Books
罗马书生命读经 · 第58篇

恩典的拣选

THE SELECTION OF GRACE
1保罗在罗马一章九节说，他是在神儿子的福音上事奉神。这个福音包含许多美妙的项目：儿子名分、标出、复活、称义、圣别、变化、模成、得荣以及显出。我们在本篇信息里要进一步来看另一个项目－恩典的拣选。我们若要透彻的认识神儿子的福音，就需要看见，神的拣选也包含在这福音之中。这个拣选乃是恩典的拣选。正如十一章五节所说，『在现今的时候，也是这样，照著恩典的拣选，还有剩下的余数。』
1In 1:9 Paul says that he served God in the gospel of His Son. This gospel includes many wonderful items: sonship, designation, resurrection, justification, sanctification, transformation, conformation, glorification, and manifestation. In this message we shall consider a further item—the selection of grace. If we would know the gospel of the Son of God thoroughly, we need to see that God’ss election is included in it. This selection is the selection of grace. As 11:5 says, “So then at the present time also there is a remnant according to the selection of grace
神的拣选
God’ss election
2在社会上，拣选与出生、教养、教育、以及在世界上的成就有关。神圣的拣选却截然不同。我们在出生之前，事实上，是在创立世界之前，就蒙了拣选。人的拣选取决于人本身的所是。那些优秀的、有前途的、有成就的，就可能被选上。相反的，神的拣选不在于我们的所是；神的拣选完全在于神，以及神的心意。保罗在九章用雅各和以扫的例子来说明神的拣选。在他们出生以前，神就对利百加说，『将来大的要服事小的。』（12。）神的拣选是在双子还没有生下来，善恶也没有作出来之前，就决定了，只因『要坚定神拣选人的旨意，不是本于行为，乃是本于那呼召人的』。（11。）然而，雅各在母腹中的时候，就挣扎著要先出来。因著神的怜悯，雅各没有成功。他若成功，就不会得著神的拣选了。
2In society, selection is related to birth, upbringing, education, and success in the world. Divine selection is absolutely different. We were selected even before we were born, in fact, before the foundation of the world. Human selection depends upon what people are in themselves. Those who are good, promising, or successful are likely to be selected. God’ss election, on the contrary, does not depend upon what we are; it depends entirely upon God and His desire. In chapter nine Paul used the case of Jacob and Esau as an illustration of God’ss election. Before they were born, God had told Rebecca, “The greater shall serve the less” (9:12). God’s choice was made before the children were born, before they had done anything good or bad. This was so that the “purpose of God according to selection might remain, not of works, but of Him Who calls” (v. 11). Nevertheless, when he was in the womb, Jacob was struggling to be born first. It was of God’s mercy that Jacob was not successful. If he had succeeded, he would not have received God’ss election
3真正说来，我们都是雅各，挣扎著要作第一。从我们一出生开始，我们就有一个观念，我们必须努力，好为自己得著些甚么。我们即使一次又一次的失败，还是不断的挣扎。我们就和雅各这抓夺者一样；神早已豫定他是第二，他却挣扎著想要作第一。赞美神，因著祂怜悯的限制之手，使我们的努力徒劳无功！
3In a very real sense, we all are Jacobs struggling to be first. From our very birth, we have had the concept that we must struggle in order to gain something for ourselves. Even though we may fail again and again, we keep on striving. We are just like Jacob, the supplanter, whom God predestined to be second but who still struggled to be first. Praise God for the restraining hand of His mercy that has kept us from succeeding in our endeavors
4祂限制我们，因为祂早在我们出生之前，就已经拣选了我们。
4He restrains us because He had already selected us long before we were born.
