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创世记生命读经 · 第63篇

承受恩典

Inheriting Grace
1在前几篇信息中我们曾指出，按照生命的经历，亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各是一个完整人的三部分，我们不该把他们当作三个分开的个人。我们若认识创世记中的生命，就会看见在神眼中，这三人在生命的经历上是一个完整的单位。
1We have pointed out in previous messages that, according to the experience of life, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are three parts of one complete person and that we should not consider them as three separate individuals. If we know the life in the book of Genesis, we shall see that, in the eyes of God, these three persons are one complete unit in the experience of life
ｃ第二方面－以撒的经历
3. The Second Aspect—the Experience of Isaac
（一） 承受恩典
a. Inheriting Grace
2在本篇信息中，我们要来看蒙召者第二面的经历－以撒的经历。（创二一1～二八9，三五28～29。）基督徒不容易明白以撒的经历。相反的，亚伯拉罕三个主要方面的经历－蒙神呼召，凭著相信神而活，并活在与神的交通里，却很容易明白。但关于以撒我们要说甚么？从创世记二十一到二十八章，我们读到以撒生平的记载，我们看见了生命经历的那一面？我们没有看到他蒙召，凭著相信神而活，或活在与神的交通里。按照创世记，我们看见以撒如何出生，娶妻，生了两个儿子，然而，很难说我们在他的记载里找著甚么生命的经历。
2In this message we come to the second aspect of the experience of the called—the experience of Isaac (21:1—28:9; 35:28-29). It is not easy for Christians to understand the experience of Isaac. It is quite easy, on the contrary, to understand the three main aspects of Abraham’s experience: being called by God, living by faith in God, and living in fellowship with God. But what shall we say about Isaac? As we read the record of his life in chapters twenty-one through twenty- eight, what do we see of the experience of life? We do not see that he was called, lived by faith in God, or lived in fellowship with God. According to Genesis, we see how Isaac was born, was married, and begat two sons. But it is difficult to say what experience of life we find in the record of Isaac
3以撒生平的记载，含示恩典的经历。以撒所经历的是承受神的恩典。神的恩典在旧约里不像在新约里那样完满的启示出来，因为恩典实际上是藉著耶稣基督来的。（约一17。）基督来了，恩典才完满透彻的启示出来，新约里也一再使用『恩典』这辞。新约甚至结束于恩典：『愿主耶稣的恩与众圣徒同在。阿们。』（启二二。）圣经在旧约中开始于『起初神创造诸天与地，』在新约中结束于『愿主耶稣的恩与众圣徒同在。』虽然创世记中关于以撒的记载没有恩典这辞，但这样的东西却含示在其中。这是许多人不容易明白圣经的原因。在圣经里，可能有某一样东西，但没有名词来描述。虽然以撒的经历记载在创世记里，但很难指明他所有的经历是恩典的经历。
3In the record of Isaac’s life the experience of grace is implied. What Isaac experienced was the inheriting of God’s grace. The grace of God was not as fully revealed in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament, because grace actually came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). After Christ came, there is a full and thorough revelation of grace, and in the New Testament the word grace is used again and again. The New Testament even closes with the mention of grace: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen” (Rev. 22:21). The Bible begins in the Old Testament with the word, “In the 21 beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” and it ends in the New Testament with the word, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints.” Although the record in Genesis concerning Isaac does not have the term grace, nevertheless such a thing is implied there. This is the reason that it is quite difficult for many to understand the Bible. In the Bible, there may be a certain thing but not the term to describe it. Although Isaac’s experience is recorded in Genesis, it is difficult to designate the experience he had as the experience of grace.
4按照新约的启示，就生命的经历而言，亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各不该看作三个分开的个人，应当看作一个完整人生命经历的各方面。亚伯拉罕代表蒙召，凭相信神而活、活在与神交通里的一面。以撒代表承受恩典，享受恩典产业的一面。雅各代表蒙拣选，受神对付，变化成为神王子的一面。在生命的经历上，有享受－享受恩典－的一面。我们多数人听过一些信息说，基督徒的生活该是受苦的生活，背十字架并且在祷告里叹息的生活。你有没有听过一些信息告诉你说，今天不是享受的时候，乃是受苦和背十字架的时候，我们的享受要在主回来的时候才开始？我不是说这不对，但我要说，这不过是基督徒生活的一面。还有另外一面－享受的一面。
4According to the New Testament revelation, as far as the experience of life is concerned, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob should not be considered as three separate individuals, but as aspects of one complete person’s experience of life. Abraham represents the aspect of being called, of living by faith in God, and of living in fellowship with God. Isaac represents the aspect of inheriting grace and enjoying the inheritance of grace. Jacob represents the aspect of being chosen, being dealt with by the Lord, and being transformed into a prince of God. In the experience of life, there is the aspect of enjoyment, the enjoyment of grace. Most of us have heard messages saying that the Christian life should be a suffering life, a life of bearing the cross and groaning in prayer. Have you not heard messages telling you that today is not the time of enjoyment but the time of suffering and of bearing the cross, and that our enjoyment will begin at the time of the Lord’s coming back? I do not say that this is wrong, but I do say that it is only one aspect of the Christian life. There is another aspect—the aspect of enjoyment.
