Seeking the Things Which Are Above
壹 “所以你们若与基督一同复活，就当寻求在上面的事，那里有基督坐在神的右边”─西三1：
I. "If therefore you were raised together with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God"—Col. 3:1:
一 在升天里，基督是坐在神的右边者─来一3，十二2，罗八34：
A. In ascension Christ is the One who is sitting at the right hand of God—Heb. 1:3; 12:2; Rom. 8:34:
1 “神的右边”表征尊荣的首位。
1. The right hand of God signifies preeminence, the first place of honor.
2 神的右边是宇宙中第一且至高之处，神已将升天的基督安置在那里，将全宇宙的首位和至高的尊荣给了基督─来一13，八1，十12。
2. The right hand of God is the first and highest place in the universe, and God has put the ascended Christ there, giving the preeminence and the highest honor in the entire universe to Christ—Heb. 1:13; 8:1; 10:12.
二 神不仅拯救我们脱离死的地位，也叫我们与基督一同坐在宇宙的至高之处─弗二5~6：
B. God not only saved us from the position of death, but He also seated us with Christ in the highest place in the universe—Eph. 2:5-6:
1 神是在基督里，使我们一次永远地一同坐在诸天界里。
1. It was in Christ that God seated us all together, once for all, in the heavenlies.
2 这是在基督升天时完成的，并且从我们相信祂起，就借着基督的灵应用到我们身上。
2. This was accomplished when Christ ascended to the heavens, and it has been applied to us by the Spirit of Christ ever since we believed in Him.
3 今天我们在灵里，借着相信这已经完成的事实，就领略并经历其实际─8节，彼前一8，来十一1。
3. Today we realize and experience this reality in our spirit through faith in the accomplished fact—v. 8; 1 Pet. 1:8; Heb. 11:1.
三 在上面的事，即在诸天之上的事，与在地上的事相对─西三1~2：
C. The things which are above are the things which are in the heavens, in contrast to the things which are on the earth—Col. 3:1-2:
1 在上面的事，包括升天的基督和关于祂的一切事。
1. The things which are above include the ascended Christ and all things related to Him.
2 在地上的事，包括文化、宗教、哲学和人的修行─二8、16、18~23。
2. The things on the earth include culture, religion, philosophy, and the improvement in behavior—2:8, 16, 18-23.
四 要寻求在上面的事，我们就必须在这些事所在的地方；因为我们在基督的升天里与祂同有一个地位（弗二6），我们就能寻求在上面的事。─引用经文
D. In order to seek the things which are above, we must be where these things are; because we have one position with Christ in His ascension (Eph. 2:6), we can seek the things which are above.
五 按新约来看，在上面的事包含基督的升天、登宝座，以及被立为元首、为主、为基督：
E. According to the New Testament, the things which are above include Christ's ascension, His enthronement, and His being made the Head, the Lord, and the Christ:
1 行传二章三十六节说，在升天里，神已经立耶稣为主为基督；祂被立为万有的主，是要得着万有；祂被立为基督，作神的受膏者（来一9），是要完成神的使命。─引用经文
1. Acts 2:36 says that God has made Jesus in His ascension both Lord and Christ; He was made the Lord of all to possess all; and He was made Christ, God's anointed One (Heb. 1:9), to carry out God's commission.
2 基督在升天里，得以向着召会作万有的头─弗一22：
2. In ascension Christ has been made the Head over all things to the church—Eph. 1:22:
a “向着召会”含示一种传输。
a. To the church implies a kind of transmission.
b 凡元首基督所达到、所得着的，现在都传输给祂的身体─召会。
b. Whatever Christ, the Head, has attained and obtained is transmitted to the church, His Body.
c 在这传输里，召会与基督同享祂所达到的一切：从死人中复活，在超越里坐下，使万有服在脚下，以及作万有的头─19~23节。
c. In this transmission the church shares with Christ in all His attainments: the resurrection from the dead, His being seated in His transcendency,the subjection of all things under His feet, and the headship over all things—vv. 19-23.
3 主耶稣已经得了荣耀尊贵为冠冕（来二9）；祂是开拓者，开了一条进入幔内之荣耀的路，又是先锋（六19~20）；祂是我们的大祭司，是真帐幕的执事（八2）；作为登宝座者，祂乃是照神永远的经纶作神行政的中心（启五6）。─引用经文
3. The Lord Jesus has been crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 2:9); He is the Pioneer, who has cut the way into glory within the veil, and the Forerunner (6:19-20); He is our High Priest and the Minister of the true tabernacle (8:2); and, as the enthroned One, He is the center of God's administration according to God's eternal economy (Rev. 5:6).
