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希伯来书生命读经 · 第26篇

救恩的三个阶段

THE THREE STAGES OF SALVATION
1照著圣经全部的启示，神的救恩分为三个阶段，乃是渐进的过程。
1According to the whole revelation of the Bible, God’ss alvation is of three stages. It is a matter of a gradual process
壹 对于以色列人
I. WITH THE ISRAELITES
2神要以色列人蒙受的救恩，关联到三个地方：埃及，是他们被救出之地；旷野，是他们飘流之地；迦南，是他们进入之地。他们在这三地的历史，表征他们有分于神完全救恩的三个阶段。以色列人并不是只在一个地方享受神全部的救恩。
2The salvation which God intended for the children of Israel to partake of was related to three places: Egypt, from which they were delivered; the wilderness, in which they wandered; and Canaan, into which they entered. Their history in these three places signifies the three stages of their participation in God’s full salvation. The children of Israel did not partake of the whole of God’ss alvation in one place
一 脱离埃及而得救
A. Salvation from Egypt
3在埃及，以色列人享受神救恩的第一阶段。在逾越节的时候，他们经历了羊羔赎罪的血，（出十二7，）和羊羔滋养的肉，（8，）从神公义的审判蒙了拯救。当他们离开埃及，过了红海，就脱离埃及的奴役和暴虐。过红海之后，他们成了一个释放、自由的民族。就这一面意义说，他们都得救了。没有人能否认，他们已经从神的审判和埃及的捆绑、暴虐和奴役蒙了拯救。然而，他们只享受了三分之一神完全的救恩。他们虽然从神的审判和法老的奴役蒙了拯救，但神永远的定旨如何？神的彰显与管治又如何？以色列人当时还未能彰显神，也没有施行为神的管治权。神的帐幕还未立起来，神的神圣行政还未在地上建立。以色列人虽然已经从埃及被拯救出来，但为要完成神永远的定旨，他们还必须经历神救恩的另外两个阶段。
3In Egypt, the Israelites participated in the first stage of God’ss alvation. At the time of the Passover, they experienced the redeeming blood of the lamb (Exo. 12:7) and the nourishing meat of the lamb (Exo. 12:8) and were saved from God’s righteous judgment. When they made their exodus out of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, they were saved from Egyptian slavery and tyranny. After crossing the Red Sea, they were a released and liberated people. In this sense, they all were saved. No one can deny that they had been saved from God’s judgment and from Egyptian bondage, tyranny, and slavery. However, they had only shared in one-third of God’s full salvation. Although they had been saved from God’s judgment and from Pharaoh’ss la very, what about God’s eternal purpose? What about God’sex press i on and dominion? With the children of Israel at that time, there was not yet the divine expression nor the divine dominion. The tabernacle had not yet been erected, and God’s divine government had not been established on earth. Although the children of Israel had been saved from Egypt, they had to experience two further stages of God’ss alvation for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose
二 经过旷野而得救
B. Salvation through the Wilderness
4以色列人吃了逾越节的羊羔和无酵饼，得救脱离埃及之后，就经历在旷野里的救恩。他们在埃及时，虽然对羊羔所豫表的基督，有了甜美的享受，但那只不过是初期，是开始。他们还必须进一步的享受、有分于、并经历由吗哪和活水涌流的磐石所豫表的基督。神带他们出了埃及之后，又带他们进入旷野所豫表的第二阶段。在旷野，他们享受到𫗪养的吗哪，（十六31～32，）和解渴的水。（十七6。）
4After the Israelites were saved from Egypt where they ate the Passover lamb and the unleavened bread, they experienced salvation through the wilderness. Although they had had a sweet enjoyment of Christ, typified by the lamb in Egypt, that was merely the initial stage, the beginning. They had to enjoy, partake of, and experience Christ more, as typified by the manna and the rock flowing with living water. After the exodus from Egypt, God brought them into the second stage, which was signified by the wilderness. In the wilderness they enjoyed the feeding manna (Exo. 16:31-32) and the quenching water (Exo. 17:6).
