罗马书生命读经 · 第38篇

罗马五至八章里的生命与死亡

LIFE AND DEATH IN ROMANS 5-8

1我们可称罗马五至八章为圣经的核仁，其中有两个关键辞重复使用，就是生命与死亡。在创世记二章，生命由生命树代表，死亡由善恶知识树代表。（9。）善恶知识树的结果，实际上不是知识，乃是死亡。所以，我们可称这两棵树为生命树与死亡树。

1In Romans 5 through 8, which we may call the kernel of the Bible, two key words are used repeatedly. These words are life and death. In Genesis 2 life is represented by the tree of life, and death, by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (v. 9). The issue of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is actually death, not knowledge. Therefore, we may call these trees the tree of life and the tree of death

善、恶、知识

KNOWLEDGE, GOOD, AND EVIL

2死亡树非常狡猾。虽然牠带来死亡，但牠不称为死亡树，乃称为善恶知识树。与这棵树有关的有三件事：善、恶、知识。我们都宝贵善和知识，但不喜欢恶。我们认为善与恶是两个不同类别的东西。然而，圣经里对善与恶的观念不是这样；圣经将善与恶放在同一类。这指明我们该注意生命，不该注意善或恶。照著创世记二章，善和知识与恶相题并论。牠们属于一个家庭，乃是一同作工以带进死亡的三『姊妹』；死亡当然与生命相对。生命线与死亡线

2The tree of death is very subtle. Although it brings forth death, it is not called the tree of death; instead, it is called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There are three related things concerning this tree— knowledge, good, and evil. Although we all appreciate knowledge and good, we do not like evil. We consider good and evil to be in two distinct categories. The concept of good and evil in the Bible, however, is different; the Bible puts both good and evil in the same category. This indicates that we should be for life, not for good or evil. According to Genesis 2, knowledge and good are put together with evil. Belonging to one family, they are three “sisters” who work together to bring forth death, which is, of course, the opposite of life. THE LINE OF LIFE AND THE LINE OF DEATH

3有些基督徒说，我们不该再关切创世记二章所说的生命树与知识树。但见于创世记的项目，多半是在圣经别处得著发展的属灵真理的种子，我们不该忽略牠们。创世记二章有生命的种子与死亡的种子。但在启示录末了，我们看见这些种子的终极完成。死，最后的仇敌，被扔在火湖里。（二十14。）生命在新耶路撒冷里洋溢，因为在那里我们看见生命水的河，有生命树长在其中。（二二1～2。）新耶路撒冷从中心到圆周是生命的城。撒在圣经开头的生命的种子，终极完成于生命的收成；而死亡的种子终极完成于死亡的收成。因为生命与死亡的种子在全本圣经里生长，我们就能在圣经里追溯生命线与死亡线。在本篇信息中，我们要来看在罗马五至八章里出现的这两条线。

3Some Christians say that we should no longer be concerned about the tree of life and the tree of knowledge spoken of in Genesis 2. But most of the items found in Genesis are seeds of spiritual truths developed elsewhere in the Bible, and we should not neglect them. In Genesis 2 we have the seed of life and the seed of death. But at the end of the book of Revelation we see the consummation of these seeds. Death, the last enemy, is cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14). Life abounds in the New Jerusalem, for there we see the river of water of life with the tree of life growing in it (Rev. 22:1-2). From center to circumference, the New Jerusalem is a city of life. The seed of life sown in the beginning of the Bible consummates in the harvest of life, and the seed of death consummates in the harvest of death. Because the seeds of life and of death grow throughout the Bible, we can trace in the Bible both the line of life and the line of death. In this message we shall consider these two lines as they appear in Romans 5 through 8.

