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提摩太前书生命读经 · 第2篇

持守信仰所需的信心与良心

Faith and a Good Conscience Needed for the Keeping of the Faith
1读经：提摩太前书一章十八至二十节。在前面的信息里，我们由提前一章一至十七节看见神的经纶与不同的教训相对。在本篇信息中，我们要来看一章十八至二十节；这几节指明信心与良心是持守信仰所需要的。
1Scripture Reading: 1 Tim. 1:18-20 In the foregoing message we saw from 1:1-17 that God’s dispensation is versus differing teachings. In this message we shall consider 1:18-20, verses which indicate that faith and a good conscience are needed for the keeping of the faith
壹 使徒交托
I. A CHARGE COMMITTED
他孩子提摩太的嘱咐
BY THE APOSTLE TO HIS CHILD TIMOTHY
2在一章十八节保罗说，『孩子提摩太，我照从前指著你所说的豫言，将这嘱咐交托你，叫你凭这些豫言，可以打那美好的仗。』保罗在这里所说的嘱咐是甚么？我们答覆这问题，必须遵守这原则：在领会圣经的一个句子、一个辞汇、甚至一个单字时，需要考量上下文；不仅考量该节所在那一段的上下文，有时也要考量整卷书、甚至全本圣经的上下文。我们以这原则为基础，就需要凭全章的上下文，考量保罗在十八节所用的嘱咐这辞。这里的嘱咐包括前十七节所陈明的重点。在积极一面，这些经文的重点是神的经纶；在消极一面，重点是不同的教训。因此，使徒给他属灵儿子的嘱咐，在积极一面与神的经纶有关，在消极一面与不同的教训有关。
2In 1:18 Paul says, “This charge I commit to you, child Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that in them you might war the good warfare.” To what charge is Paul referring here? In answering this question we must observe the principle that in understanding a sentence, a phrase, or even a word of the Bible, we need to consider the context, not only of the paragraph in which the verse is found, but sometimes of the entire book or even of the whole Bible. With this principle as our basis, we need to consider Paul’su se of the word charge in verse 18 in the context of the chapter as a whole. The charge here covers the main points presented in the previous seventeen verses. On the positive side, the main point of these verses is God’s dispensation; on the negative side, it is the differing teachings. Hence, the charge given by the apostle to his spiritual son concerns the dispensation of God positively and the differing teachings negatively
一 照从前指著提摩太所说的豫言
A. According to the Prophecies Previously Made concerning Timothy
3在十八节保罗说，他照从前指著提摩太所说的豫言，将这嘱咐交托他。这也许是提摩太得以进入职事时，指著他所说一些豫言式的暗指。（徒十六～3。）可能召会中向保罗推荐提摩太的长老，给他按手。那时也许指著他说了豫言。
3In verse 18 Paul says that he committed the charge to Timothy “according to the prophecies previously made” concerning him. It may be that some prophetic intimations were made concerning Timothy when he was admitted into the ministry (Acts 16:1-3). Perhaps 1 the elders in the church which recommended Timothy to Paul laid hands on him. At that time prophecies might have been spoken concerning him.
二 打那美好的仗
B. To War the Good Warfare
4保罗说到这些豫言，告诉提摩太：『叫你凭这些豫言，可以打那美好的仗。』打那美好的仗就是与异议者不同的教训打仗，并照著使徒关乎恩典和永远生命之福音的职事，完成神的经纶，（提前一4，）叫可称颂的神得著荣耀。（11～16。）
4Speaking of these prophecies, Paul tells Timothy, “In them you might war the good warfare.” To war the good warfare is to war against the differing teachings of the dissenters and to carry out God’s dispensation (v. 4) according to the apostle’s ministry concerning the gospel of grace and eternal life for the glory of the blessed God (vv. 11-16).
