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以弗所书生命读经 · 第67篇

结 语

CONCLUSION
1在本篇信息中，我们来到以弗所书的结语，就是六章二十一至二十四节。
1In this message we come to the conclusion of Ephesians, 6:21-24
壹 推荐推基古
I. RECOMMENDING TYCHICUS
2在十九至二十节，保罗请求圣徒为他祷告。然后他在二十一节继续说，『但为叫你们知道关于我的事，我的景况如何，有亲爱的弟兄，在主里忠信的执事推基古，要将一切全告诉你们。』这指明，一面保罗需要圣徒为他祷告，但另一面他对圣徒有真正的关切，打发推基古到他们那里，把关于他的消息告诉他们，并安慰他们的心。（22。）这指明保罗和以弗所圣徒之间，有一种绝佳的关系与美好的交通。这也指出需要有像推基古那样的中间人。使徒、信徒和推基古，乃是一。首先保罗立了榜样，请求圣徒为他祷告。然后他打发推基古到他们那里，把关于他的消息带给他们，并且安慰他们。这是何等的甘甜、美丽！虽然今天我们很少这样实行，但我们应当尽力这样实行。我们需要这种的交通。推基古不是受打发去完成伟大的工作。反之，他的任务乃是告诉圣徒关于保罗的景况，并且安慰他们的心。虽然在保罗的时代，没有轮船或飞机等现代化的交通工具，但是他打发推基古从罗马长途跋涉的到小亚细亚，替他看望圣徒。这段长程旅行的目标，乃是使徒与众圣徒之间的交通。这件事极为重要，所以记载在神的话语中。使徒关心召会，召会也关心使徒。所以，推基古为著交通的缘故，受打发从罗马到小亚细亚。今天在主的恢复里，需要恢复使徒与召会之间这样爱的关切。我们需要这种关切，不是去完成一个任务或作一项工作，乃是带进必需且正确的交通。今天也需要使者们去访问众召会，转达消息并鼓励众圣徒。
2In verses 19 and 20 Paul asks the saints to pray on his behalf. Then in verse 21 he goes on to say, “But that you also may know what concerns me, what I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make all things known to you.” This indicates that, on the one hand, Paul needed the saints to pray for him, but, on the other hand, he had a real concern for the saints and sent Tychicus to them both to bring them information regarding him and also to comfort their hearts (v. 22). This indicates that there was an excellent relationship with good fellowship between Paul and the saints in Ephesus. It also points out the need for a go-between such as Tychicus. The apostle, the believers, and Tychicus were one. Firstly, Paul set an example by asking the believers to pray for him. Then he sent Tychicus to them to bring them information concerning him and to comfort them. How sweet and beautiful this is! Although we rarely practice this today, we should endeavor to have such a practice. We need this kind of fellowship. Tychicus was not sent to carry on a great work. On the contrary, his task was to inform the saints about Paul’s situation and to comfort their hearts. Although in the time of Paul, there were no modern means of transportation, such as steamers or airplanes, he had Tychicus make the long journey from Rome to Asia Minor just to visit the saints on his behalf. The goal of this long journey was fellowship between the apostle and the saints. This is so important that it is recorded in the Word of God. The apostle was concerned for the church, and the church was concerned for the apostle. Therefore, Tychicus was sent from Rome to Asia Minor for the purpose of fellowship. In the Lord’s recovery today, such a loving concern between the apostles and the churches needs to be restored. We need this concern, not to carry out a commission or do a work, but to have the necessary and proper fellowship. Today there also is the need for messengers to visit the churches to relay information and to encourage the saints
3在基督的身体里，我们需要更多的来往交通。推基古受使徒保罗的打发到一个地方召会去，产生了一种交通。交通使一个国家强盛。看看美国联邦政府所造的一切高速公路，带来何等的影响；这些是美国繁荣的血脉。这样的交通，即使是越过广阔的空地，也产生相互的供应与进步。当我年少时，单是从我们的小乡镇步行到烟台就要一整天。我们前一天就得豫备好，然后一大早启程，傍晚到达那里。单是那一段距离就要花这么大的工夫，因此有许多人一辈子留在乡下，没有去过烟台。交通使美国发达；除了公路之外，还有许多纵贯国内的航线，也促进这个国家的繁荣。
3In the Body of Christ we need much more traffic. The sending of Tychicus by the Apostle Paul to a local church created a kind of traffic. Traffic strengthens a country. Consider the impact of all the highways the federal government has built. These are the veins of the prosperity of the United States. Traffic, even across great stre tches of open land, results in mutual supply and improvement. When I was growing up, just to travel the distance from our little village to Chefoo was a whole day’s journey on foot. We had to make preparations the day before, then leave very early in the morning to get thereby evening. It was such an effort to go just that distance that many people spent their whole lives in that village without ever going to Chefoo. It is traffic that has made the United States prosperous. In addition to the highways, the airlines with so many cross-country flights have increased the prosperity of this nation.
