Books
创世记生命读经 · 第47篇

用割礼坚立神的约

God’s Covenant Confirmed with Circumcision
（4） 神的约得坚立
4) God’s Covenant Confirmed
1在本篇信息中，我们要来看创世记十七章。本章记载神对亚伯拉罕一次重要的对付，以坚立祂的约。我们已经看过，亚伯拉罕蒙了呼召，他也接受了神的呼召、神的应许和神的约。神呼召亚伯拉罕以后，就给他应许，又藉著与他立约，坚立这应许。但亚伯拉罕领受了这约以后，接受他妻子的题议，用自己的肉体从夏甲生出后裔，结果就是以实玛利。在这里我们看见三件事：撒拉的题议，夏甲的权宜，并亚伯拉罕的肉体，因而生了以实玛利。
1In this message we come to Genesis 17, a record of God’s crucial dealing with Abraham in confirming His covenant. We have seen that Abraham was called and that he received God’scall, promise, and covenant. After God called Abraham, He gave him the promise and then He confirmed the promise by making a covenant with him. After Abraham received the covenant, he accepted his wife’s proposal to exercise his flesh along with the expediency of Hagar to produce a seed. The result was Ishmael. Here we see three things: Sarah’s proposal, Hagar’s expediency, and Abraham’s exercise of the flesh to produce Ishmael
（a）因亚伯拉罕使用肉体，神隐蔽了十三年
a) God’s Disappearing for Thirteen Years Because of Abraham’s Exercise of the Flesh
2亚伯拉罕也许认为用他的肉体生以实玛利并不严重，但按照神为著祂永远目的的经纶来说，却非常严重。我们若比较十七章一节和十六章末节，就能看见这两章之间有十三年的时间，在那十三年中，亚伯拉罕的生活一无记载。亚伯拉罕八十六岁生以实玛利，十三年后，他九十九岁，那时神才再向他显现。在这漫长的十三年中，亚伯拉罕这蒙神呼召的人，这凭信而活并学习认识恩典以达成神目的的人，失去了神的同在。没有神的同在，是何等严重的事！
2Abraham might have thought that it was not serious for him to exercise his flesh to produce Ishmael, but according to God’secon o my for His eternal purpose, it was very serious. If we compare the first verse of chapter seventeen with the last verse of chapter sixteen, we can see that between these two chapters there was a period of thirteen years and that there was no record of Abraham’s life during those thirteen years. When Abraham brought forth Ishmael, he was eighty- six years of age, and thirteen years later, when he was ninety- nine, God appeared to him again. During that long period of thirteen years, Abraham, a man called by God, a man who was living by faith and who was learning to know grace for the fulfillment of God’s purpose, missed God’s presence. How serious it is not to have God’s presence
3亚伯拉罕答应神的呼召，开始为自己的生存凭著相信神而活，但他失败了。因著信心不足，他下到埃及，在那里甚至打算牺牲自己的妻子。按人的观念，这比用夏甲生以实玛利坏得多。但我们若仔细读这几章，会看见神不喜悦亚伯拉罕用夏甲生以实玛利，甚于他下到埃及。当然，亚伯拉罕下埃及不好，但这不像他用肉体生以实玛利那样得罪神。下埃及是外面的失败，但娶夏甲生以实玛利是里面的失败。里面的失败是更深的，因这不仅仅与环境有关，更与生命有关。娶夏甲生以实玛利不只是对错或犯罪的问题，乃是生命的问题。我们凭自己作的，没有一样是生命。我们凭自己作的，无论是甚么，都不是生命。生命乃是神自己。生命乃是神在我们这人里面，作我们的所是。我们无论作甚么，都不该凭自己，乃该凭那作到我们里面之神的所是。我们凭自己无论作甚么，都不是生命，乃是死亡，因为那是我们天然己的结局。
3After Abraham had answered God’s calling and had begun to live a life by faith in God for his existence, he had a failure. Being short of faith, he went down to Egypt where he was even planning to sacrifice his wife. According to the human concept, that was much worse than using Hagar to produce Ishmael. But if we read these chapters attentively, we shall see that God was not as displeased with Abraham’s going down to Egypt as He was with his using Hagar to produce Ishmael. Of course, it was not good for Abraham to go down to Egypt, but that did not offend God as much as his exercise of the flesh to bring forth Ishmael. Going down to Egypt was a failure without, but taking Hagar to produce Ishmael was failure within. It was deeper, for it was not merely related to circumstances but to life. Taking Hagar to produce Ishmael was not simply a matter of right or wrong or of committing a sin; it was a matter of life. Nothing that we do by ourselves is life. Whatever we work by ourselves is not life. Life is God Himself. It is God being something to us in our very being. We should not do anything by ourselves but by God’s being wrought into us. Whatever we do by ourselves is not life but death, for it is the issue of our natural self.
