Books
帖撒罗尼迦前书生命读经 · 第8篇

在三一神里的召会（二）

The Church in the Triune God (2)
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
1Scripture 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
2马书6:3，加拉太书3:27，启示录1:11-12。我们已经看过，帖前一章一节指明召
2We have seen that 1:1 indicates that the church is in
32会是在三一神里。保罗在林后十三章
3the Triune God. Paul speaks of the Triune God in
4十四节说到三一神：『愿主耶稣基督的恩，神的爱，圣灵的交通，与你们众人同在。』这里有三一神三重的祝福，就是爱、恩和交通的祝福。
4Corinthians 13:14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Here we have the threefold blessing of the Triune God, the blessing of love, grace
5这节经文所启示的三一神，乃是经过过程的神。今天召会就是在这位经过过程的三一神里，也就是在父、子、圣灵里。
5and fellowship. The Triune God revealed in this verse is the processed God. The very God in whom the church is today is the processed Triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
6父的愿望与计画父神的愿望是甚么？按照新约来看，父要得著许多的儿子，父所关心的是儿子的名分。为了要产生这些儿子，神一直在生儿子。对祂而言，儿子的数目不需要受限制。祂的儿女越多越好。父要得著儿子，于是祂一直生儿子。
6THE FATHER’S DESIRE AND PLAN What is it that God the Father desires? According to the New Testament, the Father wants many sons. The Father’s concern is with sonship. In order to produce these sons, He has been begetting children. With Him, there need be no limit to the number of children. The more children He has, the better. The Father wants sons, and He is begetting them
7父神有一个确定的旨意，就是要产生众子。祂不是一位愚昧、没有定旨的父。祂乃是有定旨、有计画的。神的拣选和豫定都是根据祂的定旨。神首先拣选我们，然后豫定我们。这指明神是独一的发起者和起始者。因此，召会在父神里，含示召会乃是在神的定旨、计画、拣选和豫定里。毫无疑问，召会也在神的呼召里。在父神里的召会，就是在那是发起者和起始者里的召会。召会在父里面这种领会不仅是道理；这在我们实际的经历中与我们很有关系。今天基督徒中间有一个难处，就是他们有许多不同的目的和计画；有许多发起人和起始人。这是不对的。我们基督徒都只该有独一的目的，就是我们父的定旨。我们也该有父的独一计画。这意思是说，发起者和起始者只该有一位，就是父。我们不该发起或起始甚么事。如果所有的基督徒都放弃他们自己的目的和计画，只有一位发起者和起源者，请想想看，会有怎样的光景出现。在我们众人当中会有何等的一！再没有任何分门别类的事了。
7God the Father has a definite purpose in producing many sons. He is not a foolish father, one without a purpose. Rather, He has a purpose and a plan. God’ss election and predestination are according to His purpose. First He selected us and then predestinated us. This indicates that God is the unique initiator and originator. Thus, for the church to be in God the Father implies that the church is in God’s purpose, plan, selection, and predestination. No doubt, the church is also in God’scall ing. The church in God the Father is the church in the One who is the initiator and originator. This understanding of the church in the Father is not merely a matter of doctrine; rather, it has much to do with us in our practical experience. A problem among Christians today is that they have many different purposes and plans. There are different initiators and originators. This is not right. We Christians all should have the unique purpose, the purpose of our Father. We should also have the unique plan of the Father. This means that only one — the Father — should be the initiator and originator. We should not originate anything or initiate anything. Imagine what would happen if all Christians gave up their own purposes and plans and had only one initiator and originator. What oneness there would be among us all! There would be no division whatever.