4召会之间越有交通越好。每逢我们聚在一起，就有来往交通。没有来往交通，召会就是孤立的。我们若是远离召会的聚会，只与少数人在自己的家中聚会，交通就被切断了。这是仇敌切断血脉的诡计。当血流被切断，结局就是死亡。然而，藉著众圣徒和众召会之间正当的交通，生命就得以繁增。所以，我们需要注意保罗在以弗所末了一章关于这事的话。说到推基古，保罗推荐他是一位『亲爱的弟兄，在主里忠信的执事』。推基古是一个在主里忠信的执事，一个服事的仆人。我们已经指出，他受打发将一切的事全告诉圣徒，并安慰他们的心。我再说，这启示出一种甜美的交通和亲密的关切，是今天在主的恢复里所需要完全恢复的。
4The more traffic among the churches, the better. Whenever we meet together, there is traffic. Without it, the churches are isolated. If we stay away from the meetings and meet together with just a few in our homes, the traffic is cut off. This is a subtlety of the enemy to cut the veins. When the blood flow is cut off, the result is death. However, by the proper traffic among the saints and between the churches, life multiplies. Therefore, we need to pay attention to Paul’sword concerning this matter in the last chapter of Ephesians. In speaking of Tychicus, Paul recommends him as a “beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord.” As a faithful servant in the Lord, Tychicus was a ministering servant. We have pointed out that he was sent to make all things known to the saints and to comfort their hearts. Once again I say that this reveals a sweet fellowship and intimate concern that need to be restored fully in the Lord’s recovery today
贰 祝福
II. BLESSING
一 平安与爱
A. Peace and Love
5二十三至二十四节是保罗的祝福：『愿平安与爱同著信，从父神并主耶稣基督归与弟兄们。愿恩典与一切在不朽坏之中，爱我们主耶稣基督的人同在。』使徒在本书开头的问安，先有恩典作享受，后有平安作享受的结果。（一2。）但在结语中，他的问安倒过来，从平安的结果到恩典的享受。我们进入平安之后，仍需要恩典，指明我们的经历乃是从恩典到恩典。保罗在开头的话里只说到恩典与平安。在他结束的话里，他不仅改变恩典与平安的次序，也题到『爱同著信』。为甚么恩典与平安倒过来，为甚么爱同著信包括在内，看见这事是重要的。我们已经看见，恩典是对主的享受，而平安乃是这享受的结果。这卷书开始于恩典，就是享受主自己作我们的生命、生命的供应、以及我们的一切。但是至终这卷书信把我们带到平安里。然而，在我们进入平安之后，我们仍需要恩典。我们藉著恩典，进入平安里。现今当我们享受平安时，我们需要更多的恩典。这就是恩上加恩。这也指明我们的经历乃是从恩典到恩典。
5Verses 23 and 24 are Paul’s blessing: “Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption.” In the opening of the book, the apostle’s greeting is with grace first as the enjoyment and then peace as the result of the enjoyment (1:2). But at the conclusion it is the other way around, from the result, which is in peace, to the enjoyment of grace. In his opening word Paul spoke only of grace and peace. In his concluding word, he not only changes the order of grace and peace, but also mentions “love with faith.” It is important to see why grace and peace are reversed and why love with faith was included. We have seen that grace is the enjoyment of the Lord and that peace is the result of this enjoyment. This book opens with grace, with the enjoyment of the Lord Himself as our life, life supply, and everything to us. But eventually this Epistle brings us into peace. However, after we have come into peace, we still need grace. We enter into peace through grace. Now as we are enjoying peace, we need more grace. This is grace upon grace. It also indicates that our experience is from grace to grace.