4在神的眼中，我们天然的己比罪更肮脏，更污秽。虽然罪在神面前是不洁的，但不如我们天然的己那样得罪神。我们都承认罪的严重性，却少有人认识天然的己更严重。我们若犯了罪，会立刻向神认罪，但我们若凭天然的己作了一些善事，却不觉得我们在得罪神。我若恨一位弟兄，我很容易承认这是罪，并向神认罪。但我若凭天然的己爱这位弟兄，就很难认识这是得罪神的。罪只违反神的公义，我们天然的己却违反神自己。神要进到我们里面作我们的生命，作我们的一切，使我们能凭祂生活、工作并作一切。但当我们凭我们的己，天然的己行事时，就把神摆在一边。藉此我们能看见，天然的己是违反神自己的。这不但违反神的公义和圣别，也违反神自己。神对亚伯拉罕的心意，乃是要把祂自己作到亚伯拉罕里面，使亚伯拉罕生出孩子，好达成神的目的。神不要亚伯拉罕凭天然的力量作这事。然而，亚伯拉罕却用他天然的力量生一个孩子，为要达成神的目的。没有一件事比这种天然的作为更得罪神。凭我们天然的己工作，是最得罪神的事。对亚伯拉罕来说，娶夏甲并不很严重。他的妻子撒拉甚至题议这事，她认为既然亚伯拉罕老了，她的生育也断了，这样作会帮助亚伯拉罕生出后裔。但神曾应许他们要得一个儿子。他们不知道这事如何能实现，就采取权宜措施，利用埃及使女夏甲，生了一个孩子。他们不知道这事是极其得罪神，这对神乃是侮辱。所以，神向那亲爱的蒙召者隐蔽了十三年。似乎神在那样长的时间转脸不看他，也拒绝和他说话。圣经没有记载那段期间发生了甚么事。我们只能从创世记十六章末节和十七章一节知道，十三年后神再向亚伯拉罕显现。按照圣经的记载，亚伯拉罕十三年的生命浪费了。在属天的记载中，那些年日失去了，因为亚伯拉罕用天然的己行事，为要成就神的目的。
4In the eyes of God, our natural self is more dirty and more defiling than sin. Although sin is unclean in the presence of God, it is not as offensive to God as our natural self is. While we all recognize the seriousness of sin, not many people realize the seriousness of our natural self. If we commit a sin, we would immediately confess it to God, but if we do certain good things by our natural self, we do not have the sense that we are offending God. If I hate a particular brother, it is easy for me to recognize that this hatred is a sin and confess it as such to God. But if I love this brother by my natural self, it would be difficult to realize that this is against God. Sin only offends God’s righteousness, but our natural self offends God Himself. God wants to come into us to be our life and our everything that we may live, work, and do everything by Him. But when we do things by our self, our natural self, we put Him aside. By this we can see that the natural self is against God Himself. It is not only against God’s righteousness or holiness but against God Himself. God’sin tent i on with Abraham was that He would work Himself into Abraham so that Abraham might bring forth a child to fulfill God’s purpose. God did not intend that Abraham do this by his natural strength. Nevertheless, Abraham used his natural strength to bring forth a child to fulfill God’s purpose. Nothing offends God more than this kind of natural doing. Working by our natural self is the most offensive thing to God. To Abraham, it was not so serious for him to take Hagar. His wife, Sarah, even proposed this, thinking that it would help Abraham to produce the seed since Abraham was old and she was out of function. But God had promised that they would have a son. Since they did not know how this could come about, they took the expediency of using Hagar, the Egyptian maid, to produce a child, not realizing how offensive that was to God. It was an insult to Him. Therefore, God disappeared from His dear called one for thirteen years. It was as if God had turned His face away from Abraham and had refused to speak to him for that length of time. There is no record in the Bible of what happened during that period of time. We only know from the last verse of chapter sixteen and the first verse of chapter seventeen that God reappeared to Abraham thirteen years later. According to the Bible record, thirteen years of Abraham’s life were wasted. In the heavenly record those years were lost because Abraham exercised his natural self to do something for the fulfilling of God’s purpose.
（b）神的全丰全足所要求的完全
b) Perfection Required by God’sA ll-sufficiency
5创世记十七章一节说，『亚伯兰年九十九岁的时候，耶和华向他显现，对他说，我是全足的神，你要行在我面前，你要完全。』（另译。）在这里我们看见，神嘱咐亚伯拉罕两件事－亚伯拉罕必须行在全丰全足的神面前，并且必须完全。在十六章亚伯拉罕没有行在神面前；他行在撒拉、夏甲和以实玛利面前。他既没有行在神面前，神就来告诉他，要行在神面前，并且要完全。神告诉亚伯拉罕要完全，指明他在那时以前并不完全。在十六章亚伯拉罕并不完全，他缺少一些东西。在我们进一步来看行在神面前以及要完全的意义之前，我们需要先知道十七章一节之全足的神这名称的意义。在希伯来文里，这名称是『以利沙代，』El－。『以利，』El，意思是强者，大能者；『沙代，』Shaddai，含示胸部，乳房，意思是全丰全足的。『以利沙代，』El－Shaddai，是有乳房的大能者，有全丰全足供应的大能者。乳房分泌乳汁，而乳汁是全丰全足的供应，其中有水、矿物质和多种养分，含有我们日常生活所需要的一切。所以以利沙代的意思是全丰全足的大能者。
5Genesis 17:1 says, “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the all-sufficient God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Heb.). Here we see that God charged Abraham with two things—that Abraham had to walk before the all-sufficient God and that he had to be perfect. In chapter sixteen, Abraham did not walk before God; he walked before Sarah, Hagar, and Ishmael. Since he had not walked before God, God came and told him to walk before Him and to be perfect. God’s telling Abraham to be perfect indicates that before that time he was not perfect. In chapter sixteen, Abraham was imperfect; he lacked something. Before we consider further what it means to walk before God and to be perfect, we need to learn the meaning of the title of God in 17:1, the all-sufficient God. In Hebrew this title is El-Shaddai. El means the Strong One, the Mighty One, and Shaddai, Shaddai implying the meaning of breast, udder, means all- sufficient. El - Shaddai is the Mighty One with an udder, the Mighty One who has the all - sufficient supply. An udder produces milk, and milk is the all-sufficient supply, having water, minerals, and many vitamins in it and containing all that we need for our daily living. So El-Shaddai means the all- sufficient Mighty One.
