以弗所书生命读经 · 第22篇

从前远离如今亲近

ONCE FAR OFF, BUT NOW NEAR

1以弗所二章一至三节给我们一幅我们本性11光景的图画。在本篇信息中我们要看见，十一至十二节是描绘我们根据我们的身分而有的地位。由于我们犯罪的性情，我们原是在死的光景里；根据我们的身分，我们原是远离神、基督、神的国度、神的祝福、神的应许、和一切与神有关的事物。

1Ephesians 2:1-3 gives us a picture of our condition by nature. In this message we need to see that verses and 12 port ray our position according to our status. Because of our sinful nature, we were in a condition of death; according to our status, we were far off from God, Christ, God’skin gdom, God’s blessings, God’s promise, and everything related to God.

壹在肉身上是外邦人

I. THE NATIONS IN THE FLESH

2关于我们身分的第一点，我们在肉身上原是外邦人。（11。）按照我们的身分，我们在肉身上是外邦人。神所创造要成就祂定旨的人，原是纯洁的，没有罪或任何消极的搀杂。然而，因著人的堕落，撒但邪恶的性情，罪，进到人里面，首先使人的身体成为肉体，满了情欲，至终使整个人成了肉体。认真的说，神所造的是人的身体，不是肉体。但是当罪进到人的身体里以后，身体的性质就改变，成了肉体。身体是神所造的纯洁器皿，肉体是败坏了的身体。神没有在人的身体里创造情欲，情欲是从罪来的。根据圣经，堕落的人至终全人都成了肉体。堕落的人是照著肉体而活，不是照著灵、良心或理性而活。因为在神的眼中堕落的人成了肉体，所以圣经说，『凡属肉体的人，都不能本于行律法在神面前得称义。』（罗三20。）这一节里的『肉体』一辞，是指照著肉体而活，且成了肉体的堕落之人。

2The first point concerning our status is that we were the nations in the flesh (v. 11). The Greek word translated “nations” also means “Gentiles.” Hence, according to our status, we were the Gentiles in the flesh. The man God created to fulfill His purpose was pure, without sin or any kind of negative mixture. However, sin, the evil nature of Satan, entered into man through the fall. When the evil nature of Satan entered into man, it firstly caused man’s body to become the flesh, full of lusts, and eventually caused the whole being of man to become the flesh. In a very real sense, God created only the body of man, not the flesh. But when sin came into man’s body, the body was changed in nature and became the flesh. The body was the pure vessel created by God; the flesh is the corrupted body. God did not create the lusts in man’s body. The lusts came from sin. According to the Bible, eventually fallen man in his entirety became the flesh. Fallen people live according to the flesh, not according to the spirit, the conscience, or reason. Because in the eyes of God fallen man has become flesh, the Bible says, “By the works of law no flesh shall be justified before Him” (Rom. 3:20). The word “flesh” in this verse denotes a fallen person who lives according to the flesh and has become flesh

3因为人整个成了肉体，人就受了破坏，无法成就神的定旨。既然人类全体不能成就祂的定旨，神就进来，从堕落的人类中呼召出一个族类─亚伯拉罕和他的子孙。神为了成就祂的定旨，吩咐他们受割礼，就是除掉他们的肉体。这意思是说，他们从堕落的人类中被分别出来，并从堕落的光景中被拯救出来。割礼使他们与其余的人截然不同。他们称为受割礼的人，就是从堕落光景中分别出来的人。其余的人类称为未受割礼的，就是留在堕落光景中的人。因为亚伯拉罕和他的子孙─蒙召的族类─是受割礼的，那些留在堕落光景中的人，就在肉身上成了外邦人。我们还未在基督里以前，就是属于这一类。

3Because his whole being had become the flesh, man was damaged and thus prevented from fulfilling God’s purpose. Since mankind as a whole could not fulfill His purpose, God came in to call out of fallen mankind a race —Ab ra ham and his descendants — for the accomplishment of His purpose. God then commanded Abraham and his descendants to be circumcised, that is, to put away the flesh. Thus, circumcision indicates that God’s chosen people must put aside their flesh. The fact that the called race was circumcised meant that they were separated from fallen mankind and delivered out of the fallen condition. Circumcision made a tremendous distinction between them and the rest of mankind. They are called the circumcision, those who are separated from the fallen situation. The rest of mankind are called the uncircumcision, those who remain in the fallen condition. Because Abraham and his descendants, the called race, were circumcised, those who remained in the fallen estate became the nations in the flesh, the Gentiles. We were in this category before we were in Christ.