5就圣经和经历的意义说，恩典的意思就是享受。恩典就是在我们基督徒生活里的享受。我们基督徒的生活有三方面：亚伯拉罕的一面、以撒的一面、雅各的一面。在亚伯拉罕的一面，我们看不到多少享受。虽然亚伯拉罕蒙祝福，得昌大，但他没有多少享受。他失去了父亲，罗得使他忧伤，他所信赖的以利以谢被弃绝，他用自己的努力与妾所生的儿子以实玛利被赶走。以撒出生之后，神要求亚伯拉罕把他献为燔祭。以撒得回不久，亚伯拉罕又失去亲爱的妻子。我们在他一生中能看到损失的一面。虽然圣经没有说亚伯拉罕受了许多苦，但他几乎丧失了一切。这是基督徒生活的全部么？若是这样，那么基督徒的生活不过是损失的生活。但损失只是基督徒生活的一面。罗马五章二节不是说，『我们得以进入现在所站的损失中。』不，乃是说，『我们…因信得进入现在所站的这恩典中。』神无意把我们留在损失中。祂的心意是要把我们带进恩典，带进享受中。神要把我们带进恩典的享受中，但这恩典有一个阻挠，就是己。我们自己就是阻挠。虽然基督已经来了，恩典也随著祂来了，并且我们已经被带进所站的这恩典中，但这恩典最大的阻挠乃是你和我。因此，在我们能有以撒的经历之前，需要代表生命经历第一面的亚伯拉罕。亚伯拉罕的生活显明，我们若要享受神的恩典，全享神的丰富，我们必须受对付，受割礼，被除去。亚伯拉罕若不受割礼，以撒绝不会生出来。亚伯拉罕受割礼之后，以撒来了。在创世记十七章亚伯拉罕受割礼之后，神就告诉他，以撒将要出生。（创十七19。）至终，在创世记二十一章，以撒出生了。以撒随著神的眷临而来，他是凭著神的眷临出生的。神的眷临等于以撒的出生。神眷临撒拉，那个眷临就成了以撒的出生。这就是恩典。
5In the biblical and experiential sense, grace means enjoyment. Grace is the enjoyment in our Christian life. Our Christian life has three aspects: the aspect of Abraham, the aspect of Isaac, and the aspect of Jacob. In the aspect of Abraham we cannot see much enjoyment. Although Abraham was blessed and was enlarged, he did not have very much enjoyment. He lost his father, and Lot became a grief to him. Eliezer, in whom he trusted, was rejected, and Ishmael, the son he begat by his own endeavor with his concubine, was cast out. After Isaac was born, God required that Abraham offer him up as a burnt offering. Not too long after Isaac was returned, Abraham lost his dear wife. Throughout his whole life we can see the aspect of loss. Although the Bible does not show that Abraham suffered very much, he lost almost everything. Is this all the Christian life is? If it is, then the Christian life is only a life of losses. The matter of loss is just one aspect of the Christian life. Romans 5:2 does not say, “We have access into this loss in which we stand.” No, it says, “We have the access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” God has no intention of keeping us in loss. His intention is to bring us into grace, into the enjoyment. God wants to bring us into the enjoyment of grace, but there is a frustration to this grace—the self. We ourselves are the frustration. Although Christ has come and grace has come with Him, and although we have been brought into the grace in which we stand, the greatest frustration to this grace is you and I. Hence, before we can have the experience of Isaac, we need Abraham who represents the first aspect of the experience of life. Abraham’s life reveals that if we would enjoy God’s grace and have the full enjoyment of God’s riches, we must be dealt with, circumcised, and cut off. If Abraham had not been circumcised, Isaac would never have been born. Isaac came after Abraham’s circumcision. After Abraham was circumcised in Genesis 17, God told him that Isaac would be born (17:19). Eventually, in chapter twenty-one, Isaac was born. Isaac came with God’s visitation. He was born by God’s visitation. God’s visitation equals the birth of Isaac. God visited Sarah and that visitation became the birth of Isaac. This is grace.
