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创世记生命读经 · 第53篇

一根盐柱

A Pillar of Salt
1前一篇信息说到罗得，他是一个失败的义人，本篇信息要说到罗得的妻子，她变成了一根盐柱。（创十九26。）创世记十九章也许是人类历史中关于盐柱惟一的记载，我们需要非常仔细的来看。这根盐柱不是神创造的，乃是罗得的妻子变成的。路加十七章记载，有一次人问主耶稣关于国度来到的事，主很重的说，『你们要回想罗得的妻子。』（路十七32。）这话是非常有意义的。在某种意义上，主似乎是对门徒说，『不要谈论国度。你们倒要知道，当国度来到的时候，那个世代要如何。那个世代要像挪亚的日子和罗得的日子。这两种日子都是我来临之日的豫影。』因此，在主郑重、严肃、清明的话里，题到三种世代：挪亚的世代，罗得的世代，和主回来时的世代。我们在前几篇信息说到挪亚时，曾指出他是活在一个被迷惑的世代；那世代的人已被自己的私欲和邪恶的宴乐所迷惑、麻醉并毒化。在路加十七章二十七节，当主说到挪亚的日子，祂题到嫁娶的事。然而，当祂说到罗得的日子，祂没有题到嫁娶，因为在所多玛，婚姻已经完全被破坏了，人们沉湎在所多玛式的情欲中。主在路加十七章二十八和三十节说，『又好像罗得的日子，人吃喝买卖，栽种盖造，…人子显现的日子，也要这样。』主说完这话以后，接著说，『当那日，人在房顶上，器具在屋子里，不要下来拿；在田地里的，也照样不要回去。』（路十七31。）在巴勒斯坦，房顶是平的。主说，『当我来临的时候，你在房顶上，就不要下来到房子里拿东西。你若下来，就要被撇下。你在田里工作，也不要回家。除了我以外，你必须忘掉一切。』说了这话以后，主接著就说，『你们要回想罗得的妻子。』（路十七32。）
1The previous message was on Lot, who was a defeated righteous man. In this message we come to Lot’s wife, who became a pillar of salt (19:26). Genesis 19 might be the only record in human history regarding a pillar of salt, and we need to consider it very carefully. This pillar of salt was not created by God. Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt. It is very meaningful that in His heavy word recorded in Luke 17, spoken at a time when people were inquiring about the coming of the kingdom, the Lord Jesus said, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). In a sense, the Lord seemed to be saying to His disciples, “Don’t talk about the kingdom. Rather, you must recognize what the age will be like when the kingdom comes. It will be like the days of Noah and the days of Lot. Both are prefigures of the days of My coming.” Thus, in the Lord’s heavy, solemn, and sobering word, three ages are mentioned: the age of Noah, the age of Lot, and the age at the time of the Lord’s coming back. When we covered Noah in some of the foregoing messages in this life-study, we pointed out that he lived in a befuddled age, and that the people of his age were befuddled, drugged, and doped by their lusts and evil pleasures. However, in Luke 17:27, when the Lord spoke of the days of Noah, marriage was mentioned. But when He spoke of the days of Lot, there was no mention of marriage, because in Sodom marriage had been completely degraded, and the people indulged in their sodomitical lust. In Luke 17:28 and 30 the Lord said, “Likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building...It will be in the same way on the day in which the Son of Man is revealed.” After saying this and immediately before telling us to remember Lot’s wife, the Lord said, “In that day, he who shall be on the housetop and his goods in the house, let him not come down to take them away; and he who is in the field, likewise, let him not turn back to the things behind” (Luke 17:31). In Palestine the houses had flat roofs. The Lord was saying, “If you are on your housetop at the time of My coming, do not come down into your house to take away your stuff. If you do, you will be left. If you are working in the field, do not return home. You must forget everything except Me.” Immediately after this word, the Lord said, “Remember Lot’s wife
2今天就像挪亚的日子和罗得的日子一样，许多基督徒受了麻醉和迷惑，对神的事失去了正确的感觉。有些人甚至教导信徒说，他们会在玩足球的时候被提。但是照著神圣话语的启示，当主回来的时候，祂不会提去那些仍然有分于属世娱乐的圣徒。我们基督徒是神的庄稼，凭著作生命种子的基督长大。（太十三3～8，18～23。）没有一个生命长大成熟的基督徒，仍然有分于任何属世的娱乐。那些继续有分于属世娱乐的基督徒都不是成熟的，乃是青嫩的，主不会将他们从田里收割去。今天那些被迷惑的基督徒需要听这样清明的话。
2Today, like the people in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot, many Christians are doped and befuddled, having lost the proper sense of the things of God. Some even teach that believers may be raptured while they are playing football. But according to the revelation of the Holy Word, when the Lord comes back, He would not take any of His saints who are still participating in worldly entertainments. We Christians are the crop of God growing with Christ as the life seed (Matt. 13:3-8, 18-23). No Christian who is mature in the growth of life still participates in any worldly entertainments. Since the Christians who continue to participate in worldly entertainments are not ripe, but are green and raw, the Lord would not reap them from the field. The befuddled Christians of today need to hear such a sobering word.