6但是为甚么把爱插在平安与恩典之间？保罗所写的其他书信中，没有一卷有这样的插法。把爱插在平安与恩典之间，因为不断的在爱里享受主，乃是我们蒙保守留在平安里惟一的路。『在爱里』这辞在这卷书共用了六次。（一4，三，四2，15，16，五2。）这把这卷书和启示录二章一至七节里基督对以弗所召会的话连起来。主在那里责备召会，因为她离弃了起初的爱。（4。）以弗所召会的难处，不是缺少行为或知识，乃是失去了起初的爱。因为保罗领悟爱是极其重要的，所以他说到爱与平安和恩典有关，指明我们若要蒙保守在平安的光景中，爱是必需的。这爱是从父神并主耶稣基督来的。这指明爱是从神来的，不是源于我们，乃是源于神。然而，神的爱至终成了我们的爱。这是保罗在二十四节说到那些爱我们主耶稣基督之人的原因。神对我们的爱，成了我们对祂的爱。平安是藉著这种爱维持的。藉著活在神同在的亲密中，爱就临到我们。然后这爱回到主那里，成了我们对祂的爱。藉著这爱的交通，平安就得以维持，我们也蒙保守在对恩典的享受中。这就是保罗说到平安、爱与恩典的原因。请注意保罗在二十三节用『爱同著信』这辞。爱同著信，是我们有分于并经历基督的凭藉。（提前一14。）信是接受祂，（约一12，）爱是享受祂。（十四23。）约翰福音先告诉我们要信入子，好得著永远的生命。（三。）信主耶稣，就是接受祂。约翰福音也强调爱；在二十一章，主问彼得对祂的爱如何。（15～17。）不仅如此，在约翰十四章二十三节，主说到父与子，同爱主耶稣的人安排住处。因此，藉著信，我们接受主耶稣，藉著爱，我们享受祂。因这缘故，保罗在提前一章十四节把信与爱摆在一起。
6But why is love inserted between peace and grace? No other epistle written by Paul has such an insertion. The reason for this insertion is that the only way we can be kept in a situation of peace is by continually enjoying the Lord in love. The phrase “in love” is used six times in this book (1:4; 3:17; 4:2, 15, 16; 5:2). This connects this Epistle to Christ’s 17 word to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7. There the Lord rebukes the church because she left her first love (v. 4). The problem with the church at Ephesus was not the lack of works or knowledge, but the loss of the first love. Because Paul realized that love is crucial, he spoke of love in relation to peace and grace, indicating thereby that love is needed to preserve us in a condition of peace. This love is from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This indicates that love does not originate with us; it originates with God. Eventually, however, God’s love becomes our love. This is the reason Paul speaks, in verse 24, of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ. God’s love to us becomes our love for Him. Peace is maintained by this kind of love. By living in the intimacy of God’s presence, love comes to us. Then this love returns to the Lord and becomes our love for Him. By this traffic of love, peace is maintained, and we are preserved in the enjoyment of grace. This is the reason Paul speaks of peace, love, and grace. Notice that in verse 23 Paul uses the phrase “love with faith.” Here, in contrast to 1 Timothy 1:14, he does not speak of love and faith. Love and faith are the two means by which we partake of Christ and experience Him. Faith is related to our receiving of Christ (John 1:12), and love is related to our enjoying Him (John 14:23). In the Gospel of John we are firstly told to believe in the Son in order to 15 have eternal life (3:15). To believe in the Lord Jesus is to receive Him. The Gospel of John also emphasizes love. In chapter twenty-one the Lord asks Peter concerning his love for Him (vv. 15-17). Furthermore, in John 14:23 the Lord speaks of the Father and the Son making an abode with the one who loves the Lord Jesus. Therefore, by faith we receive the Lord Jesus and by love we enjoy Him. For this reason, in 1 Timothy 1:14 Paul puts faith and love together.
