Books
创世记生命读经 · 第49篇

受割礼以达成神的目的

Circumcision for the Fulfillment of God’s Purpose
1几乎一切神圣的真理，都像种子一样撒在创世记里。在本篇信息中，我们来看圣经中一个重大且基本的真理－割礼，这个真理像种子一样撒在创世记十七章。要明白割礼，我们需要看见圣经中所揭示，神圣启示的两个要点。首先，神永远的目的是要人在地上彰显并代表祂自己。这事是全本圣经从创世记一章至启示录末章所启示的。其次，关于神达成祂目的的路。神达成祂目的的路，乃是将祂自己作到人里面，作人的生命和一切，使人能成为祂的彰显和代表。神目的的达成，不在于我们能作甚么，乃在于神将祂自己作到我们里面。我们若看见这两点，就能明白圣经中的基本真理。
1In the book of Genesis, nearly all the divine truths are sown as seeds. In this message we come to a great and basic truth in the holy Word that is sown as a seed in Genesis 17—circumcision. In order to understand circumcision, we need to see two main points of the divine revelation unfolded in the Bible. The first is that God’s eternal purpose is to have Himself expressed and represented by man on earth. This matter is revealed throughout the whole Bible, from the first chapter of Genesis through the last chapter of Revelation. The second point concerns God’sway of accomplishing His purpose. God’sway to fulfill His purpose is to work Himself into man as man’s life and everything so that man may become His expression and representation. The accomplishment of God’s purpose does not depend upon what we can do but upon God’s working Himself into us. If we see these two points, then we can understand the basic truths in the Bible
2神为著达成祂神圣的目的，呼召亚伯拉罕出迦勒底那鬼魔和偶像之地。我们已经看过，亚伯拉罕没有干干脆脆的答应神的呼召，而是拖泥带水的。他的父亲把他带到中途的哈兰。因著神的怜悯，亚伯拉罕在哈兰几乎完全答应了神的呼召，渡过大河来到神要他到的地方。那地邻近罪恶的所多玛城。亚伯拉罕很难留在神要他在的地方，不久以后，他漂流下到埃及。但因著神的主宰，这一个离开鬼魔的迦勒底，弃绝中途的哈兰，并且胜过罪恶的所多玛的亚伯拉罕，从属世的埃及被救出来，并被带回到神所拣选的地方。我们需要回想与亚伯拉罕有关，三位非常重要的人物－罗得、以利以谢和夏甲。亚伯拉罕离开哈兰时带著罗得，他可能在大马色得著以利以谢，又在埃及得著夏甲。这三人没有一个对亚伯拉罕有帮助；每一个都是难处。这三个人神都弃绝了。亚伯拉罕用他天然的力量与夏甲合作，产生了他的杰作－以实玛利，但以实玛利全然为神所弃绝。
2For the fulfillment of His divine purpose, God called Abraham out of Chaldea, a land of demons and idolatry. As we have seen, Abraham did not give a clear-cut answer to God’scall but dragged his feet through mud and water. His father brought him to Haran, the half-way place. By God’s mercy, Abraham answered God’scall nearly in a full way at Haran, crossed the great river, and came to the very place where God wanted him to be. That place was close to the sinful city of Sodom. It was not easy for Abraham to remain in the place where God wanted him to be and not long afterward he drifted down to Egypt. But by God’s sovereignty, Abraham, who had left demonic Chaldea, had forsaken halfway Haran, and had overcome sinful Sodom, was delivered out of worldly Egypt and was brought back to the place of God’s choosing. We need to recall the names of three very important persons related to Abraham—Lot, Eliezer, and Hagar. Abraham took Lot with him when he left Haran, and he probably acquired Eliezer at Damascus and Hagar in Egypt. None of these three was a help to Abraham; each one was a problem. God rejected all three of these persons. Abraham used his natural strength to coordinate with Hagar to produce his masterpiece— Ishmael. But Ishmael was absolutely rejected by God
（6） 受割礼以达成神的目的
6) Circumcision for the Fulfillment of God’s Purpose
3有这事为背景，我们现在来看割礼的事。（创十七9～14。）在创世记十七章的时候，亚伯拉罕已被夺去他所在过的一切地方，并他所得著的一切重要人物。迦勒底和哈兰已成过去，他也与埃及无关。虽然他在神所应许给他的地方，但这地方神尚未给他。所以亚伯拉罕没有迦勒底、哈兰、埃及、所多玛，或者应许之地的一分。不仅如此，罗得已经离开了他，以利以谢和以实玛利也都为神弃绝。只有撒拉和他在一起。两个老人，既没有得著甚么，也不能作甚么。亚伯拉罕也许看著撒拉说，『我们怎么办？我们一无所有，也一无所能。』在这个关头，神来了，向亚伯拉罕启示祂自己是以利沙代，那全丰全足的大能者。这时候神告诉亚伯拉罕，他的名字必须从亚伯兰改为亚伯拉罕，他妻子的名字也必须从撒莱改为撒拉。这事以后，神告诉他必须受割礼。亚伯拉罕已经被夺走每一个地方，每一个人，剩下的只有他的己。神就来对付亚伯拉罕的己，对付他的肉体、天然力量和天然才能。这己、肉体和天然力量必须除掉，必须受割礼。我们若是亚伯拉罕，也许会说，『神，你不知道你已夺了我许多么？全地上没有一个人像我这样。别人都有他自己的地方，我却一无所有。现在你要作甚么？要除去我么？』神也许会回答说，『亚伯拉罕，你说得对。我已经夺了你的迦勒底、哈兰、埃及、罗得、以利以谢、夏甲和以实玛利。我不会再夺你的甚么了。但我要割你。你所得的已经从你取去，你所是的现在要割去。』这就是割礼。为甚么需要受割礼？一面神需要人达成祂的目的，另一面神不要人的任何东西。然而，没有一个蒙召的人肯说，『神，我要为著你，但我不要我的任何东西为著你。我愿意让你取去我一切所有的，了结我一切所是的。』相反的，每个人都说，『赞美主，祂呼召了我。从今以后，我的所有和所是都要为著祂。』请看彼得的例子。三年半之久，主告诉门徒必须爱祂，并跟从祂。但没有一个门徒明白主不要他们的任何东西。当主告诉门徒，他们都要因祂绊跌，彼得就说，『即使众人因你绊跌，我总不绊跌，』又说，『我就是必须和你同死，也绝不会否认你。』（太二六33，35。）但主告诉彼得，『我实在告诉你，今夜鸡叫以前，你要三次否认我。』（太二六34。）主似乎对彼得说，『彼得，不要夸口。你没有甚么可夸的。今夜你要三次否认我。』彼得果真三次否认主。那三次的否认乃是彼得真正、实际的割礼。那骄傲、自信的彼得，被他否认主这把割礼的刀切成碎块。
