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以弗所书生命读经 · 第20篇

死在过犯并罪之中

DEAD IN OFFENSES AND SINS
1本篇信息我们来到以弗所二章。我们已经看见，第一章里没有题到神的怜悯，因为那里每一件事都是美好的。但是第二章描述一个可悲的光景，一个需要神丰富怜悯的光景。在本篇信息中，我们要说到第二章的头三节。事实上，以弗所二章主要的不是说到堕落之人可怜的光景，乃是说到召会的产生与建造。在第一章末了，我们看见作基督身体的召会，是从升天之基督的传输所产生的。这是从积极的观点、从上头来看召会。然而我们必须不仅从上头来看，也从低处来看。保罗在第一章是从诸天界里来看召会。从这个角度来看，召会是升天之基督传输的结果。但是在第二章，保罗是从低处来看召会，从堕落人类悲惨光景的角度来看召会。
1In this message we come to chapter two of Ephesians. We have seen that there is no mention of God’s mercy in chapter one because everything there is excellent. But chapter two describes a miserable situation, a situation that requires the rich mercy of God. In this message we shall be concerned with the first three verses of chapter two. Actually, Ephesians 2 is not mainly concerned with the pitiful situation of fallen man, but with the producing and building of the church. At the end of chapter one, we see the church as the Body of Christ being produced out of the transmission of the ascended Christ. This is the church seen from the positive view, the view from the top. But we must see not only the view from the top, but also the view from the bottom. In chapter one Paul looks at the church from the viewpoint of the heavenlies. From this perspective, the church is the issue of the transmission of the ascended Christ. But in chapter two Paul looks at the church from the bottom, the church from the viewpoint of the miserable situation of fallen man
壹 第一章的继续
I. A CONTINUATION OF CHAPTER ONE
2以弗所二章一节说，『而你们原是死在过犯并罪之中。』按著文法，『而』字指明，一章末句还未写完。一章末节启示，基督藉著祂所达到的，产生了召会，祂的身体。现在，第二章向我们揭示，召会产生的背景，就是死的境界。使徒保罗在第一章说了许多美好的事物。他说召会是藉著升天之基督奇妙的传输产生的。在第一章里，保罗说到基督和那在基督身上所运行的能力，使祂从死人中复活，叫祂坐在诸天界里，远超过一切，将万有服在祂的脚下，并使祂向著召会作万有的头；召会是祂的身体，是那在万有中充满万有者的丰满。但是正如我们所指出的，召会还有另一面；有基督的一面，也有我们的一面，所以保罗在二章一节就说『而你们』。召会不仅有神性的一面，也有人性的一面。在一章我们看见，召会是属天的神性传输到我们里面的结果；在二章我们看见，召会是出自属地的人性。二章一节开头的连接词『而』很有意义，这字把召会的这两面连接起来。
2Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you, being dead in your offenses and sins.” According to grammar, “and” indicates that the last sentence of chapter one is not completed. The last verse of chapter one reveals that the church, the Body of Christ, has been produced by Christ through His attainment. Now chapter two unveils the background, the realm of death, from which the church has been brought forth. In chapter one the Apostle Paul speaks many excellent things. He says that the church comes into being through the wonderful transmission of the ascended Christ. In chapter one Paul talks about Christ and the power that operated in Christ in raising Him from the dead, in seating Him in the heavenlies far above all, in subjecting all things under His fe et, and in giving Him to be the Head overall things to the church, which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all. But as we have pointed out, there is another side to the church. There is the side of Christ, and there is also the side of ourselves. Therefore, in 2:1 Paul says, “And you.” The church has not only the aspect of divinity, but also the aspect of humanity. In chapter one we see that the church is the issue of divinity transmitted into us. In chapter two we see that the church comes out of humanity. The conjunction “and” at the beginning of 2:1 is significant in bringing together these two aspects of the church.
