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罗马书生命读经 · 第48篇

在生命中作王胜过死

REIGNING IN LIFE OVER DEATH
1在前两篇信息中我们看过，我们能藉著恩典在生命中作王，胜过罪、死和撒但。在本篇信息中，我们要看在生命中作王胜过死。然而，在我们看这事以前，让我们复习罪与恶以及恩典与那灵之间的不同。罪是注射到人里面之撒但的性情，恶是活动中的罪。撒但将他自己注射到人里面，那就是罪。但罪与我们同在并在我们里面活动，那就是恶。同样的原则，恩典是进到人里面并具体化身在人里面的神。但恩典与我们同在并活动时，就成为那灵。
1In the two foregoing messages we have seen that by grace we can reign in life over sin, death, and Satan. In this message we shall consider the matter of reigning in life over death. Before we do this, however, let us review the difference between sin and evil and that between grace and the Spirit. Sin is the nature of Satan injected into man, and evil is sin in action. When Satan injects himself into man, that is sin. But when sin is present and active in us, that is evil. In the same principle, grace is God coming into man and being embodied in man. But when grace is present and active, it becomes the Spirit
死现今的工作
THE PRESENT WORKING OF DEATH
2圣经启示死是从罪来的。如罗马六章二十三节所说，『罪的工价乃是死。』这就是说，死乃是罪的结果。我们对死的领会，可能只是道理上的。我年轻时受教导，有两种死：人肉身的死，以及火湖，就是第二次的死。我不认为死是天天与我有主观关系的东西。然而我逐渐发现，圣经里有好些经文指明，死现今就在我们里面作工。死好像一只不断吞吃我们的虫。罪毁坏我们，但没有吞吃我们；死却是天天吞吃我们的『虫』。
2The Bible reveals that death comes from sin. As 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death.” This means that death is the result of sin. It is possible that our understanding of death may merely be doctrinal. When I was young, I was taught that there were two deaths: man’s physical death and the lake of fire, which is the second death. I did not regard death as something in which I was subjectively involved daily. Gradually, however, I discovered that in the Bible a number of verses indicate that death is presently working in us. Death is like a worm that is constantly eating us. Sin ruins us, but it does not eat us. Death is the “worm” that is devouring us day by day
3死有好些方面，有现今的方面和将来的方面，有主观的方面和客观的方面。千年国以后，所有不信的死人都要复活，并要站在白色大宝座前受审判。（启二十12。）那些名字不见于生命册的人，要被扔在火湖里；这火湖就是第二次的死。（14～15。）我们在本篇信息中的负担，不是关于将来、客观方面的死，乃是关于现今、主观方面的死。此刻，死的元素就在我们这人里面，竭力杀死我们。罗马五至八章很完全的说到死这个主题。在五章我们看见，死藉著罪入了世界，然后遍及众人。不但如此，如十四节所指明的，死也作王。在六章二十一、二十三节保罗说，我们现今所看为羞耻的事，其结局就是死，并且死是罪的工价。七章不但说到律，也说到死。在十至十一节保罗宣告：『那本来叫人得生命的诫命，反倒成了叫我死的；因为罪藉著诫命得著机会，诱骗了我，并且藉著诫命杀了我。』不但如此，在十三节保罗说，罪『藉著那善的叫我死』。所以，在二十四节他呼喊：『我是个苦恼的人！谁要救我脱离那属这死的身体？』保罗在七章所说到的死，不是将来才会临到的死，乃是现今就在我们里面作工的死。
3Death has a number of aspects, the present aspect and the future aspect, the subjective aspect and the objective aspect. After the millennium, all the unbelieving dead will be raised and will stand before the white throne to be judged (Rev. 20:12). Those whose names are not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death (Rev. 20:15). Our burden in this message is not with this future, objective aspect of death; it is with the present, subjective aspect. At this very moment, the element of death is within our being, endeavoring to kill us. In chapters five through eight of Romans the subject of death is covered in a full way. In Romans 5 we see that death entered the world through sin and then passed to all men. Furthermore, as verse 14 makes clear, death also reigns. In 6:21 and 23 Paul says that the end of the things of which we now are ashamed is death and that death is the wages of sin. Romans 7 is a chapter not only on law, but also on death. In verses 10 and 11 Paul declares, “And the commandment which was unto life, this was found to me to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.” Furthermore, in verse 13 Paul says that sin works “death to me through that which is good.” Therefore, in verse 24 he cried out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?” The death that Paul is speaking about in chapter seven is not the death coming in the future; it is the death working within us right now.