6当亚伯拉罕凭他天然的己行事的时候，他忘了他供应的源头。换句话说，他忘了神是他全丰全足供应的源头。所以，神临到亚伯拉罕，似乎这样说，『我是有乳房的大能者。你缺少甚么？为甚么不到我这里来？你饥渴么？到我这里来。你供应的源头不是你天然的己，乃是我这有乳房的大能者。我是全丰全足者，能供应你生活所需要的一切，以及你成就我永远目的所需要的一切。我是源头，你不是源头。你不该靠自己或凭自己而活。你必须凭我作你供应的源头而活。』创世记十七章不像十四章是至高的神和天地之主的问题，这章完全是有乳房之大能者的问题。当亚伯拉罕惧怕他敌人的时候，神来对他说，『亚伯兰你不要惧怕，我是你的盾牌，必大大的赏赐你。』（创十五1。）那时神似乎对他说，『你无须惧怕你的敌人，我是你的盾牌和保护。』但在亚伯拉罕凭他天然的己，作了一些事为要达成神的目的，就是作了一些违反神自己的事以后，神似乎来对他说，『我是以利沙代，是有乳房的大能者，你不该靠自己或凭自己作甚么。你必须认识我是你的供应。』乳房不是给我们用来杀人的武器，乃是分泌那进入我们里面作我们供应的奶汁。神的供应必须像奶一样进入我们里面。神不要你用自己的力量生出后裔，来达成祂的目的；祂要你喝祂的奶，将祂自己的成分吸取到里面，使你能生出后裔。我们若没有新约，绝不会充分的领会神这名称，但现在我们能充分的领会这名称。今天我们可以不断的凭著接受这位有乳房之大能者的供应而活。你有没有天天从那神圣的乳房接受供应？这不是盾牌的保护，为著抵挡仇敌；乃是乳房的供应，为著生出后裔。这不是得到好的职业，顶替差的职业，乃是给我们供应，当这供应接受到我们里面，就要成为我们的构成成分，好生出孩子，达成神永远的目的。你天天接受的是甚么供应？我们乃是从那有神圣乳房的大能者接受供应。我们天天都在祂的乳房下，得著全丰全足的供应。神对我们就是这样一位全丰全足的大能者。在十七章一节，神吩咐亚伯拉罕要行在祂面前。这是甚么意思？这意思就是享受主。行在主面前，意思就是不断的享受祂乳房的供应。你要行在祂面前，享受祂神圣乳房全丰全足的供应么？行在神面前，意思不是恐惧的行在那神圣者面前。不，那有全丰全足之乳房的大能者，供应我们日常所需要的一切。当我们享受祂供应的时候，我们就是行在祂面前。神也吩咐亚伯拉罕要完全。要完全是甚么意思？亚伯拉罕不完全，意思不是他不好，乃是他缺少神。我们没有神，就不能得完全。没有神，就没有完全。没有祂，我们总是缺了甚么。无论我们在自己里面多完全，我们还是缺少神，需要凭著并藉著神得完全。你的家庭生活若没有神，你的家庭生活就不完全。神若不在你的婚姻生活中，你的婚姻生活就不完全。没有神，就没有完全。假定你的手只有四根指头，虽然可能是一只好手，但既然没有拇指，牠就不完全。你的手需要加上拇指才得完全。因此，要完全的意思就是需要神加到我们里面。行在神面前的意思就是享受神，得完全的意思就是让神加到我们里面。你曾否看见，你的完全就是神自己？你曾否看见，无论你在人的眼中多美好、多完全，没有神你就有所缺？我们在自己里面没有完全的因素，那完全的因素乃是神自己。神必须加到我们的生命中。祂若没有加到我们的生命中，我们的生命仍不完全。
6When Abraham did things by his natural self, he forgot the source of his supply. In other words, he forgot God as his all-sufficient source of supply. Therefore, God came to Abraham and seemed to say, “I am the Mighty One with an udder. Are you lacking something? Why don’t you come to this udder? Are you hungry or thirsty? Come to this udder. The source of your supply is not your natural self, but I, the Mighty One with an udder. I am the all- sufficient One who can supply everything you need for your living and everything you need for the fulfillment of My eternal purpose. I am the source. You are not the source. You should not live on your own or by yourself. You have to live by Me as the source of your supply.” In chapter seventeen it is not a matter of the Most High God or of the Possessor of heaven and earth as in chapter fourteen; it is absolutely a matter of the Mighty One with an udder. When Abraham was afraid of his enemies, God came in and said, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (15:1). At that time God seemed to say to Abraham, “You don’t need to be afraid of your enemies. I am your shield and protection.” But after Abraham had done something of his own natural self to fulfill God’s purpose, doing something that was against God Himself, God came in and seemed to say, “I am El-Shaddai, the Mighty One with an udder. You should not do anything on your own or by yourself. You must realize that I am your supply.” An udder does not give us weapons with which to kill people but milk that comes into us as our supply. God’s supply must come into us as milk. God does not want you to energize your strength to produce a seed for the fulfillment of His purpose; He wants you to drink of His milk, to take something of Himself into you so that you might produce a seed. If we did not have the New Testament, we could never understand adequately this title of God, but now we can understand this title adequately. Today we may constantly live by taking the supply of the Mighty One with an udder. Are you receiving the supply from the divine udder day by day? This is not the protection of the shield against the enemy; it is the supply of the udder for producing the seed. This is not a matter of receiving a good job in place of a poor one but of rendering us the supply which, when taken into us, will become the very constituent to produce a child for the fulfilling of God’s eternal purpose. What supply are you receiving day after day? We are receiving the supply from the Mighty One with His divine udder. Day by day we are under His udder and have the all-sufficient supply. God is such an all-sufficient Mighty One to us. In 17:1 God told Abraham to walk before Him. What does this mean? It means to enjoy the Lord. Walking before the Lord means that we constantly enjoy Him and the supply of His udder. Will you walk before Him, enjoying the all-sufficient supply of His divine udder? To walk before God does not mean that we walk before Him fearfully as before the Holy One. No, the Mighty One with the all-sufficient udder supplies all of our daily need. As we are enjoying His supply, we are walking in His presence. God also told Abraham to be perfect. What does it mean to be perfect? For Abraham to be imperfect did not mean that he was not good; it meant that he was short of God. None of us can be perfected without God. Without God, there is no perfection. Without Him we are always lacking something. Regardless of how perfect we may be in ourselves, we are still short of God and need to be perfected by and with God. If your home life is without God, your home life is not perfect. If God is not in your married life, your married life is imperfect. There is no perfection without God. Suppose your hand had only four fingers. Although it might be a good hand, since it did not have the thumb, it would not be perfect. Your hand would need to be perfected by the addition of the thumb. If one day the thumb would come to be added to your hand, your hand would be perfect. Hence, to be perfect means that we need God to be added to us. To walk before God means to enjoy Him, and to be perfected means to have God added to us. Have you ever realized that your perfection is God Himself? Have you ever realized that regardless of how good you are or how perfect you are in human eyes, without God you are short of something? We do not have the perfecting factor in ourselves, for the perfecting factor is God Himself. God must be added into our lives. If He is not added into our lives, our lives will remain imperfect.