6神已经来给祂所呼召的人享受。然而我们若要有这享受，己必须除去。己一除去，以撒就来了。这就是说，恩典来了，丧失己并不容易。要除去己，我们必须受损失。你愿意失去你自己么？我不信有甚么人愿意失去他自己。虽然如此，我们必须先失去自己，恩典才能临到。失去己就是失去面子。我们保守面子，就失去恩典。我们若要接受恩典，就必须失去面子。弟兄们，当你在日常生活中对待妻子的时候，你必须准备失去己，你若这样作，恩典就要来临。亚伯拉罕受割礼之后，以撒就来了。这是原则。对我们来说，己必须除去，然后恩典才临到。我们必须先作亚伯拉罕，然后才成为以撒。要亚伯拉罕失去己并不容易。从好的一面说，神是强迫他失去己。当神呼召亚伯拉罕的时候，祂没有说，『亚伯拉罕，你必须失去己，然后我要来成为你的恩典和享受。』不，当神呼召他时，神应许赐福给他。旧约的祝福有几分等于新约的恩典。祝福与恩典有何不同？神白白给我们东西，那是祝福。但这祝福作到我们里面时，就成了恩典。神应许亚伯拉罕要赐福给他。当这祝福作到亚伯拉罕里面，就成了恩典。亚伯拉罕的己和天然的人，对神的祝福是最强的阻挠，并且逼得神来对付他。
6God has come to be enjoyed by His called ones. But if we would have this enjoyment, the self must go. Once the self has gone, Isaac comes. This means that grace comes. It is not easy to lose the self. In order for the self to go, we must suffer loss. Are you willing to lose yourself? I do not believe that anyone is willing to lose himself. Nevertheless, we must lose ourselves before grace can come. To lose the self is to lose our face. When we keep our face we lose grace. If we want to receive grace, we must lose our face. Brothers, as you deal with your wife in your daily living, you must be prepared to lose yourself. If you do this, grace will come. After Abraham was circumcised, Isaac came. This is the principle. With us, the self must go and then grace will come. We must firstly be Abraham and then we become Isaac. It was not easy for Abraham to lose himself. In a good sense, God forced him to lose himself. When God called Abraham, He did not say, “Abraham, you must lose yourself and then I will come in to be your grace and enjoyment.” No, when God called him, He promised to bless him. The blessing in the Old Testament somewhat equals the grace in the New Testament. What is the difference between blessing and grace? When God gives us something free, that is a blessing. But when this blessing is wrought into our being, it becomes grace. God promised Abraham that He would bless him. When the blessing was wrought into Abraham, it became grace. Abraham’s self and natural man were the strongest frustration to God’s blessing and forced God to deal with him
7我们的经历也是这样。我们都已蒙召，神也在基督里赐给我们各样的福分。（弗一3。）然而蒙召之后，我们仍在自己里面，用自我的努力来得著神的祝福。当我年轻的时候，我知道我的肉体不好。人告诉我，肉体已经钉在十字架上，我非常快乐，于是我开始用自己的努力，把肉体钉在十字架上。但我用自己的努力时，我阻挠了神的恩典。除去肉体的事已经完成了，不需要用我的努力。但我这个己总想努力把肉体钉在十字架上。那个己对神的恩典是最大的阻挠。这叫我与恩典隔绝。我们若回顾已往的经历，就会看见我们听见福音以后，多次靠自己努力，要得著我们在福音里所听见的东西。我们自我的努力一直是神恩典的阻挠，因此，神被迫来对付我们。
7The same is true in our experience. We all have been called, and God has given us the blessings in Christ (Eph. 1:3). However, after being called, we are still in ourselves and exercise our self - effort to obtain God’s blessing. When I was young, I realized that my flesh was not good. When I was told that the flesh had been crucified on the cross, I was very happy. Then I began to exercise my own effort to put the flesh on the cross. But in exercising my own effort, I frustrated God’s grace. The crossing out of the flesh had already been accomplished; it did not need the exercise of my effort. Yet I, the self, was trying to put my flesh on the cross. That self was the greatest frustration to God’s grace. It separated me from grace. If we consider our past experience, we shall see that after hearing the good news, we tried many times by ourselves to obtain the things we heard in the good news. Our self- effort has been a frustration to God’s grace. Because of this, God has been forced to deal with us.
8蒙神呼召，凭著相信神而活，以及活在与神的交通里，都是为著享受神。我们已蒙召来享受神，我们必须学习凭著相信神而活，使我们可以享受神；我们还需要活在与神的交通里，使我们有分于祂一切的丰富。这都是为著一件事－享受神。但在亚伯拉罕身上，我们没有看见这种享受；我们是在以撒身上看见这种享受。我们至少都有一些蒙神呼召，凭著相信神而活，活在与神的交通里，以及受损失的经历。我们是今日的真亚伯拉罕。但我们也能见证，使我们十分惊奇的，就是在我们的损失中有一些享受。当我们受损失时，不如不觉享受了一些东西，每当我们忍受从神来的对付，我们同时有一些享受。我们是受苦的亚伯拉罕，然而我们也是享受的以撒。因这缘故，以撒的记载不是紧接在亚伯拉罕的记载之后，乃是和亚伯拉罕生平的记载调在一起，亚伯拉罕还在的时候，以撒就进来了，因为他们在生命的经历上不是两个分开的个人，乃是一个完整人的两面经历。我们需要亚伯拉罕和以撒二者的经历。也许就在今天，你有一种经历，你说，『我不知道这事为甚么临到我。』但在里面深处你知道，在你的损失中你得著并享受基督。这是以撒的经历。我们若只有亚伯拉罕，没有以撒，我们会对亚伯拉罕的记载非常灰心。我们会说，『作信心的父若只受损失，那有甚么益处？』然而当我们一看见以撒的经历，我们就要说，『现在我明白亚伯拉罕为甚么要受这么多的损失。亚伯拉罕所有消极的经历，乃是为著以撒积极的享受。』亚伯拉罕是为著以撒。亚伯拉罕得著了许多，他蒙福，得昌大，但他将一切所有的都给了以撒。（创二四36，二五5。）亚伯拉罕受苦是为著以撒得益。亚伯拉罕越受苦，以撒越得益。我要说，『可怜的亚伯拉罕，你只是一个受苦的人。你受苦所得来的，都不是为自己，乃是为以撒。』我们都必须认识，今天我们不仅是亚伯拉罕，也是以撒。你若对我说，『弟兄，你是个可怜的亚伯拉罕，老是受苦。』我要回答说，『你不知道我也是以撒么？我遭受损失，是叫我有所得著。我像亚伯拉罕一样损失，也像以撒一样得著。我不仅是亚伯拉罕，我的名是亚伯拉罕－以撒。在损失的一面我是亚伯拉罕，在得著的一面我是以撒。』
