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腓立比书生命读经 · 第22篇

模成基督的死，

CONFORMED TO CHRIST’S DEATH
1以达到那从死人中
1TO ATTAIN TO THE OUT-RESURRECTION FROM AMONG THE DEAD
杰出的复活
2读经：腓立比书3:10b-11，约翰福音6:57，哥林多前书9:24-26，提摩太后书4:7-8，帖撒罗尼迦前书4:16，哥林多前书15:52，希伯来
2
3书11:35，以弗所书2:5-6，罗马书8:6,11。
3Scripture Reading: Phil. 3:10b-11; John 6:57; 1 Cor. 9:24-26; 2 Tim. 4:7-8; 1 Thes. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52; Heb. 11:35; Eph. 2:5-6; Rom. 8:6, 11
4民族特性的影响我们很容易看见，物质的事物在我们的生活中可能成为基督的代替品，或阻挠我们享受祂。但我们不容易看见，非物质的事物，如宗教、哲学和文化，也可能成为基督的代替品。历年来，我见过好些不同国籍的属灵人，他们是真正寻求主的人。然而，他们在属灵上虽然长进到某种程度，但几乎没有一个活在本国的文化以外。例如，在中国所有真正寻求基督的人中间，很少人活在中国伦理的哲学以外。这种哲学已作到他们里面。为这缘故，甚至最好的基督徒也免不了受其影响。这不是说，这些伦理教训是错误的。历世纪以来，这些教训一直被用来保守人。问题乃是：这样的伦理教训是在基督自己以外的事物。我们照著某种伦理教训而活，这不是神的愿望。伦理不是新造的一部分，也不是属于基督、那灵、或复活生命的事物。任何属于基督的事物，必定是在复活里，在新造里，并属于那灵。倪弟兄是一个能分辨伦理与基督的人。我从未见过一个人比他更清楚认识基督与伦理的不同。有一次他与我透彻交通到基督与照著孔子教训所发展之伦理的不同。然而，中国人中间许多寻求的基督徒无法分辨这个不同。问题不单是他们没有活在中国伦理的哲学以外，更严重的问题是他们不知道中国哲学的伦理与基督的不同。关于这点，我担心许多在主恢复里的圣徒，虽然多年在这职事之下，却仍未能正确分辨哲学的伦理与基督。不但如此，甚至那些略有分辨力的人，仍可能不知不觉或潜意识的活在伦理的范围里，过于活在基督里。我们的伦理也许非常好，但这样一种伦理的生活不是在复活里的生活，与基督、那灵、或新造无分无关。
4THE INFLUENCE OF NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS It is easy to see that material things may be substitutes for Christ in our lives or may frustrate us from enjoying Him. But it is not easy to see that things that are not material, such as religion, philosophy, and culture, may also be substitutes for Christ. Throughout the years, I have met a good number of spiritual people from different nationalities who were genuine seekers of the Lord. However, although they were progressing spiritually to a certain extent, hardly any lived outside their national culture. For example, among all the true seekers of Christ in China, very few lived outside their Chinese ethical philosophy. This philosophy had been wrought into them. For this reason, not even the best Christians were free from its influence. This is not to say that these ethical teachings are wrong. They were used to preserve people for centuries. The point is that such ethical teachings are something other than Christ Himself. It is not God’s desire that we live according to certain ethical teachings. Ethics is not part of the new creation. It is not something of Christ, of the Spirit, or of resurrection life. Anything that is of Christ must be in resurrection, in the new creation, and of the Spirit. Brother Nee was one who could discern between ethics and Christ. I have never met a person who knew more clearly than he the difference between Christ and ethics. One time he had a thorough fellowship with me concerning the difference between Christ and the ethics developed according to the teaching of Confucius. However, many seeking Christians among the Chinese cannot discern this difference. The problem is not simply that they do not live outside their Chinese ethical philosophy. A more serious problem is that they do not know the difference between Chinese philosophical ethics and Christ. Regarding this, I am concerned about many of the saints in the Lord’s recovery. Although they have been under this ministry for years, they still have not acquired the proper discernment between philosophical ethics and Christ. Furthermore, even those who have some measure of discernment may still unconsciously and subconsciously live more in the realm of ethics than in Christ. Our ethics may be very good, but such an ethical living is not a living in resurrection. It has nothing to do with Christ, the Spirit, or the new creation.
