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以弗所书生命读经 · 第65篇

神全副的军装（二）

THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD (2)
1在前一篇信息中，我们看见神军装的头三项：腰带、胸甲和鞋。腰带与真理有关，胸甲与义有关，鞋与和平有关。我们已经看见，真理（实际）乃是神彰显在我们的生活里，作我们的标准、模型和原则。义乃是基督在我们的享受和经历中，成为我们良心的遮盖。如果我们在生活中有真理，我们就必定有义作我们的遮盖。圣经启示，义产生和平；这乃是对神并对人的和平，就是基督在十字架上为我们所成就的和平。所以，有腰带、胸甲和鞋，就是有真理、义、以及和平。当我们在日常生活中活出神时，我们就被作我们义的基督所遮盖，也有和平作我们稳固的根基。这样我们就豫备好与仇敌争战。
1In the foregoing message we considered the first three items of the armor of God: the girdle, the breastplate, and the shoes. The girdle is related to truth, the breastplate is related to righteousness, and the shoes are related to peace. We have seen that truth is God expressed in our living as our standard, pattern, and principle. Righteousness is Christ in our enjoyment and experience as the covering of our conscience. If we have truth in our living, we shall certainly have righteousness as our covering. The Bible reveals that righteousness issues in peace. This is peace both with God and with man. It is the very peace Christ accomplished on the cross for us. Therefore, to have the girdle, the breastplate, and the shoes is to have truth, righteousness, and peace. When we live out God in our daily living, we are covered with Christ as our righteousness, and we have peace as our firm foundation. Then we are prepared to fight against the enemy
壹 信的盾牌
I. THE SHIELD OF FAITH
2十六节说，『此外，拿起信的盾牌，藉此就能销灭那恶者一切火烧的箭。』我们需要真理束腰，义遮盖良心，和平覆脚如鞋，并需要信保护我们全人如盾牌。我们若凭那是实际（真理）的神而活，我们就有义，（四24，）义又产生和平。（来十二11，赛三二。）有了这些，我们就很容易有信作盾牌，抵挡那恶者火烧的箭。基督是这样之信的创始者与成终者。（来十二2。）我们若要在争战中站立得稳，就需要神的军装这四项的装备。信的盾牌不是给我们穿上的，乃是给我们拿起的，为著保护我们，抵挡仇敌的攻击。信是在真理、义与和平之后。我们在生活中若有真理，有义作我们的遮盖，且有和平作我们的立足点，我们就自然而然的有信。这信是安全的保护，可以抵挡仇敌火烧的箭，凶猛的攻击。
2Verse 16 says, “With all these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.” We need truth to gird our loins, righteousness to cover our conscience, peace as the standing for our feet, and faith to shield our entire being. If we live by God as truth, we have righteousness (4:24), and righteousness issues in peace (Heb. 12:11; Isa. 32:17). With all these, we can easily have faith as a 17 shield against the flaming darts of the evil one. Christ is the Author and Perfecter of such faith (Heb. 12:2). For us to stand firmly in the battle we need to be equipped with these four items of God’s armor. The shield of faith is not something that we put on, but something that we take up in order to protect ourselves against the attacks of the enemy. Faith comes after truth, righteousness, and peace. If we have truth in our living, righteousness as our covering, and peace as our standing, we shall spontaneously have faith. This faith is a safeguard against the fiery darts, the attacks, of the enemy.
3现在我们要仔细来看信的盾牌。我们的信，当然不是相信自己的能力、力量、功绩或美德；我们的信必须是相信神。（可十一22。）神是真的、活的、应时的、且便利的，我们需要相信祂。我们也应该相信神的心。每个基督徒都必须认识神和神的心。神对我们的心总是好的。不管我们身上发生甚么事，或有甚么苦难，我们总要相信神的心是好的。神没有意思要惩罚我们、伤害我们、或叫我们受亏损。
3We need now to consider the shield of faith in detail. We certainly are not to have faith in our own ability, strength, merit, or virtue. Our faith must be in God (Mark 11:22). God is real, living, present, and available. We need to have faith in Him. We also should have faith in God’s he art. Every Christian must know both God and the heart of God. God’she art toward us is always good. No matter what may happen to us or what kind of sufferings we may undergo, we must always believe in the goodness of God’she art. God has no intention to punish us, to injure us, or to cause us to suffer loss.
