加拉太书生命读经 · 第17篇

传给亚伯拉罕的福音

THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO ABRAHAM

1读经：加拉太书3:6-11,14,16-17，创世记12:7，歌罗西书1:12下，以弗所书3:6,9,11。当我头一次听见，远在基督来到以前，福音早就传给亚伯拉罕了，我非常惊奇。加拉太三章八节说，『并且圣经既豫先看明，神要本于信称外那人为义，就豫先传福音给亚伯拉罕，说，「万国都必因你得福。」』根据创世记十二章三节，万国都要因亚伯拉罕得福。在创世记十二章七节，主接著对亚伯拉罕说，『我要把这地赐给你的后裔。』在创世记十二章，神对亚伯拉罕所说的话，主要有两方面：第一是万国都要因亚伯拉罕得福；第二是这地要赐给亚伯拉罕的后裔。万国都要在亚伯拉罕惟一的后裔─基督里得福。不仅如此，这地要赐给这惟一的后裔。这就是神对亚伯拉罕所说的话。

1Scripture Reading: Gal. 3:6-11, 14, 16-17; Gen. 12:7; Col. 1:12b; Eph. 3:6, 9, 11 When I first learned that long before Christ came the gospel was preached to Abraham, I was greatly surprised. Galatians 3:8 says, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham: In you all the nations shall be blessed.” According to Genesis 12:3, in Abraham all the nations would be blessed. In Genesis 12:7 the Lord went on to say to Abraham, “Unto thy seed will I give this land.” There are two main aspects of God’sword to Abraham in Genesis 12: the first is that in him all nations would be blessed; the second is that the land would be given to Abraham’s seed. In Christ, Abraham’s unique seed, the nations would be blessed. Furthermore, to this unique seed the land would be given. This was God’sword to Abraham

2在加拉太三章十六节，保罗指出神对亚伯拉罕所说的话是一个应许：『应许原是向亚伯拉罕和他后裔说的。』然后在十七节，保罗接著说到神豫先所立定的约。这指明神给亚伯拉罕的应许，成了比应许更坚定的约。话、应许和约，是传给亚伯拉罕的福音。福音是约，约是应许，而应许是神说的话。要紧的是，我们要看见这四个辞的不同。话是一般的、平常的，而应许是更为专特的。如果你给某人一个应许，你的话就不是一般的，乃是专特的。你乃是应许为那人作某些事。在创世记十二章，神对亚伯拉罕所说的话不是一般的，而是专特的；神在这话中应许亚伯拉罕，万国都要因他和他的后裔得福。我们已经指出，神在这一章也应许亚伯拉罕，他的后裔要得著地。因为在创世记十二章，神对亚伯拉罕所说的话是非常专特的，所以这话乃是应许的话。在创世记十五章，这个应许成了一个约。这里神向亚伯拉罕显现，而亚伯拉罕献祭给神。祭物被劈开，神从其中经过。这是古时两方立约的惯例。藉著从祭物中经过，两方就合法的、正式的立定了约。这样，创世记十二章所赐的应许，到了创世记十五章就立定为约了。然后在创世记十七章，这约由割礼的记号所坚定。

2In Galatians 3:16 Paul refers to God’sword to Abraham as a promise: “To Abraham were the promises spoken and to his seed.” Then in verse 17 Paul goes on to speak of a covenant ratified beforehand by God. This indicates that the promise God gave to Abraham became a covenant, which is more firm than a promise. The word, the promise, and the covenant are the gospel which was preached to Abraham. The gospel is the covenant, the covenant is the promise, and the promise is the word spoken by God. It is important to see the difference between these four terms. A word is common or ordinary, whereas a promise is much more specific. If you give a promise to someone, your word is not common; it is specific. You promise to do certain things for that person. The word God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12 was not common; it was a specific word in which God promised Abraham that in him and in his seed the nations would be blessed. We have pointed out that in this chapter God also promised Abraham that his seed would possess the land. Because the word spoken to Abraham in Genesis 12 is very specific, it is a word of promise. In Genesis 15 this promise became a covenant. Here God appeared to Abraham, and Abraham offered a sacrifice to Him. The sacrifice was divided, and God passed through it. This was a custom in ancient times by which two parties ratified a covenant. By walking through the sacrifice, these parties ratified a covenant in an official and proper manner. In this way the promise given in Genesis 12 was ratified as a covenant in Genesis 15. Then in Genesis 17 the covenant was confirmed by the sign of circumcision.