贰 死在过犯并罪之中
II. DEAD IN OFFENSES AND SINS
一 在属灵上死了
A. Dead Spiritually
3二章一节说，我们原是死在过犯并罪之中。『死』是指我们灵的死，这死遍布我们全人。我们不仅是堕落、犯罪的，我们也是死的。一九四七年新年，我在上海传福音时对人说，『朋友们，我们传道人必须诚实的把人真实的光景告诉人。你们不仅是罪人，你们都是死人。你们都在棺材和坟墓里。你们可能自认为是有教养的绅士淑女，但实际上你们是死的，是埋葬在坟墓里的。我告诉你们这事，是因为现在基督要使你们活过来，使你们从棺材中出来。』这是传福音的一个好方法。罗马书是对付罪人，所以该书不强调堕落之人是死的这事实。罗马书所强调的，乃是罪行与罪；但以弗所书所强调的是死，是对付死人。罗马书所启示的救恩是根据义的救恩。按照罗马一章十六和十七节，神的福音是有大能的，能使人得救，因为神的义显示在其中。在罗马书里，神是凭著、藉著、并用祂的义拯救我们。然而在以弗所书中，神是用生命来拯救死人。义对死人没有用处；他们所需要的是生命。许多基督徒不清楚藉著义得救与藉著生命得救的不同。故此，他们用以弗所书说明藉著义的救恩。我们是罪人和死人，需要义，也需要生命；我们需要罗马书中的救恩，也需要以弗所书中的救恩。
3Verse 1 says that we were dead in our offenses and sins. The words “being dead” refer to the dead condition of our spirit, a death that pervades our entire being. We were not only fallen and sinful; we were dead. As I was preaching the gospel in Shanghai on New Year’s Day in 1947, I said to the people, “Friends, we Christian preachers must be honest and tell people what their real situation is. You are not only sinners—all of you are dead. You are all in a coffin and in a tomb. You may regard yourselves as cultured ladies and gentlemen, but actually you are dead and buried in a tomb. I tell you this because now Christ wants to make you alive and raise you up out of your coffin.” This is a good way to preach the gospel. Because the book of Romans deals with sinners, it does not emphasize the fact that fallen people are dead. Instead, the emphasis in Romans is upon sins and sin. But the emphasis in the book of Ephesians is on death, on dealing with dead people. The salvation revealed in Romans is salvation according to righteousness. According to Romans 1:16 and 17, the gospel of God is powerful unto salvation because God’s righteousness is revealed in it. In Romans God saves us by, through, and with His righteousness. In Ephesians, however, God saves the dead with life. Righteousness does not benefit the dead ones. What they need is life. Many Christians are not clear about the difference between salvation through righteousness and salvation through life. For this reason, they use Ephesians to illustrate salvation through righteousness. As sinners and dead people, we needed both righteousness and life, both the salvation in Romans and the salvation in Ephesians
二 丧失那使我们能接触神的功能
B. Having Lost the Function That Enables Us to Contact God
4我们因著死在过犯并罪之中，就丧失那使我们能接触神的功能。属灵的死废掉了我们灵的功能。无论我们的身体或魂多活跃，我们的灵是死的，无法接触神。
4By being dead in offenses and sins, we lost the function that enables us to contact God. Spiritual death has annulled the function of our spirit. No matter how active we were in our body and soul, we were deadened in our spirit, unable to contact God
三 在过犯并罪之中
C. In Offenses and Sins
5一节说，我们是死在过犯并罪之中。过犯是越过权利限度的行为，罪是邪恶的作为。我们在得救以前，乃是死在这样的过犯并罪之中。我们是从这死的背景中，得救成为召会─基督的身体。死人已经活过来，成了活的生机体以彰显基督。
5Verse 1 says that we were dead in our offenses and sins. Offenses are acts that overstep the limit of right, and sins are evil doings. It was from such a background of death in our offenses and sins that we were saved to be the church, the Body. The dead have been made alive to be a living organism to express Christ.
