西二8　 你们要谨慎，恐怕有人用他的哲学，和虚空的欺骗，照着人的传统，照着世上的蒙学，不照着基督，把你们掳去。

　　腓三8　 ……我也将万事看作亏损，因我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝；我因祂已经亏损万事，看作粪土，为要赢得基督。

　　歌罗西一带的文化包含了希伯来宗教、希腊哲学、禁欲主义、神秘主义和智慧派学说。……保罗在歌罗西三章十一节说，在新人里，没有希利尼人和犹太人、受割礼的和未受割礼的、化外人、西古提人。这些辞指明宗教和文化的区别。受割礼的和未受割礼的是指宗教，化外人和西古提人是指文化。因此，歌罗西书指明，基督最终的代替品乃是我们的文化（歌罗西书生命读经，五四二页）。

　　Col. 2:8 Beware that no one carries you off as spoil through his philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ.

　　Phil. 3:8 …I also count all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord;…I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may gain Christ.

　　The culture in the region of Colossae included Hebrew religion, Greek philosophy, asceticism, mysticism, and Gnosticism…. In Colossians 3:11 Paul says that in the new man there is no Greek or Jew, no circumcision or uncircumcision, no barbarian or Scythian. These terms indicate both religious and cultural distinctions. Circumcision and uncircumcision refer to religion, whereas barbarian and Scythian refer to culture. Thus, the book of Colossians indicates that the ultimate replacement for Christ is our culture. (Life-study of Colossians, p. 437)

　　召会本该是一个充满基督，并由基督所构成的家，而〔歌罗西〕的召会竟然被文化侵入。基督本该是召会生活唯一的元素，却有相当大的程度被这个混杂文化的各方面顶替了。召会的构成成分应该是基督，也只该是基督，因为召会乃是基督的身体。因此，召会的内容应当一点不差地就是基督自己。然而，文化中那些好的元素，特别是哲学和宗教，已经侵入召会并且把召会浸透了。

　　歌罗西书主要的点乃是：在神眼中，除了基督，没有一样东西算得了数。这个事实把一切东西，不论是好的或坏的，是罪恶的或文雅的，全都撇在一边，特别是消除了文化中所有好的方面。我们曾一再地指出，神的仇敌利用文化来顶替基督；这是与神相敌的。如果撒但不能用邪恶的事物来腐化我们，神知道撒但就会尝试用文化好的方面来顶替基督。在今天的基督徒当中，你在哪里能找到一班信徒，叫你觉得在他们身上，除了基督以外，什么都没有？在今天各样的基督徒团体中，你可以看到许多的优点。但这些好的方面并不是基督自己这人位，而是狡猾的代替品。因这缘故，在许多基督徒的团体中，很不容易遇见基督。某些人可能传讲基督，或教导基督的道理；但是连这样的传讲与教导，也成了基督自己的代替品。如果我们对今天基督徒当中的光景一目了然，我们就会领会，歌罗西书的背景恰好符合今天的光景。这卷书不只是为了在歌罗西的圣徒，更是为着我们写的。

　　我们若完全了解这卷书信的背景，就会领悟我们唯一能走的路，乃是十字架的路。十字架是窄路，也是高速公路。对不愿背十字架的人来说，十字架就是一条窄路。但对甘心走这条路的人，十字架就成了高速公路。在召会中我们不要想有头有脸，也不要想大干一番。这就是保罗说的，我们已经死了、已经埋葬了的态度。要把握住这个点，我们需要启示。不管我们是谁，不管我们有什么，不管我们作什么，都可能成为基督的代替品。我们越好，越会作事情，在我们的经历中，基督就越多被顶替。我们需要经过十字架，而成为一无所是，一无所有，一无所能。否则，我们的所是、所有、所能，会成为基督的代替。那么，在我们基督徒的生活中，基督就不是一切，也不在一切之内了。歌罗西书教导我们，在召会生活中，基督必须是一切，又在一切之内。凡不是基督的，都必须除去（歌罗西书生命读经，三、七至八页）。

　　参读：歌罗西书生命读经，第一、四至六、三十二至三十四、三十六、四十五、四十九至五十、五十五篇。

　　The church should be a house filled with Christ and constituted with Him. Instead, the church in Colossae had been invaded by culture. To a large extent, Christ as the unique element in the church life was being replaced by various aspects of this mixed culture. The constituent of the church should be Christ and Christ alone, for the church is the Body of Christ. Therefore, the content of the church should be nothing other than Christ Himself. Nevertheless, the good elements of culture, especially philosophy and religion, had invaded the church and saturated it.

　　The main point in the Epistle of Colossians is the fact that in the eyes of God nothing counts except Christ. This fact excludes both good things and bad things, both sinful things and cultured things. In particular, it eliminates all the good aspects of culture. We have pointed out again and again that the enemy of God utilizes culture to replace Christ. This is offensive to God. If Satan cannot corrupt us with evil things, God knows that he will try to use the good aspects of culture to replace Christ. Among today’s Christians, where can you find a group of believers with whom you can sense nothing but Christ? Among the various Christian groups we see many good points. However, these good things are not the person of Christ Himself, but something that has replaced Him in a subtle way. For this reason, in many groups of Christians it is difficult to meet Christ. Some may preach Christ or teach the doctrines regarding Christ, but even this preaching and teaching becomes a substitute for Christ Himself. If we have a clear view of the situation among Christians today, we shall realize that the background of the book of Colossians exactly corresponds to today’s situation. This book was written for us, not only for the saints at Colossae.

　　If we have a clear understanding of the background of this Epistle, we shall realize that the only way for us to take is the way of the cross. The cross is both a narrow way and a highway. For those not willing to take the cross, the cross is a narrow way. But for those who are willing to take this way, the cross becomes a highway. In the church we all should be nothing and nobody. This was Paul’s attitude when he said that we have died and have been buried. To lay hold of this, we need revelation. Whatever we are, whatever we have, and whatever we do can become a substitute for Christ. The better we are or the more capable we are of doing things, the more Christ may be replaced in our experience. Through the cross, we need to become nothing, to have nothing, and to be able to do nothing. Otherwise, what we are, what we have, or what we can do will become a substitute for Christ. Then in our Christian life Christ will not be all in all. The book of Colossians teaches us that in the church life Christ must be all and in all. Everything that is not Christ must go. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 2-3, 6-7)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 1, 4-6, 32-34, 36, 45, 50, 55