5我能见证，因著主的怜悯，我能分辨基督与伦理的不同。基督全然在中国的伦理以外；基督与伦理无关，伦理也与基督无关。但我虽然有这种分辨力，却没有把握，在日常生活中，我是全然在伦理的范围以外，而完全在基督里。至少在某种程度上，我很可能仍在伦理教训的影响之下。惟有当我完全被带进复活里并且被提时，我才会有把握，我是全然在基督里。目前，我只能见证我有分辨力，但并非我已活在伦理的范围以外，而完全在基督里。毫无疑问，伦理教训非常好，但这些教训不是基督。要活在伦理以外，而活在基督自己里面，第一步就是要发展对伦理与基督的分辨力。伦理对中国基督徒的影响，正如各国的文化对不同国籍的基督徒的影响一样。多年前，我应邀为贵宾，住在英国一个地方，当地的基督徒以属灵闻名。我在那里的时候，留意到当地的圣徒非常照著英国的外交手腕而活。长老们尤其如此。长老们顺从领头的长老，他们同他在一起的时候，和气有礼；但他们不时会说到他消极的事。虽然这地方是许多属灵书报的发源地，但当地的信徒实际上没有彰显多少真正的属灵。反之，他们照著他们那种外交手腕而活。他们爱主是没有疑问的。但在日常生活中，他们实行外交手腕，而没有活在基督里。正如中国哲学的伦理已经作到中国人的血轮里，英国的外交手腕照样也已经作到那些英国圣徒里面。
5I can testify that by the Lord’s mercy I can discern between Christ and ethics. Christ is altogether apart from Chinese ethics. Christ has nothing to do with ethics, and ethics has nothing to do with Christ. But although I have this discernment, I do not have the assurance that in my daily living I am altogether outside the realm of ethics and wholly in Christ. It is very possible that at least to some extent I am still under the influence of ethical teachings. Only when I have been fully brought into resurrection and raptured will I have the assurance that I am altogether in Christ. At present, I can testify only that I have the discernment, not that I live apart from the sphere of ethics and fully in Christ. No doubt, ethical teachings are very good, but these teachings are not Christ. A first step toward living apart from ethics and in Christ Himself is to develop the discernment between ethics and Christ. What is true of Chinese Christians concerning ethics is also true of Christians of different nationalities concerning their cultures. Years ago I was invited to stay as an honored guest in a place in England known for the spirituality of the Christians there. While I was there, I noticed that the saints in that place lived very much according to British diplomacy. This was especially true of the elders. The elders were obedient to the leading elder. When they were with him, they were kind and polite. But on occasion they spoke negative things concerning him. Although this place was the source of many books about spiritual things, the believers there actually did not express much genuine spirituality. Instead, they lived according to their type of diplomacy. There can be no doubt that they loved the Lord. But in their daily life they practiced diplomacy instead of living in Christ. Just as the Chinese philosophical ethics has been wrought into the very fiber of the Chinese people, so British diplomacy had been wrought into the being of those saints in England
6我举这些例证，是要指出一个事实，信徒无论多认真寻求主，他们仍在其民族特性的影响之下。在日常生活中，他们受文化的影响，过于受基督的影响。保罗说他将万事都看作亏损，不但指物质的事物，也指宗教、哲学、和文化这类的事物。我们也许愿意因基督将物质的事物看作亏损，却没有将文化或民族特性看作亏损。但保罗把宗教、文化、和民族特性看作粪土、垃圾，为要赢得基督，并且给人看出他是在祂里面。这些事物也许非常好，却不是在复活里，也不是在新造里；并且不是属于基督或那灵。
6I use these illustrations to point out the fact that no matter how earnestly the believers may seek the Lord, they are still under the influence of their national characteristics. In their daily living, they are influenced more by their culture than by Christ. When Paul said that he counted all things loss, he meant not only material things, but also things such as religion, philosophy, and culture. We may be willing to count material things as loss for Christ, but we may not count as loss our culture or our national characteristics. But religion, culture, and national characteristics were among the things Paul counted to be trash, refuse, in order to gain Christ and be found in Him. These things may be very good, but they are not in resurrection and they are not in the new creation. Moreover, they are not of Christ or of the Spirit.
