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罗马书生命读经 · 第37篇

罗马七、八章里的律

LAW IN ROMANS SEVEN AND EIGHT
1罗马七、八章里三个关键的辞，就是律、生命和死。甚至科学家也很难说明生命和死。圣经里说到死，是非常确定的。林前十五章二十六节说，死是最后的仇敌；启示录二十章十四节说，死要被扔在火湖里。要把死扔在火湖里，死就必须是具体、确实的。在启示录二十章，死一面与撒但有关，另一面与阴间有关，二者都要被扔进火湖里。这证明撒但是真实的人位，阴间是确定的地方。所以，死也必是具体的东西。然而，没有人能充分解释死是甚么。
1Three crucial words in Romans 7 and 8 are law, life, and death. It is difficult even for scientists to define life and death. In the Bible, death is spoken of in a very definite way. First Corinthians 15:26 says that death is the last enemy, and Revelation 20:14, that death will be cast into the lake of fire. In order for death to be cast into the lake of fire, death must be concrete and tangible. In Revelation 20 death is related to Satan on the one hand and to Hades on the other, both of which are to be cast into the lake of fire. This proves that Satan is an actual person and that Hades is a definite place. Therefore, death must also be something concrete. Nevertheless, no one can adequately explain what death is
四个律
FOUR LAWS
2律的事很深奥。许多研究圣经的人因保罗在罗马七章对『律』这辞的使用感到困扰。这辞首先指神的律，7:23就是十条诫命。（22。）然后，在七章二十三节，保罗说到『我心思的律』，在八章二节说到『罪与死的律』和『生命之灵的律』。要领会『律』和『生命』这些辞很难，要领会『生命之灵的律』这辞就更难。所以，在七、八章里，『律』这辞有不同的用法：指神的律，指心思的律，指罪与死的律，也指生命之灵的律。
2The matter of law is profound. Many Bible students have been troubled by Paul’su se of the word “law” in Romans 7. This word firstly denotes the law of God, that is, the ten commandments (7:22). Then in Paul speaks of “the law of my mind,” and in 8:2, of “the law of sin and of death” and of the “law of the Spirit of life.” It is difficult to understand the words “law” and “life” and even more difficult to understand the term “the law of the Spirit of life.” Therefore, in chapters seven and eight the word “law” is used in different ways: for the law of God, for the law of the mind, for the law of sin and of death, and for the law of the Spirit of life.
另一个律
ANOTHER LAW
3然而，七章还有另一个律：『于是我发现那律与我这愿意为善的人同在，就是那恶与我同在。』（21。）我们能认识本节所说到的律以前，需要领会神的律、心思的律、罪与死的律（就是我们肢体中罪的律）、和生命之灵的律。认识这四个律就像认识数学的基本原则一样。二十一节的律既不是心思的律，也不是我们肢体中罪的律。我们可称之为『那律』。有一个律，一个原则，就是每当我们愿意为善，那恶便与我们同在。七章二十一节的律是指这原则。
3In chapter seven, however, there is still another law: “I find then the law that, at my willing to do the good, the evil is present with me” (v. 21). Before we can know the law covered in this verse, we need to understand the law of God, the law of the mind, the law of sin and death (which is the law of sin in our members), and the law of the Spirit of life. Learning these four laws is like learning the basic principles of mathematics. The law in verse 21 is neither the law of the mind nor the law of sin in our members. We may call it “the law that.” There is a law, a principle, that whenever we will to do good, the evil is present with us. The law in 7:21 refers to this principle
4保罗发现了一个原则：每当他想要为善，恶便与他同在。你察觉到这样一个律么？我们若不想为善，似乎恶就不与我们同在。但每当我们想要为善，那恶便与我们同在；这乃是律。例如，你若不想要谦卑，骄傲就似乎不与你同在。但你若定意要谦卑，骄傲就会与你同在。同样，你若没有定意不发脾气，你的脾气就不与你同在。但每当你定意绝不要再发脾气，你的脾气就立刻与你同在。这就是『那律』。这律没有诫命，只有一个原则，就是每当我们愿意为善，恶便与我们同在。
4Paul discovered the principle that whenever he tried to do good, evil was present with him. Have you ever realized that there is such a law? If we do not try to do good, it seems that evil is not present. But it is a law that whenever we try to do good, the evil is present. For example, if you do not try to be humble, pride will not seem to be present. But if you make up your mind to be humble, pride will be present with you. Likewise, if you do not make up your mind not to lose your temper, your temper is not present. But whenever you determine never to lose your temper again, your temper is present immediately. This is “the law that.” This law has no commandments, only the principle that whenever we will to do good, evil is present.
