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罗马书生命读经 · 第8篇

称义主观的经历（二）

The subjective experience of justification (2)
1保罗写罗马书时，必定想到旧约。在罗马一章，我们看见他清楚的说到创世记。『自从创造世界以来，神那看不见永远的大能，和神性的特征，是人所洞见的，乃是藉著受造之物，给人晓得的，』（20，）这话是指著创世记一章。『那看不见』的事，意指神的神圣属性，可由受造之物给人晓得。因此，保罗藉著引述创世记一章来开始罗马书。不但如此，保罗叙述人类被定罪，乃是照著创世记所记载人堕落的阶段。在创世记四章，该隐离弃神，不以认识神为美。到创世记十一章的时候，整个堕落的人类将神改换为偶像。他们将荣耀的神改换为虚空的偶像，并堕落到淫乱和混乱里，这些在所多玛显明到极致。结果就带进各种想像得到邪恶的实行。保罗用这段败坏族类的历史，作人类被定罪这段的背景。在罗马三章，保罗描绘基督是平息的地方时，隐指约柜连同约柜的盖这幅图画。所以，罗马三章也是思考旧约而写的。不仅如此，保罗来到称义的结语时，用亚伯拉罕的历史作完全的表样。亚伯拉罕的历史给我们看见神真正、主观称义的完整榜样。我们若只有保罗在罗马三章的教训，就绝不会珍赏神的称义是何等的深。我们只会得著称义的种子，却没有得著其核仁。
1When Paul wrote the book of Romans, he must have had the Old Testament in view. In Romans 1 we find a clear reference to the book of Genesis. The phrase, “the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world, being apprehended by the things made, are clearly seen,” refers to Genesis 1. The “invisible things,” meaning God’s divine attributes, may be apprehended from creation. Thus, Paul began the book of Romans with an allusion to the first chapter of Genesis. Furthermore, Paul’s account of the condemnation on mankind follows the stages f the fall of man recorded in Genesis. In Genesis 4, Cain gave up God, disapproving of holding Him in his understanding. By the time of Genesis 11, the entire fallen race had exchanged God for idols. They exchanged the God of glory for idols of vanity and degenerated into fornication and confusion, which were manifested in the extreme at Sodom. This resulted in the practice of every imaginable evil. Paul used this history of the corrupted race as the background for the section on the condemnation of mankind. In Romans 3 Paul alludes to the picture of the ark with its cover as he portrays Christ as the propitiation place. Therefore, Romans 3 was also written with the Old Testament in view. Moreover, when Paul came to the conclusion of justification, he employed the history of Abraham as a full example. Abraham’s history affords a complete pattern of the genuine and subjective justification of God. If we only had Paul’ste aching in Romans 3, we could never appreciate the depths of God’s justification. We would only have the seed of justification without the kernel
神的传输
THE TRANSFUSION OF GOD
2我觉得需要更多分享关于称义主观的经历。在我的灵里，我有负担要使罗马四章完全向主的子民开启。正如我已经说过的，罗马四章是很深的一章，比我们所领悟的深得多。这一章陈明亚伯拉罕对神的经历；亚伯拉罕是蒙神呼召之人对神经历的表样。我们没有充分的属人言语描述这样的经历。我非常慎重的思考这事以后，选择了传输这辞，以帮助我们领会神与人之间的交互作用。
2I feel the need to share more about the subjective experience of justification. In my spirit I am burdened that Romans 4 be fully opened to the Lord’sp eople. As I have said already, Romans 4 is a deep chapter, far deeper than we realize. It presents Abraham’s experience with God. Abraham is an example of the experience of God’scall ed ones with God. We do not have the adequate human language to describe such an experience. After considering this matter very seriously, I have selected the word transfuse to help us understand the interaction between God and man
3电的应用在于保险丝，我们可以说，电力藉著保险丝得以应用。这就是传输。属天的电远在诸天之上，但必须应用这电的地方是在地上。若要这神圣的电临到我们，我们就需要传输。因此，神将祂自己传输到我们里面。我们一旦有这传输，神的素质渗透我们这人，我们就会经历属灵的注入。神的元素这样注入，会浸透并弥漫我们这人。传输带进注入，这注入用神的元素弥漫我们。
3The application of electricity depends on the fuse, and we may say that the power of electricity is applied through the fuse. This is transfusion. The heavenly electricity is far away in the heavens, but the place where this electricity must be applied is here on earth. If this divine electricity is to come to us, we need a transfusion. Thus, God transfuses Himself into us. Once we have this transfusion, we will experience a spiritual infusion as God’s essence infiltrates our being. This infusion of God’s element will saturate and permeate us. Transfusion brings in infusion, and this infusion permeates us with God’s element.
