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约翰福音生命读经 · 第35篇

在神圣经纶中三一神生机体（三）

The Organism of the Triune God in the Divine Dispensation (3)
贰 枝子彼此相爱，
II. THE BRANCHES LOVING ONE ANOTHER
1结果子彰显神圣的生命1我们已经看过约翰十五章的头一部分－一至十一节，说到我们与主之间的关系。本章的第二部分－十二至十七节，说到我们彼此之间的关系。在这一部分我们看见枝子应当彼此相爱，结果子彰显神圣的生命。这些经节启示出，结果子与我们彼此相爱很有关系。我们彼此之间，必须在生命里，就是凭著生命、在爱里维持正确的关系。我们必须维持在爱里的关系，并凭著那在我们里面的生命彼此相爱，这生命就是主自己。彼此相爱就是召会生活，身体生活。身体生活是爱的生活，也是在爱里的生活。我们不该以人的爱，而该在神圣的生命里，以神圣的爱彼此相爱。
1TO EXPRESS THE DIVINE LIFE IN FRUIT-BEARING We have covered the first part of John 15, verses through 11, which shows the relationship between us and the Lord. The second part, verses 12 through 17, shows our relationship with one another. In this part of the chapter we see that the branches should love one another to express the divine life in fruit- bearing. These verses reveal that fruit-bearing has very much to do with our loving one another. We must keep a right relationship with one another in life, that is, in love by life. We must keep our relationship in love and love one another by the life that is in us. This life is the Lord Himself. Loving one another is the church life, the Body life. The Body life is a life of love and a life in love. We should not love one another with a human love but in the divine life and with the divine love.
2我们不是许多分开的树上的枝子，我们都是同一树上的枝子。所以我们需要和所有别的枝子，并且和树维持美好的交通。这就是为甚么主在这一章也告诉我们，要彼此相爱的原因。（约十五12，17。）我们若不彼此相爱，就很难结果子。我们若不彼此相爱，意思就是我们与葡萄树的交通已经断绝；因此，我们无法结果子。为著结果子，我们必须彼此相爱。在我们众人里面的生命，乃是一个生命。在你里面的生命和在我里面的生命，是完全一样的。这就像我们身体中的血液循环；我们身体中的血液流遍了我们身体的每一肢体。照样，所有枝子的内里生命乃是一个；这生命该不断的流遍所有的枝子。这样，所有的枝子便生意盎然，满有生命的丰富，好结出果子来。
2We are not branches of many separate trees; we are all branches of the same tree. So we need to maintain a good fellowship with all the other branches as well as with the tree. This is why in this chapter the Lord also tells us to love one another (vv. 12, 17). If we do not love one another, it will be very difficult to bear fruit. If we do not love one another, it means that our fellowship with the vine tree has been cut off. Therefore, there is no way for us to bear fruit. In order to bear fruit we must love one another. The life within all of us is one life. The life in you is exactly the same as the life in me. This resembles the circulation of the blood in our physical body. The blood in our body circulates through every member of our body. In like manner, the inner life of all the branches is one. This life should continually circulate through all the branches. Then all the branches will be so living and filled with the riches of life in order to bear fruit
一 枝子是一
A. The Branches Being One
3枝子虽有许多，他们却是一。他们与葡萄树是一，彼此也是一。所有的枝子加上葡萄树，乃是一个实体，一个生机体。
3Although the branches are many, they are one. They are one with the vine and with one another. All the branches together with the vine are one entity, one organism.
