基督的扩增
正如夏娃是亚当的妻子，教会也照样是基督的新妇（约三29，启十九7，二一2，9）。不仅如此，夏娃是亚当的扩增，教会也是基督的扩增（约三30）。当人告诉施浸者约翰，众人都到基督那里去了，约翰说，“娶新妇的，就是新郎”。然后他继续说，“祂必扩增，我必衰减”。三十节的扩增就是二十九节的新妇。主要得着扩增，意思就是说，祂必要得着新妇。凡跟随的人，必须到祂那里去。所有信祂的人都该跟随祂，作祂的扩增。虽然约翰在这事上说了清楚的话，但他不愿意这样实行。这就是神许可他被下在监里，后来被斩首的原因。至终，施浸者约翰甚么也没有得着；一切的扩增，就是新妇，都到新郎那里，成为祂的扩增。正如夏娃是亚当的扩增，作基督新妇的教会也照样是基督的扩增。
基督保养教会
保养必定出自供应。没有供应，就不可能有保养。基督是神格丰满的具体化身。因此，神一切的丰富都在祂里面，祂也享受这些丰富。然后祂以自己所享受的神格丰富，来保养教会。今天我们若要得着基督的保养，就需要住在祂里面，吸取祂的成分进到我们的所是里，作生命和生命的供应。我们要实际的经历这事，就需要天天接触活的话，因为神的话乃是生命和生命供应的具体化。我们越住在主里面，越接触神的话，就越经历祂的保养。教会所有的肢体都必须操练住在主里面。我们和主之间不该有绝缘体，不该有分隔，也不该与祂脱节。一旦我们与祂脱节，滋养的供应就断绝了。
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A Mysterious Type of Christ and the Church (4) – John 3:29
Christ Increase
As Eve was Adam’s wife, so the church is Christ’s Bride (John 3:29; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9). Furthermore, Eve was Adam’s increase, and the church is Christ’s increase (John 3:30). When John the Baptist was told of the many who were coming to Christ, John said, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom” (John 3:29). Then he went on to say, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (v. 30). The increase in verse 30 is the Bride in verse 29. For the Lord to increase means that He must have the Bride. All the following must go to Him. All those who believe in Him should follow Him to be His increase. Although John spoke a clear word regarding this, he was not willing to practice it. This was the reason that God allowed him to be imprisoned and later beheaded. Eventually, John the Baptist received nothing, and all the increase, the Bride, went to the Bridegroom to be His increase. Just as Eve was Adam’s increase, so the church as the Bride of Christ is Christ’s increase.
Christ Nourishing the Church
Nourishment must come out of a supply. Without a supply, it is impossible to have nourishment. Christ is the embodiment of the fullness of the Godhead. Hence, all the riches of God are in Him, and He enjoys these riches. Then He nourishes the church with the very riches of the Godhead that He Himself has enjoyed. If we would be nourished by Christ today, we need to abide in Him to absorb His content into our being as life and the life supply. In order to experience this in a practical way, we daily need to contact the living Word, for the Word is the embodiment of life and of the life supply. The more we abide in the Lord and contact the Word, the more we experience His nourishing. All the members of the church need to practice abiding in the Lord. There should be no insulation, no separation, between us and the Lord and no detachment from Him. As soon as we are detached from Him, the supply of nourishment is cut off.