3With this as the background, we come now to the matter of circumcision (17:9-14). At the time of Genesis 17, Abraham had been robbed of all the places where he had been and of all the important persons he had acquired. Chaldea and Haran were past, and he had nothing to do with Egypt. Although he was in the land that God had promised to give him, it had not yet been given to him. Thus, Abraham did not have Chaldea, Haran, Egypt, Sodom, or a portion of the promised land. Furthermore, Lot had separated from him, and both Eliezer and Ishmael had been rejected by God. Abraham was left alone with Sarah. They were two old people who had gained nothing and who were able to do nothing. Perhaps Abraham looked at Sarah and said, “What shall we do? We don’th ave anything and we can’t do anything.” At that juncture God came in, revealing Himself to Abraham as El - Shaddai, the all - sufficient Mighty One. It was then that God told Abraham that his name had to be changed from Abram to Abraham and that his wife’s name had to be changed from Sarai to Sarah. After that, God told Abraham that he had to be circumcised. Abraham had been robbed of every place and every person. The only thing that still remained with him was himself. God came in to deal with Abraham’s self, with his flesh, natural strength, and natural ability. This self, the flesh and natural strength, had to be cut off, circumcised. If we had been Abraham, we probably would have said, “God, don’tY ou know that You have robbed me of so much? There is no one like me on the whole earth. Everyone else has a place of his own, but I have nothing. What will You do now—get rid of me?” God might have answered, “Abraham, you are right. I have robbed you of Chaldea, Haran, Egypt, Lot, Eliezer, Hagar, and Ishmael. I will not rob you anymore, but I will cut you. What you have acquired has been taken from you, and what you are must now be cut.” This is circumcision. Why is there the need of circumcision? On the one hand, God needs man for the fulfillment of His purpose. On the other hand, God does not want anything of man. However, none of the called ones would say, “God, I want to be for You, but I don’t want anything of me to be for You. I am willing for You to take all that I have and terminate all that I am.” On the contrary, everyone says, “Praise the Lord that He has called me. From now on, whatever I have and whatever I am will be for Him.” Consider the example of Peter. For three and a half years the Lord told His disciples that they had to love Him and follow Him. But none of the disciples understood that the Lord did not want anything of them. When the Lord told the disciples that they all would be offended because of Him, Peter said, “If all shall be stumbled in You, I will never be stumbled,” and “Even if I must die with You, I will by no means deny You” (Matt. 26:33, 35). But the Lord told Peter, “Truly I say to you, that this night, before a cock crows, you will deny Me three times” (Matt. 26:34). The Lord seemed to be saying to Peter, “Peter, don’t boast. You have nothing to boast in. Tonight you will deny Me three times.” Peter did deny the Lord three times, and those denials were his actual and practical circumcision. The proud, self-confident Peter was cut into pieces by the circumcising knife of his denial of the Lord.