三 凭豫言
C. In the Prophecies
5保罗嘱咐提摩太凭豫言打那美好的仗。这意思是说，凭豫言的范围、支持和证实，打那美好的仗。
5Paul charged Timothy to war the good warfare in the prophecies. This means in the sphere, support, and confirmation of the prophecies
6在这里我们需要来看关于保罗书信的分组和写作的时间。虽然腓利门书与提摩太前后书和提多书同组，但腓利门书写得较早，在保罗第一次坐监期间。保罗第一次被监禁是因著犹太人，不是因著罗马帝国所施的逼迫。我们由使徒行传知道，保罗上诉于该撒，这使他被送到罗马，在那里被监禁。保罗第一次坐监期间，他写了四卷书：以弗所书、腓立比书、歌罗西书、和腓利门书。因此，照著写作的时间，腓利门书该与歌罗西书、腓立比书、和以弗所书同组；然而，在内容上牠不该与这四封书信同组，而该与提摩太前后书和提多书同组。腓利门书写于保罗从狱中得释前不久。在腓立比书里他表达期待自己不久得释放，并看望众召会。不久以后，保罗的期待实现了。他得了释放，就去以弗所，到提摩太那里；他又从以弗所往马其顿去。保罗从马其顿写了提摩太前书。然后他从马其顿去尼哥波立，在那里写了提多书。所以，提摩太前书和提多书写于保罗第一次被囚获释以后。大约一年后，该撒尼罗忽然开始逼迫基督徒。那时，保罗被指控为基督徒中间特出的首领。他再次被捕并坐监，这次是由于尼罗的逼迫。他从狱中写了提摩太后书。他在第四章向他亲爱的孩子提摩太指明，他豫备好要离世、殉道、作奠祭被浇奠。在保罗第一次坐监期间，众召会受试验。这试验显示败落和堕落开始了。这败落全然是由于不同的教训，就是与职事不同的教训。这是保罗嘱咐提摩太要打美好的仗的原因。
6At this point we need to see something concerning the grouping and the timing of Paul’s Epistles. Although Philemon is grouped with 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, it was actually written earlier, during Paul’s first imprisonment. Paul was imprisoned the first time because of the Jews, not because of persecution carried out by the Roman Empire. We know from Acts that Paul appealed to Caesar and this caused him to be sent to Rome, where he was imprisoned. During his first imprisonment, Paul wrote four books: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Thus, according to the time it was written, Philemon should be grouped with Colossians, Philippians, and Ephesians; however, in content it should be grouped, not with these Epistles, but with 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. Philemon was written not long before Paul’s release from prison. In the book of Philippians he expressed his expectation that soon he would be released and visit the churches. Not long afterward, Paul’s expectation was fulfilled. Having been released, he traveled to Ephesus, where Timothy was, and from Ephesus he went into Macedonia. From Macedonia Paul wrote the first Epistle to Timothy. Then from Macedonia he went to Nicopolis, where he wrote the Epistle to Titus. First Timothy and Titus, therefore, were written after Paul’s release from his first imprisonment. After approximately a year, Caesar Nero suddenly began to persecute Christians. At that time, Paul was accused of being the outstanding leader among the Christians. He was arrested and imprisoned again, this time due to Nero’s persecution. From prison, he wrote the second Epistle to Timothy. In chapter four he indicates to his dear child Timothy that he was ready to depart, to be martyred, to be poured out as a drink offering. During Paul’s first imprisonment, the churches were tested. This test showed that decline and degradation had set in. This decline was altogether due to differing teachings, teachings that were different from the ministry. This was the reason Paul charged Timothy to war a good warfare.
7历世纪以来，召会的堕落和败落有一个根源：与使徒的职事不同2:42的教训。在行传二章四十二节我们看见，在召会生活一开始，信徒乃是持续在使徒的教训里。这些教训就是那职事。使徒所教导、所传讲的，不外乎基督与召会。他们传讲那成为肉体、钉十字架、复活、并升天的基督，好叫祂这复活的生命，得以分赐到祂的信徒里面，以产生召会。这是使徒教训的中心点，我们看见这事是很要紧的。毫无疑问，在圣经中有关于许多事的教训。然而，使徒职事的中心乃是成为肉体、钉十字架、复活、升天、并得荣的基督，作我们的救主、我们的生命和一切，使我们成为祂的身体，就是召会。这是新约启示极重要的中心，这也是神的经纶。我们需要接触主的话，并藉著主的话，凭著那灵接受神。然后我们会有信心。藉著来到话面前，我们就被神注入，并且信心自然而然在我们里面运行，将我们带进与神生机的联结里。我们越享受神的注入，就越与祂成为一。然而，这重要的事已经失去了许多世纪。保罗知道这事的重要，就嘱咐提摩太打那美好的仗。一面，提摩太要与异议者不同的教训争战；另一面，他要照著使徒的职事完成神的经纶。我们若愿完成神的经纶，就不可照著传统的基督教，也不可照著系统的神学，而必须照著使徒的职事。不仅如此，神的经纶是与恩典的福音和永远的生命有关。这些是福音里的两个基本元素。这福音是为著可称颂之神的荣耀，是为著可称颂之神的彰显，显现。保罗第一次坐监时，异议者起来教导不同的事；这些不同的教训是召会败落的种子。保罗甚至在狱中也晓得这种情形。我们由歌罗西书和腓立比书的内容知道这事。尤其在歌罗西书中我们看见，有些教派─犹太教、智慧派、禁欲主义─已经偷著进入召会生活。这些不同的教训引起异议和败落。因此，保罗嘱咐他忠信的同工打那美好的仗，对抗不同的教训，并为著神的经纶争战。