5很少基督徒知道有这样的律，连有心寻求的基督徒也不例外。然而，我们都受过这事实的困扰，就是每当我们定意要忍耐，我们就失败。我们没有忍耐，反而生气。同样，每当我们定意要谦卑，结果我们就骄傲。在我们得救以前，或我们没有殷勤寻求主时，似乎我们作得相当好。后来，我们知道我们该是新人。我受了这样的教导；但我越想要生活像新人，旧人就越与我同在。然后我受教导要算自己是死的，我也实行这教导。然而，我越算自己是死的，我就变得越活。我越想要为善，我就越坏。我信我们都经历过这事。我们不在意的时候，表面看来我们还不错。但我们渴望为善以讨主喜悦时，似乎我们的行为就变得更坏。例如，一位弟兄也许说，『身为爱主的基督徒，我不该对我的妻子发脾气，或苦待她。我要求主在这事上帮助我。』然而，不久以后，这位弟兄就对他的妻子发脾气。
5Not many Christians, including the seeking Christians, know that there is such a law. However, we all have been troubled by the fact that whenever we purpose to be patient, we fail. Instead of being patient, we become angry. In like manner, whenever we make up our mind to be humble, we end up being proud. Before we were saved or when we were not diligent in seeking the Lord, we seemed to be doing rather well. Later, we learned that we should be a new person. I was taught in this way. But the more I tried to live like a new person, the more the old person was present with me. Then I was taught to reckon myself dead, and I practiced this teaching. However, the more I reckoned myself dead, the more living I became. The more I tried to do good, the worse I was. I believe that we all have experienced this. When we were careless, we apparently were all right. But when we desired to do good to please the Lord, it seemed that our behavior became worse. For example, a brother may say, “As a Christian who loves the Lord, I should not lose my temper with my wife or mistreat her. I will ask the Lord to help me in this matter.” However, shortly afterward, this brother loses his temper with his wife
6从一九二五至一九三三年，我被这样的事困扰了八年。那些年间，有许多时候我寝食难安，因为我对我的基督徒生活感到困扰。有些人因这问题，甚至不想作基督徒，并且对自己说，『我不要再作基督徒了。我听说我若成了基督徒，就会喜乐。但现在我每天受困扰。我要谦卑，但我反而骄傲。』藉著这种经历，我被暴露，无法相信我是何等邪恶。藉著读圣经，并藉著我在基督徒生活中的经历，我发觉有个律在人里面运行，就是当我们想要为善，恶便与我们同在。我发现这律时，就领悟我不该这样愚昧，一直想要为善。想要为善好像按下使恶与我们同在的按钮。你若不按按钮，恶就不在这里。但你若按牠，恶立刻就来，迫不及待的作工。一九三三年，我首次停止按这按钮。然而，我发觉很难不按牠，因为我一生都在按牠。虽然我知道最好不要按这按钮，但我必须承认，甚至现在我有时候还会按牠。可能你今天已经按过这按钮了。也许我们不会完全停下这事，直到我们被提，或直到我们在新耶路撒冷里。
6I was bothered by matters like this for eight years, from 1925 until 1933. During those years, there were many times when I could not eat or sleep well because I was troubled about my Christian life. Some with this problem have even thought to stop being Christians and have said to themselves, “I don’t want to be a Christian any longer. I was told that if I became a Christian, I would be happy. But now I am troubled every day. I want to be humble, but instead I am proud.” Through this kind of experience I was exposed, unable to believe how evil I was. Through reading the Bible and through my experience in the Christian life, I have found that there is a law operating in human beings that when we try to do good, evil is present. When I discovered this law, I realized that I should not be so foolish as to keep on trying to do good. Trying to do good is like pushing the button that causes evil to be present. If you do not push the button, evil is not here. But if you push it, evil comes immediately, eager to work. It was in 1933 that I first stopped pushing this button. I found it difficult, however, to keep from pushing it, for I had been pushing it all my life. Although I know better than to push this button, I must confess that sometimes I push it even now. Probably you have pushed this button already today. Maybe we shall not stop this completely until we are raptured or until we are in the New Jerusalem.