8Being called by God, living by faith in God, and living in fellowship with God are all for the enjoyment of God. We have been called to the enjoyment of God, we must learn to live by faith in God that we may have the enjoyment of God, and we need to live in fellowship with God that we may participate in all His riches. All this is for one thing — the enjoyment of God. But we do not see this enjoyment with Abraham; we see it with Isaac. We all have had at least some experience of being called by God, living by faith in God, living in fellowship with God, and suffering loss. We are real Abrahams today. But we can also testify that, much to our surprise, in the midst of our loss there has been some enjoyment. While we were suffering a loss, unconsciously we were enjoying something. Whenever we suffered a dealing from God, we simultaneously had some enjoyment. While we were the suffering Abraham, we were also the enjoying Isaac. For this reason, the record of Isaac does not immediately follow the record of Abraham. Rather, it is mingled with the record of Abraham’s life. While Abraham was still there, Isaac came in, for they were not two separate individuals in the experience of life, but two aspects of the experience of a complete person. We need the experiences of both Abraham and Isaac. Perhaps even today you had a certain experience and said, “I don’t know why this has happened to me.” But deep within you do know. In the midst of your loss, you gain and enjoy Christ. This is the experience of Isaac. If we only had Abraham without Isaac, we would be very disappointed with Abraham’s record. We would say, “Wh at is the good of being the father of faith if it is only a matter of suffering loss?” But once we see the experience of Isaac, we shall say, “Now I understand why Abraham suffered the loss of so much. All the negative experiences of Abraham were for the positive enjoyment with Isaac.” Abraham was for Isaac. Abraham acquired a great deal, having been blessed and having become enlarged, but he gave all that he had to Isaac (24:36; 25:5). Abraham suffered for Isaac’s gain. The more Abraham suffered, the more Isaac gained. I would say, “Poor Abraham, you are just a suffering person. All that you have gained through your suffering is not for you but for Isaac.” We all must realize that today we are not only Abrahams but also Isaacs. If you say to me, “Brother, you are a poor Abraham always suffering,” I would reply, “Don’ty ou know that I’mal so an Isaac? I have suffered loss that I might gain. I lose as Abraham and I gain as Isaac. I’m not just Abraham. My name is Abraham-Isaac. On the loss side, I am Abraham; on the gain side, I am Isaac.”
9我们是亚伯拉罕，也是以撒。作为亚伯拉罕，我们已蒙神呼召，学习凭著相信神而活，并学习活在与神的交通里。同时，作为以撒，我们甚么也不作，只享受从亚伯拉罕的经历所得来的一切。你更宝爱那一种的经历－亚伯拉罕的，还是以撒的？没有亚伯拉罕的经历，我们就不能有以撒的经历。神对付我们像对付亚伯拉罕一样，使我们可以有以撒的经历。恩典的事历年来被隐藏、封闭、遮蔽著。恩典是甚么？恩典是神的一些东西作到我们里面，在我们里面工作，也为我们工作。这不是外面的事。恩典是神在基督里作到我们里面，为我们生活、工作并行事。在林前十五章十节保罗说，『然而因著神的恩，我成了我今天这个人，并且神的恩临到我，不是徒然的；反而我比众使徒格外劳苦，但这不是我，乃是神的恩与我同在，』这话相当深奥。保罗不是说，『因著神的恩，我有了我所有的。因著神的恩，我有了好车子、好职业、好妻子。』他甚至也不是说，『因看神的恩，我作了我所作的。』这不是作甚么、得甚么或行甚么；这完全是是甚么。因此保罗说，『因著神的恩，我成了我今天这个人。』这意思就是，神的恩作到他里面，使他成了那样的人。在加拉太二章二十节保罗说，『不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活著。』我们若把这一节和林前十五章十节放在一起，就看见恩典就是活在我们里面的基督。『这不是我，乃是神的恩。』『不再是我，乃是基督。』恩典不在我们外面，也不在我们旁边。恩典乃是一位神圣的人物，就是神自己在基督里，作到我们里面，成为我们的构成成分。因著缺少启示，基督徒误会并误解了恩典，以为恩典是外面的东西。但恩典乃是那位三一神作到我们里面，使我们成为所该是的，并且为我们生活、工作、行事，使我们能说，『因著神的恩，我成了我今天这个人。这不是我，乃是神的恩典。』
9We are both Abraham and Isaac. As Abraham, we have been called by God, have learned to live by faith in God, and have learned to live in fellowship with God. At the same time, as Isaac, we do nothing except enjoy all we have gained from Abraham’s experience. Which kind of experience do you appreciate more— Abraham’s or Isaac’s? Without Abraham’s experience we cannot have Isaac’s. God is dealing with us as He dealt with Abraham that we might have the experience of Isaac. The matter of grace has been hidden, concealed, and veiled throughout the years. What is grace? Grace is something of God which is wrought into our being and which works in us and does things for us. It is nothing outward. Grace is God in Christ wrought into our being to live, work, and do things for us. In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul says, “By the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace unto me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” This word is quite deep. Paul did not say, “By the grace of God I have what I have. I have a good car, a good job, and a good wife by the grace of God.” He did not even say, “By the grace of God I do what I do.” It is not a matter of doing, having, or working; it is absolutely a matter of being. Hence, Paul says, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” This means that the very grace of God had been wrought into his being, making him that kind of person. In Galatians 2:20 Paul says, “No longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” If we put this verse together with 1 Corinthians 15:10, we see that grace is simply Christ living in us. It is “not I, but the grace of God,” “no longer I, but Christ.” Grace is not outside of us or beside us. It is a divine Person, God Himself in Christ, wrought into our being to be the constituent of our being. Because of the lack of revelation, Christians have misunderstood and misinterpreted grace, thinking of it as something outside of them. But grace is just the Triune God wrought into our being to be what we should be and to live, work, and do things for us so that we may say, “I am what I am by the grace of God. It is not I, but the grace of God