5由于受到已往教训的影响，我们一听到旷野这两个字，总以为是不好的辞。旷野虽然不好，但也不是那么坏。你若参考地图，就会发现以色列人出了埃及，若不经过旷野就不能进入美地。旷野之所以不好，是因为以色列人不是经过牠直接的进入迦南，却在其中飘流三十八年之久。这样浪费时间，使旷野成为不好的。假如以色列人过了红海之后，经过旷野，直接的走进美地，旷野就是个好的辞。何况以色列人在那里享受吗哪和磐石流出来的水，两者都是基督的豫表，就足证旷野并非全然不好。
5Because of the influence of past teaching, whenever we hear the word wilderness we think of it as a bad word. Although it is not a good word, it is not altogether bad. If you consult a map, you will see that the children of Israel could not have gone from Egypt into the good land without passing through the wilderness. The wilderness was bad because the children of Israel did not go directly through it into Canaan but wandered in it for over thirty-eight years. It was that waste of time which made the wilderness so bad. If, however, they had crossed the Red Sea and gone directly through the wilderness into the good land, the wilderness would have been a good word. That the wilderness was not altogether bad is proved by the fact that there the Israelites enjoyed the manna and the water from the rock, both of which were types of Christ.
三 进入迦南而得救
C. Salvation into Canaan
6以色列人经过旷野飘流之后，就过了约但河，进入迦南美地；这是他们救恩的第三阶段。在这阶段，就是在美地，他们所享受的比他们以前所享受的羊羔、无酵饼、吗哪和活水更多；他们乃是享受迦南地丰富的出产。他们在旷野几乎四十年之久，虽然天天吃吗哪，然而当他们进了美地，吗哪立即停止，他们就开始享受包罗万有之地丰富的出产。（书五11～12。）逾越节的羊羔、属天的吗哪、活水、和迦南美地的出产，都是基督的丰富在各方面的豫表。以色列人若只在埃及蒙拯救，他们永远吃不到吗哪。他们若不进入迦南地，就也享受不到美地丰富的出产。阿利路亚！在恩救的各个阶段，基督都是我们丰富的享受。在救恩的第三阶段，就是进迦南的救恩中，以色列人进入了安息。（申十二。）在救恩的这三个阶段，对基督一切丰富的享受，都是为要得著这块美地，好建造圣殿，使神的彰显和神圣的行政，得以显在地上人间。神完全的救恩，以及对基督丰富的享受，都是为著神的彰显和神的国度。因此，脱离埃及而得救，经过旷野而得救，进入美地而得救，完全是为著神的彰显和国度。我们已经看过，那里有神的彰显和国度，那里就有安息日的安息。当神的荣耀充满祂的家（圣殿）时，祂的子民也都在祂面前得了安息。那是神的安息，也是蒙祂拯救之人的安息。因此，我们清楚看见，神救恩的三个阶段都是为祂的彰显和国度，好使祂能与蒙祂拯救的人同得安息。
6After wandering in the wilderness, the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River and entered into the good land of Canaan, the third stage of their salvation. Here, in the third stage, in the good land, they enjoyed something more than the lamb, the unleavened bread, the manna, and the water—they enjoyed the rich produce of the land of Canaan. Although they had eaten manna daily in the wilderness for nearly forty years, immediately after they entered into the good land, the manna ceased and they began to enjoy the rich produce of the all-inclusive land (Josh. 5:11-12). The Passover lamb, the heavenly manna, the living water, and the produce of the good land of Canaan are all types of the different aspects of the riches of Christ. If the children of Israel had only been saved in Egypt, they would have never tasted the manna. If they had not entered into the land of Canaan, they would never have enjoyed the rich produce of the good land. Hallelujah for the rich enjoyment of Christ in the various stages of salvation! In the third stage of their salvation, salvation into Canaan, the Israelites entered into the rest (Deut. 12:9). All the rich enjoyment of Christ in the three stages9 of salvation is for the securing of the good land and the building up of the temple that there might be the expression of God and the divine government of God among men on earth. The full salvation of God with the rich enjoyment of Christ is for God’s express i on and kingdom. Salvation from Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the good land is absolutely for God’s express i on and kingdom. As we have seen, where there is God’sex press i on and kingdom, there is the Sabbath rest. When God’s glory filled His house, the temple, all His people rested in His presence. That was a Sabbath to God and to His saved people. Therefore, we clearly see that the three stages of God’ss alvation are for His expression and kingdom so that God may have rest with His saved people.
