帖撒罗尼迦前书生命读经 · 第17篇

儆醒与谨守

Watchfulness and Soberness

1读经：帖撒罗尼迦前书五章一至十一节。保罗陈明为著召会生活之圣别生活的盼望之后，就立刻说到这种生活中的儆醒与谨守。我们有美好的盼望，就是盼望主耶稣回来，并且我们要被提到祂那里。我们有了这盼望，就需要儆醒谨守。我们盼望的时候，需要儆醒谨守。为这缘故，帖撒罗尼迦前书不是到四章就结束了。保罗在给初信者的这卷美妙书信里，又加上一些论到儆醒与谨守的话。我们应当再次跟随保罗的榜样行。我们不只应当激励初信者认识他们的盼望，还应当进一步告诉他们，有了这盼望，就要儆醒与谨守。他们不应当睡觉，也不应当醉酒或是麻木。

1Scripture Reading: 1 Thes. 5:1-11 Immediately after Paul presents the hope of a holy life for the church life, he covers the matter of the watchfulness and soberness of this life. We have a wonderful hope, a hope that the Lord Jesus will come back and that we shall be raptured to Him. Along with this hope, we need watchfulness and soberness. As we are hoping, we need to watch and be sober. For this reason, 1 Thessalonians does not end with chapter four. In this wonderful book for new believers, Paul adds yet a further word concerning watchfulness and soberness. Once again, we should follow Paul’s pattern. We should not simply encourage new believers in their hope. We should also go on to tell them that along with this hope, they need to be watchful and sober. They should not be asleep, and they should not be drunk or in some kind of stupor

2我信保罗写到四章末了时，有负担要说一些话，论到为著召会生活之圣别生活所需要的儆醒与谨守。这卷书若在四章结束，而没有五章一至十一节，有些信徒可能会产生误解。事实上，因著基督徒把四章十三至十八节和这封书信其他经节分开来看，所以他们心思里已经产生误解，甚至被麻醉。因此，我们把四章应用到我们光景里的时候，不应当忽略五章一至十一节。这意思是说，我们等候主回来的时候，需要儆醒，也需要谨守。

2As Paul was writing the last part of chapter four, I believe that he was burdened to speak a word on the watchfulness and soberness of a holy life for the church life. If this book concluded at the end of chapter four, and if we did not have 5:1-11, some believers may be misled. In fact, because they isolate 4:13-18 from the rest of this Epistle, Christians have been misled or even drugged in their mentality. Therefore, as we apply chapter four to our situation, we should not neglect 5:1-11. This means that as we wait for the Lord’s coming back, we need to be watchful and also sober

时候与时期

TIMES AND SEASONS

3保罗在五章一至三节指出主的日子来临，好像夜间的贼一样。一节说，『弟兄们，关于时候与时期，不用写信给你们。』这里的时候与时期是指主的来临，二节『主的日子』证实这点。主的日子

3In 5:1-3 Paul indicates that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. Verse 1 says, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you.” Times and seasons here refer to the Lord’s coming. This is confirmed by the expression “the day of the Lord” in verse 2 the day of the Lord

4保罗在二节接著说，『因为你们自己明确晓得，主的日子来到，好像夜间的贼一样。』在前章，主的来临主要的是为著安慰和鼓励；在本章，主的日子主要的是为著警戒，（3～6，）因为圣经里说到主的日子，多半与主的审判有关。（林前一8，三13，五5，林后一14，提后四8。）

4In verse 2 Paul goes on to say, “For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” The coming of the Lord in the preceding chapter is mainly for comfort and encouragement. The day of the Lord in this chapter is mainly for warning (vv. 3-6), since it is mentioned in the Word mostly in relation to the Lord’s judgment (1 Cor. 1:8; 3:13; 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14; 2 Tim. 4:8).