7保罗在帖前五章八节也说到信与爱。在这节里，他鼓励圣徒要穿上『信和爱的胸甲』。将这节与以弗所六章十四节比较，我们看见有两种胸甲，一种是为著我们每天的生活，另一种是为著争战。为著每天的生活，我们需要信和爱的胸甲。信和爱都是柔细的；在圣经里这两者是以胸来表征。我们全人这样柔软的部分，就是我们属灵的胸，需要有胸甲遮盖。藉著胸甲，我们正确基督徒生活所必需的信与爱才得蒙保守。相反的，以弗所六章十四节里义的胸甲是为著争战。每当我们加入属灵的争战，我们的良心必须受义的胸甲保护，抵挡撒但的控告。在约翰福音、帖撒罗尼迦前书、提摩太前书里关于信和爱的经节，指明信和爱是并行的。但保罗在以弗所六章二十三节不是说信和爱，也不是说爱和信，乃是说爱同著信，指明我们需要信来配合、支持我们的爱。按照加拉太五章六节，信是藉著爱运行的。这运行是非常细的。在加拉太这卷强调本于信得称义的书里，五章六节告诉我们：『在基督耶稣里，受割礼不受割礼，全无效力；惟独藉著爱运行的信，才有效力。』你领悟相信主耶稣是一件爱的事么？你知道你的信是藉著爱运行的么？一个人听了福音，悔改，然后欣赏主耶稣，觉得祂全然可爱，就会有很强的信。这信是藉著他对主的爱运行的。我们越爱主，我们对祂的信就越强。这是保罗在加拉太书的思想。然而，以弗所书所强调的是爱，不是信。按照加拉太书，我们越欣赏主耶稣并爱祂，我们就越信祂。这是为著得救。但在以弗所书，保罗关心的不是救恩，乃是继续往前与交通。这需要爱同著信。我们的信若是因著接受怀疑和问题而软弱，我们就会发现很难爱主。每当信受损，爱也受损。我们若要藉著爱主，而继续在与主的交通中，就需要刚强的信。因此，我们需要藉著爱运行的信，也需要同著信的爱。
7In 1 Thessalonians 5:8 Paul also speaks of faith and love. In this verse he encourages the saints to put on “the breastplate of faith and love.” Comparing this verse to Ephesians 6:14, we see that there are two kinds of breastplates, the one for our daily living and the other for fighting. For our daily living we need the breastplate of faith and love. Faith and love are both tender; they are signified in the Bible by the breasts. Such tender parts of our being, our spiritual breasts, need to be covered with the breastplate. By means of the breastplate, our faith and love, which are necessary for a proper Christian life, are preserved. The breastplate of righteousness in 6:14, on the contrary, is for fighting. Whenever we take part in spiritual warfare, our conscience must be protected from Satan’s accusation by the breastplate of righteousness. The verses concerning faith and love in the Gospel of John, 1 Thessalonians, and 1 Timothy indicate that faith and love go together. But in 6:23 Paul does not say faith and love, nor love and faith, but love with faith. This indicates that we need faith to match, support, and serve our love. According to Galatians 5:6, faith operates through love. This operation is very delicate. In Galatians, a book that emphasizes justification by faith, we are told in 5:6 that “in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” Have you ever realized that believing in the Lord Jesus is a matter of love? Do you know that your faith operates through love? A person who hears the gospel, repents, and then comes to appreciate the Lord Jesus and feels that He is altogether lovable, will have a strong faith. This faith operates through his love for the Lord. The more we love the Lord, the stronger will be our faith in Him. This is Paul’s thought in Galatians. Ephesians, however, emphasizes love, not faith. According to Galatians, the more we appreciate the Lord Jesus and love Him, the more we shall believe in Him. This is for salvation. But in Ephesians Paul’s concern is not salvation, but continuation and fellowship. This requires love with faith. If our faith is weakened because we accept doubts and questions, we shall find it difficult to love the Lord. Whenever faith is damaged, love will be damaged also. In order to continue in fellowship with the Lord through loving Him, we need a strong faith. Therefore, we need both the faith that operates through love and the love that is with faith.