3保罗在加拉太三章说，神对亚伯拉罕所说的话，成了一个约，并由割礼所坚定，这话就是传给亚伯拉罕的福音。加拉太三章给我们看见保罗的领会和解释。这个解释也许是保罗独自与主同在的那些年间，所临到他的启示。保罗看见神对亚伯拉罕所说的话，不仅是个应许，也不仅是个立定并得著坚定的约，更是这个福音。保罗得知在这约里，包含了新约福音的要项。因此神与亚伯拉罕所立的约，乃是新约、新遗命的先驱。新遗命乃是藉主耶稣这祭物所立的新约。主把祂自己当作祭物献给神。就某种意义说，神从基督在十字架上所献给祂的祭物中经过。这新约可视为神与亚伯拉罕所立之约的重复或延续。今天我们所传的福音不仅仅是一个应许，更是一个约。们曾指出约和遗命的不同。约是指一种合同，说到所应许而尚未完成的事。遗命则是指一种合同，其中所应许的项目已经完成了。所应许的一切项目都完成时，约就成了遗命。遗命现代的说法是遗嘱，新遗命就是新遗嘱。遗嘱不是立遗嘱的人应许要为别人作些事的合同。不，遗嘱乃是遗命，说明立遗嘱的人已经作了一些事，或是已经把一些东西给了特定的人。我们所传的福音首先是一个约，但最终是一个遗命。在亚伯拉罕的时代，这个福音不可能是一个遗命，牠只能是一个约，神在这约里应许要因亚伯拉罕祝福万国，并要将美地赐给亚伯拉罕的后裔。后来，在创世记十五章，这个应许成了一个立定的约。但对我们而言，新约乃是新遗命，因为基督已经成就了一切应许的事。万国已经在基督里得福，美地也已经赐给亚伯拉罕的后裔了。所以，我们今天所领受的不是一个新约，而是一个新遗命、新遗嘱。这遗嘱就是福音。

3In Galatians 3 Paul says that the word spoken to Abraham, the word which became a covenant confirmed by circumcision, was the gospel preached to Abraham. In Galatians 3 we are given Paul’s understanding and interpretation. Perhaps this interpretation came as a revelation to Paul during the years he was alone with the Lord. Paul came to see that what God had spoken to Abraham was not just a promise or merely a covenant ratified and confirmed, but that it was the very gospel. In this covenant, Paul learned, the main items of the new testament gospel were included. Thus, the covenant ratified with Abraham was a forerunner of the new covenant, of the new testament. The new testament is a new covenant ratified by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. The Lord offered Himself up as a sacrifice to God. In a sense, God walked through the sacrifice offered to Him on the cross by Christ. This new covenant may be considered as either a repetition or a continuation of the covenant ratified with Abraham. The gospel we are preaching today is not merely a promise; it is also a covenant. pointed out the difference between a covenant and a testament. A covenant refers to an agreement concerning things promised, but not yet accomplished. A testament denotes an agreement in which the promised items have been accomplished. When all the items of the promise are accomplished, the covenant becomes a testament. The modern term for testament is will. The new testament is the new will. A will is not an agreement in which the testator promises to do certain things for others. No, a will is a testament which says that the testator has already done certain things or given certain things to particular people. The gospel we preach is first a covenant. Ultimately, however, it is a testament. At the time of Abraham this gospel could not have been a testament. It could only have been a covenant in which God promised to bless all the nations in Abraham and to give the good land to Abraham’s seed. Later, in Genesis 15, this promise became a ratified covenant. But for us the new covenant is a new testament because all the promised things have been accomplished by Christ. All the nations have been blessed in Christ, and the good land has been given to Abraham’s seed. Therefore, what we receive today is not a new covenant; it is a new testament, a new will. This will is the gospel.

4保罗对属灵的事物有绝佳的悟性。我们若没有他所得的启示，就没有把握说，神与亚伯拉罕所立的约，就是神传给亚伯拉罕的福音。但保罗大胆宣告说，圣经既豫先看明，神要本于信称外那人为义，就豫先传福音给亚伯拉罕。（三8。)没有保罗在加拉太三章的话，我们不会明白神对亚伯拉罕所说的话就是福音。福音虽是新约的事，但我们必须看见，新约乃是神所赐给亚伯拉罕之应许的延续或重复，这是很重要的。

4Paul received a marvelous understanding of spiritual things. Without the revelation given to him, we would not have the confidence to say that the covenant ratified with Abraham was the gospel preached to Abraham. But Paul boldly declares that the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham (3:8). Apart from Paul’sword in Galatians 3, we would not realize that God’s word to Abraham was the gospel. Although the gospel is a matter of the new testament, it is important for us to realize that the new testament is a continuation or repetition of God’s promise to Abraham.

