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以弗所书生命读经 · 第12篇

受了圣灵为印记

SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
1我们已经指出，以弗所一章三至十四节可以分为三段：父的美言、（3～6、）子的美言、（7～12、）和灵的美言。（13～14。）父神计画，子神完成父所计画的，灵神应用子照著父计画所完成的。所以，父计画，子完成，灵应用。在这段经文里，我们看见计画、完成、和应用。在本篇信息中，我们来到了应用。
1We have pointed out that 1:3-14 can be divided into three sections: the well-speaking of the Father (vv. 3-6), the well-speaking of the Son (vv. 7-12), and the well-speaking of the Spirit (vv. 13-14). God the Father has purposed, God the Son has accomplished what the Father purposed, and God the Spirit is applying what the Son accomplished according to the Father’s purpose. Therefore, the Father purposed, the Son accomplished, and the Spirit applies. In these verses we have a purpose, an accomplishment, and an application. In this message we come to the application
印记和凭质
THE SEAL AND THE PLEDGE
2根据一章十三至十四节，灵的应用有两方面：印记和凭质，或者可以说，印涂和作质。灵的应用就是祂的印涂和作质。事实上，灵本身就是印记，也是凭质。灵的印记和灵的凭质都与我们里面的运行有关。所以，印记实际上就是印涂，而凭质就是作质。灵在我们身上不仅是印记，祂现今也正在我们身上印涂。祂不仅是凭质，保证我们得基业，祂现今也在我们里面作质。在本篇信息中，我们要看灵的印涂，下一篇要看灵的作质。
2According to 1:13 and 14, the Spirit’s application is of two aspects: the seal and the pledge, or, as I like to say, the sealing and the pledging. The Spirit’s application is His sealing and His pledging. Actually, the Spirit Himself is both the seal and the pledge. Both the seal of the Spirit and the pledge of the Spirit involve movement within us. Therefore, the seal is actually the sealing, and the pledge, the pledging. Not only is the Spirit a seal upon us, but He is now sealing us. Not only is He a pledge guaranteeing our inheritance, but He is now pledging within us. In this message we shall consider the sealing of the Spirit, and in the next message, the pledging
印记表征所有权
THE SEAL SIGNIFYING OWNERSHIP
3我年轻时，听到弟兄会的教师们说到圣灵的印记，我也就著这件事研读过一些书，但是我从来没有听过圣灵的印涂。印记是一回事，而印涂又是另一回事。受了圣灵为印记，意即被圣灵这活的印记所标明。我们已成了神所选定的基业。（11。）在我们得救时，神把圣灵放在我们里面作印记，将我们标出，指明我们是属神的。圣灵，就是神自己，进到我们里面，使我们有印记所表征之神的形像，因此得以像神。譬如一位弟兄在他的圣经上盖了印，这一盖，他的圣经就带著印的形像。所盖的印指明那本圣经是属于他的；所以，印记代表所有权。当我们信了主耶稣，神的灵就印了我们。这表征神是拥有我们的一位，我们是属于祂的。我年轻时，人很著重的告诉我说，我是属神的。我也受教导说，不论我们如何叫圣灵忧愁，祂永不会离开我们。不过阿米尼亚神学派的人士不同意这点。多年前在中国的一个德国差会，出版了一本关于圣灵的小册子。在这本小册子里有一幅图画：一只鸽子表征圣灵，从一个使祂忧愁的信徒身上飞走。弟兄会攻击这种教训，说圣灵进到我们里面之后，永不会离开。他们非常强调圣灵作印记的教训。他们说，『一旦印记盖在你身上，不论你作了甚么，都拿不开了。』我同意圣灵不会离开我们的这种说法。在这件事上弟兄会是对的；不过，他们太重道理了。
3When I was young, I heard the Brethren teachers speak about the seal of the Holy Spirit. I also read about this matter. But I never heard about the sealing of the Spirit. The seal is one thing, and the sealing is another. To be sealed with the Holy Spirit means to be marked with the Holy Spirit as a living seal. We have been made God’s inheritance (v. 11). At the time we were saved, God put His Holy Spirit into us as a seal to mark us out, indicating that we belong to God. The Holy Spirit, who is God Himself entering into us, causes us to bear God’sim age signified by the seal, thus making us like God. Suppose a brother puts a seal on his Bible. When he does so, his Bible bears the image of the seal. This seal indicates that the Bible belongs to him. Therefore, the seal signifies ownership. When we believed in the Lord Jesus, the Spirit of God sealed us. This signifies that God is our owner and that we belong to Him. When I was young, I was told strongly that I belonged to God. I was also taught that no matter how much we grieved the Holy Spirit, He would never leave us. Those from the Arminian school of theology, however, disagree with this. Years ago a German mission in China published a booklet concerning the Spirit. One of the pictures in this booklet showed a dove, signifying the Holy Spirit, flying away from a believer who had grieved Him. The Brethren attacked this teaching, saying that after the Holy Spirit has come into us, He never leaves. Their teaching regarding the seal of the Holy Spirit was very strong. They said, “Once the seal has been put on you, it cannot be taken away, no matter what you do.” I agree with the teaching that the Spirit will never leave us. In this matter the Brethren were correct; however, they were too doctrinal.