4我们该相信神的心，也该相信神的信实。我们会改变，但神永不改变。正如雅各书一章十七节所说，『在祂并没有…转动的影儿。』不仅如此，祂也不能说谎，（多一2，）祂对自己的话总是信实的。神不仅是信实的，也是有能力的。所以，我们需要信神的能力。保罗在以弗所三章二十节宣告，『神能…极其充盈的成就一切，超过我们所求所想的』。我们的信还有一面，就是相信神的话。神受了约束，要成就祂所说的一切。祂越说话，就越要负责成就祂自己的话。我们能告诉祂说，『神，你已经说了，你写出的话已经在我们手中。主，你受了约束，要成就你的话。』为著神信实的话，阿利路亚！
4Along with faith in God’she art, we should have faith in God’s faithfulness. We may change, but God does not change. As James 1:17 says, there is no shadow of turning with Him. Furthermore, He cannot lie (Titus 1:2), but is always faithful to His word. God is not only faithful, but also able. Therefore, we need to have faith in God’s ability. In 3:20 Paul declares that God “is able to do superabundantly above all that we ask or think.” Still another aspect of our faith is faith in God’sword. God is bound to fulfill all that He has spoken. The more He speaks, the more responsible He becomes to fulfill His own word. We can tell Him, “God, You have spoken, and Your written Word is in our hand. Lord, You are bound to fulfill Your word.” Hallelujah for God’s faithful word
5我们也必须相信神的旨意。神是有计画的神，所以祂有一个旨意。祂对我们的旨意总是积极的。因此，不论何事临到我们，我们都该不顾到我们的快乐或我们的环境，只顾到神的旨意。我们的环境会改变，但神的旨意永不改变。不仅如此，我们必须相信神的主宰。因为神是主宰一切的，祂绝不会错。在祂的主宰权柄下，连我们的错误也互相效力，叫我们得益处。若不是神的主宰权柄允许我们犯错，我们就不可能犯错。（然而，这并不是说，我们可以故意犯错。）当我们有错的时候，我们需要悔改，但是不需要懊悔，因为懊悔表示我们缺少信心。我们为了过犯或错误悔改后，必须仍然运用信心相信神的主宰权柄。若不是祂的主宰权柄允许我们这么作，我们不可能犯错。因此，我们不需要懊悔。我们都需要完全相信神，相信神的心，相信神的信实，相信神的能力，相信神的话，相信神的旨意，并相信神的主宰权柄。我们若有这样的信，撒但火烧的箭就不能伤害我们。
5We also need to have faith in God’s will. Because God is a God of purpose, He has a will. His will with respect to us is always positive. Hence, no matter what befalls us, we should care not for our happiness or our environment, but for God’s will. Our environment may change, but God’s will never changes. Furthermore, we must have faith in God’s sovereignty. Because God is sovereign, God could never make a mistake. Under His sovereignty, even our mistakes work for good. If God did not sovereignly allow us to make mistakes, we could not possibly make them. (However, this does not mean that we should deliberately make mistakes.) When we are wrong, we need to repent. But there is no need for us to regret, for that means we are lacking in faith. After we repent for a mistake or shortcoming, we must still exercise faith in God’s sovereignty. We could not have made that mistake if He had not sovereignly allowed us to do so. Hence, there is no need for regret. We all need to have a full faith in God, in God’s he art, in God’s faithfulness, in God’s ability, in God’sword, in God’s will, and in God’s sovereignty. If we have such a faith, Satan’s flaming darts will not be able to damage us.
