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以弗所书生命读经 · 第36篇

保守那灵的一

KEEPING THE ONENESS OF THE SPIRIT
1以弗所四章一节说，『所以我这在主里的囚犯劝你们，行事为人要与你们所蒙的呼召相配。』本节是三章一节的重复，而三章一节是使徒在四至六章劝勉的开始。这指明三章二至二十一节全是插进的话。
1Ephesians 4:1 says, “I beseech you therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called.” This verse is somewhat a repetition of 3:1, which begins the apostle’s exhortation in chapters four through six. This indicates that 3:2-21 is all parenthetical
行事为人与神的呼召相配
WALKING WORTHILY OF GOD’SCALL ING
2以弗所书可分为两大段。第一大段由一至三章组成，启示召会在诸天界里、在基督里所得的福分与地位。第三章特别启示召会如何由这位活的基督的丰富所构成，而实际的出现。第二大段由四至六章组成，嘱咐我们关乎召会在地上、在圣灵里该有的生活与职责。基本的嘱咐，乃是要我们的行事为人与所蒙的呼召相配，这呼召就是一章三至十四节所启示、那赐给召会之福分的总和。在召会中，在三一神丰盈的祝福下，圣徒的行事为人该与父的拣选和豫定、子的救赎、以及那灵的盖印并作质相配。召会要在行事为人上与神的呼召相配，就必须有一种的生活，也必须负完全的责任。因此，我们在四至六章可以看出，一面是召会应有的生活，另一面是召会应负的职责。
2The book of Ephesians is divided into two main sections. The first, composed of chapters one through three, reveals the blessing and the position which the church has obtained in Christ in the heavenlies. Chapter three, in particular, reveals how the church comes into existence in a practical way through being constituted with the riches of the living Christ. The second section, comprising chapters four through six, charges us concerning the living and responsibility the church should have in the Spirit on the earth. The basic charge is that we should walk worthily of the calling, which is the totality of the blessings bestowed upon the church, as revealed in 1:3-14. In the church, under the Triune God’s abundant blessing, the saints should walk worthily of the Father’ss election and predestination, the Son’s redemption, and the Spirit’s sealing and pledging. In walking worthily of God’scall ing, the church must have a certain kind of life and also bear responsibility to the full extent. Hence, in chapters four through six we see, on the one hand, the living the church should have, and, on the other hand, the responsibility the church should bear
3保罗劝勉圣徒行事为人要与神的呼召相配，乃是以他是在主里的囚犯这个身分说的。他凭神旨意作基督使徒的身分，使他有权柄启示关乎召会的事，讲说关于基督的奥秘。然而，他作主里囚犯的身分，使他有资格劝勉我们行事为人要与神从上头来的呼召相配。保罗的生活当然与神的呼召相配。不仅如此，他还背负著这个呼召所要求的职责。保罗在三章一节说，他是基督耶稣的囚犯；但在四章一节说，他是在主里的囚犯。在主里的囚犯比主的囚犯意义更深。保罗是这样的囚犯，乃是那些行事为人要与神的呼召相配之人的榜样。
3In exhorting the saints to walk worthily of God’s calling, Paul spoke from his status as a prisoner in the Lord. His status as an apostle of Christ through the will of God authorized him to reveal the things concerning the church, to speak concerning the mystery of Christ. However, his status as a prisoner in the Lord qualified him to exhort us to walk worthily of God’s high calling. Paul’s living was surely worthy of God’s calling. Furthermore, he bore the responsibility required by this calling. In 3:1 Paul speaks of himself as “the prisoner of Christ Jesus,” but in 4:1 he says that he is “the prisoner in the Lord.” To be a prisoner in the Lord is deeper than to be a prisoner of the Lord. As such a prisoner, Paul was a pattern for those who would walk worthily of God’scall ing.
