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以弗所书生命读经 · 第55篇

在三个阶段里的基督

CHRIST IN THREE STAGES
1以弗所五章二十五至二十七节，向我们陈明在三个阶段里的基督。二十五节说，基督爱召会，为召会舍了自己。这给我们看见基督在肉体的阶段。二十六节说到基督圣化召会，藉著话中之水的洗涤洁净召会。在这节里我们看见，基督在赐生命之灵的阶段。末了，二十七节启示基督的第三个阶段，那里说到基督回来时，要把召会献给祂自己。因此，在这个阶段，基督乃是要迎娶新妇的新郎。这三个阶段，第一阶段是在过去，第二阶段是在现在，第三阶段是在将来。在第一阶段，基督是救赎主；在第二阶段，基督是赐生命的灵；在第三阶段，基督是新郎。
1Ephesians 5:25-27 presents Christ to us in three stages. Verse 25 says that Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Here we see Christ in the stage of the flesh. Verse 26 speaks of Christ sanctifying the church, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the Word. In this verse we have Christ in the stage of the life-giving Spirit. Finally, a third stage of Christ is revealed in verse 27, which speaks of Christ presenting the church to Himself in His coming back. Hence, in this stage Christ will be the Bridegroom receiving His Bride. The first of these three stages was in the past, the second is in the present, and the third will be in the future. In the first stage Christ was the Redeemer; in the second, He is the life-giving Spirit; and in the third, He will be the Bridegroom
2在本篇信息中，我们要来看这些经节里的一些要点。然而，我要指出，我们所关心的不是道理。在主的恢复里，我们不需要太注意道理。重要的乃是看见我们有何等的一位基督，并且越过越经历祂并享受祂。
2In this message we need to consider certain points found in these verses. However, I wish to point out that our concern is not doctrinal. In the Lord’s recovery there is no need for us to pay very much attention to doctrine. The important matter is that we see what a Christ we have and come to experience and enjoy Him more and more
神人
THE GOD-MAN
3虽然基督是神，但祂不仅是神。如果祂只是神，祂就不能成为我们的基督。要作我们的基督，祂必须成为肉体。基督藉著成为肉体，成了一个有血、有肉、有骨的人。何等奇妙！神穿上了人性！我们的神不仅仅是神，祂在基督里成了神人。主乃是在肉体里为我们舍了自己。祂若不是成为一个在肉体里的人，舍了祂自己，我们就无法得著祂。我们不是灵，我们是肉体。天使是灵。神没有意思要我们变成像天使一样的灵。神所关切的不是天使，乃是具有肉体的人。没有甚么比一个具有肉体的人更讨神喜悦。有时我们会懊恼我们是属肉体的。然而，我们若从神的眼光来看自己，就知道肉体有积极的一面。按照希伯来二章，基督没有穿上天使的性情，反倒取了血肉之体。不仅如此，约翰一章说，那是神、且与神同在的话，成了肉体。（14。）大哉！敬虔的奥秘─神显现于肉体。（提前三16。）神不能显现于天使，祂只能显现于肉体。天使的分，乃是观看神在肉体的显现。
3Although Christ is God, He is not God only. If He were simply God, He could not be our Christ. To be the Christ to us, He had to be incarnated. Through incarnation, Christ became a man with flesh, blood, and bones. How wonderful that God put on human nature! Our God is not merely God. In Christ He has become a God-man. It was in the flesh that the Lord gave Himself up for us. If He had not given Himself up as a man in the flesh, there would have been no way for us to gain Him. We are not spirits; we are flesh. Angels are spirits. God has no intention for us to become spirits like angels. God’s concern is not with angels, but with men of flesh. Nothing is more pleasing to God than a man of flesh. At times we regret that we are fleshly. However, if we see ourselves from God’s point of view, we shall realize that there is a positive aspect of the flesh. According to Hebrews 2, Christ did not take on the nature of angels, but He did take on blood and flesh. Furthermore, John 1 says that the Word which was God and was with God became flesh (v. 14). Great is the mystery of godliness— God was manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:1 6). God cannot be manifest in angels; He can be manifest only in the flesh. The portion of the angels is to behold the manifestation of God in the flesh.