4我们都必须看见，虽然神为著祂的恢复的确需要我们，但祂不要我们的任何东西。我们很难认识这点。我们不是远离主，就是带著我们所有的一切到祂那里。日本弟兄也许会说，『我们日本人是世界上最忍耐的人。我要用日本人的忍耐事奉主。』但主不需要这种忍耐。有的姊妹也许会说，『主的确需要我们姊妹，我们也愿意为著祂。我们姊妹不像弟兄那样粗野；我们很细致。在召会生活中，我们的细致要为著主。』姊妹们，你们为著主是绝对正确的，但用你们自己的任何东西来为著主是绝对错误的。既然神不需要我们的任何东西，我们就都需要受割礼。割礼的种子不是撒在创世记十二或十五章，乃是撒在十七章，在亚伯拉罕被剥夺了许多东西之后。然后神再向他显现，揭示祂自己是有乳房的全丰全足的大能者，并且叫亚伯拉罕改名。亚伯拉罕必须有彻底的改变。神似乎说，『亚伯拉罕，现在你必须受割礼。你若不受割礼，我就无法藉著你达成我的目的。要得著一班人为著我的目的，必须有后裔。从这后裔要出来一班人，他们要得著地，在那里我要有管治权，要为著我的彰显建造我的殿，并寻得安息。这就是我的目的。但要达成我的目的，我不需要你的任何东西。我要为你作成一切，并成为你的一切。这是我把一切地方、一切的人从你取去的原因。现在我要你同意，并与我合作，除去你自己。我要割去你的肉体，但我不愿直接作这事，我要你为我作。我要你割除你的肉体，你愿意与我合作么？』我们不可把这事当作道理教训，或者当作圣经故事的说明。我们都必须认识，今天我们的需要是使我们自己受割礼。我真感谢主，我们中间许多人已经离开迦勒底和哈兰，也不在意所多玛和埃及，只留在主的恢复所在的地方。但是主如何能得著后裔？祂如何能得著地，好得著正当的召会生活，作祂的居所、管治、满足和安息？这不是藉著我们为祂作甚么，乃是单单藉著祂剥夺我们的许多东西。我们的聪明、智慧、天然才能、天然力量、以及我们天然人里一切的所是，都必须被主取去。你同意么？你若同意，就得拿起割礼的刀，割除你的肉体，你天然的人。这不是胜过罪或世界，乃是了结你自己，使那位全丰全足者有路进来作你的生命，作你的一切，甚至作你的自己。这就是割礼。愿那灵将这话说到我们众人里面。
4We all must see that although God does need us for His recovery, He does not want anything of us. It is difficult for us to realize this. We either stay away from the Lord or we come to Him with everything that we have. A Japanese brother may say, “We Japanese are the most patient people on earth. I shall serve the Lord with my Japanese patience.” But the Lord does not need this kind of patience. Some sisters may say, “The Lord certainly needs us sisters, and we are willing to be for Him. As sisters, we are not rough like the brothers; we are quite fine. In the church life, our fineness will be for the Lord.” Sisters, it is absolutely right for you to be for the Lord, but it is absolutely wrong that anything of yourselves be for Him. Since God does not want anything of us, we all need to be circumcised. The seed of circumcision was not sown in Genesis 12 or 15 but in Genesis 17, after Abraham had been robbed of so much. Then God appeared to Abraham again, unveiled Himself as the all-sufficient Mighty One with an udder, and told Abraham to change his name. Abraham had to have a radical change. God seemed to say, “Abraham, you must now be circumcised. If you are not circumcised, there is no way for Me to fulfill My purpose through you. In order to have a people for My purpose, there must be the seed. Out of that seed will come the people who will possess the land wherein I shall have dominion, build My temple for My expression, and find rest. This is My purpose. But for the fulfillment of My purpose, I don’t need anything of you. I will do everything for you and be everything to you. This is why I have taken every place and everyone away from you. Now I am asking you to agree with Me and cooperate with Me to get rid of yourself. I want your flesh to be cut off, but I don’t want to do it directly. I want you to do it for Me. I want you to cut off your flesh. Are you willing to cooperate with Me?” We must not take this as a doctrinal teaching or as an exposition of the stories in the Bible. We all must realize that our need today is to have ourselves circumcised. How grateful I am to the Lord that so many among us have left Chaldea and Haran and do not care for Sodom or Egypt, but remain in the very place where the Lord’s recovery is. But how can the Lord have the seed? How can He take possession of the land so that He may have the proper church life for His dwelling place, dominion, satisfaction, and rest? It is not by our doing anything for Him. It is only by the way of His robbing us of so many things. Our intelligence, wisdom, natural ability, natural strength, and all that we are in our natural being must be taken away by the Lord. Do you agree with this? If you do, then you must pick up the circumcising knife and cut your flesh, your natural being. This is not a matter of overcoming sin or the world; it is a matter of terminating yourself so that the all-sufficient One may have a way to come in to be your life, your everything, and even your very self. This is circumcision. May the Spirit speak this word into us all.
