西一12~13 感谢父，叫你们够资格在光中同得所分给众圣徒的分；祂拯救了我们脱离黑暗的权势，把我们迁入祂爱子的国里。

　　在歌罗西书，黑暗的权势是指文化好的方面，以及我们的性格、个性和天然人的优点。黑暗的权势包含我们的美德、宗教、哲学、仪文、规条、原则和道德规范。神已经救了我们脱离这一切，并把我们迁入祂爱子的国里，在那里我们生活在属天的管理和约束之下。在这国里，我们不在严厉的管理之下，乃在子爱的管理之下。在这里我们不觉得是在公义、能力或权柄之下，乃是在可爱可亲的主耶稣之下。我们越告诉主耶稣我们爱祂，一面我们就越得以自由，另一面却越受约束、越受管理。因着我们爱祂，我们就渴慕以祂为我们的人位和生命。这就是为着召会生活的正当基督徒生活（歌罗西书生命读经，四二页）。

　　Col. 1:12-13 Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share of the allotted portion of the saints in the light; who delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

　　In Colossians the authority of darkness refers to the good aspects of culture and of our character, disposition, and natural being. The authority of darkness includes our virtues, religion, philosophy, observances, ordinances, principles, and ethical standards. God has delivered us out of all this and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, where we live under a heavenly rule and restriction. In this kingdom we are not under a harsh rule, but under the loving rule of the Son. Here we do not sense that we are under righteousness, power, or authority, but under the loving and lovable Lord Jesus. The more we tell the Lord Jesus that we love Him, the more we are freed on the one hand, and the more we are restricted and ruled on the other hand. Because we love Him, we desire to take Him as our person and as our life. This is the proper Christian life for the church life. (Life-study of Colossians, p. 35)

　　在歌罗西的圣徒虽然没有落入邪恶的事里，却因着容让文化的最高产物侵入召会，而落到黑暗的权势之下。……在我们这个人身上或是在我们的日常生活中，凡是没有基督的部分，都是在黑暗里。……例如在我们的婚姻生活中，我们可能仍旧在黑暗的权势下。当一位弟兄和妻子吵嘴时，两个人都在黑暗里。因着他们在黑暗里，就彼此控告、指责。……我们的经历证明，每当我们在自己里面生活、为人、行动时，我们就在黑暗里。我们不需要犯什么大罪，才在黑暗里。我们只要照着自己生活，就在黑暗里，因为这使我们与基督分开。

　　我们一在天然的人里，不接受基督作我们的人位，不凭祂而活，我们就在黑暗里。我们必须记住，唯有祂才是光。祂必须浸透并充满我们日常生活的每一面。否则，我们每天的生活行动，至少有些部分会没有被基督充满，我们生活的那些部分就在黑暗里。

　　我们的家有许多房间。有些房间是在光中，有些房间是黑暗的。我们里面的人和日常生活也是一样。我们的生活、为人，有些方面是明亮的，充满了光，因为基督在那里居首位。但我们这人的其他部分，或生活中的其他方面，很可能向主关闭，而没有让祂来摸我们。我们的生命和生活向基督关闭的那些部分，自然而然就在黑暗里，因为基督这唯一的光没有得着地位。唯有基督占有我们的每一部分和日常生活的每一方面时，我们才能完全在光中，并完全蒙拯救脱离黑暗权势的控制。

　　歌罗西人所犯的错误，就是接受并跟随基督以外的事物。接受任何顶替基督的事物，不仅是在黑暗中，更是在黑暗权势的控制之下。任何代替基督的事物—哲学、宗教、性格、美德、观念、意见—都成了控制我们的黑暗权势。在歌罗西，黑暗的权势是犹太宗教的仪文、异教的规条、哲学、神秘主义以及禁欲主义。虽然这些东西似乎是好的，实际上却是黑暗的权势，因为这些事物顶替了基督，使基督这光被摆在一边。因此，黑暗又猖狂起来，而辖制了召会中的圣徒。这是当时歌罗西的光景，也可能是今天的光景（歌罗西书生命读经，四五至四八页）。

　　参读：至宝的基督，第二章。

　　Although the saints in Colossae did not fall into evil things, they did come under the authority of darkness by allowing the highest products of culture to invade the church. Any part of our being or of our daily life that is without Christ is in darkness…. For example, we may still be under the authority of darkness in our married life. When a brother is exchanging words with his wife, both he and his wife are in darkness. Because they are in darkness, they accuse and blame each other…. Our experience testifies that whenever we live, walk, and behave in the self, we are in darkness. There is no need to commit some gross sin in order to be in darkness. Simply living according to the self puts us in darkness, for it causes us to be separated from Christ.

　　Whenever we are in the natural man, not taking Christ as our person and living by Him, we are in darkness. We must remember that He alone is light. He must saturate and prevail in every aspect of our daily living. Otherwise, at least certain parts of our daily walk will not be filled with Christ, and those parts of our life will be in darkness.

　　Our homes have many rooms. Some rooms may be in the light, whereas others may be dark. The same may be true of our inner being and of our daily living. In certain respects, our life and our walk may be bright, full of light, because Christ occupies the prevailing position there. However, in other parts of our being or in other aspects of our living, we may be closed to the Lord and not allow Him to touch us. Those parts of our life and living that are closed off from Christ are spontaneously in darkness because Christ, the One who is the very light, has no place. Only when Christ occupies every part of us and every aspect of our daily walk can we be wholly in the light and altogether be delivered from the control of the authority of darkness.

　　The mistake the Colossians were making was that of receiving and following something other than Christ. To accept something in place of Christ is not only to be in darkness, but also to be under the controlling authority of darkness. Anything that is a substitute for Christ—philosophy, religion, character, virtues, concepts, opinions—becomes the authority of darkness to control us. At Colossae, the authority of darkness was Jewish religious observances, pagan ordinances, philosophy, mysticism, and asceticism. Although these things seemed to be good, they were actually the authority of darkness because they replaced Christ. They caused Christ, the light, to be set aside. Therefore, darkness became prevailing once again and controlled the saints in the church. This was the situation in Colossae, and may also be the situation today. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 38, 40-41)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1983, vol. 2, “Christ in His Excellency, ” ch. 2