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哥林多前书生命读经 · 第32篇

建造或是毁坏神的殿

Building or Destroying the Temple of God?
1读经：哥林多前书3:10-23，哥林多后书3:18，罗马书12:2。
1Scripture Reading: 1 Cor. 3:10-23; 2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 12:2
金、银和宝石
GOLD, SILVER, AND PRECIOUS STONES
2保罗在林前三章十节题到基督是惟一的根基，说，『只是各人要谨慎怎样在上面建造。』他在十二节继续说，『然而，若有人用金、银、宝石，木、草、禾秸，在这根基上建造。』按照这一节，正确的建造材料是金、银、宝石。保罗为甚么只题到这三种材料，而不是两种或四种？这里有三种材料，是因为这些材料指神圣三一的三者，就是父、子、圣灵。宝石与圣灵的变化工作有关系。每一种宝石都是变化的物质。宝石曾有一段时候是别的材料，可能是泥土或碳。然后，因著高热与高压，这材料变化成为宝石。因此，宝石指明变化。照著林后三章十八节，我们为主灵所变化。这清楚启示，变化是那灵的工作。所以，林前三章十二节所题正确的材料，其中的第三项是指神圣三一的第三者，就是那灵。
2Referring to Christ as the unique foundation, Paul says in 3:10, “But let each one take heed how he builds upon it.” In verse 12 he goes on to say, “But if anyone builds on the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, stubble.” According to this verse, the proper building materials are gold, silver, and precious stones. Why does Paul mention only three such materials and not two or four? There are three because these materials refer to the Three of the Trinity, to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The precious stones are related to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Every precious stone is a transformed substance. At one time it used to be some other material, perhaps clay or carbon. Then as a result of intense heat and pressure this material has been transformed into precious stone. Thus, precious stones indicate transformation. According to 2 Corinthians 3:18, we are transformed by the Lord Spirit. This reveals clearly that transformation is the work of the Spirit. Therefore, the third item of the proper materials mentioned in 3:12 refers to the third of the Trinity, the Spirit
3我们在出埃及三十章看见，银是用来赎神子民生命的。（16。）银表征救赎，是由三一神的第二者─子基督完成的。因此，林前三章十二节的银是指基督的救赎。保罗所题的宝贵材料，第一项是金，指三一神的第一者，就是父神。金不是表征救赎或变化，金这种宝贵的元素，表征性质不改变或不朽坏的东西。金永远不变。因此，金在圣经中表征父神的性情。神圣的性情像金一样，永不改变。
3In Exodus 30 we see that silver was used to redeem the life of God’sp eople. Silver signifies the redemption accomplished by Christ the Son, the second of the Trinity. Therefore, the silver in 3:12 refers to the redemption of Christ. Gold, the first of the precious materials mentioned by Paul, refers to the first of the Trinity, God the Father. Gold signifies neither redemption nor transformation; rather, as a precious element, it signifies something which does not change or become corrupt in nature. Gold always remains the same. Hence, in the Bible it signifies the nature of God the Father. The divine nature, like gold, never changes
被三一神构成
CONSTITUTED OF THE TRIUNE GOD
4我们已经看见金、银、与宝石是指父神、子神与灵神。现在我们必须继续来看，用这些材料建造是甚么意思。我们要用这些材料建造，自己就必须先由这些构成。我们需要由父的性情、子的救赎、以及灵的变化构成。这就是说，我们必须由三一神构成。当我们接受祂，藉著吃祂、喝祂，把祂接受到我们里面，当我们得著祂的灌注并被祂灌注时，三一神─父、子、灵─便进入我们里面，成为我们的元素与本质。这使新陈代谢的过程在我们里面发生，藉此新的元素加进来，旧的元素排出去。这个过程的另一个名称就是变化。
4We have seen that gold, silver, and precious stones refer to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Now we must go on to see what it means to build with these materials. In order to build with these materials, we ourselves must first be constituted of them. We need to be constituted of the Father’s nature, the Son’s redemption, and the Spirit’s transformation. This means that we must be constituted of the Triune God. When we receive Him, when we take Him into us by drinking Him and eating Him, when we are transfused with Him and by Him, the very Triune God — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—comes into us to be our element and substance. This causes a metabolic process to take place within us by which a new element is added and an old element is discharged. Another name for this process is transformation.
