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哥林多后书生命读经 · 第36篇

藉著第二步的和好，

A New Creation in Christ
1在基督里的新造成为神的义（一）读经：哥林多后书五章一至二十一节。保罗在林后五章说到许多重要的点。我们要简略的把这些重点列举出来，然后再来看每一点。
1Becoming God’s Righteousness through the Second Step of Reconciliation (1) Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 5:1-21 In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul covers a number of important points. Let us briefly enumerate these points and then go on to consider them
2六件重要的事在这一章圣经里，保罗首先说到他渴望穿上改变形状的身体。（五1～8。）这与身体的得赎有关。保罗渴望穿上改变形状的身体，就是穿上在复活里的身体。他在一至二节说，『因为我们知道，我们这地上的帐幕房屋若拆毁了，必得著从神来的房舍，非人手所造，在诸天之上永远的房屋。原来我们确是在这帐幕里叹息，深想穿上我们从天上来的住处。』
2SIX IMPORTANT MATTERS First in this chapter Paul covers the longing to be clothed upon with a transfigured body (5:1-8). This is related to the redemption of the body. Paul desired to be clothed upon with a transfigured body, with a body in resurrection. In verses 1 and 2 he says, “For we know that if our earthly tabernacle house is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. For indeed in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our dwelling place from heaven
3保罗在这一章圣经里所说到的第二件事，是怀著雄心，要讨主喜悦：『所以我们也怀著雄心大志，无论是在家，或是离家，都要讨主的喜悦。』（9。）这里怀著雄心大志的意思，是指为重大的目标发热心，尽心竭力要讨主的喜悦。我们都该怀著雄心，要讨主喜悦。我们不该有野心，要在召会生活中得著甚么地位，但是我们应该有雄心，要讨主的喜悦。第三点是被困迫向主活著。保罗在十四至十五节说，『原来基督的爱困迫我们，因我们断定：一人既替众人死，众人就都死了；并且祂替众人死，是叫那些活著的人，不再向自己活，乃向那替他们死而复活者活。』在这两节经文里，保罗说到被困迫，叫我们向主活著，不是为主活著。保罗在十六至十七节接著题到第四件事─新造：『所以我们从今以后，不按著肉体认人了；虽然按著肉体认过基督，如今却不再这样认祂了。因此，若有人在基督里，他就是新造；旧事已过，看哪，都变成新的了。』
3The second matter covered by Paul in this chapter is the ambition to please the Lord: “Wherefore also we are ambitious, whether at home or away from home, to be well-pleasing to Him” (v. 9). Here to be ambitious is to be zealous with a strong aim, to strive earnestly to be well - pleasing to the Lord. We all should have the ambition to please the Lord. We should not be ambitious to have some kind of position in the church life, but we should be ambitious to be well-pleasing to the Lord. The third point is being constrained to live to the Lord. In verses 14 and 15 Paul says, “For the love of Christ constrains us, having judged this, that One died on behalf of all; therefore all died; and He died on behalf of all, that those who live may no longer live to themselves, but to Him Who died for them and has been raised.” In these verses Paul speaks of being constrained to live not for the Lord, but to live to the Lord. In verses 16 and 17 Paul goes on to mention a fourth matter, the new creation: “So that we, from now on, know no one according to flesh; even if we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we know Him so no longer. So that if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, they have become new.”
4第五，保罗在十八至二十节说到和好的职事。他在十八节说，『一切都是出于神，祂藉著基督使我们与祂自己和好，又将这和好的职事赐给我们。』他在十九节说到『和好的话语』，在二十节他替基督求圣徒要与神和好。末了，二十一节有一件极重要的事，就是神的义：『神使那不知罪的，替我们成为罪，好叫我们在祂里面成为神的义。』表面看来，这六件事是不同类的，彼此无关。因此，我们可能读过这一章，却看不出这些重点之间有甚么关联。事实上，各点之间是彼此连贯的，而且这些连贯不难看出来。
4Fifth, in verses 18 through 20 Paul speaks regarding the ministry of reconciliation. In verse 18 he says, “But all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” In verse 19 he speaks of “the word of reconciliation,” and in verse 20 he entreats the saints on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. Finally, in verse 21 we have the crucial matter of God’s righteousness: “Him Who did not know sin He made sin on our behalf, that we might become God’s righteousness in Him.” Apparently these six matters are of different categories and are not related to one another. Thus, it is possible to read this chapter without seeing any continuation between one point and another. Actually, there is a continuation, and it is not difficult to see it.