信是反应
FAITH AS A REACTION
4这种弥漫引起一种反应；那传输到我们里面的属灵美德和神圣属性，会在我们里面起反应。第一个反应是信。这是我们的信。这是信的最高定义。信不是我们天然的能力或美德；信是我们向神的反应，这是神将祂自己传输到我们里面，并将祂神圣的元素注入我们这人里面的结果。神的元素弥漫我们这人，我们就对祂有反应，这反应就是信。信不是人性的美德；信完全是神圣的注入浸透并弥漫我们这人，所引起的反应。我们一旦有了这样的信，就绝不会失去牠。这信比我们的血轮更深，因牠已注入到我们里面，并构成到我们这人里面。我们也许试著不信，但绝不会成功。这是圣经所说相信神的意思。
4This permeation causes a reaction. The spiritual virtues and divine attributes that have been transmitted into us will react within us. The first reaction is believing. This is our faith. This is the highest definition of faith. Faith is not our natural ability or virtue. Faith is our reaction toward God, which results from God’s transfusing Himself into us and infusing His divine elements into our being. When God’s elements permeate our being, we react to Him, and this reaction is faith. Faith is not a human virtue; it is absolutely a reaction caused by a divine infusion, which saturates and permeates our being. Once we have such a faith, we can never lose it. It is deeper than our blood, for it has been infused into us and constituted into our being. Although we may try not to believe, we can never succeed. This is what the Bible means by believing in God
5我若记得不错，保罗从未使用『藉著相信耶稣』（byfaithinJesus）这辞。然而，至少有两三次，他题起『耶稣的信』（thefaithofJesus），这辞困扰大多数的译者。有些人发觉很难解释这样的辞，就更改了介系词，将这辞译为『相信耶稣』，意思是我们凭自己相信耶稣。这不是保罗的意思。保罗的意思是，我们藉著主耶稣自己作我们的信来相信主耶稣。既然我们没有能力信，我们就必须接受基督作我们信的能力。我们需要凭著祂的信来相信主耶稣。我花了将近四十年来领会这点。已往我解释信是基督将祂自己作到我们里面。那是当时我所有的最好解释。然而，前几天主给了我更好的说法：信是我们藉著神的传输、注入和浸透，所产生对神的反应。
5If my memory is accurate, Paul never uses the term “by faith in Jesus.” However, at least two or three times he mentions “the faith of Jesus,” a phrase that troubles most translators. Some, finding it difficult to define such a phrase, have changed the preposition from “of” to “in.” If we change the preposition, the phrase will read “faith in Jesus” and mean that we believe in Jesus by ourselves. This is not Paul’s meaning. Paul means that we believe in the Lord Jesus by means of the Lord Jesus Himself as our faith. Since we do not have the ability to believe, we must take Christ as our believing ability. We need to believe in the Lord Jesus by His faith. I have tried to understand this for nearly forty years. In the past I explained faith as Christ working Himself into us. That was the best definition I had at the time. However, in the last few days the Lord has given me a better term: faith is our reaction to God produced by His transfusion, infusion, and saturation
传输的过程
THE PROCESS OF TRANSFUSION
6这传输是如何成就的？神这属天的电临到祂所拣选的人。例如，神藉著向亚伯拉罕显现而临到他。我们若研读创世记十一至二十四章，加上行传七章的记载，就会发觉神向亚伯拉罕显现好几次。行传七章二节说，荣耀的神向亚伯拉罕显现。亚伯拉罕的确被荣耀之神的显现所吸引。被吸引的意思是，神将祂自己传输到亚伯拉罕里面，而他并不知道，也不觉得。这与现代医学所实行的镭射疗法类似。病人被放在放射线之下，感觉不到那渗透他的光线。神是最强的镭射；我们若在祂之下坐一小时，祂就会传输到我们里面。这传输会引起注入、浸透和弥漫。
6How is this transfusion accomplished? God, as the heavenly electricity, comes to His chosen ones. For example, God came to Abraham by appearing to him. If we study Genesis 11 through 24, including the record in Acts 7, we find that God appeared to Abraham several times. Acts 7:2 says that the God of glory appeared to Abraham. It is sure that Abraham was attracted by the appearing of the God of glory. To be attracted simply means that God transfused Himself into Abraham without his realizing it or being conscious of it. This is similar to the radium treatment practiced in modern medicine. The patient is placed under th eX-ray, unconscious of the beams that are penetrating him. God is the strongest radium. If we sit under Him for an hour, He will transfuse Himself into us. This transfusion will cause infusion, saturation, and permeation.