I. THE GOSPEL BY FAITH

壹福音是本于信仰，藉著人的相信

THROUGH MAN’S BELIEVING

5在三章六至九节，我们看见福音是本于信仰，藉著人的相信。这福音完全是本于信仰，不是本于行律法。在创世记十二、十五、十七章，亚伯拉罕听信仰，这种听信仰激起他里头珍赏的感觉。我们晓得亚伯拉罕信神，神就以此为他的义。（创十五6。)亚伯拉罕藉著听信仰，就接受了所传的福音。

5In 3:6-9 we see that the gospel is by faith through man’s believing. This gospel was altogether by faith, not by works of law. In Genesis 12, 15, and 17 Abraham had the hearing of faith. This hearing stirred up a sense of appreciation within him. We are told that Abraham believed God and that God reckoned his believing as righteousness (Gen. 15:6). The preaching of the gospel was received by Abraham through the hearing of faith

贰不像律法是本于行为，藉著人的工作

II. NOT AS THE LAW BY WORKS

THROUGH MAN’S WORKING

6福音不像律法，律法是本于行为，藉著人的工作。在三章十至十一节，我们看见本于信仰的福音和本于行为的律法之间的对比，一个是藉著人的相信，另一个是藉著人的工作。

6The gospel is not as the law, which is by works through man’s working. In 3:10 and 11 we see a contrast between the gospel by faith and the law by works. The one is through man’s believing; the other, through man’s working

参在藉著摩西

III. PREACHED BEFORE THE GIVING

颁赐律法以前传的

OF THE LAW THROUGH MOSES

7这福音不仅是在基督完成救赎以前传的，更是在藉著摩西颁赐律法以前传的。在三章十七节保罗说，『而且我这样说，神豫先所立定的约，不能被那四百三十年以后才有的律法废掉，以致使应许失效。』神赐给亚伯拉罕的应许在先，律法在四百三十年后才有。应许是永久的，但律法是暂时的。那在后、暂时的律法，不能废掉那在先、永久的应许。加拉太人离弃那在先、永久的应许，回到那在后、暂时的律法。三章十七节所题的四百三十年，是从创世记十二章，神赐给亚伯拉罕应许的时候，算到出埃及二十章，神藉摩西颁赐律法的时候。神把这段时间看为以色列人住在埃及的时期。（出十二40～41。)创世记十五章十三节和行传七章六节所说的四百年，是从创世记二十一章以实玛利嘲笑以撒的时候，算到出埃及十二章以色列子民脱离埃及暴政的时候。这是亚伯拉罕的子孙遭受外那人逼迫的时期。

7The gospel was preached not only before the accomplishing of redemption by Christ, but also before the giving of the law through Moses. In 3:17 Paul says, “And I say this, a covenant ratified beforehand by God, the law having come four hundred and thirty years after does not annul, so as to make the promise of none effect.” God’s promise to Abraham was given first. The law came four hundred thirty years later. The promise was permanent, but the law was temporary. The temporary law, which came later, cannot annul the permanent promise, which came first. The Galatians left the first and permanent promise and went back to the later and temporary law. The four hundred thirty years mentioned in 3:17 are counted from the time God gave Abraham the promise in Genesis 12 to the time He gave the law through Moses in Exodus 20. This period was considered by God as the time of the children of Israel’s dwelling in Egypt (Exo. 12:40-41). The four hundred years mentioned in Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 are counted from the time Ishmael mocked Isaac in Genesis 21 to the time the children of Israel came out of Egyptian tyranny in Exodus 12. This is the period when Abraham’s descendants suffered the persecution of the Gentiles.

8保罗的用意是要表明，藉著摩西所颁赐的律法不是神原初的心意，而是次要的、附加的。律法不像撒拉─真正的妻子，乃像夏甲─妾，所以没有正式的地位。律法是在福音传给亚伯拉罕四百三十年以后才颁赐的。神既是不改变的，祂怎么会把福音传给亚伯拉罕，而四百三十年以后，又吩咐百姓履行律法以满足祂？颁赐律法的目的是在于暴露神的选民，并看守他们。

8Paul’sin tent i on was to show that the law given through Moses was not God’s original intention, but something secondary and additional. Because the law is not like Sarah, the genuine wife, but like Hagar, the concubine, it does not have the proper position. It was given four hundred thirty years after the gospel was preached to Abraham. Since God does not change, how could He preach the gospel to Abraham and then, four hundred thirty years later, command the people to fulfill the law in order to satisfy Him? The law was given for the purpose of exposing God’s chosen people and keeping them in His custody

