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哥林多后书生命读经 · 第32篇

藉著十字架的杀死将生命显明出来（二）

The Manifestation of Life through the Killing of the Cross (2)
1读经：哥林多后书四章一至十八节。2我们在前一篇信息指出，林后三2章重在道理，而林后四章重在经历。不仅如此，我们也看见，保罗在四章所说的话，乃是他从经历中对三章所说关于那职事之话的证实。三章里论到那职事的每一个要点，四章里都有一个点与其相符合。因此，生命符合那灵，更新符合变化，而重大的荣耀符合不同程度的荣耀。但是有甚么符合林后三章的义？我们要正确的回答这问题，就需要再说一点关于义的话。
1Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 4:1-18 In the foregoing message we pointed out that Corinthians 3 is a chapter on doctrine and that Corinthians 4 is a chapter on experience. Furthermore, we saw that what Paul speaks of in chapter four is a confirmation from his experience of what he says concerning the ministry in chapter three. For each of the major points regarding the ministry in chapter three, there is a corresponding point in chapter four. Thus, life corresponds to the Spirit, renewing to transformation, and the weight of glory to the degrees of glory. But what corresponds to righteousness in 2 Corinthians 3? In order to answer this question properly, we need to say a further word about righteousness.
2凡事有秩有序义是指一种凡事有秩有序的情形、光景。那里有义，那里就没
2EVERYTHING IN GOOD ORDER Righteousness refers to a condition, a state, where everything is in good order. Where there is righteousness
3有搅扰、混乱或混杂。譬如，我们在召会聚会中常能看见义，因为在聚会中一切都是对的，都是有秩有序的。结果，聚会就是在义的情形、光景中。但假如弟兄们不时起争论，姊妹们也烦扰不安，孩子们在会所到处乱跑。这真是一团混乱！在那种混乱的光景中，是不会有义的。义是指一种凡事有秩有序的光景。
3there is no disturbance, confusion, or mixture. For example, in a church meeting we often can see righteousness, for in the meeting everything is right and in good order. As a result, the meeting is in a condition, a state, of righteousness. But suppose the brothers are arguing, the sisters are upset, and the children are running around the meeting hall. What turmoil there would be! In that kind of a situation, a condition of turmoil, there would not be any righteousness. Righteousness refers to a state where everything is in good order
4彼后三章十三节说，『但我们照祂的应许，期待新天新地，有义居住在其中。』有义居住在新天新地之中，指明凡事都有秩有序，没有甚么是不对的、颠倒的或混乱的。没有骚动与混乱，只有和平与秩序。在神眼中，这种光景就是义。新天新地整个的情形就是义。没有甚么是不按秩序的，凡事都是有秩有序的。这种有秩有序的光景就是义的光景。保罗在林后四章八节说到四面受压，或是说每一面都受到攻击。但是不论他受了多少苦，或遭遇多少攻击，他总不受搅扰。反之，生命在他身上显明出来。这种生命的显明就产生出和平、安稳的情形。
4Second Peter 3:13 says, “Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” The righteousness dwelling in the new heaven and the new earth indicates that everything will be in proper order, that nothing will be wrong, upset, or in turmoil. Instead of turmoil and confusion, there will be peace and order. In the sight of God, such a state is righteousness. The entire condition in the new heavens and the new earth will be righteousness. Nothing will be disorderly; rather, everything will be in good order. This orderly condition is a condition of righteousness. In 4:8 Paul speaks of being afflicted in every way, or of being attacked from every side. But no matter how much he was afflicted or attacked, with him there was no turmoil. Instead, there was the manifestation of life. This manifestation of life produced a condition of peace and calm.