贰称为未受割礼的

II. UNCIRCUMCISION

4十一节说，在肉身上的外邦人，『是那些凭人手所行，在肉身上称为受割礼之人，所称为未受割礼的。』这一节中『未受割礼』和『受割礼』都是指人，而不是指行动说的。受割礼的，是那些受了割礼的人；未受割礼的，是那些没有受过割礼的人。

4Verse 11 says that the nations in the flesh were “called uncircumcision by those who are called circumcision in the flesh made by hand.” The words “uncircumcision” and “circumcision” in this verse both apply to people; they do not refer to actions. The circumcision are those who are circumcised, and the uncircumcision are those who are not circumcised

参与基督无关

III. APART FROM CHRIST

5十二节说，『那时，你们在基督以外。』神给祂选民一切的福分，都具体的在基督里面，而基督是从以色列人，受割礼的人中间出来的。我们未受割礼的外邦人，既与以色列人分开，就在基督以外，与基督无分无关。肆和以色列国民隔绝十二节也说，我们是『和以色列国民隔绝』。『国民』在这里是指神选民的公民权，如神的治理、祝福、同在等。人类因著堕落，丧失了神在创造里定意给人的一切权利。神呼召亚伯拉罕，藉著割礼，将祂的选民带回到这一切的权利里。但我们未受割礼的外邦人，仍然和这些权利隔绝。

5Verse 12 says that we “were at that time apart from Christ.” Christ, in whom all God’s blessings to His chosen people are embodied, came out of Israel, the circumcised people. Since we, the uncircumcised Gentiles, were separated from Israel, we were apart from Christ, having nothing to do with Christ. IV. ALIENATED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL Verse 12 also says that we were “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel.” The “commonwealth” here refers to the citizenship, the civil rights, of God’s chosen people, including God’s ruling, blessing, and presence. Through the fall, mankind lost all the rights which God intended for man in his creation. By calling Abraham, God brought His chosen people back to all these rights through circumcision. But we, as uncircumcised Gentiles, still remained alienated from them

伍在所应许的诸约上是局外人

V. Strangers from the Covenants of the Promise

6根据十二节，我们也『在所应许的诸约上是局外人』。神的诸约就是祂的应许。祂的应许乃是祂的话，应许要白白的为祂的选民作一些事。这样应许的话不是命令、要求或责备。关于神应许的基本思想，乃是祂的应许就是祂的话。没有神的话，就没有神的应许。

6According to verse 12, we were also “strangers from the covenants of the promise.” God’s covenants are His promises. His promise is His word that He will freely do certain things for His chosen people. Such a word of promise is not a demand, a requirement, or a rebuke. The basic thought regarding God’s promise is that it is His word. Apart from the word, there is no promise

7最终，神的应许经过必需的手续，得著法定，就成了有束缚力的约。在新旧约里，神应许的话都已经法定成为有束缚力的约。你也许想知道使神的应许法定成为约，所必需的手续是甚么。最好的例子就是主耶稣的死，为叫我们的罪得赦免。主应许祂要在十字架上流血，使我们的罪得著赦免。藉著祂流了宝血，赦免的应许就得了法定；藉著这个手续，祂的应许就成了约。

7Eventually, God’s promise became the binding covenant because it had been legalized by the necessary procedures. Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament God’swords of promise have been legalized to become a binding covenant. You may wonder what procedure was necessary to legalize God’s promise into a covenant. The best illustration concerns the death of the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. The Lord promised that He would shed His blood on the cross so that we might receive the forgive ness of sins. The promise of forgiveness was legalized by the shedding of His blood. Through this procedure, His promise became a covenant.

8应许不像约那样束缚人。人可以应许而不太受他的应许所约束。然而，我们一旦付了代价，使那个应许成为约，我们就受了我们所立之约的束缚。所付的代价就是使应许成为约的必要手续。从亚伯拉罕到玛拉基，神对祂选民所说的一切话，都是祂的应许，并且已经法定为祂的约。这些话包括整本旧约，从创世记十二章到玛拉基书末了。因为这些话已经法定为神的约，所以旧约称为遗命，那是约的另一个说法。整本圣经乃是一个约，旧约就是旧的约。在我们相信基督以前，我们外邦人不仅和以色列国民隔绝，并且在神所应许的诸约上也是局外人。我们已经看见，神的应许就是神的话，而这应许已经成了有束缚力的约，并且神对祂子民所说的一切话，祂都已经法定为约了。我们得救以前，在神所应许的诸约上乃是局外人。