在福音里的传输
THE TRANSFUSION IN THE GOSPEL
7在任何正确的传福音里，都该有这样的传输，就是将基督传输到人里面。基督如何能传输到我们里面？乃是藉著福音的传扬。每当我们正常的传扬耶稣基督的福音，就会有活的基督的显现，这显现会将基督传输到人里面。我能由自己的经历证实这点。虽然我生在中国，也学了孔子的教训，但孔子对我没有吸引。基督教这宗教也不合我意。我十九岁的时候，主差遣一位年轻姊妹到我家乡传福音。我好奇的去看她。我坐在聚会的地方，听她唱诗、说话，神的荣耀就显现，我就受吸引。不需要甚么人来说服我信。我听她讲的时候，神就将祂自己传输到我里面，这传输压倒并征服我，引起一种非常积极的反应。我从会所出来，走在路上，举目望天说，『神，你知道我是雄心勃勃的年轻人。但现在即使人应许把全世界给我，我也不要。我要接受你。从今天起，我要事奉你。我愿作个穷传道人，一村一村的去告诉人，耶稣何等的好。』这样，活的耶稣传输到我这人里面，我立刻对神有反应，神也对我有回应。我对神的反应就是我相信祂，那是我的信。神对我的回应就是称义我，将祂的义同著喜乐、平安赐给我。神的义对我反应，从那时起我就得著那义。基督成了神给我们的义。因此我有平安、喜乐，也满了盼望。我已得神称义。神已呼召我脱离祂自己以外的一切。
7In any proper gospel preaching there should be such a transfusion, the transfusion of Christ into people. How can Christ be transfused into us? It is by the preaching of the gospel. Whenever we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in a normal way, there will be an appearing of the living Christ, and this appearing will transfuse Christ into people. I can confirm this by my own experience. Although I was born in China and learned the teachings of Confucius, Confucius had no attraction for me. Christianity as a religion did not appeal to me either. When I was nineteen years old, the Lord sent a young sister to my town to preach the gospel. I was curious to see her. As I sat in the meeting place and heard her singing and speaking, the glory of God appeared, and I was attracted. No one had to convince me to believe. As I listened to her, God transfused Himself into me, and this transfusion overwhelmed and conquered me, causing a very positive reaction. Coming out of the meeting hall and walking along the road, I lifted up my eyes to the heavens and said, “God, You know I am an ambitious young man. But, even if the people promise me the whole world to be my empire, I would refuse it. I want to take You. From this day onward I want to serve You. I would like to be a poor preacher going from village to village, telling people how good Jesus is.” In this way the living Jesus was transfused into my being. Immediately I reacted to God, and God reacted back to me. My reaction to God was my believing in Him. That was my faith. God’s reaction back to me was to justify me, to give His righteousness with peace and joy to me. The righteousness of God reacted to me, and from that time on I had that righteousness. Christ was made the righteousness of God to me. Thus I had peace and joy, and I was filled with hope. I had been justified by God. God had called me out of everything other than Himself.
8一旦基督将祂自己传输到你里面，你绝无法逃避；你必须相信祂。我熟知我自己传福音时所发生的许多事例。有些人说，『我就是不知道我发生了甚么事。我初次听那传道人，回家以后我说，我不要与基督发生任何关系，我不喜欢耶稣。但有个东西进到我里面，我就是要赶，也赶不走。虽然我不要回去，但我里面有个东西催促我一再去听他。』这是甚么？这是基督传输到人里面的果效。从这传输出来一种反应─凭著耶稣的信相信耶稣。
8Once Christ has transfused Himself into you, you can never escape; you must believe in Him. I am familiar with many cases that occurred under my own gospel preaching. Some people said, “I simply don’t know what happened to me. After I listened to that preacher the first time and came home, I said that I didn’t want anything to do with Christ, that I did not like Jesus. But something got into me. I tried to cast it away, but I couldn’t do it. Although I don’t want to go back, something within me urges me to go hear him again and again.” What is this? This is the effect of the transfusing of Christ into people. Out of this transfusion a reaction comes—believing in Jesus by the faith of Jesus
神向亚伯拉罕显现
GOD’S APPEARING TO ABRAHAM