4话成了肉体，并且神显现于肉体。不错，我们必须定罪有罪的肉体，但肉体也有积极的一面。我们不像天使那样是灵─我们乃是肉体！我们的基督没有成为天使的灵；祂乃是成为肉体。为我们舍了自己的基督，乃是成了肉体的神。基督若没有穿上人性，我们就无法将祂接受到我们里面。我们所接受作我们人位的这位基督，乃是神人。我们无法直接的接受神。只有神成为神人之后，我们才能把祂接受到我们里面，作我们的生命和人位。
4The Word became flesh and God was manifested in the flesh. Yes, we must condemn the sinful flesh. But there is also a positive aspect of the flesh. We are not spirits as angels are—we are flesh! Our Christ did not become an angelic spirit; He became flesh. The Christ who gave Himself up for us was God incarnate. If Christ had not put on human nature, it would be impossible for us to receive Him into us. The very Christ we take as our person is the God-man. It is impossible for us to take in God directly. Only after God has become the God-man can we take Him into our being to be our life and our person
正确的人性生活
A PROPER HUMAN LIFE
5有些基督徒以为，他们生活为人该像天使一样。他们想要使他们的生活像属天的活物。在神眼中，这种生活是不正常的。祂不要祂的儿女模倣天使；相反的，祂要他们成为真正的人。召会的众肢体都该有真正的人性。因这缘故，以弗所这卷论到召会的书，说到各种的人际关系：妻子与丈夫的关系、儿女与父母的关系、奴仆与主人的关系。我们要有正确的召会生活，就必须有正确的人性生活。我们所接受、所得著的基督，不是天使或任何属天的活物，乃是神人。祂乃是成为一个在肉体里的人，而为我们舍了自己。不仅如此，祂是一个人，所以祂能进入我们的光景，应付我们的需要。祂穿上了人性，为要像我们。现今祂活在我们里面，作我们的生命和我们的人位，要从我们里面彰显出来。当一位姊妹在服从丈夫的事上，接受基督作她的人位时，她的服从是荣耀的，满了基督从她里面活出来的实际。照样，当一位弟兄在爱妻子的事上，接受基督作他的人位时，基督就从他对妻子的爱里彰显出来。这样彰显基督是可能的，因为祂作为神人，为我们舍了自己。
5Some Christians think that they should behave as if they were angels. They try to live like heavenly beings. In the eyes of God, this kind of living is abnormal. He does not want His children to imitate angels; on the contrary, He wants them to be very human. All the members of the church should have a genuine humanity. For this reason, Ephesians, a book dealing with the church, covers various human relationships: the relationship between wife and husband, between children and parents, between servants and masters. In order to have a proper church life, we must have a proper human life. The very Christ we have received and gained is not an angel or some kind of heavenly being, but a God-man. It was as a man in the flesh that He gave Himself up for us. Furthermore, it is as a man that He is able to fit into our situation and meet our need. He has put on human nature in order to be like us. Now He lives in us as our life and as our person to be manifested from within us. When a sister takes Christ as her person in submitting to her husband, her submission will be glorious, full of the reality of Christ lived out from within her. Likewise, when a brother takes Christ as his person in loving his wife, Christ will be expressed in his love for her. Such a manifestation of Christ is possible because as the God-man He gave Himself up for us
说话的灵
THE SPEAKING SPIRIT
6按照二十六节，基督为召会舍了自己，『好圣化召会，藉著话中之水的洗涤洁净召会。』主耶稣在肉体里为我们舍了自己之后，祂复活了，并且在复活里成了赐生命的灵。（林前十五45。）祂作为赐生命的灵，乃是说话的灵。凡祂所说的，都是洗涤我们的话。二十六节里的话，希腊原文不是logos，娄格斯，常时的话，乃是，雷玛，指即时的话，就是主现在对我们所说的话。作为赐生命的灵，主不是静默的，祂不断的说话。如果你接受祂作人位，你会发现祂何等渴望在你里面说话。偶像是哑吧，但内住的基督总是在说话。没有一个接受基督作他生命和人位的人，是静默不言的。相反的，他会受基督的困迫而说话。当我供应神的儿女时，我经历基督在我里面说话。
6According to verse 26, Christ gave Himself up for the church so that “He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word.” After the Lord Jesus gave Himself for us in the flesh, He was resurrected and in resurrection became the life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45). As the life-giving Spirit, He is the speaking Spirit. Whatever He speaks is the word that washes us. The Greek word rendered word in verse 26 is not logos, the constant word, but rhema, which denotes the instant word, the word the Lord presently rhema speaks to us. As the life-giving Spirit, the Lord is not silent; He is constantly speaking. If you take Him as your person, you will discover how much He desires to speak within you. Idols are dumb, but the indwelling Christ is always speaking. No one who takes Christ as his life and his person can remain silent. On the contrary, he will be constrained by Christ to speak. As I minister to the Lord’s children, I experience Christ speaking within me.