7可能你一再读罗马七章，却没有看见这第五个律。除了四个律以外，还有每当我们愿意为善时就运行的律。我们需要求主使我们不按这按钮，因为每当我们按牠，恶便与我们同在。我们若想要忍耐，就是按这按钮，使我们反而生气。我们若想要谦卑，就是再按按钮，我们就骄傲起来。基督徒常祷告求主帮助他们为善，作爱妻子或服从丈夫这样的事。但我们需要祷告主使我们不努力作这些事。关于这点，我们需要启示、异象，叫我们不按使恶与我们同在的按钮。
7Perhaps you have read Romans 7 again and again without seeing this fifth law. In addition to the four laws, there is the law that operates whenever we will to do good. We need to ask the Lord to keep us from pushing this button, for whenever we push it, evil is present. If we try to be patient, we push the button, and we are angry instead. If we try to be humble, we push the button again, and we are proud. Christians have often prayed that the Lord would help them to do good, to do such things as love their wives or submit to their husbands. But we need to pray that the Lord would keep us from trying to do these things. Regarding this, we need a revelation, a vision, that will keep us from pushing the button that causes evil to be present with us
三个人位和三个生命
THREE PERSONS AND THREE LIVES
8现在我们需要来看我们心思中善的律，我们肢体中罪的律，和我们灵中生命的律。伊甸园里有两棵树－善恶知识树和生命树。在这两棵树里我们看见善、恶和生命。其中每一样都有一个律：善的律、恶的律、和生命的律。我们是伊甸园的小影，因为与神、人、和撒但有关的三角情形，现今就在我们里面。不但如此，善的律、恶的律、和生命的律都在我们里面。就人位而论，宇宙中只有三个人位：神圣的人位，神；邪恶的人位，撒但；和属人的人位，人。这三个人位每个都有生命。神圣的人位有神圣的生命，属人的人位有属人的生命，邪恶的人位有邪恶的生命。我们属人的生命不是仅仅来自我们的父母；牠来自神的创造。我们属人的生命受造，是在亚当受造时，不是在我们由父母而生时。
8Now we need to consider the law of good in our mind, the law of sin in our members, and the law of life in our spirit. In the garden of Eden there were two trees—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. In these two trees we see good, evil, and life. With each of these there is a law: the law of good, the law of evil, and the law of life. We are a miniature garden of Eden because the triangular situation involving God, man, and Satan is now within us. Furthermore, the law of good, the law of evil, and the law of life are all in us. As far as persons are concerned, there are just three beings in the universe: the divine person, God; the evil person, Satan; and the human person, man. Each of these persons has a life. The divine person has the divine life, the human person has the human life, and the evil person has the evil life. Our human life does not come merely from our parents; it comes from God’s creation. Our human life was created when Adam was created, not when we were born of our parents.
