帖撒罗尼迦前书生命读经 · 第7篇

在三一神里的召会（一）

The Church in the Triune God (1)

1读经：帖撒罗尼迦前书1:1，帖撒罗尼迦后书1:1，马太福音28:19，使徒行传19:5，罗

2马书6:3，加拉太书3:27，启示录1:11-12。

2Scripture Reading: 1 Thes. 1:1; 2 Thes. 1:1; Matt. 28:19; Acts 19:5; Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27; Rev. 1:11-12

3帖前一章一节与帖后一章一节都告诉我们，召会是在父神和主耶稣基督里的。我要请你们仔细思考这句话：『在父神和主耶稣基督里…的召会。』（帖前一1。）假如保罗写得稍微简单一点，只说『在神和基督里的召会』，那么在我们看来，说在神和基督里的召会似乎就彀了，不必说在父神和主耶稣基督里的召会。这样对召会较长的描述，包含三个名，是简短的说法所没有的，这三个名是父、主、耶稣。

3Both 1 Thessalonians 1:1 and 2 Thessalonians 1:1 tell us that the church is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I would ask you to carefully consider the expression “the church in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Suppose Paul had written in a brief way and had simply said “the church in God and Christ.” It may seem to us that it is adequate to speak of the church in God and Christ instead of the church in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The longer description of the church contains three names not found in the shorter: the Father, the Lord, and Jesus

父、主、耶稣

the Father, the Lord, and Jesus

4我们读新约就会明白，关于神圣名称第一件基本的事，就是对父的名的启示。当主耶稣在肉身里来在地上生活的时候，祂所作的主要就是向祂的门徒启示父的名。譬如，约翰十七章记载主耶稣向父祷告说，『你从世上赐给我的人，我已将你的名显明与他们。』（6。）主又对父说，『我已叫他们认识了你的名，并且还要叫他们认识。』（26。）认识父意义非常重大。认识神乃是大事，但认识父是更大的事。我们要好好注意主这个名称，这也是很重要的。旧约把『主』用为神圣的名称。耶稣这人成为主，不是一件简单的事。照行传二章所说，基督复活、升天以后，已经被立为万有的主。这意思是说，有一个人，甚至是拿撒勒人，已经成为万有的主了。主这个称呼应用在主耶稣身上，含示成为肉体、人性生活、钉十字架、复活、升天等经历。耶稣这人乃是藉著这样一个过程，被立为万有的主。基督是神，祂成为肉体以前就已经是主了。祂是主，是创造者。但是今天耶稣这人经过成为肉体到升天的过程之后，已经被立为主了。主这个名称在新约里应用在基督身上，意义是非常丰富的。基督不仅是创造者，也是成为肉体、在地上生活三十三年半、钉十字架、复活并升天的一位。基督被钉十字架成功了救赎，了结了旧造，毁坏了撒但和死，废去了神与人、人与人之间一切的阻隔。阿利路亚！赞美基督钉十字架所成就的！基督的复活就像祂钉十字架一样的深奥。英文短诗『神经过过程』这首歌说，『钉死十架了万有，从死复活萌新芽。』（调用新编儿童诗歌三四页。）基督的钉十字架了结了旧造，然后祂的复活就使新造有新生的起头。如今这位经过成为肉体、钉十字架、复活、升天的耶稣基督，已经被立为万有的主了。这一切的过程，以及有关的一切事物，都含示在主这个名称里。

4By reading the New Testament we realize that the first basic matter concerning the divine titles is the revelation of the name of the Father. When the Lord Jesus came and lived on earth in the flesh, what He mainly did was reveal the name of the Father to His disciples. For example, in His prayer to the Father recorded in John 17, the Lord Jesus said, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world” (v. 6). The Lord also said to the Father, “And I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known” (John 17:26). It is a matter of great significance to know the Father. It is a great thing to know God, but it is an even greater thing to know the Father. It is also important that we pay adequate attention to the title Lord. In the Old Testament this was used as a divine title. It was not a simple matter for the man Jesus to become the Lord. According to Acts 2, after His resurrection and ascension, Christ was made Lord of all. This means that a man, even a Nazarene, has become Lord of all. As applied to the Lord Jesus, the title Lord implies incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. It was through such a process that the man Jesus was made Lord of all. Before the incarnation, Christ as God was already the Lord. However, He was the Lord, the Creator. But today, after a process going from incarnation to ascension, the man Jesus has been made Lord. As applied to Christ in the New Testament, this title is rich in meaning. Christ is not only the Creator, but the One who was incarnate, who lived on earth for thirty-three and a half years, who was crucified, who was resurrected, and who has ascended to the heavens. By His crucifixion Christ accomplished redemption, terminated the old creation, destroyed Satan and death, and abolished every separation between God and man and also all the separations between men. Hallelujah for what the crucifixion of Christ has accomplished! Like the crucifixion, Christ’s resurrection is profound. In the words of the song entitled, “God Is Processed,” crucifixion terminates, and resurrection germinates. After His crucifixion terminated the old creation, Christ’s resurrection germinated the new creation. Now, as the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended One, Jesus Christ has been made the Lord of all. All this process and everything related to it is implied in the title Lord.