6我们需要再说一些关于过犯的事。你赛跑时必须留在线内，超出线外就是犯规。你在线内就有权赛跑，但是你若跑出线外，你就越过了你的权利，那就是过犯。多年前，我受一位弟兄的帮助，他一直学习生命的功课。有一天他见证说，他蒙神光照之后，知道如果敲某人的门，无人回答，他就没有权利进那房间，否则就是越过了他的权利。我非常受这见证的帮助。以后每当我到别人家里拜访时，我约束自己留在别人请我坐的房间里，我不敢擅自在这房子的其他部分走动；那样作就是越过我的权利，而有了过犯。然而有的人走遍别人的屋子，甚至查看各样东西，却一点感觉也没有。他们虽然称义自己的行为，但在神眼中他们越过了他们的权利。
6We need to say a further word about offenses. In running a race you must stay within the lines. To go outside the lines is to commit an offense. You have the right to run within the lines, but if you run outside the lines, you overstep your rights. Years ago, I was helped by a certain brother who had been learning the lessons of life. One day he testified that, after having been enlightened by God, he realized that if he knocked at someone’s door and no one answered, he had no right to enter the room. To do so would be to overstep his rights. I was greatly helped by this testimony. Thereafter, whenever I visited someone’sho me, I limited myself to the room in which I had been asked to be seated. I did not presume to walk around in other parts of the house. To do that would be to overstep my rights and commit an offense. Others, however, may think nothing of walking through someone’sho me and even of examining the various things there. Although they may justify their behavior, in the eyes of God they are overstepping their rights
7比方聚会后一位弟兄把诗歌本留在椅子上，你想你有权利处理么？不！你没有这个权利，除非你是负责整洁会所或收拾遗失物品。但是即使你有责任收拾会所里的东西，这并不表示你有权利翻阅弟兄的诗歌本。在神眼中，我们多次越过了我们的权利。因此，我们是那些死在过犯中的人。不仅如此，我们也死在罪中，死在诸如说谎、偷窃等罪行之中。
7Suppose after the meeting a brother leaves his hymnal on a chair. Do you think you have the right to handle it? No, you do not have this right, unless you are responsible to clean the hall or to collect lost items for lost and found. Even if you do have the responsibility to pick up items in the meeting hall, this does not mean that you have the right to look through the brother’s hymnal. In the eyes of God, we have overstepped our rights many times. Hence, we were those dead in our offenses. Furthermore, we were also dead in sins, in evil doings such as lying and stealing
参 随著这世界的世代而行
III. Walking According to the Age of This World
8论到我们的过犯和罪，二节说，『那时，你们在其中行事为人，随著这世界的世代。』这世界，指由许多世代所组成的撒但系统。因此，这里的『世代』是指撒但系统的部分、片段、方面、以及现今时髦的表现，为撒但所利用，篡夺并霸占人，使人远离神和神的定旨。当我们死在过犯并罪之中，我们的行事为人乃是随著这世界的世代，时髦的表现，现今的潮流，就是撒但的系统。
8Referring to our offenses and sins, verse 2 says, “In which you once walked according to the age of this world.” “This world” refers to the satanic system composed of many ages. The word “age” here refers to a part, a section, an aspect, of the system of Satan, particularly the present and modern appearance of that system, which is used by him to usurp and occupy people and keep them away from God and His purpose. When we were dead in offenses and sins, we walked according to the age, the modern appearance, the present course, of the world, the satanic system
9当我们死在过犯并罪之中时，我们在世界、在撒但国度的范围里，却非常活跃。『世界』这辞，原文是cosmos，科斯莫斯，意思是系统。这不是神的系统，也不是人的系统，乃是撒但的系统。这个系统，世界，是由许多世代所组成的；每一个世代都是撒但系统的片段。每一个世代也是一种风尚。故此，钦定英文译本采用『这世界的风尚』这个繙译。每一个世代有一种样子和表现。在亚伯拉罕时的世界是一种表现，在大卫时是一种表现，在保罗时又是另一种表现。今天的世界也有其时髦的表现。不仅如此，这世界的世代也有其潮流。从前我们是随著今世的潮流而行。当人跟随世代的潮流时，这就很强的表示他们是死的，他们是在世代潮流中随波逐流的行尸走肉。
9All the time that we were dead in offenses and sins, we were very active in the world, in the realm of the satanic kingdom. The Greek word translated “world,” cosmos, means a system. This is neither a divine nor a human system; rather, it is a satanic system. This system, the world, is composed of many ages, each of which is a section of the satanic system. Every age is also a course. For this reason, the King James Version adopts the rendering “the course of this world.” Every age has a certain style and appearance. The world appeared to Abraham in one way, to David in another way, and to Paul in still another way. Today the world also has its modern appearance. Furthermore, the age of the world has a tide with a current. Once we walked according to the current of the present age. When people follow the trend of the age, this is a strong sign that they are dead, that they are corpses carried along by the current of the age.