9神一再向亚伯拉罕显现。我们许多人对亚伯拉罕有错误的观念，认为他是信心大汉。我年轻得救，听见这点时，被吓住了，我自己想：『算了罢，我绝不会是信心大汉。』后来我看亚伯拉罕的历史，我领悟他不是信心大汉；惟一的信心大汉是神自己，神这信心大汉将祂自己传输到亚伯拉罕里面。亚伯拉罕花了时间在神面前，就不能不相信祂，因为他已得著神的传输。因此，亚伯拉罕受神吸引，并在信上对神反应。他的反应就是他的信。假定一个穷人来探访亚伯拉罕，并且说，『亚伯拉罕，我知道你没有孩子。明年我要使你的妻子给你生一个孩子。』亚伯拉罕会把这样的人赶走，告诉他不要胡言乱语。究竟是谁向亚伯拉罕显现？是荣耀的神。创世记十五章的事件不是神第一次向他显现。在这以前已有好几次显现了。第一次显现是记载在行传七章。还有两次见于创世记十二章：第一次（1～3）神叫亚伯拉罕离开本地、本族、父家；第二次（7～8）神应许亚伯拉罕要把那地赐给他的后裔。此后，这位在信上只有一点经历的亚伯拉罕下到埃及去。神第四次向亚伯拉罕显现是在创世记十三章十四至十七节，祂叫亚伯拉罕举目向那地的四方观看。所以，神在创世记十五章一至七节的显现是第五次；这对亚伯拉罕不是新的。神一再向亚伯拉罕显现，亚伯拉罕也经历了神显现的丰富，对这些丰富有信心。在前四次显现中，神的元素传输并注入到亚伯拉罕这人里面。神向亚伯拉罕显现时，祂没有忽然离开，乃是与亚伯拉罕同在一段时间。在创世记十八章，神与亚伯拉罕在一起有多久？祂与他同在约有半天，与他谈话数小时，好像与亲密的朋友谈话一样。在那整个探访中，亚伯拉罕被神注入。在第五次显现时，（十五，）神告诉亚伯拉罕，他后裔的数目要像天上的星。第五次显现的结果，亚伯拉罕，经历了他所信的神如此丰富的注入。『亚伯拉罕信神，这就算为他的义。』（罗四3，创十五6。）亚伯拉罕的信不是来自他天然的能力，也不是起源于他自己。他相信神，乃是对属天镭射的反应，对神圣注入的回应。用比喻来说，亚伯拉罕的信就是神在他里面像镭射一样的运行。正确的信是甚么？真正的信就是神在我们里面的工作。这就是为甚么神算亚伯拉罕的信为义。神似乎说，『这信是出于我的，与我相符。这就是亚伯拉罕在我面前的义。』那义是甚么？那义就是神的义。
9God appeared to Abraham again and again. Many of us have held the wrong concept about Abraham, the concept that he was a giant in faith. When I heard this as a young Christian, I was frightened, thinking to myself, “Forget about that. I can never be a giant of faith.” Later, as I considered the history of Abraham, I realized that he was not the giant of faith. The only giant of faith is God Himself. God, as the giant of faith, transfused Himself into him. After Abraham had spent time in God’s presence, He could not help believing in Him, because he had been transfused with God. Thus, Abraham was attracted to God and reacted to Him in believing. His reaction was his believing. Suppose a poor man visited Abraham and said, “Abraham, I know you don’th ave a child. Next year I will enable you to have a child born of your wife.” Abraham would have driven such a man away from him, telling him not to talk nonsense. Who actually appeared to Abraham? The God of glory. The incident in Genesis 15 was not God’s first appearing to him. Several other appearings preceded it. The first appearing was that recorded in Acts 7. Two more appearings are found in Genesis 12: in the first of these (vv. 1-3) God told Abraham to leave his country, his kindred, and his father’sho use; in the second one (vv. 7-8) God promised Abraham to give the land to his seed. After this, Abraham, who had little experience in believing, fell into Egypt. God’s fourth appearing to Abraham was in Genesis 13:14-17, when He told Abraham to lift up his eyes and look in every direction at the land. Therefore, the appearing of God in Genesis 15:1-7 was the fifth; it was nothing new to Abraham. God had appeared to Abraham repeatedly, and Abraham had experienced the riches of God’s appearing, coming to have confidence in them. During the first four appearings, God’s element had been transfused and infused into Abraham’s being. When God appeared to Abraham, He did not leave suddenly. He stayed with Abraham for a length of time. How long did God remain with Abraham in Genesis 18? He stayed with him for about half a day, conversing with him for hours as with an intimate friend. Throughout that whole visitation Abraham was infused with God. During the fifth appearing (Gen. 15) God told Abraham that the number of his seed would be like the stars of heaven. As a result of the fifth appearing, Abraham had experienced such a rich infusion of God that he believed. “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Rom. 4:3; Gen. 15:6). Abraham’s faith did not come from his natural ability and it did not originate with himself. His believing in God was a reaction to the heavenly radium, a response to the divine infusion. Figuratively speaking, Abraham’s believing was simply God working like radium within him. What is the proper faith? Genuine faith is the working of God within us. This is why God counted Abraham’s faith as righteousness. It seemed that God was saying, “This faith is something of Me. It corresponds to Me. This is Abraham’s righteousness before Me.” What was that righteousness? It was the righteousness of God.