7为甚么神要求亚伯拉罕要完全？因为神从前是，现在仍是全丰全足的大能者。祂既是全丰全足的大能者，我们就没有理由或藉口不完全了。我们缺少甚么，神就是甚么。你缺少力量么？神就是力量。你需要能力么？神就是能力。我们需要甚么，神就是甚么。所以，神的全丰全足要求我们要完全。我们没有理由贫穷，我们在天上的银行里有大量的存款。实际的说，要完全的意思，就是我们的生活和工作不倚靠肉体的力量，乃信靠全丰全足的大能者。我们不该倚靠我们天然的己或肉体的能力，乃该在每件事上信靠神的全丰全足。譬如，我们许多人受到脾气的搅扰，为甚么我们有时会发脾气？因为那时侯我们不信靠神。我们的发脾气该迫使我们学一个功课－绝不要离开神，每时每刻都信靠祂。不要想去胜过你的脾气。你若忘掉你的脾气，每时每刻都信靠神，就自然会胜过你的脾气。一切的不完全都是由于一件事，就是我们离开了全丰全足的大能者。我们一离开祂，我们就像切断电流的电器，无法使用了。我们都必须学习使自己不断的在神里面。这就是要完全的路。当我是年轻的基督徒时，我读创世记十七章一节，我知道我不完全。我缺少恩慈、谦卑、忍耐、爱、以及其他许多的美德和属性。因此，我在祷告中决定，要靠著主的帮助有爱、忍耐、谦卑、恩慈、和其他我所缺少的美德。但我必须说，我从来没有成功。每当我读创世记十七章一节，我不懂要完全是甚么意思。至终我看见，在我们生命中完全的因素就是神自己，我需要神加到里面。我们所有的，最多是四根指头，我们没有拇指。无论我们怎样训练那四个指头作事，还是不完全，因为牠们没有拇指。我们的手需要加上拇指才得完全。
7Why did God require Abraham to be perfect? Because God was and still is the all-sufficient Mighty One. Since He is the all-sufficient Mighty One, there is no reason or excuse for us to be imperfect. Whatever we lack, God is. Do you lack strength? God is strength. Do you need energy? God is energy. God is whatever we need. Thus, God’sa ll-sufficiency requires us to be perfect. There is no reason for us to be poor; we have a large deposit in the heavenly bank. Practically speaking, to be perfect means that we do not rely upon the strength of the flesh but trust in the all-sufficient Mighty One for our life and work. We should not rely upon the exercise of our natural self or upon the energy of our flesh. We must always trust in God’sa ll-sufficiency for everything. Many of us, for example, are troubled by our temper. Why do we lose our temper at certain times? Because at those times we do not trust in God. The losing of our temper should force us to learn one lesson—never to stay away from God but to trust in Him every moment. Do not try to overcome your temper. If you forget your temper and trust in God every moment, your temper will be overcome. Every imperfection is due to one thing: that we keep ourselves away from the all-sufficient Mighty One. When we keep ourselves away from Him, we are like an electrical appliance that will not work because it is cut off from the supply of electricity. We all must learn to keep ourselves constantly in God. This is the way to be perfect. When as a young Christian I read 17:1, I realized that I was not perfect. I lacked kindness, humility, patience, love, and many other virtues and attributes. Therefore, in my prayer I made the decision that with the help of the Lord I would have love, patience, humility, kindness, and the other virtues that I lacked. But I must tell you that I never succeeded. Whenever I read 17:1 I could not understand what it meant to be perfect. Eventually I saw that the perfecting factor in our life is God Himself and that I needed to have God added into me. The most that we have is four fingers; we do not have the thumb. Regardless of how much we might train our four fingers to do things, they will still be imperfect because they are without the thumb. We need the thumb to be added to our hand to make it perfect
（c）名字的更改
c) The Changing of Name
8现在我们来看改名的事。在创世记十七章五节神对亚伯拉罕说，『从此以后，你的名不再叫亚伯兰，要叫亚伯拉罕，因为我已立你作多国的父。』亚伯兰的意思是崇高的父，亚伯拉罕的意思是众民的父。虽然亚伯拉罕是崇高的父，但他不是众民的父，多国的父。然而在十七章五节，他的名字从崇高的父改为众民的父。在希伯来文里，亚伯兰这名只由四个字母组成，由英文字母A－b－r－m代表。亚伯拉罕这名多加了一个字母h。这指明四加一。四是受造之物的数字，一是造物者的数字。因此，正如四根指头加上一根拇指，成了一只完整的手；照样，人加上神就等于完全。四加一等于五，五是负责的数字。我们是四，无论多好，仍然缺少一。要成为五，负责达成神永远的目的，我们必须加上一，就是神。亚伯兰改名有甚么意义？其意义就是神加到他里面。在十七章以前，亚伯拉罕只是亚伯兰，他是没有加上神的人。但在创世记十七章，因著神加到他里面，不但他的名字改了，他这人也改变了。一个独一的字母加到四个字母里，神加到人里。神是完全的因素；没有祂，我们就不完全。我们都需要神加到我们里面，这才是完全。人的名字是他的实际。亚伯拉罕的名字改了，表征他这人改变了。他原来的名字指明他是崇高的父，现在神把他的名字改了，指明他要作众民的父。达成神永远目的所需要的，不是崇高的父，乃是众民的父；不是崇高的个人，乃是繁增的人，就是有一大群人作他繁增的人。神需要众多的人来达成祂的目的，为此祂需要一位生产的父。大多基督徒渴望成为崇高属灵的人。他们越寻求这样的属灵，越不结果子，越单独，不能产生后裔。但神需要我们在生产后裔上繁增，而不需要我们在寻求属灵上崇高。为此，我们需要改名，就是改变我们这个人。崇高的父必须改变为众民的父。寻求崇高属灵的人，必须改变为生养众多的人。这需要那寻求属灵的己被了结。甚至这样的己也必须被了结，使我们成为繁增的人，（不是崇高的人，）好达成神的目的。
8Now we come to the changing of name. In 17:5 God said to Abraham, “Neither shall thy name anymore be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.” Abram means an exalted father, and Abraham means the father of a great multitude. Although Abraham was a high father, he was not the father of a multitude, the father of many nations. But in 17:5 his name was changed from exalted father to the father of a multitude. In Hebrew the name Abram is composed of just four letters represented by the English letters A-b-r-m. The name Abraham is composed with one additional letter—h. This indicates four plus one. Four is the number of the creature, and one is the number of the Creator. Hence, as four fingers plus one thumb makes a complete hand, so man plus God equals perfection. Four plus one equals five, the number of responsibility. Regardless of how good we may be as the number four, we are still short of the number one. In order to be the number five, bearing the responsibility to fulfill God’s eternal purpose, God must be added to us. What was the significance of the changing of Abraham’s name? It was that God was added into him. Before Genesis 17, Abraham was just Abram, a man who did not have God