印记带著神的形像
THE SEAL BEARING THE IMAGE OF GOD
4每一个印记都有一个形像。如果印是四方的，那么形像也是四方的。圣灵作神在我们身上的印记，乃是带著神的形像。这含示圣灵的印记就是神的彰显。当你身上带著圣灵作神的印记时，你就带著神的形像和神的彰显。当我头一次在倪弟兄的书上读到这一点时，我非常快乐。我有印记，指明神拥有我这个人；不仅如此，我有这个印记，就有神的形像。然而那个快乐没有维持多久。经过一段短时期后，我发现我并非实际的有神的形像。不错，圣灵的印记是在我身上，但是我却没有形像。印记是印记，我还是我。我有印记在身上，但是我没有过著印记的生活。
4Every seal has an image. If the seal is square, then the image is also square. The Spirit as the seal of God upon us bears the image of God. This implies that the seal of the Holy Spirit is the expression of God. When you bear the Holy Spirit as the seal of God upon you, you bear the image of God and the expression of God. When I first read about this in a book by Brother Nee, I was very happy. Not only did I have the seal indicating that God was my owner, but along with this seal I had the image of God. That happiness, however, did not last very long. After a short while, I discovered that I did not actually have the image of God. Yes, the seal of the Spirit was upon me, but I did not have the image. The seal was one thing and I was another. I had the seal upon me, but I did not live a life of the seal
5每当我们认识某些真理或道理，却没有经历时，我们至终必定会因为缺少经历而感觉困扰。道理也许非常好，但我们对这道理的经历可能很少。这就叫我们困惑了，因为圣经说的是一回事，而我们的经历却是另一回事；我们所是的和圣经所说的对不起来。圣经说我们已经受了圣灵为印记，这意思是说，我们带著神的形像和彰显。然而照我们的经历，我们好像没有印记或形像。我不愿受欺骗。当圣经说的是一回事，而我的日常生活又是另一回事时，我就感到困扰。后来，我发现了一章十三至十四节里印记这件事的秘诀。
5Whenever we come to know a certain truth or doctrine apart from experience, we shall eventually be troubled by our lack of experience. The doctrine may be very good, but we may have very little experience of it. This causes us to be puzzled, for the Bible says one thing and our experience says another. What we are simply does not correspond with what the Bible says. The Bible says that we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. This means that we bear the image, the expression, of God. However, according to our experience, it seems that we do not have the seal or the image. I do not want to be deceived. I am troubled whenever the Bible says one thing and my daily life says another. Later I found the secret in the matter of the seal in 1:13 and 14
受印记直到得赎的日子
SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION
6十三至十四节说，『你们既听了真理的话，就是那叫你们得救的福音，也在祂里面信了，就在祂里面受了所应许的圣灵为印记；这圣灵是我们得基业的凭质，为使神所买的产业得赎，使祂的荣耀得著称赞。』十四节的『为使』含意重大。我们已经受了圣灵为印记，为使神所买的产业得赎。我们是神所买的产业，而所买的产业得赎，就是我们的身体得赎，改变形状。藉此我们看见，圣灵的印记是为著我们身体的得赎。我们受了圣灵为印记，是为著这个得赎。有一种英文译本这样繙译：『你们受了那为著（你们）得赎所赐的圣灵为印记。』这是一个更强的说法。圣灵的印涂不是一次永远的事；相反的，这印涂仍然在进行中。印记是在我们信的时候就放在我们里面的，但印涂是从那时一直进行到现在。圣灵是印记，也正在印涂。祂仍然在我们身上印涂。我们已受了印记，现今仍然在接受印涂。我们很多人能从经历中见证，我们信了主耶稣，就知道我们在灵里已经受了印记；但在我们的心思、情感和意志里还没有盖印。在我们相信主耶稣时，那灵进到我们灵里，就在那里印了我们。因这缘故，圣经说我们受了印记。然而，并非我们全人的每一部分都受了印记，只是一部分─我们的灵─受了印记。我们得救之后经过一段长时间，我们的心思、情感、意志一直没有受印涂。但以弗所一章说，我们受印记是为著得赎。我们已指出，『为使』这辞的意思表示『结果』或『为著』。所以，在我们灵里的印涂是为著我们身体的得赎，这含示印涂乃是在我们里面扩展，从我们的灵开始，扩展到我们的心思、情感和意志。因为印涂正扩展到我们的心思里，所以新约说到心思的更新。（罗十二2。）心思的更新就是圣灵的印涂扩展到我们的心思里。圣灵的印涂必须浸透我们的心思。