5主的日子来到，好像夜间的贼一样；这事实指明主来的日子是保密的，要忽然临到，无人豫先晓得。（太二四～43，启三3，十六15。）保罗在

5The fact that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night indicates that its coming is kept secret and that it will come suddenly. It is not known beforehand by anyone (Matt. 24:42-43; Rev. 3:3; 16:15). This 42

63:帖前五章三节所说的话，加强了这个思想：『人正说平安稳妥的时候，毁灭忽然临到他们，如同产难临到怀胎的妇人一样，他们绝不能逃脱。』

6thought is strengthened by what Paul says in verse “Whenever they say, Peace and security, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as birth pangs to a woman with child, and they shall by no means escape.”

信、爱、望的保障

THE SAFEGUARD OF FAITH, LOVE, AND HOPE

7四至十一节给我们看见信、爱、望的保障。保罗在四节题醒我们，不要在黑暗里，叫那日子临到我们像贼一样；他又在五节指出，我们都是光明之子和白昼之子，因此我们不是属黑夜的，也不是属黑暗的。接著他在六节劝戒我们要儆醒谨守：『所以我们不要睡觉，像其余的人一样，总要儆醒谨守。』这里的睡觉就是不儆醒。儆醒与下节的睡相对，谨守与醉相对。保罗在七节说，『因为睡了的人是在夜间睡，醉了的人是在夜间醉。』这里的醉意思是麻木。基督徒都熟悉儆醒一辞。但我们可能不晓得这辞的真义。儆醒是甚么意思？我们如果只说儆醒就是不睡，这样的回答就过于含糊。这种情形就如许多别的事情一样，我们自以为当然懂得圣经所说的话，而事实上却一点也不懂。关于谨守一辞的意思，也是一样。儆醒与谨守关系到保障为著召会生活之圣别生活的三个基本结构：信、爱、

7In verses 4 through 11 we see the safeguard of faith, love, and hope. In verse 4 Paul reminds us that we are not in darkness that the day should overtake us as a thief, and in verse 5 he points out that we are sons of light and of the day, and thus are not of the night nor of darkness. Then in verse 6 he exhorts us to watch and be sober: “So then, let us not sleep as the rest, but let us watch and be sober.” To sleep here is to be unwatchful. Watch is versus sleep (se ev. 7), and sober is versus drunk. In verse 7 Paul says, “For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunk, are drunk in the night.” Here to be drunk is to be in a stupor. Christians are familiar with the word watchful. However, we probably do not know the real meaning of this word. What does it mean to be watchful? Our answer will be too vague if we merely say that to be watchful is not to sleep. In this case, as with many other things, we may take for granted that we understand what the Bible says, when actually we do not understand the matter at all. The same is true about what it means to be sober. To be watchful and to be sober are related to safeguarding the three basic structures of the holy

88望。八节指明这点：『但我们既是属于白昼，就当谨慎自守，穿上信和爱的胸甲，并戴上救恩之望的头盔。』胸甲和头盔，指明属灵的争战。胸甲属于信和爱，照著神的义，（弗六

8life for the church life: faith, love, and hope. Verse indicates this: “But we who are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and a helmet, the hope of salvation.” The words breastplate and helmet both indicate spiritual warfare. The

914，）遮盖并保护我们的心和灵；头盔是救恩的盼望，（17，）遮盖并保护我们的思想，心思。信、爱、望是真基督徒生活三个基本的构成成分，如帖前一章三节所描述的。信与我们的意志，心的一部分有关，（罗十9，）

9breastplate is of faith and love, covering and protecting our heart and spirit according to God’s righteousness (Eph. 6:14). The helmet is the hope of salvation (Eph. 6:17), covering and protecting our mentality, the mind. Faith, love, and hope are the three basic structures of the genuine Christian life as depicted in

10也与我们的良心，灵的一部分有关；（提前一19；）爱与我们的情感，心的另一部分有关；（太二二37；）望与我们的悟性，心思的功用有关。这些都需要保护，真基督徒的生活才得维持。这样的生活是儆醒谨守的。（帖前五6～7。）在本书信的开头，使徒赞赏信徒们信心的工作，爱心的劳苦，并对盼望的忍耐。（一3。）在本书信的结语这里，他劝勉信徒要为这些属灵的美德争战，使这些美德得著遮盖和保护。

101 Thessalonians 1:3. Faith is related to our will—a part of our heart (Rom. 10:9) — and to our conscience — a part of our spirit (1 Tim. 1:19). Love is related to our emotion, another part of our heart (Matt. 22:37); and hope is related to our understanding—a function of our mind. All of these need to be protected that a genuine Christian life may be maintained. Such a life is watchful and sober. At the beginning of this Epistle, the apostle praised the believers’ work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope (1:3). Here, at the conclusion of the Epistle, he exhorts them to keep these spiritual virtues covered and protected by fighting for them.