7主耶稣在约翰六章六十三节说，『我对你们所说的话，就是灵，就是生命。』这里的『话』，在原文也是『雷玛』，即时并现时所说的话。这与约翰一章一节中的『娄格斯』，常时的话不同。作为说话的灵，主一直对我们说『雷玛』。祂所说的话乃是灵。一天过一天，如果我们里面没有主的说话，这表示我们里面出了问题。若没有说话，没有『雷玛』，在我们实际的经历中，就没有那灵了，因为主的说话实际上就是那灵。只要我们有主现时的话，我们就有那灵，就是赐生命的灵。我们不能把作为赐生命之灵的基督与祂的说话分开。祂的同在乃是在于祂的说话。我们怎能知道作我们人位的基督与我们同在？我们是藉著祂的说话而知道。如果我们没有主在我们里面说话，我们就没有祂的同在。但我们若转向祂，认真的接受基督作我们的生命和人位，祂就又开始说话。祂所说的乃是活的话，活的话就是那灵，那灵就是我们奇妙的基督自己。祂这位说话的灵，是何等的实际、主观、亲密且真实！
7In John 6:63 the Lord Jesus said, “The words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life.” The Greek word rendered words here is also rhema, the instant and present spoken word. This differs from logos, the constant word, as in John 1:1. As the speaking Spirit, the Lord is speaking the rhema to us. Whatever He speaks is spirit. If day by day there is no speaking of the Lord within us, it is an indication that there is some problem within us. If there is no speaking, no rhema, then in our practical experience the Spirit is absent, for the Lord’s speaking actually is the Spirit. As long as we have the Lord’sp resent word, we have the Spirit, the life-giving Spirit. We cannot separate Christ as the life-giving Spirit from His speaking. His presence consists in His speaking. How can we know that Christ as our person is present with us? We know it by His speaking. If we do not have His speaking within us, we do not have His presence. But if we turn to Him, to mean business to take Christ as our life and our person. His speaking will begin again. His speaking is the living word. the living word is the Spirit, and the Spirit is our wonderful Christ Himself. How practical, subjective, intimate, and real He is as the speaking Spirit
8新陈代谢的洁净与变化这灵乃是洗涤我们的水。那灵越说话，我们就越被洗涤、被洁净。每一次祂在我们里面说话时，我们就经历了洁净。
8METABOLIC CLEANSING AND TRANSFORMATION This Spirit is the water that washes us. The more the Spirit speaks, the more we are washed, cleansed. Every time He speaks within us we should experience cleansing
9这洁净乃是新陈代谢的洁净，除掉老旧的成分，并以新的成分来顶替。这与一些外面的洁净有何等的不同！我们乃是藉著内里新陈代谢的洁净，才有变化。藉著基督这赐生命之灵的说话所产生新陈代谢的洁净，我们就真正的得以改变并被变化。
9This cleansing is a metabolic cleansing that removes what is old and replaces it with what is new. How different this is from some type of outward cleansing! It is by the inward, metabolic cleansing that we have transformation. By the metabolic cleansing that comes from the speaking of Christ as the life-giving Spirit, we are truly changed, transformed.