6火烧的箭就是撒但的试诱、题议、怀疑、问题、谎言和攻击。在使徒时代，打仗的人使用火烧的箭；使徒用这个说明撒但对我们的攻击。每一个试诱都是欺骗，都是虚假的应许。火烧的箭包括魔鬼给我们的题议。我们早上醒来时，撒但常向我们题议。因这缘故，我们早晨头一件事就是需要进到主的话里。我们若不在主的话里，就没有遮盖以抵挡魔鬼的题议。怀疑和问题也是撒但火烧的箭。你有没有注意到，问号看起来很像一条蛇？撒但问夏娃说，『神岂是真说…？』（创三1。）当魔鬼这样问我们时，我们的反应应当是逃跑，一点也不要和他说话。许多时候撒但用谎言攻击我们。但是信的盾牌保护我们，抵挡这些火烧的箭。魔鬼火烧的箭临到我们，乃是把一些思想注射到我们的心思里。这些思想好像是我们自己的思想，实际上乃是撒但的。我总以为这样的思想是我自己的，后来我才发现牠们是来自撒但。我有这样的发现，是因为我虽然决定不再接受这样的思想，牠们还是一直的临到；我就晓得这些思想不是我的，乃是撒但的。在那时之前，我的作法是为著这一切的思想向主认罪。如今我拒绝认这些罪。然而，也许有些人认为，即使这些思想是从撒但来的，但牠们能注入我们里面，乃因我们是邪恶的。不要信这个；反而你应当说，『主，我是堕落的，但我是在你的洁净之下。撒但，这个思想是你的，你必须负责。我不担这个责任。』然而，有些人由于良心的过敏，不断的为撒但所造成的事情认罪。绝不要为撒但用诡诈所注射到你里面的思想认罪。要叫信心得保卫，抵挡撒但火烧的箭，我们需要一个正确的灵，同著无亏的良心。然而，信心主要不在我们的灵里，也不在我们的良心里，乃在我们的意志里，就是我们心中最强的一部分里。新约说，我们心里信。（罗十10。）按照我们的经历，这在我们心里的信，主要与我们意志的操练有关。一个意志像水母一样的人，无法有刚强的信心。雅各书一章六节告诉我们，那疑惑的人，就像海中的波浪，被风吹动翻腾。这样的人意志游移不定。因此，我们若要有信心，就需要运用我们的意志。
6The flaming darts are Satan’s temptations, proposals, doubts, questions, lies, and attacks. Flaming darts were used by warriors in the apostle’s time, and the apostle used this as an illustration of Satan’s attack son us. Every temptation is a deceit, a false promise. The flaming darts include the Devil’s proposals that come to us. As we are waking up in the morning, often Satan will make proposals to us. For this reason, we need to get into the Word the first thing in the morning. If we are not in the Word, we shall have no covering against the Devil’s proposals. Doubts and questions are also flaming darts of Satan. Have you ever noticed that a question mark looks very much like a serpent? It was Satan who asked Eve, “Hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1). When the Devil questions us in this way, our response should be to flee, without even talking to him. Many times Satan attacks us with lies. But the shield of faith also guards us against these flaming darts. The Devil’s flaming darts come as thoughts injected into our mind. These thoughts may seem to be our own thoughts, but they are actually Satan’s. I used to believe that such thoughts were my own. Later I began to realize that they came from Satan. I discovered this after such thoughts persisted in coming after I had decided not to entertain them. I saw that these thoughts were not mine, but Satan’s. Prior to that time, my practice was to confess all these thoughts to the Lord. Now I refuse to confess them. However, some may think that even though these thoughts come from Satan, they are injected into us because we are evil. Do not believe this. Rather, you should say, “Lo rd, I am fallen, but I am under Your cleansing. Satan, this thought is yours, and you must bear the responsibility for it. I will not share this responsibility.” Nevertheless, due to an overly sensitive conscience some continually confess things that are caused by Satan. Never confess thoughts injected into you by Satan in his subtlety. In order to have the faith to be defended against Satan’s flaming darts, we need a proper spirit with a conscience void of offense. However, faith is not mainly in our spirit nor in our conscience, but in our will, the strongest part of our heart. The New Testament says that we believe with our heart (Rom. 10:10). According to our experience, this faith in our heart is related mainly to the exercise of our will. No one with a will like a jellyfish can have strong faith. In James 1:6 we are told that he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind. Such a person has a vacillating will. Hence, if we would have faith, we need to exercise our will.