5假如你的丈夫、妻子、儿女、姻亲从四面烦扰你。但你不受搅扰，也没有不安，反而把生命显明出来；这意思是说，在那种情形中，生命从你里面显明出来。结果，你的光景就是和平而有秩序的。虽然烦扰从四面临到你，你仍然留在这种有秩有序、和平的光景中。你里面经过过程的那灵，也就是『烹调过的』那灵，在经历中成了生命，会使整个情形平静下来。这就是义。保罗在四章八至九节说到受苦、没有出路、遭逼迫、被打倒。我们会以为这种处境的结果必定是一团混乱。但你若发现自己处在那种光景中，而一切事物却变得平静而有秩序，那就是生命显明出来了。不仅如此，那种有秩有序的光景乃是义的光景。
5Suppose you are troubled on every side by your husband or wife, by your children, and by your in- laws. Nevertheless, instead of being disturbed or in turmoil, you manifest life. This means that life comes out of you in that situation. As a result, your condition will be one of peace and order. In spite of the trouble that comes to you from every side, you remain in such an orderly and peaceful condition. The processed Spirit, the “cooked” Spirit, within you experienced as life calms down the whole situation. This is righteousness. In 4:8 and 9 Paul speaks of being afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down. We would expect such a situation to result in turmoil. But if you find yourself in that kind of situation and yet everything becomes calm and orderly, that is the manifestation of life. Furthermore, that orderly state is a state of righteousness
满了生命与义
FULL OF LIFE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
6每当那灵彰显为生命时，就有了义。有了义，一切就都平静、和平而有秩序。你若在家庭生活中经历这个，你的孩子就会安静下来，你的丈夫、你的妻子也会服下来。这种生命总会平息扰乱。别人从你那里领受这生命时，也会享受和平的光景。召会生活乃是义的生活。在召会生活中，一切都应当是平静、和平而有秩有序的。千年国必定是满了义的。因为在国度里有义，所以也有和平。国度实在就是义同著和平的范围。这义乃是生命的结果。
6Whenever the Spirit is expressed as life, there will be righteousness. When there is righteousness, everything will be calm, peaceful, and orderly. If you experience this in your family life, your children will be calmed down, and your husband or wife will be subdued. Such a life always calms down turmoil. When others receive this life from you, they also will enjoy a peaceful state. The church life is a life of righteousness. In the church life everything should be calm, peaceful, and orderly. To be sure, the millennium, the thousand-year kingdom, will be filled with righteousness. Because there will be righteousness in the kingdom, there will also be peace. The kingdom is simply a realm of righteousness with peace. This righteousness is the result of life
7照圣经来看，在千年国里，死亡会大大减少并受到限制。（赛六五20。）那里的生命乃是丰盛的。结果，千年国的环境是和平的。圣经用义这个字来指这种和平的光景和情形。千年国之后就有新天新地同新耶路撒冷。在新耶路撒冷里不再有死亡，却有生命的涌流，以维持和平的光景。（启二一4，二二1。）这是永远的义。那时我们都要在义的情形里，活出神圣的生命。今天的召会生活应当是这种情形的小影。我们的家庭生活也应当是这样。靠著主的怜悯和恩典，我们的召会生活和家庭生活也应当充满了生命与义。
7According to the Bible, in the millennium death will be greatly reduced and restricted (Isa. 65:20). There will be abundance of life. As a result, the environment in the millennium will be peaceful. The Bible uses the term righteousness to denote this peaceful state and condition. After the millennium, there will be the new heavens and the new earth with the New Jerusalem. In the New Jerusalem, there will be no death, and life will flow to maintain a peaceful condition (Rev. 21:4; 22:1). This will be an eternal righteousness. Then we all shall live out the divine life in a state of righteousness. The church life today should be a miniature of this kind of condition. The same should be true of our family life. By the Lord’s mercy and grace, our church life and family life should be full of life and righteousness.