（4） 一根盐柱
4) A Pillar of Salt
3罗得的妻子变成一根盐柱，记载于活在与神的交通里这一段。创世记这一段包括十八至二十四章，虽然是在与神交通里之生活的记载，却包含了一个得救而失败的人、他的妻子和他两个女儿黑暗的记载。罗得不只有这两个女儿，但天使来到所多玛时，找不到其他的人。创世记十九章十五节说，『天明了，天使催逼罗得说，起来，带著你的妻子，和所找到的两个女儿出去，免得你因这城里的罪恶，同被剿灭。』（另译。）天使似乎是说，『罗得，我们只能找到你的两个孩子。神差我们来这里拯救你和你的全家，但我们只找到这些人。我们的使命是要毁灭这城。现在你、你的妻子、和你的女儿必须逃走。』下节说罗得迟延不走。按照原文，罗得不但迟延，他还犹疑，不愿离开那城。他犹疑不定，天使『因为耶和华怜恤罗得，就拉著他的手，和他妻子的手，并他两个女儿的手，把他们领出来，安置在城外。』天使把他们四人领出城外，说，『逃命罢！不可回头看。』（创十九17。）但二十六节说，罗得的妻子『在后边回头一看，就变成了一根盐柱。』罗得的妻子是得救的，因她被拉出城外，免受毁灭。但她虽然是得救的，却变成了一根盐柱。变成盐柱的确不是一件好事，乃是一个羞耻。我多次说过，创世记几乎包含一切神圣真理的种子。十九章二十六节的盐柱也可视为一粒种子，这粒种子的长大是在路加十七章三十二节，在那里主告诉我们要回想罗得的妻子，并且约翰一书二章二十八节告诉我们，在主显现的时候我们也许会蒙羞。这粒种子的收成是在启示录十六章十五节，在那里主说，『看哪，我来像贼一样。那儆醒、看守自己衣服，免得赤身而行，叫人见他羞耻的，有福了。』主来要像贼一样，不给人一点豫告。那时我们的赤身若是被暴露，我们就要蒙羞。因此，这粒蒙羞的种子是撒在创世记十九章，长大在路加十七章和约翰一书二章，而收割在启示录十六章。我在本篇信息中的负担是要你们牢记，创世记不仅有亚伯拉罕的种子，也有罗得和他妻子的种子。他的妻子变成了一根盐柱，一个羞耻的记号。
3The record of Lot’s wife becoming a pillar of salt is found in the section on living in fellowship with God. Although this section in Genesis covering chapters eighteen through twenty-four is the record of a life that was in fellowship with God, it includes the black record of a defeated saved man, his wife, and his two daughters. Lot had more than these two daughters, but when the angels came to Sodom, they could not find the others. Genesis 19:15 says, “When the morning arose, the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are found; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city” (Heb.). The angels seemed to be saying, “Lot, we can only find two of your children. We were sent here by God to rescue you and all your family, but only these have been found. Our commission is to destroy the city. Now you, your wife, and your daughters must escape.” The next verse says that Lot lingered. According to the original, Lot not only lingered; he hesitated, being unwilling to leave the city. Since he was hesitating, the angels “laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.” When the angels had brought the four of them outside the city, they said, “Escape for thy soul; look not behind thee” (v. 17, Heb.). But verse 26 says that Lot’s wife “looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Lot’s wife was saved, for she was pulled out of the city and saved from its destruction. But although she was saved, she nevertheless became a pillar of salt. It is certain that becoming a pillar of salt is not a good thing; it is a shame. As I have said many times, the book of Genesis contains the seeds of nearly all the divine truths. The pillar of salt in 19:26 may also be considered as a seed. The growth of this seed is in Luke 17:32, where the Lord tells us to remember Lot’s wife, and in 1 John 2:28, where we are told that we might be put to shame at the Lord’s appearing. The harvest is in Revelation 16:15, where the Lord says, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, that he may not walk naked and they see his shame.” The Lord will come as a thief, not giving any prior notification. If at that time our nakedness is exposed, we shall be put to shame. Thus, the seed of being put to shame was sown in Genesis 19, grows in Luke 17 and 1 John 2, and is reaped in Revelation 16. My burden in this message is to impress you that the book of Genesis not only has the seed of Abraham, but also the seed of Lot and of his wife, who became a pillar of salt, a sign of shame.