一切消极、天然、老旧事物的了结
THE TERMINATION OF EVERYTHING NEGATIVE, NATURAL, AND OLD
8我们已经稍微看过，召会在父里的意义。现在我们要接著来看召会在主耶稣基督里的意义。在基督里是件大事。在基督里就没有罪、肉体、己、天然生命、旧造、死和撒但。我们若在基督里，一切消极的事物就都被了结。罪、死、己、肉体、撒但、旧造都已了结。对于在基督里的人来说，神以外的一切事物都已经了结了。我们若看见在基督里所了结的是甚么，就会知道一些所谓的召会，以某些名称标榜自己，乃是可耻的。譬如，在中国有一个团体叫作美国长老教会。最近我在南加州看见一个标示牌写著：『橙县中国台湾人教会』。最近有一位弟兄告诉我，有一个叫作旧金山中华门诺教会的团体。在召会里没有这类名称或称谓的地位。采用这类名称的人，指明他们既这样作，他们就不是在主耶稣基督里的召会。他们有名称，这个事实指明他们中间还有许多事物没有被了结。召会在主耶稣基督里面；这含示对召会来说，一切天然、消极、属乎旧造的事物，都已经了结。这意思是说，在召会里没有中国人、美国人，没有日本人、韩国人，也没有法国人、德国人。这是召会在主耶稣基督里的意义。我们在主恢复中的人说，我们实行召会生活。但每当我们这样声明的时候，我们必须查看，我们是否仍然固守自己的文化或个性。关于这事，我们有时候盼望别人同情我们。姊妹们有时候对我说，『李弟兄，不要忘记我们是姊妹。圣经说我们姊妹是较软弱的器皿。』但是在主耶稣基督里面没有软弱的器皿。因此，我们不该盼望人同情我们天然的个性。只要你盼望别人同情你，就指明在你的经历中，你并没有与基督同埋葬。若要召会实际的在主耶稣基督里，我们就都必须被了结并埋葬。我们必须死，然后摆在坟墓里。这就是在主耶稣基督里。
8We have seen a little of what it means for the church to be in the Father. Now let us go on to consider what it means for the church to be in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a great matter to be in Christ. To be in Christ means that there is no sin, flesh, self, natural life, old creation, death, or Satan. If we are in Christ, everything negative has been terminated. Sin, death, the self, the flesh, Satan, and the old creation have all been terminated. For those who are in Christ everything other than God has been terminated. If we realize what has been terminated in Christ, we shall know that it is shameful for so-called churches to designate themselves by certain names. For example, in China there was a group called the American Presbyterian Church. Recently in southern California I saw a sign which read “The Orange County Chinese Taiwanese Church.” A brother recently told me about a group called the San Francisco Chinese Mennonite Church. There is no room for any such names or designations in the church. Those who take a name such as these indicate by doing so that they are not the church in the Lord Jesus Christ. The fact that they have a name indicates that many things among them have not been terminated. The church is in the Lord Jesus Christ. This implies that with respect to the church everything natural, everything negative, everything of the old creation, has been terminated. This means that in the church there are no Chinese or Americans, no Japanese or Koreans, no French or Germans. In the church there is room only for Jesus Christ the Lord. This is the significance of the church being in the Lord Jesus Christ. We in the Lord’s recovery claim to be practicing the church life. Whenever we make such a claim, however, we need to check to see whether we are still holding to our culture or disposition. Regarding this matter, sometimes we expect others to sympathize with us. On occasion sisters have said to me, “Brother Lee, don’t forget that we are sisters. According to the Bible, we sisters are weaker vessels.” But in the Lord Jesus Christ there are no weak vessels. Therefore, we should not expect anyone to sympathize with our natural disposition. As long as you want others to sympathize with you, that is an indication that in your experience you are not buried with Christ. For the church to be in the Lord Jesus Christ in a practical way, we all need to be terminated and buried. We need to die and then be placed in the tomb. This is to be in the Lord Jesus Christ.
