18多年来,我一直受一件事实的搅扰,就是保罗在二章十三节乃是题到神,而不是题到基督或那灵。在这一节里,保罗特意说到神,目的是要指出,我们常时的救恩,一点不差就是神自己。然而,二章十三节所启示的神,和创世记一章一节所启示的神不尽相同。我们来到腓立比书的时候,神已经经过了成为肉体、人性生活、钉死、复活和升天的过程。照著以赛亚九章六节,为我们而生的婴孩称为全能的神。那生在伯利恒的马槽里,长在拿撒勒木匠家里的一位,乃是全能的神。由此我们看见,活的神经历了人性生活。全能的神在一个人里面,在人类中间生活三十多年之久。之后,为要成功救赎,祂被钉在十字架上,进入死,游历了阴间,又在复活里出来。不仅如此,我们的神─耶稣基督─还升到天上,被立为万有的主。现今祂有主权、王权和元首的地位。如今我们的神不仅是创造者、救赎主、救主和主,祂更是包罗万有的一位。腓立比二章十三节的『神』,乃是指这位奇妙、经过过程、包罗万有的神。这位内住的神如今在我们里面运行。内住并运行的神,乃是父、子、圣灵。此外,祂也是我们的榜样、生命的话、以及包罗万有的灵。
18For years I was bothered by the fact that in 2:13 Paul speaks of God and not of Christ or the Spirit. Paul deliberately speaks of God in this verse in order to indicate that our constant salvation is nothing less than God Himself. However, there is a difference between the God revealed in 2:13 and the God revealed in Genesis 1:1. By the time we come to the book of Philippians, God has passed through incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. According to Isaiah 9:6, the child born to us was called the mighty God. The One who was born in a manger in Bethlehem and who lived in a carpenter’sho me in Nazareth was the mighty God. By this we see that the living God experienced human life. In a man, the mighty God lived among human beings for more than thirty years. Then for the accomplishment of redemption, He was crucified, entered into death, took a tour of Hades, and came forth in resurrection. Furthermore, our God, Jesus Christ, ascended to heaven and was made the Lord of all. Now He has the lordship, the kingship, and the headship. Today our God is not only the Creator, the Redeemer, the Savior, and the Lord. He is the all-inclusive One. The word God in 2:13 points to this wonderful, processed, all-inclusive God. This indwelling God is now operating in us. The indwelling and operating God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, He is our pattern, the word of life, and the all-inclusive Spirit