7Throughout the centuries, the degradation and decline of the church has had one source: teachings which differ from the ministry of the apostles. In Acts we see that at the beginning of the church life, the believers continued in the teachings of the apostles. These teachings were the ministry. What the apostles taught and preached was nothing other than Christ and the church. They preached a Christ who had been incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended in order that, as resurrection life, He might be imparted into His believers to produce the church. This is the focal point of the teaching of the apostles, and it is crucial for us to see it. No doubt, in the Bible there are teachings concerning many things. However, the focus of the ministry of the apostles was the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, ascended, and glorified Christ to be our Savior, our life, and everything to us so that we may become His Body, the church. This is the vital focus of the New Testament revelation, and this is God’secon o my. We need to contact the Word and receive God by the Spirit through the Word. Then we shall have faith. By coming to the Word, we are infused with God, and spontaneously faith operates within us to bring us into an organic union with God. The more we enjoy God’sin fusion, the more we become one with Him. However, this vital matter has been lost for centuries. Knowing the importance of this, Paul charged Timothy to fight a good fight, to war a good warfare. On the one hand, Timothy was to war against the differing teachings of the dissenters. On the other hand, he was to carry out God’s dispensation according to the apostle’s ministry. If we wish to carry out God’s dispensation, we must do it not according to the teachings of traditional Christianity nor according to systematic theology, but according to the apostle’s ministry. Furthermore, God’s dispensation concerns the gospel of grace and eternal life. These are two basic elements in the gospel. This gospel is for the glory of the blessed God; it is for the expression, the manifestation, of the blessed God. When Paul was in prison the first time, dissenters rose up to teach differently. These differing teachings were the seed of the church’s decline. Paul realized the situation even while he was in prison. We know this by the contents of books such as Colossians and Philippians. Especially in Colossians we see that certain isms—Judaism, Gnosticism, asceticism— had crept into the church life. These differing teachings caused dissension and decline. Thus, Paul charged his faithful co-worker to fight the good fight against the differing teachings and fight for God’s dispensation.
8今天我们也必须警惕不同的教训。历世纪以来，召会被这样的教训毒害并败坏了。我们若不儆醒，不同的教训也可能对主的恢复造成破坏。已往我们见过以狡猾、隐藏的方式传播不同的教训所造成的破坏。这帮助了许多召会中的领头人学习谨防不同教训的重要功课。我们绝不允许任何不同的教训进入主的恢复。这恢复完全是为著执行这职事；这不是指我的职事，乃是由彼得开始的使徒职事，今天仍在执行。所有的真使徒都教导并传讲同样的事，就是这一件事─神新约的经纶。我们传讲并教训的中心是基督与召会。教导并传讲神关于基督与召会的经纶，就是打美好的仗。
8Today we also must be on the alert for differing teachings. Throughout the centuries, the church has been poisoned and corrupted by such teachings. If we are not on guard, differing teachings may also cause damage to the Lord’s recovery. In the past we have seen the damage caused by differing teachings propagated in a subtle, hidden way. This has helped the leading ones in many churches to learn the important lesson of being watchful for differing teachings. We must not allow any differing teachings to come into the Lord’s recovery. The recovery is strictly for the carrying on of the ministry. By this I do not mean my ministry, but the ministry of the apostles, which began with Peter and is still being carried on today. All true apostles teach and preach the same thing, even the one thing—God’s New Testament economy. The focus of our preaching and teaching is Christ and the church. To teach and preach God’secon o my concerning Christ and the church is to war a good warfare