6These verses say, “In Whom you also, hearing the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, in Whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise, Who is the pledge of our inheritance, unto the redemption of the acquired possession to the praise of His glory.” The word “unto” in verse 14 means a great deal. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the redemption of the acquired possession. We are God’s acquired possession, and the redemption of the acquired possession is the redemption, the transfiguration, of our body. By this we see that the seal of the Holy Spirit is for the redemption of our body. We were sealed with the Holy Spirit with a view to this redemption. One translation says, “You were sealed with the Holy Spirit given to the redemption.” This is an even stronger expression. The seal of the Spirit is not a once-for-all matter. Rather, the sealing is still taking place. The seal was put in us when we believed, but the sealing has been going on from that time until now. The Holy Spirit is the seal and also the sealing. He is still sealing us. We were sealed and we are still being sealed. Many of us can testify from experience that when we believed in the Lord Jesus, we realized that we had been sealed in our spirit. However, in our mind, emotion, and will there was no sealing. At the time we believed in the Lord Jesus, the Spirit came in to our spirit and sealed us there. For this reason the Bible says that we were sealed. However, not every part of our being was sealed, but just one part, our spirit. For a long time after we were saved, there continued to be no sealing in our mind, emotion, or will. But Ephesians 1 says that we were sealed unto redemption. We have pointed out that the word “unto” means “resulting in” or “with a view to.” Therefore, the sealing in our spirit is with a view to the redemption of our body. This implies that the sealing is spreading within us. It begins in our spirit and it is spreading into our mind, emotion, and will. Because the sealing is spreading into our mind, the New Testament speaks about the renewing of the mind (Rom. 12:2). The renewing of the mind is the spreading of the sealing of the Spirit into our mind. The sealing of the Spirit must saturate our mind.
一个持续的过程
A CONTINUING PROCESS
7很少基督徒看见，印涂是仍在继续进行的；印涂不是一次永远的。毫无疑问，圣灵进到我们里面是一次永远的，但圣灵的印涂是一个持续的过程。在这件事上，我们不仅要顾到道理，也要顾到经历。你要核对你的经历，是不是和道理相符合。
7Not many Christians have seen that the sealing is still going on, that it is not once for all. No doubt, the Spirit comes into us once for all, but the sealing of the Spirit is a continuing process. In this matter we should care not merely for doctrine, but also for experience. Check to see whether your experience corresponds with the doctrine.