5耶稣这名也是意义重大、含意丰富的。耶稣的意思是耶和华救主，或耶和华我们的救恩。耶和华要成为我们的救主和我们的救恩，就需要经过很长的过程。基督的意思是受膏者。主耶稣就是基督那受膏者，为神选立，以完成神永远的定旨。基督已经受膏，接受任命，并被选立以完成神的定旨。这位基督经过了祂过程中的种种步骤，履行了这个托付，完成了神的定旨。如今在复活和升天里，祂是我们的主耶稣基督。神不仅是我们的创造者，祂也是我们的父。神是我们的父，含意比祂仅仅是我们的创造者更多。创造者神怎能成为我们的父？换句话说，我们这些神所造的怎能成为父神的儿女？神没有意思要成为我们的养父、我们的继父、或是我们的岳父。相反的，祂是我们生身的父。这意思是说，我们已经接受了神的生命。这件事乃是我们从神而生的时候发生的。

5The name Jesus also is significant and meaningful. Jesus means Jehovah the Savior, or Jehovah our salvation. In order for Jehovah to become our Savior and our salvation, it was necessary for Him to pass through a long process. Christ means the anointed One. As the Christ, the anointed One, the Lord Jesus is the One appointed by God to accomplish His eternal purpose. Christ has been anointed, commissioned, and appointed to fulfill God’s purpose. Through the steps of His process, He, as the Christ, has fulfilled this commission and has accomplished God’s purpose. Now in resurrection and ascension He is our Lord Jesus Christ. God is not only our Creator; He is also our Father. For God to be our Father involves much more than His merely being our Creator. How was it possible for God the Creator to become our Father? In other words, how could we, creatures of God, become children of God the Father? God has no intention to become our Father by adoption, our stepfather, or our father-in- law. On the contrary, He is our Father-in-life. This means that we have received God’s life. This took place when we were born of God

6我们宣告我们已经从神而生，这不该只是道理。阿利路亚，我们在生命上是神的儿子！我们已经从神而生，如今我们在生命上是神的儿子，祂也真是我们的父。这件事太大了！

6It should be more than mere doctrine for us to declare that we have been born of God. Hallelujah, we are sons of God in life! Having been born of God, we are now God’ss on sin life, and He is truly our Father. What a great matter this is

7我们读圣经要非常仔细。我们若仔细读圣经，就会看见帖前一章一节与帖后一章一节非常相似，但并不完全一样。帖前一章一节说，『保罗、西拉和提摩太，写信给在父神和主耶稣基督里，帖撒罗尼迦人的召会：愿恩典与平安归与你们。』帖后一章一节说，『保罗、西拉和提摩太，写信给在神我们的父并主耶稣基督里，帖撒罗尼迦人的召会。』帖撒罗尼迦前书是说『父』，帖撒罗尼迦后书是说『我们的父』。此外，帖撒罗尼迦后书祝福的话『愿恩典与平安…归与你们』是在第二节，不在第一节。这指明保罗写帖撒罗尼迦后书开头的话，比帖撒罗尼迦前书开头的话还要强。保罗写书信的时候，必定不会轻率。他不论写甚么，都有确定的目的。

7We need to be very careful in reading the Bible. If we read carefully, we shall realize that 1 Thessalonians 1:1 and 2 Thessalonians 1:1 are very similar, but are not exactly the same. First Thessalonians 1:1 says, “Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.” Second Thessalonians 1:1 says, “Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The former speaks of “the Father”; the latter, of “our Father.” Furthermore, in 2 Thessalonians the blessing, “Grace to you and peace,” is found in verse 2 instead of verse 1. This indicates that Paul’so pen ing word in 2 Thessalonians is a little stronger than the one in 1 Thessalonians. Certainly Paul was not careless in writing his Epistles. Everything he wrote was with a definite purpose.