10我们都受过教导，要有好行为，要彼此相爱。结果我们就想作好，爱人。但我们能不能爱别人并不要紧，因为神绝不认可我们的爱。亚伯拉罕成功的生了以实玛利，但神弃绝了以实玛利。神似乎说，『不，亚伯拉罕，那不是我要的，我要的乃是那作到你里面，并从你作出来的东西。你生以实玛利并没有我的眷临。我在天上，而你在地上生了以实玛利。因为他与我和我的眷临无关，所以我绝不认可他。有一天我要临到撒拉，我的眷临要带来以撒，我只认可以撒。』我们若在自己里面爱别人，神绝不认可这爱，因为这爱不是出于祂的眷临。神要眷临我们，进到我们里面，为我们活著。甚至为我们爱别人。祂只认可那样的爱。你的爱是以实玛利；但凭神的眷临而有的爱是以撒。不管你是谦卑还是骄傲，弯曲还是正直，都算不了甚么。凡在祂的眷临之外，出于你的东西神绝不认可。不是出于恩典的东西，神都不认可，都不算数。我们都必须说，『主阿，没有你的眷临，我就不作甚么。主，你若不临到我，藉著我作些事，并从我作出来，我就不作甚么。我既不恨也不爱，既不骄傲也不谦卑。我要作一张白纸。主，没有你的眷临，我就一无所有。』神的眷临是实际的恩典。当我凭神的眷临，而不凭自我的努力爱人并谦卑，那就是享受恩典。我们看过，神的心意是要把祂自己作到一个团体的人里面，使祂得著团体的彰显。这是圣经中神圣启示的基本观念。这是神永远的目的。神呼召亚伯拉罕，目的就是要把祂自己作到亚伯拉罕里面，但亚伯拉罕有一个很强的己。这天然的己对神的旨意是最强的阻挠。今天我们也是这样。神的目的是要把祂自己作到我们里面，作我们的生命，甚至作我们的生活，但我们天然的己阻挠这事。所以神必须切割我们，对付我们，使祂自己能进到我们里面，作我们的一切。神不需要我们爱人、谦卑，使社会改良。神若要一个较好的社会，祂只需要说，『社会要好一点，』事情就成了。祂称无为有，（罗四17，）不需要我们的帮助。神乃是要把祂自己作到我们里面，成为我们的谦卑和一切。祂要我们说，『主，我一无所有，我也不作甚么，我只向你敞开，让你进来，安家在我里面，活在我里面，为我作一切。主，你活，我要享受你的活。甚么时候你在我里面作事，我就要说，「主，赞美你，这真好！我不是作工的人，我是享受的人，我珍赏你为我所作的一切。」』
10We all have been taught to have good behavior and to love one another. As a result, we try to behave ourselves and to love others. But it does not matter whether we can love others or not, for God will never recognize our love. Abraham succeeded in bringing forth Ishmael, but God rejected him. God seemed to say, “No, Abraham, that is not what I want. I want something that has been wrought into you and worked out from you. You brought forth Ishmael without My visitation. I was in heaven and you were on earth bringing forth Ishmael. Because he was unrelated to Me and to My visitation, I will never recognize him. One day, I shall visit Sarah and My visitation will bring forth Isaac. I will recognize only him.” If we love others in ourselves, God will never recognize that love, because it does not come from His visitation. God wants to visit us, get into us, live for us, and even love others for us. He will only recognize that kind of love. Your love is an Ishmael; the love by God’s visitation is an Isaac. Whether you are humble or proud, crooked or straight, means nothing. God does not recognize anything which comes out of you apart from His visitation. Whatever is not of grace is not recognized, not counted, by God. We all must say, “O Lord, I will not do anything without Your visitation. Lord, if You will not visit me and work something through me and out of me, I will do nothing. I will neither hate nor love, be proud nor be humble. I want to be blank. Lord, without Your visitation, I am nothing.” God’s visitation is the practical grace. When I love others and am humble by God’s visitation, not by my self- effort, that is the enjoyment of grace. As we have seen, God’sin tent i on is to work Himself into a corporate man that He might have a corporate expression. This is the basic concept of the divine revelation in the Bible. This is God’s eternal purpose. God called Abraham with the purpose of working Himself into him, but Abraham had a strong self. This natural self was the strongest frustration to God’s purpose. The same is true with us today. God’s purpose is to work Himself into us to be our life and even to be our living, but our natural self frustrates this. Therefore, God must cut us and deal with us that He may get into us to be everything to us. God does not need us to love others and to be humble that society might be improved. If God wants a better society, He only needs to say, “Better society,” and it will come into being. He calls things not being as being (Rom. 4:17) and does not need our help. God wants to work Himself into us to be our humility and our everything. He wants us to say, “Lord, I am nothing and will not do anything. I just open up to You that You might come in, make Your home in me, live in me, and do everything for me. Lord, You live and I’ll enjoy Your living. Whenever You do something in me, I’ll say, ‘Praise You, Lord. This is wonderful! I am not the doer; I am an enjoyer, appreciating all You are doing for me.’”