拣选、豫定、呼召
selection, predestination, and calling
5神的拣选与祂的豫定和祂的呼召有关。这三者当中，先有拣选，接著才有豫定和呼召。首先，神拣选了我们。然后祂将我们标明出来，也就是豫定了我们。拣选和豫定，都是在我们出生之前就发生的。然后，在我们人生的某个时候，神就进来呼召我们。
5God’ss election is related to His predestination and to His calling. Of the three, selection is first, followed by predestination and calling. Firstly, God selected us. Then He marked us out, that is, predestinated us. Both selection and predestination took place before we were born. Then at a certain point in our life, God came in to call us
6以弗所一章四至五节证明，神的拣选和豫定是发生在已过的永远里：『就如祂在创立世界以前，在基督里拣选了我们，使我们在爱里，在祂面前，成为圣别、没有瑕疵；按著祂意愿所喜悦的，豫定了我们，藉著耶稣基督得儿子的名分，归于祂自己。』在这宇宙存在以先，神就拣选了我们，并且豫定我们得儿子的名分。我们需要在信心里运用我们的灵，相信圣经里所写的话。在神所定的那一天，我们出生了。至终，我们也在祂所定的时刻得救了。虽然我们从来没有打算要信主耶稣，我们却信了祂，因为我们已经蒙了神的拣选和豫定。这就是恩典的拣选，在此神的怜悯就显明出来了。正如保罗在罗马九章十六节所说，『这样看来，这不在于那定意的，也不在于那奔跑的，只在于那施怜悯的神。』
6Ephesians 1:4 and 5 prove that God’ss election and predestination took place in eternity past: “According as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blemish before Him, in love, having predestinated us unto sonship through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” Before the universe came into existence, God selected us and predestinated us unto sonship. We need to exercise our spirit in faith to believe this word written in the Scripture. On the day appointed by God, we were born. Eventually, also at the time appointed by Him, we were saved. Even though we may have had no intention of believing in the Lord Jesus, we came to believe in Him, because we had been selected and predestinated by God. This is the selection of grace in which God’s mercy is manifested. As Paul says in 9:16, “So then, it is not of the one who wills, nor of the one who runs, but of God, the One Who shows mercy
神安排我们的一生
GOD’S ARRANGEMENT OF OUR LIVES
7我们若回顾已往，就会敬拜主。我们会看见，我们的每一步路，都不是出于我们自己，乃是出于祂。在我们出生以前，祂就拣选了我们，豫定了我们，并安排每一件与我们有关的事，包括我们出生的时间和地点。不仅如此，祂还定好我们所有的年日，以及我们所在的地方。按著神的安排，我生在二十世纪。再者，我还生在一个很容易接触到基督徒的地区。这完全是出乎神。不但如此，我跟随主的这一生，证明我们的道路是祂所定的；而且我的经历能彀见证，一切都不在于那定意的，也不在于那奔跑的，只在于那施怜悯的一位。临到我们的每一件事，都是在于神圣的怜悯。
7If we look back upon our past, we shall worship the Lord. We shall realize that our steps have been not of ourselves, but of Him. Before we were born, He selected us and predestinated us and arranged everything related to us, including the time and place of our birth. Moreover, He appointed all our days and all the places where we are to be. According to God’s arrangement, I was born in the twentieth century. Furthermore, I was born in an area where it was easy to have contact with Christians. This was altogether of God. Furthermore, my life with the Lord proves that our way is determined by Him, and my experience testifies it is not of the one who wills nor of the one who runs, but of the One who shows mercy. Everything that happens to us is a matter of divine mercy
神拣选的明证
THE PROOF OF GOD’SS ELECTION
8我不想加入神学的辩论，探讨人的责任与神主宰权柄的关系。我只愿意强调神的拣选这件事实。我们都是因著这个拣选而成为基督徒的。我们许多人甚至不知道，我们当初为甚么会成为基督徒。我们中间有些人甚至尝试过不要信主了，却没有成功。一面，作基督徒太好了；但另一面，作基督徒却叫人非常受试炼，也是非常艰难的。我们这些基督徒不仅是雅各，也是约伯。因著神的拣选，我们除了成为基督徒之外，别无选择。如今我们既已信入主耶稣，就无法逃离祂。这证明我们已经蒙神拣选。不论我们愿不愿意信主，我们里面都有个东西叫我们信祂；这乃是来自恩典的拣选。我们也许想要和主『离婚』，但是祂拒绝签下离婚协议书。神不怕我们有任何想要逃离祂的意图。祂知道，不论我们如何努力，我们都逃不掉。这是我们蒙神拣选最有力的明证。神圣恩典的拣选实在太美妙了！
8I do not wish to enter into the theological debate concerning man’s responsibility in relation to God’s sovereignty. I simply desire to emphasize the fact of God’s selection. We all have become Christians because of this selection. Many of us do not even know why we became Christians in the first place. Some of us may even have tried to stop believing in the Lord, but we were not successful in doing so. On the one hand, it is wonderful to be a Christian; but on the other hand, it is extremely trying and difficult. We Christians are not only Jacobs, but also Jobs. Due to God’ss election, we had no choice except to become Christians. Now that we have believed into the Lord Jesus, we simply cannot escape from Him. This proves that we have been selected by God. Within us there is something that causes us to believe in the Lord, whether we want to believe in Him or not. This comes from the selection of grace. We may want to get a “divorce” from the Lord, but He refuses to sign the certificate of divorce. God is not afraid of any attempt we might make to escape from Him. He knows that however hard we may try, we cannot get away. This is the strongest proof that we have been selected by God. How marvelous is the divine selection of grace!
