越來越光明 7
正如我曾分享過的,我有許多第三層天的先知性經歷,我數次與主面對面,但我不認為我們在主裡或在這一生所經歷的任何事物,能與祂同在的彰顯相比。幾乎在我所有的先知性經歷中,我都是獨自一人,但當我與主的子民經歷祂同在的彰顯,帶給我的影響比個人的先知性經歷更大。我或許不知道所有的原因,但我知道一個最重要的原因:主造我們是為著肢體相交(koinonia)。
Koinonia(肢體相交)這個希臘字在新約裡大概被翻譯為「團契」或「相交」,但它的意義更深。它指著一種特別的連結,如此深層且完全,寧死也不分開。雖然以個體來說,我們是「活石」,我們同時也是某個更大東西的一部份─就是為著主的同在而被建造的殿,這是我們無法獨自經歷的。
有些東西大到無法用人的言語形容,瞭解它們的唯一方式是實際經歷,而肢體相交(koinonia)便是其中一種。我所說或所寫關於它的每件事都不夠充分,我只有禱告我所分享的這些話將引起您的注意,到一個地步您會尋求經歷我在此嘗試表達的事物。於是您會知道這是如何觸摸到我們受造的基本目的─與他人連結,成為神與祂同在彰顯的居所。
個別來說,我們都是主的殿,祂住在我們裡面。然而,我們必須以一種更偉大的方式連結在一起,肢體相交(koinonia)使我們能夠成為祂彰顯同在的一部份居所。我們知道主不再住在人手所造的居所,祂乃是造了人居住,這是我們可以經歷肢體相交(koinonia)的唯一地方,這就是與他人的終極連結。
我曾有過一次先知性經歷,用地上八小時的時間待在天堂。我在天堂有幾個經歷,每個都不一樣。我推斷出天上的地理比地上更多樣化。這八小時的時間仍是我曾有過最美好的經歷,天上充滿許多古聖徒,但也有許多聖徒今日仍活躍在地上,還有一些未來才會來到地上。在這樣的地方一段時間後,主說祂想要我獨自一人經歷同樣的地方。突然間,我獨自待在我曾經歷最美好的地方,在那裡卻再也沒有喜樂。事實上,那裡反而令人沮喪到如同地獄,我只想快點離開。相信與否,在天堂最棒的地方而空無一人就一點也不像天堂了。
這是一個令人震驚的經歷,它成為我心中的烙印,也使我的生命致力於協助人經歷肢體相交(koinonia),並讓人領悟我們多需要彼此才能成為祂彰顯同在的居所。毫無疑問,我們需要主多過需要人,但照著我們被呼召的方式在肢體相交中與人連結,這是全然經歷主不可缺少的。這或許是使徒保羅為何說「我們是有基督的心了」(哥林多前書2:16),而不是說他是有基督的心了,因為需要我們整體才能擁有主的心。
我們必須瞭解什麼促使我們能夠成為祂彰顯同在的居所,什麼又阻礙了我們。促使我們的主要事情是以「起初的愛」來愛祂,這愛如此熱切的燃燒,好讓主成為我們委身與生命動能的焦點。任何墜入愛情的人都曾經歷那「起初的愛」是如何掌管著心思意念,你一醒來就想著所愛的對象,一整天都被這樣的想法支配,睡覺時仍想著。這就是回到我們與主「起初的愛」的意思。
保有對祂如此強烈的愛不但可能,也會隨著我們越來越親近主而發生。當我們與他人有這樣的愛,它會倍增並創造出真正的肢體相交(koinonia)─連結強到我們不可分離。像這樣的相愛,照亮了我們整個生命,讓一切變得更加重要和美好,當我們在與基督的起初的愛中不斷成長時,更是如此。
在我信主前的日子,我曾吸過毒,那是此愉悅的仿冒品,以一種我從未經歷過的方式將每個一起吸毒的人連結在一起。我曾在軍隊中經歷很棒的連結關係,在運動團體中也經歷過,但都不像吸毒。當然,現在我知道它只是一種廉價的替代品,想取代我們被呼召在基督裡可以隨時經歷的事。
在這世界末了之前,地上沒有其他機構或共同實體能與真實的新約教會生活相比,沒有什麼比此更令人興奮,更能真正造就我們的靈、魂、心了。你一旦品嚐過,就算是瞬間,別的事物都相形失色。生活在其中,正是因為我們是為此而活,為此而造。
不管是兄弟連(Band of Brothers)、魔戒使者(Fellowship of the Ring)或其他關係,都無法與被呼召成為的基督肢體相比。相反地,沒有比成為淫婦教會一員更令人無趣或沮喪的,那是假宗教的化身。異教徒明智地逃避虛假,但當真的出現時─一定會出現的,所有人都想成為其中一員。
正如我們將會看見的,這一生我們無法經歷其他事物,能像肢體相交一樣美好崇高。曾走在地上最偉大的靈魂都認識到此,他們都為我們標記了路徑。真實的新約教會生活,是我們所能活出最偉大的探險與最崇高的理想。現在輪到我們了!