二 枝子与葡萄树有亲密的关系
B. The Branches Being in an Intimate Relationship with the Vine
4枝子与葡萄树有亲密的关系。（约十五13～17。）枝子不是主的奴仆，乃是祂的朋友。因著枝子是主的朋友，他们就能明白父的愿望是要在团体的身体中得著彰显。
4The branches are in an intimate relationship with the vine (vv. 13-15). The branches are not the Lord’s slaves; they are His friends. Because they are the Lord’s friends, the branches can know the Father’s desire that He be expressed in a corporate Body
三 枝子被拣选、被立，前去结常存的果子
C. The Branches Being Chosen and Appointed to Bear Remaining Fruit
5枝子已经被拣选并且被立，前去结常存的果子。在十六节主说，『不是你们拣选了我，乃是我拣选了你们，并且立了你们，要你们前去，并要你们结果子，且要你们的果子常存，使你们在我的名里，无论向父求甚么，祂就赐给你们。』我们原是野枝，因信得接枝于基督。在此祂说祂『立』了我们，甚合接枝之意。钦定英文译本在此用『任命』（Ordained）一辞。我们都已经被任命了。所有的姊妹，包括年轻的姊妹，都必须晓得你们已经被任命了。你知道我们都已经被任命了么?我们都已经被任命前去结果子。不要说你太年轻不能作这事；不管你多年轻，你已经被拣选，并且被任命前去结常存的果子。在这一章里，关于果子有四种说法：结果子，（约十五2，）多结果子，（约十五8，）结果子更多，（约十五2，）以及果子常存。（约十五16。）果子存留多久，在于我们把多少生命分赐到果子里面。这全在于我们把多少生命，分赐到新蒙恩的人里面。这决定他们会存留多久。我们把人带到主面前，常常只把少量的生命分赐到他们里面；因此，他们很少留下，很难长久存留。
5The branches have been chosen and appointed to bear remaining fruit. In verse 16 the Lord said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and I appointed you that you should go forth and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you.” The King James Version uses the word ordained instead of appointed. I like the term ordained. We all have been ordained. To be ordained means to be appointed. Ordained is an old-fashioned word for the modern word appointed. All of the sisters, including the younger sisters, must realize that they have been ordained. Do you know that we all have been ordained? We have been ordained to bear fruit. Do not say that you are too young for this. Regardless of how young you may be, you have been chosen and ordained to bear remaining fruit. In this chapter there are four ways of referring to the fruit: bearing fruit (v. 2), much fruit (v. 8), more fruit (v. 2), and remaining fruit (v. 16). How long the fruit remains depends on how much life we impart into it. It all depends upon the amount of life we impart into the new converts. This determines how long they will remain. Often in bringing people to the Lord we impart into them only a small amount of life. Therefore, they scarcely remain. It is difficult for them to remain for a longer time
1 藉著在子的名里祷告
1. Through Praying in the Son’s Name
6枝子被拣选去结常存的果子，乃是藉著在子的名里祷告。我们为著结果子祷告时，必须在子的名里祷告。在主的名里求，需要我们住在主里面，并让主和祂的话住在我们里面，使我们实际与祂是一。这样，我们祈求，就是祂在我们的祈求里求。这样的祈求与结果子有关，必定会得著父的答应。我们这样祷告时，必须宣告我们与子乃是一。我们无须乞讨，只要宣告我们与祂是一。凡子的所是和所有都是我们的，我们是在祂的名里。要这样祷告！
6The branches have been chosen to bear remaining fruit through praying in the Son’s name. When we pray for fruit-bearing, we must pray in the Son’s name. To ask in the Lord’s name requires us to abide in the Lord and to let Him and His words abide in us that we may actually be one with Him. Then our asking will be His asking. This kind of asking is related to the fruit- bearing and surely will be answered by the Father. As we pray in this way, we must claim that we are one with the Son. We should not beg but rather claim that we are one with Him. Whatever the Son is and has is ours, and we are in His name. Pray in this way.