需要以认识基督为至宝
THE NEED FOR THE EXCELLENCY
OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST
7我们也许非常爱主，并且天天花时间将自己祷告到那灵里，但在实际的生活中，我们也许活在基督以外的事物中。中国的圣徒也许活在伦理中，英国的圣徒也许活在外交手腕中。我们很自动、自然的就这样生活。我们何等需要基督为至宝的异象。我们若以认识基督为至宝，就会看见祂远超最好的民族特性。我们会认识，基督远比我们文化的各种元素优越。惟有以认识基督为至宝，会使我们免于一切不是基督自己之事物的影响。我们相当容易应用基督作我们的平安、喜乐和安息。但我们思想基督更高的方面，就发觉相当难应用。例如，基督是神经纶的奥秘。虽然我们可能知道祂是神经纶的奥秘，但我们在日常的行事为人里，不容易在这方面应用祂。基督这方面与我们日常生活之间的差距极大。我们也发觉很难经历基督作一切正面事物的实体、实际。我们急切需要为此祷告。虽然光在我们中间照耀明亮，但在我们的日常生活中似乎不太有果效。在聚会中，在光的照耀之下，我们也许对基督的宝贵有深刻的印象，但我们散会后回家，却依然故我。我们迫切需要祷告，使我们看见对基督之认识的至宝。我们若真实、实际的有这样的认识，我们为人生活中一切不是基督自己的元素，都会被治死。以认识基督为至宝，废掉我们民族特性和本国哲学的影响。我能从经历见证，以认识基督为至宝，消杀一切在我们日常生活中顶替基督的美好事物。
7Even though we may love the Lord very much and daily take time to pray ourselves into the Spirit, in our actual living we may live in things other than Christ. The Chinese saints may live in their ethics, and the British saints may live in their diplomacy. We live this way automatically and spontaneously. How we need a vision of the excellency of Christ. If we have the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, we shall see that He far surpasses the best national characteristics. We shall know that Christ is far superior to every element of our culture. Only the excellency of the knowledge of Christ will rid us of the influence of all the things that are not Christ Himself. It is rather easy for us to apply Christ as our peace, joy, and rest. But when we consider higher aspects of Christ, we find them rather difficult to apply. For example, Christ is the mystery of God’secon o my. Although we may know Him as the mystery of God’secon o my, it is not easy for us to apply Him in this aspect in our daily walk. The gap between such an aspect of Christ and our daily living is extremely great. We also find it difficult to experience Christ as the body, the reality, of all the positive things. There is an urgent need for us to pray concerning this. Although the light is shining brightly among us, there seems to be too little effect in our daily living. In the meetings, under the shining of the light, we may be impressed with the excellency of Christ, but when we go home after the meeting, we are very much the same. We desperately need to pray that we may see the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. If we have such a knowledge in a real and practical way, all the elements of our human living which are not Christ Himself will be put to death. The excellency of the knowledge of Christ annuls the influence of our national characteristics and domestic philosophy. From my experience I can testify that the excellency of the knowledge of Christ kills all the good things that replace Christ in our daily living
基督复活的大能
the power of Christ’s resurrection
8在腓立比三章十节保罗说到基督复活的大能。基督复活的大能，就是使祂从死人中复活的复活生命。（弗一～20。）基督神圣的生命包含复活的元素。甚至在祂复活以前，祂就能对马大说，『我是复活，我是生命。』（约十一25。）基督复活生命的实际，乃是那灵。复活是抽象、奥秘的；没有人能解释。但我们能认识那灵作为复活的实际。基督的灵是基督复活的实际。因此，基督的灵在那里，那里就有复活。因为这灵现今在我们里面，所以基督复活的大能也在我们里面。我们不该受灵恩派的观念影响或左右，以为我们若禁食祷告一段时期，就会忽然得著属灵的能力。照著这观念，神圣的能力会忽然降在祷告禁食的寻求者身上。这与新约里所启示真正属灵的路不合。真正属灵的路，乃是我们相信主耶稣时就得著重生，那灵就分赐给我们，并且在我们里面成为复活的大能。