(摘自喬納word for the week, Week 7, 2022)
Increasing Light, Part 7
As I have shared, I have had many prophetic experiences in the heavenly realm. I have met with the Lord face to face several times, but I don’t think there is anything in the Lord or in this life that we can experience like His manifest presence. In almost all my prophetic experiences I was alone, but when I experienced the manifest presence of the Lord with His people there was just something about this that impacted me greater than my personal experiences. I may not know all the reasons for this, but I know the most important reason: The Lord made us for koinonia.
This is one of two Greek words loosely translated “fellowship” or “communion” in the New Testament, but it means much more than any English word. It means a special bond so deep and complete that its members would rather die than be separated. Though individually, we are “living stones,” we are also part of something much bigger—a temple being built for His presence which we cannot experience alone.
Some things are too big for human words and the only way to understand them is to experience them. Koinonia is one of them. Everything I have ever said or written about it is inadequate. I only pray these words I share with you will capture you in such a way that you will seek to experience what I can only try to articulate. Then you will know how this touches the most basic purpose for which we were created—to be joined with others as the dwelling place for God and His manifest presence.
Individually, we are all the Lord’s temple, and He dwells in us. However, there is a much greater way that we must be linked together in the greatest of all human bonds, koinonia, that enables us to become part of the dwelling place for His manifest presence. We know the Lord no longer dwells in buildings made by human hands, but He made humans to dwell in. This is the only place where we can experience koinonia, which is the ultimate bond with others.
I once had a prophetic experience when I spent eight hours of earth time in heaven. I have had several experiences in heaven, and each one was different. I have concluded that heaven’s geography is infinitely more diverse than earth’s geography. Still, this eight-hour experience was the most wonderful I ever had. It was filled with many saints of old, but also many who were still alive on earth today, and some who were yet to be. After being in this place for a long time, the Lord said He wanted me to experience being alone in this same place. Suddenly, I was alone in what had been the most wonderful place I had ever been. There was no more joy there. In fact, it was so depressing it almost felt like hell, and I wanted to leave as quickly as possible. Believe it or not, even the greatest place in heaven is not like heaven without people.
This was such a stunning experience; it became like a brand on my heart. It became a primary devotion of my life to help people experience koinonia and realize how much we need each other to become the dwelling place for His manifest presence. Without question, we need Him much more than people, but bonding with other people the way we are called to in koinonia is essential for us to fully experience Him. Perhaps that is why the Apostle Paul did not say he had the mind of Christ, but “we have the mind of Christ” (See I Corinthians 2:16). It takes all of us together to have His mind.
We must understand what enables us to become the dwelling place for His manifest presence and what hinders us. The main thing that enables us is loving Him with a “first love” that burns so intently He becomes the focus of our devotion and the drive of our life. Anyone who has fallen in love has experienced how this “first love” can dominate your heart and mind. You wake up thinking of the object of your love. You are dominated by thoughts of them throughout the day, and you go to sleep thinking of them. This is what it means to return to our “first love” with the Lord.
To keep a love this intense is not only possible with Him, but it will also happen if we are ever getting closer to Him. When we do this with others, it multiplies and creates true koinonia—a bond so strong we become inseparable. To be in love like this, lights up our whole life, and makes everything far more significant and wonderful, and even more so as we keep growing in our first love with Christ.
In my days before Christ, I experienced drugs that were counterfeits of this euphoria. They seemed to bond me to everyone I was doing drugs with in a way I had never experienced before. I had experienced a great bonding in the military, and on sports teams, but nothing like this. Of course, I now know it was only a cheap substitute for what we are all called to experience in Christ all the time.
No other organization or common entity on earth can compare to what true New Covenant church life is supposed to be and will be before the end of this age. There is nothing more exciting, more truly edifying to our spirit, heart, and soul. Once you taste it, even for a moment, you are ruined for anything else. To live in this, is what we live for because it is what we were made for.
There is no “Band of Brothers,” “Fellowship of the Ring,” or anything else that can compare to what the body of Christ is called to be. On the contrary, there is nothing more boring or depressing than being part of the harlot church that is the embodiment of false religion. The heathens are wise to run from the false, but when the real is manifested—and it will be—all will want to be part of it.
As we will see, there is nothing else in this life we can experience so wonderful and grand as koinonia. The greatest souls to ever walk the earth have learned this. They have marked the path for us. True New Covenant church life is the greatest adventure and most noble cause for which we can live. Now it’s our turn!