4创世记二章有一个三角关系，牵涉到神、人和撒但。在这章里，人面临两个源头：神这生命的源头，与撒但这死亡的源头。罗马五至八章有这三角关系的继续。至终，这三角关系会有两个终极的结果。消极的事物要随著死亡被扫进火湖里，但积极的事物要随著那些蒙了救赎的人流进活水的城里。今天我们都朝著这终极总结前进，信徒向著新耶路撒冷，不信者向著火湖。许多基督徒在每天的经历中，一脚在生命线上，另一脚在死亡线上。另有的基督徒则在二者之间游移不定。可能昨天你在死亡线上，但今天因著主的怜悯和恩典，你又在生命线上。

4In Genesis 2 there is a triangular situation involving God, man, and Satan. In this chapter man faces two sources: God as the source of life and Satan as the source of death. In Romans 5 through 8 there is the continuation of this triangular situation. Eventually, this triangular situation will result in a twofold consummation. The negative things will, along with death, be swept into the lake of fire, but the positive things will, with those who have been redeemed, flow into the city of living water. Today we are all heading toward this ultimate consummation, the believers to the New Jerusalem and the unbelievers to the lake of fire. In their everyday experience many Christians have one foot on the line of life and the other on the line of death. Other Christians vacillate between the two. Perhaps yesterday you were on the line of death, but today, by the Lord’s mercy and grace, you are once again on the line of life.

生命作王与死亡作王

THE REIGN OF LIFE AND THE REIGN OF DEATH

55现在让我们从罗马五至八章追溯这两条线。五章十二节说，『这就如罪是藉著一人入了世界，死又是藉著罪来的，于是死就遍及众人，因为众人都犯了罪。』这里我们看见罪和死的进入。十四节说，『从亚当到摩西，死就作了王。』在这两节里，我们看见死亡线。在十七节我们看见生命线：『若因一人的过犯，死就藉著这一人作了王，那些受洋溢之恩，并洋溢之义恩赐的，就更要藉著耶稣基督一人，在生命中作王了。』在二十一节保罗宣告：『使罪怎样在死中作王，恩典也照样藉著义作王，叫人藉著我们的主耶稣基督得永远的生命。』罪带进了死，但恩典藉著义带进生命。所以，在五章里我们看见死作王，以及生命带著恩典作王。

5Let us now trace these two lines through Romans through 8. Romans 5:12 says, “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin; and so death passed to all men because all have sinned.” Here we see the entering in of sin and death. Verse 14 says, “Death reigned from Adam until Moses.” In these two verses we see the line of death. In verse 17 we find the line of life: “For if by the offense of the one death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” In verse 21 Paul declares, “As sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Sin has brought in death, but grace through righteousness brings in life. Therefore, in chapter five we see both the reign of death and the reign of life with grace.

生命的新样

NEWNESS OF LIFE

6六章四节说，『好叫我们在生命的新样中生活行动。』我们不该留在死的作王之下，乃要在生命的新样中生活行动，并留在生命线上。下一节说，『我们若在祂死的样式里与祂联合生长，也必要在祂复活的样式里与祂联合生长。』我们在祂死的样式里，就是四节所题的浸里，与祂联合生长，也必要在祂复活的样式里，就是四节所题生命的新样中，与祂联合生长。在基督复活的样式里与祂联合生长，就是在生命的新样中。然后十一节告诉我们，在基督耶稣里，向罪当算自己是死的，向神却当算自己是活的。这些经文指明，六章也有生命线与死亡线。

6Romans 6:4 says, “Even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Instead of remaining under the reign of death, we should walk in newness of life and stay on the line of life. The next verse says, “For if we have grown together with Him in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.” As we have grown together with Him in the likeness of His death, that is, in the baptism mentioned in verse 4, so we shall also grow together with Him in the likeness of His resurrection, that is, in the newness of life as mentioned in verse 4. To grow together in the likeness of Christ’s resurrection is to be in newness of life. Then verse 11 tells us to reckon ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. These verses indicate that in chapter six also there are both the line of life and the line of death.