贰 救恩的头盔
II. THE HELMET OF SALVATION
7保罗在十七节上半继续说，『还要…接受救恩的头盔。』这是为著遮盖我们的心思、思想，抵挡那恶者射到我们里面的消极思想。这样的头盔，这样的遮盖，乃是神的救恩。撒但把威吓、忧虑、罣虑和其他叫人软弱的思想，注射到我们的心思里。神的救恩就是我们抵挡这一切所拿起的遮盖。这样的救恩，就是我们在日常生活中所经历那拯救的基督。（约十六33。）撒但火烧的箭乃是透过我们的心思临到我们的。因此，正如我们的良心需要义的胸甲，我们的意志需要信的盾牌，照样我们的心思也需要救恩的头盔。我们需要真理、义、和平、信，然后是救恩。义产生和平，和平给我们立场得著信，然后信带进救恩。不要把救恩的头盔和信的盾牌分开。盾牌保护我们的前面，头盔保护我们的头部。盾牌和头盔是一起作用的。
7In the first part of verse 17 Paul goes on to say, “ And receive the helmet of salvation.” This is for covering our mind, our mentality, against the negative thoughts directed at us by the evil one. Such a helmet, such a covering, is God’ss alvation. Satan injects into our mind threats, worries, anxieties, and other weakening thoughts. God’ss alvation is the covering we take up against all these. Such a salvation is the saving Christ we experience in our daily life (John 16:33). Satan’s darts come to us through our mind. Therefore, just as our conscience needs the breastplate of righteousness and our will needs the shield of faith, so our mind needs the helmet of salvation. We need truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and then salvation. Righteousness issues in peace, and peace gives us the ground to have faith. Then faith brings in salvation. Do not separate the helmet of salvation from the shield of faith. The shield protects the front of our being, but the helmet protects our head. The shield and the helmet work together
参 那灵的剑
III. THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
8保罗在十七节也说到『那灵的剑，那灵就是神的话』。在神军装的六项中，惟有这一项是为著攻击仇敌的。我们用剑砍碎仇敌。然而，我们不是先拿剑；我们必须先束上腰带，穿上胸甲和鞋子，然后拿起信的盾牌和拯救的头盔。这样，当我们完全受到保护，并有救恩作我们的分时，我们才能接受那灵的剑。十七节清楚指明，那灵就是神的话。那灵和话都是基督。（林后三17，启十九13。）基督作那灵与话，能供我们进攻的剑，杀败我们的仇敌。若是我来写这一节，我会说，『神话语的剑。』但保罗说，『那灵的剑，那灵就是神的话。』这里的剑是那灵的剑，还是话的剑？大多数人认为保罗说，剑就是话，而由那灵来挥动这剑。我多年来也是这样领会这一节。我以为使用剑的是那灵，不是我。换句话说，照这样的领会，剑就是话，而用剑击杀仇敌的乃是那灵。我从年轻时就受教导说，那灵帮助我们使用神的话作为剑。但这里的意思不是这样。正确的意思乃是，那灵就是剑本身，不是用剑者。神的话也是剑。剑是那灵，而那灵就是话。这里我们有剑、那灵和话三者，这三者乃是一。
8In verse 17 Paul also speaks of “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” Among the six items of God’s armor, this is the only one for attacking the enemy. With the sword we cut the enemy to pieces. However, we do not take up the sword first. Rather, we must firstly put on the girdle, the breastplate, and the shoes, and then take up the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. Then, when we are entirely protected and have salvation as our portion, we may receive the sword of the Spirit. In verse 17 the antecedent of the word “which” is Spirit, not sword. This indicates that the Spirit is the word of God, both of which are Christ (2 Cor. 3:17; Rev. 19:13). If I were writing this verse, I would say, “the sword of the word of God.” But Paul speaks of “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” Is the sword here the sword of the Spirit or the sword of the word? Most readers consider that Paul was saying that the sword is the word and that the Spirit wields the sword. I understood the verse this way for years. I thought that it was the Spirit, not I, who used the sword. In other words, according to this understanding, the sword is the word, and the One who uses the sword to slay the enemy is the Spirit. From my youth I was taught that the Spirit helps us to use the word of God as the sword. But this is not the meaning here. The correct meaning is that the Spirit is the sword itself, not the one who uses the sword. The Word of God is also a sword. The sword is the Spirit, and the Spirit is the Word. Here we have three that are one: the sword, the Spirit, and the Word.