肆作为应许赐给亚伯拉罕

IV. AS A PROMISE GIVEN TO ABRAHAM

9福音乃是作为应许传给亚伯拉罕的，这应许就是万国都要因他得福。创世记十二章三节『得福』一辞，意义非常重大。因著亚当的堕落，人类一直在咒诅之下。但神应许亚伯拉罕，已受咒诅的万国都要在他里面，并因他得福。根据加拉太三章十三节，咒诅已经除去了。基督既赎出我们脱离律法的咒诅，便叫亚伯拉罕的福，在祂里面可以临到万国。基督在十字架上替我们死，救我们脱离亚当所带进来的咒诅。如今万国都要在基督里得福。因此，所应许给亚伯拉罕的福，藉著基督的救赎临到了我们。咒诅已经除去，祝福已经来到。万国都要在亚伯拉罕这惟一的后裔─基督里得福。

9The gospel was preached to Abraham as the promise that in him all nations would be blessed. The word blessed in Genesis 12:3 is of great significance. Through Adam’s fall, the human race was brought under the curse. But God promised Abraham that in him and because of him the nations, which had been brought under the curse, would be blessed. According to Galatians 3:13, the curse has been taken away. Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations in Him. Christ died a substitutionary death on the cross to deliver us from the curse brought in by Adam. Now in Christ all the nations will be blessed. Hence, the blessing promised to Abraham comes to us through Christ’s redemption. The curse has been taken away, and the blessing has come. All the nations have been blessed in Christ, Abraham’s unique seed

10这福是以美地为中心。美地豫表包罗万有的基督，实化为包罗万有赐生命的灵，成了福音的福。（创十二7，西一12下，加三14。)我们曾一再指出，美地乃是包罗万有之基督的完整豫表。基督复活以后，实化为包罗万有赐生命的灵。最终，这位包罗万有赐生命的灵就是我们的美地。既然加拉太书里的那灵是指经过过程的三一神，我们可以说，美地就是这位经过过程的三一神。神在福音里所赐给我们的，一点不差就是祂自己。

10This blessing has the good land as the center. The good land typifies the all-inclusive Christ realized by the all- inclusive life-giving Spirit to be the blessing of the gospel (Gen. 12:7; Col. 1:12b; Gal. 3:14). We have pointed out again and again that the good land is a complete type of the all-inclusive Christ. After His resurrection, Christ is realized as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit. Ultimately, this all-inclusive life-giving Spirit is our good land. Since the Spirit in Galatians denotes the processed Triune God, we may say that the good land is the very processed Triune God. In the gospel what God gives us is nothing less than Himself.

11对小孩子来说，母亲就是一切。小孩只要有母亲就喜乐了。以这事为例来说明我们与三一神的关系，我们可以说，经过过程的三一神乃是包罗万有的一位，祂是我们的一切，也是我们的美地。当以色列人进入了美地，他们就一无所缺。因此，这美地乃是豫表经过过程的三一神，完全实化为包罗万有的灵，住在我们的灵里。今天，美地就在我们的灵里。包罗万有的灵一进到我们灵里，就有事情发生，就是我们所说生机的联结。文生（M.R.Vincent)在他的『新约字研』一书里，论到马太二十八章十九节，说，『浸入神圣三一的名里，含示与祂属灵、奥秘的联合。』该节的『入』字，指明一种生命里的联结。因此，受浸不该是仪式，乃该是生机联结的完成。问信徒有没有接受那灵，乃是非常荒谬的。我们既然进入了与三一神生机的联结里，怎么会没有接受那灵？我们已经接枝到祂里面了。接枝的过程开始于珍赏主，而完成于受浸。你头一次听见福音的时候，里头就激起对主耶稣的珍赏，然后你愿意受浸，受浸时，生机的联结，也就是接枝，便完成了。你被接枝到三一神里面了。一个罪人信了耶稣，就能受浸归入父、子、灵的名里。名指明人位。何等奇妙，罪人竟然能彀浸入三一神里面！藉著受浸所完成的联合，乃是内里的联合、生命的联合。如果有人问你，你受了圣灵没有，你可以告诉他，你已经接受了三一神─父、子、圣灵。

