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加拉太书生命读经 · 第9篇

向律法死了，向神却活著

DEAD TO LAW BUT LIVING TO GOD
1读经：加拉太书2:19-20;3:3;5:16,25，罗马书7:4,6;6:4,8,10。本篇信息是上一篇论到福音真理信息的延续。上一篇信息的重点是：与基督生机的联结，乃是我们相信基督时自然而然发生的。在本篇信息中，我们要继续来看，我们向律法已经死了，叫我们可以向神活著。（二19。）
1Scripture Reading: Gal. 2:19-20; 3:3; 5:16, 25; Rom. 7:4, 6; 6:4, 8, 10 This message is a continuation of the foregoing message on the truth of the gospel. The crucial point in that message was the organic union with Christ which takes place spontaneously when we believe in Christ. In this message we shall go on to see that we have died to law so that we might live to God (2:19
生机的联结
organic union
2我们如何能向律法死了，为要向神活著？加拉太二章十九节指明，我们向律法已经死了。照你的经历来看，你真的已经向律法死了，或者这对你仅仅是一个道理？再者，我们如何能向神活著？我们若要答覆这些问题，就必须认识福音的真理、实际。我们若不是与基督真有生机的联结，反而在自己里面，我们向律法就不是死的，向神也不是活著的。我们若不是与基督有生机的联结，就无法向神活著。反之，我们会向神以外的许多事物活著。罗马七章含示了生机联结的观念。保罗在这一章用婚姻生活作例子。婚姻是一种生命的联结。在这联结中，妻子与丈夫是一，丈夫也与妻子是一。在罗马七章四节，保罗说到我们结婚归与基督：『我的弟兄们，这样说来，你们藉著基督的身体，向著律法也已经是死的了，叫你们归与别人，就是归与那从死人中复活的。』根据这一节，我们已经结婚归与复活的基督。在作为新郎的基督，与作为新妇的我们之间，有一个奇妙的联结；在人位、名分、生命和存在上，我们与祂乃是一。这表明我们基督徒的生命，乃是与基督生机合一的生命。
2How can we die to law in order to live to God? Galatians 2:19 indicates that we have already died to law. According to your experience, have you actually died to law, or is this simply a matter of doctrine to you? Furthermore, how can we live to God? If we would answer these questions, we must know the truth, the reality, of the gospel. If we are not actually organically united with Christ but are in ourselves, then we are neither dead to law nor are we living to God. Apart from the organic union with Christ, we cannot live to God. On the contrary, we shall be alive to many things other than God. The concept of organic union is implied in Romans 7. In this chapter Paul uses the illustration of married life. Marriage is a union of life. In this union the wife is one with the husband, and the husband is one with the wife. In Romans 7:4 Paul speaks of our being married to Christ: “So that, my brothers, you also have been made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you might marry another, even Him Who has been raised from among the dead.” According to this verse, we have been married to the resurrected Christ. Between Him as the Bridegroom and us as the Bride, there is a wonderful union. We are one with Him in person, name, life, and existence. This shows that our Christian life is a life of organic oneness with Christ
3在罗马十一章，保罗再使用另一个例子–把一棵树的枝子，接枝在另一棵树上。保罗在十一章十七至二十四节，用了将野橄榄树的枝子，接在好橄榄树上的例子。接枝的结果，野橄榄树的枝子与好橄榄树，就一同生机的联结生长。我们这些野橄榄树的枝子，已经接在好橄榄树–基督里面。
3In Romans 11 Paul goes on to use another illustration— the grafting of a branch from one tree into another tree. InRo mans 11:17-24 Paul uses the illustration of branches from a wild olive tree being grafted into a cultivated olive tree. As a result of grafting, the branches from the wild olive tree and the cultivated olive tree grow together organically. We, branches of the wild olive tree, have been grafted into Christ, the cultivated olive tree.