4保罗在罗马七章的情形，与大卫在诗篇五十一篇的情形非常不同。诗篇五十一篇是在特殊的犯罪行为以后的悔改诗。然而在罗马七章，保罗不是因为犯了罪而悔改。罗马七章与悔改无关，乃与死有关，与死在他里面不断的作工有关。在诗篇五十一篇，悔改对大卫大有帮助；但在罗马七章，悔改对保罗没有帮助。悔改不能救保罗脱离他那必死身体中的死。
4Paul’s situation in Romans 7 was very different from David’sin Psalm 51. Psalm 51 is a psalm of repentance that followed a particular act of sinning. In Romans 7, however, Paul was not repenting because he had sinned. Romans 7 is concerned not with repentance, but with death, with the continual working of death within him. Repentance was of great help to David in Psalm 51, but it would have been no help to Paul in Romans 7. It could not have delivered him from the death in his mortal body
死的毒刺
THE STING OF DEATH
5在林前十五章五十五至五十六节保罗说，『死阿，你的得胜在那里？死阿，你的毒刺在那里？死的毒刺就是罪，罪的权势就是律法。』死好比蝎子，罪好比蝎子的毒刺。照希伯来二章十四节，那掌死权的就是魔鬼。一旦我们被死的『蝎子』所螫，魔鬼就运用他的权势杀我们。因此，撒但是掌死权的，而罪是死的毒刺。每当我们被罪所螫，死的毒素就进入我们里面。结果乃是属灵的杀死，属灵的死亡。
5In 1 Corinthians 15:55 and 56 Paul says, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” Death is likened to a scorpion, and sin is likened to the scorpion’s sting. According to Hebrews 2:14, the one who has the power of death is the Devil. Once we are stung by the “scorpion” of death, the Devil exercises his power to kill us. Thus, Satan has the power of death, and sin is the sting of death. Whenever we are stung by sin, the poison of death gets into us. The result is spiritual killing, spiritual death
一个对比
A CONTRAST
6在这点上，看见消极方面与积极方面之间尖锐的对比，也许有帮助。撒但是与神对立的。撒但将他自己注射到人里面，在人里面之撒但的性情就成了罪。反之，作到人里面的神成为恩典。因此，罪乃是与恩典对立的。罪与我们同在并在我们里面活动，就成为恶。但恩典同在并活动，就成为那灵。恶活动的结果就是死，而那灵活动的结果乃是生命。所以，撒但、罪、恶、死，与神、恩典、那灵、生命对立。
6At this point it may be helpful to see a sharp contrast between the negative side and the positive side. Satan is opposed to God. When Satan injects himself into man, the nature of Satan in man becomes sin. On the contrary, God wrought into man becomes grace. Hence, sin is opposed to grace. When sin is present and active within us, it becomes evil. But when grace is present and active, it becomes the Spirit. The result of the activity of evil is death, whereas the result of the activity of the Spirit is life. Therefore, Satan, sin, evil, and death are opposed to God, grace, Spirit, and life.
7那灵与生命的经历罗马八章二节将那灵与生命放在一起，说到生命之灵。同样的原则，我们可以说到『死亡之恶』。生命是活在我们里面的神。活在我们里面的神乃是那灵。神远在我们之外作为源头时，就是父；但这位神实际来活在我们里面时，就是那灵。然而，那灵若仅仅在我们里面，而没有在我们里面作工，我们就不会经历生命。我们信徒都知道，那灵在我们里面。然而，我们很少人对神圣的生命有丰富的经历。因此，虽然我们有那灵，但我们仍可能缺少生命。这是因为那住在我们里面的灵，没有多少机会活在我们里面。我们里面有那灵，但我们也许没有充分顾到祂。有时候我们完全被我们的工作霸占，以致没有时间为著别的。同样，我们这人里面也许被霸占，以致没有时间也没有心为著那灵。好像我们几乎没有度量将地位让给内住的灵。我们似乎对那灵说，『我领悟你之于我非常宝贵，但我就是没有心为著你。』
7THE SPIRIT AND THE EXPERIENCE OF LIFE Romans 8:2, putting the Spirit and life together, speaks of the Spirit of life. In the same principle, we may speak of “the evil of death.” Life is God living in us. The very God who lives in us is the Spirit. When God is far from us as the source, He is the Father. But when this very God comes to live in us in a practical way, He is the Spirit. However, if the Spirit is merely in us but does not work within us, we shall not experience life. As believers, we all know that the Spirit is within us. However, not many of us have a rich experience of the divine life. Hence, although we have the Spirit, we still may be short of life. The