10一九三七年我在中国内地游历，看到一个很好的例子。有一天我经过一条从坡上流下来的小溪，溪中满了随波而流的枯叶，在这些叶子中却有小鱼逆流而上。因为鱼满有生命，所以能逆流而上；但是叶子没有生命，只能随波漂流。枯叶没有生命，无法抵挡水流，不能逆流而上。凡是随著今世潮流的人，都是死的。这世代的潮流能带走这么多人，乃因他们都是死的。在世界各地，每一个国家，人们都是死的。所以，每当世代的潮流进来时，他们立刻就被卷走了。我们从前也是死的，并且被这世代的潮流冲去；但是现今我们已经活过来，潮流不再能影响我们。
10I saw an excellent illustration of this when I was traveling through the interior of China in 1937. One day I passed by a creek which flowed down the slope of a hill. The creek was full of dead leaves that were being swept along with the current. Among the leaves some little fish were swimming upstream against the current. Because the fish were full of life, they could swim against the current; but because the leaves were lifeless, they could only be carried away by the current. They did not have the life to withstand the current and go against it. As long as anyone follows the present current of the world, he is dead. The reason the current of the age can carry so many people along with it is that they all are dead. Throughout the world, in every country, the people are dead. Therefore, whenever the tide of the age comes in, they are swept along by it immediately. Once we also were dead and carried away by the tide of the age, but now that we have been made alive, the current cannot move us
肆 顺著空中
IV. WALKING ACCORDING TO THE RULER
掌权者的首领而行
OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE AIR
11当我们死在自己的过犯并罪之中，我们不仅积极的跟随这世界的世代，我们的行事为人也顺著『空中掌权者的首领，就是那现今在悖逆之子里面运行之灵的首领』。这里的首领指撒但，就是六章十二节所说，那些空中执政者、掌权者的首领。『灵』与『空中掌权者』是同位语，指集体的权势，就是一切邪恶天使权势的集合，由撒但为其首领。这集合的灵，现今正在悖逆之子里面运行。我们从前也是悖逆之子，但如今已经得救成为召会。
11When we were dead in our offenses and sins, we were not only active in following the age of this world; we also walked “according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience.” The ruler here refers to Satan, the prince of the aerial authority mentioned in 6:12. The spirit, in apposition with “the authority of the air,” refers to the aggregate power, a personal aggregate of all the evil angelic authorities, over which Satan is the ruler. This aggregate spirit is now operating in the sons of disobedience. But we, who once were sons of disobedience, have been saved to be the church
12在我们上面有空中掌权者的首领─撒但所管辖的范围。没有多少基督徒充分的认识这个空中的邪恶权势。全地都在这空中之灵的权势之下。这个邪灵，这种邪恶的空中权势，乃是犯罪、谋杀、甚至自杀的原因，驱使人作人平常所不会作的恶事。这邪恶的源头是在于那管辖他们的灵，就是空中的权势。这灵现今乃是在悖逆之子，在那些悖逆神的人里面运行。
12Above us there is the sphere ruled by Satan, the ruler of the authority of the air. Not many Christians have an adequate understanding of this evil power in the air. The entire earth is under the domination of this spirit in the air. This evil spirit, this evil atmosphere, is the cause of crimes, murders, and even suicides. It influences people to do evil things which, as humans, they would not normally do. The source of this evil is in the spirit, the atmosphere, which dominates them. This spirit is now operating in the sons of disobedience, in those who are disobedient to God.
13伍在我们肉体的私欲里行事为人我们看过两个范围─世界的范围和空中掌权者的范围。当我们死在自己的过犯并罪之中时，我们在这两个范围中却很活跃。现在我们需要来看第三个范围─我们肉体私欲的范围。三节说，『我们众人从前也都在他们中间，在我们肉体的私欲里，行事为人，行肉体和思念所意欲的，生来就是可怒的儿女，和其余的人一样。』这节里的『他们』是指悖逆之子，『我们』是指所有的信徒，包括犹太人和外邦人。我们死在过犯和罪之中时，也是在我们肉体的私欲里行事为人，行肉体和思念所意欲的。有三样邪恶的东西管辖我们的生活：在我们外面，有这世界的世代；在我们上面和里面，有空中掌权者的首领；在我们堕落的性情里，有肉体的私欲。我们已蒙拯救，脱离这些邪恶的东西，成了基督的身体。我们得救以前，都是在肉体的私欲里行事为人，行肉体和思念所意欲的。三节里的『意欲』，指我们的爱好。已往我们爱作甚么，就作甚么。我们爱跳舞，就去跳舞；爱看球赛，就去看球赛；爱逛街，就去逛街。今天年轻的一代，恐怕比历史上任何一代，更随心所欲。你若问青年人为甚么要作某些事，他们很多人会回答说，因为他们喜欢作。这是一个死人的明证。今天许多年轻人为所欲为，如同车子没有刹车一样，这是何等危险！
