2010秋季长老
总题：在生命中作正确的人，好在神的行政中照料召会
第一篇　神在祂子民中间行政的基本因素，以及将君王职分和元首权柄单单保留给神自己的原则
Message One The Basic Factor of God's Administration among His People and the Principle of Keeping the Kingship and Headship Uniquely for God Himself
读经：出三16，四29，十二21，徒十四23，撒上八5~19，太二三8~10
Scripture Reading: Exo. 3:16; 4:29; 12:21; Acts 14:23; 1 Sam. 8:5-19; Matt. 23:8-10
壹　我们的神是一位有定旨的神;神的定旨要得成就，祂就需要有行政，有管理─赛九6~7：
I.　Our God is a God of purpose; in order for His purpose to be carried out, there is the need of His administration, His government—Isa. 9:6-7:
一　关于神行政的神圣观念，圣经从始至终是一贯的，也就是说，在旧约和新约里是一样的─出四29，多一5。
A.　The divine concept concerning God's administration is the same throughout the Bible, that is, the same in both the Old Testament and the New Testament— Exo. 4:29; Titus 1:5.
二　神在旧约里的行政，就像在新约里一样，牵涉到使徒、申言者和长老;就人这一面而言，这三班人是神行政的主要构成分子─诗一○五26，出四29，撒上三20，弗二20，徒十四23。
B.　God's administration in the Old Testament, as in the New Testament, involved apostles, prophets, and elders; on the human side, these three groups are the main constituents of God's administration—Psa. 105:26; Exo. 4:29; 1 Sam. 3:20; Eph. 2:20; Acts 14:23.
三　从出埃及记起，我们看见神对待祂的子民是藉着长老;长老极为关键，因为他们是神子民中领头的，并且代表神的子民─三16，四29，十二21，多一5。
C.　From Exodus onward, we see that God deals with His people through the elders; the elders are crucial because they are the leading ones among God's people and represent God's people—Exo. 3:16; 4:29; 12:21; Titus 1:5.
贰　根据整本圣经的启示，长老是神在祂子民中间行政的基本因素─徒十一30，十四23，二十17：
II.　According to the revelation of the entire Bible, the elders are the basic factor of God's administration among His people—Acts 11:30; 14:23; 20:17:
一　在神的行政里，长老这一类人是基本的;在摩西被兴起成为首位使徒之前，长老已经存在─出三16，四29，十二21。
A.　The basic category of persons in God's administration is the elders; the elders existed before Moses was raised up as the first apostle—Exo. 3:16; 4:29; 12:21.
二　今天，在神行政中的基本因素是长老;使徒和申言者作许多事，但神行政的基本构成是长老，因为是长老在直接治理─徒十四23，弗二20。
B.　The basic factor in God's administration today is the elders; the apostles and prophets do many things, but the basic constitution of God's administration is the elders, for it is the elders who directly administrate—Acts 14:23; Eph. 2:20.
三　在新旧两约里，直接治理的都是长老─徒十一30，二十17。
C.　The direct administration in both the Old Testament and the New Testament was with the elders—Acts 11:30; 20:17.
四　基本上，地方召会中神真正的行政乃是直接取决于长老─多一5，9。
D.　The genuine administration of God in the local churches depends basically and directly on the elders—Titus 1:5, 9.
叁　以色列人坚持要有王，这在神眼中是大恶，极大的恶事─撒上八5~19：
III.　In the sight of God, it was a great wickedness, a great evil, for the people of Israel to insist on having a king—1 Sam. 8:5-19:
一　乃是旧约以色列人中间的堕落，才使王进来;以色列人想要有王，是照着列国的风俗，这在神眼中是可憎的─撒上八5，19：
A.　It was the degradation among the children of Israel in the Old Testament that caused a king to come in; the desire of the children of Israel for a king was according to the custom of the nations, which is abominable in the eyes of God—vv. 5, 19:
1　以色列人蒙神拣选，在地上作一班特别的人;因此，他们在各方面都该与列国完全不同;然而，他们走了列国的路，厌弃神作他们的王─出十九6，撒上八5。
1.　Israel had been chosen by God to be a particular people on earth; therefore, they should have been absolutely different in every respect from the nations, but they took the way of the nations by rejecting God as their King—Exo. 19:6; 1 Sam. 8:5.
2　因着坚持要有王，神的选民就从神转向人;他们这样作，就因着厌弃神作他们的王，以别的顶替神而得罪了神─7节。
2.　By insisting on having a king, the elect of God turned from God to a man; in so doing, they offended God by rejecting Him as their King and thus replacing Him—v. 7.
二　属人的王这种想法全然得罪神;神不要祂子民中间有属人的王，因为王一旦进来，神的元首权柄就会被篡夺─十二12。
B.　The thought of a human king is altogether offensive to God; God does not want to have a human king among His people, because once a king comes in, the headship of God is usurped—12:12.
三　要将君王职分和元首权柄单单保留给神，这是圣经中一贯的原则─太二三8~10，彼前五2~3。
C.　The principle of keeping the kingship and headship uniquely for God is consistent throughout the Bible—Matt. 23:8-10; 1 Pet. 5:2-3.