4本篇信息的基本观念乃是：真正得救的基督徒确实可能蒙羞。不要听这世代迷惑人的教训。今天在基督教里有许多教训是麻醉人的，那些吸收这些教训的人，心思既不清明，又不活在灵里。在本篇信息中，我们需要听见从主来的清明话语，这话会使我们的心思清明，并叫我们的灵活过来。
4The basic concept of this message is that a genuine saved person faces the definite possibility of being put to shame. Do not listen to the befuddling teachings of this age. Many teachings in Christianity today drug people, and those who absorb such teachings are neither sober in their mind nor living in their spirit. In this message we need to hear a sobering word from the Lord, a word that will sober our mind and quicken our spirit
（a）罗得的妻子
a) Lot’s Wife
5我们已经指出，罗得的妻子得救不至毁灭是毫无疑问的。这点启示得十分确定且清楚，没有人能辩驳。但我们看见，她在丈夫后边回头一看，变成了一根盐柱。她走在丈夫后边，指明她比丈夫还不愿意离开所多玛，并且不乐意跟随他出城。她若是乐意逃离所多玛，必会和丈夫并肩而行。她在回头一看变成盐柱以前，已经落在丈夫后边了。在这点上，让我对作妻子的说一句话。在犯罪的事上，妻子不情愿跟随丈夫是好的；但在对神的事上，妻子慢慢跟随丈夫并不好。在对神的事上，妻子最好与丈夫同行、并行，不落在丈夫后边。你若是落后，也许会像罗得的妻子一样受苦，变成一根盐柱。这是对我们众人的警告。
5As we have already pointed out, there is no doubt that Lot’s wife was saved from destruction. This is so definitely and clearly revealed that no one can argue with it. But, as we have seen, she looked back from behind her husband and became a pillar of salt. That she walked behind her husband indicates that she was even less willing than her husband to leave Sodom and that she was not happy to follow him out of the city. If she had been happy to flee Sodom, she would have walked side by side with her husband. Even before she looked back and became a pillar of salt, she was already behind her husband. At this point, let me say a word to the wives. In committing sin, it is good for a wife to be reluctant to follow her husband, but concerning the things of God, it is not good for her to be slow in following him. Concerning the things of God, the best thing for a wife to do is to go along with and walk together with her husband. Wives, in the things with God, do not go behind your husbands. If you do, you, like Lot’s wife, may suffer and become a pillar of salt. This is a warning to us all
6罗得的妻子变成一根盐柱，表征她失去了功用，并且变成了一个羞耻的记号。盐呈粉状是非常有用的。盐越磨成细粉，功用越好。但是没有人用柱子一样的盐。主耶稣说，我们得救重生的人是世上的盐。（太五13。）我们的功用乃是消杀这败坏世界的病菌。然而，我们若是失了味，（路十四34，）意思就是像罗得的妻子，失去了我们的功用。罗得的妻子是神的子民，应当满有咸味，并且能消杀在她周围腐败的病菌。但她失了味，变得毫无功用。她成了一个羞耻的记号。
6That Lot’s wife became a pillar of salt signifies that she had lost her function and had become a sign of shame. When salt is in the form of powder, it is very useful. The more that salt is ground into fine powder, the better it functions. But no one uses salt in the form of a pillar. The Lord Jesus said that we, the saved and regenerated ones, are the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13). Our function is to kill the germs of this corrupted world. However, if we become tasteless (Luke 14:34), it means that we, like Lot’s wife, have lost our function. As one of the people of God, Lot’s wife should have been filled with the salty taste and been able to kill the germs of corruption around her, but she lost her taste and became functionless. She was a sign of shame.