added to him. But in Genesis 17 the man, and not only his name, was changed by having God added into him. One unique letter was added to the four letters, and God was added into man. God is the perfecting factor. Without Him we are imperfect. We all need God to be added into us. This is perfection. As the person is the reality of one’s name, so the changing of Abraham’s name signifies the changing of his person. His original name indicated that he was an exalted father. Now God changed his name to indicate that he would be the father of a great multitude. What is needed to fulfill God’s eternal purpose is not an exalted father but a father of a great multitude, not an exalted individual but a multiplied person, a person with a great multitude as his multiplication. God needed a great multitude of people to fulfill His purpose, and for this He needed a producing father. Most Christians desire to be a person with exalted spirituality. The more they seek this kind of spirituality, the more they become barren and individualistic, producing no seed. But God needs us to be multiplied in producing seed, not exalted in seeking spirituality. For this we need the changing of name, the changing of our person. The exalted father has to be changed to the father of a great multitude. The exalted-spirituality-seeking person has to be changed to the multitude-producing person. This requires the termination of the spirituality-seeking self. Even this kind of self has to be terminated so that we may be a multiplied person, not an exalted one, for the fulfilling of God’s purpose.
9在十七章十五节我们看见，撒拉的名字也改了。『神又对亚伯拉罕说，你的妻子撒莱，不可再叫撒莱，她的名要叫撒拉。』撒莱的意思是我的公主，撒拉的意思是公主。在『公主』前面『我的』这辞指明狭窄；但『公主』这辞指明宽广。撒莱的名字改为撒拉，因为她不是狭窄的，乃是宽广的，要作多国之母。在十七章十六节神说，『我必赐福给她；也要使你从她得一个儿子，我要赐福给她，她也要作多国之母，必有百姓的君王从她而出。』当神加到我们里面，我们就变得更为宽阔。神若没有加到我们里面，我们不但不完全，并且是狭窄的。虽然你是弟兄或姊妹，但若没有神加到你里面，你就是狭窄的弟兄或姊妹。你这作丈夫的，若没有神加到你里面，就是个狭窄的丈夫。你这作妻子的，若没有神加到你里面，就是个狭窄的妻子。甚么能使我们宽阔？只有神自己。你若要作宽广的人，有宽广的眼光，宽广的心思、心和灵，你就需要神扩大你。不管我们是谁，只要我们没有神加到我们里面，我们总是说『我的兴趣，』『我的利益，』『我的将来，』『我生命的长大，』『我的寻求主，』『我在召会聚会中的功用』这类的事。除非神扩大我们，我们就不会关心别人。我们的名字原是『我的公主，』必须改为『公主。』我们说，『这是我的日子，我的房子，我的时间，我的这个，我的那个，』这是因为我们缺少神。然而我们一旦加上了神，我们立刻就变得宽广了。当神加到我们里面，我们不但要成为众民的父，也要成为多国的公主，使神永远的目的得以达成。我们都需要这样的改变。这样的改变来自神加到我们里面，使我们这狭窄的人得以宽广。
9In 17:15 we see that Sarah’s name was also changed. “And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.” Sarai means my princess and Sarah means princess. The word “my” before princess indicates narrowness, but princess by itself indicates broadness. Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah because in abroad way, not in a narrow way, she was to be a mother of many nations. In 17:16 God said, “And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.” When God is added into us, we become wider and broader. Without God’s being added into us, we are not only imperfect but also narrow. Although you may be a brother or sister, if you do not have God added into you, you are a narrow brother or sister. If you are a husband who does not have God added into you, you are a narrow husband. If you are a wife who does not have God added into you, you are a narrow wife. What can widen us? Only God Himself. If you are going to be a broadened person with a broadened view and with a broadened mind, heart, and spirit, you need God to enlarge you. Regardless of who we are, as long as we do not have God added into us, we always say things such as, “my interest,” “my profit,” “my future,” “my growth in life,” “my seeking of the Lord,” “my function in the church meetings.” Unless God enlarges us, we shall not care for others. Our name, which is “my princess,” must be changed to “princess.” We say, “This is my day, my house, my time, my this, and my that,” because we are short of God, but once we have God added to us, we immediately become broadened. When we have God added into us, we shall not only become a father of a great multitude but also a princess of many nations for the fulfilling of God’s eternal purpose. We all need such a change, a change which comes from God being added into us to broaden our narrow person
10我们都需要从『我的公主』改变为『公主，』从狭窄的属灵观念变化为宽广并全面的属灵，使我们不再是『我的』公主，乃是『多国的母，』关心别人，并有后裔来达成神的目的。这也需要我们老旧、天然的人被了结，使我们变化为新人，产生后裔，顾到许多人，使神的目的因著众民得以达成。为著神永远的目的，我们需要成为『众民的父』和『多国的母。』我们需要变化成为已经繁增且正在繁增的人，并成为宽广且全面的人。
10We all need to be changed from “my princess” to “princess,” transformed from our narrow concept of spirituality to a broadened and general spirituality that we may be no longer “my” princess but a “mother of nations,” caring for others and having the seed for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. This also requires the termination of our old and natural man so that we may be transformed into a new person, producing the seed, caring for many others, and enabling God’s purpose to be fulfilled with a great multitude. For God’s eternal purpose we need to be the “father of a great multitude” and the “mother of nations.” We need to be transformed into a multiplied and multiplying person and into a broadened and general person.