9我这样说，岂不像是把主耶稣基督比喻作坟墓么？请看保罗在罗马六章三节所说的话：『岂不知我们这浸入基督耶稣的人，是浸入祂的死么？』这节经文清楚的说，浸入基督乃是浸入基督的死。这样，我们怎么能在基督里却不在祂的死里？在基督里就是被埋葬、被了结。你喜欢听这样的话么？不管我们喜不喜欢听，在基督里就是被了结，这是个事实。在特会或训练这种特殊的期间，众圣徒从不同的城市或地区来在一起。表面看来，没有人说自己地方的好处。但我们里面深处，可能因著自己从某个地方来而感到骄傲。我们心里可能会说，『你们要知道我们是从某某地方来的，我们的地方是最好的。』这样想就是高抬自己。我们说我们是某个地方的，就把自己排除于主耶稣基督之外。召会必须单单是在父神和主耶稣基督里的。
9When I say this, does it seem that I am comparing the Lord Jesus Christ to a tomb? Listen to what Paul says in Romans 6:3: “Are you ignorant that as many as have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?” This verse clearly says that to be baptized into Christ is to be baptized into Christ’s death. How, then, can we be in Christ without also being in His death? To be in Christ is to be buried, terminated. Do you like to hear such a word? Whether we like to hear it or not, it is the truth that to be in Christ is to be terminated. During special times of conference or training, saints come together from different cities and regions. Outwardly, no one says anything in favor of his locality. But deep within we may be proud of coming from a certain place. In our heart we may say, “You have to realize that we are from such-and-such place. Our place is the best.” To think in this way is to exalt ourselves. When we claim to be of a certain place, we are excluding ourselves from the Lord Jesus Christ. The church must be only in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
新的开始
A NEW BEGINNING
10保罗用他那样的方式来写帖撒罗尼迦前书开头的话，是有很重要原因的。在保罗的时代，希利尼人大体来说是骄傲且邪恶的。他们有复杂的神话，骄傲的崇拜假神，他们非常迷信。因此，他们被他们的神话、迷信和哲学毁坏并败坏了。希腊哲学和埃及、巴比伦、波斯的哲学同样不纯正，其中包含了许多不洁的成分。就一面的意义说，他们的哲学助长了不道德和淫乱。保罗说到在父神和主耶稣基督里，帖撒罗尼迦人的召会，他的意思是说，『亲爱的帖撒罗尼迦圣徒，你们仍然是帖撒罗尼迦人。但你们必须看见，现今你们既然相信了耶稣基督，就不一样了。你们不再是在神话或哲学里，乃是在父神里，因为你们已经重生，从神而生，并有了新的开始。你们也在主耶稣基督里，因为在祂里面，你们已经在十字架上被了结了。因此，你们不再是希利尼人，也不再是不道德的人。你们再也不该在哲学或神话里，却应当完全在父神里。你们知道你们怎么可能在父里么？你们能在祂里面，是因为你们已经从祂而生。因此，你们如今在生你们的父里面，就是在已经成为你们父的那位里面。不仅如此，你们也不在你们的哲学里，乃是在主耶稣基督里。你们既在父和主耶稣基督里，所以你们现在是圣别的子民，是分别出来的子民。从现在起，你们应当过一种完全从帖撒罗尼迦、希利尼、不道德、希腊神话和哲学中分别出来的生活。这种圣别的生活，这种分别出来的生活，乃是为著召会生活，因为召会乃是在父神和主耶稣基督里的。』
10There is an important reason why Paul opened the Epistle of 1 Thessalonians the way he did. In Paul’st i me, the Greeks for the most part were proud and evil. They had a complex mythology, and they proudly worshipped false gods. They were extremely superstitious. Thus, they were ruined and corrupted by their mythology, superstition, and philosophy. Like Egyptian, Babylonian, and Persian philosophy, Greek philosophy was not pure. On the contrary, it contained defiling elements. In a sense their philosophy promoted immorality and fornication. When Paul speaks of the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ, he was saying, “Dear saints in Thessalonica, you are still Thessalonians. But you must realize that now that you have believed in Jesus Christ, you are different. No longer are you in mythology or philosophy. Instead, you are in God the Father, for you have been regenerated, born of God, and have had a new beginning. You are also in the Lord Jesus Christ, since in Him you have been terminated on the cross. Therefore, you are no longer Greeks, and you are no longer immoral people. You should not be in philosophy or mythology any longer, but should be