8我们已经指出，爱是从神来的。这意思是说，爱是在神那一边。相反的，信是在我们这一边。因此，『爱同著信』这辞含示，神和我们，我们和神之间的来往交通。爱是从神到我们，信是从我们到神。神将爱给我们，我们以信回应。这是爱和信之间的交通。藉著这爱和信之间的来往，平安就留作我们的分。藉著神的爱来我们这里，以及我们的信去祂那里，我们就蒙保守在平安里。
8We have pointed out that love is from God. This means that love is on God’ss i de. Faith, on the contrary, is on our side. Hence, the phrase “love with faith” implies traffic between God and us and between us and God. Love is from God to us, and faith is from us to God. God gives us love, and we respond with faith. This is the traffic between love and faith. Through this traffic peace remains our portion. We are kept in peace by God’s love coming to us and by our faith going to Him
二 恩典与一切在不朽坏之中，爱我们主耶稣基督的人同在
B. Grace with All Those Who Love Our Lord Jesus Christ in Incorruption
9这交通往来也要保守我们留在不断供应的恩典里，留在对主的享受里。保罗在二十四节说，『愿恩典与一切在不朽坏之中，爱我们主耶稣基督的人同在。』我们若要过召会生活，成就神永远的定旨，并解决神与祂仇敌的难处，恩典是必需的。享受主作恩典，乃是归与那些爱祂之人的。为著正确的召会生活，我们需要在不朽坏之中爱主，
9This traffic will also keep us in grace, in the enjoyment of the Lord. In verse 24 Paul says, “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption.” Grace is needed for us to live a church life that fulfills God’s eternal purpose and solves God’s problem with His enemy. The enjoyment of the Lord as grace is to those who love Him. For the proper church life we need to love the Lord in incorruption, that is, in a condition which is incorruptible
10就是在以弗所书全部六章所启示并教导的一切重要事项中，并照著这些事项爱主。这些重要的事项，如召会是基督的身体、新人、神奥秘的经纶、那灵的
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11一、实际和恩典、光和爱、以及神军装的各项等，全是不朽坏的。为著召会，我们向主的爱必须在这些不朽坏的事物中。我们对主的爱必须是不能朽坏、
11
12不能衰残、且不能废去的。这样的爱才是真实而诚挚的。
12Our love for the Lord must be incorruptible, immortal, and imperishable. Such a love is genuine and sincere
13保罗写这几节祝福的方式是很有意义的。在这卷书的结语里，我们被带进平安里。我们藉著那从神来的爱，同著从我们来的信，留在平安的光景里。藉著这爱同著信的往来交通，我们有恩典不断的供应。为著平安，为著爱同著信，并为著恩典，我们要说，阿利路亚！
13The way Paul composed the writing of the blessing in these verses is significant. Here, at the conclusion of this Epistle, we have been brought into peace. We remain in this condition of peace by the love which is from God with the faith which is from us. By this traffic of love with faith we have a continual supply of grace. Hallelujah for peace, for love with faith, and for grace