9在本篇信息中，我主要的负担乃是这件事。话就是圣经。但如果这话只是印出来的字句，就不是那灵，也不是剑。十七节的『话』，原文是rhema，雷玛，就是那灵在一切情况下，所说即时的话。当logos，娄格斯，圣经中常时的话，成了即时的『雷玛』时，这『雷玛』就是那灵。成为那灵的『雷玛』，就是砍碎仇敌的剑。譬如，我们也许对某一经节一读再读，牠仍然是『娄格斯』─字句的话。这样的话不能杀死任何东西。但有一天这经节对我们成了『雷玛』，就是应时、即时、活的说话，那时这『雷玛』就成了那灵。因此，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。』原文在这里也用『雷玛』。即时、应时的话乃是那灵；这样的话就是剑。因此，剑、那灵和话，三者乃是一。不仅如此，使用这剑击杀仇敌的，不是那灵，乃是我们。在我们基督徒的经历中，话与那灵必须一直是一。我们若说接受了那灵，却没有接受话，这全然是虚假的。我们若没有接受话，就不可能有那灵。在我的经历中，我接受那灵多半是经由话来的。当我很活的接触话时，话对我就成了那灵。然而，有些人接受圣经，却没有那灵。这也不对。那些想要种花的人，需要种子，也需要包含在种子里的生命。把种子里的生命与种子本身分开是不可能的。我们要有生命，就必须接受种子。话与那灵的关系，就像种子与生命的关系一样。我们必须两者都有。主耶稣是那灵也是话。祂并非仅是那灵而不是话，也并非仅是话而不是那灵。因为祂是话，也是那灵，所以祂给我们造了心思可以领会，也造了灵可以接受。当我们就近圣经时，我们要运用我们的心思和我们的灵。我们藉著读经运用心思，藉著祷告运用灵。因为我们需要读经，也需要祷告，所以我们应当祷读主的话。我能见证，藉著祷读，我的灵变为刚强，并且豫备好吞吃仇敌。我不仅运用我的灵，也运用我的心思来思想主的话。譬如，我也许问说，为甚么四章题到恩典和实际（真理），五章题到爱与光。我也为此祷告。我的灵越藉著祷读得加强，我就越渴望使用那灵的剑击杀仇敌。在我的说话中，我有一把剑用来砍碎仇敌。
9My main burden in this message i son this matter. The Word is the Bible. But if this Word is only printed letters, it is neither the Spirit nor the sword. The Greek for word in verse 17 is rhema, the instant word spoken at the moment by the Spirit in any situation. When the logos, the constant word in the Bible, becomes the instant rhema, this rhema will be the Spirit. This rhema, which becomes the Spirit, is the sword that cuts the enemy to pieces. For example, we may read a particular verse again and again, only to have it remain the logos, a word in letters. Such a word cannot kill anything. But one day this verse becomes the rhema to us, the present, instant, living speaking. At that time this rhema becomes the Spirit. For this reason, in John 6:63 the Lord Jesus said, “The words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life.” Here the Greek text also uses rhema. The instant, present word is the Spirit. This kind of word is the sword. Therefore, the sword, the Spirit, and the word are three that are one. Furthermore, we, not the Spirit, are the ones to use this sword to kill the enemy. In our Christian experience, the Word and the Spirit must always be one. It is an utter falsehood to say that we take the Spirit without taking the Word. Without taking the Word, we cannot have the Spirit. In my experience, I receive the Spirit mostly through the Word. As I contact the Word in a living way, it becomes the Spirit to me. However, some take the Bible without the Spirit. This also is wrong. Those who wish to grow flowers need both the seeds and the life contained in the seeds. It is impossible to separate the life within the seeds from the seeds themselves. In order to have the life, we must take the seeds. The relationship between the Word and the Spirit is like that between the seeds and the life. We must have both. The Lord Jesus is both the Spirit and the Word. He is not the Spirit without being the Word, nor the Word without being the Spirit. Because He is both the Word and