2 凭著与子是一，凭祂活著，并让祂活在我们里面
2. By Being One with the Son, Living by Him, and Letting Him Live in Them
7我们不仅该在子的名里祷告，也该与子是一，凭祂活著，并让祂住在我们里面。这是非常紧要的事。我们的祷告有赖于我们的生活。我们在生活中必须与主是一；这样，我们就能在祷告里与祂是一，并在祂的名里祷告。藉著这样的生活和祷告，我们就能结常存的果子。
7We should not only pray in the Son’s name but also be one with the Son, live by Him, and let Him live in us. This matter is very crucial. Our prayer depends upon our living. We must be one with the Lord in our living. Then we can be one with Him in our prayer and pray in His name. It is by this kind of living and prayer that we can bear fruit that can remain
四 枝子彼此相爱
D. The Branches Loving One Another
8枝子需要在子的生命，在子的爱，并子的使命里彼此相爱；这使命就是结果子，使父得荣耀。我们需要在主的生命，神圣的生命里，在主的爱，并祂结果子的使命里彼此相爱。生命是源头，爱是情形，结果子是目标。倘若我们都凭著主生命这源头，在主爱的情形里，并为著结果子的目标而活，我们必定会彼此相爱。不同的生命源头，不同的情形，或不同的目标，会使我们分离，不能彼此相爱。基督徒喜欢谈论彼此相爱。我们若在人的生命里彼此相爱，那会带进死亡；我们若以情感的方式，或为著我们自己的目的彼此相爱，那也会导致死亡。我们必须在基督的生命里，在基督的爱里，并在基督的使命里彼此相爱。我们不可在我们天然的生命里，以我们的情感，或为著我们自己的目的彼此相爱。我们必须在神圣的生命里，以神圣的爱，并为著多结果子，叫父因此得荣耀，而彼此相爱。
8The branches need to love one another in the life of the Son, in the love of the Son, and in the commission of the Son which is to bear fruit for the glorification of the Father. We need to love one another in the Lord’s life, the divine life, in the Lord’s love, and in His commission of fruit-bearing. Life is the source, love is the condition, and fruit-bearing is the goal. If we all live by the Lord’s life as the source, in the Lord’s love as the condition, and for fruit-bearing as the goal, we surely will love one another. Having different sources of life, different conditions, or different goals will separate us and prevent us from loving one another. Christians are fond of talking about loving one another. If we love one another in our human life, that will bring in death. If we love one another in an emotional way or for our own purpose, that also will result in death. We must love one another in the life of Christ, in the love of Christ, and in the commission of Christ. We must not love one another in our natural life, with our emotions, or for our own purpose. We must love one another in the divine life, with the divine love, and for the purpose of bearing much fruit that the Father may be glorified (v. 8
参 葡萄树和枝子从世界分别出来，为宗教世界所恨恶并逼迫
III. The vine and the branches separated from the world being hated and persecuted by the religious world
91约翰福音十五章有三段。第一段一至十一节，说到葡萄树和枝子的关系；第二段，十二至十七节，说到枝子之间的关系；第三段，十八至二十七节，说到枝子与世界分离。我们是枝子，已经从世界分别出来；我们与世界无分无关，因为我们已经完全联于葡萄树。
9John 15 has three sections. The first section, verses through 11, is about the relationship between the vine tree and the branches; the second, verses 12 through 17, is about the relationship between the branches; and the third, verses 18 through 27, is about the separation between the branches and the world. As branches, we have been separated from the world. We have nothing to do with the world, for we have been fully attached to the vine tree.