7神的灵在写创世记的时候，不愿写下罗得妻子的名字。亚伯拉罕妻子撒拉的名字曾多次题到，但罗得妻子的名字却未题过。这名字不值得一题。这个可怜的圣徒走在丈夫后边，回头向所多玛城观看。她也许是看她的孩子、房子和别的财物。她的一切家财都留在所多玛那里。她的身体虽然被拖出那城，但她的兴趣、心情、心愿和魂仍在那城里面。因此，当她回头看那地方，主就使她变成一根盐柱，给我们众人作为警戒的例子。在路加十七章，主用罗得的妻子为例，警戒祂的门徒。然而，今天很少基督徒活在这个警戒之下。但我们必须留意这警戒，就是一个真正得救的人，在主显现时面临蒙羞的可能。我确实不愿变成一根盐柱。你呢？变成一根盐柱不是荣耀，乃是羞耻。信徒变成一根没有生命的盐柱，立在露天之下，不为著别的，只为著受苦，这是何等的羞耻！
7In writing the book of Genesis, the Spirit of God was unwilling to give the name of Lot’s wife. Although the name of Abraham’s wife, Sarah, is mentioned many times, there is no mention of the name of Lot’s wife. It is unworthy of mention. That poor saint walked behind her husband and looked back toward the city of Sodom. She might have looked back for her children, her house, and her other belongings. All her goods were left there in Sodom. Her interests, heart, desire, and soul were still there, though her body had been pulled out of that city. Hence, at her looking back to that place, the Lord caused her to become a pillar of salt as a warning example to us all. In Luke 17, the Lord used Lot’s wife as a warning example for His disciples. However, not many Christians today live under this warning. Nevertheless, we must heed the warning that a truly saved person faces the possibility of being put to shame at the Lord’s appearing. I certainly do not want to become a pillar of salt. Do you? To become a pillar of salt is not a glory; it is a shame. What a shame for a believer to become a lifeless pillar of salt standing in the open air for nothing but suffering
（b）在跟从主的事上不绝对的人
b) People Who Are Not Absolute in Following the Lord
8路加十四章二十五至三十三节说到在跟从主上的绝对。我们必须绝对跟从主。虽然圣经教导我们要爱别人，但在路加十四章二十六节这里，主耶稣口中所出的圣言竟然说，『人到我这里来，若不恨自己的父亲、母亲、妻子、儿女、弟兄、姊妹，甚至自己的魂生命，就不能作我的门徒。』人若不绝对，就不可能正确的跟从主。我们的父母、妻子、儿女、弟兄、姊妹、和我们自己的魂生命，都该是次要的，主自己必须是第一，而我们必须绝对的跟从祂。主说到为祂的缘故恨我们的亲人，意思不是真的恨，乃是爱的恨。在这段出自主口中的话里，我们看见我们必须绝对的跟从祂。这不是主日敬拜神的问题，也不是照著自己的喜好在家里研读圣经的问题。连这样的家庭读经都可能成为另一种嗜好或娱乐。在神眼中，你的家庭读经也许与篮球比赛没有两样。你在读经的时候等于用你的客厅作球场，打你的圣经球。你在跟从主的事上不绝对。我不是开玩笑，我是说真话。我不仅对别人说，也对自己说。主能为我作见证，当我豫备本篇信息的时候，主问我说，『你如何？我吩咐你释放这篇信息，但你在跟从我的事上绝对么？』愿主怜悯我，我不愿传给别人，自己反被弃绝了。愿祂也怜悯所有亲爱的圣徒。我们何等需要清明的话，使我们不再被迷惑！我们若是相信约翰三章十六节，也当相信路加十四章二十六至三十五节。有许多信息释放出来，许多小册印出来，讲到约翰三章十六节，但讲到路加十四章二十六至三十五节的信息和小册在那里？在主的恢复里，我们不该向祂的子民隐藏任何真理。
8Luke 14:25-33 speaks of absoluteness in following the Lord. We must follow the Lord in an absolute way. Although the Bible teaches us to love others, here Luke 14:26, a holy word out of the mouth of the Lord Jesus, says, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and moreover, his own soul life also, he cannot be My disciple.” It is impossible for anyone to follow the Lord in a proper way without being absolute. Our parents, wives, children, brothers, sisters, and our own soul life should all be secondary. Only the Lord Himself must be the first, and we must follow Him in an absolute way. When the Lord speaks of hating our relatives for His sake, He does not mean a real hatred but a loving hatred. In this portion of the word out of the mouth of the Lord, we see that we must follow Him in the way of absoluteness. It is not a matter of worshipping God on Sundays nor of having a home Bible study according to our pleasure. Such a home Bible study may be another type of hobby or entertainment. In the eyes of God, your home Bible study may be no different from a basketball game. You play your Bible ball in your Bible study, using your living room as your playground. You are not absolute in following the Lord. I am not joking; I am speaking the truth. I am not only saying this to others but also to myself. The Lord can testify for me that as I was preparing for this message, the Lord asked me, “How about you? I have charged you to give this message, but are you absolute in following Me?” May the Lord have mercy on me that I would not preach to others and myself become a castaway. May He also have mercy on all His dear saints. How we need a sobering word that we would no longer be befuddled! If we believe John 3:16, we must also believe Luke 14:26-35. Many messages have been given and booklets published on John 3:16, but where are the messages and booklets on Luke 14:26-35? In the Lord’s recovery we should not hide any truth from His people.