5不仅五章的重点彼此连贯，五章本身也是四章的延续。五章一节开始于『因为』一辞，说明这一点。『因为』指明本章圣经所要说的，乃是四章十三至十八节的解释。
5Not only do the important points in chapter five continue one another, but chapter five is itself a continuation of chapter four. This is indicated by the fact that 5:1 begins with the word “for.” “For” indicates that what is to be covered in this chapter is an explanation of what is spoken in 4:13-18
渴望改变形状
LONGING FOR TRANSFIGURATION
6保罗在五章一节说，我们这地上的帐幕房屋要拆毁。我们的身体─我们地上的帐幕房屋─拆毁，就是我们外面的人被销毁、被消耗。保罗在林后四章的末了说，我们外面的人虽然在毁坏，里面的人却日日在更新；又说我们不是顾念所见的，乃是顾念所不见的。这意思是说，我们乃是凭著信心生活行动。接著他在五章一节解释说，我们知道我们外面的人，就是我们这地上的帐幕房屋若拆毁了，必得在天上更美的房舍。因此，五章很清楚的是接续保罗四章的话。这样的延续指明，在四章末了保罗真是成熟了。他已经灵里得了重生，并且魂里被变化。他的全人已经得了更新；惟一还没有完成的就是他的肉身完全得赎。保罗的身体还在旧造里，还没有改变，还没有改变形状。因此，他在五章一至八节表达他渴望、渴想身体改变形状。保罗所渴望的并不是脱下，就是说，他不愿意自己的身体被取去离开他。他乃是愿意穿上，就是穿上改变形状的身体。死亡的结果叫人与他的身体分开。在丧葬聚会中，有时候传道人会说死者已经走了，离开我们，再也不与我们同在了。基督徒常有这种说法：『到主那里去了。』保罗并不愿意没有身体。他不愿意脱下，不愿意身体被取走。他深想穿上复活的身体。这意思是说，他所渴望的乃是身体得赎。他知道他的灵已经得了重生，他的魂已经被变化，但是他也知道他的身体还没有改变形状。因此，他渴望并等候他的身体得赎。五章一至八节就是说到这种渴望。
6In 5:1 Paul speaks of our earthly tabernacle house being taken down. For our body as our earthly tabernacle house to be taken down is for our outward man to be consumed, wasted away. Toward the end of 2 Corinthians 4, Paul says that our outward man is decaying, that our inward man is being renewed, and that we are not considering the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. This means that we live and walk by faith. Then in 5:1 he gives a word of explanation, saying that we know that if our outward man, our earthly tabernacle house, is taken away, we have a better one in the heavens. Therefore, in chapter five there is clearly a continuation of Paul’s word in chapter four. This continuation indicates that at the end of chapter four Paul had become truly mature. He had been regenerated in his spirit and transformed in his soul. His entire being had been renewed. The only thing yet to be completed was the full redemption of his physical body. Paul’s body was still in the old creation; it had not yet been changed, transfigured. Hence, in 5:1-8 he expresses his longing, his aspiration, for the transfiguration of his body. It was Paul’s desire that he not be unclothed, that is, that he not have his body taken away from him. His desire was to be clothed, that is, to put on a transfigured body. Death involves the separation of a person from his body. Sometimes during a funeral service a minister may say that the deceased has gone away, that he has departed and is no longer with us. Often Christians use the expression “going to the Lord.” It was not Paul’s longing to be without a body. He did not desire to be unclothed, to have his body taken away. His longing was to be clothed with a resurrected body. This means that his longing was to be redeemed in his body. He knew that his spirit had been regenerated and that his soul had been transformed, but he also realized that his body had not yet been transfigured. Therefore, he was longing and waiting for the redemption of his body. This longing is covered in the first eight verses of chapter five.