神的拣选
God’ss election
与福音的传扬
AND THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL
9我们传福音的时候，能实际的看见神的拣选。许多不信的人参加同一个聚会，听同样的信息；但是只有某些人有反应。这很难解释；我们只能归因于神的拣选、豫定和呼召。我记得一个关于慕迪(D.L.的故事。有一天，一个学生表示，他担心他传福音会叫一些神没有拣选的人得救。慕迪告诉他，不要作难，只要继续传福音。不仅如此，慕迪还说，他应当让所有愿意相信的人接受主。慕迪接著说，在天堂入口处会写著这句话：『凡愿意的都可以来。』但是人通过入口之后，会看见里面刻著这句话：『创世之前蒙拣选。』
9We see God’s selection in a practical way in our preaching of the gospel. A number of unbelievers may attend the same meeting and hear the same message; however, only certain ones respond. This is difficult to explain. We can attribute it only to God’ss election, predestination, and calling. I remember a story told about D. L. Moody. One day a student expressed the concern that through his Moody) preaching of the gospel someone could be saved who had not been selected by God. Moody told him not to be troubled, but to simply continue to preach the gospel. Furthermore, Moody said that he should allow anyone who is willing to believe to receive the Lord. Moody went on to say that over the entrance of heaven there will be written the words, “Whosoever will may come,” but that after a person passes through the entrance, he will see inscribed upon the inside of it these words: “Chosen from before the foundation of the world.”
一切在于神的怜悯
ALL A MATTER OF GOD’S MERCY
10我们若要在神儿子的福音上正确的事奉神，就必须认识，这福音包含了恩典的拣选。福音完全是一件神主宰怜悯的事。多年以前，我对这事稍有领会，但我今天的领会更强得多。多年的经历使我强烈且深刻的相信，每件发生在我们身上的事，都是出于神。一切都在于神的怜悯。我们越看见这个，就越自然的在主面前背负我们的责任。
10If we would properly serve God in the gospel of His Son, we must know that the gospel includes the selection of grace. The gospel is wholly a matter of God’ss ove reign mercy. Many years ago, I had some realization of this, but my realization is much stronger today. Through many years of experience, I have become strongly and deeply convinced that everything that happens to us is of God. All is a matter of God’s mercy. The more we see this, the more we shall spontaneously bear our responsibility before the Lord.