4我们要行事为人与神的呼召相配，有正确的身体生活，需要先顾到一。我们必须保守那灵的一。这对基督的身体是重大且紧要的。
4To walk worthily of God’scall ing, to have the proper Body life, we need firstly to care for the matter of oneness. We must keep the oneness of the Spirit. This is crucial and vital to the Body of Christ
5严格的说，一与联合不同。联合是许多人联在一起，而一乃是那灵这一在信徒里面的实质，使我们众人成为一。有些基督徒也许有某种的联合，但我们在主的恢复里，宝爱一远过于联合。在主的恢复里，我们不是联合，也就是说，我们不是组成某种的联盟，我们乃是一。我们的一乃是个人位，就是实化为赐生命之灵的主耶稣自己。今天主在我们里面是那赐生命的灵，这灵就是我们的一。所以我们的一不是远在诸天之上的客观人位，乃是住在我们里面，作我们生命的主观人位。
5Oneness, strictly speaking, differs from unity. Unity is formed by many people uniting together, whereas oneness is the one entity of the Spirit within the believers making them all one. Some Christians may have a certain kind of unity, but we in the Lord’s recovery appreciate oneness much more than unity. In the Lord’s recovery, we are not united—that is, we have not formed a certain kind of union—but we are one. Our oneness is a Person, even the Lord Jesus Himself realized as the life-giving Spirit. Today the Lord is the life-giving Spirit within us, and this Spirit is our oneness. Therefore, our oneness is not an objective Person far away in the heavens; it is a subjective Person indwelling us as our life
6这个一，好比电在许多灯里面，使这些灯在照耀时成为一。一个大房间内虽然有几十盏灯，但因著电流通在灯里面，灯才成为一。灯本身并不是一，也没有联合形成一个整体。这些灯里面惟一的电流就是灯的一。电流不是使灯联合，乃是灯里面的一。在灯的本身，牠们是单独、分开的；但在电里面，牠们就是一。对在基督里的信徒来说，也是同样的原则。内住在我们里面的那灵，乃是我们的一。四章三节的这个一，称为『那灵的一』。那灵的一实际上就是那灵自己。从电和灯的例子来看，电的一就是电本身。除了电以外，没有别的元素是电的一。电的一就是电本身。同样的原则，那灵的一不是在那灵之外的东西，乃是那灵自己。在我们里面并在我们中间的一，就是那赐生命的灵。所以，保守一就是保守那赐生命的灵。
6This oneness is similar to the electricity in many lights that makes them all one in the shining. Although there may be dozens of lights in a large room, they are one in the electricity that flows within them. In themselves, the lights are not one; neither are they united to form one entity. The unique electricity in the lights is their oneness. This electricity does not unite the lights; it is the oneness within them. In themselves, the lights are individual and separate, but in the electricity they have oneness. It is the same in principle with the believers in Christ. The Spirit indwelling us is our oneness. In 4:3 this oneness is called “the oneness of the Spirit.” The oneness of the Spirit is actually the Spirit Himself. In the illustration of the electricity and the lights, the oneness of the electricity is the electricity itself. There is not another element, apart from the electricity, that is the oneness of the electricity. The oneness of the electricity is simply the electricity itself. In the same principle, the oneness of the Spirit is not something apart from the Spirit. On the contrary, it is the Spirit Himself. The oneness within us and among us is the very life-giving Spirit. Therefore, to keep the oneness is to keep the life-giving Spirit
7许多基督徒谈论联合或合一，却忽略了那灵。这指明他们把合一当成与那灵分开的东西。有些信徒越谈论合一，反而越分裂。有些人甚至为了联合这件事大发肉体，彼此相争。我们没有必要过于谈论一。一就像鸽子：我们若不谈鸽子，牠就与我们同在；但我们若谈论牠，牠就飞走了。当我们太多谈论一的时候，我们就有失去一的危险。我们不是凭谈论来保守一，乃是凭留在赐生命的灵里而保守一。只要我们爱主，并持定祂，我们就保守一；因为就如我们所极力强调的，一乃是基督这人位，就是赐生命的灵。
7Many Christians talk about unity or oneness but neglect the Spirit. This indicates that they make oneness something separate from the Spirit. The more talk certain believers have had about unity, the more divided they have become. Some can even argue with one another in a fleshly way over the matter of unity. There is no need for us to talk so much about oneness. Oneness is like a dove. If we do not talk about it, the dove is present with us. But if we talk about it, it flies away. When we talk a great deal about oneness, we are in danger of losing it. We do not keep the oneness by talking about it; we keep it by staying in the life-giving Spirit. As long as we love the Lord and embrace Him, we keep the oneness; for, as we have strongly emphasized, oneness is the Person of Christ as the life-giving Spirit.