absolutely in God the Father. Do you know how it is possible for you to be in the Father? You can be in Him because you have been born of Him. Thus, now you are in the begetting God, the One who has become your Father. Furthermore, instead of being in your philosophy, you are in the Lord Jesus Christ. Being in the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, you are now a holy people, a separated people. From now on, you should live a life that is absolutely separated from Thessalonica, from Greece, from immorality, and from Greek mythology and philosophy. This holy life, this separated life, is for the church life, because the church is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
11我们都要看见召会是在三一神里，这是非常重要的。因著我已经归化为美国公民，所以从一面来说，我多少已经美国化了。但事实上我并不把自己看作美国人或中国人，而是把自己看作一个在主耶稣基督里的人。不管我们属地的公民资格是甚么样的身分，我们都需要看见，我们真正的地位乃是在父神和主耶稣基督里。我们在父和主耶稣基督里，含示我们已经得了新生，有了新的开始。我们有一个新的源头─父神。一切老旧的事物，消极的事物─罪、肉体、己、旧人、天然的生命、撒但、死─都已经了结了。我们在主耶稣基督里，包含了这一切事物的了结。这意思是说，在主耶稣基督里，就没有罪、死或撒但。在祂里面没有世界、肉体、己或旧造。我们在父神里再生了一次，就是得了重生。我们在祂里面有新的源头和新的开始。在主耶稣基督里，旧造的一切事物对我们来说，都已了结。这乃是在父神和主耶稣基督里所含示的意义。今天召会就在三一神里。
11It is important for us all to see that the church is in the Triune God. Because I have been naturalized to be an American citizen, in a good sense I have been somewhat Americanized. Actually, however, I do not regard myself as an American or a Chinese, but as someone in the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever our status is in regard to earthly citizenship, we all need to realize that our real position is that we are in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Being in the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ implies that we have had a new birth, a new beginning. We have a new source—God the Father. All the old things, the negative things—sin, the flesh, the self, the old man, the natural life, Satan, death—have been terminated. Our being in the Lord Jesus Christ involves a termination of all these things. This means that in the Lord Jesus Christ there is no sin, death, or Satan. In Him there is no world, flesh, self, or old creation. In God the Father we have been born again, regenerated. In Him we have a new source and a new beginning. In the Lord Jesus Christ we have the termination of everything of the old creation. This is the implication of being in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Here in the Triune God is where the church is today
控制的异象
A CONTROLLING VISION
12看见召会是在三一神里，对于为著召会生活的圣别生活来说，是很基本的。我们若看见这点，就不会在意改良自己的行为或变得更有道德这类的教训。只要我们看见召会是在父神和主耶稣基督里的实体，我们就会明白，我们已经被神自己完全分别出来，并且现今被主耶稣基督所包含。这使我们成为圣别的人，过圣别、分别出来的生活。这种生活乃是为著召会的。我们看见这个，就能明白帖撒罗尼迦前书里面所写的是甚么。
12It is basic to living a holy life for the church life to see that the church is in the Triune God. If we see this, we shall not care for teachings about improving our behavior or becoming more ethical. As long as we see that the church is an entity in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall realize that we have been absolutely separated by God Himself and are now encompassed by the Lord Jesus Christ. This makes us a holy people living a holy, separated life. This life is for the church. When we see this, we can understand what is written in the book of 1 Thessalonians.