5在主恢复召会生活的行动中，最大的阻挠是我们天然的才能。阻挠主行动的，不是我们所不能作的，乃是我们所能作的。亚伯拉罕使用他天然的力量，就叫神离开他十三年。那是何等大的阻挠！亚伯拉罕虽然已被夺走了许多，但他仍然有他的肉体、天然才能和天然力量。他和夏甲生以实玛利，就是藉著他的肉体，用他的肉体。到了创世记十七章，时机成熟了，神要摸亚伯拉罕的肉体那阻挠的元素。神似乎说，『亚伯拉罕，我已经从你剥夺了许多，现在只剩下一件东西阻挠我在你身上恩典的工作，就是你的肉体。我要除去你的肉体，但因这事在你里面是这样的主观，我不强迫你。我要你与我合作，为著我割去你自己，使你自己受割礼。亚伯拉罕，你凭自己所能作的，没有一样能讨我的喜悦，只能得罪并羞辱我。只要你天然的力量存留，我就无路进到你里面生出以撒来。亚伯拉罕，你的天然力量、你的肉体必须割去。』创世记十七章的割礼是最关键的事。割礼是甚么意思？割礼就是除去你自己。神有一个目的，神也有蒙召的人，但有个阻挠使祂不能进来生出后裔，这阻挠就是我们的肉体。我们中间很多人已经到了对付肉体这个关键的点。历年来，我们已经被剥夺了许多东西，但我们的肉体、天然才能和天然力量，可能仍旧存在。我们若是继续使用我们的肉体，以撒就无法从我们生出，甚至无法在我们里面成孕。我们的需要乃是受割礼，了结自己，了结肉体。这就是圣经所说的割礼。
5The greatest frustration to the Lord’s move in His recovery of the church life is our natural ability. What frustrates the Lord’s move is not what we cannot do; it is what we can do. Abraham’s exercise of his natural strength kept God away from him for thirteen years. What a frustration that was! Although Abraham had been robbed of so much, he still had his flesh, natural ability, and natural strength. It was by and with his flesh that he produced Ishmael with Hagar. By the time of Genesis 17 the time was ripe for God to touch the frustrating element of Abraham’s flesh. God seemed to say, “Abraham, I have taken so much away from you. Only one thing is left to frustrate My gracious work in you—your flesh. I want to take this away from you, but since it is such a subjective matter in your being, I will not force you. I want you to cooperate with Me to cut yourself, to circumcise yourself for Me. Abraham, nothing that you can do by yourself will ever please Me. It can only offend and insult Me. As long as your natural strength remains, I have no way to come into you and bring forth Isaac. Abraham, your natural strength, your flesh, must be cut off.” This matter of circumcision in Genesis 17 is most crucial. What is the meaning of circumcision? It is to get rid of yourself. God has a purpose and He has the called ones, but there is a frustration to His coming in to bring forth the seed—our flesh. Many among us have come to the crucial point of dealing with the flesh. Throughout the years, we have been robbed of so many things, but our flesh, our natural strength, our natural ability may still remain. If we keep using our flesh, Isaac cannot be brought forth from us or even be conceived in us. Our need, then, is to be circumcised and to terminate the self, the flesh. This is what the Bible calls circumcision.