4有些人会说，罗马十一章的好橄榄树是指以色列人。这并没有错，但在圣经里，常把真以色列人当作就是基督，也常把基督当作就是真以色列人，这也是事实。在神眼中，地上并没有两棵树，只有一棵树，就是包括基督和神选民的橄榄树。我们曾是野橄榄树的枝子，但如今我们已经接枝到基督里面。这个例子指明，基督徒的生命不是替换的生命，不是把较低的生命替换成较高的生命；乃是接枝的生命，把属人的生命接枝在基督的生命里。一根枝子接在另一棵树上以后，就不再凭自己而活。相反的，牠只凭著所接上的树而活。
4Some may say that the cultivated olive tree in Romans 11 refers to Israel. Although this is correct, it is also true that in the Bible the real Israel is always identified with Christ, and Christ with the real Israel. In the eyes of God, there are not two trees on earth. There is just one tree, the olive tree which includes Christ and God’s chosen people. Once we were wild olive branches, but now we have been grafted into Christ. This illustration indicates that the Christian life is not an exchanged life, the exchange of a lower life for a higher one, but a grafted life, the grafting of the human life into the life of Christ. After a branch has been grafted into another tree, it no longer lives by itself. On the contrary, it lives by the tree into which it has been grafted.
切割与联结
CUTTING AND JOINING
5在接枝的事上，有两个主要的方面：切割与联合、联结。没有切割，就不可能有接枝。如果一棵树的枝子要接在另一棵树上，首先必须把枝子割下。割下之后，联合或联结才发生。这种联结是生机的。因此，在接枝的事上，有切割、联合、以及生机的联结。切割相当于基督的死，而联合相当于基督的复活。在基督的死里，我们老旧的生命被割除；而在基督的复活里，我们联于祂，为著进一步的生长。对基督之死的经历，使我们向律法死了，而复活却使我们能彀向神活著。故此，向律法死了，并向神活著，含示基督的死与复活。我们惟有藉著接枝到基督里，才能在祂的死与复活里与祂合一。
5In the matter of grafting, there are two main aspects: cutting and joining or uniting. Without the cutting, there cannot be any grafting. If the branch from one tree is to be grafted into another tree, the branch must firstly be cut. After the cutting occurs, the joining or union takes place. This union is organic. Therefore, in grafting we have the cutting, the joining, and the organic union. The cutting corresponds to the death of Christ, and the uniting, to the resurrection of Christ. In the death of Christ our old life was cut off, and in Christ’s resurrection we were united to Him for further growth. The experience of the death of Christ causes us to die to the law, whereas resurrection enables us to live to God. Hence, to be dead to the law and alive to God implies the death and resurrection of Christ. Only by being grafted into Christ can we be one with Him in His death and resurrection
6我们在自己里面，不可能向律法死了，或向神活著。然而，当主耶稣的宝贵注入到我们里面，我们开始珍赏祂的时候，我们就接枝到祂里面了。一方面，我们被切割；另一方面，我们在基督复活的生命里联于祂。这个联结发生以后，我们就与基督有生机的联结了。现今我们只该活在这生机的联结里。在消极一面，我们已在基督的死里被切割了；在积极一面，我们已在基督的复活里联于祂了。在这个切割里，我们不只向律法死了，也向神以外的一切死了。按照加拉太六章，藉著基督的十字架，我们向世界死了，特别是向宗教的世界死了。（13～。）藉著基督在十字架上包罗万有的死，那包罗万有的切割，我们向神以外的一切都死了。因为我们已经接枝到基督里，祂的经历就成了我们的历史。当祂在十字架上死了，我们就在祂里面死了。当祂被钉在十字架上，我们就从野橄榄树上被割下来。这就是说，我们从自己、肉体、世界、宗教、律法及其规条中，被割下来了。再者，因著我们已经接枝到基督里，祂的复活也就成了我们的历史。所以，我们能刚强的宣告说，我们已经与基督同钉十字架、同埋葬、同复活了。我们有何等美妙的历史！
6In ourselves it is not possible for us to die to law or live to God. However, when the preciousness of the Lord Jesus was infused into us and we began to appreciate Him, we were grafted into Him. On the one hand, we were cut; on the other hand, we were joined to Christ in His resurrection life. After this union took place, we were organically united with Christ. Now we should simply live in this organic union. On the negative side, we have been cut in Christ’s death; on the positive side, we have been united to Christ in His resurrection. In this cutting we died not only to the law, but to everything other than God. According to Galatians 6, we are dead to the world, particularly to the religious world, through the crucifixion of Christ (v v. 13-14). By the all - inclusive cutting of Christ’s all - inclusive 14 death on the cross, we are dead to everything other than God. Because we have been grafted into Christ, His experience has become our history. When He died on the cross, we died in Him. When He was crucified, we were cut off from the wild olive tree. This means that we were cut off from the self, the flesh, the world, religion, and the law with its ordinances. Furthermore, because we have been grafted into Christ, His resurrection has also become our history. Therefore, we can strongly declare that with Christ we have been crucified, buried, and resurrected. What a wonderful history we have!