8In 3:10 Paul speaks of the power of Christ’s resurrection. The power of Christ’s resurrection is His resurrection life that raised Him from among the dead (Eph. 1:19-20). Christ’s divine life includes the element of 19 resurrection. Even before He was resurrected, He could say to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). The reality of Christ’s resurrection life is the Spirit. Resurrection is abstract and mysterious; no one can define it. But we can know the Spirit as the reality of resurrection. The Spirit of Christ is the reality of the resurrection of Christ. Thus, where the Spirit of Christ is, there is resurrection. Because this Spirit is now within us, the power of Christ’s resurrection is within us also. We should not be affected or influenced by the Pentecostal concept that if we fast and pray for a period of time, we shall suddenly be endued with spiritual power. According to this concept, divine power suddenly falls upon those who seek it by prayer and fasting. This is not according to the true spiritual way revealed in the New Testament. According to this spiritual way, when we believe in the Lord Jesus, we are regenerated, and the Spirit is imparted to us and becomes in us the power of resurrection.
9我们可用康乃馨的种子说明复活生命得释放的路。康乃馨的种子虽然非常小，却包含能产生康乃馨植物的生命能力。既然这生命的元素已经在种子里面，就无须从外面将能力加给种子。惟一需要的是种子落在地里死了。种子若经过死，牠的外壳就会破裂，生命就会得释放，不是从高处，乃是从种子里面释放出来。
9We may use a carnation seed to illustrate the way resurrection life is released. Although a carnation seed is very small, it contains the life power capable of producing a carnation plant. Since this life element is already in the seed, there is no need for power to be added to the seed from without. The only thing necessary is that the seed fall into the earth and die. Should the seed pass through death, its shell will be broken, and life will be released, not from on high, but from within the seed
10这康乃馨种子的例证与新约的启示一致。我们重生的人，有神的种子在我们里面。按照约壹三章九节，神的种子住在凡神所生的人里面。这种子包含神圣的生命，这生命就是复活的大能。复活的生命要从种子里面得释放，种子的外壳就必须破裂。这需要受苦。
10This illustration of a carnation seed is in keeping with the revelation of the New Testament. As reborn ones, we have the seed of God within us. According to 1 John 3:9, the seed of God remains in all those who have been born of God. This seed contains the divine life, and this life is the power of resurrection. In order for resurrection life to be released from within the seed, the outer shell of the seed must be broken. This requires suffering
11在腓立比三章十节保罗继续说到同基督受苦的交通，以及模成祂的死。同基督受苦的交通，就是我们有分于祂的受苦。基督在祂一生中，经过了破碎的过程，使生命的能力能从祂里面得著释放。尤其当祂死于十字架的时候，祂就被破碎。神圣生命的种子已栽种到我们里面；现今我们也需要被破碎，使种子里面生命的能力能得著释放。我们外面的人若被破碎，我们里面的种子就能释放其生命的能力。
11In 3:10 Paul goes on to speak of the fellowship of Christ’s suffering and of being conformed to His death. The fellowship of Christ’s sufferings is our participation in His sufferings. During His entire life, Christ underwent a process of breaking so that the life power could be released from within Him. In particular, He was broken when He died on the cross. The divine life seed has been planted into our being. Now we also need to be broken that the life power within the seed can be released. If our outer man is broken, the seed within us will be able to release its life power.