亚伯拉罕进一步的经历
ABRAHAM’S FURTHER EXPERIENCE
10圣经里这神圣的话是深的，我们若只肤浅的读，就无法领会。亚伯拉罕藉著神圣注入的过程得著神的元素。虽然神已算亚伯拉罕为义，但他还没有扎实、具体的经历那义。同样，我们也许有基督作我们的义，却没有真实具体的经历祂。我们呼求祂的那一刻，就接受了基督，基督也成了我们的义。然而，基督仍必须成为我们的经历。因此，我们需要撒拉。
10This divine word in the Bible is deep, and we are unable to understand it if we only read superficially. Abraham received God’s element by a process of divine infusion. Although righteousness had been reckoned to Abraham, he had not yet experienced that righteousness in a solid, concrete way. Likewise, we may have Christ as our righteousness without actually experiencing Him in a substantial way. At the moment we called on Him, we received Christ, and Christ was made our righteousness. However, Christ must still become our experience. Thus, we need a Sarah
11撒拉豫表恩典。亚伯拉罕的妾夏甲豫表律法。（加四22～26。）我们里面有基督，但我们对这位基督缺少经历。谁能帮助我们经历？撒拉。要记得撒拉豫表神的恩典。不要到夏甲那里去与律法同工，乃要到撒拉那里去与恩典合作。你若使自己联于撒拉，就会经历基督作你的义。不要到律法那里去，也不要定意行善。我们需要回想保罗在罗马七章自述的经历：『立志为善由得我，只是行出来由不得我。』（18下。）你若立志行善，意思就是你转向律法。你若定意孝敬父母、爱妻子、或服从丈夫，就是转向律法，并娶夏甲。这联合的结果总是以实玛利。然而，你若使自己联于恩典，这联合会生出基督，真正的以撒。
11Sarah typifies grace. Hagar, Abraham’s concubine, typifies the law (Gal. 4:22-26). We have Christ within us, but we lack the experience of this Christ. Who can help us with the experience? Sarah. Remember that Sarah typifies God’s grace. Do not work with the law by going to Hagar, but cooperate with grace by going to Sarah. If you join yourself to Sarah, you will experience Christ as your righteousness. Do not go to the law and do not make up your mind to do good. We need to recall Paul’sown experience as recounted in Romans 7: “To will is present with me, but to do is not.” If you will to do good, it means that you are turning to the law. If you determine to honor your parents, love your wife, or submit to your husband, you are turning to the law and marrying Hagar. The result of this union is always an Ishmael. However, if you join yourself to grace, this union will bring forth Christ, the real Isaac
12以撒表征对神算给亚伯拉罕之义的扎实经历。在你相信主耶稣那天，基督就赐给你，并注入你里面。你在信里回应，你的信就被神算为你的义。这样，神就使基督成为你的称义，你的义。然而在那时刻，你还没有实在的经历。你得救以后，就到夏甲那里去，到律法那里去，定意行善。你多少有点成功，但结果乃是以实玛利。现在你必须使自己联于神的恩典，联于撒拉。你有撒拉，就会对你已经接受的基督有真正的经历。在豫表里，神算给亚伯拉罕的义就是以撒。照著创世记十七章二十一节，神临到亚伯拉罕，说，『到明年这时节，撒拉必给你生以撒。』在十八章十节，神以稍微不同的说法重申这话：『到明年这时候，我必要回到你这里，你的妻子撒拉必生一个儿子。』我们若将这些经文放在一起，就会领悟以撒的出生实际上就是神的来临。耶和华告诉亚伯拉罕，明年以撒的出生就是神的来临。所以，以撒的出生是特别的，那是神的来临。
12Isaac signifies the solid experience of the righteousness which God had reckoned to Abraham. On the day you believed in the Lord Jesus, Christ was given to you and infused into you. You responded in faith, and your faith was reckoned by God as your righteousness. In this way, God made Christ your justification, your righteousness. However, at that moment you did not have the actual experience. After you were saved, you went to Hagar, to the law, making up your mind to do good. To a certain extent you were successful, but the result was Ishmael. Now you must join yourself to God’s grace, to Sarah. With Sarah you will have a genuine experience of the Christ you have already received. In typology, the righteousness which God reckoned to Abraham was Isaac. According to Genesis 17:21, God came to Abraham and said, “Next year at this time Sarah will bring forth a son.” In Genesis 18:10 God reiterated this word in a slightly different way: “Next year at this time I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” If we put these verses together, we will realize that the birth of Isaac was actually the coming of God. Unfortunately, the King James translation obscures these two verses, using the phrase time of life.” The correct rendering of this phrase is found in the New American Standard Version, which says, “Next year at this time.” The Lord told Abraham that the birth of Isaac next year would be the coming of God. Therefore, the birth of Isaac was extraordinary: it was the coming of God
信徒的经历
THE BELIEVER’S EXPERIENCE