10因为这内里的变化发生在我们里面，所以在召会生活中不需要外面的改正。神经纶的路，不是在外面改正我们。祂的路乃是叫基督来为我们舍了自己，然后作赐生命的灵进到我们里面。就实际说，主的同在与祂的说话乃是一。每当祂说话时，我们就知道祂在我们里面，与我们同在。在我们里面赐生命之灵的说话，就是洁净我们内里所是的水。这洁净的水把新的元素留在我们里面，顶替我们本性和性情里老旧的元素。这新陈代谢的洁净，使生命有真正的改变。这种改变就是我们所说的变化。外面的改正没有价值。召会所需要的乃是内里新陈代谢的洁净，这种洁净出自我们让那是赐生命之灵的基督，作我们的生命和人位。在二十六节，基督不是在肉体的阶段，乃是在赐生命之灵的阶段。我们已经指出，赐生命的灵就是说话的灵。基督的说话就是那灵，就是赐生命之灵的同在。如果我们尊重那灵在我们里面的说话，那灵的说话就要成为洁净我们、纯净我们、圣化我们、并以基督的元素供应我们的水。这元素顶替并排除我们老旧的元素，而产生真正的变化。这样，我们就被纯净且被圣化；这样，我们也就经历召会生活的实际。
10Because such an inward transformation is taking place within us, there is no need for outward correction in the church life. God’sway in His economy is not to change us outwardly. His way is for Christ to give Himself up for us and then to come into us as the life-giving Spirit. In a very practical sense, the Lord’s presence is one with His speaking. Whenever He speaks, we realize His presence within us. This speaking of the life-giving Spirit within is the water that cleanses our inner being. This cleansing water deposits a new element into us to replace the old element in our nature and disposition. This metabolic cleansing causes a genuine change in life. This change is what we mean by transformation. Outward correction has no value. What the church needs is the inward metabolic cleansing that comes from allowing Christ as the life- giving Spirit to be our life and our person. In verse 26 we have Christ not in the stage of the flesh, but in the stage of the life-giving Spirit. As we have pointed out, the life-giving Spirit is the speaking Spirit. Christ’s speaking is the Spirit; it is the very presence of the life-giving Spirit. If we honor the speaking of the Spirit within us, the Spirit’s speaking will become the water that cleanses, purifies, sanctifies, and supplies us with the element of Christ. This element replaces and discharges our old element and brings about genuine transformation. In this way we are purified and sanctified; in this way we also experience the practicality of the church life
不是外面的改正，
NOT OUTWARD CORRECTION
乃是基督作我们的生命和人位
BUT CHRIST AS OUR LIFE AND PERSON
11假设有两位同住弟兄之家的弟兄彼此有了问题，一位可能找长老寻求帮助，另一位可能到一位年长姊妹那里寻求交通。那位长老也许告诉那位弟兄说，在召会生活中我们都必须学习忍耐；那位年长姊妹也许告诉另一位说，主把他摆在这环境里，好使他能学一些功课。这种劝告也许只是宗教的谈话。如果这两位弟兄想要照著去作，他们的难处会更大。至终，他们可能会搬出弟兄之家，甚至离开召会生活。
11Suppose two brothers who live together in a brothers’ house have a problem with each other. One may contact an elder for help, and another may go to an elderly sister for fellowship. The elder may tell the one brother that in the church life we all must learn patience, whereas the elderly sister may tell the other that the Lord has put him into his situation so he could learn certain lessons. Such advice may he mere religious talk. If these brothers try to follow it, they will have even greater problems. Eventually, they may choose to move out of the brothers’ house and even leave the church life.