8保守那灵的一，含示我们已经有了那灵。我们若没有那灵，如何能保守祂？然而，多数基督徒大部分的时间都是与那灵分开的。任何与生命之灵分开的行动，都是分裂。当我们与那灵是一，且照著祂而活，并在祂里面作一切的事，我们不必刻意努力的作甚么，就保守了一。但甚么时候我们的行动离了那灵，我们就是分裂的，并且丧失了一。所以，与其吩咐你们谈论一，我鼓励你们要顾到赐生命的灵，就是在你里面作生命的主自己。卑微、温柔和恒忍二节说，『凡事卑微、温柔、恒忍，在爱里彼此担就。』卑微是留在低微的地位上，温柔是不为自己争甚么。我们对待自己该有这两种美德。恒忍是忍受错待，我们对待别人该有这种美德。藉著这些美德，我们彼此担就（不是彼此宽忍），也就是说，我们不弃绝那些麻烦的人，乃在爱里担就他们。这乃是生命的彰显。『凡事卑微、温柔』按原文直译为『用一切的卑微和温柔』，但这意思不是说，有许多种卑微和温柔，乃是说，我们应当在凡事上卑微、温柔。所以我们必须凡事卑微、温柔，以保守那灵的一。
8Keeping the oneness of the Spirit implies that we already have the Spirit. If we did not have Him, how could we keep Him? However, most Christians live apart from the Spirit most of the time. Any action taken apart from the life-giving Spirit is divisive. When we are one with the Spirit, living according to Him and doing all things in Him, we keep the oneness without making any conscious effort to do so. But whenever we act apart from the Spirit, we are divisive and lose the oneness. Therefore, instead of charging you to talk about oneness, I would encourage you to take care of the life-giving Spirit, who is the Lord Himself as life within you. LOWLINESS, MEEKNESS, AND LONG-SUFFERING Verse 2 says, “With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing one another in love.” To have lowliness is to remain in a low estate, and to have meekness is to not fight for ourselves. We should have these two virtues in dealing with ourselves. Long- suffering is to endure mistreatment. We should have this virtue in dealing with others. By these virtues we bear one another; that is, we do not forsake the troublesome ones but bear them in love. This is the expression of life. The word “all” governs both lowliness and meekness. It does not mean that there are many kinds of lowliness and meekness; it means that we should have lowliness and meekness in all things. Thus, we must keep the oneness of the Spirit with all lowliness and meekness
9然而，问题是我们在自己里面无法有卑微或温柔。我们若诚实、真心，就会承认我们没有真正的卑微和温柔。相反的，我们倾向于高举自己，争斗著保护自己。正如我们没有卑微或温柔，我们同样没有恒忍，也不能在爱里担就别人。尽管如此，保罗嘱咐我们，要有这样与神的呼召相配的行事为人。
9The problem, however, is that in ourselves we cannot be either lowly or meek. If we are honest and sincere, we shall admit that we have no genuine lowliness or meekness. On the contrary, we tend to exalt ourselves and to fight in defense of ourselves. Just as we do not have lowliness or meekness, we are not long-suffering and we cannot bear others in love. Nevertheless, Paul charges us to have such a worthy walk
10我们若要保守那灵的一，就必须有正确的人性，就是有卑微、温柔、恒忍的人性，以及在爱里担就别人的人性。我们若没有这样的人性作我们的『本钱』，就不能作保守那灵的一这个『生意』。保罗在三节说到那灵的一之前，先在二节题到这些美德，指明我们要保守那灵的一，必须有这些美德。
10If we would keep the oneness of the Spirit, we must have a proper humanity, a humanity with lowliness, meekness, and long-suffering and a humanity that bears others in love. If we do not have such a humanity as our “capital,” then we cannot operate the “business” of keeping the oneness of the Spirit. The fact that the virtues in verse 2 are mentioned before the oneness of the Spirit in verse 3 indicates that we must have these virtues in order to keep the oneness of the Spirit.