4 这样的事才是在上面的事，我们应当思念这些事─西三2。
4. Such things are the things which are above, and we should set our mind on them—Col. 3:2.
5 寻求在上面的事乃是回应并返照基督在祂天上职事里的活动─来二17，四14，七26，八1~2，启五6，西三1~2。
5. To seek the things which are above is to respond to and reflect Christ's activities in His heavenly ministry—Heb. 2:17; 4:14; 7:26; 8:1-2; Rev. 5:6; Col. 3:1-2.
贰 为着寻求在上面的事并思念这些事，我们需要转向我们的灵并经历灵与魂的分开─来四12：
II. In order to seek the things which are above and to set our mind on them, we need to turn to our spirit and experience the dividing of the soul from the spirit—Heb. 4:12:
一 唯有当我们在灵里，我们就在天上，思念在上面的事；当我们不在灵里，我们就是属地的，思念在地上的事─西三2：
A. Only when we are in our spirit are we in heaven and mind the things which are above; when we are outside our spirit, we are earthly and mind the things which are on the earth—Col. 3:2:
1 寻求在上面之事的路乃是转到灵里，并呼求主的名─罗八16，十12。
1. The way to seek the things which are above is to turn to our spirit and call on the name of the Lord—Rom. 8:16; 10:12.
2 从天上的基督那里，到地上我们这里，借着我们灵里包罗万有的灵，有一种传输在进行─弗一19、22~23，二22：
2. There is a transmission taking place from Christ in heaven to us on earth by means of the all-inclusive Spirit in our spirit—Eph. 1:19, 22-23; 2:22:
a 我们的灵是接受神圣传输的一端，天上神的宝座是输送的一端─启五6。
a. Our spirit is the receiving end of the divine transmission, whereas the throne of God in heaven is the transmitting end—Rev. 5:6.
b 我们转到灵里，就被提高到天上─四1~2。
b. By turning to our spirit, we are lifted into heaven—4:1-2.
c 因着从天上神的宝座达到我们灵里的传输，当我们在地上经历并享受基督时，就同时也在天上了。
c. Because of the transmission from the throne of God in heaven into our spirit, when we experience and enjoy Christ here on earth, we are simultaneously in heaven.
d 我们在灵里便与基督同有一个地位，寻求在上面的事─西三1。
d. In spirit we are one in position with Christ, seeking the things which are above—Col. 3:1.
二 我们需要经历灵与魂分开─来四12：
B. We need to experience the dividing of the soul from the spirit—Heb. 4:12:
1 帖前五章二十三节表明，魂与灵是不同的，是两个分开的东西；魂与灵之间有很大的不同。─引用经文
1. First Thessalonians 5:23 shows that the soul and the spirit are not the same but are two separate items; there is a great difference between the soul and the spirit.
2 魂与灵可以被分开，因为是两个实体，两种本质；不论我们的灵如何深藏在我们的魂里，二者仍是两个不同的器官；所以我们需要经历分开我们的魂与我们的灵─来四12。
2. The soul and the spirit can be divided because they are two entities and are of two kinds of substances; regardless of how hidden our spirit is within our soul, they are still two distinct organs; thus, we need to experience the dividing of our soul from our spirit—Heb. 4:12.
3 灵是这样深藏在魂里，所以必须借着神那活的、有功效的、“比一切两刃的剑更锋利”的话，把灵从魂分开─12节。
3. The spirit is so hidden in the soul that it needs to be divided from the soul by the living and operative word of God, which is "sharper than any two-edged sword"—v. 12.
4 林前二章十四至十五节论到两种人─属魂的人和属灵的人：
4. First Corinthians 2:14 and 15 speak of two kinds of persons: the soulish man and the spiritual man:
a 属魂的人，和魂本身，不能领会或领受属灵的事─14节。
a. The soulish man, and the soul itself, cannot understand or receive the spiritual things—v. 14.
b 属灵的人看透属灵的事，并且喜欢领受属灵的事，也喜欢认识并经历在上面的事─15节。
b. The spiritual man discerns the spiritual things and likes to receive the spiritual things and to know and experience the things which are above—v. 15.
c 我们乃是凭灵领会并看透属灵的事，我们也是在灵里渴望得着属灵的事。
c. It is by the spirit that we understand and discern the spiritual things, and it is in the spirit that we desire to have the spiritual things.
三 借着经历魂与灵的分开并借着操练我们的灵，我们就能寻求在上面的事，并思念这些事；于是基督天上职事里的丰富就传输到我们里面，我们就被变化并为基督所构成─西三1~2，来七25~26，八1~2，罗十二2，林后三18，西三10~11。
C. By experiencing the dividing of our soul from our spirit and by exercising our spirit, we can seek the things which are above and set our mind on them; then the riches of Christ's heavenly ministry will be transmitted into us, and we will be transformed and constituted with Christ—Col. 3:1-2; Heb. 7:25-26; 8:1-2; Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10-11.