11今天神的心意是要对付亚伯拉罕，使以撒能来临。祂的心意是要对付我们天然的人，使我们完满的经历祂自己在基督里作到我们里面，作我们的享受。我过婚姻生活将近五十年了，我经历过许多的享受，和许多的苦难。在结婚之前，我真是爱主，常对主说我是如何的爱祂。结婚之后，我到主面前向祂保证说，『主，因著我爱你，我要作个最好的丈夫。』但是我失败了。我就到主面前承认我一切的失败。我经历膏油涂抹之后，快乐了，决心再试著作个最好的丈夫。但是我又失败了。这种上上下下的经历一再重复。后来我甚至讲了一篇信息说，『基督徒的生活有许多黑夜与早晨。绝不要因你的失败灰心。只要再等几小时，你就在早晨了。』许多年来我经历白昼黑夜，黑夜白昼。有一天我得了启示，就说，『傻瓜，谁叫你这样作？基督在这里等著作你的恩典。你必须说，「主，我一无所有，也一无所能。我就是能作甚么，你也绝不认可。来罢，主，你来作，你来为我作个最好的丈夫。这是你的事，不是我的事。你嘱咐我，我把这嘱咐还给你，请你来完成。主，你来作最好的丈夫，我要为此赞美你。」』每当我这样祷告的时候，主就作了最好的工，这就是恩典。恩典就是神把祂自己作到我们里面，作我们的享受。这位神今天不仅仅是父神，也是子神和灵神。不仅如此，灵神也是恩典的灵，（来十29，）这恩典乃是生命的恩典，（彼前三7，）也是『诸般的恩典，』（彼前四10，）『全般的恩典，』（彼前五10，）『彀用的恩典。』（林后十二9。）三一神是这样的恩典，这恩典如今与我们的灵同在。（加六18。）恩典乃是三一神的神圣人位作为那灵，住在我们的灵里。这恩典的灵住在我们灵里，作我们的享受，使我们享受神作我们的生命和一切，甚至作我们的生活。这就是为甚么保罗的每一封书信都结束于：『愿恩典与你们同在。』例如林后十三章十四节说，『愿主耶稣基督的恩，神的爱，圣灵的交通，与你们众人同在。』恩典不是在我们外面，乃是在我们里面。不论我们称之为恩典的灵或生命的恩典，恩典在我们灵里总是活的，神圣的。我们的确有这样神圣的实际，就是三一神自己，在我们灵里作我们的恩典和享受。当祂藉著我们爱别人的时候，这爱就是我们的享受，当祂藉著我们活出祂自己的时候，这个活也是我们的享受。我们昼夜都可以享受祂藉著我们而活。
11God’sin tent i on today is to deal with Abraham that Isaac may come. His intention is to deal with our natural being that we may have the full experience of Himself in Christ wrought into us as our enjoyment. I have been experiencing married life for close to fifty years, experiencing much enjoyment and much suffering. Before I was married, I truly loved the Lord, and I often told Him how much I loved Him. After I was married, I went to the Lord and assured Him, saying, “Lord because I love You, I want to be the best husband.” Eventually, I failed. I went to the Lord and confessed all my failures. After experiencing the anointing, I was happy and I made up my mind to try again to be the best husband. But I failed once more, and this experience of ups and downs was repeated again and again. Later, I even gave a message in which I said, “The Christian life has many nights and mornings. Never be disappointed over your failures. Just wait for several hours and you will be in the morning.” For years and years I went through days and nights, nights and days. One day, I received the revelation and said, “Stupid man, who told you to do so? Christ is here waiting to be your grace. You must say, ‘Lord, I am nothing and I can do nothing. Even if I could do something, it would never be recognized by You. Come, Lord, and do Your job and be the best husband for me. This is Your job, not mine. You charge me, and I return the charge to You and ask You to fulfill it. Lord, You be the best husband and I will praise You for it.’” Whenever I prayed like this, the Lord always did the best job. This is grace. Grace is God working Himself into our being as our enjoyment. The very God today is not only God the Father, but also God the Son and God the Spirit. Moreover, God the Spirit is the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29), and this grace is the grace of life (l Pet. 3:7), which is “the varied grace” (1 Pet. 4:10), the “all grace” (1 Pet. 5:10), and the “sufficient grace” (2 Cor. 12:9). The Triune God is such a grace, and this grace is now with our spirit (Gal. 6:18). Grace is the divine Person of the Triune God as the Spirit indwelling our spirit. It is the Spirit of grace indwelling our spirit to be our enjoyment that we may enjoy God as our life and our everything, even as our living. This is why every one of Paul’s Epistles ends with the words, “Grace be with you.” For example, 2 Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Grace is not outside of us; it is in us. Whatever we call it, the Spirit of grace or the grace of life, it is something living and divine in our spirit. We do have such a divine reality, the Triune God Himself, in our spirit as our grace and enjoyment. When He loves others through us, this love is our enjoyment. When He lives Himself out through us, this living is also our enjoyment. Day and night we may enjoy His living through us.