9人受造以后堕落了。人堕落的时候，邪恶的生命注射到人的身体里。如我们所指出的，人堕落时不但作错了事，更是有个恶的东西进到他里面。例如，小孩子喝了毒药，这不仅是作错事，乃是有个东西进到他里面。因著人堕落了，撒但恶的生命就进到人的身体里，现今这恶的生命在我们的肉体里。所以，每个人，无论是绅士或强盗，都有人善的生命，也有撒但恶的生命。这就是为甚么人能善也能恶，能恩慈也能像鬼魔。没有人喜欢作恶事。但在我们里面有个人位，带著喜欢作恶的生命。所以，保罗说，『因为我所愿意的善，我反不作；我所不愿意的恶，我倒去作。』（七。）这就是说，作某些事的，不再是我们；乃是在我们里面那恶的人位，带著恶的生命，作那些事。每个人不但是亚当的子孙，也是魔鬼的儿女。在约翰八章四十四节，主耶稣告诉犹太人：『你们是出于那父魔鬼，你们父的私欲，你们愿意行。』每个人都有两个父，属人的父，和撒但这父。有一天我在上海释放关于这事的信息后，一位弟兄要求我不要再说我们是撒但的儿女。我告诉他这不是起源于我；我请他看约壹三章十节，这节说到『魔鬼的儿女』。我们既是魔鬼的儿女，魔鬼当然是我们的父。这就是主耶稣说犹太人是出于他们的父魔鬼的原因。所以，所有堕落的人都有两个父，各有不同的生命；属人的父有人的生命，撒但这父有撒但的生命。赞美主，我们的历史不是止于创造和堕落！我们得救并重生，再生了。尼哥底母以为重生是再进母腹生出来，主耶稣回答说，重生乃是从那灵生：『从肉体生的，就是肉体；从那灵生的，就是灵。』（约三6。）因此，重生的意思就是从神生。（一13。）阿利路亚，第三个人位，就是神自己，生在我们里面了！有了这神圣的人位，我们就有神的生命。
9After his creation, man fell. At the time of the fall, an evil life was injected into man’s body. As we have pointed out, in the fall not only did man do something wrong, but something evil entered into him. For example, if a child drinks poison, not only does he do something wrong, but something gets into him. By the fall the evil life of Satan came into man’s body, and now this evil life is in our flesh. Therefore, everyone, no matter whether he is a gentleman or a robber, has the human life, which is good, and the satanic life, which is evil. This is the reason that people can be both good and evil, both kind and devilish. No one likes to do evil things. But within us there is a person with a life that likes to do evil. Therefore, Paul said, “For the good which I will, I do not; but the evil I do not will, this I practice” (7:19). This means that it is no longer we who do 19 certain things; rather, it is an evil person with an evil life within us who does those things. Every human being is not only a son of Adam, but also a child of the Devil. In John 8:44 the Lord Jesus told the Jews, “You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to do the desires of your father.” Everyone has two fathers, a human father and Satan as a father. One day after I had given a message on this matter in Shanghai, a brother asked me to stop saying that we are children of Satan. Telling him that this did not originate with me, I referred him to 1 John 3:10, which speaks of “the children of the devil.” Since we are children of the Devil, then certainly the Devil must be our father. This was the reason the Lord Jesus said that the Jews were of their father the Devil. Therefore, all fallen human beings have two fathers, each with a different life, the human father with the human life and Satan as their father with the satanic life. Praise the Lord that our history does not stop with the creation and the fall! We have been saved and regenerated, born again. When Nicodemus thought that being born again was to enter into his mother’s womb and to be born, the Lord Jesus answered that to be born again is to be born of the Spirit: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). Thus, to be born again means to be born of God (John 1:13). Hallelujah, a third person, even God Himself, has been born in us! With this divine person we have the divine life.
10第一个人位，属人的人位，在我们的所是，我们的己里面。这人位在我们的魂里，由我们的心思所代表。这人位的生命主要是在心思里。第二个人位，撒但的人位，在我们的身体里，就是在我们的肉体里。但赞美主，第三个人位，神圣的人位，在我们的灵里！我们都知道，人有三部分：灵、魂、体。我们的魂里有属人的人位，我们的体里有撒但的人位，我们的灵里有神圣的人位。何等奇妙！
10The first person, the human person, is our being, our self. This person is in our soul, which is represented by our mind. The life of this person is primarily in the mind. The second person, the satanic person, is in our body, that is, in our flesh. But praise the Lord that the third person, the divine person, is in our spirit! As we all know, man has three parts: a spirit, a soul, and a body. In our soul we have the human person, in our body we have the satanic person, and in our spirit we have the divine person. How wonderful!