reason for this is that the Spirit who dwells in us does not have much opportunity to live in us. We have the Spirit within us, but we may not care for Him adequately. Sometimes we are so fully occupied with our jobs that we have no time for anything else. In like manner, we may be so occupied in our being that we have no time nor heart for the Spirit. It seems that we have hardly any capacity to give ground to the indwelling Spirit. It seems that we say to the Spirit, “I realize that You are very dear to me, but I simply don’th ave the heart for You
8许多基督徒持守错误的观念，以为他们若忽略那灵，那灵就会离开他们。然而，照著圣经，那灵一旦进到我们里面，就绝不会离开我们。那灵在我们里面，不会将自己当作客人，乃将自己当作居住者，当作居所的主人。许多年前我读到一本书，其中用图画表征那灵的工作。牠描绘代表那灵的鸽子，在人相信主时进到他们里面，在他们犯罪时就飞走。因为许多寻求的中国基督徒从这本书接受了一些东西，所以我们花了许多时间，驳正信徒若犯罪，那灵就会离开的错误教训。以弗所四章三十节说，『不要叫神的圣灵忧愁，你们原是在祂里面受了印记，直到得赎的日子。』那灵也许在我们里面忧愁，但祂绝不会离开我们。那灵仍在我们里面，但祂也许没有得著机会，如祂所渴望的活在我们里面。因此，我们有那灵，但在我们的经历中也许没有生命。
8Many Christians hold the mistaken concept that if they neglect the Spirit, the Spirit will depart from them. According to the Bible, however, the Spirit will never leave us once He has come into us. The Spirit does not regard Himself as a guest within us, but as the Dweller, as the Owner of the dwelling. Many years ago I read a book in which pictures were used to signify the work of the Spirit. A dove, representing the Spirit, was pictured as coming into people when they believed in the Lord and flying away when they sinned. Because many seeking Chinese Christians received something from this book, we spent a great deal of time to refute the incorrect teaching that the Spirit will leave a believer if he sins. Ephesians 4:30 says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in Whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption.” The Spirit may be grieved within us, but He will never leave us. The Spirit remains in us, but He may not be given the opportunity to live in us as He desires. Hence, we have the Spirit, but we may not have life in our experience.
9有些人听见我们能有那灵而没有经历生命的说法，也许会争辩说，不可能有那灵而没有生命。然而，我们不让那灵活在我们里面时，尽管我们也许在地位或名义上有生命，但我们并不是在事实上、实际上有神圣的生命，这却是事实。例如，你发脾气时彰显神圣的生命么？这时候你是在死里，不在生命里。按道理说，每位信徒都有生命。但实际上，生命乃是活的灵。因此，惟有那灵活在我们里面，并住在我们里面，我们才在经历上有生命。首先神对我们是恩典，然后恩典作为那灵在我们里面活动。结果我们就经历生命。关于撒但、罪、恶和死，原则也是一样。首先撒但在我们里面是罪，然后罪作为恶活动，结果就是死。这种对生命与死的领会，乃是基于我们的经历。
9When some hear that we can have the Spirit without experiencing life, they may argue that it is impossible to have the Spirit without life. However, it is a fact that when we do not allow the Spirit to live in us, we do not have the divine life in an actual and practical way, although we may have life in position or in name. For example, do you express the divine life when you lose your temper? At such a time you are in death, not life. Doctrinally speaking, every believer has life. But in reality life is the living Spirit. Thus, only when the Spirit lives in us as well as dwells in us do we have life experientially. Firstly God is grace to us, and then grace is active as the Spirit in us. The result is that we experience life. The principle is the same with Satan, sin, evil, and death. Firstly Satan is sin in us, and then sin is active as evil. The result is death. This understanding of life and death is based on our experience.