8No promise binds a person as much as a covenant does. Men can make promises without being bound very much by them. But once we pay the price for that promise to become a covenant, we are bound by the covenant we have made. The price is the procedure necessary to make the promise a covenant. All the words God spoke to His chosen people, from Abraham to Malachi, are His promises legalized to be His covenants. These words cover all the Old Testament from Genesis 12 to the end of the book of Malachi. Because these words have been legalized to be God’s covenant, the Old Testament is called a testament, which is another term for covenant. The whole Bible is a covenant, and the Old Testament is the old covenant. Before we believed in Christ, we, the Gentiles, were not only alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, but also strangers from these covenants of God’s promise. We have seen that the promise is God’sword, that the promise has become a binding covenant, and that all the words spoken by God to His people were legalized by Him into a covenant. Before we were saved, we were strangers from the covenant of God’s promise

陆没有指望

VI. HAVING NO HOPE

9根据我们得救以前的身分，我们是没有指望的。神一切的福分都包含在基督里，一切的公民权都与以色列国有关，并且一切的美事都应许在神的诸约里。我们既在基督以外，和以色列国民隔绝，在神所应许的诸约上是局外人，就根本没有指望。

9According to our status before we were saved, we had no hope. All God’s blessings are contained in Christ; all the civil rights are related to the nation of Israel; and all good things are promised in God’s covenants. Since we were apart from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of God’s promise, we had no hope whatever

柒没有神

VII. WITHOUT GOD

10我们在肉身上的外邦人，也是没有神的。（12。）神是在基督里；祂的治理和行动都是在以色列国民中；祂的赐福又是根据祂的诸约。我们在基督、以色列国民、以及神所应许的诸约以外，就没有神，没有神作我们的享受。

10As Gentiles in the flesh, we also were without God (v. 12). God is in Christ; He rules and moves in the commonwealth of Israel; and He bestows His blessings according to His covenants. When we were apart from Christ, the commonwealth of Israel, and the covenants of God’s promise, we were without God. We did not have God as our enjoyment

捌在世上

VIII. IN THE WORLD

11十二节也指出，我们原是『在世上』的。世界是撒但的系统，与以色列国民相对。以色列国民是神的国，而世界是撒但的国。我们得救以前活在世上，没有指望让我们期待，也没有神给我们享受。那就是我们追求属世娱乐的原因。今天世上的人渴求娱乐，因为他们没有神作他们的享受。但现今我们在基督里，有神作我们的享受。这享受是何等令人满足！多年前，我一些尚未得救的朋友问我，为甚么没有沉迷于赌博的玩意。我告诉他们，我忙著享受圣经，对那些玩意没有时间，也没有兴趣。有人问我为甚么不去看电影。我说我有属天的电影院─召会生活，在那里我可以看到属天的异象。因著我这样丰满的享受神，我里面就没有空余的地方让给世界的娱乐。今天我们不再是在世上，我们是在基督里，在灵里，也在诸天界里。现在我们对我们得救前的身分有了一幅清楚的图画。我们的地位在肉身上原是外邦人，是未受割礼的，是在基督以外，和以色列国民隔绝，在所应许的诸约上是局外人，在世上没有指望，没有神。按我们的本性，我们是在死里；按我们的身分，我们是在神、基督、神的应许、神的国、和一切与神有关的事以外。我们既处在这样的地位上，就没有指望，没有神作我们的享受。在世上我们追求罪中之乐，想要找著满足。然而，召会已经从这样可悲的光景和地位中产生出来。神已经救我们脱离那种光景，使我们成为基督身体的肢体。现今我们是神的杰作，我们有新的光景、新的地位、新的性情、和新的身分。以弗所二章十三节说，『但如今在基督耶稣里，你们这从前远离的人，靠著基督的血，已经得亲近了。』四节以『然而神』开始，本节则是以『但如今』开始。使徒保罗在以弗所二章陈明两幅图画：一幅是关于我们根据我们的本性而有的光景，（1～3，）一幅是关于我们根据我们的身分而有的地位。（11～12。）我们在这样低的地位上，主要的是因著我们堕落的本性。就著我们的本性，我们是堕落的；就著我们的身分，我们是远离神、基督、以色列国民、和所应许的诸约。以弗所二章启示，我们不仅需要神的恩典拯救我们脱离原有的光景，我们也需要基督的救赎把我们从原来的地位迁移出来。当我们从先前的地位迁移出来，我们这从前远离的人，就得亲近了。神已藉著将祂自己作到我们里面作我们的救恩，来拯救我们；这拯救的恩典把我们从堕落的性情所造成的光景中拯救出来。当生命进到我们里面，我们就从死的光景中得著拯救。神也将我们从先前的地位迁移到新的地位，在那里我们就有了新的身分。