7我们既从神以外的一切事物中被割下来，就向著宗教死了，向著犹太教、天主教和更正教死了。我们的历史一方面包含钉十字架，藉此我们已从神以外的一切事物中被割下来。但这历史的另一方面包含复活，我们在复活里已经联于三一神。在这联结里，我们与三一神完全是一。要紧的是，我们都要看见这个异象。然而，看见的基督徒并不多。我们若看见这生机联结的异象，我们的生活就要改变。我们会晓得，我们已从老旧的源头被割下来，而联于那永活者。
7Having been cut off from everything other than God, we are dead to religion, including Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. One aspect of our history includes the crucifixion by which we have been cut off from everything other than God. But the other aspect of this history includes the resurrection in which we have been united to the Triune God. In this union, we are absolutely one with the Triune God. It is crucial that we all see this vision. However, few Christians have seen it. If we see the vision of this organic union, our living will be changed. We shall realize that we have been cut off from the old source and united to the living One
藉著在基督里的信
BY FAITH IN CHRIST
8我们进入这一种与基督生机的联结里，乃是藉著在基督里的信。我们已经指出，信就是对耶稣的珍赏。甚至在加拉太二章二十节，也含示这种珍赏。我们在这一节看见，我们已经与基督同钉十字架。这是指我们历史的一方面。我们也看见，基督在我们里面活著，并且我们如今在肉身里所活的生命，是我们在神儿子的信里，与祂联结所活的，祂是爱我们，为我们舍了自己。在这一节中，保罗特别说到神的儿子是『爱我』的那一位，这是很有意义的。我们若不觉得基督对我们的爱，就不能在祂里面有信。活的信来自我们对祂的爱的感觉。这指明我们藉以相信祂的信，是与我们珍赏祂的可爱有关。当我们感觉祂的宝贵，我们里面自然而然就涌出一种对祂的珍赏。这种珍赏就是我们的信。当保罗说到神的儿子是『爱我，为我舍了自己』的那一位时，他满了对主耶稣的珍赏。这种珍赏就是他在本节所说到的信。他在肉身里所活的生命，是他在神儿子的信里，与祂联结所活的。
8It is by faith in Christ that we enter into such an organic union with Him. We have pointed out that faith is the appreciation of Jesus. This appreciation is implied even in Galatians 2:20. In this verse we see that we have been crucified with Christ. This refers to one aspect of our history. We also see that Christ lives in us and that the life that we now live in the flesh we live in the faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us. It is significant that in this verse Paul specifically refers to the Son of God as the One “who loved me.” If we do not have any consciousness of Christ’s love for us, we shall not be able to have faith in Him. Living faith comes from our sense of His love. This indicates that the faith by which we believe in Him is related to our appreciation of His loveliness. As we sense His preciousness, spontaneously an appreciation for Him wells up within us. This appreciation is our faith. When Paul referred to the Son of God as the One who “loved me and gave Himself for me,” he was filled with appreciation for the Lord Jesus. This appreciation is the very faith about which he speaks in this verse. The life he lived in the flesh he lived in this faith, the faith of the Son of God.