盼望主回来

HOPE IN THE LORD’S COMING BACK

11五章八节所说的盼望，乃是盼望我们的主回来，这要成为我们的救恩，救我们脱离那要来的毁灭，以及旧造败坏的奴役。（罗八21～25。）帖前五章八节与九节的救恩，不是指藉著主的死脱离永远沉沦的救恩，乃是指藉著主的回来，脱离要来之毁灭（3）的救恩。

11The hope spoken of in verse 8 is the hope of our Lord’s coming back, which will be our salvation from both the coming destruction and from the slavery of corruption of the old creation (Rom. 8:21-25). Salvation in verses 8 and 9 is not salvation from eternal perdition through the Lord’s death, but salvation from the coming destruction through the Lord’s coming back

12根据八节所说，我们需要军装以保障我们的信、爱、望。我们若要保护为著召会生活之圣别生活基本结构的这几方面，就需要儆醒谨守。因此，当我们盼望主回来时，应当过著儆醒谨守的生活。我们已经指出，保罗在四章以这个盼望安慰我们，告诉我们主来的时候我们要被提。我们在空中遇见主时，要狂喜不已。然而，这盼望还需有儆醒谨守的生活。我们需要儆醒谨守的生活，好等候主回来。换句话说，当我们盼望主回来时，我们需要儆醒的生活和谨守的生活。我们若儆醒谨守，就保护、保障了我们基督徒生活的基本结构。

12According to verse 8, we need armor to safeguard our faith, love, and hope. If we would protect these aspects of the basic structure of a holy life for the church life, we need to be watchful and sober. Therefore, being watchful and sober is part of the living we should have as we hope in the Lord’s coming back. We have pointed out that in chapter four Paul comforts us with this hope, telling us that at the Lord’s coming we shall be raptured. We shall be transported into a state of ecstasy to meet with the Lord in the air. However, this hope requires a living of watchfulness and soberness. We need a life of watchfulness and soberness in order to wait for the Lord’s coming. In other words, as we exercise our hope in the Lord’s coming back, we need a watching life and a sober life. If we are watchful and sober, we shall protect, safeguard, the basic structure of our Christian life

儆醒的意义

THE MEANING OF WATCHFULNESS

13现在我们来看一件重要的事，就是要明白儆醒谨守的意义。这里的儆醒与争战有关。有些英文译本使用与争战有关的『警戒』一辞。作战的士兵需要儆醒、警戒。保罗在八节题到胸甲和头盔，证实儆醒与争战有关。胸甲与头盔不是普通的穿著，而是军装的一部分，是士兵们在争战中使用的。因此，保罗对儆醒谨守的观念与争战有关。保罗在这几节经文里乃是说到一种争战。

13Now we come to the crucial matter of understanding what it means to be watchful and sober. Watchfulness here is related to a battle, a fighting. Some versions use the word vigilant, a word related to warfare. Soldiers in a battle need to be watchful, vigilant. The fact that watchfulness is related to fighting is confirmed by Paul’s mention of the breastplate and helmet in verse 8. A breastplate and helmet are not ordinary items of dress. They are, of course, part of the armor used by soldiers in fighting. Paul’s concept of being watchful and sober, therefore, is related to fighting, to warfare. In these verses Paul is talking about some kind of battle.