『这死』

“THIS DEATH”

7现在我们来到七章，这是许多基督徒不甚喜欢的一章。这里我们看不见生命，只看见杀害与死。十一节说，『因为罪藉著诫命得著机会，诱骗了我，并且藉著诫命杀了我。』罪是用律法作武器来杀我们的杀人者。这该警告我们不要转向律法。我们若转向律法，罪会起来，好像说，『真好，你转向了律法！你正好给我绝佳的机会用律法杀你。』保罗是一个曾经这样被杀的人，他在二十四节呼喊：『我是个苦恼的人！谁要救我脱离那属这死的身体？』『这死』指罪藉著律法的武器所导致的死。

7Now we come to chapter seven, a chapter that many Christians do not like very much. Here, instead of life, we find killing and death. Verse 11 says, “For sin, taking occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.” Sin is a murderer that uses the law as its weapon to kill us. This should warn us not to turn to the law. If we do, sin will rise up as if to say, “How good that you have turned to the law! You have just given me an excellent opportunity to use the law to kill you.” As one who had been killed in this way, Paul cried out in verse 24, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?” “This death” refers to the death caused by sin through the weapon of the law

四重生命

A FOURFOLD LIFE

8我们从七章往前到八章时，发现在八章里，主要的是生命，不是死亡。八章二节说，『因为生命之灵的律，在基督耶稣里已经释放了我，使我脱离了罪与死的律。』为著生命之灵的律，阿利路亚！十节继续说，『但基督若在你们里面，身体固然因罪是死的，灵却因义是生命。』照著六节，我们的心思若置于灵，我们的心思也要成为生命。不但如此，赐生命的灵若住在我们里面，就是安家在我们里面，祂甚至会将神的生命分赐到我们必死的身体里。（11。）所以，不但我们的灵和心思是生命，甚至我们必死的身体也能活过来。照著罗马八章，我们这人的三部分，灵、魂、体，都能接受生命。我们的灵是生命，因为耶稣基督已进到我们的灵里。我们的心思能成为生命，因为内住的基督正从我们的灵扩展到我们的心思里。不但如此，神生命的扩展甚至会达到我们必死的身体，叫牠活过来。为著罗马八章的生命赞美主！正如我们所指出的，这章里有四重生命：在神圣之灵里的生命，在我们人灵里的生命，在我们心思里的生命，以及在我们必死身体里的生命。虽然罗马八章有这样的四重生命，死却还在。乃是到了启示录二十章，才只有生命，没有死。那时，死，最后的仇敌，要从人间被扔在火湖里。所以，在新耶路撒冷里将只有生命的元素，没有死亡的元素。然而，今天我们里面有生命的元素，也有死亡的元素。

8As we go on from chapter seven to chapter eight, we find that in this chapter life is primary, not death. Romans 8:2 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and of death.” Hallelujah for the law of the Spirit of life! Verse 10 continues, “And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness.” According to verse 6, if our mind is set on the Spirit, our mind also will be life. Furthermore, if the life - giving Spirit dwells in us, that is, makes His home in us, He will even impart the divine life into our mortal bodies (v. 11). Therefore, not only our spirit and mind are life, but even our mortal bodies can be enlivened. According to Romans 8, all three parts of our being, our spirit, soul, and body, can receive life. Our spirit is life because Jesus Christ has entered into our spirit. Our mind can be life because the indwelling Christ is spreading from our spirit into our mind. Furthermore, this spreading of the divine life will even reach our mortal body and enliven it. Praise the Lord for the life in Romans 8! As we have pointed out, in this chapter there is a fourfold life: life in the divine Spirit, life in our human spirit, life in our mind, and life in our mortal body. But although there is such a fourfold life in Romans 8, death is still present. Not until we come to Revelation 20 will there be only life and no death. At that time, death, the last enemy, will be cast out of humanity and into the lake of fire. Therefore, in the New Jerusalem there will be only the element of life, not the element of death. However, within us today we have both the element of life and the element of death.