含示那灵

THE SPIRIT IMPLIED

8这两封书信都告诉我们，召会是由一班人（这里是指帖撒罗尼迦人）组成的。帖撒罗尼迦是个邪恶的城市，其中的人大体上说是不道德的。但是，一些原先不道德的人得救、重生，组成了他们那个地方在三一神里的召会。为这缘故，保罗说到在父神和主耶稣基督里，帖撒罗尼迦人的召会。保罗这样说，就指出了三一神。

8Both Epistles tell us that the church is composed of human beings, in this case, of Thessalonians. Thessalonica was an evil city, and for the most part those in that city were immoral people. Nevertheless, some who were once immoral were saved and regenerated and composed the church in their locality in the Triune God. For this reason, Paul speaks of the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. By this expression Paul denotes the Triune God

9有人读到在三一神里，帖撒罗尼迦人的召会，可能会说，『你们宣称一章一节指明召会是在三一神里。这节经文的确题到父和子─主耶稣基督，但是并没有说那灵。这节经文如果说到三一神，那灵在那里？』这里这个例子给我们看见，圣经上许多没有说的话，即使比不上说出来的话重要，至少也是同样重要。我们接触圣徒的时候，时常会有一些话不说，这些话也许比我们对他们说出来的话更重要。保罗为甚么不说『在父神、主耶稣基督和圣灵里，帖撒罗尼迦人的召会』？至终我们会看见，保罗有很好的理由只题父和子基督，而不题那灵。我们可以确定，帖前一章一节所说的神乃是三一神。我们如何知道？因为保罗首先题到父─三一神的第一者。只要有第一，就会有第二者子，也会有第三者那灵。保罗说到父的这个事实，有力的指明他所想的是三一神。不仅如此，『主耶稣基督』这话也含示那灵。『父神』与『主耶稣基督』都含示那灵。因此，一章一节含示那灵，是不言而喻的。

9When some read concerning the church of the Thessalonians in the Triune God, they may say, “You claim that 1:1 indicates that the church is in the Triune God. Yes, this verse mentions the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, but nothing is said concerning the Spirit. If this verse speaks of the Triune God, where is the Spirit?” Here we have one of the many instances where what the Bible does not say is just as important as what it does say, if not more so. Often in our contact with the saints, we may refrain from saying something to them. This may be more important than what we do say to them. Why did Paul not say “the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit”? Eventually we shall see that there is a good reason for Paul to mention the Father and Christ the Son, but not the Spirit. Be assured that the very God spoken of in 1:1 is the Triune God. We know this by the fact that Paul first mentions the Father, the first of the Trinity. Whenever we have the first, we also have the second, the Son, and also the third, the Spirit. The very fact that Paul speaks of the Father is a strong indication that he is thinking of the Triune God. Moreover, the expression “the Lord Jesus Christ” implies the Spirit. The expressions “God the Father” and “the Lord Jesus Christ” both imply the Spirit. Therefore, in 1:1 the Spirit is implied and understood.

10我们必须相信，一章一节所题到的神乃是三一神。我们在父神和主耶稣基督里，含示我们也在那灵里。因此，一章一节含示三一神。这节经文指明，召会是在三一神里的。

10We must believe that the God referred to in 1:1 is the Triune God. To be in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ implies that we are also in the Spirit. Hence, in 1:1 we have the Triune God implied. This verse indicates that the church is in the Triune God

在三一神里是生机的，

IN THE TRIUNE GOD ORGANICALLY

也是在生命里的

AND IN LIFE

11说召会是神的或是基督的相当简单。但宣告召会是在父神和主耶稣基督里，就深奥多了。譬如，说我们是属于某一个人的，这是一回事；但说我们是在那个人里面，就完全是另一回事。对我们人来说，我们可能属于一个人，但我们不可能真在那个人里面。召会能在三一神里只有一条路，就是生机的、并出于生命的路。我们对生命的路了解得不彀，但是神却非常了解。不仅如此，只有神能以生命的方式来作事。神以生机、生命的方式，使召会能在三一神里面。如果召会仅仅是属于神的，神只要是我们的创造者就彀了。但是召会要在神里面，神就必须成为我们的父，我们需要与神有生命的关系。照样，召会要在主耶稣基督里，基督之于我们就必须是主，是耶稣。