14对于四章所启示主的回来以及被提的事，有许多包裹著糖衣的教训；但这些教训并没有豫备信徒争战，反倒使他们沉醉麻木。我们必须看见，儆醒是指争战中正确的灵，这是很重要的。我们若把握这个思想，就能正确领会儆醒的意义。儆醒乃是不停的争战。争战的士兵不只守望而已，守望不是儆醒。他们儆醒是因为他们争战。当他们不争战的时候，就不再儆醒了。照我们所领会的，以为儆醒只是注意一些事情。譬如，我们走路时要当心脚步。但这里的意思不是这样。在这几节经文里，儆醒乃是记得我们正在打仗，我们一直在争战，并且四围都有仇敌。所以我们需要头盔和胸甲。

14There are sugar-coated teachings about the Lord’s coming and the rapture revealed in chapter four, but these teachings do not prepare believers for fighting. Instead, they cause them to be drugged and in a stupor. It is important for us to see that watchfulness refers to a proper spirit in fighting a battle. If we grasp this thought, we shall have in large measure the proper understanding of what it means to be watchful. To be watchful is to continue fighting. Soldiers in a battle do not merely look around. That is not to be watchful. They are watchful because they are fighting. When they stop fighting, they are no longer watchful. According to our understanding, to be watchful is simply to look out for something, for example, to watch our step as we are walking. But this is not the meaning here. In these verses to be watchful is to remember that we are in a battle, that we are fighting and are surrounded by enemies. This is the reason we need a helmet and also a breastplate

1我们曾一再强调，帖撒罗尼迦前书是

Again and again we have emphasized the fact that

15一封写给初信者的书信。这卷书包含许多论到基督徒生活的基本观念。在

15Thessalonians is an epistle written to new believers. This book contains many basic concepts regarding the

16五章圣经中，每一章都说到一些基本的原则、一些基础的教训。但即使在这卷论到基础教训的书里，保罗也把属灵争战包括在其中。保罗没有明确的告诉信徒，他们是在战场上，需要争战。但他在五章一至十一节所说的话，含示属灵的争战。脱离那要来之毁灭的救恩

16Christian life. In each of the five chapters certain basic principles, certain elementary teachings, are covered. But even in a book concerned with elementary teachings, Paul includes the matter of spiritual warfare. Paul does not explicitly tell the believers that they are on a battlefield and need to fight. But what he says in 5:1-11 implies spiritual fighting salvation from the coming destruction

17三节用了毁灭一辞：『人正说平安稳妥的时候，毁灭忽然临到他们，如同产难临到怀胎的妇人一样，他们绝不能逃脱。』这毁灭是甚么？这毁灭与八至九节题到的救恩有关。这两节圣经里的救恩，不是指藉著主的死脱离永远沉沦的救恩，乃是指藉著主的回来，脱离要来之毁灭的救恩。堕落的人要永远灭亡，那是永远的沉沦。我们这些相信主耶稣的人已蒙拯救脱离永远的沉沦。我们已经得著了这一面的救恩，我们已蒙拯救脱离永远的沉沦，永不灭亡了。

17In verse 3 the word destruction is used: “Whenever they say, Peace and security, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as birth pangs to a woman with child, and they shall by no means escape.” What is this destruction? It is related to the salvation mentioned in verses 8 and 9. Salvation in these verses is salvation from the coming destruction through the Lord’s coming back, not salvation from eternal perdition through the Lord’s death. Fallen man will perish for eternity. That is eternal perdition. We who have believed in the Lord Jesus will be saved from eternal perdition. We have already obtained salvation in this respect. We have been saved from eternal perdition, and we shall never perish

18圣经所说免于永远沉沦的救恩，乃是永远的救恩。我们一次得救，就永远得救。这与亚米尼亚派（Arminian）的神学教训不同。我们的救恩是不会失去的，乃是一次而永远的。但保罗在这里是说到另一面的救恩，就是脱离那要来之毁灭的救恩。

18Biblical salvation from eternal perdition is eternal salvation. Once we are saved, we are saved for eternity. Contrary to the teaching of the Arminian school of theology, we cannot lose our salvation. Salvation is once for all. But here Paul is speaking about salvation in another respect, that is, salvation from the coming destruction.