在意生命

CARING FOR LIFE

9所有已婚的弟兄姊妹都知道，丈夫应当爱自己的妻子，妻子应当服从自己的丈夫。然而，在创世记二章，我们没有读到丈夫爱妻子，或妻子服从丈夫。不过，这样的事乃是包括在十七节的『善』里。丈夫爱妻子，或妻子服从丈夫，就是为善。反之，丈夫恨妻子，或妻子背叛丈夫，就是作恶。在圣经末了，我们又看见『生命』与『死亡』这些辞，而没有看见『爱』与『服从』这些辞。所以，圣经的开头和末了，创世记和启示录，都有生命与死亡。罗马五至八章也是一样。在这几章里，保罗没有说到丈夫爱妻子，或妻子服从丈夫。他在别处说到这些事，但不在这里。反之，在这几章里，他非常强调生命与死亡；他似乎不在意爱或恨，服从或背叛。

9All married brothers and sisters know that the husbands should love their wives and that the wives should submit to their husbands. However, in Genesis 2 we read nothing about husbands loving wives or wives submitting to husbands. Nevertheless, such things are included in the word “good” in verse 17. For a husband to love his wife or for a wife to submit to her husband is to do good. On the contrary, for a husband to hate his wife or for a wife to rebel against her husband is to do evil. At the end of the Bible we again find the words “life” and “death,” but not the words “love” and “submission.” Therefore, both in the beginning of the Bible and at the end, both in Genesis and in Revelation, we have life and death. It is the same in Romans 5 through 8. In these chapters Paul says nothing about husbands loving wives or wives submitting to husbands. He speaks elsewhere about these matters but not here. Instead, in these chapters he lays great emphasis on life and death and seems not to care about love or hate, submission or rebellion

10人可能非常爱人或服从，却是死的。神在祂的经纶里所在意的，主要不是我们的善或恶，服从或背叛；祂只在意我们是活的或死的。每个死了并埋葬在坟墓里的妻子都是服从的；她绝不发表自己的意见。但神不要死的服从；祂渴望我们都是活的。这是在罗马五至八章里，保罗没有说到服从或背叛，乃说到生命与死亡的原因。罗马八章六节不是说，心思置于灵，就是服从；心思置于肉体，乃是背叛。保罗写这段话，完全在神的灵里，并在神的经纶里；他不在意善或恶，只在意生命与死亡。善与恶属于知识树，就是死亡树。对与错也属于这棵树。因此，我们不该关切对与错，而该关切生命与死亡。在神的经纶里，仅仅是善的并不彀。我们也许是善的，却仍是死的。神的经纶需要我们在生命里。我们可能对了，却是死的；也可能错了，却是活的。幼稚园充满吵闹的男孩和女孩，但这些孩子非常活。虽然幼稚园的孩子也许很吵闹，有时候很顽皮，但我喜欢他们的情形过于坟墓的安静和秩序。所有埋在坟墓里的人都是合法且很有规律的，但他们是死的。你喜欢活的错还是死的对？我宁愿是活的。

10It is possible to be very loving or submissive and yet be dead. In His economy God does not mainly care whether we are good or evil, submissive or rebellious; He cares only whether we are living or dead. Every wife who is dead and buried in a cemetery is submissive; she never expresses her opinion. But God does not want a dead submission. He desires that we all be living. This is the reason that in Romans 5 through 8 Paul does not speak about submission or rebellion but about life and death. Romans 8:6 does not say that the mind set upon the spirit is submission and that the mind set upon the flesh is rebellion. When Paul wrote this portion of the Word, he was fully in the Spirit of God and in God’secon o my; he did not care for either good or evil but only for life and death. Good and evil belong to the tree of knowledge, which is the tree of death. Right and wrong also belong to this tree. Thus, we should not be concerned about right and wrong but about life and death. In God’s economy it is not sufficient merely to be good. We may be good and yet still be dead. God’s economy requires that we be in life. It is possible to be dead right and livingly wrong. A kindergarten is filled with noisy boys and girls, but these children are very living. Although kindergarten children may be noisy and sometimes naughty, I prefer their situation over the quiet and orderliness of a cemetery. All those buried in a cemetery are lawful and well regulated, but they are dead. Do you prefer to be livingly wrong or dead right? I prefer to be living.