12至终，这外面的人被破碎的过程，会使我们完全模成基督的死。这样，基督的死就成为使我们被破碎的模子，或模型。然后在日常生活中，我们就能将基督应用到我们的每一需要上。我们若需要能力，祂就会成为我们的能力。我们若需要忍耐，祂自己就会成为我们的忍耐。这就是认识基督，经历祂，并享受祂。在三章十节保罗用『模成祂的死』这辞，指明保罗渴望以基督的死作他生活的模子。基督的死是个模子，使我们被模成这模子的形状；这就像面团放在糕饼的模子里，模成模子的形状一样。保罗一直过钉十字架的生活，就是在十字架下的生活，正如基督在祂为人的生活中所过的。藉著这样的生活，我们就能经历并彰显基督复活的大能。基督之死的模子，是指基督不断的将祂人的生命治死，使祂得以凭神的生命活著。（约六57。）我们的生活应当模成祂这模子的形状，就是向我们人的生命死，而活神的生命。模成基督的死，乃是认识并经历基督、和祂复活的大能、以及同祂受苦之交通的条件。我们在日常生活中，该是『面团』，被模成基督之死这模子的形状。我们若允许环境将我们压到这模子里，我们的日常生活就会模成基督之死的模型。这是保罗说到模成基督之死的观念。
12Eventually, this process of the breaking of the outer man will result in full conformity to the death of Christ. In this way the death of Christ becomes a model, or pattern, for our breaking. Then in our daily life we shall be able to apply Christ to our every need. If we need power, He will become power to us. If we need patience, He Himself will be our patience. This is to know Christ, to experience Him, and to enjoy Him. In 3:10 Paul uses the expression “being conformed to His death.” This expression indicates that Paul desired to take Christ’s death as them old of his life. Christ’s death is a mold to which we are conformed in much the same way that dough is put in a cake mold and conformed to it. Paul continually lived a crucified life, a life under the cross, just as Christ did in His human living. Through such a life, the resurrection power is experienced and expressed. The mold of Christ’s death refers to the continual putting to death of His human life that He might live by the life of God (John 6:57). Our life should be conformed to such a mold—dying to our human life in order to live the divine life. Being conformed to the death of Christ is the condition for knowing and experiencing Him, the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. In our daily living we should be “dough” conformed to the mold of Christ’s death. If we allow our circumstances to press us into this mold, our daily life will be molded into the pattern of Christ’s death. This was Paul’s concept when he spoke of being conformed to the death of Christ
藉著属人的生命活神圣的生命
LIVING THE DIVINE LIFE BY THE HUMAN LIFE
13当主耶稣在地上时，祂过的是钉十字架的生活。基督有两个生命─神圣的生命和属人的生命。神的愿望是要那人耶稣藉著祂属人的生命来活神圣的生命。神不要祂单单活出属人的生命。神的心意乃是要主耶稣藉著属人生命作管道，来活神圣的生命。我们可以用一棵树的枝子接枝到另一棵树时所发生的事，来说明这种生活。接到树上的枝子不是活出自己的生命，乃是活所接到其上之树的生命。这就是说，树的生命藉著所接上的枝子流露出来。
13When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He lived a crucified life. Christ had two lives—the divine life and the human life. It was God’s desire that the man Jesus live the divine life by means of His human life. God did not want Him simply to live out the human life. Rather, it was God’sin tent i on that the Lord Jesus live the divine life through the channel of the human life. This kind of living can be illustrated by what happens when a branch from one tree is grafted into another tree. The branch that has been grafted into the tree does not live out its own life; instead, it lives the life of the tree into which it has been grafted. This means that the life of the tree flows out through the branch which has been grafted into it
14主耶稣在地上时，总是将祂属人的生命摆在死地，使祂里面神圣的生命能活出来。这是基督之死的模型。在人眼中，主耶稣是在祂尽职的末了被钉十字架。但在神眼中，祂在地上的一生之中，都被钉十字架。这事的证明是祂出来尽职时受浸，指明祂已将自己治死。主受约翰的浸，指明祂在十字架杀死的能力之下过人性的生活。祂的生活乃是属人的生命被钉十字架的生活，使神圣的生命能活出。主耶稣所过的是何等奇妙的生活！这奇妙的生活含示基督之死的模型。照著这模型，基督不断治死祂属人的生命，使祂神圣的生命能流露出来。这是基督之生命与基督之死的模子。毫无疑问，主耶稣的属人生命是绝佳的。但甚至这样绝佳的属人生命，为著神圣生命释放的缘故，也被治死。请注意，主的属人生命不是因为有甚么不对才被治死；祂属人的生命被治死，是为使神圣的生命能活出来。这是主的属人生命必须被弃绝、破碎、并治死的原因。今天我们的原则是一样的。我们这些相信基督并由那灵重生的人，有属人的生命和神圣的生命。无论我们属人的生命有多好，若要活出神圣的生命，属人的生命就必须被治死。