贰 持守信心和无亏的良心
II. HOLDING FAITH AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE
9在提前一章十九节保罗继续说，『持守信心和无亏的良心；有人丢弃这些，就在信仰上犹如船破。』本节告诉我们如何打那美好的仗。要打美好的仗，我们必须持守信心和无亏的良心。一信心，我们信的行动
9In verse 19 Paul continues, “Holding faith and a good conscience, which some thrusting away have become shipwrecked regarding the faith.” This verse tells us how to war the good warfare. In order to war a good warfare, we must hold faith and a good conscience. A. Faith, Our Believing Act
10『持守信心』的信心一辞，指我们信的行动；因此，牠指明主观的信心。我们曾经指明，当我们来到主的话面前，并藉著话，凭著那灵被神注入时，这信心就在我们里面兴起。主观的信心在我们里面运行，使我们与三一神之间产生生机的联结。在这联结里，我们接受神圣的生命和性情，成为神的众子和基督身体（新人）的许多肢体，作三一神团体的彰显，直到永远。我们必须凭著这种信心打那美好的仗，不是凭著努力遵守律法。
10The word faith in the expression “holding faith” refers to our believing act; hence, it denotes subjective faith. As we have indicated, this faith rises up in us when we come to the Word and are infused with God through the Word and by the Spirit. The subjective faith moves within us to bring about an organic union between us and the Triune God. In this union we receive the divine life and nature to become God’s many sons and the many members of the Body of Christ, the new man, to be the corporate expression of the Triune God for eternity. We must war the good warfare by this kind of faith, not by trying to keep the law
二 无亏的良心
B. A Good Conscience
11随著信心，我们也需要无亏的良心。（徒二四16。）无亏的良心是基督徒信仰和生活的保护。信心和无亏的良心是并行的。我们的良心一有亏欠，就有漏洞，我们的信心就要漏掉。在受搅扰的地方召会中，要打那美好的仗，对抗不同的教训，无亏的良心同著信心，乃是必需的。
11Along with faith, we also need a good conscience, a conscience without offense (Acts 24:16). A good conscience is a safeguard of Christian faith and life. Faith and a good conscience go together. Whenever there is an offense in our conscience, there will be a leakage, and our faith will leak away. A good conscience accompanying faith is needed for warring the good warfare against the dissenting teachings in a troubled local church.
三 犹如船破
C. Shipwrecked
12提前一章十九节的关系代名词『这些』，很难说是单指良心，或兼指信仰与良心。也许是指两者，因为主观的信心与良心有密切的关系。我们已经指出，我们若没有无亏的良心，就无法有活的信心。照样，我们若没有活的信心，就无法有无亏的良心。信心与无亏的良心可比喻为结了婚的夫妇：信心好像丈夫，良心好像妻子。既然主观的信心与无亏的良心是并行的，我宁可认为这里关系代名词『这些』，有信心与良心二者为前述词。信心来自我们与神的接触，并将我们带进与神生机的联结里；良心是我们凭信接触神以后，被神摸著的器官。有人丢弃信心和无亏的良心，『就在信仰上犹如船破。』这给我们看见丢弃信心和无亏良心的严重性。持守信心和无亏的良心，是我们基督徒信仰和生活的保护。船破这辞含示，基督徒生活与召会生活，好像船只航行在风暴的海上，需要信心和无亏良心的保护。
12It is difficult to say whether the relative pronoun “which” in verse 19 refers just to conscience or to both faith and conscience. It may refer to both, since subjective faith is closely related to the conscience. As we have pointed out, if we do not have a good conscience, we cannot have living faith. Likewise, if we do not have a living faith, we cannot have a good conscience. Faith and a good conscience can be compared to a married couple: faith is like a husband, and conscience is like a wife. Since subjective faith and a good conscience go together, I prefer to regard the relative pronoun here as having both faith and conscience as the antecedent. Faith comes from our contact with God and brings us into the organic union with God; conscience is the organ touched by God after we contact Him by faith. By thrusting away faith and a good conscience, some “have become shipwrecked regarding the faith.” This shows us the seriousness of thrusting away a good conscience. To keep faith and a good conscience is a safeguard for our Christian faith and life. The word shipwrecked implies that the Christian life and the church life are like a ship sailing on a stormy sea, needing to be safeguarded by faith and a good conscience
13丢弃信心和无亏良心的人，就在信仰上犹如船破。保罗在本节说到主观的信心，就是我们信的行动；也说到客观的信仰，就是我们相信的事物。保罗说到在信仰上犹如船破的人，是想到客观的信仰，就是照著神新约经纶之完整福音的内容。在二十节，保罗继续题到两个在信仰上犹如船破之人的名字：『其中有许米乃和亚力山大，我已经把他们交给撒但，使他们受管教，不再谤讟。』许米乃是异端的教师，（提后二17，）亚力山大是抵挡并攻击使徒的人。（四14～15。）