12那么我们为甚么受苦？因为我们的己、自我、天然的人仍在这里，需要受对付。赞美祂，没有一个对付是徒然的。每个从神来的对付，都是破碎我们天然的人，使我们更多享受祂作我们的恩典。为此，我们有亚伯拉罕和以撒；有损失的痛苦，也有得著的享受。这不是得著外面的东西；乃是得著内住的那位，就是恩典的灵和生命的恩典。我再说，神所赐给我们外面的恩赐，充其量不过是祝福。当这恩赐作到我们里面，成了我们里面生命的元素，那就是恩典。祝福必须成为恩典。在旧约里，神赐给祂子民许多东西当作祝福，但那些东西仅仅是外面的祝福。在基督来临之前，这些祝福都没有作到神子民里面。基督来不仅为我们死在十字架上，更在死后成了赐生命的灵进到我们里面。所以在新约里有『在基督里』和『基督在你们里面』的辞。现在祂在我们里面，我们也在祂里面。神在基督里所赐给我们的，已经作到我们里面，成为恩典，就是我们的享受。现在我们不仅在祂的祝福之下，我们更在祂的恩典里面，祂的恩典也在我们里面。今天你享受甚么－祝福还是恩典？新约从未说，『愿祝福与你们同在，』却一再说，『愿恩典与你们同在。』
12Why then do we suffer? Because the self, the ego, the natural man, is still here and must be dealt with. Praise Him that no dealing is in vain. Every dealing from God is a breaking of our natural man that we may enjoy more of Him as our grace. Thus, we have Abraham and Isaac; we have the suffering of the loss and the enjoyment of the gain. This gain is not the gain of outward things; it is the gain of the indwelling One, that is, the Spirit of grace and the grace of life. Again I say, whatever God gives as a gift outside of us is, at the most, a blessing. When this gift is wrought into our being, becoming the life element within us, it is grace. The blessing must become the grace. In the Old Testament, God gave many things to His people as blessings, but all those things were merely outward blessings. Before Christ came, none of those blessings had been wrought into God’sp eople. Christ came not only to die on the cross for us, but, after His death, to become the life-giving Spirit to enter into our being. Thus, in the New Testament, we have the terms “in Christ” and “Christ in you.” Now He is in us and we are in Him. Whatever God gives us in Christ has been wrought into our being and has become grace, our enjoyment. Now we are not merely under His blessing; we are in His grace and His grace is in us. What are you enjoying today—blessing or grace? The New Testament never says, “Blessing be with you.” Rather, it says repeatedly, “Grace be with you
（1） 从恩典而生
1) Born of Grace
13亚伯拉罕天然的力量和自我的努力受神对付之后，以撒就出生了。（创十七15～19，十八10～14，二一1～7。）这含示以撒是从撒拉所代表的恩典生的。（加四24～，31。）创世记的记载说，这事发生在『生命的时候。』（创十八10，14，直译。）当天然生命的努力停止的时候，那就是生命的时候。在生命的时候，有个东西在恩典里出生了。恩典联于生命，生命随著恩典。因此，恩典称为生命的恩典。（彼前三7。）
13After Abraham’s natural strength and self-effort were dealt with by God, Isaac was born (17:15-19; 18:10-14; 21:1-7). This implies that Isaac was born of grace, which is represented by Sarah (Gal. 4:24-28, 31). The record of Genesis says this transpired at “the time of 28 life” (18:10, 14). Whenever the effort of the natural life ceases, that is the time of life. At the time of life something is born in grace. Grace is related to life, and life goes with grace. Hence, grace is called “the grace of life” (1 Pet. 3:7).
（2） 在恩典里养大
2) Grown in Grace
14以撒在恩典里被养大。（创二一8。）藉他的历史我们看见，他没有作甚么。他生出来，他被养大。我不说他长大，而说他被养大。就像农夫在果园中栽种苹果，神也在祂的果园中栽种以撒。以撒是在恩典里被神养大的。彼后三章十八节告诉我们，『在恩典…上长大。』这指明长大乃是彼得在彼前1二章二节，并保罗在林前三章二节、六节所启示的𫗪养和浇灌。在恩典上长大，就是享受基督之于我们的一切，作我们的灵粮和活水而长大。基督之于我们的一切丰富，乃是叫我们在生命里长大。我们越享受基督的丰富，（弗三8，）我们就越在生命里长大。（弗四15。）
14Isaac was grown up in grace (21:8). By his history we see that he did not do anything. He was born and he was grown up. I do not say that he grew up, but that he was grown up. Like a farmer who grows apples in his orchard, God grew Isaac like a tree in His orchard. Isaac was grown up by God in grace. Second Peter 3:1 8 tells us to “grow in grace.” This indicates that to grow is the feeding and watering as revealed by Peter in 1 Peter 2:2 and by Paul in Corinthians 3:2 and 6. To grow in grace is to grow in the enjoyment of all that Christ is to us as our spiritual food and living water. All the riches of what Christ is to us are for our growth in life. The more we enjoy the riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8), the more we grow in life (Eph. 4:15).