5变化不是一夜之间发生的。相反的，变化乃是逐日持续进行的工作。当我们呼求主耶稣、赞美父、宣读并祷读神的话、祷告、唱诗、敬拜、参加召会的聚会、并与众圣徒交通时，我们就将三一神接受到我们里面。我们越接受祂，祂的元素就越新陈代谢的变化我们，使我们由祂自己所构成。这样，我们就有金、银与宝石。得著金，就是有了父不能朽坏的性情。蒙救赎，就是藉著基督被了结，被顶替，并被带回归神。虽然我们得救了，但我们在许多事上还是离三一神很远。当基督成为我们的救赎，祂就把我们带回到神那里，了结我们天然的生命，并以祂自己顶替我们，这就是经历银。接著，三一神的第三者，就是那灵，就在我们里面并在我们的环境中作工，把我们变化成为宝石。
5Transformation does not take place overnight. On the contrary, it is a work which goes on continually day by day. As we call on the Lord Jesus, praise the Father, read and pray-read the Word, pray, sing, worship, attend the meetings of the church, and fellowship with the saints, we take the Triune God into us. The more we receive of Him, the more His element transforms us metabolically and causes us to be constituted of Himself. Then we have gold, silver, and precious stones. To have gold is to have the Father’sin corruptible nature. To be redeemed is to be terminated, replaced, and brought back to God through Christ. Even though we are saved, in many things we are still far away from the Triune God. When Christ becomes our redemption, He brings us back to God, terminates our natural life, and replaces us with Himself. This is to experience silver. Following this, the third of the Triune God, the Spirit, works both within us and in our circumstances to transform us into precious stones
变化的过程
THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION
6变化包括那灵在里面和外面的工作。那灵在我们外面的环境作工，乃是为著祂里面的工作。例如，那灵会使用我们的儿女来帮助我们变化。我们可能盼望儿女顺服、听话，但有的孩子可能很倔强、甚至叛逆，这样的孩子会使我们受压，为使我们被变化。我是个上了年纪，有很多儿孙的人，我能见证，那灵常常用我们的儿女来压我们、『烧』我们，这是祂变化工作的一部分。当我开始在家庭生活中有这样的经历时，我很受困扰，不能解释到底发生了甚么事。渐渐我领悟了，我需要儿女们所带来的热度与压力。我也看见，我还需要别的压力。泥土要变成宝石，需要加强的热度与压力。照罗马八章二十八节看，神使万有都互相效力，叫我们得益处。我们需要万有为我们效力。因此，甚至当我们的儿女也被用来压我们、烧我们时，我们不该惊奇，因为这会使我们变成宝石。
6Transformation involves the Spirit’s working both inwardly and outwardly. The Spirit works outwardly in our circumstances for the sake of His inward working. For example, the Spirit may use our children to help transform us. We may expect that our children will be submissive and obedient. But a certain child may be stubborn or even rebellious. Such a child can cause us to be pressed for the sake of our transformation. As an elderly person with many children and grandchildren, I can testify that the Spirit often uses our children to press us and “burn us” as part of His work of transformation. When I first began to experience this in my family life, I was troubled and could not explain what was going on. Gradually I came to know that I needed the heat and pressure caused by my children. I also came to see that I need other pressures as well. It takes a great deal of intensified heat and pressure for clay to become precious stones. According to Romans 8:28, God causes all things to work together for good on our behalf. We need all things to work for us. Therefore, we should not be surprised when even our children are used to press us and burn us so that we may become precious stones.
