living truth to produce the church, to help the church exist, and to build up the church.