死的感觉
THE SENSE OF DEATH
10撒但，那掌死权者，已将他邪恶的性情当作罪注射到我们里面。因此，甚至看来十分天真、可爱的婴孩，也有罪的性情。因为小孩生在罪里，罪就在他的性情里。然而，罪需要时间在行动中显出。当年日过去，小孩长大，这罪恶的性情就显明出来。罪在他这人里一活动起来，就成为恶；恶的结果乃是死。甚至我们这些在基督里的信徒自己，也可能天天在死的杀死之下。在我们的经历中，罪成为恶，恶成为死。例如，我们也许很容易因著闲谈而被杀死。我们能认出死的征兆，并知道死甚么时候在我们里面作工。死的一些征兆是黑暗、虚空、不安和枯干。我们服事话语的人都知道，我们里面的死能拦阻我们说话。我要说话之前若发脾气，我就发觉很难在聚会中说话。血能洗净我、洁净我，但死要被吞灭却需要时间。每当我们里面觉得死，我们就必须到主面前，与祂彻底对付这事，不但经历血的洁净，也经历膏油涂抹，就是那灵活在我们里面。膏油涂抹的结果乃是生命。然后，我们若照著活的灵说话，我们的说话就会满了生命。
10Satan, the one who holds the power of death, has injected his evil nature into us as sin. Thus, even an infant, who seems to be so innocent and lovely, has the nature of sin. Because a child is born in sin, sin is in his very nature. However, it takes time for sin to come forth in acts. As the years go by and the child grows up, this sinful nature becomes manifest. When sin becomes active in his being, it becomes evil, and the result of evil is death. As believers in Christ, even we ourselves may be under the killing of death daily. In our experience, sin becomes evil, and evil becomes death. For example, we may easily be killed as a result of gossiping. We can recognize the symptoms of death and know when death is working in us. Some of the symptoms of death are darkness, emptiness, restlessness, and dryness. We who minister the Word know that any deadness within us can hinder us in speaking. If I lose my temper a short while before I am to speak, I may find it very difficult to speak in the meeting. The blood washes and cleanses me, but it takes time for the deadness to be swallowed up. Whenever we sense death within us, we must go to the Lord, deal thoroughly with Him about it, and experience not only the cleansing of the blood but also the anointing, which is the living of the Spirit within us. The result of the anointing is life. Then if we speak according to the living Spirit, our speaking will be full of life.
11许多姊妹死沉，不只是因著闲谈，也是因著购物。在购物的事上得胜的姊妹，乃是真正藉著恩典在生命中作王。购物对姊妹是个很大的试验。为这缘故，姊妹很难远离百货公司三个月。但姊妹若不作不需要的采购，她们就会看见，这在她们生命的经历上会造成何等大的不同。姊妹若能胜过闲谈和购物，就会在召会的聚会中涌流生命。我举这些例子的目的，不是要对付购物或闲谈，乃是要对付死。摩西给以色列人许多规条。相反的，基督并没有给我们规条；祂乃是将生命分赐到我们里面。
11Many of the sisters are deadened not only by gossiping, but also by shopping. The sisters who overcome in the matter of shopping are truly reigning in life by grace. Shopping is a great test to the sisters. For this reason, it would be very difficult for a sister to stay away from the department stores for three months. But if the sisters do no unnecessary shopping, they will see what a great difference it makes in their experience of life. If the sisters can overcome the matters of gossiping and shopping, they will be overflowing with life in the church meetings. My objective in giving these examples is not to deal with shopping or gossiping; it is to deal with death. Moses gave the children of Israel many regulations. In contrast, Christ does not give us regulations; He imparts life into us.
与生命之灵的律合作
COOPERATING WITH THE LAW of the Spirit of life
12罗马八章二节说，『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。』在我们的经历中，我们也许发觉，生命之灵的律未必像保罗在本节所指明的那样有效的作工。这是因为我们要生命之律胜过某些事，如我们的脾气，但我们也许没有给生命之律机会，作牠在我们里面所要作的。因为我们恨恶我们的脾气，我们就要生命之律胜过牠；所以，我们指派生命之律作这项工作。但我们不该指派生命之律作特别的事，而又不许这律作其他的事。反之，我们必须给这律机会，照牠所愿的作工。生命之灵的律虽然是一个，却管治千万件事。例如，牠会管治我们怎样理发，以及怎样在家里生活。我们若不与我们里面生命之灵的律合作，就会立刻死沉。在神眼中，死比罪更丑陋。死对神是可憎的；祂恨恶死。闲谈也许不是罪恶，但因为牠带进死，在神眼中就是可憎的。死对活神乃是羞辱。日复一日，我们羞辱住在我们里面的活神。因为许多基督徒里面死沉，他们就不可能对生命有不断的经历。