7神形成我们保罗在五节说，『那为这事培植我们的乃是神，祂已将那灵赐给我们作质。』『培植』在原文也有作成，形成，备妥，使…适合的意思。神已经培植、作成、形成、备妥我们，使我们适合这目的，就是我们必死的身体能被祂复活的生命吞灭。这样，我们全人就要被基督浸透。神已将那灵赐给我们，作祂在基督里所赐给我们完整救恩中这美妙、奇妙部分的凭质、保证、豫尝和担保。
7SHAPED BY GOD In verse 5 Paul says, “Now He Who has wrought us for this very thing is God, Who has given to us the pledge of the Spirit.” The Greek word translated wrought also means fashioned, shaped, prepared, made fit. God has wrought us, fashioned, shaped, prepared us, made us fit, for the purpose that our mortal body may be swallowed up by His resurrection life. Thus, our entire being will be saturated with Christ. God has given us the Spirit as the pledge, the earnest, the foretaste, the guarantee, of this wonderful and marvelous part of His complete salvation for us in Christ
8神的心意是要我们穿上复活的身体。但我们若要穿上改变形状的身体，就需要一些资格。罪人没有资格穿上改变形状的身体，他不适合这样的身体。但神为这事培植我们，形成我们，甚至专特的制作我们。裁缝师怎样为我们制作合身的衣服，神也照样形成我们，好穿上复活的身体。神不是把身体形成一种样子，乃是把我们形成一种样子。你买一双新鞋，是选择适合你脚形的鞋子。神的作法正好相反，祂把我们的脚形成一种样子，来配合鞋子。神形成我们，并豫备我们，使我们适合穿上复活的身体。神怎样使罪人形成一种样子，使他能穿上复活的身体？神使他形成这种样子，乃是藉著赦免他的罪，将神圣的生命放在他里面，使他的灵重生，然后又变化他的魂。这就是神形成我们的意思。
8God intends to clothe us with a body of resurrection. But if we would be clothed with a transfigured body, we need certain qualifications. A sinner is not qualified to be clothed with a transfigured body. He is not fit for such a body. However, God has wrought, shaped, custom-made, us for this. Just as a tailor shapes a jacket to fit our body, so God is shaping us to put on a body of resurrection. God is not shaping a body—He is shaping us. When you buy a new pair of shoes, you select shoes to fit the shape of your foot. God’sway is the opposite: He shapes our feet to match the shoes. He shapes us, prepares us, to fit into a resurrected body. How does God shape a sinner so that he can put on a resurrected body? He shapes him by forgiving his sins, putting the divine life into him to regenerate his spirit, and then transforming his soul. This is what it means for God to shape us
9神已经使你成形了么？最好的答案是说，我们多多少少有点成形。虽然神已经使我多少有点成形，但我知道我还没有完全成形。因此，我需要更进一步的成形。
9Have you been shaped by God? The best answer is to say that we have been shaped to some degree. Although I have been somewhat shaped by God, I know that I have not been absolutely shaped by Him. Therefore, I need further shaping.
10那灵的凭质保罗说，神已经将那灵赐给我们作质，这与神形成我们有关。这指明神形成我们的主要因素，乃是把祂自己作为赐生命的灵，放在我们里面作质。这意思是说，神以祂自己作质，保证祂要为我们成就这事。神已经把祂自己作为赐生命的灵放在我们灵里，保证祂有一天要给我们穿上复活的身体。我们有一个凭质，担保神已经使我们彀资格为著这个目的。这也包括在新约的职事里。我们藉著新约的职事得以形成、彀资格并备妥，好穿上复活的身体。我们都等候这事来到。
10THE PLEDGE OF THE SPIRIT In relation to God’s shaping, Paul says that God has given to us the pledge of the Spirit. This indicates that the main factor of God’s shaping us is His putting Himself into us as the life-giving Spirit to be a pledge. This means that God has pledged Himself to us to accomplish this for us. He has placed Himself as the life-giving Spirit into our spirit to guarantee that one day He will clothe us with a body of resurrection. We have a pledge that we have been made and qualified for this purpose. This also is included in the ministry of the new covenant. Through the new covenant ministry we are shaped, qualified, and prepared to be clothed upon with a body of resurrection. We all are waiting for this to take place
怀著雄心，要讨主的喜悦当我们等候穿上改变形状的身体时，我们应当作甚么？九节把答案给了我们：『所以我们也怀著雄心大志，
AMBITIOUS TO PLEASE THE LORD What should we do while we are waiting to be clothed upon with a transfigured body? Verse 9 gives the answer: “Wherefore also we are ambitious, whether
11无论是在家，或是离家，都要讨主的喜悦。』九节开头的『所以』一辞，把九节和八节连起来。因为我们在等候穿上改变形状的身体，所以我们怀著雄心，要讨主的喜悦。照样，当我们等候身体得赎时，我们怀著雄心，要讨主的喜悦。保罗在十至十三节所说的话，与他要讨主喜悦的雄心有关。