9那些在跟从主的事上不绝对的人变得没有用处。请告诉我，今天有多少基督徒在主手中是对神的经纶真正有用的？就著神的经纶来说，大多基督徒已经变为无用。他们好像失了味的盐一样。（路十四34。）这样失了味的基督徒，照路加十四章三十五节来看，他们『或用在田里，或堆在粪里，都不合式，只好扔在外面。』这里的田，是为神长出东西，使神成就祂目的的田地。而宇宙中的粪堆乃是火湖，一切的污物都要堆在那里。路加十四章三十五节主要是指要来的国度时代。在国度时代有为著达成神目的的田地，也有火湖，就是粪堆。基督教总是告诉人，只有天堂和地狱两个地方。但在本节主耶稣题到第三个地方，说失了味的盐或用在田里，或堆在粪里，都不合式，只好扔在外面。罗得的妻子所变成的盐柱在那里？在天上还是在所多玛？两处都不在，乃在第三个地方。你把路加福音从头到尾都读过了，但你看见本章有三个地方么？你要在那里？在田里，在粪堆里，还是被丢在第三个地方？主在马太二十五章三十节说，那无用的奴仆要被扔在外面黑暗里。外面的黑暗也必是第三个地方。这是甚么地方，是在那里，圣经没有说。虽然如此，圣经确实说，你若是懒惰的奴仆，在主回来的时候，把你用在田里不合式，因为你是无用的；把你堆在粪里也不合式，因为你已经得救了；那么你要在那里？要在第三个地方，就是荣耀的国度和火湖之外的地方。很少基督徒看见，在圣经里为著得救而失败的人豫备了第三个地方。这是清明的话。
9Those who are not absolute in following the Lord become useless. Tell me, how many Christians today are truly useful in the Lord’s hand for God’secon o my? Most Christians have become useless as far as God’secon o my is concerned. They are like salt that is tasteless (Luke 14:34). Such Christians are not only tasteless, but according to Luke 14:35, they are “fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile,” but to be cast out. The land here is the field which grows things for God that He might accomplish His purpose. The dunghill in the universe is the lake of fire, where every dirty thing will be piled up. Luke 14:35 mainly refers to the coming age of the kingdom. In the kingdom age there will be the earth, the land for the fulfillment of God’s purpose, and there will also be the lake of fire, the dunghill. Christianity always tells people that there are only two places— heaven or hell. But in this verse the Lord Jesus speaks of the third place, saying that tasteless salt, being fit for neither the land nor for the dunghill, is cast out. Where was the pillar of salt which Lot’s wife became? Was it in heaven or in Sodom? It was in neither place, but in the third place. Although you have read through the Gospel of Luke, have you ever seen that in this chapter there are three places? Where will you be—in the land, in the dunghill, or cast out to the third place? In Matthew 25:30 the Lord said that the unprofitable servant would be cast into outer darkness. The outer darkness must also be the third place. What this will be and where it will be, the Bible does not say. Nevertheless, the Bible does say that if you are a slothful servant, at the Lord’s coming back you will befit neither for the land because you were unprofitable, nor for the dunghill because you have been saved. Where then will you be? In the third place, a place outside both the glorious kingdom and the lake of fire. Few Christians have ever seen that in the Bible there is a third place prepared for the defeated saved ones. This is a sobering word
10我们需要铭记，在神的话语中，在与人有关的完满启示里，有三个地方、一处为著得救，一处为著沉沦，还有一处为著羞辱。罗得的妻子在那里？她虽然是得救的，却在第三个地方，就是羞辱的地方。这是主耶稣在路加福音中的教训。
10We need to be deeply impressed that in the full revelation regarding man in the divine Word there are three places—a place for salvation, a place for perdition, and a place for shame. Where was Lot’s wife? Although she was saved, she was in the third place, the place of shame. This is the teaching of the Lord Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Do not try to argue with it