不仅如此，在罗马八章二十一至

Furthermore, in the light of Romans 8:21-25, we

19二十五节的光中，我们看见我们也要蒙拯救脱离旧造败坏的奴役。现今一切受造之物，都在败坏的奴役之下。整个旧造都受败坏的奴役，一切的事物（包括我们物质的身体）都在渐渐毁坏。你知道老旧是甚么意思？老旧乃是毁坏。我们都在逐渐毁坏的过程中。旧造败坏的奴役一直控制著我们，我们都服在其中。但是当主耶稣回来，我们被提时，我们就要蒙拯救脱离旧造败坏的奴役。因此，主的回来以及我们的被提，要拯救我们脱离两件事：毁灭、以及败坏的奴役。这就是八至

19shall also be saved from the slavery of corruption of the old creation. All created things are today subject to the slavery of corruption. The entire old creation is enslaved to corruption. Everything, including our physical body, is decaying. Do you know what it means to get old? To get old is to decay. We all are in the process of decaying. The slavery of corruption in the old creation is controlling us, and we are subject to it. But when the Lord Jesus comes and we are raptured, we shall be saved from the slavery of corruption of the old creation. Therefore, the Lord’s coming and our rapture will save us from two things: destruction and the slavery of corruption. This is the salvation

20九节所说的救恩；但其主要的意思乃是拯救我们脱离那要来的毁灭。现在我们必须找出，这要来的毁灭是甚么。这毁灭与神和撒但之间进行的争战有关。主快要回来的时候，毁灭会突然临到。那毁灭主要是从神来的，但有一部分是撒但造成的。神要审判这背叛的世界，而撒但要挣扎反抗。神与撒但之间这场激烈争战的结果，就是突然的毁灭。人正说『平安稳妥』的时候，这毁灭忽然临到了。我们需要蒙拯救脱离这忽然的毁灭。蒙拯救的路在于儆醒谨守。神既是在争战，我们就必须与祂站在一边，为著祂的权益争战。祂在争战，我们也应当争战。

20mentioned in verses 8 and 9. However, the primary meaning is the salvation from the coming destruction. Now we must go on to find out what this coming destruction is. This destruction is related to the battle that is raging between God and Satan. Near to the time of the Lord’s coming, destruction will take place suddenly. That destruction will come primarily from God, but a portion of it will be caused by Satan. God will judge this rebellious world, and Satan will fight back. The result of the intense battle raging between God and Satan will be sudden destruction. It will be when people say, “Peace and security,” that this destruction will come suddenly. We need to be saved from this sudden destruction. The way to be saved from it is to be watchful and sober. As God is fighting, we must take sides with Him and fight for His interests. Since He is fighting, we should be fighting also

21争战实际上就是儆醒。只有那些争战的人才是真正儆醒的。我们越争战，就越儆醒。只要你是在争战，你就不需要努力儆醒，因为你不知不觉就儆醒了。军队里的士兵有时候几天不睡觉，战争不容他们有睡觉的时间。这例子说明争战就是儆醒。基督徒的生活─为著召会生活的圣别生活，乃是争战的生活。我们都在战场上，我们需要儆醒、注意、警戒。

21Actually, to fight is to be watchful. Only those who are fighting are truly watchful. The more we are fighting, the more watchful we shall be. As long as you are fighting, you need not try to be watchful, for you will be watchful automatically. Sometimes soldiers in an army go for days without sleep. The battle does not allow them time to sleep. This illustrates the fact that to fight is to be watchful. The Christian life, a holy life for the church life, is a life of fighting. We are on the battlefield, and we need to be alert, watchful, vigilant

22谨守的意义谨守与儆醒有关。谨守是清楚我们争战的处境，对我们身在何处，以及仇敌在那里，都有正确的认识。谨守是看清仇敌是如何攻击，我们又该如何还击。我们若谨守，就会清楚我们的方向。

22THE MEANING OF SOBERNESS Soberness is related to watchfulness. To be sober is to be clear about the situation in which we are fighting. It is to have a proper understanding concerning where we are and where the enemy is. It is to see how the enemy is attacking and how we should fight back. If we are sober, we shall be clear about our direction