8充满了生命与义的生活，乃是新约职事的证实。根据保罗在林后三章的话，新约的职事乃是那灵与义的职事。这职事把基督作为那灵与义供应给人。保罗在林后四章陈明了对那灵与义的经历。我们经历那灵时，生命就显明出来。生命显明出来时，我们就被带进一种和平的情形，其中没有一事是不对的，或没有秩序的。这就是义；在这种光景里，一切都是活的、对的、有秩有序的。在神眼中，这就是义。使徒们经历那灵，彰显生命，并且生活在义的情形里。我们再一次看见，他们的生活与他们的职事乃是一。
8A living that is full of life and righteousness is a confirmation of the new covenant ministry. According to Paul’sword in 2 Corinthians 3, the new covenant ministry is a ministry of the Spirit and of righteousness. This ministry supplies Christ as the Spirit and as righteousness to others. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul presents the experience of the Spirit and of righteousness. When we experience the Spirit, life is manifested. When life is manifested, we are brought into a condition of peace, where nothing is wrong or out of order. This is righteousness, a state where everything is living, right, and orderly. In the sight of God, this is righteousness. The apostles experienced the Spirit, manifested life, and lived in a condition of righteousness. Once again we see that their living and their ministry were one
渐渐在毁坏
BEING CONSUMED
9我们已经看过，林后四章的更新符合三章的变化。保罗在四章十六节说，『所以我们不丧胆，反而我们外面的人虽然在毁坏，我们里面的人却日日在更新。』『外面的人在毁坏，』这样的繙译是正确的。然而，很多人喜欢说，我们外面的人被销毁、消耗、磨损。不同的是：『在毁坏』是主动的，而『被销毁』是被动的。我们可以用叶子从树上落下为例来说明。许多树木在秋天会落叶，到了冬天，这些树木会停止生长。一面说，叶子从树上落下是主动的事；但另一面说，这也是被动的。就著树木落叶来说，这是主动的；没有甚么外在的力量叫叶子落下来，是树本身掉落叶子的。我们可以说，树叶掉落的时候，这棵树就在毁坏；这是主动的。但是另一面说，树是被迫落叶的。树如果会说话，也许会说，『救救我罢！我不想失去叶子。我希望秋天过后就是春天，这样我的叶子就不会掉落。』树木落叶也可以看作被动的。保罗说，『我们外面的人在毁坏，』这是主动的。但这件事也可以领会成被动语态。因此，我们也能说，我们外面的人被销毁或消耗。
9We have seen that renewing in chapter four corresponds to transformation in chapter three. In 4:16 Paul says, “Wherefore we do not lose heart, but if indeed our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is being renewed day by day.” The rendering “our outward man is decaying” is a correct translation. However, many of us would prefer to say that our outward man is being consumed, wasted away, worn out. The difference is that “is decaying” is active, whereas “being consumed” is passive. We may use the falling of leaves from a tree as an illustration. In the autumn, many trees lose their leaves, and during the winter these trees are dormant. On the one hand, the falling of the leaves from a tree is an active matter, but in another sense, it is passive. It is active in the sense that the trees drop their leaves. No outside force causes the leaves to fall. It is the tree itself that drops its leaves. We may say that when a tree drops its leaves, the tree is decaying. This is active. But in another sense, the trees are forced to drop their leaves. If a tree could speak, it might say, “Help me! I don’t want to lose my leaves. I would like the season to change from autumn directly to spring. Then my leaves will not be lost.” A tree’s losing of its leaves may also be regarded as passive. Paul’s word, “our outward man is decaying,” is active. But it can also be understood as if it were in the passive voice. Hence, we can speak of our outward man being consumed or being wasted away.
10现在让我们把这种领会应用到日常的经历里。假如有一位弟兄四面受压。这样受压、被攻击的人必然会被磨损、销毁。如果你遭遇这样的苦难，你难道不会喊说，『救救我罢！我在被销毁。你们都在磨损我、消耗我。我被你们销毁了。』但这位弟兄以及我们每一个人都知道，树怎样命定要落叶，我们外面的人也照样命定要被销毁。树木的创造者，命定许多种树木要落叶。我们这些基督徒『树』，也都命定要『落叶』。因著我们的定命是要落叶，所以末了总会有些人事物逼得我们非落叶不可。神从来没有意思要我们外面的人长久活著。反之，祂定意要我们的旧人，就是我们外面的人毁坏、被销毁。因此，我们外面之人的定命就是死。你也许活得很久，但是你外面的人终归要死。神没有意思要延长你外面之人的生命。因此，不要求主帮助你保存外面的人，也不要求主拯救你脱离那些正在销毁你的人事物。你应当说，『主，感谢你。这些人事物帮助了我，使我的叶子更早、更快的掉落。主，我愿意合作。我愿意叶子更快的掉落，因为这样我才会更早成熟。主，为著这样的帮助，我赞美你！』主用我们的婚姻生活来销毁我们外面的人。一位青年弟兄结婚以前，也许会梦想他将来要娶怎样的一位姊妹。然后他会去找一位姊妹，好实现他的梦想。照样，青年姊妹也会寻找一位『英雄』作丈夫。所有的青年人对将来的婚姻生活都有一种憧憬。有的人可能从一个地方召会到另一个地方召会，希望找到他们所要选择的弟兄或姊妹。但是，青年人，不论你多聪明，你都无法击败神。祂早已经决定了你婚姻生活的定命。你不需要花费那么多精力寻找你所梦想的妻子或丈夫。你只应当祷告说，『主，你已经决定了我的定命。我不需要到处去找我的配偶。我要作今日的以撒，等候你把命定给我的那位打发到我这里来。』然而，我怀疑大多数的青年人会否照著这个方法去作，或接受这样的话。但是我确信他们结婚几年以后，会敬拜主说，『主，你是主宰一切的。这件事不是出乎我的拣选，乃是出乎你的命定。』