我们灵里的生命

LIFE IN OUR SPIRIT

与我们肉体里的死亡

AND DEATH IN OUR FLESH

11从死亡迁到生命，或从生命迁到死亡，是很容易的。换句话说，不从一个范围迁到另一个，是很困难的。例如，我们很容易就能打开电灯，正如我们很容易就能关上电灯一样。死亡与生命也是一样。我们能打开灵的开关而在生命里，也能关上开关而在死亡里。电是生命之灵的绝佳例证。电是看不见的，人也无法彻底明白电。生命之灵也是一样。我们要应用电，就必须先把电安装在我们家里，然后我们需要使用开关。感谢主，神圣的灵这属天的电已安装到我们的灵里。无论我们感觉如何，那灵，就是神圣的电，以及开关，都在我们的灵里。

11It is easy to move from death to life or from life to death. In other words it is difficult not to move from one realm to another. For example, we can just as easily switch on an electric light as we can switch it off. It is the same with death and life. We can switch on to the spirit and be in life, or we can switch off and be in death. Electricity is an excellent illustration of the Spirit of life. Electricity is invisible and cannot be thoroughly understood. The Spirit of life is the same. In order for us to apply electricity, it must be first installed in our home, and then we need to use a switch. Thank the Lord that the divine Spirit as the heavenly electricity has been installed in our spirit. No matter how we feel, both the Spirit, that is, the divine electricity, and the switch are in our spirit

12生命在我们的灵里，死亡在我们的肉体里。亚当在园子里的时候，生命树与知识树都在他外面。但今天这两棵树在我们里面－生命树在我们的灵里，死亡树在我们的肉体里。在圣经里，『肉体』这辞不但指我们败坏的身体，也指我们整个堕落的人。为这缘故，圣经称堕落的人为肉体。（罗三20。）

12Life is in our spirit, and death is in our flesh. When Adam was in the garden, the tree of life and the tree of knowledge were both outside of him. But today these two trees are within us, the tree of life in our spirit and the tree of death in our flesh. In the Bible the term “flesh” denotes not only our corrupted body but also our entire fallen being. For this reason, the Bible calls a fallen person flesh (Rom. 3:20

将我们的心思置于灵

SETTING OUR MIND ON THE SPIRIT

13罗马八章六节说，『因为心思置于肉体，就是死；心思置于灵，乃是生命平安。』将我们的心思置于我们的所是，就是将牠置于肉体。将我们的心思置于肉体，意思不仅是将牠置于我们的身体；这意思是将牠置于我们这人，我们的己。例如，有人也许觉得自己已往很坏，现在他也许竭力为善。这是将心思置于肉体，置于无望的己。有些基督徒以为，他们若将心思置于属世的娱乐，就是思念肉体。当然将心思置于这样的事，就是将牠置于肉体。但这不是思念肉体惟一的路。甚至你定意爱妻子，这也是狡猾的将心思置于肉体。当我们受试探，要定意为善时，我们需要祷告：『主耶稣，怜悯我。离了你，我就不能作甚么。』我们这样祷告，就将我们的心思置于灵，不是置于我们可怜的己。

13Romans 8:6 says, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.” To set our mind on what we are is to set it on the flesh. To set our mind on the flesh does not mean merely to set it on our body; it means to set it on our being, our self. For example, someone may feel that in the past he was evil and now he may endeavor to be good. This is to set the mind on the flesh, on the hopeless self. Some Christians think that if they set their mind on worldly entertainments, they are minding the flesh. Certainly to set the mind on such things is to set it on the flesh. But this is not the only way to mind the flesh. Even in making up your mind to love your wife, you are setting your mind on the flesh in a subtle way. When we are tempted to make up our mind to do good, we need to pray, “Lord Jesus, be merciful to me. I can do nothing apart from You.” By praying in this way, we set our mind on the spirit, not on our poor self

14不但如此，我们不该将我们的心思置于将来可能发生的事。让我们把将来交给主。假定亚伯拉罕蒙神呼召以后，求主告诉他第二天该往那里去；主可能说，『亚伯拉罕，平平安安的享受我。将明天交给我。』今天安息在主里，并将明天交给祂，就是将心思置于灵。因为许多基督徒没有看见这点，他们常常劝戒别人或劝告别人该作甚么。这是鼓励人将心思置于肉体，结果就是死。在我早期的职事中，我不但劝告别人，也劝戒自己。结果，我被杀死，别人也被杀死。

