约一12~13 凡接受祂的，就是信入祂名的人，祂就赐他们权柄，成为神的儿女。这等人不是从血生的，不是从肉体的意思生的，也不是从人的意思生的，乃是从神生的。

　　　六57 ……那吃我的人，也要因我活着。

　　要点不是我们丢弃我们的文化，乃是活基督。问题不是文化与无文化相对，问题乃是文化与基督相对。我们需要在意基督，并凭祂而活。所以，重要的事不是我们消极地丢弃文化，乃是我们积极地活基督（歌罗西书生命读经，四三一页）。

　　John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name, who were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

　　6:57 …So he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.

　　The crucial point is not that we drop our culture—it is that we live Christ. The issue is not culture versus no culture; it is culture versus Christ. We need to care for Christ and live by Him. Therefore, the important thing is not that we attempt to drop our culture negatively; it is that we live Christ positively. (Life-study of Colossians, p. 346)

　　我们必须照着一种文化标准来教养儿女，否则，他们将是放肆不拘的。基督徒父母告诉他们的儿女说，他们不需要文化，只需要享受基督，乃是严重的错误。孩子需要文化，直到他们长大到能经历基督并凭祂而活。任何还没有接受基督的人都必须有文化，好有正确的生活。今天的社会需要文化。越有文化的人，就越不需要受警察或法庭的管制。……我们不是只把文化摆在一边，乃是应当专注于赢得基督。我们越有基督，就越不需要凭文化而活。

　　事实上，凡在基督之外的事物，都是文化的一种形式。譬如，吃饭用刀叉是属于文化的事，吃饭用筷子也是属于文化的事。我们都有一套自订和自加的文化。这意思是说，我们都有一套特别的生活方式。你照你的方式生活，我照我的方式生活。照着我们的方式生活，就是照着我们的文化生活。……这是享受基督最大的阻挠，也是最大的仇敌。所以，让我们天天实际地，更多注意经历基督并活基督。

　　许多事物拦阻神完全救恩的完成。两个比较明显的拦阻是罪与世界，然而最诡诈的拦阻乃是文化。文化阻挠神所拣选的人，使他们不能经历基督、享受基督。包罗万有的基督是与文化相对的。然而，我们不是说我们该丢弃文化，像野蛮人一样行动。……那些没有基督的人，当然需要文化。小孩在长大时，不仅需要文化，还需要律法。但我们接受基督之后，不该让文化限制基督，或是拦阻我们经历基督。所有的人在接受基督之前，都需要文化。但接受基督之后，我们应当照着基督生活，而不是照着文化生活。……文化保全人、规正人并改良人。但是基督进到我们里面之后，在我们的经历里，我们就当开始凭基督而活。难处乃在于，基督受到我们文化的限制。

　　神的目的是要把基督作到祂所拣选的人里面。神用文化来保全人，直到他们接受基督。孩子们在接受基督以前，必须照着文化并在律法之下接受训练。千万不要告诉小孩子说，他们不需要文化；反倒要教导他们孝敬父母、爱别人以及与别人分享他们的东西。最终，当他们长得相当成熟时，他们就会决定，把基督接受到他们里面。然后我们需要帮助他们长到基督里，并且与基督同长。这样，我们就逐渐地帮助他们从文化转向基督。至终他们不是照着文化，乃是照着基督而活。青年人，不要宣告你们丢弃了文化，反而要向别人作见证说，你们已经接受了基督，现在你们活基督、长基督并产生基督（歌罗西书生命读经，四三一至四三二、三七七至三七八页）。

　　参读：歌罗西书生命读经，第三十六、四十篇。

　　Children must be raised according to certain cultural standards. Otherwise, they will be wild and unruly. It is a serious mistake for Christian parents to tell their children that they do not need culture, but only need to enjoy Christ. Children need culture until they are old enough to experience Christ and live by Him. Anyone who has not received Christ must have culture in order to live properly. Today’s society needs culture. The more cultured people are, the less they need to be controlled by the police or by the law court…. Instead of trying to lay aside culture, we should concentrate on gaining Christ. The more we have of Christ, the less we shall need to live by culture.

　　Actually, everything we have apart from Christ is some form of culture. For example, to eat with a knife and fork is a matter of culture, and to eat with chopsticks is also a matter of culture. We all have our own kind of self-made and self-imposed culture. This means that we all have our particular way to live. You live according to your way, and I live according to mine. To live according to our way is to live according to our culture…. This is the greatest frustration to the enjoyment of Christ and its ultimate enemy. Therefore, let us care more and more for the experience of Christ and for living Christ in a practical way day by day.

　　Many things hinder the accomplishment of God’s full salvation. Two of the more obvious hindrances are sin and worldliness. The most subtle hindrance, however, is culture. Culture frustrates God’s chosen people from experiencing Christ and enjoying Him. The all-inclusive Christ is versus culture. However, we are not saying that we should drop our culture and act like barbarians…. Those who do not have Christ certainly need culture. As children are growing up, they need not only culture, but also the law. But after we have received Christ, we should not allow our culture to limit Christ or to frustrate us from experiencing Him. Prior to receiving Christ, all people need culture. But after receiving Christ, we should live according to Christ, not according to culture…. Culture preserves, regulates, and improves people. But after Christ has come into us, in our experience we should begin to live by Christ. The problem is that Christ is limited by our culture.

　　God’s intention is to work Christ into His chosen people. God uses culture to preserve people until they receive Christ. Before children receive Christ, they must be trained according to culture and under the law. Never tell little children that they have no need for culture. On the contrary, teach them to honor their parents, to love others, and to share their possessions with others. Eventually, when they attain to a certain maturity, they will decide to receive Christ into them. Then we need to help them grow into Christ and with Christ. Gradually we can help them turn from culture to Christ. Eventually, instead of living according to culture, they will live according to Christ. Young people, do not proclaim that you have dropped your culture. Instead, testify to others that you have received Christ and that now you are living Christ, growing Christ, and producing Christ. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 346-347, 304-305)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 36, 40