7我们已经指出，神给以色列人所豫备的完全救恩，包括藉逾越节的羊羔得救赎，出埃及，靠属天的吗哪得𫗪养，藉流自裂开磐石的活水得解渴，并有分于迦南美地。所有的以色列人，都享受了逾越节的羊羔，属天的吗哪和活水，但一同从埃及出来的人中，只有约书亚和迦勒进入并有分于美地，其余的都倒毙在旷野。（民十四30，10:1-林前十1～11。）虽然以色列人都是被赎的，但只有两个得胜者，约书亚和迦勒，得著美地为奖赏。逾越节的羊羔、属天的吗哪、活水和迦南美地，都是基督不同方面的豫表。照以色列人经历的图画，并非所有藉基督蒙救赎的信徒，都在召会时代以及要来的国度里，有分于基督作奖赏，作他们的安息和满足；惟有那些蒙救赎以后，竭力寻求基督的人才能得著。为此使徒保罗虽然完全蒙了救赎，仍然向著标竿竭力追求，为要得著基督为奖赏。（腓三10～14。）在腓立比三章，保罗告诉我们，他从前是在犹太教里，但为基督的缘故，就把那宗教丢弃了。（4～9。）在希伯来书这里，作者持同样的观点，鼓励希伯来的信徒丢弃犹太教，竭力追求基督，免得失去奖赏。
7As we have pointed out, God’s full salvation, which He intended for the children of Israel, included redemption through the Passover lamb, exodus from Egypt, feeding by the heavenly manna, thirst-quenching by the living water from the cleft rock, and partaking of the riches of the good land of Canaan. All the Israelites shared in the Passover lamb, the heavenly manna, and the living water, but of those who shared the exodus from Egypt only Joshua and Caleb entered into the good land and partook of it; all the rest fell in the wilderness (Num. 14:30; 1 Cor. 11). Though all were redeemed, only the two overcomers, Joshua and Caleb, received the prize of the good land. The Passover lamb, the heavenly manna, the living water, and the good land of Canaan are all types of the different aspects of Christ. According to what has been depicted of the children of Israel, not all believers who have been redeemed through Christ will partake of Christ as a prize to them as their rest, their satisfaction, both in the church age and in the coming kingdom. Only those who, after being redeemed, seek Christ diligently will do so. This is why the Apostle Paul, though fully redeemed, was still pressing toward the mark that he might gain Christ as the prize (Phil. 3:10-14). In Philippians 3, Paul tells us that he was in Judaism but that for Christ’ss ake he gave it up (vv. 4-9). Here in the book of Hebrews the writer holds the same concept in encouraging the Hebrew believers to forsake Judaism and press toward Christ that they may not miss the prize.