（a）割礼的意义
a) The Significance of Circumcision
《一》脱去我们的肉体
1) To Put off Our Flesh
6割礼的意义是甚么？割礼首先是脱去我们的肉体。（西二11，13上，申十16，耶四4上，徒七51。）今天许多基督徒说到胜过罪，但这不是基本的对付。基本的对付乃是脱去肉体。肉体的确包括有罪的肉体。但在圣经里，肉体所包括的远比这个广。肉体也包括我们天然的力量、才能、能力、才干，更包括我们天然的人，就是自我，就是『我。』因此脱去肉体，意思就是脱去『我，』就是了结自己。
6What is the significance of circumcision? Firstly, it is to put off our flesh (Col. 2:11, 13a; Deut. 10:16; Jer. 4:4a; Acts 7:51). Many Christians today talk about the overcoming of sin, but that is not the basic dealing. The basic dealing is to put off the flesh. The flesh does include the sinful flesh. However, in the Bible, the flesh includes much more than this, for it also includes our natural strength, ability, power, and talents. Moreover, the flesh includes our natural man, the ego, the “I.” Hence, to put off the flesh means to put off the very “I”; it means to terminate the self
7许多年前，我寻求胜过罪，但我只有部分的成功，直到我看见，我所需要的不是胜过罪，乃是了结我自己。我开始看见，『我』一旦了结，一切就都好了。这就是为何保罗说，已死的人，是已经从罪开释了。（罗六7。）我们越想胜过罪，就越被罪缠住，被罪困扰。胜过罪最好的方法是死了并葬了，这样罪就与我们无干了。因此，圣经中基本的对付不是胜过罪，乃是了结我们自己。虽然创世记几乎包含了圣经一切真理的种子，却没有包含胜过罪的种子。真正的对付罪不是胜过罪，乃是除去自己，使自己受割礼。我们一旦受了割礼，把自己了结，我们对罪就不会有问题了。你若还想要胜过罪，意思就是你仍旧活著。你若了结自己，你与罪就了了。所以这不是对付罪或想要胜过罪的问题，乃是了结我们自己的问题。这是割礼消极的意义。
7Many years ago I was seeking for the overcoming of sin, but I was only partially successful until I saw that my need was not to overcome sin but to terminate myself. I began to see that once I was terminated everything would be all right. This is why Paul said that he who has died is free from sin (Rom. 6:7). The more we try to overcome sin, the more we are involved with and troubled by it. The best way to overcome sin is to be dead and buried. Then sin will have nothing to do with us. Thus, the basic dealing in the Bible is not to overcome sin but to terminate ourselves. Although the book of Genesis contains nearly all the seeds of the biblical truths, it does not contain the seed of the overcoming of sin. The real dealing with sin is not to overcome it but to get rid of ourselves, to circumcise ourselves. Once we have been circumcised and have ourselves terminated, we shall have no problem with sin. If you are still trying to overcome sin, it means that you are still living. If you terminate yourself, you will be through with sin. Therefore, it is not a matter of dealing with sin or of trying to overcome it; it is a matter of terminating ourselves. This is the negative significance of circumcision
《二》将我们带进复活
2) To Bring Us into Resurrection
8割礼积极的意义，乃是将我们带进复活。（西二12。）割礼总是在第八天举行的。（创十七12。）在表号上，八这数字表征复活。这就是说，我们没有复活，就不能受割礼。割礼必须在复活里，并且割礼总是将我们引进复活，正如死将人引进复活一样。一面我们已经与基督同钉十字架，与祂同埋葬，另一面这钉十字架与埋葬要将我们引进祂的复活。当我们被了结，并被引进复活里，我们就成了一个新人。我们仍然是我们，但我们现在是另一个人，因为我们有另一个生命、性情和构成。我们是在复活里的人。只有在复活里，我们才能达成神永远的目的。用我们天然的力量，我们不能讨神的喜悦，或达成祂的目的。我们的己和天然力量必须藉割礼除去。然后在复活里，我们要成为另一个人。
8The positive significance of circumcision is to bring us into resurrection (Col. 2:12). Circumcision was always performed on the eighth day (17:12). In figure, the number eight signifies resurrection. This means that we cannot have circumcision without resurrection. Circumcision must be in resurrection, and it will always usher us into resurrection, just as death ushers people into resurrection. On the one hand, we have been crucified with Christ and have been buried with Him. On the other hand, this crucifixion and burial will usher us into His resurrection. When we have been terminated and ushered into resurrection, we become a new person. We are still we, but we are now another person because we have another life, nature, and constitution. We are people in resurrection. Only by being in resurrection are we able to fulfill God’s eternal purpose. In our natural strength, we can do nothing to please God or to fulfill His purpose. Our self and our natural strength must be cut off in circumcision. Then in resurrection we shall become another person
《三》等于受浸
(3) Equal to Baptism
9旧约中的割礼，等于新约中的受浸。（西二11～12。）受浸和受割礼都有同样的目的，就是了结我们天然的人，将我们带进复活。我们相信主耶稣以后为甚么要受浸？因为知道我们的旧人已经与祂同钉十字架，并且我们必须埋葬，使我们在祂的复活里与祂是一。因此，亚伯拉罕受割礼和我们受浸有同样的意义。受割礼和受浸的原则相同。亚伯拉罕在创世记十五章得称义，却在十七章受割礼。割礼怎样是亚伯拉罕得称义的标记，受浸也照样是我们得救的记号。我们如何证明我们已经得救了？是藉著过受浸的生活，就是已经钉死、埋葬并复活之人的生活。我们若是过这样的生活，人人都能在我们身上看见得救的记号。