7许多基督徒受到一种教训的影响，以为我们相信主耶稣，行事正当而荣耀神，我们就会得祝福，凡事兴旺亨通。按照这种教训，我们会又成功又兴盛。不仅如此，我们的儿女也会在所拣选的职业上成功。若这种教导是正确的，保罗就是活在世上最可怜的信徒。请听他在林前四章十一至十三节所说的话：『直到今时，我们还是又饥，又渴，又赤身露体，又挨拳打，又居无定所；并且劳苦，亲手作工；被人咒骂，我们就祝福；被人逼迫，我们就忍受；被人毁谤，我们就善劝；我们成了世界上的污秽，万物中的渣滓，直到如今。』这岂是一位顺利、亨通之人的写照？人教导说，凡相信主、正当过生活的人，都会在物质方面蒙福；但保罗的光景与这种教训所应许的迥然不同。然而，事实上保罗是最蒙福的基督徒，因为他实在是被三一神构成。我们在主恢复里的人，不该因变化的过程而被惊吓。我们不该想要转离主的恢复而寻找容易的路，参加宗教的聚会来得到心理的安慰。我们赞美主，我们正在接受主的𫗪养，并且正在经过变化的过程。我们正接受更多神圣的金子到我们里面。我能很强的见证，我不后悔走了主恢复的路。我的确亏损了许多，但我赢得了更多。若无亏损，就无赢得。我所亏损的是物质的东西，但我所赢得的是父神的性情。我得著了神圣性情的金，是永不改变、永不朽坏的。阿利路亚！神圣的性情加到我们里面。我们也要为每天所经历的奇妙救赎，使我们被了结、带回归神，并由基督自己顶替而赞美主！我们又为所受的热度与压力感谢祂，这些正在把我们从泥土变化成宝石。
7Many Christians are under the influence of the teaching that if we believe in the Lord Jesus and be have ourselves properly for the glory of God, we shall be blessed and prospered in every way. According to this teaching, we shall be successful and prosperous. Furthermore, supposedly our children will become successful in their chosen professions. If this teaching is accurate, then Paul must be the most pitiful believer who ever lived. Listen to what he says in 4:11-13: “Until the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked and beaten and wander without a home; and we labor, working with our own hands; being reviled we bless, being persecuted we bear it, being defamed we appeal; we have become as the offscouring of the world, as the scum of all things until now.” Is this the description of one who is successful and prosperous? Paul’s situation was very different from that promised by the teaching that those who believe in the Lord and live properly will be blessed materially. However, Paul was in fact the most blessed of Christians, for he was truly constituted of the Triune God. We in the Lord’s recovery should not be frightened by the process of transformation. We should not desire to turn from the recovery and seek an easier way, to go to a religious gathering where we can be comforted psychologically. We praise the Lord that we are receiving the Lord’s nourishment and are also undergoing the process of transformation. We are receiving more of the divine gold into our being. I can strongly testify that I do not regret taking the way of the Lord’s recovery. Yes, I have lost a lot, but I have gained much more. If there is no loss, there can be no gain. What I have lost has been material things, but I have gained the nature of God my Father. I have gained the gold of the divine nature, something that never changes or decays. Hallelujah for the divine nature that has been added into us! We also praise the Lord for the wonderful redemption we are experiencing daily to be terminated, brought back to God, and replaced by Christ Himself. We are also thankful for the heat and pressure which are transforming us from clay into precious stones.
变化与建造
transformation and building
8当我们成为金、银、宝石时，我们就被建造。建造是长大与变化的事。我们越长大，就越蒙拯救脱离天然的人。然后我们无论在那里，都很容易与圣徒是一，这就是建造。
8As we become gold, silver, and precious stones, we are built up. Building is a matter of growth and transformation. The more we grow, the more we are rescued from our natural being. Then wherever we may be, we can easily be one with the saints. This is building
9我们若真正的建造起来，就不会有意见、议论、争执、比较、偏爱或选择。我们就会单单为著主的身体，并愿意成为身体的一部分。我们无论到何处，都与每一位圣徒是一。这是用金、银、宝石建造的意思。今天大多数的基督徒是分裂的。我们甚至很难找到两个人正确的建造在一起。分裂与缺少建造的原因，乃在于信徒留在天然的生命、天然的人、及属世的愿望里。许多人仍然有自己的偏爱、愿望和拣选。结果，他们不可能真正成为一，所以他们中间无法有实际的身体生活。我们若不藉著变化而长大，（至少到某种程度，）我们就无法有真实的身体生活。我们赞美主，至少在某种程度上，主恢复里的众召会正这样被建造。众圣徒成为一，而且不是那么活在意见、偏爱和拣选里。不仅如此，我们有一个目标─神永远定旨的中心异象，就是把基督服事到圣徒里面，使他们都被构成为一个身体。我们虽然没有在这个目标上完全是一，但我们却在进入这个一的过程中。今天的情形比十年前大有进步。我们为著主在已过十年中所作的赞美祂。但我们愿意经历更多的变化，使我们能有更多的建造。