13我们可将这一切应用于我们的经历。当人在传福音时，藉著基督的显现和传输，我们就凭基督作为信而相信，这是我们对神的反应。然后神将这信算回给我们，作我们的义；这是在我们得救的时候对基督真实的经历。那是基督的回来，在我们以基督作我们的信而相信，对神有反应以后，基督进一步的临到我们。基督显现和神圣传输的结果，使祂成了我们对神反应的信。神将这信算回给我们，作我们的义，基督就进一步成了从神给我们的义。因著基督藉神的恩典进一步来临，我们在神面前就得著基督作我们的义。我们可将过程摘要如下：基督在祂的显现和传输里成了我们对神的信，然后在神的回报中，基督成了从神给我们的义。这样，基督就成了我们的经历。
13We may apply all this to our experience. In the gospel preaching, through the appearing and transfusion of Christ, we reacted to God in believing with Christ as faith. Then God reckoned this faith back to us as our righteousness, which was a real experience of Christ at the time of our salvation. That was a return of Christ, a further coming of Christ to us after we reacted to God in believing with Him as our faith. As a result of Christ’s appearing and His divine transfusion, He became our faith, reacting to God. This faith was reckoned back to us by God as righteousness, and Christ further became the righteousness of God to us. By a further coming of Christ through God’s grace, we had Christ as our righteousness before God. We may summarize the process this way: in His appearing and transfusion Christ became our faith to God, and in return Christ became God’s righteousness to us. Then Christ became our experience.
14再者，我们不仅得著基督作神算给我们的义，也经历基督作我们的以撒。我们宝贵这经历，持守牠如珍贵的宝物，顾惜牠如我们的独生子。
14Furthermore, we not only have Christ as the righteousness of God reckoned to us, but we have also the experience of Christ as our Isaac. We treasure this experience, holding it as dear and precious and cherishing it as our only begotten
达成神的目的使神满足
THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PURPOSE FOR GOD’S SATISFACTION
15然后神也许又显现，并且问说，『你愿意同我往前么？你要享受我进一步的显现么？倘若你要，你就必须放弃以撒，放弃我所赐给你的。不是要将以撒赶出去，乃是要将他献给我。将你所经历的基督带来，将祂放在我的祭坛上，将祂献给我，使我满足。你对基督的经历成了你的分，并使你满足。现在我要你将这一分献给我，使我完全满足。』你愿这样作么？有了这样经历的基督徒，一百位中也没有一位愿这样作。每个人都会回答：『我怎能放弃我对基督珍爱、宝贵的经历？要我放弃这个是错误的。我绝不会顺从。』然而，神要求人将他对基督的经历当作以撒献上，凡不愿意这样作的，这人属灵的生命就会变得死沉。对这样的人，神似乎说，『既然你宝贵你以撒的经历，不愿将这经历给我，我就把牠留给你。我不能再同你往前。你有你的享受和满足，但我没有得著我的享受和满足。我在你身上不能作甚么，以达成我的目的。』
15Then God may appear again and ask, “Are you willing to go on with Me? Do you want to enjoy My further appearing? If you do, you must give up Isaac. Give up what I have given to you. Do not cast Isaac away, but offer him up to Me. Bring the very Christ whom you have experienced, lay Him on My altar, and offer Him to Me that I may be satisfied. Your experience of Christ has become your portion and it satisfies you. Now I ask you to offer this portion to Me that I may be completely satisfied.” Will you do this? Out of a hundred Christians who have had this kind of experience, not one will do it. Everyone will reply, “How can I give up my dear and precious experience of Christ? It is wrong to ask me to give this up. I will never go along with this.” However, everyone who has been asked to offer up to God his experience of Christ as Isaac and was unwilling to do it was deadened in his spiritual life. To such people God seems to say, “Since you treasure your Isaac-experience and will not give it to Me, I will leave it with you. I cannot go further with you. You have your enjoyment and satisfaction, but I don’th ave Mine. I cannot do anything with you for the fulfillment of My purpose
16亚伯拉罕献上以撒，为要使神满足；那是真正的燔祭。在摩利亚山上，22神得著祂完全的满足。在创世记二十二章，我们看见神不但是称无为有的神（正如十五和十七章所启示的），也是叫死人复活的神。在神眼中，亚伯拉罕将以撒放在祭坛上，拿刀要杀他的时候，以撒就死了。神阻止亚伯拉罕，禁止他杀以撒。在豫表里，这就是神分赐生命给死了的以撒。照著希伯来十一章十七至十九节，以撒复活了，亚伯拉罕在复活里从神得回以撒。结果，神就进一步且更丰富的传输、注入、并弥漫在亚伯拉罕里面。
16Abraham offered up Isaac for the satisfaction of God. That was a genuine burnt offering. On Mount Moriah God received His complete satisfaction. In Genesis we see that God is not only the God who calls things not being as being — He was revealed as this God in Genesis 15 and 17— but the God who gives life to the dead. In the eyes of God, Isaac died when Abraham laid him on the altar and raised the knife to slay him. God stopped Abraham, forbidding him to kill Isaac. In typology, this means that God imparted life to the dead Isaac. According to Hebrews 11:17-19, Isaac was resurrected, and Abraham received Isaac back from God in resurrection. This resulted in a further and richer transfusion, infusion, and permeation of God into Abraham.