12Romans 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.” In our experience, we may find that the law of the Spirit of life does not always work as effectively as Paul indicates in this verse. The reason for this is that we want the law of life to overcome certain things such as our temper, but we may not give the law of life opportunity to do whatever it chooses in us. Because we hate our temper, we want the law of life to overcome it. Therefore, we assign the law of life to do this task. But we should not assign the law of life to do specific things and then prevent this law from doing other things. On the contrary, we must give this law the opportunity to work in any way it desires. Although the law of the Spirit of life is one, it governs thousands of items. For example, it will govern the way we cut our hair and the way we live at home. If we do not cooperate with the law of the Spirit of life within us, we shall immediately be deadened. Death is more ugly in the eyes of God than sin is. Death is abominable to God; He hates it. Gossiping may not be sinful, but because it is a matter that brings in death, it is abominable in the eyes of God. It is an insult to the living God. Day after day, we insult the living God who indwells us. Because so many Christians are deadened within, it is impossible for them to have continual experiences of life
摸著施恩的宝座
CONTACTING THE THRONE OF GRACE
13我们要经历生命，就是那活在我们里面的灵，就需要带著敞开的心和灵，在基督救赎之血的洁净之下，来到生命的源头─神，主─这里。我们若时时向祂敞开，并愿意除去所有的绝缘体，神圣的电流就会在我们里面流通。这样，我们就会得恩典。如希伯来四章十六节所说，我们该『坦然无惧的来到施恩的宝座前，为要受怜悯，得恩典，作应时的帮助』。恩典乃是来自施恩的宝座。所以，我们要得著恩典，就必须摸著施恩的宝座。我们若这样作，恩典就会在我们里面涌流，并且我们会被恩典充满。至终，恩典会作为那灵活动；而那灵会作为生命活在我们里面。这样，我们就会在生命中作王胜过死。
13In order to experience life as the Spirit living in us, we need to come to the source of life, God, the Lord, under the cleansing of the redeeming blood of Christ with an open heart and spirit. If we remain open to Him all the time and are willing for all the insulation to be removed, the current of the divine electricity will flow within us. In this way we shall receive grace. As Hebrews 4:16 says, we should “come forward with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for timely help.” Grace comes from the throne of grace. Therefore, in order to have grace, we must contact the throne of grace. If we do this, grace will flow within us, and we shall be filled with grace. Eventually, grace will be active as the Spirit, and the Spirit will live in us as life. Then we shall reign in life over death
死被非受造的生命
DEATH SUBDUED AND SWALLOWED UP
征服并吞灭
BY THE UNCREATED LIFE
14惟一能征服死的，乃是神非受造的生命。我们的生命，受造的生命，无法抵挡死。然而，死无法拘禁神圣的生命，就是主在十字架上没有折断的骨头所表征的。兵丁没有打断主的腿，这事实指明祂非受造的生命不能被折断。任何一种受造的生命─植物、动物或人，都能被死毁坏。但独一非受造的生命，却无法被死毁坏。光怎样吞灭黑暗，非受造的生命照样吞灭死。黑暗只能被光胜过。我们不该设法驱除黑暗，只该简单的打开灯。光一来，黑暗就消失。同样的原则，每当非受造的生命进来，死就消失。死惧怕非受造的生命。我们要在生命中作王，就需要洋溢之恩和活的灵。只要我们有神圣的生命，一切死的踪迹就会消失。我们不该设法胜过我们的脾气、购物或闲谈。反之，我们该简单的将我们这人向神敞开，让祂的恩典流过我们，并充满我们。这涌流的恩典会活动，作为那灵，在我们里面成为生命。然后这生命会征服死，并吞灭死。这就是在生命中作王胜过死的意义。
14The only thing that can subdue death is the uncreated life of God. Our life, the created life, cannot withstand death. However, death cannot hold the divine life signified by the Lord’s bones, which were not broken when He was on the cross. The fact that the soldiers did not break the Lord’s legs indicates that His uncreated life cannot be broken. Any form of created life, vegetable, animal, or human, can be damaged by death. But the unique uncreated life cannot be damaged by it. Just as light swallows darkness, so the uncreated life swallows death. Darkness can only be overcome by light. We should not try to cast out darkness, but we should simply turn on the light. As soon as the light comes on, darkness vanishes. In the same principle, whenever the uncreated life comes in, death disappears. Death is afraid of the uncreated life. In order to reign in life, we need the abundance of grace and the living Spirit. As long as we have the divine life, every trace of death will vanish. We should not try to overcome our temper, our shopping, nor our gossiping. Rather, we should simply open our being to God and allow His grace to flow through us and to fill us. This flowing grace will be active as the Spirit who will be life in us. This life will then subdue death and swallow it up. This is what it means to reign in life over death.