11It is a rather simple matter to say that the church is of God or of Christ. But it is deeper and more profound to declare that the church is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. For example, it is one thing to say that we are of a particular person. However, it is altogether another matter to claim to be in that person. Humanly speaking, it is possible to be of someone, but it is not possible to be literally in that one. Only in a way that is organic and of life can the church be in the Triune God. We do not adequately understand the way of life, but God does understand it in full. Furthermore, only God can do something in the way of life. In a way that is organic and of life, God has made it possible for the church to be in the Triune God. For the church to be merely of God, it is sufficient that God be merely our Creator. But for the church to be in God, God must become our Father, and we need to have a life relationship with Him. Likewise, for the church to be in the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ must be the Lord and Jesus to us

为传统的观念所遮蔽

VEILED BY TRADITIONAL CONCEPTS

12你可能读过一章一节许多次，却没有看见召会是在三一神里。虽然这个事实启示在圣经里，但为甚么没有多少基督徒看见这事？他们没有看见召会是在三一神里的原因，是因为他们被传统对召会的观念所遮蔽。信徒们也许对神的召会、基督的召会、神召会的这些辞，特别是用来作为今天公会名称的，都很熟悉。但是没有多少人知道召会乃是在三一神里。

12Perhaps you have read 1:1 many times without realizing that the church is in the Triune God. Nevertheless, this fact is revealed in the Bible. Why is it, then, that not many Christians have seen it? The reason they do not see that the church is in the Triune God is that they are veiled by traditional concepts concerning the church. Believers may be familiar with expressions such as the church of God, the church of Christ, and the assembly of God, especially in the way they are employed today as denominational titles. But not many have realized that the church is in the Triune God

13我们要看见，新约并没有说召会是在神里，这一点是很重要的。帖前一章一节告诉我们，召会是在父神和主耶稣基督里的。这启示召会是在三一神里，这与召会只在神里的说法不同。按照圣经，我们找不到召会只在神里这一回事，但是却有在三一神里的召会。

13It is important to realize that the New Testament does not say that the church is in God. First Thessalonians 1:1 tells us that the church is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is different from speaking of the church as merely in God, for it reveals that the church is in the Triune God. According to the Bible, there is no such thing as the church merely in God, but there is the church in the Triune God.

神与三一神的区别

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOD

AND THE TRIUNE GOD

14现在我们需要仔细来看神与三一神的区别。我们如果只说神，就是把神看作好像没有经过过程一样。但三一神是指经过过程的神。创世记一章一节说，『起初神创造天地。』我们在这一节里看不见经过过程的神，也就是说，我们看不见父、子、灵。但是新约却有三一神完满的启示。新约里关于三一神的启示，第一个主要的步骤就是启示父的名。四福音给我们的启示，主要不是关于神，乃是关于父神。主耶稣花了许多时间与门徒在一起，向他们启示父的名。

14Now we need to consider carefully the difference between God and the Triune God. To speak only of God is to regard Him as if He had not been processed. However, the Triune God denotes God in His process. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (lit.). In this verse we cannot see the processed God; that is, we cannot see the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. But in the New Testament we have a full revelation of the Triune God. In the New Testament the first main step regarding the revelation of the Triune God is the revelation of the name of the Father. In the four Gospels we have the revelation not mainly of God, but mainly of God the Father. The Lord Jesus spent much time with the disciples to reveal to them the name of the Father

15新约当然也向我们启示耶稣是神的儿子。根据马太十六章，有一天主耶稣带著祂的门徒离开宗教气氛浓厚的耶路撒冷，到了靠近圣地北部边界，在该撒利亚腓立比境内的黑门山脚，不久祂就在这山上变化形像。（十七1～2。）该撒利亚腓立比远离了圣城并圣殿，那里古老犹太的宗教气氛充满每个人的思想。主特意将门徒带到一个气氛清明的地方，使他们的思想能脱离圣城和圣殿宗教环境的影响，并使祂能给他们一些关于祂自己新的启示。乃是在这里，祂是基督，是活神儿子的异象，赐给了彼得。马太十六章十三节说，『耶稣到了该撒利亚腓立比的境内，就问祂的门徒说，人说人子是谁？』因著门徒都不清楚，就胡涂的回答。按照十四节所记，他们说，『有人说是施浸者约翰，另有人说是以利亚，还有人说是耶利米，或申言者中的一位。』然后主耶稣对他们说，『你们说我是谁？』（15。）我们知道，彼得因著领受了从父来的启示，就回答主耶稣说，『你是基督，是活神的儿子。』（16。）因此，新约首先启示我们父的名，然后启示神的儿子。所以，新约启示的第一个名称是父，第二个名称是子。