14When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He always put His human life to death so that the divine life within Him could be lived out. This is the pattern of Christ’s death. In the eyes of man, the Lord Jesus was crucified at the end of His ministry. But in the eyes of God, He was crucified throughout His life on earth. This is proved by the fact that He was baptized when He came forth to minister, as an indication that He had put Himself into death. The Lord’s baptism by John indicated that He was living His human life under the killing power of the cross. His was a life in which the human life was crucified, so that the divine life could be lived out. What a wonderful living the Lord Jesus had! This wonderful living implies the pattern of Christ’s death. According to this pattern, Christ continually put to death His human life so that His divine life could flow out. This is the mold of the life of Christ and the death of Christ. There can be no doubt that the human life of the Lord Jesus was excellent. But even such an excellent human life was put to death for the sake of the release of the divine life. Please pay attention to the fact that the Lord’s human life was not put to death because it was wrong in some way; it was put to death so that the divine life could be lived out. This was the reason the Lord’s human life had to be rejected, broken, and put to death. The principle should be the same with us today. As those who believe in Christ and who have been regenerated by the Spirit, we have both the human life and the divine life. No matter how good our human life may be, it must be put to death if the divine life is to be lived out
15然而，大多数基督徒以为，只有属人生命消极的元素需要被治死。照著他们的领会，倘若人的属人生命各面都很好，就不需要治死。这种领会是错误的。属人生命的各面，无论好坏，都必须被治死，使神圣的生命能得著释放。这就是说，甚至像中国的伦理和英国的外交手腕这样属人生命的元素，也必须被治死。只要是属于属人生命的事物，都必须被治死，好叫神圣的生命得以活出。我们天天都需要过这样钉十字架的生活，让属人的生命一直被治死，使我们里面神圣的生命有机会活出来。这就是模成基督之死的意思。
15However, most Christians think that only the negative elements of the human life need to be put to death. According to their understanding, a person would not need to put his human life to death if every aspect of it were good. This understanding is wrong. Every aspect of the human life, the good as well as the bad, must be put to death so that the divine life can be released. This means that even such elements of the human life as Chinese ethics and British diplomacy must be put to death. As long as something belongs to the human life, it must be put to death in order for the divine life to be lived out. Daily we need to live such a crucified life, a life in which the human life is always put to death so that there may be an opportunity for the divine life within us to be lived out. This is what it means to be conformed to Christ’s death
16不要以为信徒只在殉道的时候模成基督的死。不，模成基督的死该是我们天天的经历。我们与丈夫或妻子、父母、儿女、或我们周围一同工作或上课的人说话时，必须治死我们天然的生命，不照这生命而活。我们若治死我们天然的生命，就会感觉我们里面有另一个生命，神圣的生命。一旦我们外面天然的生命被治死，里面神圣的生命就会得著释放。这样，我们在经历中就会模成基督的死。
16Do not think that a believer is conformed to the death of Christ only at the time of martyrdom. No, being conformed to Christ’s death should be our experience day by day. As we speak with our husband or wife, with our parents, with our children, or with those around us at work or school, we must put our natural life to death and not live according to it. If we put to death our natural life, we shall have the consciousness that we have another life, the divine life, within us. Once our outward natural life is put to death, the inner divine life will be released. Then in our experience we shall be conformed to Christ’s death.