10Let us now apply this understanding to our daily experience. Suppose a brother is afflicted on every side. Surely one who is afflicted, attacked, in this way would be worn out, consumed. If you were the one suffering such affliction, would you not cry out and say, “Please rescue me. I am being consumed. All of you are wearing me out and wasting me away. I am being consumed by you all.” Nevertheless, this brother, along with all of us, needs to realize that just as a tree is destined to lose its leaves, so our destiny is for the outward man to be consumed. The One who created the trees destined that many kinds of trees would drop their leaves. As Christian “trees,” we also have been destined to “drop our leaves.” Because our destiny is to drop our leaves, eventually something or someone will compel us to drop them. God never intended that our outward man would survive such along time. Rather, He has determined that our old man, our outward man, will decay, will be consumed. The destiny, therefore, for our outward man is to die. You may live to be very old, but eventually your outward man will die. It is not God’sin tent i on to prolong the life of your outward man. Therefore, do not cry out for help to preserve your outward man, and do not ask to be rescued from those things or persons who are consuming you. Instead, you should say, “Lord, I thank You. All these persons and things are helping me to drop my leaves earlier and faster. Lord, I want to cooperate. I want to let go of my leaves quicker, for then I shall mature earlier. Lord, I praise You for this help!” The Lord uses our married life to consume our outward man. Before a young brother gets married, he may dream about the kind of sister he will marry. Then he will look for the sister who will be the fulfillment of his dream. Likewise, the young sisters are looking for a “hero” to be their husband. All young people have a dream regarding their future married life. Some may travel from one local church to another hoping to find the brother or sister of their choice. But, young people, no matter how clever you are, you cannot defeat God. He has already determined your destiny regarding married life. There is no need for you to expend so much energy searching for the wife or husband of your dreams. Instead, you should simply pray, “Lord, You have already determined my destiny. I don’t need to travel from place to place, looking for a spouse. I would rather be today’s Isaac, waiting for You to send me the one You have destined for me.” However, it is doubtful that very many young people will follow this way or take this word. But I am certain that after some years of married life, they will worship the Lord and say, “Lord, You are sovereign. It has not been a matter of my choice, but of Your destiny.”
11弟兄们，我向你们保证，主会给你一位最合式的妻子，她会叫你受压，甚至攻击你，好叫你外面的人被销毁。作妻子的都知道，甚么是攻击丈夫的最好时机。这实在是出乎神主宰的权柄。有时候你犯了错，你的妻子会对你非常慈仁，叫你不用担心。但有时候你没有犯甚么过错，她却无缘无故的攻击你。事实上是有一个理由：神在祂主宰的权柄里许可她这样作，为要叫你这棵树的叶子掉落。一棵树的叶子落下，一面是出于树本身，另一面是季节与环境迫使树如此。一棵树在夏天不论长得多么青绿、繁茂，只要秋天一到，必定会落叶。照样，基督徒生活中的秋季、冬季来到的时候，我们的家人也许会叫我们受压。在极其寒冷的时候，逼得我们非落叶不可。这意思是说，一面，我们外面的人在毁坏；另一面，我们外面的人被销毁。我们经历外面的人在毁坏时，也许会告诉主说，我们再也受不了了。然而，主可能指明，我们还要忍受多时，因为我们的定命乃是外面的人要被销毁。这是我根据自己的经历对这事的领会。