11基督徒很复杂。我年轻时受教导说，信徒有两个性情－旧性情和新性情。后来我知道这种领会并不充分。每个真基督徒都有三个人位带著三个生命。神、撒但、和己都在我们里面。有时候这三个人位彼此相争；他们不可能和谐或有任何交通。
11Christians are complicated. When I was young, I was taught that believers have two natures, an old nature and a new nature. Later I learned that this understanding is not adequate. Every genuine Christian has three persons with three lives. God, Satan, and the self are all in us. Sometimes these three persons fight with one another. It is impossible for them to be in harmony or have any fellowship
每种生命都有一个律
EVERY LIFE HAVING A LAW
12每种生命都有一个律。律指带著某种倾向和活动的自然能力。例如，我们呼吸，因为我们是活的。只要我们有生命，这生命的律就使我们呼吸。我们可用消化作另一个例子。我们吃饭以后，不需要努力消化食物。消化乃是一个律；每当我们吃东西，肉身生命的律就尽功用以消化食物。动物生命也是一样。鸟会飞，因为飞是鸟生命的律。鸟不是受教导而飞，乃是生来就有飞的生命；因此，鸟会飞是自然的。你也许阻挠这律尽功用，将鸟关在笼子里。然而一旦鸟笼的门打开，鸟就会飞走。反之，猫绝不会飞。无论你怎样吩咐猫飞，甚至威胁要惩罚牠，牠还是不能飞，因为牠的生命没有飞的律。然而，猫有捉老鼠的生命，因此牠自然就追捕老鼠。狗吠，因为狗有吠的生命，带著吠的律。不需要教导狗吠；狗自然会吠，因为牠的生命满有吠的倾向和活动。现在我们从动物生命转到植物生命；我们可以用果树作另一个例证，说明每种生命都有一个律的这个事实。我不太擅长辨别不同种类的果树。然而，由果子分辨树是很容易的。当然，苹果树会结苹果，橘子树会结橘子。吩咐苹果树结橘子，吩咐橘子树结苹果，是何等荒谬！没有人会愚昧到这样作。橘子树结橘子，苹果树结苹果。橘子树有橘子树的生命，其中有尽功用结橘子的律。
12Every kind of life has a law. A law denotes a natural power with a certain tendency and activity. For example, we breathe because we are alive. As long as we have life, the law of this life causes us to breathe. We may use digestion as another example. After we eat a meal, there is no need for us to try to digest our food. Digestion is a matter of law. Whenever we eat, the law of our physical life functions to digest the food. The same is true of animal life. Birds fly because it is the law of the life of a bird to fly. A bird is not taught to fly; it is born with the life to fly. Hence, it is natural for a bird to fly. You may frustrate the function of this law by putting a bird in a cage. But once the door of the cage is open, the bird will fly away. On the contrary, a cat can never fly. No matter how much you command a cat to fly, even threatening to punish it, it will still not be able to fly because it does not have a life with a law of flying. However, because a cat has a mouse- catching life, it naturally chases mice. Dogs bark because they have a barking life with a barking law. There is no need to teach a dog to bark; a dog barks naturally and spontaneously because its life is filled with the tendency and activity of barking. Turning from animal life to plant life, we may take fruit trees as another illustration of the fact that every life has a law. I am not very good at distinguishing one kind of fruit tree from another. However, it is easy to discern a tree by its fruit. An apple tree will, of course, bear apples, and an orange tree will bear oranges. What nonsense it would be to command the apple tree to bear oranges and the orange tree to bear apples! No one would ever be foolish enough to do this. An orange tree bears oranges, and an apple tree bears apples. An orange tree has the life of an orange tree, in which there is the law that functions in the bearing of oranges
13同样，不需要教导康乃馨不要开樱花，而要开康乃馨花。事实上，甚至不需要教导牠开花。若有人想要教导康乃馨开花，而康乃馨会说话，牠就会说，『不要浪费你的时间教导我开花。不要管我，只要让我生长。至终，我就会开花。』开花来自康乃馨生命的律。这一切例子都表明，每种生命都有一个律。
13In like manner, there is no need to teach a carnation to bear carnation blossoms instead of cherry blossoms. In fact, there is no need even to teach it to blossom. If someone tried to teach a carnation to blossom and a carnation could speak, it would say, “Don’t waste your time teaching me to blossom. Simply leave me alone and let me grow. Eventually, I will blossom.” Blossoming comes from the law of the carnation life. All these examples show that every life has a law
三个生命和三个律
THREE LIVES AND THREE LAWS