9Circumcision in the Old Testament is the equivalent of baptism in the New Testament (Col. 2:11-12). Both baptism and circumcision have the same purpose — to terminate our natural being and bring us into resurrection. Why are we baptized after believing in the Lord Jesus? Because we realize that our old man has been crucified with Him and that we must be buried so that we may be one with Him in His resurrection. Hence, Abraham’s circumcision has the same significance as our baptism. In both circumcision and baptism the principle is the same. Although Abraham was justified in Genesis 15, he was circumcised in Genesis 17. As circumcision was the sign of Abraham’s being justified, so baptism is the mark of our being saved. How can we prove that we have been saved? By living a life of baptism, a life of one who has been crucified, buried, and resurrected. If we live such a life, everyone will be able to see upon us the mark of our salvation.
《四》相当于人名的更改
(4) Corresponding to the Changing of Human Names
10割礼相当于人名的更改。（创十七5～，15～16。）我们看过，改名就是改人。亚伯拉罕的名字更改了，他这个人也改变了。这对雅各尤其真实。雅各改名为以色列时，他这个人就改变了。（创三二27～28。）这名字的更改只有藉著割礼，藉著将我们自己了结，并将我们引进复活，才能完成。然后，我们不再是天然的人，乃是复活的人。被了结并被引进复活，乃是人真正的改变。因此，割礼相当于改名。现在我们能明白，为甚么改名和割礼都启示在同一章。这两件事实际上是一件事。改名和割礼的意义，都是了结我们的旧人并将我们带进复活，使我们成为另一个人。
10Circumcision corresponds to the changing of human names (17:5-6, 15-16). As we have seen, to change the name is to6 change the person. When Abraham’s name was changed, his person was changed also. This was especially true of Jacob. When Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, his person was changed (32:27-28). This change of name can only be accomplished through circumcision, through having ourselves terminated and ushered into resurrection. Then we are no longer a natural person but a resurrected person. Being terminated and ushered into resurrection is the real changing of a person. Hence, circumcision corresponds to the changing of names. Now we can understand why the changing of names and circumcision are both revealed in the same chapter. These two things are actually one. The changing of names and circumcision both mean to terminate our old being and to bring us into resurrection so that we may be another person.
（b）不在于外表的肉体和字句，乃在于内里的心和灵
b) Not Outwardly in the Flesh, in the Letter, but Inwardly of the Heart, in the Spirit
11罗马二章二十八至二十九节说，『外表上肉体的割礼，也不是割礼。…割礼也是心里的，在于灵，不在于字句。』割礼不是外表的事，乃是内里的事。（腓三3。）受浸也是同样的。受浸不该只是仪式，必须是内里的实际。让我告诉你，我在四十多年前听到的故事。在中美洲，天主教接纳许多没有得救的人，并为他们施浸。有一天，一个神父在一个男孩头上洒几滴水，把他改名为约翰。那时天主教坚持，教徒在礼拜五只吃鱼，不吃肉。有一个礼拜五，这个约翰只有肉吃。既然神父已经洒水在他头上，把他改名为约翰，他想他也能同样处理这肉。于是他洒水在肉上，称肉为鱼。然后他用水煮肉。他正在煮的时候，神父经过，闻到煮肉的香味，就对约翰生气，问他在作甚么。约翰回答说，『我没有作错甚么事。这不是肉，是鱼。你不记得你在我头上洒水，把我改名为约翰么？我是照著你的作法，洒水在肉上，称肉为鱼。』这不是真正的受浸，也不是真实的改名。受浸必须在灵里有内里的实际，不是在外表的形式上洒几滴水在人头上。
11Romans 2:28-29 says that circumcision is not “outward in the flesh,” but “of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter.” Circumcision is not an outward matter; it is an inward one (Phil. 3:3). The same is true of baptism. Baptism should not just be a form; it must be an inward reality. Let me tell you a story that I heard more than forty years ago. In Central America, the Catholic Church accepted and baptized as members many people who were not saved. One day, a certain priest sprinkled a few drops of water on a boy’she ad and changed his name to John. At that time, the Catholic Church insisted that on Fridays its people eat only fish, not meat. One Friday, this John had only meat to eat. Since the priest had sprinkled water on his head and had changed his name to John, he thought that he could do the same to the meat. Therefore, he sprinkled water on it and called the meat fish. He then proceeded to cook the meat by boiling it. As he was boiling the meat, the priest came by. Smelling the aroma of boiling meat, he was angry with John and asked him what he was doing. John replied, “I am doing nothing wrong. This is not meat; it is fish. Don’ty ou remember sprinkling water on me and changing my name to John? I followed your way and sprinkled water on the meat and called it fish.” This is not real baptism nor the genuine changing of names. Baptism must be an inward reality in the spirit, not an outward form of sprinkling a few drops of water on a person’she ad.