严重的难处
A SERIOUS PROBLEM
17大多数的基督徒只治死他们天然生命消极的方面。他们宝贵好的方面，想要保留这些优点。每个民族的人都宝贵其民族特性和哲学。中国人也许以他们哲学的伦理自豪，而美国人也许夸耀他们的坦率和开朗。几乎没有基督徒愿意丢弃其民族的特性，以活出神圣的生命。我们虽然愿意治死许多其他的事物，却持守这些民族特性，如同无价之宝。我们若不是有意的宝贵这些特性，就是潜意识的这样作。结果，我们天然生命的基本元素没有被治死。这元素就成为大石块，拦阻基督复活的大能从我们里面释放出来。宝贵我们天然生命的一部分，对经历基督造成严重的难处。我们不愿意我们这人的某一部分被治死，并模成基督的死。因此，我们天然生命的这部分仍然阻挠神圣生命的释放。因这缘故，我们多年寻求主并经历祂以后，也许到了一个境地，发觉自己停顿，无法往前了。我们在基督徒生活的早期，也许长得相当快。但因为民族特性的『石头』仍在我们里面，现今生命的成长就被扣住。我们许多人能见证，这正是我们的情形。
17Most Christians only put to death the negative aspects of their natural life. They treasure the good aspects and seek to preserve them. Those of every nationality treasure their own national characteristics and philosophy. The Chinese may pride themselves on their philosophical ethics, whereas Americans may boast of their frankness and openness. Hardly any Christians are willing to drop their national characteristics in order to live out the divine life. Although we may be willing to put so many other things to death, we hold these national characteristics as a priceless treasure. If we do not treasure these characteristics consciously, we do so subconsciously. As a result, a basic element of our natural life is not put to death. This element then becomes a huge rock hindering the release of the power of Christ’s resurrection from within us. Treasuring part of our natural life creates a serious problem with respect to the experience of Christ. We are not willing for a certain part of our being to be put to death and conformed to the death of Christ. Thus, this part of our natural life remains as a frustration to the release of the divine life. This is the reason that, after years of seeking the Lord and experiencing Him, we may reach a place where we find ourselves stopped and unable to go on. In the early stages of our Christian life, we may have grown rather quickly. But because the “rock” of our national characteristics remains within us, our growth in life is now held back. Many of us can testify that this is precisely our situation
18有些圣徒被这『石头』阻挡了好久。年复一年，他们依旧不变；他们没有进一步属灵的长进。这个缺欠的原因是他们没有治死其民族特性，将其看作粪土。这些圣徒也许愿意将其他的一切看作粪土，却不愿意将自己的民族特性看作粪土。有些人也许宣告，他们将万事看作粪土，但至少有这一件事存留、隐藏在他们里面。愿主光照我们，给我们看见我们的缺欠和缺欠的原因！
18Some saints have been stopped by this “rock” for a long time. Year after year has passed, but theyre main the same. They have not made any further spiritual progress. The reason for this shortage is that they have not put to death their national characteristics and counted them as refuse. These saints may be willing to count everything else as refuse, but not their national characteristics. Some may proclaim that they count all things as refuse, but at least this one matter remains, hidden within them. May the Lord shine on us and show us our lack and the reason for it!