8我们重生时，圣灵的印记就放到我们灵里，印涂就在我们里面开始，为使我们的身体得赎。这指明有一天我们的身体也要被圣灵印涂，我们的身体要被圣灵浸透。我们已经看见，圣灵的印记带著神的形像。当我们悔改、认罪、并在我们的灵里祷告时，我们就有神的形像。这时候，别人在我们身上可以看见神的形像。但是我们若开始和别人争辩教训，那就显明我们的心思没有带著神的形像。当我们在灵里祷告时，我们带著神的形像；但是当我们在心思里争辩时，这形像就没有了。那时，我们的心思没有带著任何出于圣灵的东西。不仅如此，在争辩道理时你可能会动怒；而你的情感里，没有一点神的形像。这指明圣灵的印涂还没有扩展到你的情感里。末了，你可能因著道理的教训恼恨一位弟兄，决定不再和他交通。你和他隔绝，因为依你的看法，他教导的道理不对。你运用你刚硬的意志，停止和这位弟兄交通。但在你的意志里，没有圣灵印涂的证据。所以，在你整个魂─心思、情感、意志─里，都没有神形像的痕迹。虽然在你的灵里有圣灵的印涂，但是在你的魂里却没有印涂。圣灵的印涂不容易扩展到我们麻烦的心思里，更难扩展到我们顽梗的意志里。在许多信徒身上，圣灵的印涂要进到心思、情感和意志里，需要花很长一段时间的挣扎。你想想看你的经历，就会看见多年来在这事上常有挣扎。圣灵的印涂一直挣扎著要进到我们的心思、情感和意志里。甚至在今天我们还必须承认，可能我们的魂仍然没有完全被浸透。即使我们的魂被浸透了，我们的身体也还没有受印记，因为其上没有神显出的记号，也没有神形像的彰显。然而，圣灵的印涂仍在进行，并且要一直进行，直到我们的身体得赎。
8At the time of regeneration, the seal of the Spirit was put into our spirit, and the sealing began within us, with a view to the redemption of our body. This indicates that one day even our body will be sealed with the Spirit. Our body will be saturated with the Holy Spirit. We have seen that the seal of the Spirit bears the image of God. When we repent, confess, and pray in our spirit, we bear the image of God. At such times others can see God’sim age upon us. But if we begin to argue with others over teachings, it will become apparent that our mind does not bear the image of God. When we pray in the spirit, we bear the image, but when we argue in the mind, we do not. At that time our mind does not bear any thing of the Spirit. Furthermore, in arguing over doctrine you may become angry, but there is nothing of the image of God in your emotion. This indicates that the sealing of the Spirit has not yet spread into your emotion. Eventually, you may become so angry with a brother over doctrine that you decide to no longer fellowship with him. You cut him off because, in your opinion, the doctrine he teaches is wrong. You exercise your strong will to terminate the fellowship with this brother. But in your will there is no evidence of the sealing of the Spirit. There fore, in your whole soul — mind, emotion, and will — there is not race of God’s image. Although you have the sealing of the Spirit in your spirit, you do not have the sealing in your soul. It is difficult for the sealing of the Holy Spirit to spread into our troublesome mind. It is even more difficult for it to spread into our stubborn will. With many believers, the struggle of the sealing of the Spirit to get into the mind, emotion, and will lasts a long time. If you consider your experience, you will see that for years there has been a struggle over this matter. The sealing of the Holy Spirit has been struggling to get into your mind, emotion, and will. Even today we must admit that probably our soul still has not been thoroughly saturated. Even i four soul has been saturated, our body has not yet been sealed, for on it there is no sign of God’s appearance, nor any expression of His image. Nevertheless, the sealing of the Holy Spirit is still going on and it will continue to go on until the redemption of our body.
浸透、圣别、变化
SATURATING, SANCTIFYING, TRANSFORMING
9圣灵的印涂就是浸透，而浸透就是圣别。那里有印涂的浸透，那里就有圣别。不仅如此，圣别就是变化。因此，圣灵的印涂达到那里，那里就有圣别和变化。例如，我们的心思受了圣灵为印记，就圣别并变化了。印涂、圣别和变化，这几个不同的辞，都是指同样的事。当我们的魂彻底且完全为圣灵所印涂，我们的魂就会圣别且变化；有一天连我们的身体也要为圣灵所印涂，那时我们的身体也要成为圣别。我们的身体现今还没有成为圣别，那就是说，还没有改变形状。但是在得赎那日，我们的身体要彻底的为圣灵所印涂，而成为圣别，并改变形状。
9The sealing of the Holy Spirit is the saturating, and the saturating is the sanctifying. Wherever the sealing saturates, there the sanctifying is. Furthermore, the sanctifying is the transforming. Thus, wherever the sealing of the Holy Spirit reaches, there is sanctification and transformation. For example, when our mind is sealed with the Spirit, it is sanctified and transformed. All the different terms—sealing, sanctifying, and transforming—denote the same thing. When our soul is thoroughly and fully sealed by the Holy Spirit, it will be sanctified and transformed. One day even our body will be sealed with the Spirit. At that time our body will also be sanctified. Our body has not yet been sanctified; that is, it has not yet been transfigured. But on the day of redemption, our body will have been thoroughly sealed with the Holy Spirit. It will be sanctified and transfigured.