11无论如何，就连背负责任也是出于神的怜悯。为甚么有些信徒愿意背负他们的责任，有些却不愿意？答案就在于神的怜悯。保罗在九章十五节引用主的话：『我要向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯。』由于神在祂恩典拣选里的怜悯，当别人对福音没有反应的时候，我们有反应；当别人拒绝接受关于基督是我们的生命的话时，我们却接受了；当别人退却，不接受今天主恢复的路时，我们却走在这条路上。有些人能作见证，他们今天虽然在主的恢复里，但那些带他们走这条路的人，自己却不走这条路了。说到主的恢复，神要向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯。我们在主的恢复里，并不是因著我们比别人聪明，或是比别人更追求主。我们在这里，完全是由于神的怜悯。你若思想主怎样将你带进主恢复里的召会生活，你就会为著祂的怜悯敬拜祂。我相信我们这些在主恢复里的人，乃是照著祂恩典的拣选所剩下的余数。（十一5。）说到福音、生命的职事、以及主恢复里的召会生活，神都向我们施了怜悯。为著神主宰的怜悯，我们该何等的赞美祂！我们不该信靠自己，也不该以为我们在这里，是因著我们算得了甚么，或是因著我们作了甚么。我们今天所以能在主的恢复里，不是在于我们的定意或奔跑，乃是在于那施怜悯的神。我们能彀得救，并且愿意走主的道路，这是何等的怜悯！不仅如此，我们愿意从现今这邪恶的世代中分别出来，也是主的怜悯。世界是可爱的，也是吸引人的。然而，我能作见证，我对世界的事物一点胃口也没有。我被一种神圣的绝缘体所遮盖，使我脱离这世界的系统。这是神怜悯的另一面。
11However, even the bearing of responsibility is of God’s mercy. Why is it that some believers are willing to bear their responsibility and that others are not? The answer lies in God’s mercy. In 9:15 Paul quotes the Lord’swords, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.” Because of God’s mercy in His selection of grace, we responded to the gospel when others did not respond; we received a word about Christ as our life when others refused to receive it; and we took the way of the Lord’s recovery today when others drew back from taking this way. Some can testify that although they are in the Lord’s recovery today, those who brought them to this way did not come this way themselves. Regarding His recovery, God has mercy on whom He will have mercy. We are not in the Lord’s recovery because we are more intelligent than others or because we seek the Lord more than others do. Our being here is altogether due to the mercy of God. If you consider how the Lord brought you into the church life in the Lord’s recovery, you will worship Him for His mercy. I believe that we in the Lord’s recovery are among the remnant according to the selection of grace (11:5). Regarding the gospel, the ministry of life, and the church life in the Lord’s recovery, God has had mercy upon us. How we must praise Him for His sovereign mercy! We should have no trust in ourselves, and we should not think we are here because of anything that we are or that we have done. Our being in the Lord’s recovery today is not of our willing nor of our running, but of God, the One who shows mercy. What a mercy that we are saved and that we are willing to take the Lord’sway! Furthermore, it is a mercy that we are willing to be separated from today’s evil age. The world is both attractive and attracting. Nevertheless, I can testify that I simply have no appetite for the things of the world. I am covered with a kind of divine insulation, an insulation that keeps me from the world system. This is another aspect of God’s mercy.
12为著主的怜悯敬拜祂我们若要服事主，就必须认识那灵、那灵里的生命、以及神的义。不仅如此，我们还必须认识神在祂恩典拣选里的怜悯。已往我曾梦想在中国北方，甚至在内蒙古和中国东北能有兴旺的工作。但是那个梦想一直没有实现；因著主的怜悯，我今天反而到了美国。我仰望主，使我们对祂拣选我们的怜悯这件事有深刻的印象。不要信靠你能作甚么，或是你计画要作甚么。反之，要在主面前俯伏，为著祂的怜悯敬拜祂。你越为著主的怜悯敬拜祂，你就越被拔高。不要挣扎努力去背负责任；你会发现在主的怜悯里，乃是主在背负你。我们都需要这样来认识主。主拣选我们、豫定我们、呼召我们，并且把我们摆在祂的恢复里，这是何等的怜悯！对于我们的将来，我们不信靠自己，我们乃是信靠祂，以及祂奇妙的怜悯。每一件与我们有关的事，都是主发起的。一切都在于祂，没有一件事是出于我们的。我能作见证，我们越为著神的怜悯敬拜祂，我们就越深入祂的心，也越与祂是一。
12WORSHIPPING THE LORD FOR HIS MERCY If we would serve the Lord, we must know the Spirit, the life in the Spirit, and the righteousness of God. Furthermore, we must know God’s mercy in the selection of grace. In the past I dreamed of a flourishing work in north China, even in inner Mongolia and Manchuria. But that dream was never fulfilled and instead by the Lord’s mercy I am in this country today. I look to the Lord that He will deeply impress us with the matter of His mercy in selecting us. Do not put your trust in what you are able to do or in what you plan to do. Rather, bow down before the Lord and worship Him for His mercy. The more you worship the Lord for His mercy, the more you will be uplifted. Instead of striving to bear responsibility, you will find that, in His mercy, the Lord is bearing you. We all need to know the Lord in this way. What a mercy that He has selected us, predestinated us, called us, and placed us in His recovery! For our future we trust not in ourselves, but in Him and in His marvelous mercy. Everything regarding us has been initiated by the Lord. All is of Him; nothing is of us. I can testify that the more we worship God for His mercy, the more we are deeply in His heart and the more we are one with Him.