（d）用割礼所坚立的约
d) The Covenant Confirmed with Circumcision
11为了使神加到我们里面，并使我们成为宽广，我们需要受割礼，在创世记十五章神与亚伯拉罕立的约，在创世记十七章用割礼得了坚立。对神来说，祂无须再次坚立这约，因为祂已经坚立过一次；但从亚伯拉罕这面来说，这约必须得坚立。神对祂的约是忠信的，亚伯拉罕却不然，因为他曾用天然的力量生出以实玛利。既然难处的原因，是亚伯拉罕用他天然的能力与夏甲生出以实玛利，神就要亚伯拉罕受割礼，藉以坚立祂的约。（创十七9～11，13。）在新约里，我们可以看到割礼的意义。割礼的属灵意义就是脱去肉体，脱去己和旧人。歌罗西二章十一至十二节说，『你们在祂里面也受了非人手所行的割礼，乃是在基督的割礼里，脱去了肉体的身体，在受浸中与祂一同埋葬，也在受浸中，藉著那叫祂从死人中复活之神所运行的信心，与祂一同复活。』割礼是脱去肉体，就是旧人的事，不是对付罪的事。严格说来，割礼与对付罪无关；割礼乃是与基督一同钉十字架，并一同埋葬。割礼的意思就是了结你的己，了结你的肉体。在创世记十六章亚伯拉罕用他的肉礼，但在创世记十七章这里，神要他割去肉体。在创世记十六章他用天然的力量，但在创世记十七章他的力量必须被了结。这就是受割礼。今天的问题也是一样。只要我们天然的力量还在，神就很难进来作我们的一切，来达成祂的目的。神要进到我们里面作我们的一切，但我们的肉体、我们天然的人和力量、我们的旧人、我们老旧的己，阻挠神来作我们的一切。这个己，这个旧人，必须被了结，必须受割礼，也就是必须钉十字架。我要告诉你们好消息，我们的旧人已经钉了十字架。（罗六6。）对亚伯拉罕来说，旧人要钉十字架；但对我们来说，旧人已经钉了十字架。我们都必须看见这事实，算定这事实，并且凭信接受这事实。我们能凭信宣告，我们的肉体，我们天然的人及其力量，已经钉了十字架。『我已经与基督同钉十字架；现在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活著。』（加二20。）旧人，己，已经钉了十字架，我们都需要凭这认识活著。我们若宣告这事实，并照著这事实生活，复活的神就立刻有路进到我们里面，作我们的一切，以完成祂的经纶。
11In order for us to have God added into us and to be broadened we need to be circumcised. The covenant that God made with Abraham in Genesis 15 was confirmed in Genesis 17 with circumcision. There was no need for God to confirm it again, for He had confirmed it once already, but it had to be confirmed from Abraham’ss i de. While God was faithful to His covenant, Abraham was not because he had used his natural strength to produce Ishmael. Since Abraham’su se of his natural energy with Hagar to produce Ishmael was the cause of the trouble, God confirmed His covenant by having Abraham circumcised (17:9-11, 13). In the New Testament we can find out the significance of circumcision. The spiritual meaning of circumcision is to put off the flesh, to put off the self and the old man. Colossians 2:1 1-1 2 says, “In whom also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, buried together with Him in baptism, in whom also you were raised together through the faith of the operation of God, who raised Him from among the dead.” Circumcision is a matter of putting off the flesh, the old man; it is not a matter of dealing with sin. In a strict sense, circumcision has nothing to do with the dealing with sin; it is a matter of being crucified and buried with Christ. Circumcision means to terminate your self, to terminate your flesh. Abraham exercised his flesh in Genesis 16, but here, in Genesis 17, God wanted his flesh to be cut off. In Genesis 16 he had energized his natural strength, but in Genesis 17 his strength had to be terminated. This is circumcision. The problem is the same today. As long as our natural strength remains, it is difficult for God to come in to be our everything for the fulfillment of His purpose. God wants to come into us to be everything to us, but our flesh, our natural being and strength, our old man and our old self, are a frustration to God’s being everything to us. This self, this old man, must be terminated. It must be circumcised, that is, crucified. I want to tell you the good news that our old man has been crucified already (Rom. 6:6). With Abraham, it was to be crucified, but with us, it has been crucified already. We all must see this, reckon on it, and take it by faith. By faith we can declare that our flesh, our natural man with its strength, has been crucified. “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). We all need to live with the realization that the old man, the self, has been crucified. If we declare this and live according to it, then the God of resurrection immediately has the way to come into us and to be everything to us for the carrying out of His economy.