15In the New Testament, of course, we also have the revelation that Jesus is the Son of God. One day, according to Matthew 16, the Lord Jesus led His disciples away from Jerusalem, with its religious atmosphere, to Caesarea Philippi, close to the northern border of the Holy Land, at the foot of Mount Hermon, on which He was soon to be transfigured (Matt. 17:1-2). Caesarea Philippi was far from the holy city with the holy temple, where the atmosphere of the old Jewish religion filled everyone’s thought. The Lord purposely brought His disciples to a place with a clear atmosphere so that their thought could be released from the effects of the religious surroundings in the holy city and holy temple, and that He might reveal to them something new concerning Himself. It was there that the vision concerning Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God, was given to Peter. Matthew 16:13 says, “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of Man is?” Because the disciples were not clear, they began to answer in a nonsensical way. According to verse 14, they said, “Some, John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” Then the Lord Jesus said to them, “But you, who do you say that I am?” (v. 15). As we know, Peter, receiving the revelation from the Father, answered and said to the Lord Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Thus, in the New Testament we first have the revelation of the name of the Father and then the revelation of the Son of God. The first title revealed in the New Testament, therefore, is the Father; the second is that of the Son

16我们从马太十六章来到约翰十四章，这里有那灵的启示。腓力对主耶稣说，『主阿，将父显给我们看，我们就知足了。』（约十四8。）主回答说，『腓力，我与你们同在这样长久，你还不认识我么？人看见了我，就是看见了父；…我在父里面，父在我里面，你不信么？』（9～10。）主耶稣在这里指明，祂在父里面，父在祂里面。这意思是说，祂与父不能分开，父与祂也不能分开。主这样说到自己与父之后，接著又说到实际的灵，就是另一位保惠师：『我要求父，祂必赐给你们另一位保惠师，叫祂永远与你们同在，就是实际的灵。』（16～17。）因此那灵这另一位保惠师，乃是新约启示的第三个神圣的名称。所以我们有父、子、灵的启示。这就是三一神。三一神的启示需要基督的成为肉体、主的人性生活，以及主的钉十字架和复活。基督复活以后，那灵来了。现在我们知道三一神是父、子、灵。这位三一神是经过过程的神。祂经过了成为肉体、人性生活、钉十字架和复活的过程。祂钉十字架成功了救赎，了结了旧造，毁坏了撒但和死亡。祂复活使新造有了新生的起头。现今祂是赐生命的灵，就是三一神的终极完成。召会是在这样一位三一神里面。召会是在经过过程的三一神里，而三一神乃是成了赐生命的灵，同著父和子的一位。

16Going on from Matthew 16 to John 14, we have the revelation of the Spirit. When Philip said to the Lord Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father and it suffices us” (John 14:8), the Lord replied, “Am I so long a time with you, and you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father.…Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?” (vv. 9-10). Here the Lord Jesus indicates that He is in the Father and that the Father is in Him. This means that He cannot be separated from the Father nor the Father from Him. After speaking in this way concerning Himself and the Father, the Lord went on to speak of the Spirit of reality, another Comforter, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever; even the Spirit of reality” (vv. 16-17). Thus, the Spirit, another Comforter, is the third divine title revealed in the New Testament. Therefore, we have the revelation of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. This is the Triune God. The revelation of the Triune God requires the incarnation of Christ, the Lord’s human living, and His crucifixion and resurrection. After the resurrection of Christ, we have the coming of the Spirit. Now we know that the Triune God is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. This Triune God is the processed God. He has passed through the process of incarnation, human living, crucifixion, and resurrection. In crucifixion, He accomplished redemption, the termination of the old creation, and the destruction of Satan and death. In resurrection, He germinated the new creation. Now He is the life-giving Spirit as the ultimate consummation of the Triune God. The church is in such a Triune God. The church is in the processed Triune God, the One who has become the life-giving Spirit with the Father and the Son.