印涂的扩展
the spreading of the sealing
10许多基督徒以为，只要我们是得救的，在主耶稣回来的时候我们就要被提；这是对圣经一个很肤浅的认识。被提表示成熟。农夫都是等到庄稼成熟之后才收割；若庄稼还是绿的，农夫就不会收割。我们是神的庄稼，所以，14收割的时候是根据成熟的程度。我们从一章十三至十四节看见，我们已受了圣灵为印记，为使神所买的产业得赎。圣灵在我们灵里的印涂，是为著我们身体的得赎。我们身体的得赎，是根据圣灵的印涂扩展到我们的全人。当这扩展完成时，我们身体得赎的时候就可决定了。我们不该认为圣灵的印涂是一次永远的事。不，圣灵的印涂乃是一直在我们里面进行，扩展到我们的全人。圣灵正在我们里面运行，而祂的运行就是祂的印涂、圣别和变化。我们的身体甚么时候改变形状，乃在于我们里面有多少圣灵的印涂。圣灵的印涂与我们身体的得赎大有关系。这含示圣灵的印涂仍在进行，并且天天浸透我们的心思、情感和意志。小孩子从小学毕业后，还不能上大学；在上大学之前，他必须先进初中，再进高中。照样，我们在灵里受了圣灵为印记之后，还未准备好叫我们的身体得赎；反而我们需要在心思、情感和意志里受印记。在许多的事上，我们还需要为圣灵所印涂。
10Many Christians think that, as long as we are saved, we shall be raptured when the Lord Jesus comes back. This is a very superficial understanding of the Bible. Rapture denotes maturity. No farmer reaps a crop until it reaches maturity. If a crop is still green, the farmer will not reap it. We are God’s crop. Therefore, the time of reaping depends upon maturity. We have seen from 1:13 and that we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the redemption of the acquired possession. The sealing of the Holy Spirit in our spirit is with a view to the redemption of our body. The redemption of our body depends upon the spreading of the sealing of the Holy Spirit into our whole being. When this has taken place, a decision can be made concerning the time of the redemption of our body. The sealing of the Spirit should not be considered something that is once for all. No, it continues to go on in us, spreading throughout our being. The Holy Spirit is moving within us, and His moving is His sealing, sanctifying, and transforming. When will our body be transfigured? This depends upon how much sealing of the Holy Spirit has been taking place within us. The sealing of the Holy Spirit has a great deal to do with the redemption of the body. This implies that the sealing of the Holy Spirit is still taking place, that it is daily saturating our mind, emotion, and will. After a child graduates from elementary school, he is not ready for college. Before he can go to college, he must go to junior high school and then to high school. Likewise, after we are sealed with the Holy Spirit in our spirit, we are not yet ready for the redemption of our body. On the contrary, we need to be sealed in our mind, emotion, and will. In so many things, we still need to be sealed by the Spirit.
11我们已经指出，圣灵的印涂就是圣灵在我们里面的运行。我们里面有一个活的印记，一直在运行著。圣灵印涂了我们的一部分之后，祂盼望也印涂另一部分，然后再印涂另一部分。祂想要印涂我们全人的每一部分。印涂的扩展要一直进行，直到这事完成。
11We have pointed out that the sealing of the Spirit is the moving of the Spirit within us. We have a living seal in us; it is constantly moving. After the Spirit seals one part of us, He desires to seal another part and then another. He wants to seal every part of our being. Until this is completed, the spreading of the sealing will continue
12我相当确定，你从来没有听过圣灵的印涂仍在进行。但这个事实含示于一章十四节的『为使』这个辞里。我们已经受了圣灵为印记，为使神所买的产业得赎。这个印涂将继续进行，直到得赎的日子。不要把这事只当作教训，要应用到你的情形里。你今天是否在圣灵的印涂之下？印涂是否仍在你里面进行？我们需要有把握，圣灵的印涂正在我们这人里面扩展。当我们全人受了印记之后，我们就豫备好，使我们的身体可以得赎。
12I am quite certain that you have never heard that the sealing of the Spirit is still going on. But this fact is implied by the word “unto” in 1:14. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the redemption of the acquired possession. This sealing will continue unto the day of redemption. Do not take this merely as a doctrine, but apply it to your situation. Are you under the Spirit’s sealing today? Is it still going on within you? We need to have the assurance that the sealing of the Spirit is spreading in our being. When our whole being has been sealed, we shall be ready for the redemption of the body