启二25 但你们已经有的，总要持守，直等到我来。

　　　三11 我必快来，你要持守你所有的，免得有人夺去你的冠冕。

　　〔启示录二、三章的〕七个召会，都是……在小亚细亚的七个召会〔一3〕。那时在小亚细亚有很多的召会，但是神从小亚细亚这么多的召会当中，特别拣选出这七个召会来。……神……拣选这七个召会，预言说，召会的道路在地上到底是怎样的。

　　启示录二、三章的七个召会，头三个和末了四个分作两组。头三个已经过去了；末了四个，今天都存在，一直等到主耶稣再来。……头三个召会没有主再来的应许，后四个召会有主再来的应许，定规是继续到主耶稣再来（倪柝声文集第三辑第四册，二五八、二六○至二六一页）。

　　Rev. 2:25 Nevertheless what you have hold fast until I come.

　　3:11 I come quickly; hold fast what you have that no one take your crown.

　　[The churches in Revelation 2 and 3] were seven actual churches in Asia Minor…At that time there were many churches in Asia Minor, but God chose only seven for prophetic representation [1:3]…God chose these seven churches as a prophecy to foretell the pathway the church takes on the earth.

　　The seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are divided into two groups. The first three have disappeared, but the last four are still with us today…The first three churches did not receive any promise of the Lord's coming, but the last four all received a promise of the Lord’s coming. They will surely remain until the Lord Jesus comes again. (CWWN, vol. 50, “Messages for Building Up New Believers (3),” pp. 765, 767)

　　第一个召会是以弗所，乃是指着第一个世纪末了时候的召会，就是写启示录时候的召会。约翰写启示录时，召会的光景就像第一个召会—以弗所一样。

　　第二个召会是士每拿，乃是在约翰去世之后，从第二世纪起，到第四世纪起头的时候，召会受到罗马帝国十次大逼迫的情形。……在那一段时间，我们看见召会大大受逼迫。

　　第三个召会就是别迦摩召会。在第四世纪起头，就是主后三百一十三年，康士坦丁起首接受基督教作国教那一段时候的召会，叫作别迦摩。

　　第四个召会是推雅推喇。当罗马的该撒接受基督教作国教的时候，他就高举基督教，用政治的力量来扶持基督教。从前罗

　　马帝国是用政治的力量压迫基督教，现在是用政治的力量扶持基督教，作基督教的后盾。结果基督教不只与世界联婚，并且在世界上被高举。

　　在七个召会里，有五个召会受责备，一个召会没有受责备，一个召会完全被称赞。完全被称赞的乃是非拉铁非。……老底嘉是变相的非拉铁非，是走了样的非拉铁非。有一天弟兄相爱失去的时候，就马上变作众人的意见。这就是老底嘉的意思。……老底嘉的特点，就是不冷不热，而在主面前有属灵的骄傲。……所以弟兄姊妹要记得，你们如果要继续在非拉铁非的道路上，你们就得学习在神面前谦卑。

　　四围的人可以充满了死亡，但是这并不需要你知道你自己是充满了生命。四围的人都可以贫穷，但是用不着你知道你是财主。活在主面前的人，不觉得自己是富足的。愿神怜悯我们，叫我们学习活在主的面前。

　　老底嘉，就是说起来样样都知道，事实上没有一样是热切的。说起来，样样都有，但是没有一样是能够把命拚上的。记得已往时候的光荣，却忘记了今天在神面前的光景。已过是非拉铁非，但是今天是老底嘉。

　　今天每一个神的儿女，都得挑选自己召会的道路。……我们要学习站在非拉铁非的地位上，总是遵守主的话，不弃绝主的名。站在弟兄的地位上，千万不要骄傲！……你一骄傲，你就是老底嘉，不是非拉铁非！……你们要在哪一条路上走？求神赐福给祂的儿女，给弟兄们在召会的事情上，能走一条正直的路（倪柝声文集第三辑第四册，二五九至二六○、二六二、二八二至二八七页）。

　　参读：初信造就（下册），第四十五篇。

　　The first is Ephesus. The church in Ephesus refers to the period of church history during the end of the first century, when the book of Revelation was written. When John wrote the book of Revelation, the condition of the church was like that of the first church—Ephesus.

　　The second church is Smyrna. The church in Smyrna is a picture of the condition of the church under ten periods of persecution in the Roman Empire from the second century after John’s death to the early part of the fourth century…During this period of time, the church suffered great persecution.

　　The third church is the church in Pergamos. It began with Constantine’s acceptance of Christianity as the state religion at the beginning of the fourth century in A.D. 313.

　　The fourth church is Thyatira. After the Caesar of Rome accepted Christianity as the state religion, he promoted Christianity and propped it up with his political power. Prior to this, the Roman Empire exercised its political power to suppress Christianity. Then it began to exercise its political power to support Christianity. Consequently, Christianity was not only married to the world but even exalted above the world.

　　Five of the seven churches were rebuked. One did not receive a rebuke, and one received only praise. The one which received only praise was Philadelphia…Laodicea is a distorted Philadelphia. When brotherly love is gone, Philadelphia immediately turns into the opinions of many. This is the meaning of the word Laodicea…In the eyes of the Lord, the characteristics of Laodicea are lukewarmness and spiritual pride…Brothers and sisters, if you want to continue in the way of Philadelphia, remember to humble yourselves before God.

　　Those around us may be full of death, but we do not need to be conscious of the fact that we are full of life. Those around us may be poor, but we do not need to be conscious of the fact that we are rich. Those who live before the Lord will not be conscious of their own riches. May the Lord be merciful to us that we may learn to live before Him.

　　Laodicea means to know everything, but in reality to be fervent about nothing. In name it has everything, but it cannot sacrifice its life for anything. It remembers its former glory but forgets its present condition before God. Formerly, it was Philadelphia; today it is Laodicea.

　　Today every child of God has to choose the pathway he should take with regard to the church. We must learn to stand on the ground of Philadelphia. Always keep the Lord’s word and never deny His name. Hold fast the brotherly stand and never be proud!…Once you are proud, you become Laodicea and are no longer Philadelphia!…Which way do you want to take? May God bless His children and may the brothers take the upright path with regard to the church. (CWWN, vol. 50, “Messages for Building Up New Believers (3),” pp. 765-766, 768, 783-787)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 50, “Messages for Building Up New Believers(3),” ch. 45