13我有充分的把握，你们若看见这几篇信息论到在三一神里的召会所说的点，你们的观念和行动就不再一样了。这些信息传达一个异象，这异象会控制我们的思想、活动，以及我们整个的生活。我们若看见召会是在父神和主耶稣基督里的这个异象，自然就会明白，我们不该固守某些观念或作某些事，因为这些事是属世的、凡俗的、不圣的、也不是分别归神的。我们会明白，这类事物不是为著召会的，因为召会乃是在父神和主耶稣基督里的。我能见证，我深爱保罗在帖前一章一节所说的话：『在父神和主耶稣基督里，帖撒罗尼迦人的召会。』召会是在父神和主耶稣基督里的一班人的，这真是奇妙！1:1保罗在帖前一章一节和帖后一章一至二节，都说到在父神和主耶稣基督里的召会，接著就题到恩典与平安。恩典是三一神作我们的享受。我们在父和主耶稣基督里，就是在享受神一切事物的地方。
13I have the full assurance that if you see what is covered in these messages on the church in the Triune God, you will be different both in your concept and in your activity. These messages convey a vision, a vision that will control our thinking, our activities, and our entire life. If we see the revelation that the church is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall spontaneously realize that we should not hold to certain concepts or do certain things, for they are worldly, profane, unholy, not separated unto God. We shall realize that such things are not for the church which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I can testify that I love Paul’sex press i on in 1:1—“the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” How marvelous that the church is of certain people in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Both in 1 Thessalonians 1:1 and in 2 Thessalonians and 2, Paul mentions grace and peace after speaking of the church in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is the Triune God to be our enjoyment. When we are in the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, we are in the place to enjoy all the things of God.
接触那灵我们已经指出，父是计画并创始的
CONTACTING THE SPIRIT We have pointed out that the Father is the One who
14那一位。祂是发起者，也是起始者。子神成就父神所定意、计画、发起、起始的一切事。但灵神的功能是甚么？那灵既不是起始者，也不是成就者，乃是执行者。那灵不为自己作甚么，也不单独作甚么。那灵乃是执行、推行父所计画并起始，以及子所成就的。我们都必须看见，父所计画的一切，以及子所成就的一切，现今都在那灵里，也同著那灵。在我们的经历里，我们所接触的那一位乃是那灵。这一位灵就是子，在子里我们有父。因此我们可以说，父在子里，子如今乃是赐生命的灵，住在我们里面。我们所需要作的，就是停留在那灵里，并且照著灵而行。当我们照著灵而行，我们实际上乃是照著三一神而行。
14plans and originates. He is the initiator and the originator. God the Son accomplishes everything that God the Father has purposed, planned, initiated, and originated. But what is the function of God the Spirit? The Spirit is neither the originator nor the accomplisher—He is the executor. The Spirit does not do anything for Himself or by Himself. Rather, He executes, carries out, what the Father has planned and originated and what the Son has accomplished. We all must see that everything the Father has planned and everything the Son has accomplished is now in the Spirit and with the Spirit. In our experience the One we contact is the Spirit. This Spirit is the Son, and in the Son we have the Father. For this reason we may say that the Father is in the Son and that the Son is now the life-giving Spirit dwelling in us. What we need to do is stay in the Spirit and walk according to the Spirit. When we walk according to the Spirit, we are actually walking according to the Triune God
15那灵是经过过程之三一神的终极完成。那灵是三一神的应用，是三一神临到我们。经过过程的三一神怎样临到我们，并接触我们？祂乃是成了那灵，来临到我们并接触我们。经过过程的三一神如何能在我们的经历中应用到我们身上？祂乃是作为赐生命的灵应用在我们身上。那灵不仅是神的灵和基督的灵；那灵就是神，就是基督。今天在我们的经历中，三一神乃是那赐生命的灵。因此，当我们在父神和主耶稣基督里，我们就是在那灵里。因为一章一节含示那灵是不言而喻的，所以我们说，召会乃是在三一神里的。
15The Spirit is the ultimate consummation of the processed Triune God. The Spirit is the application, the reaching to us, of the Triune God. How does the processed Triune God reach us and contact us? He does this as the Spirit. How can the processed Triune God be applied to us in our experience? He is applied as the life-giving Spirit. The Spirit is not only the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ; He is the Spirit as God and as Christ. In our experience today, the Triune God is the very life-giving Spirit. Therefore, when we are in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, we are in the Spirit. Because the Spirit is implied and understood in 1:1, we speak of the church being in the Triune God