大使命35
教會團契
全世界都在面對終極議題，就是聖經裡所預言的『斷定谷』。人類文明的根基正被震動，就在人類政府衰退的同時，神的國度正在成長。我們正處在但以理書二章的預言得以應驗的時候，代表所有人類國度的大像正在瓦解，代表神國度的小石頭正變成一坐大山或一個政府，它會持續成長直到充滿天下。我們的生命是建造在哪一個上面呢？
倘若我們要完成大使命，使萬國作門徒，教會必須成為我們所蒙召的城市─坐落在山丘上的城市，如此聳立，好讓所有人能看見它的光。正是這樣的城市驅使亞伯拉罕離開當時最具文化的迦勒底的吾珥，他在曠野漂流不知道要往哪裡去，但他知道他所尋找的是什麼─是神而非人所建造的城。成為一個客旅仍是真實基督徒信心之路的本質。
在新約用來代表教會的希臘文基本上有二個，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），指的是聖徒聯合的關係，也可翻譯成『團契』（fellowship）或『相交/聖餐』（communion）。『愛克雷西亞』是為了『科依諾尼亞』而存在，反之則不成。
教會蒙召成為一個家庭，而不單是一個組織。我們是需要組織，但在新約給地方教會的組織架構再簡單也不過─長老和執事，只有這樣。教會的生命和能力是出於它的『科依諾尼亞─團契』，而不是『愛克雷西亞─組織架構』。
哥林多前書十章和十一章談到基督徒會軟弱、患病或死亡，在聖經裡只給予一個原因，此原因就是沒有科依諾尼亞。使徒保羅警告我們不要不按理參與科依諾尼亞的儀式（聖經中用來提到『聖餐』的希臘文），不按理領聖餐是在人們領聖餐時，沒有真正照著儀式所象徵的意義有科依諾尼亞，並藉此提醒我們要有科依諾尼亞。值得注意的是，當我們沒有愛克雷西亞，聖經沒有一處給予我們如此的警告。
科依諾尼亞的意義遠超過一週一到二次在聚會前打招呼，或彼此寒暄。這個字代表緊緊連結在一起，到死都不分離。這即是何以使徒警告若在我們生命中沒有此將導致軟弱、疾病和死亡，這對基督徒生命是不可或缺的。
有些人可能與主維持這樣的相交，並覺得如此就夠了，但主說這樣還不夠。我們若沒有確實與祂的身體連結，就無法正確連結於頭。我聽過許多人說他們愛神，但就是無法喜愛祂的百姓。然而，正如約翰所言，我們若沒有愛祂的百姓，便沒有真正愛神。約翰也寫道：
『我們若在光明中行，如同神在光明中，就彼此相交，祂兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。』（約翰壹書1:7）
倘若我的手非常危急，身體很快就會壞死，因為血無法流經手而連於身體。在屬靈上也是如此，我們要基督真正的生命流經我們，我們就必須有科依諾尼亞/團契。若單單與朋友喝咖啡聊天，我們是無法擁有完全的科依諾尼亞/團契，我們也不能靠著在聚會時看見他們的背而有好的團契。擁有這樣的團契關係，對真實基督教而言是非常重要的，卻在今日的基督教中相當罕見，我們必須找著。
(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week 35, 2013)
Koinonia - The Great Commission, Part 35
Week 35, 2013
Rick Joyner
The whole world is dealing with ultimate issues now. This is “The Valley of Decision” that was prophesied. The foundations of civilization are being shaken. At the same time that human governments are failing, the kingdom of God is growing. We are in the times when Daniel 2 is being fulfilled. The statue that represents all of man’s kingdoms is crumbling while the little stone that represents the kingdom of God is growing into a mountain or government, and it will keep growing until it fills the whole earth. Which are we building our lives on?
If we are to fulfill The Great Commission, to make disciples of all nations, the church is going to have to become the city we are called to be—a city on a hill, elevated, so that all can see its light. It was this city that compelled Abraham to leave Ur of the Chaldeans, the greatest culture of his time. He wandered in a wilderness not even knowing where he was going, but he knew what he was looking for—the city that God was building not man. Being a sojourner is still the nature of the true Christian walk of faith.
There are two basic Greek words used for church in the New Testament. One is ecclesia which speaks of the structure and government of the church. The other is koinonia that is the bonding relationship of the saints, which is loosely translated “fellowship” or “communion.” The ecclesia exists for the koinonia, not the other way around.
The church is called to be a family, not just an organization. We need organization, but the structure given to the local church in the New Testament was the most basic and simple imaginable—there were elders and deacons—that’s it. The life and power of the church was its koinonia not the ecclesia.
In I Corinthians 10 and 11 we have the only reason given in The Bible for Christians being weak, sick, or dying prematurely. The reason for this is not having koinonia. The Apostle Paul warned us not to partake of the ritual of koinonia (the Greek word used for “communion” in this text) in an unworthy manner because doing so would bring judgment on ourselves. To partake of the ritual in an unworthy manner is when people partake even when they do not actually have what the ritual symbolizes and reminds us to have—koinonia. It is noteworthy that nowhere are we given such a warning about not having ecclesia.
Koinonia is far more than greeting each other and exchanging pleasantries before a service once or twice a week. This word represents a bonding together to such a degree that the parts cannot be separated without dying. This is why the apostle warns that not having this in our lives will result in weakness, sickness, and death. It is that vital to the Christian life.
Some may maintain that they have fellowship with the Lord and that is enough for them, but the Lord said that this was not enough. We cannot be rightly joined to the Head without also being rightly joined to His body. I’ve heard many say that they love God but just don’t like His people. However, as John wrote, we do not really love God if we do not also love His people. John also wrote that:
“If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we will have fellowship (koinonia) with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin (I John 1:7).
If my hand is severed from my body, it will die quickly because the life blood cannot flow through it without being connected to the body. The same is true spiritually. We must have koinonia to have the true life of Christ flowing through us. We can’t have all that koinonia implies by just having good chats with our friends over coffee. We can’t have it by looking at the back of their heads in services either. This level of relationship is a vital part of true Christianity, yet it is rarely found in Christianity today. We must find it.