11Verse 12 also points out that we were “in the world.” The world, which is the system of Satan, is in contrast to the commonwealth of Israel. The commonwealth of Israel was the kingdom of God, whereas the world is the kingdom of Satan. Before we were saved, we lived in the world, where we had no hope, no expectation, and no God for our enjoyment. That was the reason we pursued worldly entertainments. The worldly people today hunger after entertainment because they do not have God as their enjoyment. But now that we are in Christ, we have God as our enjoyment. How satisfying this enjoyment is! A number of years ago some of my unsaved friends asked me why I did not indulge in certain gambling games. I told them that I was busy enjoying the Bible and had no time for nor interest in such games. When I was asked why I did not go to movies, I replied that I had a heavenly movie theater, the church life, where I saw the heavenly vision. Because I have such a full enjoyment of God, there is no room in me for worldly entertainments. Today we are no longer in the world; we are in Christ, in the Spirit, and in the heavenlies. Now we have a clear picture of our status before we were saved. We were in the position of being the Gentiles in the flesh, the uncircumcision, who were apart from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise. We had no hope, and we were without God in the world. According to our nature, we were in death; and according to our status, we were aliens to God, Christ, God’s promise, God’skin gdom, and everything related to God. Because we were in such a position, we had no hope, and we did not have God as our enjoyment. In the world we pursued sinful entertainments in the attempt to find satisfaction. Nevertheless, the church has been brought forth out of such a deplorable condition and position. God has saved us out of that condition and has made us members of the Body of Christ. Now we are God’s masterpiece, and we have a new condition, a new position, a new nature, and a new status. Ephesians 2:1 3 says, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near in the blood of Christ.” Verse 4 begins with the words “But God,” whereas this verse begins with the words “But now.” In Ephesians 2 the Apostle Paul presents two pictures: the picture of our condition according to our nature (vv. 1-3) and the picture of our position according to our status (vv. 11-12). It was primarily because of our fallen nature that we were in such a low status. According to our nature, we were fallen; according to our status, we are far off from God, Christ, the commonwealth of Israel, and the covenants of promise. Ephesians 2 reveals that we need not only to be saved out of our condition by God’s grace, but also to be transferred out of our position by the redemption of Christ. When we are transferred out of our former position, we who once were far off are brought near. God has saved us by working Himself into us to be our salvation. This is the saving grace that rescues us from the condition caused by our fallen nature. When life entered into us, we were saved from the condition of death. God also transferred us from our former position to a new position, where we have a new status.

玖从前远离

IX. ONCE FAR OFF

12我们要欣赏十三节，就需要复习十一至十二节的要点。我们在得救前，在肉身上是外邦人，是称为未受割礼的。神所创造要成就祂定旨的人，原是纯洁的，没有罪或任何消极的搀杂。然而，因著人的堕落，撒但邪恶的性情，罪，进到人里面，首先使人的身体成为肉体，满了情欲，至终使整个人成了肉体。因此，人受了破坏，无法成就神的定旨。于是神进来，从堕落的人类中呼召出一个族类─亚伯拉罕和他的子孙。神为了成就祂的定旨，吩咐他们受割礼，就是除掉他们的肉体。这使神的子民从堕落的人类中被分别出来，并从堕落的光景中被拯救出来。割礼使他们与其余的人截然不同。其余的人类称为未受割礼的，就是留在堕落光景中的人。我们还未在基督里以前，就是属于这一类。

12In order to appreciate verse 13, we need to review the main points in verses 11 and 12. Before we were saved, we were the nations in the flesh, those who were called uncircumcision. The man whom God created to fulfill His purpose was pure, without sin or any negative mixture. However, sin, the evil nature of Satan, entered into man through the fall, firstly causing man’s body to become the flesh, full of lusts, and eventually causing man’s whole being to become the flesh. Hence, man was damaged and could not fulfill God’s purpose. Then God came in to call out of fallen mankind a race—Abraham and his descendants. For the accomplishment of His purpose, God commanded them to be circumcised, that is, to put away their flesh. This separated God’sp eople from fallen mankind and delivered them out of the fallen condition. Circumcision made a tremendous distinction between them and the rest of mankind, who were henceforth regarded as the uncircumcision, those who remain in the fallen condition. We were in that category before we were brought into Christ

13我们既与基督所出自的以色列国分开，就与基督分开，与祂无分无关。不仅如此，我们也与以色列国民隔绝，在所应许的诸约上是局外人。再者，我们没有指望，没有神，我们是在世界的撒但系统中。我们既是远离基督，远离以色列国民，远离神应许的诸约，我们就是远离神和祂一切的福分。