9If we have been built up in a genuine way, there will be no opinions, disputations, strifes, comparisons, preferences, or choices. We shall simply be for the Lord’s Body and desire to be part of the Body. No matter where we may go, we shall be one with every saint. This is what it means to be built with gold, silver, and precious stones. The majority of today’s Christians are divided. It is difficult even to find two who have been built together in a proper way. The reason for the division and the lack of building is that the believers remain in their natural life, in their natural being, and in their worldly aspirations. Many still have their own preferences, desires, and choices. As a result, it is impossible for them to be truly one. Therefore there cannot be the practical Body life among them. We cannot have the real Body life until, at least to a certain extent, we grow by being transformed. We praise the Lord that, to some degree at least, the churches in the Lord’s recovery are being built up in this way. The saints are becoming one and are not so much in their opinions, preferences, and choices. Furthermore, we have one goal—the central vision of God’s eternal purpose, which is to have Christ ministered into the saints so that they may all be constituted into one Body. Although we may not be fully one in this goal, we are in the process of entering into this oneness. The situation today is greatly improved over that of ten years ago. We praise the Lord for what He has done in the last ten years. However, we want to experience more transformation so that we may have more building
10首先，我们自己必须成为金、银、宝石；然后我们自然就能将自己建造成为基督的身体。这样，我们就把自己建造在基督这惟一的根基之上。我们越变化，就越建造在作为根基的基督上面。不仅如此，当我们把三一神服事给人─父作为金的元素、子带著实际的救赎、灵带著变化的工作─他们就得著灌注并滋养。然后，他们将逐渐一一成为同一类的宝贵材料。他们将有同样的光景与情形，接受同样的滋养，并且有相同的定命。最终主要得到祂所心爱的召会，就是基督的身体，作基督团体的彰显。
10First, we ourselves must become gold, silver, and precious stones. Then, spontaneously, we build ourselves into the Body. In this way we build ourselves up upon Christ as the unique foundation. The more we are transformed, the more we build upon Christ as the foundation. Furthermore, as we minister the Triune God to others—the Father as the golden element, the Son with His practical redemption, and the Spirit with the work of transformation—they will be infused and nourished. Then gradually one by one they will become the same category of precious materials. They will be in the same condition and situation, receive the same nourishment, and have the same destiny. Eventually, the Lord will get the church He desires— the Body as the corporate expression of Christ.
11不要期望这变化和建造的工作会大规模的进行，会包括非常多的基督徒。相反的，这工作乃要按著得胜者的原则在少数人中间完成。主在启示录的七封书信是写给众召会以及众召会中的众圣徒，但祂并不期望众召会中的每一位都像祂一样。因这缘故，祂在每封书信的末了都题到得胜者。主最终要得到少数的信徒作为得胜者，满足祂的心愿，并完成祂永远的定旨。你知道主要如何得到这些得胜的信徒？就是藉著𫗪养、吃、喝、栽种、浇灌和生长；藉著有耕地，并有一个以基督为惟一根基，以及由金、银、宝石这些宝贵材料构建而成的建筑。至终，这座建筑将成为神的殿。
11Do not expect that this work of transformation and building will be carried out on a large scale involving a very large number of Christians. On the contrary, it will be accomplished among a rather small number according to the principle of the overcomers. The Lord addressed the seven epistles in Revelation to all the churches and to all the saints in the churches. However, He did not expect that everyone in the churches would be according to what He is. For this reason, at the end of each epistle He says a word about the one who overcomes. Eventually, the Lord will gain a small number of believers, the overcomers, to satisfy the desire of His heart and accomplish His eternal purpose. Do you know by what way the Lord will gain these overcoming believers? It will be through the way of feeding, drinking, eating, planting, watering, and growing. It will be by having a farm and a building with Christ as the unique foundation and constructed of the precious materials of gold, silver, and precious stones. Eventually, this building will become God’stem ple
警告勿毁坏神的殿
A WARNING NOT TO DESTROY GOD’STEM PLE
12保罗在林前三章十六至十七节说，『岂不知你们是神的殿，神的灵住在你们里面么？若有人毁坏神的那殿，神必要毁坏这人，因为神的那殿是圣的，你们就是这殿。』保罗在这里警告我们不可毁坏神的殿。当我还是一个年轻的基督徒时，我以为十六至十七节的殿只是在广泛、一般的意义上指著召会说的。以后因著许多的研读与经历，我看见十七节的那殿是指普世所有的信徒，而十六节的殿是指在某一个地方，如哥林多，团体的信徒。神在宇宙中惟一属灵的殿，在地上的许多地方都有显出，每一显出就是神在那地方的殿。因此，殿必是指在一个地方被建造的召会。殿是由信徒实际建造起来的。就著建造而言，我们必须先收集材料，然后这些材料要成为建造的一部分。