9每当我们从心的深处说，『主耶稣，我爱你。』我们的信就得以加强，我们与基督生机的联结也得以加强。此外我们还觉得，我们已从罪恶、世界、肉体和宗教中被割除了。有些人看见了召会的光，却不愿意脱宗派。但有一天他们告诉主，他们何等爱祂；他们里面自然而然就有感觉，应当放弃他们与宗派的关联。因为他们与基督生机的联结加强了，他们就经历更多的切割。我们越说，『主耶稣，我爱你，』我们就越觉得从基督以外的一切事物被割除。当我们告诉主耶稣，我们爱祂，我们就经历到真实之信的运行，这信包含在我们对祂的珍赏之中。藉著这信，我们看见我们与基督的联结。在这联结中，我们看见祂的历史就是我们的历史；我们已经与基督同钉十字架、同埋葬、同复活了。我们向神以外的一切死了，并且向神活著。加拉太人从主转向律法，是何等的愚昧！他们岂不晓得，他们已从律法被割除，而联于活的神么？藉著生机的联结，我们从律法下的奴役得了释放。在这联结中，我们享受在基督里属于我们的自由。
9Whenever we say from the depths of our heart, “Lord Jesus, I love You,” our faith is strengthened. Our organic union with Christ is strengthened also. Furthermore, we sense that we have been cut away from sin, the world, the flesh, and religion. Some who have seen the light concerning the church have not been willing to give up the denominations. But one day they told the Lord how much they loved Him. Spontaneously they had the sense within that they should give up their association with the denominations. Because their organic union with Christ was strengthened, they experienced more cutting. The more we say, “Lord Jesus, I love You,” the more we sense that we have been cut off from everything other than Christ. As we tell the Lord Jesus that we love Him, we experience the operation of genuine faith that is implied in our appreciation of Him. By this faith we realize our union with Christ. In this union we realize that His history is our history; with Christ we have been crucified, buried, and resurrected. We are dead to everything other than God, and we are living to God. How foolish the Galatians were in turning from the Lord to the law! Did they not realize that they had been cut off from the law and joined to the living God? Through the organic union we are released from slavery under law. In this union we enjoy the freedom that is ours in Christ.
向我们自己的律法活著
LIVING TO OUR OWN LAWS
10在你的经历中，你知道你向律法死了，并向神活著么？我不太有把握说，有许多基督徒看见这事。很少基督徒真正向神活。他们绝大多数仍向神以外的事物活，特别是向他们自己那种律法活。我们也许不在意神，却在意我们那种律法。不同的人有不同的律法。青年人有青年人的律法，年长的人也有年长的律法。这就是年长的人不知不觉就定罪青年人的原因。这个定罪来自他们的律法。我们没有向神活，反而向我们那种律法活。我们已经从摩西的律法被割除，但在我们的经历中，我们还没有从自己的律法被割除。我们仍有自己的律法，这事实指明我们对主的爱不彀，我们仍然缺少对祂的珍赏。这缺欠使我们的信减弱。然而，我们对主耶稣的爱增加了，我们对别人的定罪就会减少。倘若年长的圣徒对主有更大的珍赏，他们对青年人的定罪就会被吞没。
10In your experience do you know that you are dead to law and a live to God? I do not have much assurance that many Christians realize this. Few Christians are actually living to God. For the most part, they are still living to something other than God, especially to their own kind of law. Instead of caring for God, we may care for our type of law. Different persons have different laws. The young people have their law, and the older ones have their law. This is the reason that the older ones unconsciously condemn the young ones. This condemnation comes from their law. Instead of living to God, we live to our kind of law. We have been cut off from the Mosaic law, but in our experience we have not been cut off from our own law. The fact that we still have our own laws indicates that our love for the Lord is not adequate. We are still short in our appreciation of Him. This lack weakens our faith. However, when our love for the Lord Jesus increases, our condemnation of others will decrease. If the older saints have a greater appreciation of the Lord, their condemnation of the young people will be swallowed up.