the Spirit, He created us with a mind to understand and a spirit to receive. When we come to the Bible, we should exercise both our mind and our spirit. We exercise our mind by reading and our spirit by praying. Since we need both to read and to pray, we should pray-read the Word. I can testify that through pray-reading my spirit becomes strong and ready to devour the enemy. I not only exercise my spirit, but I also exercise my mind to consider the Word. For example, I may ask why grace and truth are mentioned in chapter four, whereas love and light are mentioned in chapter five. I also pray concerning this. The more my spirit is strengthened by pray-reading the Word, the more eager I am to use the sword of the Spirit to slay the enemy. In my speaking I have a sword with which to cut the enemy to pieces.
10神全副的军装，有真理、义、和平、信与救恩。末了有雷玛（话），就是那灵，也就是剑。这是我们用来进攻仇敌的攻击武器。当我们有了神全副的军装，包括剑在内，我们就不仅蒙保护，也豫备好与仇敌摔跤。藉著有真理、义、和平、信与救恩，我们就得装备、彀资格、得加强、并得加力，在属灵的争战中能以挥剑。这样仇敌就要被我们的剑砍碎，被我们击杀了。当我们从事属灵的争战抵挡仇敌时，我们不用花招、技巧或政治手腕。我们惟一的武器乃是那灵─话，就是剑。我们不用技巧；我们挥动那灵的剑。我们用真理束腰，我们的良心被基督作我们的义所遮盖。然后，我们有和平作我们稳固的根基。我们能向全宇宙夸口：我们与神、与人都没有问题，因为我们站在基督在十字架上所成就的和平之上。不仅如此，我们还得著信之盾牌的保护，并蒙受救恩之头盔的防卫。因此，当我们祷读主话时，每句话都成了『雷玛』，就是砍碎仇敌的剑。这样，胜利就是我们的。我们不仅征服仇敌，击败仇敌，并且击杀他，甚至把他砍碎。这就是穿上神全副的军装，从事属灵争战的意思。召会必须是这样一个有装备、能争战、并且得胜的召会，以击杀神的仇敌。
10With the whole armor of God we have truth , righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation. Finally, we have the rhema, the Spirit, the sword. This is our offensive weapon to use in attacking the enemy. When we have the whole armor of God, including the sword, we are not only protected, but also prepared to wrestle against the enemy. By having truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation we are equipped, qualified, strengthened, and empowered to use the sword in spiritual warfare. Then the enemy is subject to the cutting of our sword, and he is slaughtered by us. As we engage in spiritual warfare against the enemy, we do not use gimmicks, skills, or politics. Our only weapon is the Spirit-Word, which is the sword. We do not employ cunning craftiness—we wield the sword of the Spirit. Our loins are girded with truth, and our conscience is covered by Christ as our righteousness. Then we have peace as our firm foundation. We can boast to the whole universe that we have no problems with God or man, for we are standing on the peace accomplished by Christ on the cross. Furthermore, we are protected by the shield of faith and guarded by the helmet of salvation. Therefore, when we pray-read the Word, every word becomes the rhema, the sword that cuts the enemy. In this way the victory is ours. We not only subdue the enemy and defeat him, but slay him and even cut him into pieces. This is what it means to fight the spiritual warfare with the whole armor of God. The church must be such an equipped, fighting, and victorious church to slay God’se ne my