11at home or away from home, to be well-pleasing to Him.” The word “wherefore” at the beginning of verse 9 establishes the connection of verse 9 with verse 8. Because we are waiting to be clothed with a transfigured body, we are ambitious to please the Lord. Likewise, as we are waiting for the redemption of our body, we are ambitious to be well-pleasing to Him. What Paul says in verses 10 through 13 is related to his ambition to please the Lord
受困迫要向主活著
constrained to live to the Lord
12保罗在十四节接著说，『原来基督的爱困迫我们。』『原来』一辞再次指明连结、连续。我们怀著雄心要讨主的喜悦，是因为祂的爱困迫我们。十四节基督的爱，乃是藉著祂在十字架上为我们受死，所显明出来的爱。『困迫』原文意，从各面压逼，逼到一边，强加限制，在某种界限内限于一个目标，限于一条线和一个目的（如同在有墙的窄路上）。原文同字用于路加四章三十八节，十二章五十节，行传十八章五节，腓立比一章二十三节。使徒乃是这样的为基督的爱所困迫，而向祂活著，并讨祂的喜悦。
12In verse 14 Paul goes on to say, “For the love of Christ constrains us.” Once again the word “for” indicates a connection, a continuation. We are ambitious to please the Lord, for His love is constraining us. The love of Christ in verse 14 is the love which was manifested on the cross through His death for us. The Greek word rendered constrains literally means presses on from all sides, holding to one end, forcibly limiting, confining to one object within certain bounds, shutting up to one line and purpose, as in a narrow, walled road. The same Greek word is used in Luke 4:38; 12:50; Acts 18:5; and Philippians 1:23. In such a way the apostles were constrained by the love of Christ to live to Him and to be well-pleasing to Him.
13我们已经看过，受困迫乃是从各面被压逼，而逼到一边。我们受困迫时就受了限制，好像走在有墙的窄路上，被迫朝某一个方向前进。虽然我们爱主，但我们不是一直愿意走祂的路。若不是祂用墙把我们围在里面，我们可能会逃离基督与召会。但是基督的爱困迫我们，从各面压逼我们，把我们固定在一个目标上。我们没有别的路。我们没有别的路可走。事实上，这不是我们的拣选。我们若真能有所选择，今天我们也许都不在这里。不，这并不在于我们的拣选，乃是基督的爱困迫我们。按照林后五章十四至十五节，基督的爱困迫我们，使我们向祂活著。十五节说，『并且祂替众人死，是叫那些活著的人，不再向自己活，乃向那替他们死而复活者活。』我们很难解释向基督活是甚么意思，却很容易明白为基督而活的意义。今天在天主教和公会里的人，为基督作了许多事。然而，我们可能为主作了甚么，却不是向主作的。我们思想上下文就会看见，向主活就是过主耶稣所过的那种生活。四章给我们看见，使徒们经历了耶稣的治死。我们经历耶稣治死的时候，就能过耶稣所过的生活。这就是向主活。
13We have seen that to be constrained means to be pressed from all sides and held to one end. When we are constrained, we are limited, as if walking on a narrow, walled road, and forced to go in a certain direction. Although we love the Lord, we are not always willing to take His way. Without being walled in by Him, we probably would have escaped from Christ and the church. But the love of Christ constrains us; it presses us from every side and holds us to one goal. We have no other way. There is no other way for us to take. Actually, this is not our choice. If the choice had truly been ours, we all would probably be somewhere else today. No, it is not up to us to make the choice; it is the love of Christ that constrains us. According to 5:14 and 15, the love of Christ constrains us to live to Him. Verse 15 says, “And He died on behalf of all, that those who live may no longer live to themselves, but to Him Who died for them and has been raised.” It is difficult to explain what it means to live to Christ, although it is easy to understand what it means to live for Him. Today both in Catholicism and in the denominations, people are doing many things for Christ. However, we may do something for the Lord without doing that thing unto the Lord. If we consider the context, we shall see that to live to the Lord means to live the kind of life the Lord Jesus lived. In chapter four we see that the apostles experienced the putting to death of Jesus. When we experience the putting to death of Jesus, we can live the kind of life Jesus lived. This is to live to the Lord.