13Because we were separated from Israel, out of which Christ came, we were separated from Christ and had nothing to do with Him. Furthermore, we were alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise. Moreover, we had no hope, we were without God, and we were in the satanic system of the world. Because we were far off from Christ, from the commonwealth of Israel, and from the covenants of God’s promise, we were far off from God and all His blessings

拾如今得亲近了

X. BUT NOW NEAR

14十三节开头的『但如今』是宝贵的辞，指明我们如今既有指望也有神。我们不再在世界里，乃是在基督耶稣里。在基督里，我们已经得亲近了。

14The precious words at the beginning of verse 13—“But now”—indicate that now we have hope and we have God. We are no longer in the world; instead, we are in Christ Jesus. In Christ we have been brought near

15但我们得亲近，是亲近甚么事，或是亲近甚么人？我们不仅与神得亲近，也与基督、以色列、和神的应许得亲近。这等于与神和祂一切的福分得亲近。因此，靠著基督救赎的血，我们与以色列、与神已经得亲近了。我们已经指出，我们从前远离基督，远离以色列国民，并远离神应许的诸约。这等于远离神和祂一切的福分。但如今在基督里，从前我们所远离的，现在已经得亲近了。我们已经从我们先前的身分迁移到基督里。因著我们新的地位和身分是在基督里，我们就不再远离了。十三节特别说到，我们靠著基督的血，已经得亲近了。这意思是说，我们不仅在弥赛亚里，也在弥赛亚所成功的救赎里。犹太人仍在期待弥赛亚来临，却不知道他们何等需要弥赛亚的救赎。从我们先前的身分迁移到我们在基督里的新身分，实际上是靠基督的救赎完成的。因著我们已经堕落，我们原是在低的身分里。当基督在十字架上为救赎我们流血时，祂的血就带我们脱离那个低的身分。如今我们靠著基督的血，已经得著迁移；我们是在基督里，在诸天界里。因此，我们与神得亲近。我们也与以色列、神的应许并神的福分得亲近。换句话说，在这属天的地位上，我们与神，与正确的以色列，与神的诸约，与神的福分乃是一。我们既已从先前的身分迁移出来，进入新的身分，我们就能有分于属于神的一切。这是我们在基督里的分。藉著生命，我们已经从堕落的光景中蒙拯救，并且靠著基督的救赎，我们已经得迁移，脱离了先前的身分。如今我们享受救恩，并且有分于属神的一切。阿利路亚！我们已经得救，并且得迁移。第二章陈明一幅清楚的图画，给我们看见我们如何从可怜的光景中蒙拯救，成为神的杰作，并看见我们如何从先前的地位和身分迁移成为新人、神的国民、神的家人和神的居所。这就是以弗所二章的启示。

15But to what, or to whom, have we been brought near? We have been brought near not only to God, but also to Christ, to Israel, and to God’s promise. This equals being near to God and all His blessings. Hence, in the redeeming blood of Christ we have been made near both to God and to Israel. We have pointed out that once we were far off from Christ, from the commonwealth of Israel, and from the covenants of God’s promise. This equals being far off from God and all His blessings. But now in Christ we have been brought near to the very things from which we once were far off. We have been transferred out of our former status into Christ. Because our new position and status are in Christ, we are no longer far off. Verse 13 specifically says that we have become near in the blood of Christ. This means that we are not only in the Messiah, but also in the redemption accomplished by the Messiah. The Jews are still expecting the Messiah to come; however, they do not realize how much they need Messiah’s redemption. The transfer from our former status to our new status in Christ actually was accomplished by the redemption of Christ. We were in a low status because we had fallen. When Christ shed His blood on the cross for our redemption, His blood brought us out of that low status. Now that we have been transferred by the blood of Christ, we are in Christ and in the heavenlies. Therefore, we are near to God. We are also near to Israel, to God’s promise, and to God’s blessings. In other words, in this heavenly position we are one with God, one with the proper Israel, one with God’s covenants, and one with God’s blessings. Because we have been transferred out of the former status and into a new status, we can participate in all that is of God. This is our portion in Christ. We have been saved from our fallen condition by life, and we have been transferred out of our former status by the redemption of Christ. Now we enjoy salvation and we participate in all that is of God. Hallelujah, we have been saved and transferred! Chapter two presents a clear picture of how we have been saved from our miserable condition to be God’s masterpiece and of how we have been transferred from our former position and status to become the new man, the commonwealth of God, the household of God, and the dwelling place of God. This is the revelation in Ephesians 2