（c）基督的割礼
c) The Circumcision of Christ
12歌罗西二章十一节说到『基督的割礼。』真正的割礼乃是在基督里。基督的割礼和受浸一样，意思是了结我们的旧人，使我们成为新造、新人。加拉太六章十五节说，『受割礼不受割礼，都无关紧要，要紧的乃是作新造。』歌罗西书启示基督是我们的永分，（西一12，）是我们的生命，（西三4，）是我们荣耀的盼望，（西一，）我们必须凭祂这后裔活著，并在祂这土地上行事为人。（西二7。）我们若要在基督里行事为人，就不可受别的事物打岔。凭基督活著并在基督里行事为人的路，乃是与祂一同埋葬。我们已经与基督一同埋葬的人，已经被带进祂的复活里，这不是凭著我们的努力，乃是凭著神的运行，就是凭著神的灵所实施的运行。当我们看见我们已经与基督一同了结，一同埋葬，并被引进祂的复活，内住的灵就要以运行印证我们所看见的，把基督的丰富供应到我们里面，使我们成为在复活里的人。这不仅仅是教训；乃是神的运行，就是活的灵在我们里面的运作。这就是基督的割礼。
12Colossians 2:11 speaks of “the circumcision of Christ.” Real circumcision is in Christ. The circumcision of Christ, like baptism, means to terminate our old being and to make us a new creation, a new person. Galatians 6:15 says, “For neither is circumcision anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” The book of Colossians reveals that Christ is our eternal portion (1:12), our life (3:4), and our hope of glory (1:27), and that we must live by Him as the seed and 27 walk in Him as the land (2:6). If we are to walk in Christ, we must not be distracted by other things. The way to live by Christ and walk in Christ is to be buried with Him. We who have been buried with Christ have been brought into His resurrection, not by our effort but by the operation of God, which is carried out by the Spirit of God. When we realize that we have been terminated with Christ, buried with Him, and ushered into His resurrection, the indwelling Spirit will honor our realization with an operation, minister the riches of Christ into us, and make us a person in resurrection. This is not a matter of mere teaching; it is the operation of God, the exercise of the living Spirit within us. This is the circumcision of Christ.