23谨守是清楚有关争战的一切事，知道仇敌在那里，仇敌在作甚么，以及仇敌是如何攻击，也是清楚如何保护自

23To be sober is to be clear about everything related to the battle. It is to be clear about where the enemy is, what the enemy is doing, and how the enemy is

24己，如何反击。谨守的人完全知道自

24attacking. It is also to be clear about how to protect

25ourselves and how to fight back. Those who are sober are fully clear about their situation

26己的处境。

27缺少儆醒谨守今天大多数基督徒并不这样谨守。结果，他们沉醉麻木，没有正确的方向感。所以与他们交通常常不太容易。你若与他们一些人交通一件事，他们会与你争辩。你若与他们交通别的事，他们会定罪你，甚至毁谤你。保罗在帖前五章六节说，『所以我们不要睡觉，像其余的人一样，总要儆醒谨守。』这里的儆醒与下节的睡相对，谨守与醉相对。我们说到主要来的盼望时，必须问自己是儆醒的，还是在睡觉；是谨守的，还是醉了的。有人在汽车保险杆上贴著关于主再来的标语，指明许多基督徒是沉醉麻木的。他们对于主来临这件事，既不儆醒，也不谨守。所以我们需要儆醒。我们为主的权益争战么？我们儆醒么？我们谨守么？我们对自己的处境清楚么？我们必须问自己这类的问题。我们已经强调，保罗是以初浅的方式写帖撒罗尼迦前书，说到一些基本的事。他说到主的回来，也说到我们被提到祂那里去。但他没有就此停笔，又写了第五章，说到儆醒谨守。

27THE LACK OF WATCHFULNESS AND SOBERNESS Most of today’s Christians do not have such a soberness. As a result, they are drugged, they are in a stupor, and they do not have the proper sense of direction. This is the reason it is often difficult to have fellowship with them. If you fellowship with certain ones about a particular matter, they will argue with you. Should you try to fellowship about something else, they may condemn you or even slander you. In verse 6 Paul says, “So then, let us not sleep as the rest, but let us watch and be sober.” The word watch here is versus sleep in the following verse, and sober is versus drunk. As we talk about the hope of the Lord’s coming, we need to consider ourselves and ask whether we are watchful or sleeping, whether we are sober or drunk. Certain slogans on bumper stickers concerning the Lord’s coming indicate that many Christians are drugged and in a stupor. With respect to the coming of the Lord, there is no watchfulness or soberness. We, therefore, need to be on the alert. Are we fighting for the Lord’sin te rests? Are we watchful? Are we sober and clear about our situation? We need to ask ourselves questions such as these. We have emphasized the fact that Paul wrote the Epistle of 1 Thessalonians in an elementary way, talking about basic matters. He speaks concerning the Lord’s coming and our being caught up to Him. But instead of stopping there, he goes on in chapter five to speak of watchfulness and soberness

穿戴军装

PUTTING ON THE ARMOR

28我们若儆醒并谨守，就会穿戴军装。根据八节所说，我们应当穿上信和爱的胸甲，并戴上救恩之望的头盔。这胸甲保护我们的信和爱，头盔保障我们的盼望。因此，基督徒生活的基本结构─信、爱、望─就得著军装的保护。

28If we are watchful and sober, we shall put on the armor. According to verse 8, we should put on the breastplate of faith and love and also a helmet, the hope of salvation. This breastplate protects our faith and love; the helmet guards our hope. Hence, by the armor, the basic structures of the Christian life—faith, love, and hope—are protected.