11年长的圣徒如何倾向于定罪青年人，青年人也照样可能不宝贝年长的。假如青年圣徒和年长的圣徒一同来参加祷告聚会，他们很难一同作工；要不是年长的占上风，就是青年人占优势。这难处的原因在于年长的有年长的律法，青年人也有青年人的律法。我们很容易在道理上宣告，我们向律法死了，现今向神活著。但我们实际的经历，也许大不相同。我们也许没有向某些事物死了，也没有向神活著。所以，我们需要转向主，从祂接受更多的注入。结果，我们就会对祂有更大的宝爱与珍赏。这会加强我们的信，这信就会在我们里面运行，加强我们与基督的联结。当我们与祂生机的联结得著加强时，我们就会经历更多的切割。如果我们都有这个经历，在聚会中就不会再觉得青年人和年长的有甚么不同。反之，我们都会看见自己已经从三一神以外的一切事物被割除了。然后在祷告聚会中，我们就不会觉察自己的年龄，而是在生机的联结里，真正向律法死了，并且向神活著，来尽功用。在本篇信息中，我所关切的是经历，不是只传授一点知识。我们若定罪别人，就是缺少对主的爱。我们没有向神活著，反而向自己的律法活著。那些不履行我们律法要求的人，我们就定罪。然而，我们对主的珍赏若是彀的话，那运行的信就会作工，加强我们与基督的联结，我们就会经历更多的切割。然后实际上，我们就没有律法了。我们真正向律法死了，并且向神活著。
11Just as the older saints have the tendency to condemn the young ones, the young ones may not appreciate the older ones. Suppose the young saints and the older saints come together for a prayer meeting. It will be difficult for them to work together. Either the older ones will be prevailing and dominating, or the younger ones will. The reason for this problem is that the older ones have their law and the younger ones have theirs. It is easy for us to proclaim in a doctrinal way that we have died to law and that we are now living to God. Our practical experience, however, may be quite different. We may not have died to certain things, and we may not be living to God. Therefore, we need to turn to the Lord and receive more infusion from Him. As a result, we shall have a greater love and appreciation for Him. This will strengthen our faith, which will then operate in us to strengthen our union with Christ. As our organic union with Him is strengthened, we shall experience more cutting. If we all have this experience, in the meetings we shall no longer have the consciousness of the difference between the young ones and the old ones. Instead, we all shall realize that we have been cut away from everything other than the Triune God. Then in the prayer meetings we shall function, not conscious of our age, but in the organic union in which we are truly dead to law and living to God. In this message I am concerned with experience, not with passing on mere knowledge. If we condemn others, we are deficient in our love for the Lord. Instead of living to God, we live to our own law. Those who do not fulfill the requirements of our law we condemn. However, if our appreciation of the Lord is adequate, the operating faith will work to strengthen our union with Christ, and we shall experience more cutting. Then in reality we shall have no law. We shall truly be dead to law and alive to God.
活在生机的联结里
LIVING IN THE ORGANIC UNION
12在二章十九节保罗说，『我藉著律法，已经向律法死了，叫我可以向神活著。』律法对我这罪人的要求是死，基督按这要求为我死，也带著我一同死。因此，我藉著律法已经在基督里死了，也与基督一同死了。所以，在律法之下的义务，就是与律法的关系，已经了结。向神活著，意思就是在神圣的生命里对神尽义务。在基督的死里，我们脱离了与律法的关系；在基督的复活里，我们在祂复活的生命里向神负责。
12In 2:19 Paul says, “For I through law have died to law that I might live to God.” The law requires me, a sinner, to die, and according to that requirement Christ died for me and with me. Hence, I have died in Christ and with Christ through the law. Therefore, the obligation under the law, the relationship to the law, has been terminated. To live to God means to be obligated to God in the divine life. In Christ’s death we are through with the law, and in His resurrection we are responsible to God in the resurrection life
13我们已经向律法死了，叫我们可以向神活著。只要我们还持守任何一种律法，无论是摩西的律法，还是我们自制的律法，我们就不能向神活著。但我们藉著与基督生机的联结，从律法被割除的时候，我们就自然而然的向神活著。向律法死了，意思就是脱离了捆我们的律法。罗马七章六节：『但我们既然在捆我们的律法上死了，现今就脱离了律法。』我们既脱离律法的义务，现今就得以行在生命的新样中。（六。）然而，我们有否行在生命的新样中，在于我们有否在与基督生机的联结中经历切割。我们越经历切割，就越向神活著，并且越行在生命的新样中。因著我们已经向律法死了，就不再有义务，靠肉体的努力，来遵守律法。（加三3。）每当我们有某种自制的律法，我们总是靠肉体的力量来努力遵守，而不是凭著灵。