11Brothers, I assure you that the Lord will give you the wife most suitable to bring you affliction and even attack you so that your outward man may be consumed. Every wife knows the best time to attack her husband. This certainly is sovereign of the Lord. Sometimes when you make a mistake, your wife will be very kind to you and tell you not to be concerned about it. But when you are not mistaken, she may attack you strongly for no reason. Actually, there is a reason: God in His sovereignty allows her to do so in order that you, as a tree, may drop your leaves. On the one hand, a tree drops its leaves on its own; on the other hand, the season and the environment force a tree to do this. When autumn comes, a tree must drop its leaves, no matter how green and flourishing it has been during the summer. In like manner, when the autumn and winter seasons come in the Christian life, we may be afflicted by the members of our family. During a time of severe cold, we shall be forced to drop our leaves. This means that, on the one hand, our outward man is decaying and that, on the other hand, it is being consumed. When we experience the decaying of our outward man, we may tell the Lord that we are not able to take it any longer. The Lord, however, may indicate that we shall take it much longer, for our destiny is to have the outward man consumed. This is my understanding of this matter according to my experience
12里面的人在更新我也能从经历中见证说，这种毁坏，这种销毁，产生一种结果─里面的人在更新。不错，我们外面的人在毁坏，但我们里面的人却在更新。我们若能选择，当然会选择更新而逃避毁坏。但是我们若能逃避外面之人的毁坏，里面的人就不会更新。我们都喜欢像常青树一样。就某种意义说，春天到的时候，常青树并不是新鲜的。但是那些在秋天落叶，冬天停止生长的树，当春天来到时就格外新鲜。同样的原则，当我们经历外面之人的毁坏时，我们就享受里面之人的更新。
12THE RENEWING OF THE INWARD MAN Also from experience I can testify that something issues from this decaying, this consuming—the renewing of the inward man. Yes, our outward man is decaying, but our inward man is being renewed. If we had a choice, we would of course choose the renewing and avoid the decaying. But if we could avoid the decaying of the outward man, there would not be any renewing of the inward man. We all would prefer to be like evergreen trees. In a sense, when springtime comes, an evergreen tree is not very fresh. But those trees who drop their leaves and are dormant during the winter are fresh when spring arrives. In the same principle, when we experience the decaying of the outward man, we enjoy the renewing of the inward man
13保罗在林后三章说到变化。在变化的过程中，神圣的元素加到我们里面，我们就由这个元素所构成。这种构成就产生变化。我们已经看过，在林后四章，变化成了更新。这更新不仅与神圣的元素加到我们里面有关。我们老旧的性情，就是外面的人，也实际的被除去，使我们里面的生命，就是生命之灵，有机会发展。我们里面生命的这种发展，就是更新。我们再用树木为例说明。树木到了冬天就停止生长，但到了春天，我们就能看见里面生命的发展。这不仅是变化，这乃是更新。变化是构成的事，更新包含顶替。更新的意思就是外面的人被销毁。树的叶子怎样掉落，外面的人老旧的元素也照样在毁坏。结果，里面的生命就得以新鲜的发展。当春天来到时，树就变得有生气、新鲜且满有活力。新叶子长了出来，末了这棵树更开花又结果。这就是我们里面的人得更新的一幅图画。我们藉著这样更新的经历，就不断的从荣耀到荣耀。这荣耀要从一个水平提高到另一个水平，从现今的荣耀到永远的荣耀。
13In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul speaks of transformation. In the process of transformation a divine element is added into our being, and we are constituted of this element. This constitution produces transformation. As we have seen, in 2 Corinthians 4, transformation becomes renewing. This renewing does not merely involve the addition of the divine element into our being. Our old nature, the outward man, is actually taken away so that the life within us, that is, the Spirit of life, may have the opportunity to develop. This development of the life within is the renewing. Once again we may use trees as an illustration. During the winter they are dormant, but in the springtime we can see the development of the inner life. This is not only transformation; it is renewing. Transformation is a matter of constitution; renewing involves replacement. To be renewed means that the outward man is being consumed. As a tree drops its leaves, so the old element of the outward man decays. The result is that the inner life develops in a fresh way. When spring arrives, the tree becomes lively, fresh, and vigorous. New leaves come out, and eventually the tree blossoms and brings forth fruit. This is a picture of the renewing of our inward man. By the experience of this renewing, we go on from glory to glory. The glory is uplifted from one level to another, from the present glory to the eternal glory