信靠主的怜悯
TRUSTING IN THE LORD’S MERCY
13不要挣扎著想背负甚么责任，反要为著神的拣选敬拜祂。你若这样作，祂就要背负著你来负责任。我们越想凭自己来负责任，我们里面就越受苦，并且满了苦味。但我们若为著主的怜悯敬拜祂，并经历祂背负著我们来负责任，我们里面就满了甜如蜜的味道。我天天喜乐的原因之一，就是我学会信靠主的怜悯，并且为此敬拜祂。多年前，我常求主为我作许多事，但现在我的祷告则是为著祂的怜悯感谢祂。祂说，祂要向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯，要对谁动怜恤，就对谁动怜恤。我们若享受主的怜悯，为著祂的拣选敬拜祂，我们就要在诸天界里了。
13Do not strive to bear responsibility. Instead, worship God for His selection. If you do this, He will bear you in the bearing of responsibility. The more we try in ourselves to be responsible, the more we shall suffer inwardly. Our inward taste will be that of bitterness. But if we worship the Lord for His mercy and experience Him bearing us in bearing the responsibility, our inward taste will be as sweet as honey. One reason I am happy day by day is that I have learned to trust in the Lord’s mercy and to worship Him for it. Years ago I used to ask the Lord to do so many things for me. But now I pray by thanking Him for His mercy. He said that He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and compassion on whom He will have compassion. If we enjoy the Lord’s mercy and worship Him for His selection, we shall be in the heavenlies
14我们同主前行，并不在于我们的定意或奔跑，乃在于神的怜悯。我们的定意是无益的，我们的奔跑是徒然的。然而，神的怜悯却奇妙的运行。我们是善变的，总是刻变时翻。我们属灵的光景有如不稳定的天气。因此，我们需要看见，恩典的拣选并不在于我们，乃在于神在创立世界以前，就拣选了我们。我们今天所经历的，与神在已过永远里的拣选有关。我们若看见这个，就会转眼不看自己，不看我们的环境，只定睛注视祂。
14Our going on with the Lord is a matter not of our willing or running, but of God’s mercy. Our willing is of no avail, and our running is in vain. God’s mercy, however, works in a wonderful way. We are changeable, constantly fluctuating. It seems that, as far as we are concerned, our spiritual condition is like weather that is unstable. Hence, we need to see that the selection of grace does not depend on us, but depends on God’ss election of us before the world began. What we are experiencing today is related to God’ss election in eternity past. If we see this, we shall turn our eyes away from ourselves and from our circumstances and gaze steadfastly upon Him
恩典的福音
THE GOSPEL OF GRACE
15我们在福音上事奉神，这福音不是行为的福音，乃是恩典的福音。正如十一章六节所说，『既是照著恩典，就不再是本于行为；不然，恩典就不再是恩典了。』不过，神的拣选完全是祂的恩典这事实，并不表示我们可以为所欲为。如果我们的态度是这样，那么我们不是没有蒙神拣选，就是退后离开神的拣选了。哦，我们要忘记自己，忘记我们的景况，乃要一直注目于主。我们要一次又一次的说，『主，我们为著你恩典的拣选赞美你。主阿，我们为著你的怜悯敬拜你。』这就是罗马书中所启示的福音。
15The gospel in which we serve God is a gospel of grace, not a gospel of works. As 11:6 says, “But if by grace, it is no longer out of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.” However, the fact that God’ss election is wholly a matter of His grace does not mean that we are free to do whatever we want. If this is our attitude, then we either have not been selected by God or we are backsliders from God’ss election. Oh, let us forget ourselves and our situation and keep our eyes upon the Lord. Again and again, let us say, “Lord, we praise You for Your selection of grace. O Lord, we worship You for Your mercy.” This is the gospel revealed in the book of Romans