13We have become dead to the law so that we may live to God. As long as we still hold to any kind of law, whether the Mosaic law or our self - made law, we cannot live to God. However, when we are cut off from the law by means of the organic union with Christ, we spontaneously live to God. To be dead to law means that we have been discharged from the law in which we were held. Romans 7:6 says, “But now we are discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held.” Having been liberated from obligation to the law, we may now walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). However, walking in newness of life 4 depends upon the cutting we experience in the organic union with Christ. The more we experience the cutting, the more we live to God and walk in newness of life. Because we have died to law, we are no longer obligated to keep the law by the striving of the flesh (Gal. 3:3). Whenever we have a certain self-made law, we always strive to keep it by the strength of the flesh, not by the Spirit.
14向神活著，就是在神圣的生命里对神尽义务，在复活的生命里向神负责。我们在与基督生机的联结中，经历复活的生命。在这复活的生命中，我们自然而然的被神约束，并且对祂尽义务。这也在于生机的联结。因著我们已经与基督同钉十字架，所以现在活著的，不再是我们，乃是基督在我们里面活著。我们不再活在旧人、天然的人里面。反之，基督活在我们里面。然后在复活里，我们在神儿子的信里活。在神儿子的信里活，意思就是活在我们因信神的儿子，而有与祂生机的联结里。我们凭著灵，（加五16，25，）与基督一同向神活著。（罗六8，10。）这是在我们的经历中，对经过过程之三一神的享受。这个经历在于我们珍赏主耶稣的可爱与宝贵。
14To be living unto God is to be obligated to God in the divine life, to be responsible to God in the resurrection life. In the organic union with Christ, we experience resurrection life. In this resurrection life we are held to God spontaneously and are obligated to Him. This also depends on the organic union. Because we have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer we who live, but Christ lives in us. We no longer live in the old man, the natural man. Rather, Christ lives in us. Then in resurrection we live in the faith of the Son of God. To live in the faith of the Son of God means to live in the organic union with the Son of God which comes through our believing in Him. We live to God with Christ (Rom. 6:8, 10) and through the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25). This is the enjoyment of the processed Triune God in our experience. This experience depends on our appreciation of the loveliness and preciousness of the Lord Jesus
陈明基督的可爱
PRESENTING CHRIST IN HIS LOVELINESS
15原则上，我们传福音的时候，应当像优秀的推销员一样，能彀陈明宝贵的东西，好使别人欣赏。我们需要正确的推销术。主耶稣的宝贵是无限无量的，但我们对祂的陈明总是不彀充分。我们不知道如何正确的陈明主耶稣的可爱，所以听我们传福音的人就很难相信祂。但我们若恰切的陈明祂，就会把祂的宝贵注入人里面，使人自然而然的珍赏祂。这种珍赏会成为他们的信，在他们里面运行，使他们与主耶稣有生机的联结。在这生机的联结里，我们向律法死了，并且向神活著。
15In principle, in preaching the gospel we should be like the top salesmen, who are able to present something precious in away that others will appreciate it. We need the proper salesmanship. The Lord Jesus is infinitely precious, but our presentation of Him is not always adequate. Since we do not know how to present the loveliness of the Lord Jesus in a proper way, it is difficult for those who listen to our gospel preaching to have faith in Him. But if we present Him adequately, others will be infused with His preciousness, and they will spontaneously appreciate Him. This appreciation will become their faith which will operate in them to unite them with the Lord Jesus organically. Here in this organic union we are dead to the law and alive to God.