8贰对于新约信徒
8II. WITH THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS
一 脱离世界而得救
A. Salvation from the World
9按照以色列人得救的豫表，新约信徒所经历的救恩，也分三个阶段。首先，我们经历脱离世界而得救。我们藉著耶稣的血，得蒙称义，（罗三22～，）并从世界分别出来。（加一4，六14。）一个人若尚未从世界出来，就还没有完全经历第一步的救恩。基督教所传的救恩，主要的是藉著耶稣的血，因信称义的救恩，并没有脱离世界。现今虽有千万的真基督徒藉著基督的血，因著信被称义了，但他们仍留在世界里。他们需要从世界出来。赞美主，我们已经脱离了世界，包括宗教世界；我们已经从犹太教、天主教、更正教中出来了。
9According to the type of the salvation of the children of Israel, the salvation of the new testament believers is also in three stages. Firstly, we experience salvation from the world. We are justified through the blood of Jesus (Rom. 3:22-25) and separated from the world (Gal. 1:4; 25 6:14). If anyone has not made his exodus from the world, he has not completed the first stage of his salvation. The salvation offered in Christianity is mainly a salvation with justification by faith through the blood of Christ, but without an exodus. Today there are millions of real Christians who have been justified by faith through the blood of Christ but who are still in the world. They need an exodus. We praise the Lord that we are out of the world, which includes religion. We are out of Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism.
二 经过魂而得救
B. Salvation through the Soul
10我们救恩的第二阶段，就是经过魂而得救，其中包括圣别（罗六19，22）和变化。（十二2。）许多人认为『魂』不是一个好的辞。我们不该这么说。魂可以非常好，也可以非常坏。新约启示，在称义和重生之后，我们还需要圣别和变化。在已过多年，我们已经很清楚的看见，变化（包括圣别）乃是魂的事。我们的魂，就是我们这个人，必须得著圣别与变化，好被基督一切的所是浸透。在我们灵里基督的素质、元素、本质，必须扩展到我们的魂里。毫无疑问，基督神圣的素质已经种到我们灵里。如今，祂神圣的素质必须浸润、浸透我们的魂，直到我们的魂完全被祂神圣的元素所变化。变化不仅是改变，更是基督神圣的素质作到我们里面。慕安得烈弟兄用编织（woven）这辞，形容基督的成分如何像织布一样，织到我们里面。我们在早期尽职时，也常用这个发表作说明。这虽然没有错，但是我们在圣经中找不到这样的辞，圣经乃是用『调和』。
10The second stage of our salvation is salvation through the soul, which includes being sanctified (Rom. 6:19, 22) and being transformed (Rom. 12:2). Many think that the word soul is not a good word. We should not say this. The soul may be either very good or very bad. The New Testament reveals that after we have been justified and regenerated, we need to be sanctified and transformed. In the past years, it has been made clear that transformation, including sanctification, concerns our soul. Our soul, that is, our being, must be sanctified and transformed, saturated with all that Christ is. The very essence, element, and substance of Christ in our spirit must spread into our soul. Undoubtedly, Christ’s divine essence has been sown into our spirit. Now it must permeate and saturate our soul until our soul is completely transformed by His divine element. Transformation is not merely a change; it means that the divine essence of Christ is wrought into us. Andrew Murray used the word “woven,” saying that something of Christ is woven, like textile, into us. During the early years of our ministry we also used this expression as an illustration. Although it is not wrong, we cannot find such a term in the Bible. Instead, the Bible uses the words mingling or mingled.