14Furthermore, we should not set our mind on what might happen in the future. Let us leave the future with the Lord. Suppose, after he had been called by God, Abraham had asked the Lord to tell him where he should go the next day. The Lord might have said, Abraham, be at peace and enjoy Me. Leave tomorrow with Me.” To rest in the Lord today and leave tomorrow with Him is to set the mind on the spirit. Because many Christians do not see this, they often admonish others or advise them as to what they should do. This encourages people to set their mind on the flesh, and the result is death. In my early ministry, I not only advised others but also admonished myself. As a result, I was killed and so were the others

养成新的习惯

DEVELOPING A NEW HABIT

15赞美主，生命的神在我们的灵里！虽然我们也许知道这点，但我们仍需要学习如何凭著内住赐生命的灵而活。重要的不是我们有多少知识，乃是我们有多少凭著基督而活。让我告诉你一个有助于说明这点的故事。我年幼的时候，家乡的人多半仍用油灯；那时没有电。我作孩子的时候，常常清理灯，装上油，然后点灯。甚至我们家里安装了电以后，我仍习惯用油灯。有时候我开始点灯，别人就笑我，然后题醒我只要使用开关。虽然新东西，电，安装好了，我还不习惯使用牠。

15Praise the Lord that the God of life is in our spirit! Although we may know this, we still need to learn how to live by the indwelling life-giving Spirit. The important thing is not how much knowledge we have but how much we live by Christ. Let me tell you a story that helps to illustrate this. When I was young, most people in my hometown still used oil lamps; they did not have electricity. As a child, I used to clean the lamps, fill them with oil, and light them. Even after electricity had been installed in our home, I was still in the habit of using an oil lamp. Sometimes the others laughed at me when I began to light a lamp and then reminded me to simply use the light switch. Although something new, electricity, had been installed, I was not yet in the habit of using it

16在基督徒的生活里，原则也是一样。我们受培育、受训练，要凭著自己而活。这是我们的习惯。甚至主耶稣安装在我们里面以后，我们依然习惯凭自己而活。然而，我们需要养成新的习惯，凭基督而活的习惯。因为许多得救的人没有这新的习惯，所以罗马七章是必需的。我们需要看见异象，基督这生命活在我们的灵里。因为祂活在我们里面，我们不但必须放下罪恶的事，也必须放下我们老旧的生活方式。我们需要从凭自己而活转到凭基督而活。这需要我们留在灵里，并照著灵而行。

16The principle is the same in the Christian life. We have been raised and trained to live by ourselves. This is our habit. Even after the Lord Jesus has been installed in us, we continue the habit of living by ourselves. However, we need to develop a new habit, the habit of living by Christ. Because many saved ones do not have this new habit, Romans 7 is necessary. We need to see a vision that Christ as life is living in our spirit. Because He lives in us, we must drop not only the sinful things but also our old way of living. We need to turn from living by ourselves to living by Christ. This requires that we stay in the spirit and walk according to the spirit.

17我们一失去与灵的接触，就与生命隔绝，并且立刻在死亡里；不需要等死亡进来。例如，我们一关上房间里的灯，就在黑暗里；不需要等黑暗进来。关上灯，就把我们摆在黑暗里；照样，与灵分开，就把我们带到死亡里。甚至薄薄一片绝缘体，也能切断电流；同样，甚至很小的事，也能使我们与灵里的生命隔绝。因为我们在三角关系里，牵涉到神在我们的灵里是生命，以及撒但在我们的肉体里是死亡，我们就需要养成留在灵里的习惯。我们不该定意为善，我们只该转向我们的灵，并且同那活著的一位留在那里。这习惯不容易养成，但这习惯是可以养成的。