（3） 在恩典里成为承受者
3) Being the Heir in Grace
15以撒也在恩典里成为承受者。（创二一9～。）他父亲一切所有的都是他的，因为亚伯拉罕把一切的丰富都给了这独一的承受者。同样，我们不该在我们自己里面有享受。一切对产业的享受必须是在恩典里。
15Isaac also became the heir in grace (21:9-12). All that his father had was his, for Abraham gave all his 12 riches to this unique heir. Likewise, we should have no enjoyment in ourselves. All the enjoyment of the inheritance must be in grace.
（4） 在恩典里顺从
4) Obeying in Grace
16以撒也在恩典里顺从。（创二二5～10。）已往我读创世记二十二章，不懂以撒这个青年人怎能这样顺从。至终我看见，他所以顺从，是因他被恩典浸透了。他完全在恩典里，他的顺从也在恩典里。这个顺从带来神的供备。今天我们也是这样。甚么时候我们在恩典里顺从，我们就要看见神的供备。神的恩典是有能力的，使我们能忍受一切事。保罗告诉提摩太，要在基督的『恩典上得著加力。』（提后二1。）恩典甚至能作主管理一切，（罗五21，）我们不该从恩典中坠落，（加五4，）反要靠恩典得坚固。（来十三9。）我们越在恩典里忍受，就越看见并有分于恩典的供备。
16Isaac also obeyed in grace (22:5-10). In my reading of Genesis 22 in the past, I could not understand how Isaac, a young man, could have been so obedient. Eventually, I saw that he was obedient because he was saturated with grace. He was absolutely in grace, and his obedience was also in grace. That obedience brought in God’spr o vision. It is the same with us today. Whenever we obey in grace, we shall meet the provision of God. God’s grace is powerful, enabling us to bear anything. Paul told Timothy to “be empowered in the grace” of Christ (2 Tim. 2:1). Grace can even reign over all things (Rom. 5:21). We should not fall from grace (Gal. 5:4) but rather be confirmed by it (Heb. 13:9). The more we bear in grace, the more provision of grace we meet and participate in
（5） 从父承受一切
5) Inheriting All from the Father
17以撒从他父亲承受了一切。（创二四36，二五5。）以撒成了他父亲丰富的承继者，乃是凭著恩典，不是凭著他的努力。人没有要求他作甚么来承受父亲的丰富，他也没有作甚么来得著产业。这是绝对而无条件的恩典。在新约中，所有蒙召的信徒都是神绝对而无条件之恩典的承受者。神已呼召了我们，在基督里用各样属灵的福分，祝福了我们。（弗一3。）祂在基督里已把我们放在恩典里，使我们成为恩典的承受者，承受神圣丰满的一切丰富，作我们的享受。我们基督徒的生活必须像以撒的生活，不凭自己作甚么，单单承受并享受父亲所有的一切。在恩典的承受中，我们必须停下天然生命的努力，使自己敞开，并豫备好享受恩典。
17Isaac inherited all things from his father (24:36; 25:5). It was by grace, not by his effort, that he became the heir of the father’s riches. He was not required to do anything that he might inherit the father’s riches and he did not do anything for the inheritance. It was absolutely and unconditionally of grace. In the New Testament, all the called believers are heirs of God’s absolute and unconditional grace. God has called us and has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph. 1:3). In Christ He has put us into grace that we might become the heirs of grace, inheriting all the riches of the divine fullness as our enjoyment. Our Christian life must be like Isaac’s, doing nothing by himself, but inheriting and enjoying all that the father has. In the inheriting of grace, we must cease from the effort of our natural life that we may keep ourselves open and available for the enjoyment of grace.
（6） 承受他父亲所得的应许
6) Inheriting the Promise Given to His Father
18以撒不但承受他父亲一切所有的，也承受神给他父亲关于美地和独一后裔的应许，这后裔就是基督，地上万国必因祂得福。（创二六3～5。）这应许实际上是为著达到神的目的，使神在地上能得著一个国度，在其中藉著一班团体的人彰显祂自己。美地和后裔都是为著神在地上形成一个国度。在这国度里神能在后裔中得著完全的彰显。神要把祂自己作到这班后裔里面，他们要变化成为祂的形像。这就是亚伯拉罕所得著，以撒所承受的应许。今天在我们身上，这应许要得著成就。今天我们在享受三一神作我们的恩典，藉著我们享受恩典，神的国要得著实现，神在基督里要得著完全的彰显，直到永远。
18Isaac inherited not only all that his father had, but also the promise which God had given to his father concerning the good land and the unique seed, which is Christ in whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed (26:3-5). This promise was actually for the fulfillment of God’s purpose that God might have a kingdom on the earth in which to express Himself through a corporate people. Both the good land and the seed are for the formation of a kingdom for God on the earth. In this kingdom God can be fully expressed in the seed, into which He will work Himself and which will be transformed into His image. This was a promise given to Abraham and inherited by Isaac. But it is a fulfillment with us today. Today we are enjoying the Triune God as our grace. Through our enjoyment of grace the kingdom of God will be realized and God in Christ will be fully expressed for eternity