17在摩利亚山上，亚伯拉罕属灵的经历达到高峰。结果，亚伯拉罕在生命上变得这样属灵、这样成熟，以致在创世记二十四章他是豫表父神。他在那里变得这样成熟？就是在摩利亚山上；他在那里得著神完全的分。父神传输到他里面。所以，亚伯拉罕成了父，不仅是单个以撒的父，也是团体、千万后裔的父；这些后裔是神在这地上的国，以成就神的目的。现在我们能看见，为甚么保罗写罗马三章以后，在四章有负担用亚伯拉罕的历史为图画，以显示神称义的高峰。神称义的目的，是要在无数的圣徒里面得著基督的复制。这些圣徒作基督的复制，成了祂身体上的肢体。（十二5。）然后，这身体就成为神在地上的国，（十四17，）以达成神的目的。基督的身体作神的国，在罗马十二至十六章得著解释。所有的地方召会，就是基督的身体作神国的彰显。召会作神的国，不是由一个以撒组成，乃是由许多本于神的称义而产生的以撒组成。这一切都是对称义主观、更深经历的结果。
17On Mount Moriah Abraham’s spiritual experience reached it speak. As a result, Abraham became so spiritual and so mature in life that in Genesis 24 he typifies God the Father. Where did he become so mature? On Mount Moriah where he received the full portion of God. God the Father was transfused into him. Therefore, Abraham became the father, not only of an individual Isaac, but of the corporate thousands of descendants who are the kingdom of God on this earth for the accomplishment of God’s purpose. Now we can see why Paul, after writing Romans 3, was burdened to use Abraham’s history in chapter four as a portrait to show the climax of God’s justification. The purpose of God’s justification is to have a reproduction of Christ in millions of saints. These saints, as the reproduction of Christ, become the members of His Body (Rom. 12:5). This Body then becomes the kingdom of God on earth (Rom. 14:17) for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. The Body as the kingdom of God is expounded in Romans 12-16. All the local churches are expressions of the Body of Christ as the kingdom of God. The church as the kingdom of God is not composed of one Isaac, but of many Isaacs who have proceeded out of God’s justification. All of these are the issue of the subjective and deeper experience of justification
回到生命树
BACK TO THE TREE OF LIFE
18然而，我们还需要看得更多。让我们再回到创世记一章。照著创世记一章，人不但是神所造的，人受造也是为著神并归与神的。人受造归与神，使他彰显神的形像，并施行神的管治权，以建立祂的国。人乃是为著这样高的目的受造归与神。在创世记二章，我们看见神由生命树所代表，指明受造归与神的人该不断吃这树。人需要来到神面前，接触神，得著神传输并注入到他里面。然而，人没有这样作，反而到错误的源头─知识树那里去。因此，受造归与神的人偏离了神。这是人堕落的正确意义。
18Nevertheless, we need to see even more. Let us return to the first chapter of Genesis once again. According to Genesis 1, man was not only created by God but also for God and to God. Man was created to God that he might express God’sim age and exercise God’s dominion for the building up of His kingdom. Man was created to God for such a high purpose. In Genesis 2 we see that God was represented by the tree of life, indicating that the man created to God should continually eat of this tree. Man needed to come to God, contact God, and have God transfused and infused into him. However, man failed to do this, going to the wrong source, the tree of knowledge. Thus, the man who was made to God turned away from God. This is the accurate meaning of the fall of man.