19我们缺少长进的原因，是我们没有完全模成基督的死。几年前，你模成基督的死也许远比今天多。因为你没有在模成基督的死上长进，你在生命里的长大就被扣住，你对基督复活大能的经历也极其有限。这拦阻你对基督有进一步、更高的经历。因此，你说不出最近有甚么经历，反而只是凭著已往的经历而活，一再讲说已往的经历。
19The reason for our lack of progress is that we have not been conformed to Christ’s death in a full way. Years ago, you may have had much more conformity to Christ’s death than today. Because you have not progressed in being conformed to the death of Christ, your growth in life has been held back, and your experience of the power of Christ’s resurrection has been severely limited. This hinders you from further and higher experiences of Christ. Thus, instead of speaking of up-to-date experiences, you try to live on your past experiences and speak of them again and again
在复活里经过过程
PROCESSED IN RESURRECTION
20在腓立比三章十一节保罗继续说，『或者我可以达到那从死人中杰出的复活。』这需要我们得胜的奔跑赛程，2以得著奖赏。（林前九24～26，提后四7～8。）
20In verse 11 Paul goes on to say, “If by any means I may attain to the out - resurrection from among the dead.” To attain means to arrive at. This requires us to run triumphantly the race for the prize (1 Cor. 9:24-26; Tim. 4:7-8).
21那从死人中杰出的复活，即卓越的复活，特殊的复活，这是要给得胜圣徒的奖赏。所有在基督里死了的信徒，在主回来时，都要从死人中复活。（帖前四16，林前十五52。）但得胜的圣徒，要享受那复活特殊、杰出的分。这就是希伯来十一章三十五节所题『更美的复活』。更美的复活不仅是头一次的复活，（启二十4～6，）生命的复活，（约五28～29，）并且是杰出的复活，（腓三11，）特殊的复活，就是主的得胜者要在其中得著国度赏赐的复活。这是使徒保罗所追求的。达到杰出的复活，意即我们全人已在逐渐不断的复活。神首先使我们死了的灵复活，（弗二5～6，）然后祂从我们的灵，继续使我们的魂（罗八6）和必死的身体（11）复活，直到我们的全人灵、魂、体─藉著并同著祂的生命，从我们的旧人完全复活过来。这是我们在生命里必经的历程，也是我们当跑的赛程，直到我们达到杰出的复活，作为奖赏。因此，杰出的复活，该是我们基督徒生活的目标和目的。我们惟有藉著过钉十字架的生活，模成基督的死，才能达到这目标。在基督的死里，我们凭著复活，经过从旧造到新造的过程。
21The out-resurrection from among the dead denotes the outstanding resurrection, the extra-resurrection, which will be a prize to the overcoming saints. All believers who are dead in Christ will participate in the resurrection from among the dead at the Lord’s coming back (1 Thes. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52). But the overcoming saints will enjoy an extra, outstanding portion of that resurrection. This is the “better resurrection” mentioned in Hebrews 11:35. The better resurrection is not only “the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:4-6), “the resurrection of life” (John 5:28-29), but also the out-resurrection, the resurrection in which the Lord’so ver comers will receive the reward of the kingdom, which the apostle Paul sought after. To arrive at the out-resurrection means that our entire being has been gradually and continually resurrected. God first resurrected our deadened spirit (Eph. 2:5-6). Then from our spirit He proceeds to resurrect our soul (Rom. 8:6) and our mortal body (Rom. 8:11), until our entire being— spirit, soul, and body—is fully resurrected out of our old being by His life and with His life. This is a process in life through which we must pass and a race for us to run until we arrive at the out-resurrection as the prize. Hence, the out-resurrection should be the goal and destination of our Christian life. We can only reach this goal by being conformed to the death of Christ, by living a crucified life. In the death of Christ we are processed in resurrection from the old creation to the new