14因为我们基督徒有三个生命，我们也有三个律。我们有人善的生命；随著这善的生命，我们有善的律。因著这律，每个人都自然渴望为善；任何人都不需要受教导。我们生来就渴望为善；每个孩子都有人的生命，带著牠善的律。然而，正如我们所看见的，人不但有人的生命，也有撒但的生命，带著牠恶的律。因著人里面这撒但的生命，孩子不必受教导，就自然而然的说谎。事实上，基督徒父母总是教导自己的孩子不要说谎。我教导我的孩子不要说谎，但他们还是说谎。例如，我教导我的孩子不要玩水，水是洗东西用的。有一天我进来，发现一个孩子正在玩水；他立刻把手放在背后。我没有责备他或处罚他，我对自己说，『这是堕落的人。责备他有甚么用？』你也许吩咐荆棘树丛不要长荆棘，但牠还是会长荆棘。这是荆棘树丛生命的律。同样，孩子不必受教导，自然就说谎，因为撒但的生命带著牠说谎的律在他们里面。孩子说谎时，不过照著这说谎的律而活。我们也许需要受教导如何阅读，却不需要受教导如何说谎。原则上，堕落的人说谎与猫追捕老鼠是同样的；二者都是在他们里面生命之律的活动。现在我们能领会为甚么我们愿意为善的时候，所作的正相反。我们里面有两个生命，人的生命和撒但的生命，而每个生命都有牠的律。但撒但生命的律比人生命的律更强。
14Because we Christians have three lives, we also have three laws. We have the human life, which is good. With this good life we have the law of good. Because of this law, everyone naturally desires to do good; there is no need for anyone to be taught. We were born with the desire to do good, and every child has a human life with its law of good. However, as we have seen, man has not only the human life, but also the satanic life with its law of evil. Because of this satanic life in man, a child tells lies spontaneously, without being taught. In fact, Christian parents always teach their children not to lie. I taught my children not to lie, but they lied anyway. For example, I instructed my children not to play with the water that was used for washing. One day I came in and found one of the children playing with the water. Immediately he put his hands behind his back. Instead of rebuking him or punishing him, I said to myself, “This is fallen man. What good does it do to rebuke him?” You may command a bush not to produce thorns, but it will bear thorns nonetheless. This is the law of the life of a thorn bush. In like manner, children lie without being taught to lie because the life of Satan with its law of lying is in them. When they tell lies, children are simply living according to this law of lying. We may need to be taught how to read but not how to lie. In principle, for fallen people to lie is the same as for cats to chase mice. Both are the activity of the law of the life that is in them. Now we can understand why we do the opposite when we will to do good. We have two lives in us, the human life and the satanic life, and each life has its law. But the law of the satanic life is stronger than the law of the human life.
15赞美主，我们也有神的生命！在我们里面的三个生命中，神的生命最强，人的生命最弱。
15Praise the Lord that we also have the divine life! Of the three lives in us, the divine life is the strongest, and the human life is the weakest
凭著生命的律而活
LIVING BY THE LAW OF LIFE
16我们在日常生活中所作的，在于我们凭以活著的律。为善是一个律，作恶是另一个律，凭生命活著又是另一个律。不要以为你能在律以外作甚么事。我们基督徒在日常生活中所作的每件事，都是其中一个律的功用。假定我对一位弟兄生气。我也许想要压制我的怒气，并对自己说，『虽然你对这位弟兄生气，但你不可表现出来。你若发脾气，就会丢脸，并引起难处。』这样的行为不真诚，这是耍手腕；不但如此，这也不能持续很久。有些压制怒气的人，结果患胃病。虽然我们也许这样耍手腕，至终撒但生命的律会使我们发脾气。压制脾气是耍手腕；发脾气是照著罪的律而活。我们若真诚、真实并坦率，无论我们作甚么或说甚么，都将是其中一个律的功用。每件事都是由我们每天所凭以活著的律断定。我们若凭著人的生命而活，人生命的律就会尽功用。然而，人的生命是软弱的，牠的律是脆弱的，因为撒但生命的律与人同在，这律强得多了。阿利路亚，我们里面有最强的律，就是生命之灵的律！我们活著，不该凭著我们人的生命，而该凭著神的生命。在罗马八章保罗说，我们该照著灵而行。照著灵而行就是凭著神的生命而活。我们凭著神的生命而活，这生命的律，最强的律，就在我们里面作工。没有一个律能击败神生命的律；凭著这律，我们就得释放脱离一切难处。不要担心你的问题，你只要照著灵而行，并凭著神生命的律而活，这律自然而然就会为你作工。
16What we do in our daily living depends upon the law we are living by. To do good is a law, to do evil is another law, and to live by life is still another law. Do not think that you can do anything without a law. Everything we do as Christians in our daily living is a function of one of the laws. Suppose I become angry at a brother. I may try to suppress my anger and say to myself, “Although you are angry with this brother, you must not show it. If you lose your temper, you will also lose your face and cause a problem.” Such behavior is not genuine; it is political. Furthermore, it cannot last very long. Some who suppress their anger develop stomach trouble as a result. Although