变化过的人性
A TRANSFORMED HUMANITY
11我们要有二节所说的美德，就需要有变化过的人性。在我们天然的人性里，没有卑微、温柔、恒忍。但这些美德可以在我们变化过的人性，也就是耶稣的人性里找著。在马太十一章二十九节，主耶稣说，祂心里柔和谦卑。柔和谦卑是耶稣人性的特征。在我们身上，任何看来是柔和谦卑的，都是假的，经不起任何真实的试验。赞美主，耶稣在祂复活生命里的人性，今天可以成为我们的！我们越被变化，就越有耶稣的人性。藉著有复活基督的人性，我们自然而然的就有保守那灵的一所需要的美德。
11In order to have the virtues spoken of in verse 2, we need a transformed humanity. In our natural humanity there is no lowliness, meekness, nor long-suffering. But these virtues are to be found in our transformed humanity, that is, in the humanity of Jesus. In Matthew 11:29 the Lord Jesus said that He was meek and lowly in heart. Meekness and lowliness are characteristics of the humanity of Jesus. Any meekness or lowliness that we may seem to have in ourselves is a pretense and cannot survive any real testing. Praise the Lord that the humanity of Jesus in His resurrection life can be ours today! The more we are transformed, the more of the humanity of Jesus we have. By having the humanity of the resurrected Christ, we spontaneously have the virtues required to keep the oneness of the Spirit
一幅真正一的图画
A PICTURE OF GENUINE ONENESS
12在会幕及其四十八块包金的皂荚木竖板这幅图画中，可以看见在三一神里真正的一。木板本身是彼此分开的，但在金子里乃是一。把板连接一起的闩也是用包金的皂荚木作成的。正如我们在别处所指出的，金闩表征联结的灵，皂荚木表征人性，金表征神性。联结的灵里有人性的元素；这指明联结的灵不仅是神的圣灵，乃是圣灵调和了我们的灵。这调和的灵可见于罗马八章。罗马八章四节说，『使律法义的要求，成就在我们这不照著肉体，只照著灵而行的人身上。』这里的灵乃是我们人的灵调和著神的圣灵。不仅如此，罗马八章十六节说，『那灵自己同我们的灵见证我们是神的儿女。』这节清楚的指出调和的灵，也就是那灵同我们的灵。在那构成联结之闩的调和之灵里，有变化过的人性，带著卑微、温柔和恒忍的美德。
12The genuine oneness in the Triune God is seen in the picture of the tabernacle with its forty-eight boards of acacia wood overlaid with gold. In themselves, the boards were separate from one another, but in the gold they were one. The bars that held the boards together were also made of acacia wood overlaid with gold. As we have pointed out elsewhere, the golden bars signify the uniting Spirit. The acacia wood signifies humanity, and the gold signifies the divine nature. In the uniting Spirit there is the element of humanity. This indicates that the uniting Spirit is not merely the Holy Spirit of God, but the Holy Spirit mingled with our spirit. This mingled spirit is seen in Romans 8. Romans 8:4 says, “That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh, but according to spirit.” The spirit here is our human spirit mingled with God’sHo ly Spirit. Furthermore, Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are the children of God.” This verse clearly points to the mingled spirit, that is, the Spirit with our spirit. In the mingled spirit which constitutes the uniting bars, there is the transformed humanity with the virtues of lowliness, meekness, and long-suffering.
13多年来我想要温柔、卑微，但是我一次又一次的失败。最终我学到，四章二节的卑微、温柔和恒忍，无法在我们天然的人性里找著；这些乃是变化过之人性的特征，也就是耶稣基督人性的特征。这变化过的人性及其所有的美德，是由联络之闩内的皂荚木所表征的。这指明在联结的灵里有变化过的人性，就是我们那被基督复活的生命变化过的人性。
13For years I tried to be meek and lowly, but I failed time after time. Eventually I learned that the lowliness, meekness, and long - suffering in 4:2 are not to be found in our natural humanity, but are characteristics of the transformed humanity, the humanity of Jesus Christ. This transformed humanity with all its virtues is typified by the acacia wood within the uniting bars. This indicates that in the uniting Spirit there is the transformed humanity, our humanity transformed by the resurrection life of Christ.