一 这里的世界主要的是指宗教世界
A. The World Here Being Mainly the Religious World
10约翰福音这一段里，『世界』一辞，主要的是指宗教世界。（约十五18，十六2。）换句话说，十五章的世界就是宗教，特别是犹太宗教。当时对主耶稣的门徒而言，世界就是犹太宗教。他们已经从犹太宗教分别出来，归于基督这葡萄树。二宗教是撒但世界系统的一部分，
10In this portion of the Gospel of John, the term world refers mainly to the religious world (15:18; 16:2). In other words, the world in chapter fifteen is just religion, especially the Jewish religion. To the disciples of the Lord Jesus at that time, the world was the Jewish religion. They had been separated from that Jewish religion unto Christ, the vine tree. B. Religion, as a Part of Satan’s Worldly System
恨恶神圣生机体的枝子彰显三一神
Hating the Branches of the Divine Organism for the Expression of the Triune God
11宗教是撒但世界系统的一部分，恨恶神圣生机体的枝子彰显三一神。（约十五18。）许多热心宗教的人不认为宗教是撒但世界系统的一部分；但在神眼中，宗教是撒但世界里的一个部门。我们读到十六章就会看见，主告诉祂的门徒，热心宗教的人以为杀害跟从主的人，就是事奉神。热心宗教的人在名义上事奉神，实际上却事奉撒但。因此，所谓的宗教实际上是世界这撒但系统里的一个部门。
11Religion, as a part of Satan’s world system, hates the branches of the divine organism for the expression of the Triune God (15:18). Many religious people would not consider religion as a part of Satan’s worldly system. But, in the eyes of God, religion is a department of Satan’s world. When we come to chapter sixteen, we shall see that the Lord told His disciples that the religious people would consider killing the Lord’s followers as a kind of service offered to God. Although the religious people served God in name, they served Satan in actuality. Hence, the so- called religion is actually a department of the satanic system, the world
12我们必须从世界分别出来，因为世界和召会是对立的。世界既是撒但的系统，就与基督的身体对立。世界恨恶身体，恨恶枝子，恨恶召会。召会是身体，三一神的生机体，但世界是撒但的系统。撒但的系统总是反对并逼迫三一神的生机体。我们必须深刻的认识，召会、枝子、身体乃是三一神的生机体。三一神活在这生机体里面，并藉著这生机体彰显祂自己。你的身体是一个生机体，你这个人在其中活著，并藉牠得著彰显。同样的，三一神也需要一个生机体，就是召会，基督的身体。三一神要住在其中，并藉这样的生机体彰显牠自己。但神的仇敌撒但，已经组织了一个系统，就是我们所知道的『界』（cosmos）。这宇宙的世界是神的仇敌所系统化的组织。在仇敌这世界系统背后的目的，就是反对召会这三一神的生机体，基督的身体。所以，我们必须与这世界无分无关；我们是在世界之外，已经被分别出来，归于三一神的生机体。
12We must be separated from the world because it is against the church. The world, as a satanic system, is against the Body of Christ. The world hates the Body, it hates the branches, and it hates the church. The church is the Body, an organism of the Triune God, but the world is a system of Satan. Satan’s system always opposes and persecutes the organism of the Triune God. We must realize deeply that the church, the branches, the Body, is the organism of the Triune God. The Triune God is living within and expressing Himself through this organism. Your body is an organism in which your very being lives and through which your being is expressed. Likewise, the Triune God needs an organism such as the church, the Body of Christ. The Triune God wants to live in and manifest Himself through such an organism. But Satan, the enemy of God, has organized a system known as the cosmos. This cosmic world is an organization systematized by the enemy of God. The purpose behind the enemy’s cosmic system is to oppose the church as the organism of the Triune God, the Body of Christ. Therefore, we must have nothing to do with this world. We are out of the world, having been separated unto the organism of the Triune God.
