(7) Comforting the hearts

In presenting others full-grown in Christ we need to follow the principle set up in Genesis 2: Man tills the ground, and God sends the rain (v. 5). On the one hand, we must till the ground. On the other hand, only God can send the rain. As we trust in God and look to Him for the rain, we should be faithful in our responsibility to till the ground. This means that we must fulfill the principle ordained by God. If we depend only on our work of tilling the ground and do not trust in the Lord to send the rain, we are wrong. But we are also wrong if we only pray to the Lord for rain and do not fulfill our responsibility to till the ground. Applying this principle to the matter of presenting every man full-grown in Christ, we see that we should not merely pray, but also labor according to Christ's operation.

In Colossians 2:1 Paul says, "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh." This verse indicates that Paul was struggling, agonizing, wrestling, to see a particular matter accomplished among the Colossians and Laodiceans. Verse 2 shows the object of Paul's struggle: "That their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the full knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ."

If their hearts were cared for in a proper way, the saints would have the riches of the full assurance of understanding. Their minds would once again function normally to understand spiritual things. When our hearts are comforted, our minds will function properly. But if there is a problem in our heart, there will be a problem in our mind also. The heart regulates the mind. Whether the mind is normal or abnormal depends on the condition of the heart. (taken from Life Study of Colossians, Message #17) http://ministrybooks.org/life-studies.cfm

竭力奮鬥，要叫人的心得安慰

要將人在基督裡成熟的獻上，我們需遵行創世記二5所立的原則：人耕地，神降雨。一面，我們必須耕地；另一面，只有神能降雨。當我們信靠神並仰望祂降雨時，我們應當忠信的盡責耕地。這意思是說，我們必須履行神所命定的原則。如果我們只倚靠自己耕地，不信神降雨，我們就錯了。但如果我們只求神降雨，卻不盡自己的責任去耕地，我們也一樣錯了。我們把這個原則應用於將人在基督裡成熟的獻上這件事，我們就看見，我們不只該禱告，也該照著基督的運行，竭力奮鬥。

保羅在歌羅西二章一節說，『我願意你們曉得，我為你們和那些在老底嘉，甚至所有在肉身上沒有見過我面的人，是何等竭力奮鬥。』這節指明，保羅所以竭力奮鬥、受苦、爭戰，是要看到在歌羅西人和老底嘉人中間成就一件特別的事。二節說到保羅竭力奮鬥的目標：『要叫他們的心得安慰，在愛裡結合一起，以致豐豐富富的在悟性上有充分的確信，能以完全認識神的奧祕，就是基督。』

聖徒們的心若能得到合式的照顧，他們就能豐豐富富的在悟性上有充分的確信。他們的心思能彀再次正常的盡功用，認識屬靈的事。當我們的心得了安慰，我們的心思就正常的盡功用。然而我們的心一旦出了毛病，我們的心思也會出問題。心規正心思。我們的心思是否正常，全在於我們心的光景。(摘自『歌羅西書生命讀經』第十七篇) http://www.lsmchinese.org/