12割礼是本于信得称义的记号，印记。（罗四11。）然而，许多基督徒却忽略这记号。他们也许认识并宣告已经本于信得称义，但在本于信得称义之后，他们却没有了结己的记号。你怎能向人显示你已经被神称义了？你必须过一种了结己的生活。你必须给人看见，你不再凭自己活，乃是凭基督活。这样，你的生活就成为你已经得称义的记号。在基督的复活里过钉十字架的生活，乃是我们得称义的记号。假定我这得救的人已经被神称义，但我仍然凭自己生活、行动、工作，凭自己作一切，若是这样，人就很难看出我是得称义的人，他们甚至会怀疑我是否得救了。但我若过钉十字架的生活，把自己摆在一边，接受基督作我的生命，就没有人会怀疑我本于信得称义了。每个人都会说，『赞美主！毫无疑问，这里有一位已经被神称义的弟兄。』了结己的生活，是我们得称义的记号和印记。藉割礼坚立约，与达成神目的的后裔和地有关。（创十七2～8。）为了达成神要人彰显并代表祂的永远目的，我们需要得著基督作我们的后裔和地。为了得著基督作我们的后裔和地，以达成神的目的，我们需要受割礼，并过钉十字架的生活。割礼是为著达成神的目的。当肉体、己和旧人被了结，门就开了，让神进来而生出以撒。
12Circumcision is a sign, a seal, of justification by faith (Rom. 4:11). However, many Christians neglect this sign. Although they may realize and declare that they have been justified by faith, after having been justified by faith they do not have the sign of the termination of the self. How can you show people that you have been justified by God? You must live a life of the termination of the self. You must show that you are no longer living by yourself but that you are living by Christ. Then your living becomes a sign of your having been justified. To live a crucified life in the resurrection of Christ is a sign of our being justified. Suppose I, a saved person who has been justified by God, still live, act, and work by myself, doing everything by myself. If such is the case, it will be difficult for anyone to recognize that I am a justified person. People may even doubt that I am saved. But if I live a crucified life, putting myself aside and taking Christ as my life, no one could doubt that I have been justified by faith. Everyone would have to say, “Praise the Lord! There is no doubt that here is a brother who has been justified by God.” The life of the termination of the self is a sign and a seal of our justification. The confirmation of the covenant by circumcision concerned the seed and the land for the fulfillment of God’s purpose (17:2-8). In order to fulfill God’s eternal purpose that man express and represent Him, we need to have Christ as our seed and as our land. In order to have Christ as the seed and the land for the fulfillment of God’s purpose, we need to be circumcised and to live a crucified life. Circumcision is for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. When the flesh, the self, and the old man have been terminated, the door is open for God to come in and bring forth Isaac
13犹太人总是在出生后第八日行割礼。（创十七12。）第八日是新的七日的第一日，表明在复活里新的开始，新的起头。每当我们过钉十字架的生活，我们就在复活里有新的起头。当我们拒绝并否认自己，且过钉十字架的生活，我们立刻在复活里有新的开始。也许你已经结婚多年，但你若今天开始过钉十字架的生活，你的婚姻就会在复活里有新的起头，你的婚姻会得著更新。甚么时候有割礼，甚么时候就有第八日。换句话说，甚么时候我们过钉十字架的生活，甚么时候我们就在复活里。
13Among the Jews, circumcision was always practiced on the eighth day (17:12). The eighth day was the first day of a new week and denoted a new start, a new beginning in resurrection. Whenever we live a crucified life, we have a new beginning in resurrection. When we reject and den yourself and live a crucified life, we immediately have a new beginning in resurrection. Although you might have been married for many years, if today you begin to live a crucified life, you will have a new beginning in resurrection in your marriage, and your marriage will be renewed. Whenever there is circumcision there is the eighth day. In other words, whenever we live a crucified life, we are in resurrection.
14所有不受割礼的人都与这约隔绝。在十七章十四节神对亚伯拉罕说，『但不受割礼的男子，必从民中剪除，因他背了我的约。』今天这也是真实的。我们若不过钉十字架的生活，我们便与基督，与召会生活，并与神圣乳房的供应隔绝。甚么时候我们不愿受割礼，在达成神永远的目的上，我们就了了。今天我们享受神，凭基督活著，实行召会生活，全在于一件事，就是受割礼，过钉十字架的生活。
14All of the uncircumcised people were cut off from this covenant. In 17:14 God said to Abraham, “And the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.” This is true today. If we do not live a crucified life, we are cut off from Christ, from the church life, and from the supply of the divine udder. Whenever we are unwilling to be circumcised, we are finished with the fulfilling of God’s eternal purpose. Today our enjoying God, our living by Christ, and our practicing the church life all depend upon one thing—upon circumcision, upon living a crucified life
（e）应许生以撒
e) The Birth of Isaac Promised
15在创世记十七章十五至二十节，我们看见以撒出生的应许比从前更确定。我们所以知道这事，因为那里题到了以撒这名，并且指定了他的母亲。在前几章神说，祂要给亚伯拉罕一个后裔，亚伯拉罕要生出这后裔；但神没有题到这后裔要出自撒拉，也没有说到这后裔要名叫以撒。但在这几节，我们看见神确定的应许那后裔是以撒，并且以撒要从撒拉而生。
15In 17:15-21 we see the birth of Isaac promised more definitely than ever before. We know that it is more definite because the name Isaac was mentioned and his mother was designated. In the foregoing chapters, God said that He would give Abraham a seed and that Abraham would bring forth the seed, but God did not mention that the seed would be out of Sarah. Neither did He say that the seed would be named Isaac. But in these verses we see that God promised in a definite way that the seed would be Isaac and that Isaac would be born of Sarah
《一》亚伯拉罕老迈如同已死，撒拉的生育已经断绝
1) After Abraham Had Become as Old as Dead and Sarah Had Become out of Function
16神确定的坚立那后裔出生的应许，是在亚伯拉罕老迈如同已死，撒拉的生育也断绝了的时候。也许亚伯拉罕会对撒拉说，『撒拉，我已经一百岁，你也九十岁了；我快要死了，你也不能生育了。我们都成了无有和无能的人了。』成为无有是美妙的，因为那时这位有乳房的大能者能进来为我们作一切。我愿意自己已经一百岁，并且成为无有。成为无有会给这位大能者、全丰全足者绝佳的机会，用祂所喜欢的东西𫗪养我，供应我。甚至在今天，神多次要给我一分新的奶汁，而我说，『不，我还有一些办法，一些能力，一些力量。』我们都需要成为一百岁的人。但不要想去装作好像已经一百岁的人。本篇信息告诉你，你需要成为一百岁的人，并且成为无有，你读完以后，也许就装作是一百岁的人。但你不能一夜之间就成为无有。主知道我们还有多少。然而，原则是我们都需要成为无有，好使那全丰全足的大能者进来作我们的一切，用祂全丰全足的乳房供应我们所需要的。
16The promise of the birth of the seed was confirmed definitely at the time when Abraham was as old as dead and Sarah was out of function. Perhaps Abraham said to Sarah, “Sarah, I am a hundred years old and you are ninety. I am dying and you are out of function. We both have become nothing and we can do nothing.” It is wonderful to become nothing, for then the Mighty One with an udder can come in to do everything for us. I would like to be a hundred years of age and become nothing. Becoming nothing would afford the Almighty One, the all-sufficient One, the best opportunity to feed me and to supply me with whatever He likes. Even today there are times when God would like to give me a new portion of milk, and I say, “No, I still have some way, some energy, some strength.” We all need to become a hundred years of age. But do not try to act as if you are already a hundred years of age. After reading this message telling you that you need to be a hundred years of age and become nothing, you may pretend to be a hundred years of age. But you cannot become nothing overnight. The Lord knows how much we still are. Nevertheless, the principle is that we all need to become nothing so that the all-sufficient Mighty One may come in to be our everything with His all-sufficient udder to render us the supply that we need.