三 枝子被拣选，不属这世界，与宗教的撒但系统无关
C. The Branches Being Chosen, Not Being of the World, and Having Nothing to Do with the Satanic System of Religion
13我们既是从世界拣选出来的枝子，就该与宗教的撒但系统无分无关。（约十五19。）然而，几乎在所有的基督徒当中，都有混杂。因著主的怜悯，我们要远离任何宗教的系统，单纯的与召会站在一起，一点也没有混杂。任何宗教的系统都起源于撒但，要阻挠、破坏正当的召会生活。召会要成为彰显三一神的生机体，我们就必须从所有的宗教分别出来。
13As branches who have been chosen out of the world, we should have nothing to do with the satanic system of religion (v. 19). However, among almost all Christians there is a mixture. By the Lord’s mercy, we want to stand apart from the system of any religion and stand with the church in a pure way, not having any mixture at all. The system of any religion is originated by Satan to frustrate and damage the proper church life. For the church to be the organism for the expression of the Triune God, we have to be separated from any kind of religion
四 宗教世界曾逼迫葡萄树，现正逼迫枝子
D. The Religious World, Having Persecuted the Vine, Persecuting the Branches
14主告诉祂的门徒，倘若他们愿意在生命的路上跟从祂，就得豫备好受逼迫。（约十五20～25。）我们若愿意经历三一神作我们的生命，与三一神调和，并且与三一神互为住处，就必须豫备好遭受从宗教来的逼迫。门徒受的逼迫不是来自所谓世俗的世界，乃是来自那敬拜神，似乎是爱神的宗教。主告诉祂的门徒，热心宗教的人要因祂的缘故逼迫他们，甚至杀害他们。我们已经看见，门徒是葡萄树的枝子，是基督的身体，是生命的生机体，作三一神的彰显；而世界是世界的系统，是撒但组织的系统。在主眼中，宗教系统是撒但系统的一部分，就是要恨恶门徒的世界。宗教世界逼迫那些在生命里跟从主的人，因为他们是真葡萄树的枝子，与主是一，在主的名里行动、作事。因为热心宗教的人不认识父是主的源头，他们就恨恶那些真正跟从主的人。因为热心宗教的人恨恶在子里的父，（约十五23，）所以也恨恶跟从子的人。在神眼中，这样的恨恶和逼迫乃是他们的罪。（约十五22，24。）藉这一切我们可以看见，宗教是多么邪恶，即使是照著神的圣言形成的宗教，也是如此。在此，我们看见仇敌在宗教里的诡计。
14The Lord told His disciples that if they were willing to follow Him in the way of life, they must be ready to suffer persecution (vv. 20-25). If we are willing to experience the Triune God as our life, to be mingled with the Triune God, and to be the mutual abode with the Triune God, we must be prepared to suffer persecution from religion. The persecution of the disciples was not to come from the so-called secular world, but from the religions that worshipped God and seemingly loved Him. The Lord was telling His disciples that because of Him the religious people would persecute and even kill them. We have seen that the disciples, as branches of the vine, are the Body of Christ, the organism for the life and expression of the Triune God, and that the world, as a cosmic system, is the organized system of Satan. In the eyes of the Lord, the religious system, as part of Satan’s system, is the world that will hate the disciples. The religious world persecutes the people who follow the Lord in life because they, as the branches of the true vine, are one with the Lord, acting and doing things in the Lord’s name. Because the religious people do not know the Father who is the source of the Lord, they hate the Lord’st rue followers. Because the religious people hate the Father in the Son (v. 23), they also hate the Son’s followers. This hating and persecuting are their sin in the eyes of God (vv. 22, 24). By all of this we can see how evil religion is, even the religion formed according to God’sho ly Word. Here we see the subtlety of the enemy in religion
五 保惠师作见证
E. The Comforter Testifying
1 是实际的灵
1. Being the Spirit of Reality
15二十六节说，『但我要从父差保惠师来，就是从父出来实际的灵，祂来了，就要为我作见证。』宗教逼迫，但实际的灵作见证。圣灵是一切事的实际，而我们乃是实际之灵的见证人。
15Verse 26 says, “But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of reality who proceeds from the Father, He will testify concerning Me.” Religion persecutes, but the Spirit of reality testifies. The Holy Spirit is the reality of all things, and we are to be witnesses of the Spirit of reality
2 为子所差
2. Sent by the Son
16在这一节主说，祂要差实际的灵到门徒那里。但在十四章二十六节主说，父要在子的名里差遣保惠师，就是圣灵。约翰说到同一件事，有14:26两种不同的说法。首先在十四章二十六节他说，父要差遣那灵；现今在十五章二十六节他说，主自己要差遣那灵。这样，到底是谁差遣那灵，是父还是子？我们得说，那灵同为父与子所差。父与子乃是一；父的差遣就是子的差遣，子的差遣就是父的差遣。二者就是一。不管是谁差遣那灵，那灵总是同著父并在子的名里所差来的。由此，我们再一次看见三一神。当那灵来时，祂是在子的名里，与父同来；因此神格的三者都在这里。
16In this verse the Lord said that He would send to the disciples the Spirit of reality. But in 14:26 the Lord said that the Father would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, in the Son’s name. John has two different ways of speaking about the same thing. First, in he says that the Father will send the Spirit; now in 15:26 he says that the Lord Himself will send the Spirit. Then who sent the Spirit — the Father or the Son? We must say that the Spirit was sent by both the Father and the Son. The Father and the Son are one. The Father’s sending is the Son’s sending, and the Son’ss ending is the Father’ss ending. The two are one. Regardless of who it is who sends the Spirit, the Spirit is always sent with the Father and in the name of the Son. Once again we see the Triune God. When the Spirit comes, He comes with the Father in the Son’s name. So all three of the Godhead are here.