12In 3:16 and 17 Paul says, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God shall destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, which you are.” Here Paul warns us not to destroy God’stem ple. When I was a young Christian, I thought that the temple in verses 16 and 17 referred merely to the church in a broad, general sense. Later, as a result of much study and experience, I came to see that whereas the temple in verse 17 may refer to all the believers universally, the temple in verse 16 refers to the believers collectively in a certain locality, as in Corinth. The unique spiritual temple of God in the universe has its expression in many localities on earth. Each expression is a temple of God in that locality. Thus, the temple must mean the built up church in a locality. The temple is built up with the believers in a practical way. Regarding the building, first we must gather the materials, and then the materials become part of the building
13保罗在三章警告哥林多人要谨慎怎样建造。在积极一面，他指明他们应当用金、银、宝石在根基上建造。在消极一面，他警告他们不可毁坏神的殿。毁坏，原文也可译为毁灭、败坏、污秽、损伤。用木、草、禾秸建造，就是毁灭、损伤神的建造。按照三章的上下文，我们可能因著在基督以外另立根基，或是用木、草、禾秸在根基上建造，而毁坏殿。哥林多人说他们属于保罗、亚波罗或矶法，就是立别的根基，因此损伤了殿。不仅如此，用天然的东西建造也是毁坏神的那殿。
13In chapter three Paul warns the Corinthians to take heed how they build. On the positive side, he indicates that they should build on the foundation with gold, silver, and precious stones. On the negative side, he warns them about destroying the temple of God. The Greek word rendered destroy also means ruin, corrupt, defile, mar. To build with wood, grass, and stubble is to ruin, to mar, God’s building. According to the context of chapter three, we may destroy the temple either by laying a foundation other than Christ, or by building on the foundation with wood, grass, and stubble. For the Corinthians to say that they were of Paul, Apollos, or Cephas was to lay another foundation and thus to mar the temple. Furthermore, to build with natural things was also to ruin the temple of God
14哥林多人的问题就是他们有别的根基，包括了他们的偏爱与拣选。按照上下文，当我们因著人而夸耀并说我们属于某某人时，我们就是污秽神的那殿。那些有自己拣选与偏爱的人可能自以为有智慧，但实际上，他们是愚昧的。我们将要看见，保罗在三章末了指出，万有以及主所有的仆人都是我们的。我们不需要有偏爱或拣选。因此，我们不该说自己是属于甚么人或甚么事物的。万有全是我们的，我们是基督的，基督又是神的。我们若按照这封书信前三章的上下文来看第三章的最后几节，就会看见保罗的观念是这样：我们若说自己属于某人，就是毁坏召会。保罗在这里似乎是说，『召会正在建造的过程中，有些部分已经建造起来了。不要毁坏召会，不要损伤、毁灭或污秽召会。你若用你天然的人或你天然的组成来建造召会，你就是污秽召会。当你说你是属亚波罗、属矶法、或属保罗的，你也是毁坏召会。如果你这样毁坏召会，神就要毁坏你。』一面，遭神毁坏就是失去祝福，缺乏𫗪养、吃、喝、栽种、浇灌以及生长；也是失去得到金、银、宝石的机会。另一面，被毁坏就是由火审判，使我们的工程被烧毁。但我们若用金、银、宝石建造，我们的工程将存得住，我们也要得赏赐。（14。）我鼓励你们在本篇信息所讲说之真理的光中，祷读这些经节。你这样作，就会得到滋养，且有神圣的元素注入你里面。然后你会经历更多的变化，召会也会更得著建造。
14The problem with the Corinthians was that they had other foundations consisting of their preferences and choices. According to the context, we defile the temple of God when we boast in men and say that we are of a particular person. Those who have their own choices and preferences may consider themselves wise; actually, they are foolish. As we shall see, at the end of chapter three Paul points out that all things and all servants of the Lord are ours. There is no need for us to have preferences or choices. Therefore, we should not say that we are of anyone or anything. All are ours, we are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. If we consider the last verses of chapter three according to the context of the first three chapters of this Epistle, we shall see that Paul’s concept is that saying we are of someone is to destroy the church. Paul seems to be saying here, “The church is in the process of being built up. Some parts have already been built. Do not destroy the church. Do not mar it, ruin it, or defile it. If you build the church with your natural being or your natural makeup, you defile the church. You also ruin the church when you say that you are of Apollos, Cephas, or Paul. If you destroy the church in this way, God will destroy you.” On the one hand, to be destroyed by God is to be deprived of the blessing. It is to lack the feeding, the drinking, the eating, the planting, the watering, and the growing. It is also to miss the opportunity to gain the gold, silver, and precious stones. On the other hand, to be destroyed is to be judged by fire and to have our work consumed. However, if we build with gold, silver, and precious stones, our work will remain, and we shall receive a reward (v. 14). I encourage you to pray-read these verses in the light of what we have covered in this message. If you do this, you will be nourished and have the divine element infused into you. Then you will experience more transformation, and the church will have more building.