11To children, their mother is everything. As long as children have their mother, they are happy. Using this as an illustration of our relationship to the Triune God, we can say that the processed Triune God is the all-inclusive One who is everything to us and that this One is our good land. When the children of Israel entered into the good land, they had no lack. Therefore, this good land is a type of the processed Triune God who is realized in full as the all-inclusive Spirit indwelling our spirit. The good land today is in our spirit. When the all - inclusive Spirit comes in to our spirit, a certain transaction takes place. This transaction is what we call the organic union. In his Word Studies in The New Testament, M. R. Vincent, commenting on Matthew 28:19, says that “baptizing in to the name of the Holy Trinity implies a spiritual and mystical union with Him.” The Greek word for “into” in Matthew 28:19 indicates a union in life. Thus, baptism should not be a ritual; it should be the accomplishment of the organic union. It is ridiculous to ask believers if they have received the Spirit. How could we have failed to receive the Spirit inasmuch as we have entered into an organic union with the Triune God? We have been grafted into Him. The process of grafting begins with appreciating the Lord, and it is accomplished by baptism. When you first heard the gospel, an appreciation for the Lord Jesus was awakened within you. Then you were willing to be baptized, at which time the organic union, the grafting, was accomplished. You were grafted into the Triune God. A sinner who believes in Jesus can then be baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The name denotes the Person. How marvelous that sinners can be baptized into the Triune God! The union accomplished through baptism is an intrinsic union, a union in life. If someone asks you if you have received the Holy Spirit, you may want to tell him that you have received the Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

12如果我们到一个地方传福音，那里没有人听过福音，那些听到我们信息的人，马上就会经历与三一神生机的联结。然后我们就能很容易的帮助他们发展这个联结，不再凭自己而活。凭生机的联结而活，就是凭那灵、凭经过过程的三一神而活。我们无须追求说方言这样的经历，因我们能彀凭著我们灵里的三一神而活。在台湾我们没有实行说方言，可是六年之内，我们从五百人增加到二万人。反而许多强调灵恩的人却没有果子。与三一神生机的联结，比说方言更有能，更为得胜。要得著属灵的能力，不需要说方言。我藉著与三一神生机的联结，就得著加力，且满了能力。主的恢复扩展到五大洲，不是藉著说方言，而是藉著生机的联结。赞美主！这生机的联结乃是在我们众人里面！我确信主的恢复要藉著这联结继续的扩展。我们必须一再的回到灵里，来经历听信仰。我们听见得越多，我们的珍赏就越多，呼求、接受、领受、联合、有分、享受也会越多。

12If we were to preach the gospel in a place where no one had heard the gospel before, those who heard our messages would immediately experience the organic union with the Triune God. Then we could easily help them to develop this union and not to live any longer by the self. To live by the organic union is to live by the Spirit, by the processed Triune God. There is no need for us to seek experiences such as speaking in tongues, for we can live by the Triune God in our spirit. In Taiwan we did not practice tongues- speaking, but within six years we increased from five hundred to twenty thousand. By contrast, many of those who emphasize the Pentecostal things have been fruitless. The organic union with the Triune God is much more powerful and prevailing than speaking in tongues. It is not necessary to practice tongues - speaking to have spiritual power. Through the organic union with the Triune God, I am energized and filled with power. The Lord’s recovery has spread to five continents, not through speaking in tongues, but through the organic union. Praise the Lord that this organic union is in us all! I have the confidence that the recovery will continue to spread by means of this union. Again and again we need to come back to our spirit to experience the hearing of faith. The more hearing we have, the more appreciation there will be and also more calling, receiving, accepting, joining, partaking, and enjoying.

13加拉太三章八节说，外邦人是本于信得称义。十一节保罗继续说，『没有一个人凭著律法在神面前得称义，乃是明显的，因为「义人必本于信得生并活著」。』保罗在十四节指出，我们乃是藉著信接受所应许的那灵。相信基督的信，带我们进入神应许给亚伯拉罕的福，就是所应许的那灵。相信的人是本于信得称义，他们也是本于信得生并活著。我们这些得称义的人，乃是凭著生机的联结而活，并且有分于包罗万有赐生命的灵。这灵就是福音的福。神所应许亚伯拉罕的，与神藉基督所成就的相符；神藉基督所成就的，就是神对亚伯拉罕之应许的应验。不但如此，这也是照著神永远的定旨，和祂新约的经纶。（弗三6，9，11。)

13Galatians 3:8 says that the nations are justified by faith. In verse 11 Paul goes on to say, “Now that by law no one is justified before God is evident, because, The just by faith shall live.” In verse 14 Paul points out that we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Faith in Christ brings us into the blessing God promised to Abraham, which is the promise of the Spirit. The believing ones are justified by faith, and they have life and live by faith. As justified ones, we live by the organic union and participate in the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit. This Spirit is the blessing of the gospel. What God promised to Abraham corresponds to what He accomplished by Christ. This accomplishment is the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham. Moreover, it is according to God’s eternal purpose and His new testament economy (Eph. 3:6, 9, 11