大使命44
最偉大的社會
完成大使命的一個關鍵，就是擁有一個可以呈現天國社會的教會。教會被賜予聖經，擁有組成社會最簡單與卓越的結構。當然，萬王之王才是我們的由衷期盼，祂正在建造此教會。這週我們將來看此最偉大社會的基本元素。
在新約中最常被翻為『教會』的希臘文有二，一個音譯為『愛克雷西亞』（ecclesia），指的是教會的組織與治理。另一個音譯為『科依諾尼亞』（koinonia），指的是聖徒肢體相交的關係，也可翻譯為『團契』（fellowship）或『相交/聖餐』（communion）。然而，科依諾尼亞（koinonia）的含意遠超過『相交/聖餐』（communion）或『共有的社群』（common-union）所能描述。它代表一種社群，關係強到就連死亡威脅也無法分開。任何成員從一個真實的科依諾尼亞離去，就像身上的手腳被截肢一樣。
我去過全世界許多教會，也曾參與一些真的很棒的教會，但依我個人看法，我所知道最棒的教會也只能經歷到我們所謂真實肢體相交（koinonia）的百分之十，大部分教會則為百分之一，許多教會甚至完全沒有。在此時，可能這對教會才是安全之所。怎麼會呢？基督若沒有真正成為教會的頭，追求肢體相交是很危險的。我們必須看重與主的關係勝過肢體相交，否則其很快會成為偶像。
也就是說，倘若我們真實與主親近，我們也會與祂的百姓親近。我們無法與頭聯合，卻沒有與祂的身體聯合。倘若我們真實對主的愛成長，我們也會對彼此的愛成長。正如約翰一書四章20節告訴我們：『人若說我愛神，卻恨他的弟兄，就是說謊話的；不愛他所看見的弟兄，就不能愛沒有看見的神（有古卷作：怎能愛沒有看見的神呢）。』一個要確定信徒對主的真愛與合一的方法就是看他們對祂百姓的愛與合一。
就像你可以擁有最好的政府組織，裡面若沒有好人，仍是很糟的政府。你可以擁有最好的教會組織與治理，若沒有先建造在肢體相交上，主仍不會來到其中。單有組織『愛克雷西亞』（ecclesia）而沒有肢體相交『科依諾尼亞』（koinonia），等同於擁有敬虔的外貌，卻沒有實質的能力，使徒保羅警告我們『這等人你要躲開』（參考提摩太後書3:5）。
教會的能力在於肢體相交（koinonia）而不是組織治理（ecclesia），組織治理固然重要，卻只是皮袋，肢體相交才是酒。倘若你沒有酒，你根本不需要裝酒的皮袋。但你若有酒卻沒有皮袋，你的酒也無法長久保存。所以我們同時需要酒和皮袋；然而，『首要的事就是讓首要的事成為首要的事』。肢體相交是首要的事，這即是約翰壹書一章7節告訴我們：『我們若在光明中行，如同神在光明中，就彼此相交（希臘文koinonia），祂兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。』
聖經沒有告訴我們，我們若在光明中行，我們就擁有組織治理，其乃是說我們若在光明中行，我們就彼此相交。現在我們若在光明中行，並且持續在『凡事長進，連於元首基督』（參考以弗所書4:15），當我們在彼此相交上成長，我們將會看見教會的組織與治理隨著成長，正如我們在使徒行傳所看見的。這將是自然成形的結構可以融入並保有肢體相交，而不是讓肢體相交融入組織結構中。
教會首先被呼召成為一個家庭，而不是一個組織。倘若我們在成為家庭前先變成組織，真實天國家庭生活就不太可能發生。當我們先建造組織，我們並不是在栽植教會，而是在經銷我們的神，祂顯然熱愛多樣性和創造性，以致於祂所創造的每一片雪花、每一棵樹，以及每一個人都如此不同，這並無法在製作『餅乾模具』的經銷商中找到，無論他們如何宣稱是神的教會。因此，今日大部分稱為『教會』的機構多半沒有真實的能力。
這樣的情況很快會改變，一個榮耀的教會將要成形。下週我們將討論組織治理（ecclesia）的重要觀點，在教會裡很罕見，甚至是在那些完全專注在組織治理的教會裡。
(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week44, 2014)
The Greatest Society - The Great Commission, Part 44
Week 44, 2014
Rick Joyner
A key to fulfilling The Great Commission is to have a church that is a demonstration of the society of the kingdom. As given in Scripture, the church has the most simple, but brilliant structure ever devised for a society. Of course, we would expect nothing less from the King of kings who is building this church. This week we will look at just the basic elements of this greatest society ever devised.
There are two Greek words most often translated “church” in the New Testament. One is ecclesia, which is the structure of the church and its government. The other is koinonia, which is sometimes translated “fellowship” or “communion.” However, koinonia is a bonding far more than even “communion” or “common-union” can really capture. It represents a union so strong that the parts cannot be separated without the threat of death. For a single member to be removed from a true koinonia would be akin to the amputation of a limb.
I have been to many churches around the world, and I’ve been a part of some really good ones, but it is my opinion that the greatest ones I know are only experiencing about 10% of what we are meant to have in true koinonia. I think for most, it would be much closer to 1%, with many not really having any at all. At this time, this may be a safe place for the church to be. How can that be? It is dangerous to pursue koinonia without Jesus truly being the Head of the church. Our relationship to the Lord must be valued much higher than koinonia, or it can quickly become an idol.
This being said, if we are truly getting closer to the Lord, we will be getting closer to His people. We cannot be joined to the Head without also being joined to His body. If we are truly growing in our love for the Lord, we will be growing in our love for one another too. As we are told in I John 4:20: “for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” One sure way to measure any believer’s true love and unity with the Lord is to look at their unity and love for His people.
Just as you can have the best government structure but still have bad government, if you do not have good people in it, you can have the best church structure and government and still have a church that the Lord Himself will not even come to, if it is not built first and foremost on koinonia, not ecclesia. To have ecclesia without koinonia is to have a form of godliness without the power, and the Apostle Paul warns us to “avoid such men as these” (see II Timothy 3:5).
The power of the church is koinonia, not ecclesia. Ecclesia is important, but it is the wineskin. Koinonia is the wine. If you don’t have wine, you don’t need a wineskin. But if you have wine and don’t get a wineskin, you will not keep the wine for very long. So we need both. However, “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing,” and koinonia is the main thing. This is why we are told in I John 1:7: “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship (koinonia) with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
We are not told that if we walk in the light we have ecclesia, rather if we walk in the light, we have koinonia. Now if we are walking in the light and continue to “grow up in all things into Him who is the head” (see Ephesians 4:15 NKJV), we will see the structure and government of the church grow as we grow in koinonia, just as we see in the Book of Acts. This will be a natural formation that takes shape that fits with and keeps the koinonia, but not one that makes the koinonia fit into it.
The church is called first and foremost to be a family, not an organization. If we become an organization before being family, it is not likely that true kingdom family life will happen. When we build on ecclesia first, we are not likely planting churches but franchises. Our God, who obviously loves diversity and creativity so much that He made every snowflake, tree, and every one of us different, is not found in “cookie cutter” franchises, regardless of how much they may claim to be His church. Because of this, a true evaluation would be that much of what is called “church” today is mostly form without true power.
This will soon change. A glorious church is about to take shape. Next week we will discuss the crucial aspect of ecclesia that is rarely found in the church, even those whose entire focus is on ecclesia.