we may be political in this way, eventually the law of the satanic life will cause us to lose our temper. To suppress our temper is to play politics; to lose it is to live according to the law of sin. If we are genuine, real, and frank, whatever we do or say will be a function of one of these laws. Everything is determined by the law we live by each day. If we live by the human life, the law of the human life will function. However, the human life is weak, and its law is fragile because of the presence of the law of the satanic life, which is much stronger. Hallelujah, we have the strongest law in us, the law of the Spirit of life! We should live not by our human life but by the divine life. In Romans 8 Paul says that we should walk according to spirit. To walk according to spirit is to live by the divine life. When we live by the divine life, the law of this life, the strongest law, works within us. No law can defeat the law of the divine life. By this law we are freed from every difficulty. Do not be concerned about your problems. As long as you walk according to the spirit and live by the law of the divine life, this law will work for you spontaneously
17我们都需要受题醒，要按正确的按钮，不要按使『那律』尽功用的按钮。
17We all need to be reminded to push the right button, not the button which causes “the law that” to function
18不要教导我爱妻子，因为在我属人的生命里，我根本作不到。反之，要教导我将手指置于正确的按钮，就是生命之灵的律。我若这样作，自然而然就会爱我的妻子。同样，不要教导姊妹们服从自己的丈夫。你越教导她们这样作，她们就越不能服从。反之，要教导她们按正确的按钮，她们就会自动服从自己的丈夫。
18Do not teach me to love my wife, for in my human life I simply cannot do so. In stead, teach me to put my finger on the right button, the law of the Spirit of life. If I do this, I shall love my wife spontaneously. Likewise, do not teach the sisters to submit to their husbands. The more you teach them to do this, the less they will be able to submit. Rather, teach them to press the right button, and they will submit to their husbands automatically.
19正确的按钮在我们的灵里。那灵同我们的灵见证，（八16，）而按钮就是神的灵自己。我们必须天天、时时将我们的手指置于这按钮；这样作就是将我们的心思置于灵，并照著灵而行。绝不要使你的手指离开那灵的按钮。你若使你的手指置于这按钮，你就会在灵里，那灵对你就会是生命，并且一切消极的事物都会被置于死地。我们要使手指一直放在正确的按钮上，秘诀就在于认识我们有人的灵，并且有生命之灵在我们的灵里。我们需要将我们的心思、我们的全人转向灵，并将我们的心思置于灵。然后我们会照著灵而行。我们这样作，一切消极的事物就自然而然被置于死地，我们也享受到神的生命。我们这样作，人的生命同其善的律为善的愿望就得满足，神的律的要求也得成就。不但如此，撒但生命恶的律就被击败。一切都是律的事。不要努力去爱人或为善。反之，要将你这人转向你的灵，并使你的手指一直放在正确的按钮，就是主自己身上；祂这生命之灵对我们乃是一切。这样，你就会享受祂，你也会凭著生命之灵的律而活。
19The right button is in our spirit. The Spirit witnesses with our spirit (8:16), and the button is the Spirit of God Himself. Day by day and hour by hour, we must keep our finger on this button. To do this is to have our mind set on the spirit and to walk according to the spirit. Never take your finger off the button of the Spirit. If you keep your finger on the button, you will be in the spirit, the Spirit will be life to you, and every negative thing will be put to death. The secret to keeping our finger on the right button is to know that we have a human spirit and that the Spirit of life is in our spirit. We need to turn our mind, our whole being, to the spirit and to set our mind there. Then we shall walk according to the spirit. When we do this, all the negative things are spontaneously put to death, and we enjoy the divine life. As we do this, the desire for good by the human life with its law of good is satisfied, and the requirements of the law of God are fulfilled. Furthermore, the evil law of the satanic life is defeated. All is a matter of law. Do not try to love or to do good. Instead, turn your being to your spirit and keep your finger on the right button, that is, on the Lord Himself, who is everything to us as the Spirit of life. In this way you will enjoy Him, and you will live by the law of the Spirit of life