12在召会生活里，我们不需要外面的改正。召会生活乃是一种我们都接受基督作生命和人位的生活。长老和年长的姊妹们，需要帮助圣徒认识，他们所需要的乃是接受主耶稣作他们的人位。众圣徒越这样作，他们就越经历基督作赐生命之灵的说话。这说话对他们要成为洁净、纯净的水。这水要将基督的元素散布在他们全人里面，并且除去一切的老旧。至终，像上面所举例的那两位弟兄，就不再因彼此之间的难处而受搅扰，反倒一同长大，一同被建造。这是正确的召会生活。哦！我们众人何等需要内里的洁净，就是变化我们之新陈代谢的纯净！我在本篇信息所供应给你们的，乃是我在基督徒生活以及召会生活中多年经历所学到的。我熟悉各种关于内里生命、圣别和属灵的教训。虽然我把这些教训付诸实行，但多半果效不大。我们许多人能作见证：虽然我们努力实行我们所读到关于圣别、属灵的事，但我们所读的在我们的经历中不太行得通。许多人因著失败与失望，认为今天要有正确的召会生活是不可能的。他们宣告说，我们必须等到来世才行。靠著主的怜悯，我能见证，真正的召会生活是可能的。我们能有召会生活，不是凭外面实行教训，乃是藉著接受基督作我们的生命和人位。然后我们享受并经历基督作赐生命、说话的灵。我们享受那洁净我们、变化我们、并使我们长大的说话。当我们在生命里长大时，我们就自然而然的与别人建造在一起。在这样的建造里，分裂没有地位，意见和道理的争执也没有地位。我们在洛杉矶召会的弟兄姊妹能作见证，我们不在乎意见、建议或题议；我们只在意接受基督作我们的生命，和说话的人位。我们宝贝祂的说话，因为祂作赐生命之灵的同在，乃是在祂的说话里。藉著祂的说话，祂就洁净我们、纯净我们、并圣化我们。至终，一切的斑点和皱纹都要被生命吞灭。
12In the church life we do not need outward correction. Instead, the church life is a life in which we all take Christ as our life and person. The elders and the elderly sisters need to help the saints to realize that their need is to take the Lord Jesus as their person. The more all the saints do this, the more they will experience the speaking of Christ as the life-giving Spirit. This speaking will be to them the cleansing, purifying water. This water will spread the element of Christ throughout their being, and it will discharge all oldness. Eventually, brothers like those in the illustration above will no longer be bothered by problems with each other, but will grow together and be built up together. This is the proper church life. Oh, how we all need the inward cleansing, the metabolic purification that transforms us! What I am ministering to you in this message is something I have learned through years of experience in the Christian life as well as in the church life. I am familiar with various teachings concerning the inner life, holiness, and spirituality. Although I put these teachings into practice, most of them were not very effective. Many of us can testify that although we endeavored to practice what were a don holiness and spirituality, what we read did not work very well in our experience. Out of failure and disappointment many have come to believe that it simply is not possible to have the proper church life today. They claim that for this we must wait until the next age. By the Lord’s mercy I can testify that it is possible to have the genuine church life. We have the church life not by trying to carry out teachings in an outward way, but by taking Christ as our life and as our person. Then we enjoy and experience Christ as the life-giving, speaking Spirit. We enjoy the speaking that cleanses us, transforms us, and causes us to grow. As we grow in life, we are spontaneously built up with others. In such a building there is no place for division or strife concerning opinion and doctrine. We in the church in Los Angeles can testify that we do not care for opinions, suggestions, or proposals. We care only for taking Christ as our life and as our speaking person. We treasure His speaking because His presence as the life-giving Spirit is in His speaking. By His speaking He cleanses us, purifies, and sanctifies us. Eventually, all the spots and wrinkles are swallowed up by life.
荣耀的召会
A GLORIOUS CHURCH
13藉著作赐生命之灵的主在我们里面说话，我们渐渐成为荣耀的召会，就是成为圣别、没有瑕疵的召会。今天我们正等候主的回来，我们知道，当祂来时，祂要把我们献给祂自己，作荣耀的召会，乃是圣别、没有瑕疵的。那时，我们要经历在第三阶段里，作新郎迎娶新妇的基督。在那时之前，我们的需要乃是天天接受基督作我们的人位，并且藉著赐生命之灵的说话，得著洁净、纯净和圣化。这样，我们就经历新陈代谢的改变，而有召会生活所需要之生命里的变化。
13Through the Lord’s speaking within us as the life- giving Spirit, we are becoming a glorious church, a church holy and without blemish. Today we are waiting for the Lord’s coming back, knowing that when He comes, He will present us to Himself a glorious church, holy and without blemish. At that time, we shall experience Christ in the third stage as the Bridegroom coming for His Bride. Until then, our need is to daily take Christ as our person and to be cleansed, purified, and sanctified through the speaking of the life-giving Spirit. In this way we shall undergo a metabolic change leading to the transformation in life which is necessary for the church life