3 不仅从父而来，且同父而来
3. Not Only from the Father but with the Father
17二十六节主说，祂要从父差保惠师来。我们在第三十二篇信息里曾指出，这一节繙作『从』的介系词，希腊文是para，原文意从…同…。实际的灵为子所差，不仅从父而来，且同父而来。保惠师从父而来，且同父而来。父是源头。这灵从源头而来，并不是离开源头，乃是带著源头同来。这灵为子所差，且与父同来，要为子作见证。所以，祂为子所作的见证，乃是三一神的事。
17In verse 26 the Lord said that He would send the Comforter from the Father. As we pointed out in Message Thirty-two, the Greek preposition translated from in this verse is para. The sense of this preposition in Greek here is “from with.” The Spirit of reality is sent by the Son, not only from the Father but also with the Father. The Comforter comes from the Father and with the Father. The Father is the source. When the Spirit comes from the source, it does not mean that He leaves the source but that the source comes with Him. This Spirit, sent by the Son and coming with the Father, will testify concerning the Son. Therefore, His testimony concerning the Son is a matter of the Triune God.
4 作见证
4. Testifying
18这实际的灵见证子是葡萄树。祂在逼迫的宗教跟前作见证；不仅如此，那灵也向枝子作见证，并且藉著枝子向世界作见证。宗教可以逼迫，但实际的灵却见证子是葡萄树。藉著作枝子的信徒，这见证要散布到全世界；今天牠仍在往前。
18This Spirit of reality testifies concerning the Son as the vine. It testifies in front of the persecuting religion. Furthermore, the Spirit testifies to the branches and through the branches to the world. Religion may persecute, but the Spirit of reality testifies that the Son is the vine. Through the believers as the branches this testimony will go forth throughout the whole world. It is going on today
六 豫告宗教的逼迫
F. Religion’s Persecution Foretold
19十六章一至四节豫告宗教要逼迫葡萄树和枝子。首先，宗教要将生机体（葡萄树）的枝子从组织（会堂－约十六2）赶出。在二节主说，『并且时候将到，凡杀你们的，就以为是事奉神。』宗教认为杀害神生机体的枝子，就是事奉神。我们已经看过，这卷福音书启示，宗教是生命的仇敌。在福音书里，犹太教抵挡并逼迫主耶稣。在行传里，犹太教继续抵挡并逼迫使徒和门徒。（徒四1～3，五17～18，40，六11～14，七57～59，二六9～12。）在后来的历史中，天主教逼迫跟从主的人。无论那一种组织的宗教，都逼迫在生命里寻求并跟从主的人。一切的宗教都认为这样的逼迫就是事奉神。宗教先是逼迫，然后就杀害。宗教不认识父这源头，也不认识子这彰显。（约十六3。）正如主所说的：『他们这样行，是因未曾认识父，也未曾认识我。』主豫先告诉门徒，好叫他们在逼迫来临时不至受挫、绊跌，也不至受迷惑。在受逼迫的时候，门徒可能很容易对自己说，『这些热心宗教的人敬拜神。但因著我们接受这位神作我们的生命和住处，并且使我们作神的住处，这些热心宗教的人就恐吓要杀我们。他们不仅把我们赶出会堂，甚至还要杀我们；恐怕错的是我们罢。』主豫言要来的逼迫，使门徒不至认为他们错了。这逼迫若发生在你身上，不要以为你错了。相反的，这逼迫证明你是对的。热心宗教的人若不逼迫你，你也许就错了。罗马天主教和各公会若不逼迫你，那你必须知道你错了。但你若接受主作你的生命，经历祂作你的住处，并且使你自己作祂的住处，你就得豫备好遭受宗教世界的逼迫。
19In 16:1-4 religion’s persecution of the vine and the branches is foretold. First, religion will excommunicate the branches of the organism (the vine) from the organization (the synagogue, v. 2). In verse 2 the Lord said, “An hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think that he is offering service to God.” Religion thinks that it is offering service to God by killing the branches of God’s organism. As we have seen, in this Gospel religion is revealed as the enemy of life. In the Gospels Judaism opposed and persecuted the Lord Jesus. In the Acts Judaism continued its opposition and persecution toward the apostles and other believers (4:1-3; 5:17-18, 40; 6:11-14; 7:57-59; 26:9-12; Gal. 1:13). In subsequent history Catholicism persecuted the Lord’s followers. Any kind of