四　我们必须看见，在神行政管理的经纶里，祂要将君王职分单单保留给自己─撒上八7：
D.　We must see that in God's economy for His administration, He desires to keep the kingship uniquely for Himself—1 Sam. 8:7:
1　圣经清楚启示，神在祂的行政里不要有属人的王，因为祂不要任何人篡夺祂的元首权柄和君王职分而顶替祂。
1.　The Bible clearly reveals that God does not want to have a human king in His administration, because He does not want anyone to replace Him by usurping His headship and kingship.
2　元首权柄和君王职分必须单单保留给神自己─代上二九10~11。
2.　The headship and kingship must be left to God alone—1 Chron. 29:10-11.
五　神只要使徒、申言者和长老，在祂的子民中间作受差遣者、发言人和领头人，因为这些人不会篡夺祂的元首权柄─徒十三1~2，十四23，弗二20。
E.　God wants to have only the apostles, prophets, and elders as His sent ones, His spokesmen, and the leading ones among His people, for these do not usurp His headship—Acts 13:1-2; 14:23; Eph. 2:20.
六　使徒、申言者、和长老虽是神行政的一部分，但君王职分却该保留给神自己─赛六1，5：
F.　Although the apostles, prophets, and elders are part of God's administration, the kingship should be kept for God Himself—Isa. 6:1, 5:
1　使徒、申言者、和长老不会干犯、得罪、或篡夺神的君王职分─徒二42，十一27，十四23。
1.　The apostles, prophets, and elders do not interfere with, offend, or usurp the kingship of God—Acts 2:42; 11:27; 14:23.
2　当神的子民带进一位王时，这就直接得罪了神的君王职分─撒上八5，19，十二12。
2.　When God's people bring in a king, this is a direct offense against God's kingship—1 Sam. 8:5, 19; 12:12.
七　不论我们作什么，不论事情多好，多“属灵”，甚至多合乎圣经，只要我们厌弃神作我们的头和我们的王，那在神眼中就都是恶的;问题不在于对错，乃在于我们到底是接受神作我们的王，还是厌弃祂─代上二九10~11，诗七二1，11，一四五1。
G.　Whatever we may do, no matter how good, "spiritual," and even scriptural it may be, it is evil in the sight of God if we reject Him as our Head and our King; it is not a matter of right or wrong but a matter of whether we take God as our King or reject Him—1 Chron. 29:10-11; Psa. 72:1, 11; 145:1.
肆　因着神渴望将元首权柄和君王职分绝对、单单的保留给祂自己，所以祂需要各地有一班长老有分于祂的行政，却不得罪祂的作头─徒十四23，二十17，多一5：
IV.　Because God desires to keep the headship and kingship absolutely and uniquely for Himself, He needs a group of elders in each locality who participate in His administration without offending His headship—Acts 14:23; 20:17; Titus 1:5:
一　长老职分并不得罪神的元首权柄，但若有人变成王，这就得罪神的元首权柄─太二十25~26。
A.　The eldership does not offend God's headship, but if anyone becomes a king, this offends God's headship—Matt. 20:25-26.
二　众地方召会的长老们也许能干又刚强，但他们必须谨慎，不可变成王─彼前五1，3。
B.　The elders in the local churches may be capable and strong, but they must be careful not to become kings—1 Pet. 5:1, 3.
三　长老职分中复数的情形非常关键，因为这有助于避免任何人变成王─徒十四23，多一5：
C.　The plurality in the eldership is crucial because it helps to prevent anyone from becoming a king—Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5:
1　倘若有一位长老在其他人之上，那一位就是王;这对基督的作头和作王乃是侮辱─太二十21，25~26。
1.　If there is one elder above the others, that one is a king, which is an insult to Christ's headship and kingship—Matt. 20:21, 25-26.
2　今天在神的子民中间，神愿意长老是复数的;这使神的经纶得以完成，却又不得罪神的作头。
2.　Among His people today, God desires to have a plurality of elders; this will allow God's economy to be carried out yet avoid offending God's headship.
四　各地召会的长老们必须殷勤，为着一切事直接寻求主;他们应该为着各样需要祷告、交通、并等候主，好直接从祂得着指示、引导和带领─提前二8。
D.　The elders in every local church should be diligent in directly seeking the Lord for everything; for every need they should pray, fellowship, and wait on the Lord to receive direction, guidance, and leading directly from Him—1 Tim. 2:8.
五　一个地方的长老们不该让某一位长老变成王─太二三8~10：
E.　The elders in a locality should not allow one elder to become a king—Matt. 23:8-10:
1　每位长老都必须运用分辨力，一面祷告寻求主的引导，同时也尊重主在其他长老里面的引导─弗五21。
1.　Every elder must exercise discernment and pray to seek the Lord's leading while respecting the Lord's leading in the other elders—Eph. 5:21.
2　倘若众长老都在带领上练达，就不会让任何人有机会成为王;立王与神的行政对立─来十三7，17。
2.　If all the elders are exercised in taking the lead, there will be no opening for anyone to become a king, which is contrary to God's administration— Heb. 13:7, 17.
六　我们要得着神的祝福，就不该开门让王进来，也不该想要作王─太二十26，罗十五29，弗一3。
F.　In order to receive God's blessing, we must not open the door for a king to come in, nor should we desire to be a king—Matt. 20:26; Rom. 15:29; Eph. 1:3.