《二》不凭亚伯拉罕天然的力量，乃凭神的眷临
2) Not by Abraham’s Natural Strength but by God’s Visitation
17当亚伯拉罕和撒拉成为无有以后，神就应许以撒要从撒拉而生。（创十七16，19，21。）这意思是，以撒的出生不是凭亚伯拉罕和撒拉的能力，而完全是神恩典眷临的结果，在创世记十八章十、十四节我们清楚看见，以撒的出生是由于神在生命的时候回到亚伯拉罕这里。神对亚伯拉罕恩典的眷临，包括祂用祂所是的一切，𫗪养并供应亚伯拉罕。神必是那供应亚伯拉罕生出以撒所需要之奶的乳房。以撒不是凭亚伯拉罕天然所是的元素生出来的，乃是凭出自神圣乳房的全丰全足供应生出来的。
17After Abraham and Sarah had become nothing, God promised that Isaac would be born of Sarah (17:16, 19, 21). This means that the birth of Isaac was not the result of Abraham and Sarah’s energy but that it was absolutely the result of God’s gracious visitation. In 18:10, 14 we see clearly that the birth of Isaac was due to God’s return to Abraham at the time of life. His gracious visitation to Abraham included His feeding and supplying him with all that He was. God had to be the udder supplying the milk that Abraham needed to bring forth Isaac. Isaac was not produced by any element in Abraham’s natural being; he was brought forth by God’sa ll-sufficient supply out of the divine udder
《三》凭肉体生出的后裔以实玛利，为神所弃绝
3) Ishmael, the Seed Produced by the Flesh, Being Rejected by God
18凭肉体生出的后裔以实玛利，为神所弃绝。（创十七18，二一10。）我们凭自己的能力或天然的己无论作甚么，总是为神所弃绝。你可以凭遵守律法行善，但那也会被神弃绝。凡我们凭天然的己和旧人而有的生活、行事和工作，都要完全被弃绝。很少基督徒知道，甚至他们天然的良善也为神所弃绝。凡是我们凭天然的己、天然的力量、天然的才干、或天然的人所作的，不论好坏，都要被神弃绝。
18Ishmael, the seed produced by the flesh, was rejected by God (17:18; 21:10). Whatever we do by our ability or by our natural self will always be rejected by God. Although you may do good by keeping the law, that will be rejected by God. Whatever we live, do, and work by the natural self and the old man will be altogether rejected. Not many Christians realize that even their natural goodness is rejected by God. Whatever we do by our natural self, natural strength, natural ability, or natural man, regardless of whether it is good or bad, will be rejected by God
《四》凭神恩典生出的后裔以撒，被设立来达成神的目的
4) Isaac, the Seed Brought Forth by God’s Grace, Established for the Fulfillment of God’s Purpose
19只有凭神的恩典，凭出自神圣乳房的供应所生出的后裔以撒，才是神所设立来达成祂永远目的的。（创十七19，21，二一12，罗九7～9。）神只尊重从祂所出的，因为只有凭祂恩典的供应，从祂生出的后裔，才能达成祂的目的。这意思是神只尊重基督，不尊重任何出于我们的己、我们天然的人的事物。只有我们从神圣的乳房所经历，作我们恩典供应的基督，才能达成神的目的。只有这位基督要被设立为真正的后裔，以达成神的目的。我们的以实玛利已被弃绝，但我们的以撒，基督，在神的经纶中已经且要被设立。
19Only Isaac, the seed brought forth by God’s grace, by the supply out of the divine udder, was established for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose (17:19, 21; 21:12; Rom. 9:7-9). God will only honor what is out of Him because only the seed that is produced out of Him by the supply of His grace can fulfill His purpose. This means God will only honor Christ, not anything out of our self, our natural man. Only the Christ whom we experience of the divine udder as our supply of grace can accomplish God’s purpose. Only this Christ will be established as the real seed for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Our Ishmael was rejected, but our Isaac, Christ, has been and will be established in God’secon o my.
20现在我们能看见恩典是甚么。恩典的意思就是神把出于祂所是的一些元素传输到我们里面，作我们的供应，这供应就成了我们藉以生出以撒，以达成神永远目的的元素。亚伯拉罕蒙召以后，学习为自己的生存，凭著相信神而活。然后从创世记十五章起，神开始在认识恩典以达成祂的目的上训练他。我们在十五、十六、十七章已经清楚看见这事，我们的己、肉体、天然的力量、天然的人以及旧人，必须被了结，使我们能接受神作我们的供应，使神一些神圣的所是能作到我们里面，成为我们生出以撒以成就神应许的元素，这就是恩典。
20Now we can see what grace is. Grace means that God transmits some element out of His being into us to be our supply and that this supply becomes the very element by which we bring forth Isaac for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. After Abraham was called, he learned to live by faith in God for his existence. Then, beginning with Genesis 15, God began to train him in the matter of knowing grace for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. We have seen this clearly in chapters fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen. Our self, flesh, natural strength, natural man, and old man must be terminated so that we might take God as our supply and that some of God’s divine being might be wrought into us to be the element to produce Isaac for the fulfillment of God’s promise. This is grace