organized religion persecutes those who seek and follow the Lord in life. All the religions consider this kind of persecution a service offered to God. First, religion persecutes; then it kills. Religion knows neither the Father, the source, nor the Son, the expression (v. 3). As the Lord said, “These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor Me.” The Lord told His disciples beforehand so that they would not be offended and stumble and so that they would not be perplexed when the persecution came. In a time of persecution the disciples might easily say to themselves, “These religious people worship God. Yet, because we take this very God as our life and abode and make ourselves God’s abode, these religious people threaten to kill us. They not only drive us out of the synagogues but will even kill us. Maybe it is we who are wrong.” The Lord predicted the coming persecution so that the disciples might not think that they were wrong. If this persecution happens to you, do not think that you are wrong. On the contrary, that persecution proves that you are right. If the religious people do not persecute you, then you may be wrong. If the Roman Catholic Church and the denominations do not persecute you, then you must realize that you are wrong. But if you take the Lord as your life, experience Him as your abode, and make yourself His abode, then you must be prepared to meet the persecution of the religious world.
20世界是撒但组织的系统，在三个主要的方面逼迫了基督的身体：犹太宗教的一面，罗马帝国的一面，以及希腊哲学的一面。世界在这三方面逼迫了召会。在约翰福音里，主好几次说到世界，祂特别是指宗教世界。倘若我们在生命的路上，并在灵里真正忠信的跟从主，以三一神作我们的住处，并且使我们自己作三一神的住处，宗教的世界就要逼迫我们。请告诉我，是谁把胡斯约翰烧死在柱子上?是罗马天主教。是谁把『天路历程』的作者本仁约翰囚禁起来？是英国国教。是谁监禁了盖恩夫人?是罗马天主教。历代以来，主所说的这话已经应验。每当一个人或一班人，在约翰十四、十五章所启示的路上跟从主时，便受到宗教世界的逼迫。宗教世界会继续逼迫那些在生命的路上跟从基督的人。
20As a satanic, organized system, the world has persecuted the Body of Christ in three main phases: the phase of the Jewish religion, the phase of the Roman Empire, and the phase of Greek philosophy. These are the three phases in which the world has persecuted the church. In the Gospel of John the Lord spoke several times about the world, by which, in particular, He meant the religious world. If we are truly faithful to follow the Lord in the way of life and in the spirit, taking the Triune God as our abode and making ourselves an abode for the Triune God, the religious world will persecute us. Tell me, who put John Huss to death by burning him at the stake? It was Roman Catholicism. Who imprisoned John Bunyan, the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress? It was the Church of England. Who imprisoned Madame Guyon? It was the Roman Catholic Church. This word of the Lord has been fulfilled throughout the generations. Whenever a person or a group of people have followed the Lord in the way revealed in John 14 and 15, they have been persecuted by the religious world. And the religious world will continue to persecute the people who follow Christ in the way of life