西一27~29 神愿意叫他们知道，这奥秘的荣耀在外邦人中是何等的丰富，就是基督在你们里面成了荣耀的盼望；我们宣扬祂，是用全般的智慧警戒各人，教导各人，好将各人在基督里成熟地献上；我也为此劳苦，照着祂在我里面大能的运行，竭力奋斗。

　　在歌罗西一章二十八节……翻作“成熟”的希腊字也可译作完全的、完整的。保罗的职事乃是将基督分赐到人里面，使他们借着在基督里完全长大成熟，得以完全并完整。……我们必须与保罗有同样的目标。

　　甚至传福音时，我们的目标也该是分赐生命，好将人在基督里长大成熟地献上。我们向不信的人传福音，将基督供应给他们，帮助他们接受主时，我们的目标不该仅仅是叫他们蒙拯救脱离火湖，脱离神的定罪。我们的目标也不是仅仅叫他们经历神的赦罪，乃是把基督供应到他们里面，使他们至终能在基督里成熟地被献上。我们传福音若是不能把基督分赐给人，我们的福音就够不上神的标准。我们向人讲说时，必须把基督灌输到人里面。分赐基督必须是我们传福音的目的。

　　我们和圣徒们交通时，也该有同样的目标。当我们接触圣徒时，我们的目标应当是将基督供应到他们里面，好使他们在基督里成熟（歌罗西书生命读经，一五八至一五九页）。

　　Col. 1:27-29 To whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man full-grown in Christ; for which also I labor, struggling according to His operation which operates in me in power.

　　[In Colossians 1:28] the Greek word rendered “full-grown” may also be translated “mature,” “complete,” or “perfect.” Paul's ministry was to impart Christ to others so that they may be perfect and complete by maturing in Christ unto full growth… We must have the same goal that Paul had.

　　Even in preaching the gospel, our aim should be to impart life in order to present others mature, full-grown, in Christ. As we preach the gospel to unbelievers, minister Christ to them, and help them to receive the Lord, our goal is not merely that they should be saved from the lake of fire and from God's condemnation. Our goal is not only for them to experience God's forgiveness; it is to minister Christ into them so that they may eventually be presented full-grown in Christ. If we fail to impart Christ to others as we preach the gospel, our gospel preaching will fall short of God's standard. Christ must be infused into all those to whom we speak. Imparting Christ should be our aim in our gospel preaching.

　　We should have the same goal in our fellowship with the saints. As we contact the saints, our goal should be to minister Christ into them so that they may mature in Him. (Life-study of Colossians, p. 129)

　　保罗劳苦为要将各人在基督里成熟地献上。将人在基督里成熟地献上，是十分艰苦的工作；这工作唯有照着基督的运行，竭力奋斗，才能成就〔参西一29〕。

　　有人以为要将人在基督里成熟地献上，乃是借着祷告。但我们很可能对祷告有一种迷信的领会。譬如，假设有人以为饮食可以靠祷告而得，不需要买菜、烧饭，这种观念就是迷信。要将人在基督里成熟地献上，我们还需遵行创世记二章所立的原则：人耕地，神降雨（5）。……当我们信靠神并仰望祂降雨时，我们应当忠信地尽责耕地。这意思是说，我们必须履行神所命定的原则。如果我们只倚靠自己耕地，不信神降雨，我们就错了。但如果我们只求神降雨，却不尽自己的责任去耕地，我们也一样错了。我们把这个原则应用于将人在基督里成熟地献上这件事，我们就看见，我们不只该祷告，也该照着基督的运行，竭力奋斗。

　　保罗在歌罗西一章二十九节说，他照着基督在他里面的运行，竭力奋斗。这个竭力奋斗就是他为着将各人在基督里成熟地献上所作的劳苦。他乃是借着宣扬基督，用全般的智慧警戒各人，教导各人，而竭力完成这事。

　　〔按二十九节的直译，乃是基督的运作用大能在我们里面运行。〕“基督在我们里面运行”和“基督的运作在我们里面运行”有所不同。因着基督作荣耀的盼望在我们里面运行，所以有一个运作也在我们里面运行。基督自己在我们里面运行，但基督在我们里面的运行，使一个运作也在我们里面运行。这个运作乃是用大能在我们里面运行。

　　保罗竭力奋斗，要将别人在基督里成熟地献上；他所作的乃是一个榜样，为着成全圣徒，建造基督的身体。这就是照着基督在我们里面运行的运作，竭力奋斗，也就是凭着我们里面复活、超越并征服的大能而劳苦（歌罗西书生命读经，一六八至一六九、一七五至一七七页）。

　　参读：歌罗西书生命读经，第十六至十七、四十九篇。

　　Paul labored to present every man full-grown in Christ. Presenting others full-grown in Christ is a very difficult task, a task which can be accomplished only by struggling according to Christ's operation [cf. Col. 1:29].

　　Some may think that the way to present others full-grown in Christ is to pray. However, it is possible to have a superstitious understanding of prayer. For example, suppose someone thinks that meals can be prepared only by prayer and that there is no need to go shopping or to cook food. Such a concept is superstitious. In presenting others full-grown in Christ we need to follow the principle set up in Genesis 2: Man tills the ground, and God sends the rain (v. 5)…. As we trust in God and look to Him for the rain, we should be faithful in our responsibility to till the ground. This means that we must fulfill the principle ordained by God. If we depend only on our work of tilling the ground and do not trust in the Lord to send the rain, we are wrong. But we are also wrong if we only pray to the Lord for rain and do not fulfill our responsibility to till the ground. Applying this principle to the matter of presenting every man full-grown in Christ, we see that we should not merely pray, but also labor according to Christ's operation.

　　In Colossians 1:29 Paul said that he struggled according to Christ's operation within him. This struggle was his labor to present every man full-grown in Christ. He endeavored to do this by announcing Christ, by warning every man, and by teaching every man in all wisdom.

　　According to 1:29, the operation of Christ operates in us in power. There is a difference between Christ operating in us and Christ's operation operating in us. Because Christ as the hope of glory operates in us, there is an operation which also operates in us. Christ Himself operates in us. But Christ operating in us causes an operation which also operates in us. This operation operates in us in power.

　　What Paul did in struggling to present others full-grown in Christ is an example which serves for the perfecting of the saints for the building up of the Body of Christ. It is to struggle according to the operation of Christ that operates in us, that is, to labor by the resurrecting, transcending, and subduing power within us. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 137, 143-144)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 16-17, 49