（c）像世人一样活在世界中，并想要拯救自己魂的信徒
c) Believers Who Live in the World as the Worldly People and Seek to Save Their Soul
11信徒若像世人一样活在世界中，并想要拯救自己的魂，就是自己的魂生命，就要和罗得的妻子一样蒙羞，并要在主回来时丧失他们的魂。（路十七２８～３３。）大多数的基督徒都是这样。他们虽然是信徒，却像世人一样生活，照世人的样子购物并穿著。既然他们生活、行事、为人和世人一样，他们和世人之间就没有区别。拯救魂的意思就是不肯为主的缘故受苦。拯救自己魂的基督徒，喜欢有自己的享乐。他们说，『去看体育比赛有甚么不对？这不是罪恶。』这虽然不是罪恶，但却是属世的。我不是说基督徒不该为他们的健康有一些运动。我们当然需要运动。但任何一种运动，一旦成为比赛或娱乐，就是属世的。你若享受牠，发现牠是有乐趣的，这意思就是你在拯救你的魂。要得著任何心理和属世的享受，就是拯救魂。
11Believers who live in the world as the worldly people and seek to save their soul, their soul-life, will suffer shame as did Lot’s wife, and will lose their soul at the Lord’s coming back (Luke 17:28-33). Most Christians are like this. Although they are believers, yet they live like worldly people, shopping and dressing in the same way as the worldly people do. Since they live and walk the same as the worldlings, there is no difference between them and the worldly people. To save the soul means to refuse to suffer for the Lord’ss ake. Christians who save their soul like to have their pleasure. They say, “What’s wrong with going to sporting events? It’s not sinful.” Although it may not be sinful, it is worldly. I am not saying that Christians should have no physical exercise for their health. We certainly need that. But once any form of exercise becomes a sport or entertainment, it is worldly. If you enjoy it and find it pleasurable, it means that you are saving your soul. To have any psychological and worldly enjoyment is to save the soul
12今天不是我们基督徒得著心理和属世的快乐或享受的时候，乃是我们在魂里，在心理上受苦的时候。只要我们能维持生存就彀了。我们不该寻求心理和属世的享乐。自从第二次世界大战以来，谁释放过这样清明的话？在已过的三十一年里，我一直在留意观察，我从来没有听见清明的话语或警戒，告诉基督徒说，我们在地上不是为著心理和属世的享受，我们必须遭受失去各种消遣和娱乐的痛苦。你在家里享受某种音乐，也许就是在拯救你的魂。许多基督徒无法胜过电视机，他们看电视也许就是在拯救他们的魂。我既不宗教也不律法，但我的确说，今天不是我们得著心理和属世消遣的时候，今天乃是我们在魂里受苦的时候。这种魂里的受苦，乃是为著魂的得救。你若不愿为著你魂的得救受苦，你就要像罗得的妻子一样蒙羞，并要在主回来时失丧你的魂。
12Today is not the time for us Christians to have psychological and worldly pleasure or enjoyment; it is the time for us to suffer in our soul, in our psychology. As long as we can maintain our existence, it is sufficient. We should not seek psychological and worldly pleasure. Since World War II, who has given such a sobering word? During the past thirty-one years, I have been watching and observing, but I have not heard a sober word or warning telling Christians that we are not on this earth for our psychological and worldly enjoyment, and that we must suffer the loss of every kind of amusement and entertainment. Your enjoyment of certain music at home may be a saving of your soul. Many Christians cannot overcome their television sets. Their watching television may be a saving of their soul. I am neither religious nor legal, but I do say that today is not the time for us to have psychological and worldly amusement; it is the time for us to suffer in our soul. This suffering in the soul is for the saving of the soul. If you are not willing to suffer in order to save your soul, you will suffer shame as Lot’s wife did and lose your soul at the Lord’s coming back.