13V. BEHAVING IN THE LUSTS OF OUR FLESH We have considered two of the realms in which we were active when we were dead in our offenses and sins—the realm of the world and the realm of the aerial authority. Now we need to consider the third realm—the realm of the lusts of our flesh. Verse 3 says, “Among whom also we all behaved ourselves once in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” The word “whom” in this verse refers to the sons of disobedience, and the word “we” refers to all believers, both Jewish and Gentile. When we were dead in our offenses and sins, we also behaved according to the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires not only of the flesh but also of the thoughts. Three evil things, the age of this world outside of us, the ruler of the aerial authority above and within us, and the lusts of our flesh in our fallen nature, dominated our life. From these evil things we have been saved to become the Body of Christ. Before we were saved, we all behaved ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing whatever the flesh and the thoughts liked to do. The word “desires” in verse 3 refers to our likes. In the past, we did certain things simply because we liked to do them. If we liked to go dancing, we went dancing. If we liked to attend sporting events, we attended them. If we liked window shopping, we went window shopping. Today’s young generation, probably more than any generation in history, does whatever it likes. If you ask the young people why they do certain things, many of them would answer that they simply like to do them. This is a sure sign of a dead person. In doing whatever they like, many of today’s young people are like cars without brakes. How dangerous this is
14在三节里，肉体所意欲的是指邪恶的事；思念所意欲的是指一些也许比较好的事。但两者都是灵（特别是良心）死了的记号。当一个人灵里死了，他就行肉体和思念所意欲的事。
14The likes of the flesh in verse 3 refer to evil things, and the likes of the thoughts refer to things that may be somewhat better. But both are a sign of being deadened in the spirit, especially in the conscience. When someone is deadened in his spirit, he does whatever his flesh and his thoughts like to do
陆 生来就是可怒的儿女
VI. BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH
15保罗在三节说，我们『生来就是可怒的儿女，和其余的人一样』。我们原是悖逆之子，也是可怒的儿女。因著悖逆，我们在死的范围里，原在神的忿怒之下。然而我们已经蒙拯救，脱离了悖逆和神的忿怒。
15In verse 3 Paul says that we were “by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” We, as the sons of disobedience, were also the children of wrath. In the realm of death we were under God’s wrath because of our disobedience. But we have been saved both from our disobedience and from God’s wrath
柒 得救成为基督的身体
VII. SAVED TO BE THE BODY OF CHRIST
16我们已经看见，我们曾在其中活跃的三个范围：世界的世代，环绕居人之地邪恶的空中权势，以及肉体的私欲（包括肉体和思念所意欲的）。世界是在我们外面，私欲是在我们里面，而邪恶的属灵空中权势是在我们上面，也在我们里面。要叫死人逃脱这三个范围，是不可能的。所有的人生来都是悖逆之子和可怒的儿女，落在神的审判之下。当我们死在过犯并罪之中时，我们的光景也是这样。赞美主，召会是从这个死的范围中产生出来的！我们已经得救成为基督的身体；现今我们不再在这三个范围里，乃是在基督里，在那灵里，并且在诸天界里。
16We have seen three realms in which we once were active: the age of the world, the evil atmosphere around the inhabited earth, and the lusts of our flesh, including the desires of the flesh and of the mind. The world is outside of us, the lusts are within us, and the evil spiritual atmosphere is both above us and within us. It is impossible for dead people to escape from these three realms. By nature, all men are sons of disobedience and children of wrath, under God’s judgment. When we were dead in offenses and sins, this was our condition as well. Praise the Lord that the church has been brought forth from such a realm of death! We have been saved to become the Body of Christ. Now we are no longer in these three realms; instead, we are in Christ, in the Spirit, and in the heavenlies
17以弗所二章一至三节把我们照著堕落天性而有的光景，清楚的描绘出来。当我们在那光景中时，我们虽是死在过犯并罪之中，却在这世界的世代里，在空中掌权者的管辖之下，并在肉体和思念所意欲的事上，非常活跃。这就是那黑暗的背景，衬托出我们所看见的召会。召会是从这样悲惨的源头产生出来的。阿利路亚！虽然我们原是死在这样可怜的光景里，我们却蒙了拯救成为基督的身体。这是何等的救恩！
17Ephesians 2:1-3 gives a clear description of our condition according to our fallen nature. When we were in that condition, we were dead in offenses and sins, yet very active in the age of the world, under the domination of the atmosphere of the air, and in the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts. This is the black background over against which we see the church. The church has been brought forth out of such a miserable source. Hallelujah, although we were dead and in such a deplorable condition, we have been saved to become the Body of Christ! What a salvation