29我们若仔细读帖前五章，把该章和以弗所六章作个比较，就会看见帖撒罗尼迦前书是论到属灵争战的基本教训，但以弗所六章论到属灵争战的教训就深奥多了。所以我们看过帖前五章，还需要进一步来看以弗所六章。我们已经很强的指出，正确的争战乃是要儆醒并谨守。这样的争战会保障我们基督徒的生活，保守并保护基督徒生活的基本结构。

29If we read 1 Thessalonians 5 carefully and compare it with Ephesians 6, we shall see that in 1 Thessalonians we have an elementary teaching concerning spiritual warfare. In Ephesians 6, however, the teaching about spiritual warfare is much more advanced. Therefore, we need to go on from 1 Thessalonians 5 to Ephesians 6. We have pointed out strongly that to fight properly is to be watchful and also sober. This fighting safeguards our Christian life; it preserves and protects the basic structure of the Christian life

30一些从前同我们在主恢复里的人脱下了军装，因而使自己暴露出来，就遭到仇敌的攻击。他们没有遮盖、保护和保障，所以被仇敌击败。他们不是儆醒谨守的，乃是沉睡麻木的。

30Some who formerly were with us in the Lord’s recovery put off the armor and thereby were exposed to the enemy’s attack. Because they had no covering, no protection, and no safeguard, they were defeated by the enemy. Instead of being watchful and sober, they were sleeping and in a stupor

31我们必须儆醒谨守。这意思是说，我们必须不断的争战。我们也需要穿上军装，以保障我们基督徒生活的结构。这样，当主耶稣来临时，我们就要蒙拯救脱离忽然的毁灭。忽然的毁灭

31We need to be watchful and sober. This means that we need to keep on fighting. We also need to safeguard the structure of our Christian life by wearing the armor. Then when the Lord Jesus comes, we shall be saved from the sudden destruction sudden destruction

32有一天神要审判世界，而撒但想要毁灭世界。我们若仔细读启示录，就知道在末了三年半里，神的忿怒要向这邪恶、罪污、悖逆的世界发作，并要审判这世界。不仅如此，撒但也不要这世界再存留下去，他要竭力将其毁灭。结果就是忽然的毁灭。保罗在帖前五章九至十节说，『因为神没有派定我们受忿怒，乃是派定我们藉著我们的主耶稣基督得著救恩。祂为我们死，好叫我们无论醒著或睡著，都可与祂同活。』神既没有派定我们受忿怒，我们就该儆醒谨守并争战，与神合作，使我们藉著主耶稣得著祂的救恩。我们已经指出，这节经文的救恩不是指永远的救恩，乃是指脱离那要来之毁灭的救恩，也是脱离旧造败坏之奴役的救恩。我们正在等

32God will one day judge the world, and Satan will seek to destroy it. If we read the book of Revelation carefully, we shall see that during the last three and a half years, God will be angry with this evil, sinful, and rebellious world and judge it. Moreover, Satan will not want the world to exist any longer and will seek to destroy it. The result will be sudden destruction. In verses 9 and 10 Paul says, “Because God did not appoint us to wrath, but to the gaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us that, whether we watch or sleep, we may live together with Him.” Since God did not appoint us to wrath, we should watch, be sober, and fight to cooperate with God that we may gain His salvation through the Lord Jesus. As we have pointed out, salvation in this verse is not eternal salvation; it is salvation from the coming destruction and also from the slavery of the corruption of the old creation. We are waiting for salvation from destruction

33候蒙拯救脱离毁灭和败坏的奴役。那时我们就要享受神众子荣耀的自由。

33and from the slavery of corruption. Then we shall enjoy the freedom of the glory of the sons of God.

与主同活

living together with the Lord

34保罗在十节说到与主同活。主为我们死，不仅叫我们得救，脱离永远的沉沦，更叫我们藉著祂的复活，得以与祂同活，这种生活能救我们脱离那要来的毁灭。我们无论醒著或睡著，也就是说，我们无论活著或死了，都要与祂同活。一面主离开了我们，我们在等候祂的回来；另一面祂与我们同在，（太二八20，）我们可与祂同活。（罗六8。）

34In verse 10 Paul speaks of living together with the Lord. The Lord died for us not only that we may be saved from eternal perdition, but also that we may live together with Him, through His resurrection, a life that can save us from the coming destruction. We may live together with Him whether we watch or sleep, that is, whether we live or die. On the one hand, the Lord is away from us and we are awaiting His coming back; on the other hand, He is with us (Matt. 28:20), and we can live together with Him (Rom. 6:8