13在主回来时，所有的基督徒都要一次被提的教训是错误的。那种教训使主子民属灵的感觉麻木了。主在路加十七章三十四和三十五节说，『我告诉你们，当那一夜，两个人在一个床上，要取去一个，撇下一个。两个女人在一处推磨，要取去一个，撇下一个。』你也许会争辩，说，『取去的是信徒，撇下的是不信的。』但这是你的解释。同样的两个人，在同样的地方作同样的事，只有主知道谁是真正为著祂。你读路加十七章二十二至三十七节全文，会看见这话不是给不信的人，乃是给主的门徒。这话是告诉他们主来临的时候。三十四、三十五节的『两个，』是指主的两个门徒，一个要取去，一个要撇下。取去的当然不像罗得的妻子，撇下的门徒就要像罗得的妻子。这是清明的话。
13It is wrong to teach that all Christians will be raptured at one time at the Lord’s coming back. That teaching befuddles the spiritual sense of the Lord’sp eople. In Luke 17:34 and 35 the Lord said, “I tell you, in that night there will be two on one couch; the one will be taken, and the other will be left. There will be two grinding at the same place; the one will be taken, but the other will be left.” You may argue, saying, “The one taken is a believer, and the one left is an unbeliever.” But that is your interpretation. While both are the same, doing the same thing in the same place, only the Lord knows who is genuinely for Him. If you read the context of Luke 17:22-37, you will see that this word is not given to unbelievers but to the Lord’s disciples. It was a word given to them concerning the time of His coming. The “two” in verses 34 and 35 refer to two of the Lord’s disciples, one of whom will be taken and the other of whom will be left. The one who will be taken will surely not be like Lot’s wife. The disciple who will be left will be like Lot’s wife. This is a sober word
（d）不按膏油涂抹所教导的住在主里面之神的儿女
d) Children of God Who Do Not Abide in the Lord as the Anointing Teaches
14神的儿女不按膏油涂抹所教导的住在主里面，在主回来的时候就要蒙羞。（约壹二27～28。）我们在主恢复里的人，知道甚么是里面膏油涂抹的教训。但我们有没有照著里面活的膏油涂抹的教训，住在主里面？约翰一书二章二十七和二十八节嘱咐我们，要照著膏油涂抹住在主里面。例如，你想要去买东西，然而膏油涂抹说『不，』你会说『主，阿们』么？若是这样，那就好了。但你若说，『主，我不买不好的东西。』主也许说，『我不管你买好东西还是坏东西。不要去。』我们只该简单的说，『主，阿们，我就照著里面膏油涂抹的教训住在你里面。』我们都需要这样住在主里面。
14The children of God who do not abide in the Lord as the anointing teaches will be put to shame at the Lord’s coming back (1 John 2:27-28). We who are in the Lord’s recovery know what is the inner teaching of the inward anointing. But do we abide in the Lord according to the teaching of the living anointing within us? First John 2:27 and 28 charges us to abide in the Lord according to the anointing. For example, if you are about to go shopping and the anointing says no, will you say, “Amen, Lord”? If you do, that is good. However, if you say, “Lord, I won’t buy anything bad,” the Lord may say, “I don’t care whether you buy something good or bad. Don’t go.” We should simply say, “Amen, Lord, I’m just abiding in You according to Your teaching of the inward anointing.” We all need to abide in the Lord in this way.
15我们若是不照著膏油涂抹住在主里面，我们就要『蒙羞离开祂。』（约壹二28。）觉得羞愧是一件事，蒙羞是另一件事。本节不是说我们要觉得羞愧，乃是说我们要『蒙羞。』请注意，按照希腊文，这里的意思不是像钦定英文译本所说的『在祂面前，』而是『离开祂。』这里的希腊文介系词是apo，意思是『离开。』我们若照著膏油涂抹住在主里面，当祂显现的时候，我们就有信心、确据、胆量和平安，不至于离开祂。再者，这里希腊文的意思不光是『在祂来临的时候，』也是『在祂的同在中。』希腊文的『同在』是parousia（巴路西亚），包含来临的意思。我们可能有祂的来临，却不在祂的同在里。主耶稣要来临，但你配在祂的同在中么？你的生活若是照著属世的方式，爱世界，把主排在末后，就当祂来临的时候，你怎能被带进祂的同在中？我们必须照著里面的膏油涂抹住在主里面，这样，在祂显现的时候，我们在祂面前，在祂的同在中就有信心、胆量和确据，不至于蒙羞离开祂。在主显现的时候，祂要对付祂的信徒。祂的信徒今天若照著里面的膏油涂抹住在祂里面，这样来跟从祂，那时就有平安、胆量、确据和信心，并被带进祂的巴路西亚里，带进祂的同在里。他们今天若不住在祂里面，在祂显现的时候，就要蒙羞离开祂。蒙羞离开祂，意思必是指被放在第三个地方，那地方既不是为著达成神目的的田地，也不是火湖的粪堆。那是在祂同在之外的羞辱之地。蒙羞离开祂的信徒，并没有失丧。他仍是得救的人，但他必须蒙羞。蒙羞之于他乃是对付和管教，那是主宰的主对祂失败的信徒所施行的惩治。这件事相当清楚，也非常严肃。
15If we do not abide in the Lord according to the anointing, we shall “be put to shame from Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28). To feel shameful is one thing; to be put to shame is another. This verse is not saying that we shall feel shameful, but that we shall “be put to shame.” Notice that, according to the Greek, it does not say, like the King James Version, “before Him” but “from Him.” The Greek preposition here is apo, which means “away from.” If we abide in the Lord according to the anointing, when He appears, we shall have confidence, assurance, boldness, and peace and not be put away from Him. Literally, the Greek words translated “at His coming” mean “in His presence.” The Greek word for presence is