变化与一
TRANSFORMATION AND ONENESS
14保守那灵的一需要变化。因这缘故，我们不该期望初信者能保守那灵的一。嘱咐新来的人保守一没有用，因为保守那灵的一需要变化。你若还没有被变化，你就没有保守一所需要的卑微和温柔。我们越被变化，就自然而然的越承受卑微、温柔和恒忍。这一切美德，都是我们藉变化而得的产业。
14Keeping the oneness of the Spirit requires transformation. For this reason, we should not expect a new believer to be able to keep the oneness of the Spirit. It is useless to charge the new ones to keep the oneness, because keeping the oneness of the Spirit requires transformation. If you have not been transformed, you will not have the lowliness nor the meekness necessary to keep the oneness. The more we have been transformed, the more we spontaneously inherit lowliness, meekness, and long-suffering. All these virtues are our heritage by transformation
15那灵的一，是那些如同婴孩或儿童的基督徒不能保守的。惟有变化过的人，才能保守一。凡是天然和属肉体的人，无法温柔、卑微和恒忍。他们不能保守一，因为在他们天然的人里，没有甚么能使他们保守一。所以，我盼望再一次强调，四章二节含示变化的需要。我们在一这事上有难处，因为我们太天然，太属肉体，也太在自己里面。但我们若被变化，我们就自然而然的保守一，因为在我们变化过的人性里有卑微、温柔和恒忍。
15The oneness of the Spirit cannot be kept by babyish or childish Christians. It can be kept only by the transformed ones. Those who are natural and fleshly cannot be meek, lowly, or long-suffering. They cannot keep the oneness, because nothing in their natural being can ever enable them to keep it. Therefore, I wish to emphasize the fact once again that 4:2 implies the need of transformation. We have problems with oneness because we are so natural, so fleshly, and so much in ourselves. But if we have been transformed, we keep the oneness spontaneously because in our transformed humanity we have lowliness, meekness, and long- suffering
和平的联索
THE UNITING BOND OF PEACE
16三节说到，『以和平的联索』保守那灵的一。基督在十字架上，已废掉因规条而有的一切分别，藉此，祂已为祂的身体成就了和平。这和平该成为联索，将众信徒联结在一起。
16Verse 3 speaks of keeping the oneness of the Spirit “in the uniting bond of peace.” Christ has abolished on the cross all the differences due to ordinances. In so doing, He has made peace for His Body. This peace should bind all believers together and thus become the uniting bond
17在基督钉十字架以前，犹太人和外邦人之间没有和平。按照二章十五节，藉著基督在祂的肉体里废掉了使人隔离的规条，并把犹太人和外邦人创造成一个新人，就在所有的信徒中间成就了和平。不仅如此，基督在十字架上也对付了我们和神之间一切消极的事。这就是说，祂也在人和神之间成就了和平。现今犹太信徒和外邦信徒之间再也没有间隔，我们和神之间也是如此。然而，在写以弗所书的时候，有些犹太信徒仍持有他们该与外邦信徒分开的观念。为这缘故，保罗说，中间隔断的墙已经拆毁了，犹太和外邦信徒必须是一；否则，不可能有一。而且没有一，就不可能是一个身体。所以，保罗在四章三节极力的说，我们必须以和平的联索，保守那灵的一。我们若要这么作，就必须看见，我们之间的分别，已经在十字架上废掉了。
17Before Christ was crucified on the cross, there was no peace between the Jews and the Gentiles. According to 2:15, by Christ’s abolishing in His flesh the separating ordinances and creating the Jewish and Gentile believers into one new man, peace was made between all believers. Furthermore, on the cross, Christ dealt with all the negative things between us and God. This means that He also made peace between man and God. Now there is no longer a separation between the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers nor between us and God. However, at the time Ephesians was written, some of the Jewish believers still held the concept that they should be separate from the Gentile believers. For this reason, Paul said that the middle wall of partition has been broken down and that the Jewish and Gentile believers must be one. Otherwise, there can be no oneness. And without the oneness there cannot be the one Body. Therefore, in 4:3 Paul says strongly that we must keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. If we would do this, we must realize that the differences between us have been abolished on the cross.
18和平的联索，实际上就是十字架的工作。我们从经历中知道，我们甚么时候上十字架，我们和别人之间就没有分别。然而我们一旦从十字架上下来，分别就出现了。不仅在召会生活中是这样，在我们的家庭生活中也是这样。丈夫和妻子，时常因著从十字架上下来所显出的分别，而使他们之间的爱埋没了。除掉分别惟一的路，就是到十字架上。当我们到十字架上，并且留在那里，分别就消失了，我们就有了和平。当我们留在十字架上，这和平就成为联索，使我们藉此保守那灵的一。所以，要保守那灵的一，我们需要变化和十字架。以弗所四章二节指明变化的需要，四章三节指明十字架的需要。我们需要变化，使我们有卑微、温柔和恒忍；我们也需要被十字架除掉，使我们有和平的联索。这样，我们就会保守那灵的一。
18The uniting bond of peace is actually the working of the cross. By our experience we know that whenever we go to the cross, there are no differences between us and others. However, as soon as we come down from the cross, differences appear. This is true not only in the church life but also in our family life. Often the love between a husband and wife is buried beneath the differences that emerge when they come down from the cross. The only way to get rid of the differences is to go to the cross. When we go to the cross and remain there, the differences disappear, and we have peace. As we remain on the cross, this peace becomes the uniting bond in which we keep the oneness of the Spirit. Therefore, in order to keep the oneness of the Spirit we need both transformation and the cross. Ephesians 4:2 indicates the need of transformation, and 4:3 indicates the need of the cross. We need to be transformed in order to have lowliness, meekness, and long-suffering; and we need to be crossed out in order to have the uniting bond of peace. Then we shall keep the oneness of the Spirit