弗二16　既用十字架除灭了仇恨，便借这十字架，使两下在一个身体里与神和好了。

　　太十六24　于是耶稣对门徒说，若有人要跟从我，就当否认己，背起他的十字架，并跟从我。

　　十字架的工作不仅将我们带进身体，并且身体也成为十字架工作的范围。如果我们彼此不过是作会众，我们也许可以用不着十字架；但是我们彼此是要合起来作身体，所以我们不能不需要十字架。十字架要挖去你，十字架要挖去你的天然，……挖去你自己的活动，……挖去你太大的地方。十字架在召会中，十字架在基督徒中是必需的。我们对于弟兄姊妹，高兴也得来往，不高兴也得来往，因为我们都是在身体里。既然在身体里，就要受限制，就不能那样自由。你若不作肢体，你可以只求你个人的痛快；你如果要作肢体，你就不能只求你个人的痛快。你如果碰着一个麻烦你的弟兄，你就真需要十字架。十字架要试验你，……淘汰你一切的渣滓，……淘汰你一切不洁净的地方。你必须受身体的约束。身体的约束叫你不能自由自在。身体的约束叫你需要十字架。十字架在你身上作了够深的工作，你才能和弟兄姊妹合得起来（倪柝声文集第二辑第十八册，一七○页）。

　　Eph. 2:16 "And might reconcile both in one Body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity it."

　　Matt. 16:24 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."

　　The work of the cross not only brings us into the Body, but also the Body becomes the very realm within which the cross works. If we were here only as a congregation, we might not need the cross. However, since we are together as the Body, we cannot go on without the cross. The cross will dig away our natural life, our own activities, and any disproportionate growth. The cross is indispensable to the church; it is indispensable among Christians. Whether or not we like it, we have to communicate with other brothers and sisters because we are all in the Body. Because we are in the Body, we have to be restricted and cannot be so free. If we were not members, we could seek our personal enjoyment. Since we are members, we cannot seek our own enjoyment anymore. If we come across a troublesome brother, we need to take up the cross. The cross will test us and sift away all our mixture and uncleanness. We must come under the restriction of the Body. The restriction of the Body will take away our freedom; it will drive us to the cross. Only after the cross has wrought a deep work in us will we be able to coordinate with the brothers and sisters. (CWWN, vol. 38, p. 408)

　　每一个基督徒都是基督身体上的一个肢体，所以每一个基督徒都应该受基督身体的约束，并且学习背十字架。有人个性很刚强，这个刚强的个性必须被打破。有人个性很特别，这个特别的个性也必须被打破。没有一个基督徒可以在召会里夸口他的刚强，夸口他的特别。在召会里，一切尖锐的、刺人的、突出的，都得磨去。……在属灵的事情上，我们都需要倚靠别的肢体，都需要身体的约束。有的人神……叫他能行神迹；有的人神……叫他能作传福音的；有的人神……叫他能作教师。你如果只会传福音，你就得甘心乐意传福音，并且要谦卑接受有教师恩赐的人所讲的圣经。你如果有教师的恩赐，你不要以为自己什么都会，你也得尊重、接受别人的工作。我们要学习受限制，我们自己所不能作的事，要让别的弟兄去作，要学习接受别人的工作，如同是你作的一样。在属灵的工作中，没有一个人可以自由地作一切的事。

　　你有没有求神给你看见你自己在神面前的分量如何呢？你要按着神所赐给你的分量而行，你只能在那个分量里，你不能越出那个分量之外。所以，你要寻找自己的分量到何处为止。你接受这分量的限制，你就没有贪心，没有野心，没有雄心作别样了。保罗说，“只要照度量的神所分给我们尺度的度量夸口，这度量甚至远达你们。我们并非过度伸展自己，好像达不到你们，……但盼望随着你们信心的增长，照着我们的尺度，因着你们得以丰盛地扩大，将福音传到你们以外的地方，并不是在别人的尺度之内 ……。”（林后十13~16）越过自己的分量，就是践踏别人，……就是踢别人，……就是挤别人。我们要记得，奉献叫我们顺服基督，谦卑叫我们顺服身体。作诗的人说，“重大和希奇的事，我也不去行。”（诗一三一1）重大和希奇的事，就是越过了自己分量的事。如果每一个人都是这样—重大和希奇的事就不去行，那么，就能各按各职，显出各个肢体的功用（倪柝声文集第二辑第十八册，一七○至一七二页）。

　　参读：倪柝声文集第二辑第十八册，第五十三篇；工作的再思，第七章。

　　Every Christian is a member of the Body of Christ. Hence, every Christian should come under the restriction of the Body of Christ and learn to bear the cross. Some have a very strong disposition. Such a strong disposition must be broken. Some are very peculiar. Such peculiarity must also be broken. No Christian can boast of his strength or his peculiarity in the church. In the church, anything sharp, glaring, or conspicuous has to be worn away. Spiritually, we all need to depend on the other members, and we all need the restriction of the Body. God may grant grace to some to be miracle workers, and He may grant grace to others to be gospel preachers or teachers. If you can only preach the gospel, you should be satisfied with your function of preaching the gospel and humbly accept the Bible exposition of those who have the gift of teaching. If you have the gift of teaching, you should not think that you have everything; you should also honor and receive others' work. You have to learn to be restricted and allow others to do what you cannot do yourself. You have to learn to accept others' work as well as your own. In the spiritual work, no one is free to do everything.

　　Have you asked God to show you the measure He has given you? You should walk in the measure that God has given you. You can only walk within your measure; you cannot walk beyond that measure. Hence, you have to find out where the boundary of your measure is and accept this boundary. If you do this, you will not be covetous, ambitious, or restless to do many other things. Paul said, “But we will not boast beyond our measure but according to the measure of the rule which the God of measure has apportioned to us, to reach even as far as you.…We are not boasting beyond our measure in others' labors, but have the hope, as your faith is increasing, to be magnified in you according to our rule unto abundance, so that we may announce the gospel unto those parts beyond you, not so that we may boast in another man's rule in things already prepared” (2 Cor. 10:13, 15-16). To go beyond one's measure is to overstep others; it is to intrude upon others and to push others out. We must remember that consecration leads to submission to Christ, whereas humility leads to submission to the Body. The psalmist said, “Nor do I go about in things too great / Or too wondrous for me” (Psa. 131:1). Things too great and things too wondrous are the things that are beyond one's measure. If everyone behaves this way, and if no one exercises himself in great matters or in things too wondrous for him, every member will function according to the measure of each one part.(CWWN, vol. 38, pp. 409-410)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 38, ch. 54; CWWN, vol. 30, ch. 7