罗十二4　正如我们一个身体上有好些肢体，但肢体不都有一样的功用。

　　林前十二18~20　但如今神照着自己的意思，把肢体俱各安置在身体上了。若都是一个肢体，身体在哪里？但如今肢体是多的，身体却是一个。

　　我们乃是用我们个人从元首基督所得的生命，来供应身体。但我们尽功用时，必须按着秩序，必须有规矩。身体里的规矩对长大和职事是紧要的。……在聚会时，……你需要按着信心的度量，按着圣灵的引导来发言。你说话的时候，要看有没有越分的话，或者话是否拉得太长。……当我们真的来在头的权柄底下，主就把我们安排在身体的特别地位上，也指派我们特别的功用（基督的奥秘，四八页）。

　　Rom. 12:4 "For just as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function."

　　1 Cor. 12:18-20 "But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, even as He willed. And if all were one member, where would the body be? But now the members are many, but the body one."

　　We supply the Body with the life that we have received from Christ the Head. Yet when we function, we have to be proper and in order. Order in the Body is essential to growth and ministry.… In the meeting…you have to speak according to your measure of faith and according to the leading of the Spirit. You have to know whether there is any overstepping in your speaking, and you have to know whether your speaking is too long.…When we truly come under the authority of the Head, He sets us in our special place in the Body and appoints us to our special function. (CWWN, vol. 44, “The Mystery of Christ, “p. 822)

　　我们不该过了度量夸口。当我们见证我们从主所学的功课时，该受限制，有分寸。林后十章十三节的度量一辞，指明受神的管治。我们的工作和经历都是照神所分给我们尺度的度量。不仅如此，祂给我们的享受也是有尺度的。因此，当我们说到自己的工作和经历，或对主的享受时，我们必须是在度量之内作见证，也就是说，在一定的限度之内作见证。

　　我们从十三至十五节看见，虽然我们期望主的工作开展，但我们必须学习如何受神的约束。不要期望无限度的开展。那种开展必定不是在照着那灵而行的限制之内。我们从经历中能见证，我们若照着那灵而开展工作，就一直有某种限制。我们里面会感觉到，主扩展祂的工作只是要到某一程度。不仅如此，主会在外面兴起环境来限制工作的开展。所以，当我们越过了某种界限去开展主的工作，我们里面就没有平安，外面的环境也不容我们越过某种界限。

　　主特别喜欢约束年轻人。如果年轻人无心事奉，主会挑旺他们事奉祂。但等他们被挑旺之后，祂又会限制他们。人天然的性情不喜欢这种限制。……但神的原则乃是先叫我们快起来，又使我们慢下去；先兴起我们来，又使我们降下。当我们下沉时，祂来扶持我们。但当我们上得太高，祂就把我们拉回来。……许多年轻人受不了神的上上下下。几番上上下下，他们就想逃了。……神不要我们一直在上，或一直在下。甚至在自然界，日夜的转换也证实这事。

　　神有许多方法把我们带到低处。有些年轻人被他们的婚姻生活带到低处。某位弟兄在婚前可能像飞鹰翱翔在空中。他很容易谈到美妙而荣耀的召会生活。但是结婚没有多久，召会生活就不再荣耀了。神用婚姻生活来使这位兴奋的弟兄冷静下来。有些弟兄婚后就这样在低处沉寂了很长一段时间。但最终他会起来，只是不像从前那样冲动了。这是长进的现象。

　　在召会的事奉上，我们需要看见神只量给我们这么多，我们不该过度伸展自己。我们必须知道自己的限度，自己的属区，而不越过到别人的区域。像保罗一样，我们该照着我们的尺度行动、行事；也就是说，只照着神量给我们的度量行动、行事（哥林多后书生命读经，五二六至五三○、五三三页）。

　　参读：基督的奥秘，第七至十一篇；哥林多后书生命读经，第五十一篇。

　　We should never boast without measure. In giving a testimony of what we have learned of the Lord, we should have a limit, a measure. The word measure in 2 Corinthians 10:13 indicates being ruled by God. God has allotted us just so much for our work and experience. Furthermore, He has given us just so much to enjoy. Therefore, when we give a testimony about our work, experience, or enjoyment of the Lord, we must testify within measure, that is, within a certain limit.

　　From verses 13, 14, and 15 we see that although we expect the Lord's work to spread, we must learn how to be under God's restriction. Do not expect a spread that is without measure. That kind of spread would certainly not be within the limit of a walk according to Spirit. From experience we can testify that if we spread the work according to the Spirit, there will always be a certain limit. Inwardly we shall have the consciousness that the Lord intends to spread the work only to a certain extent. Furthermore, outwardly, in the environment, the Lord may cause matters to restrict the spread of the work. Therefore, inwardly we do not have the peace to spread the work beyond a certain point, and outwardly the environment does not allow us to go beyond a particular boundary line.

　　The Lord is especially interested in restricting the young people. If the young ones do not have a heart to serve the Lord, He will stir them up to serve Him. But once they have been stirred up, He will limit them. Human nature does not like this kind of limitation.…God's way, however, is first to speed us up and then to slow us down, first to raise us up and then to lower us down. When we are down, He will lift us up. But when we get too far up, He will lower us down.…Many young people cannot tolerate God's ups and downs. After a few of these ups and downs, they want to quit.…God does not want us to be always up or to be always down. Even in nature the alternating of day and night testifies of this.

　　God has many ways to bring us down. Some young people have been brought down by their married life. Before a particular brother was married, he may have been like an eagle soaring in the air. He could easily talk about the wonderful, glorious church life. But not long after his wedding, it seems that the church life is no longer glorious. God is using his marriage to calm down such an excited brother. In some cases, such a brother may stay down for a long period of time after his marriage. But eventually he is up again, although not in the same excited way as before. This is a sign of improvement.

　　In the church service we need to realize that God has only measured out so much to us, and we should not overstretch ourselves. We need to know our limitation, our jurisdiction, and not go beyond it into others' territory. Like Paul, we should move and act according to our rule, that is, according to how much God has measured to us. (Life-study of 2 Corinthians, pp. 447-450, 452)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 44, “The Mystery of Christ, “chs. 102-106; Life-study of 2 Corinthians, msg. 51