14向主活就是过钉十字架的生活。这样的生活总是叫外面的人被治死。主耶稣曾过著这种生活，而今天过这种生活的人，就是向主活。这样领会向主活，乃是根据四章所表达的观念。基督徒常常想要照著自己的观念为主而活。我在前面一篇信息中举例说过，这种情形就好比一些中国南方人强迫我吃他们为我作的馒头；那种馒头蒸得不透，又很难消化。我宁可吃白米饭，但是他们非要我吃那种馒头。他们是为我作那种馒头，却不是向著我作的。照样，我们也可能为主作了许多事，却不是向著主作的。
14To live to the Lord is to live a crucified life. It is to live in such a way that the outward man is always put to death. The Lord Jesus lived this kind of life, and those who live such a life today are living to the Lord. This understanding of living to the Lord is according to the concept conveyed in chapter four. Christians often try to live for the Lord according to their own concepts. In a previous message I illustrated this by telling how some southern Chinese forced me to eat the bread they had prepared for me, even though it was not thoroughly cooked and extremely difficult to digest. Although I preferred to eat rice, they insisted that I eat that bread. They prepared that bread for me, but they did not prepare it to me. Likewise, we may do many things for the Lord instead of to the Lord
15主所要的不是我们为著祂很积极。祂要我们经历耶稣的治死，好叫我们天然、活跃的人被了结。许多人很天然的为著主积极、进取，他们凭著天然的进取心为主作工。这样就得罪了主，也叫我们受打岔，不能享受祂。因此，我们所需要的是被主的爱困迫，而单单向主活著。
15What the Lord wants is not that we be so active for Him. He wants us to experience the putting to death of Jesus so that our natural man and our active being may be terminated. Many are active or aggressive for the Lord in a natural way. They do things for Him by their natural aggressiveness. This offends the Lord, and it distracts us from enjoying Him. Therefore, what we need is to be constrained by the Lord’s love simply to live to Him
16我们若要向主活著，就必须否认我们外面的人。外面的人就是肉体。当我们向基督活，我们就不是凭我们外面的人，或我们的肉体而活。这意思是说，我们向基督活，需要我们凭里面的人，凭我们重生的灵而活。
16If we would live to the Lord, we must deny our outward man. The outward man is the flesh. When we live to Christ, we do not live by our outward man, by our flesh. This means that living to Christ requires that we live by our inward man, by our regenerated spirit
按著灵认人
KNOWING OTHERS ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT
17五章十六节是接著十四和十五节的，保罗说，『所以我们从今以后，不按著肉体认人了；虽然按著肉体认过基督，如今却不再这样认祂了。』我们不按著肉体认人，就是不按著外面的人认他们。在正当的召会生活里，带领和服事的不能按著外面的人认人。但是在今天的基督徒当中，按著外面的人认信徒非常的普遍。譬如，他们会按著人的职业、地位、才干、能力认人。相反的，我们在召会中应当按著里面的人，按著灵认人。十七节是十六节的延续：『因此，若有人在基督里，他就是新造；旧事已过，看哪，都变成新的了。』甚么是新造？新造是一个人得了重生有神的生命，不活在外面的人里，而活在里面的人里。一个人活在外面的人里，就是在肉体里，在旧造里。因此，他是老旧的。但是在里面的人里向主活的人，乃是在新造里。现在我们能明白这四件重要的事彼此间的关联。讨主喜悦的雄心与渴望得著复活的身体有关；向主活与有雄心讨主喜悦有关。我们若不向主活，就不能讨祂喜悦；我们若要使主喜乐，就必须向祂活。我们若要向主活，就必须治死我们天然的人。这样，我们就能讨祂喜悦。我们若有这一种生活，就必定是新造，是在灵里、
17In verse 16, a continuation of verses 14 and 15, Paul says, “So that we, from now on, know no one according to flesh; even if we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we know Him so no longer.” Not to know others according to the flesh means that we do not know them according to the outward man. In the proper church life, the leading ones and the serving ones do not know others according to the outward man. However, among Christians today it is common to know the believers according to the outward man. For example, people may be known according to their profession, position, talents, and capabilities. In the church, on the contrary, we should know others according to the inward man, according to the spirit. As the continuation of verse 16, verse 17 says, “So that if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, they have become new.” What is the new creation? The new creation is a person regenerated with the life of God and living in the inward man, not in the outward man. A person living in the outward man is in the flesh, in the old creation. Therefore, he is old. But the one who lives to the Lord in the inward man is in the new creation. Now we can see how four important matters are connected. The ambition to please the Lord is connected to the aspiration to have a resurrected body. Living to the Lord is related to being ambitious to please the Lord. If we do not live to the Lord, we cannot please Him. If we would make the Lord happy, we must live to Him. In order to live to the Lord, we must put our natural being to death. Then we shall be able to please Him. If we have such a living, we shall certainly be a new creation, a person living in the