13Those who thrust away faith and a good conscience become shipwrecked regarding the faith. In this verse Paul speaks both of subjective faith, our act of believing, and of objective faith, those things in which we believe. In speaking of those who are shipwrecked regarding the faith, Paul has in mind the objective faith, the contents of the complete gospel according to God’s New Testament economy. In verse 20 Paul goes on to name two of those who have become shipwrecked regarding the faith: “Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan that they may be disciplined not to blaspheme.” Hymenaeus was a heretical teacher (2 Tim. 2:17), and Alexander was an opposer, an attacker, of the apostle (2 Tim. 4:14-15
14这里保罗题起名字，是值得注意的。我们比保罗更谨慎、『属灵』或『属天』，也许在任何景况下都不愿意题起名字。神领头题起祂仇敌的名字─撒但。神从未说，『我的民，我有一个仇敌。但因为我怜悯、忍耐、宽宏大量，我不愿暴露他，或题他的名字，盼望有一天他会悔改。』神怎样指出祂仇敌的名字，保罗也题起许米乃和亚力山大的名字。不仅如此，保罗在提前一章二十节没有告诉我们，他为许米乃和亚力山大祷告。他没有嘱咐提摩太：『提摩太，要跟我学，为伤害你的人祷告，正如2我一直为许米乃和亚力山大祷告一样。』反之，在提后四章十四节保罗说，『铜匠亚力山大多多的害我，主必照他所行的报应他。』
14It is worthy of note that here Paul mentions names. Being more careful or “spiritual” or “heavenly” than Paul, we may not be willing to mention names under any circumstances. God took the lead to mention the name of His enemy— Satan. God has never said, “My people, I have an enemy. But because I am so merciful, patient, and all - embracing, I don’t want to expose him or mention his name, in hope that one day he will repent.” As God has singled out the name of His enemy, Paul mentioned the names of Hymenaeus and Alexander. Furthermore, Paul does not tell us in verse 20 that he has been praying for Hymenaeus and Alexander. He does not charge Timothy, “Timothy, learn of me to pray for those who injure you as I have been praying for Hymenaeus and Alexander.” On the contrary, in Timothy 4:14 Paul says, “Alexander the coppersmith did many evil things to me; the Lord will repay him according to his works.”
15保罗告诉提摩太，他已经把许米乃和亚力山大交给撒但，『使他们受管教，不再谤讟。』这完全不同于说他把他们交托主的恩手，使他们受怜悯。保罗期待撒但为他作工，管教许米乃和亚力山大。提前一章二十节是对付消极的事最不平常的经文。两个人不是被退后的弟兄题到名字，乃是被领头的使徒题到名字。不仅如此，他们不是被交给神，不是被交给召会，也不是被交给属灵
15Paul tells Timothy that he has delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan “that they may be disciplined not to blaspheme.” How utterly different this is from saying that he committed them to the Lord’s gracious hand that they may receive His mercy. Paul expected Satan to work for him to discipline Hymenaeus and Alexander. First Timothy 1:20 is a most unusual verse dealing with a negative matter. Two people are named not by a backslidden brother but by the leading apostle. Furthermore, they are delivered not to God, nor to the church, nor to a spiritual person, but to Satan
16的人，乃是被交给撒但。
16
17保罗把许米乃和亚力山大交给撒但，『使他们受管教，不再谤讟。』保罗不是说『受刑罚』，乃是说受管教。管教与刑罚多少有些不同。父母对待孩子时，也许告诉孩子，他们在刑罚孩子。然而，那实际上不是刑罚，乃是爱的管教。二十节的管教可能指肉身受败坏。（参林前五5。）藉著某种管教的施行，许米乃和亚力山大就会学习不再谤讟神，毁谤神的经纶，也不再破坏使徒的职事。把许米乃和亚力山大这样的人交给撒但，乃是运用主给使徒和召会的权柄，（太十六19，十八18，）执行召会的行政，抵挡撒但邪恶的计谋。
17Paul delivered Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan “that they may be disciplined not to blaspheme.” Paul does not say “punished”; rather, he speaks of being disciplined. Discipline is somewhat different from punishment. When parents deal with their children, they may tell them that they are punishing them. However, that is not actually punishment; it is loving discipline. The discipline in verse 20 may refer to the destruction of the physical body (see 1 Cor. 5:5). Through the carrying out of a certain discipline Hymenaeus and Alexander would learn not to blaspheme God, slander God’secon o my, nor damage the apostle’s ministry. To deliver persons like Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan is to exercise the authority that the Lord has given to the apostle and the church (Matt. 16:19; 18:18) for the administration of the church against Satan’s evil plot.