parousia, which includes the meaning of coming. We may have His coming and yet not be in His presence. For example, the President of the United States may come to Anaheim tonight, but only a few people will enter into his presence, that is, into his parousia. The Lord Jesus will come, but will you be worthy to be in His presence? If you live in a worldly way, loving the world and making the Lord the last in your life, how could you be brought into His presence when He comes? We must abide in the Lord according to the inward anointing so that we may have confidence, boldness, and assurance before Him in His presence at His appearing and not be put to shame away from Him. At His appearing, the Lord will deal with His believers. If His believers follow Him today in the way of abiding in Him according to the inward anointing, they will then have peace, boldness, assurance, and confidence and will be brought into His parousia, into His presence. If they do not abide in Him today, at His appearing, they will be put to shame away from Him. To be put to shame away from Him must mean to be put to the third place, the place which is neither the field for the fulfilling of God’s purpose, nor the dunghill in the lake of fire. It is the place of shame outside His presence. A believer who is put to shame away from Him is not lost. He is still a saved person, but he must suffer being put to shame. That being put to shame will be for him a dealing and a discipline; it will be the chastisement exercised by the sovereign Lord over His defeated believers. This matter is quite clear and is very serious
（e）不儆醒等候主回来并过正当生活的信徒
e) Believers Who Do Not Watch for the Lord’s Coming Back and Live a Proper Life
16信徒若不儆醒等候主回来并过正当的生活，就要蒙羞。（启十六15。）主在启示录十六章十五节告诉我们，要看守自己的衣服。在圣经里，衣服总是表征我们在行事为人和生活里的所是。我们必须有清洁的行事为人，我们属灵的衣服必须纯净、洁白、为主所称许。我们必须儆醒等候主来，并保守自己的衣服纯洁。倘若我们过这样清洁的生活，当祂来临的时候，就不会赤身，人也不会看见我们的羞耻。本节也说，主来要像贼一样。祂来不像访客，事先宣布祂到达的时间。在我们意想不到贼会来的时候，贼就来了。听说贼常在清晨三、四点的时候来到，那时正是人熟睡的时候。我们需要谨守并儆醒，不然主像贼一样来到，我们的赤身就要被暴露。这再次告诉我们，得救的人在主回来时有蒙羞的可能。
16The believers who do not watch for the Lord’s coming back and live a proper life will suffer shame (Rev. 16:15). In Revelation 16:15 the Lord tells us to keep our garments. In the Bible, a garment always signifies what we are in our walk and living. We must have a clean walk, and our spiritual garment must be pure, white, and approved by God. We must watch for the Lord’s coming and keep our garments pure. If we live such a clean life, we shall have no nakedness when He comes and men will not see our shame. This verse also says that the Lord is coming as a thief. He will not come as a visitor announcing His arrival ahead of time. When we do not think that the thief will come, he comes. I have been told that thieves often come about three or four o’clock in the morning, at the time when people are deeply asleep. We need to be sober and watching. Otherwise, the Lord will come as a thief and our nakedness will be exposed. Once again, this tells us that there is the possibility that a saved person may be put to shame at the Lord’s coming back.
（f）不照神的经纶生活行事之神的子民
f) God’sP eople Who Do Not Live and Walk according to His Economy
17神的子民不照著神的法则，也就是不照著神的经纶生活、行事，必不能达成神的目的，并且要蒙羞。我们已经看见，这就是盐柱的意义。不要仅仅把这事当作查经，乃要当作给我们众人的警戒。甚至我们在主恢复里的人，也不能松懈或漠不关心。我们必须谨守，并认为情况相当严肃。我们需要有达成神目的的生活、行事，然后在主显现的时候，就会在祂的巴路西亚里，不至于被扔在第三个地方，就是羞耻的地方。
17God’sp eople who do not live and walk according to His way, that is, according to His economy, will come short of the fulfillment of His purpose and be put to shame. As we have seen, this is the significance of the pillar of salt. Do not take this merely as a Bible study, but as a warning for us all. Even we who are in the Lord’s recovery cannot afford to be loose or in different. We must be sober and consider the situation to be quite serious. We need to have a life and walk that fulfills God’s purpose. Then at the Lord’s appearing we shall be in His parousia and not be cast out to the third place, the place of shame