13歌罗西三章九至十节告诉我们，我们已经脱去旧人，并且穿上了新人。这是真正的改名，是割礼的真正意义，也是受浸的真正经历。割去肉体就是脱去旧人，并且穿上新人。既是新人，我们就有后裔来达成神的目的。不仅如此，我们在新人里，我们就是在那地上，在召会中。这全然是经历基督的事。我们看见我们已经与基督一同了结，并被引进祂的复活，内住的灵就要在我们里面运行，藉以印证这事，使我们脱去旧人，并且穿上新人。这样，神就得著后裔和地，来达成祂永远的目的。
13Colossians 3:9-10 tells us that we have put off the old man and have put on the new man. This is the real changing of names, the true significance of circumcision, and the genuine experience of baptism. To circumcise the flesh is to put off the old man and to put on the new man. Then as the new man, we shall have the seed for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Moreover, when we are in the new man, we are in the land, the church. This is altogether a matter of the experience of Christ. When we see that we have already been terminated with Christ and ushered into His resurrection, the indwelling Spirit will honor this by operating within us so that we can put off the old man and put on the new man. In this way, God has the seed and the land for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose
（d）不是我，乃是基督
d) Not I, but Christ
14加拉太二章二十节说，『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。』真正的改名乃是把我改为基督。这才是受割礼和受浸的意义。基督的割礼作成一件事，就是把我变为基督。然后就不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活著。
14Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” The real changing of names is the change from I to Christ. This is the significance of circumcision and the meaning of baptism. The circumcision of Christ works out one thing—the change from I to Christ. Then it is no longer I, but Christ who lives in me
（e）不是我，乃是神的恩典
e) Not I, but the Grace of God
15最终，『不是我，乃是基督，』成为『不是我，乃是神的恩。』（林前十五10。）使徒保罗说，他比别的使徒格外劳苦；但这不是他，乃是神的恩典。恩典是甚么？我们看过，恩典就是神临到我们，作我们的一切。在创世记十八章十节和十四节，我们看到一个非常奇特的说法：『在约定的时候，我要回到你这里，在生命的时候，撒拉必生一个儿子。』（直译。）这是甚么意思？神不需要为了使撒拉生儿子而来。我们若是亚伯拉罕，也许会说，『主阿，你不需要这么麻烦。你只要留在天上说一句话，撒拉就必生儿子。』但是主说，以撒的出生是祂的来临，祂的临到。神的来临几乎就是以撒的出生。神似乎说，『以撒的出生就是我的临到。以撒不是出于你，乃是出于我的来临。当我回到你这里，撒拉必生一个儿子。我的来临就是以撒的出生。』我不是说，以撒是神，或者神是以撒；但我确说，看起来神的回来几乎就是以撒的出生。以撒是不寻常的人。虽然他是人，他的出生却是神眷临的结果。神的眷临是甚么？就是恩典。因此亚伯拉罕和撒拉都能说，『不是我，乃是神的恩典。』
15Eventually, the “not I, but Christ” becomes “not I, but the grace of God” (1 Cor. 15:10). The Apostle Paul said that he labored more than the other apostles; yet it was not he, but the grace of God. What is grace? As we have seen, grace is God coming to us to be everything for us. In Genesis 18:10 and 14 we find a very strange saying: “At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” What does this mean? There was no need for God to come in order for Sarah to have a son. If we had been Abraham, we probably would have said, “Lord, You don’t need to do that much. You can simply stay in heaven and say a word, and Sarah will have a son.” But the Lord said that the birth of Isaac would be His coming, His arrival. It seems that the coming of God was very nearly the birth of Isaac. God seemed to be saying, “The delivery of Isaac will be My arrival. Isaac will not be out of you, but out of My coming. When I return to you, Sarah will have a son. My coming will be the birth of Isaac.” I am not saying that Isaac is God or that God is Isaac, but I do say that it appears that the return of God nearly was the birth of Isaac. Isaac was an unusual person. Although he was a human being, his birth was the result of a divine visitation. What was that divine visitation? It was grace. Hence, both Abraham and Sarah could say, “It is not I, but the grace of God.”
16神称以撒出生的时候为约定的时候。这约定是在创世记十七章二十一节立的，那时神说，『到明年这时节，撒拉必给你生以撒，我要与他坚定所立的约。』神称这约定的时候为生命的时候，说，在生命的时候，祂必回来，撒拉必生一个儿子。这是非常有意义的。我们作的每件事，都必须在生命的时候，并凭著神的眷临。我们所生的后裔，必须是主在祂恩典的眷临中来临。这恩典的眷临就是以撒的出生。这证明只有神所作到我们里面的基督，才能成为后裔得著地，以达成神的目的。这绝对是恩典的事。这不是我，乃是基督。这不是我，乃是神的恩典。赞美主，我们实在有基督和神的恩典作到里面，使我们能有后裔并得著地。我们有基督作我们的后裔，有召会生活作我们的地。这全然是割礼的结果。
16God called the time of Isaac’s birth the appointed time. The appointment was made in 17:21, when God said, “My covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.” God called that appointed time the time of life, saying that according to the time of life He would return and Sarah would have a son. This is very meaningful. Everything we do must be according to the time of life and by God’s visitation. The seed that we bring forth must be the coming of the Lord in His visitation of grace. This visitation of grace is the birth of Isaac. This proves that only the very Christ whom God has wrought into our being can be the seed to possess the land for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. This is absolutely a matter of grace. It is not I, but Christ. It is not I, but the grace of God. Praise the Lord that we do have Christ and the grace of God worked into us so that we can have the seed and possess the land. We have Christ as our seed and the church life as our land. This is altogether the result of circumcision