林前一18　因为十字架的话，对那正在灭亡的人为愚拙，对我们正在得救的人却为神的大能。

　　 二2　　因为我曾定了主意，在你们中间不知道别的，只知道耶稣基督，并这位钉十字架的。

　　十二27　你们就是基督的身体，并且各自作肢体。

　　我们相信十字架是中心，但十字架本身不是目的，乃是达到神圣目的的神圣凭借。目的乃是基督的身体。当十字架在你的生活中有了特别的作为时，你会发现自己就在基督的身体里。你会很自然地，发现自己在基督的身体里。

　　什么将我构成基督身体的一个肢体？如果神给我看见基督身体的启示，在我身上会有什么影响？那个启示仅仅是一个新的真理，让我去讲解么？不，那个启示必会带来革命性的改变！什么把我构成基督身体的一个肢体？不是我所经历的一些事，也不是我必须作的事，乃是在我里面的基督，把我构成基督身体的肢体。使你成为基督身体的肢体的，不是你自己里面的所是，乃是你里面这位主的生命（倪柝声文集第二辑第二十六册，八一至八三页）。

　　1 Cor. 1:18 "For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

　　1 Cor. 2:2 "For I did not determine to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and this One crucified."

　　1 Cor. 12:27 "Now you are the Body of Christ, and members individually."

　　We believe in the centrality of the cross, but the cross is not the end in itself. It is a divine means to a divine end. The end is the Body. When the cross has done something quite specific in our life, we find ourselves in the Body. Spontaneously, we find ourselves in the Body.

　　What constitutes us a member of the Body? If God gives us a revelation of the Body, what will be the effect on us? Will the revelation just be a new truth to expound? No, the revelation will mean a revolution! What constitutes us as members of the Body is not something we have experienced or something we have to do, it is Christ in us that constitutes us as members of the Body. It is nothing we are in ourselves that makes us a member of the Body; it is the life of the Lord in us. (CWWN, vol. 46, pp. 1190-1191)

　　基督的身体就是基督。保罗说，“……仍是一个身体，基督也是这样。”（林前十二12）他这样说……在属灵上……没有错。……也许有人认为保罗该说，“基督与召会也是这样。”但……头是基督，身体也是基督。凡出自基督的就构成身体，所以凡不是出自基督的都必须除去，都不能进到身体里。这不是加的问题，这全是减的问题。你不需要得着什么或作什么，才能进入基督的身体。你只需要被剥去你一切所是和所有的。那就是十字架进来的地方。十字架是唯一的神圣凭借，将我里面使我不能有分于身体的东西除去。出于我自己的东西、……性情、……组成等等都必须除去。神必须摸这些事。有的人头脑很精明，他们以为借着那精明的头脑就更能明白并供应神的话。不！那需要被除去。往往我们尽职，是仅仅因为有一个精明的头脑。我们多少人需要从我们的头脑蒙拯救，并戴上救恩的头盔。我们天然力气的背脊骨必须被打断。我们必须对神圣的事物有对的眼光。

　　我们若来到神面前，求祂给我们看见以弗所书……〔以及〕祂对这世代的计划是什么，祂必定给我们看见基督的身体。十字架把我们直接指向基督的身体，而基督的身体把一切出于亚当的都除去。凡出于我的都在祂里面没有分。……我无法将任何不属于我身体的东西，加到这肉身里，因为它已经是完整的；基督也是这样。

　　我们必须领悟，要看见基督身体的启示，要出非常大的代价。这要摸着我们生活的源头。这时，个别肢体的行动就要完全停止。身体里不能有随意的举动。如果我的手指要动，我手臂的肌肉就不能拒绝不动。如果我的手臂要动，我的手指也无法不跟着动。一切个人主义的都必须除去。你必须与别人一起行动，你必须等候别人。你无法单独往前，你必须与弟兄们一同往前。……我们若看见基督的身体，以别的来作头这问题就必须受到对付。以别的来作头，与基督绝对的主权是冲突的。

　　我们若真认识十字架，它就会带领我们进入基督的身体。许多基督徒宣称认识主，认识十字架更深的意思，认识基督身体的真理，也宣称他们在基督里是一。他们强调旧人必须除去，但可悲的是，在实际除去旧人的事上却有阻碍。神已过并如今在我们身上的一切对付，都是为着身体来预备我们。祂在我们里面一切的工作乃是清除的过程，好叫我们能成为基督身体尽功用的肢体（倪柝声文集第二辑第二十六册，八三至八五页）。

　　参读：倪柝声文集第二辑第二十六册，第一百七十四篇。

　　The Body of Christ is Christ. Paul did not say anything wrong spiritually when he said, “As the body is one…so also is the Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12). Grammatically speaking, this is wrong; he should have said, “Christ and the church.” But the Head is the Christ, and the Body is the Christ. Everything that comes from Christ constitutes the Body, so everything that does not come from Christ must be ruled out. It cannot get into the Body. It is not a matter of “plus” ; it is all a matter of “minus.” We do not need to get anything or do anything in order to get into the Body. We only need to be stripped of all we are and have. This is where the cross comes in. The cross is the divine means in us of ruling out that which prevents us from taking our place in the Body. The things of our self, temperament, make-up, etc., must all be ruled out. God must touch these things. Some folks have a keen mind and think that they can better understand and minister the Word of God by their keen mind. No! This needs to be eliminated. Often we minister just because we have a keen mind. How many of us need salvation from our mind and the helmet of salvation for our head. The backbone of our natural strength must be broken. We must have a proper perspective on the divine things.

　　If we come to God and ask Him to show us Ephesians and what His purpose is for this age, He will certainly show us the Body. The cross points us straight to the Body, and the Body rules out everything that is of Adam. Nothing that is of us has any part in Him. We cannot add anything to our physical bodies, because they are already complete. So it is with Christ.

　　We must realize that a revelation of the Body is very costly. It will touch the very spring of your life. When this happens, the whole matter of moving as individual members ceases. There cannot be any freelancing in the Body. If I move my finger, the muscles of my arm cannot refuse to move. If my arm moves, my finger cannot but go along with it. All that is individual must go. We have to move with others and wait for others. We cannot go on alone; we have to go on with the brothers. If we expect to see the Body, the matter of other headships has to be dealt with. Other headships are interfering with the absolute lordship of Christ.

　　If we really know the cross, it will lead us into the Body. So many Christians profess to know the Lord, the deeper meaning of the cross, and the truth of the Body, and they profess to be all one in Christ. They stress that the old man must go, but there is a tragic lack in the outworking of their words. All of God's dealings with us have been with a view to prepare us for the Body. All of His work in us is a process of elimination so that we can become functioning members of the Body. (CWWN, vol. 46, pp. 1191-1193)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 46, ch. 174