19神显现呼召亚伯拉罕离开这堕落的光景，意思是神要带人归向祂自己。神呼召亚伯拉罕离开迦勒的吾珥时，没有告诉他往那里去，因为神的心意是要带他归向祂自己。人必须归向神，使神能将自己传输到他里面。神呼召亚伯拉罕离开吾珥，带他回到生命树。生命树的原则是倚靠；知识树的原则是独立。到生命树这里来，意思就是倚靠神；转向知识树，意思就是弃绝神。我们需要天天时时倚靠神作我们的生命。我们绝不能离开神作我们的生命。所以，亚伯拉罕被带回神这生命树。当神向他显现，那也是生命树的显现。亚伯拉罕花时间在神面前，就享受了生命树。每当这事发生，神的素质就传输到他里面。这样神就训练亚伯拉罕，使他全然被神传输、注入并弥漫，不再凭自己行动。这对亚伯拉罕不是容易学习的功课。今天我们也在受同样的训练。神已呼召我们离开我们堕落的光景，归向祂自己这生命树。现今我们在祂的传输、注入、和浸透之下。我们不可凭自己作甚么。我们的己必须被了结。旧人必须被割除并埋葬，使神作我们的一切。然后我们就能在实际里说，『现在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活著；并且我如今在肉身里所活的生命，是我在神儿子的信里，与祂联结所活的。』（加二20。）这是亚伯拉罕的生活。身为亚伯拉罕的后裔，我们与他一样。我们照他信的脚踪而行，并在神浸透的工作之下。
19God appeared to call Abraham out of this fallen condition, meaning that God wanted to bring man back to Himself. When God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees, He did not tell him where to go, because God’sin tent i on was to bring him back to Himself. Man had to return to God in order that God might transfuse Himself into him. In calling Abraham out of Ur, God was bringing him back to the tree of life. The principle of the tree of life is dependence; the principle of the tree of knowledge is independence. To come to the tree of life means to depend upon God; to turn to the tree of knowledge means to forsake God. Every day and every hour we need to depend upon God as our life. We can never stay away from God as our life. Therefore, Abraham was brought back to God as the tree of life. When God appeared to him, that was also the appearing of the tree of life. As Abraham spent time in the presence of God, he enjoyed the tree of life. Every time this happened, God’s essence was transfused into him. In this way God trained Abraham to be totally transfused, infused, and permeated with God and no longer to act by himself. This was not an easy lesson for Abraham to learn. We are undergoing the same training today. God has called us out of our fallen condition back to Himself as the tree of life. Now we are under His transfusion, infusion, and saturation. We must not do anything by ourselves. Our self must be terminated. The old man must be cut off and buried that God may be everything to us. Then we can say in reality, “It is no longer I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God” (Gal. 2:20). This is the life of Abraham. As Abraham’s descendants we are the same as he. We walk in his believing footsteps and are under God’s saturating work
20当我们经历这过程时，对神会有不同的反应。我们的第一个反应是凭基督的信相信祂。这引起从神那面的另一个反应，就是算基督为我们的义。此后，我们凭自己行动，以致产生失败。我们到错误的源头─夏甲，律法─那里去，并生出以实玛利。接著，我们需要受割礼。这使我们进一步经历基督作我们今日的以撒。然后神会要求我们将这以撒献给祂作祭物，使祂满足。我们若服从这要求，神就再对我们回应，给我们复活的经历，产生许多以撒。一旦我们将自己对基督个别的经历献给神，我们就发现自己在召会中，有许多以撒围绕我们，我们就对基督有团体的经历。这样我们就不再是个人，乃是达成神目的的国度，基督的身体。
20As we experience this process, we have various reactions to God. Our first reaction is to believe in Him with the faith of Christ. This causes another reaction from God’ss i de, which is to reckon Christ to us as our righteousness. After this, we act on our own and produce a failure. We go to the wrong source, Hagar, the law, and give birth to Ishmael. Following this, we need to be circumcised. This brings in a further experience of Christ as our present Isaac. Then we will be required to offer this Isaac to God as a sacrifice for His satisfaction. If we obey this demand, God will react to us once again, giving us an experience of resurrection that produces many Isaacs. Once we offer our individual experience of Christ to God, we find ourselves in the church with many Isaacs surrounding us, and we have the corporate experience of Christ. Then we are no longer individuals; we are a kingdom, the Body of Christ fulfilling God’s purpose.
21这是由亚伯拉罕的表样所显示称义更深的意义。我们必须承认，这一切的源头是神的传输、注入和浸透。这传输和注入的过程，在神与人之间引起许多反应。在我们与神之间的这个交通，这个交流，使我们与祂成为一，并产生一个宇宙的人以达成神永远的目的。在这过程中，神性与人性调和。这就是神称义的完成。
21This is the deeper meaning of justification shown by the example of Abraham. We must confess that the source of it all is God’s transfusion, infusion, and saturation. This process of transfusion and infusion causes many reactions between God and man. This traffic, this interchange between us and God, makes us one with Him and brings into being a universal man for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. In this process divinity is mingled with humanity. This is the consummation of God’s justification