太十六24　……若有人要跟从我，就当否认己，背起他的十字架，并跟从我。

　　二六39　……〔耶稣〕面伏于地，祷告说，我父啊，若是可能，就叫这杯离开我；然而不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。

　　十字架是一件受苦的事。钉十字架是罗马政府用来处死犯人的方法。无疑的，对于犯人，十字架是一种受苦，因为不是他选择钉十字架；相反的，犯人是被迫钉十字架。但主耶稣的钉十字架完全不同，祂不是被迫忍受钉死的苦，而是祂自己拣选的。这是祂自己的意愿，祂不是被迫钉十字架，祂乃是心甘情愿的，因为祂的十字架是神的旨意。因此，祂的钉十字架是为着完成神的旨意。主乐意背起十字架，被钉死为着完成神的定旨。换句话说，基督不像犯人被迫去受死。相反的，祂愿意被钉死，借着死，使祂的生命得以释放出来而产生召会。

　　当主在十字架上时，忍受了极大的痛苦。但那痛苦不是强加于祂的，乃是祂甘愿接受的。在马太二十六章三十九节主向父祷告说，“不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。”同时祂也祷告：“愿你的旨意成就。”（42）主是甘愿背起十字架，上十字架，而且留在十字架上，直等到神的旨意成就。这是在圣经中第一次提到十字架的意义（CWWL一九七八年第一册，九七至九八页）。

　　Matt. 16:24 ...If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

　　26:39 ...He fell on His face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.

　　The cross is a matter of suffering. Crucifixion was the method used by the Roman government to execute criminals. No doubt, to the criminal the cross was a suffering because he did not choose to be crucified. On the contrary, he was forced to be crucified. The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, however, was altogether different. He was not forced to suffer crucifixion; He chose it. This was His own preference. He was not compelled to go to the cross; He was willing to do so because His cross was God's will. Hence, His crucifixion was for the fulfillment of God's will. The Lord was willing to take up the cross and be crucified for the fulfillment of God's purpose. In other words, Christ was not forced to die like a criminal. Rather, He was willing to be crucified so that through death His life might be released to produce the church.

　　When He was on the cross, the Lord suffered greatly. But that suffering was not forced upon Him. He took it willingly. In Matthew 26:39 the Lord prayed to the Father, “Not as I will, but as You will.” At that same time He also prayed, “Your will be done” (v. 42). The Lord was willing to take up the cross, to go to the cross, and to remain on the cross until God's will had been fulfilled. This is the significance of the first mention of the cross in the Bible. (CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Exercise of the Kingdom for the Building of the Church,” p. 81)

　　我们不是被迫背负十字架，我们乃是甘愿背起十字架。〔在马太十六章二十四节，〕主耶稣不是说，“就当否认己而被钉十字架。”不，祂是说，“就当……背起他的十字架。”我们不是被钉十字架，我们乃是背起十字架。然而，有些弟兄曾说，“我已多次被我亲爱的妻子钉十字架。”这样的弟兄不是背负十字架的人；他们是罪犯而被他们的妻子处决。假如你说你的孩子一直将你钉十字架，你就不是一个背负十字架的人，而是一个被处决的罪犯。今天大多数的基督徒都是被处决的罪犯，少有人是背负十字架的人。我问你们这个问题：“你是罪犯，还是背负十字架的人？”我们都必须说，“赞美主，我不是罪犯，我乃是甘愿背负十字架的人。我没有被别人钉十字架；反之，我要拿起十字架而且背负它。”

　　倘若一位弟兄的妻子使他受苦，既然不许可离婚，对于妻子他只有两个选择。他可以像一个在十字架上被处决的罪犯因妻子受苦，或者把妻子当作神的旨意，当作他的业分。他可以说，“神已经把她指派给我。不是我要和她结婚，乃是神要把她给我。这是神的旨意，神的命定。阿利路亚，我甘心乐意背十字架！我不是罪犯，而是快乐地背负十字架的人。”如果我们这样作，主就与我们同在，我们将享受生命的丰富。而且，我们就有一个建造成为一的刚强见证。

　　假如你在众召会〔的圣徒中间〕作选择，你就是让撒但出来的敞开的门。因此，你必须使用第二把钥匙—背起十字架。我们必须说，“主啊，你的旨意是在宇宙中只有一个召会，在每一个城市只有一个召会。主，你的旨意也是要我与所有的弟兄姊妹是一。只要是信徒，我就必须接纳，没有任何选择或偏爱。我喜欢或不喜欢都算不得什么。”这是我们能被建造在一起唯一的路。否则，我们的偏爱和口味会不断地变动。今天我对你的感觉可能是积极的，但明天我的感觉可能是消极的。在召会生活和婚姻生活中，不该上下波动。能使我们稳固并坚定的，乃是背负十字架（CWWL一九七八年第一册，九九、一○一、一○五页）。

　　参读：国度的操练为着教会的建造，第五篇。

　　We are not forced to bear the cross, but...we willingly take it up. Notice, [in Matthew 16:24] the Lord Jesus did not say, “Let him deny himself and be crucified.” No, He said, “Let him...take up his cross.” We are not to be crucified, but we are to pick up the cross. However, certain brothers have said, “I have been crucified by my dear wife many times.” Such brothers are not cross-bearers; they are criminals executed by their wives. If you say that your children are crucifying you, you are not a cross-bearer but an executed criminal. Today most Christians are criminals being executed; very few are cross-bearers. Let me ask you this question: Are you a criminal or a cross-bearer? We all need to say, “Praise the Lord, I am not a criminal. I am one who is willing to bear the cross. I have not been crucified by others; rather, I take up the cross and bear it.”

　　Suppose a brother's wife causes him to suffer. Since no divorce is permitted, he has two choices regarding her. He may either suffer with her like a criminal being executed on the cross, or he may take her as God's will and as his lot and portion. He may say, “God has allotted her to me. It was not I who married her; it was God who gave her to me. This is God's will, God's ordination. Hallelujah, I am willing and happy to bear the cross! I am not a criminal but a happy cross-bearer.” If we do this, the presence of the Lord will be with us, and we shall enjoy the riches of life. Furthermore, we shall have a strong testimony of being built into one.

　　If you make a selection among [the saints in] the churches, you are a wide open gate for Satan to come out. Thus, you must use the second key—the taking up of the cross. We need to say, “Lord, Your will is that there be one church in the universe and one church in every city. Lord, Your will is also that I be one with all my brothers and sisters. As long as anyone is a believer, I must accept him without choice or preference. My likes or dislikes do not mean anything.” This is the unique way for us to be built together. Otherwise, our preferences and tastes will constantly fluctuate. Today I may feel positively toward you, but tomorrow I may feel negatively. Both in the church life and in married life there should be no fluctuation. What can keep us stable and steadfast is the bearing of the cross. (CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Exercise of the Kingdom for the Building of the Church,” pp. 81-83, 85-86)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Exercise of the Kingdom for the Building of the Church,” ch. 5