17As soon as we lose touch with the spirit, we are cut off from life and are immediately in death. There is no need for death to enter in. For example, as soon as we turn off the lights in a room, we are in darkness. There is no need for darkness to come in. Just as switching off the lights puts us in darkness, so being separated from the spirit brings us into death. Even a thin strip of insulation can cut off the flow of electricity. In like manner, even something small can cut us off from the life in our spirit. Because we are in a triangular situation involving God as life in our spirit and Satan as death in our flesh, we need to develop the habit of staying in the spirit. Instead of making up our mind to do good, we should simply turn to our spirit and stay there with the living One. This habit is not easily developed, but it can be done

向罪是死的，向神是活的

DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE TO GOD

18罗马六章十一节告诉我们，向罪当算自己是死的，向神当算自己是活的。然而，这事的经历是在罗马八章的灵里。我们在灵里与主同在，就自然向罪是死的，向神是活的。你若不在灵里，而试著这样算，就会发现你越算，就越在死里。我们看过，与灵隔绝就是在死里。例如，你发脾气，原因是在你与你的灵之间已经有某个绝缘体。不是你发脾气，然后与灵隔绝；乃是你与灵隔绝，所以发脾气。你的灵周围若没有绝缘体，就没有消极的事物能胜过你。反之，在你灵里神的生命会吞灭一切死亡。我们的经历证实这点。当我们在灵里，里面神的生命就吞灭每样消极的事物。但我们一绝了缘，因而与灵隔绝，我们就在死里，甚至最小的问题也无法处理。

18Romans 6:11 tells us to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. However, the experience of this is in the spirit in Romans 8. When we are in our spirit with the Lord, we are automatically dead to sin and alive to God. If you try this reckoning without being in the spirit, you will find that the more you reckon, the more you are in death. We have seen that to be cut off from the spirit is to be in death. For example, the reason you lose your temper is that there is already some insulation between you and your spirit. It is not that you lose your temper and then are cut off from the spirit; it is that you are cut off from the spirit and therefore lose your temper. If there is no insulation around your spirit, no negative thing will be able to overcome you. On the contrary, the divine life in your spirit will swallow up all death. Our experience confirms this. When we are in the spirit, the divine life within swallows up every negative thing. But when we are insulated and thereby cut off from the spirit, we are in death and cannot handle even the smallest problem.

宇宙的战争

A UNIVERSAL BATTLE

19神的经纶不是善或恶、对或错的事。不仅如此，神的经纶不是伦常的事。照著伦常的标准，我们该为善，不该作恶。然而，神的经纶全然是生命或死亡的事。在生命里就是活出神，在死亡里就是活出撒但。我们乃是战场，神与撒但之间的宇宙战争，就在我们里面猛烈进行。这战争的结果，乃断定于我们将心思置于何处。我们若将心思置于己，因而与灵隔绝，撒但就得著地位。但我们若留在灵里，并将心思置于灵，神就得著胜利。

19God’secon o my is not a matter of good or evil, right or wrong. Moreover, it is not a matter of ethics. According to ethical standards, we should do good and not evil. God’secon o my, however, is altogether a matter of life or death. To be in life is to live out God, and to be in death is to live out Satan. We are a battlefield, and the universal battle between God and Satan is raging within us. The outcome of this battle is determined by where we set our mind. If we set our mind on the self and thereby are cut off from the spirit, Satan gains ground. But if we stay in the spirit and set our mind on the spirit, God gains the victory

20这正是八章十三节里所描绘的，那里保罗说，『因为你们若照肉体活著，必要死；但你们若靠著那灵治死身体的行为，必要活著。』我们必须靠著内住的灵，治死旧人的行为。这样作就是活著。让我们为这点祷告，实行这点，并养成留在灵里的习惯。我们越养成这习惯，就越要活著，且会离死亡越远。

20This is precisely what is portrayed in 8:13, where Paul says, “For if you live according to flesh, you are about to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live.” By the indwelling Spirit we must put to death the deeds of the old person. To do this is to live. Let us pray about this, practice it, and develop the habit of staying in the spirit. The more we develop this habit, the more living we shall be and the further we shall be from death