11利未记二章四节说到素祭是用细面调油作成，这里的『调』这个圣经用辞，就比『织』好得多。我们来看利未记二章里，素祭这幅图画。细面调油，也就是说，细面被油浸润并浸透。最终，细面变化了，但不是自己改变的，乃是因著调油而改变的。细面表征人性，油表征神性。神经纶的目的，乃是要我们的人性调著祂的神性。我们是细面，祂是油，彼此调和在一起。细面调了油，仍各自保持原有的本质。照样，在神、人二性的调和里，人性与神性的本质仍各自存留，但这两种本质，却又调在一起，成为一个实体。这就是描写神与我们调和的图画，既奇妙又清楚。这个调和，就是我们的变化。变化是甚么？变化不是道德的改正，或伦理行为的改善。变化的意思乃是，我们的人性先被主赎罪的血洗净，然后与那作膏油的圣灵调和，使我们不论在地位上和性情上，都得以圣别且圣化。在这救恩的第二个阶段，我们享受基督作属天的吗哪和活水，活水就是从裂开的磐石，就是基督自己，所流出的赐生命之灵。在这变化的阶段中，我们更丰富、更主观的享受基督。赞美主，已过这些年间，在主的恢复中，有许多圣徒实际的被带到这个变化中。虽然有时候也有一些外面的调整和改正，但我们并不信靠这个，我们只相信主奇妙的变化工作。林后三章十八节说，『但我们众人既然以没有帕子遮蔽的脸，好像镜子观看并返照主的荣光，就渐渐变化成为与祂同样的形像，从荣耀到荣耀，乃是从主灵变化成的。』我们都需要这种的变化。阿利路亚！现今我们正经过救恩的第二阶段。
11Leviticus 2:4, speaking of the meal offering, says that fine flour is to be mingled with oil. The word mingled, a biblical term, is much better than the term woven. Consider the picture of the meal offering in Leviticus 2. Fine flour is mingled, that is, permeated and saturated with oil. Eventually, the fine flour is transformed, not by changing itself but by having the oil mingled with it. The fine flour signifies humanity and the oil signifies divinity. God’sin tent i on in His economy is that our humanity be mingled with His divinity. We, the fine flour, and He, the oil, shall be mingled together. When the fine flour is mingled with the oil, both the fine flour and the oil still have their own substance. Likewise, in the mingling of divinity with humanity, the substance of humanity and divinity both remain, but these two substances are mingled together as one entity. This is a marvelous and clear picture of God’s mingling with us. This mingling is our transformation. What is transformation? It is not a moral correction nor a change of ethical behavior. Transformation means that our humanity is firstly cleansed by the Lord’s redeeming blood and then mingled with the anointing oil — the Holy Spirit — until we are sanctified, made holy, both positionally and dispositionally. In this stage, the second stage of our salvation, we enjoy Christ as the heavenly manna and as the living water, as the life- giving Spirit which comes out of the cleft rock which is Christ Himself. In this stage of transformation, we enjoy Christ in a richer and more subjective way. We praise the Lord that in the past years many saints in the Lord’s recovery have been brought into the actuality of such a transformation. Although there has been some outward adjustment and correction, our trust is not in this but in the Lord’s marvelous transforming work. Second Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit” (Gk.). We all need this transformation. Hallelujah, we are now passing through the second stage of our salvation!
12真正的召会生活满了变化。因著众召会中许多青年人正在变化，我就极受鼓励。众召会都在往前。我们不必太去改正圣徒，但我们需要以生命的方式照顾青年人。我们看见青年人在召会中，天天被神的生命所变化。这是何等奇妙的变化！
12The real church life is filled with transformation. I am more than encouraged with the transformation taking place among the young people in the churches. The churches are going on. We do not need to correct the saints very much, although we do need to take care of the young ones in the way of life. We are seeing the young people in the church being transformed by the divine life. What a wonderful transformation
三 进入灵而得救
C. Salvation into the Spirit
13我们救恩的第三阶段，就是被救到灵里。我们都必须离开旷野，过河进到我们的灵里，享受基督作我们的生命，（罗八10，提后四22，）并在灵里生活行动。（罗八4，加五16，25。）在灵里，我们有神的居所、天梯、和天的门。因此，在我们的灵里有神的彰显和神的国。我们在其中享受属天安息的安息日。
13The third stage of our salvation is salvation into our spirit. We must all leave the wilderness and cross the river into our spirit, where we enjoy Christ as our life (Rom. 8:10; 2 Tim. 4:22) and where we should live and walk (Rom. 8:4; Gal. 5:16, 25). Here, in the spirit, we have God’s habitation, the heavenly ladder, and the gate of heaven. Therefore, in our spirit is the expression of God with the kingdom of God. Here we are enjoying the Sabbath of the heavenly rest
参 相当于在会幕
III. CORRESPONDING TO THE EXPERIENCES
（圣殿）里的经历
IN THE TABERNACLE (TEMPLE
一 在外院里的经历
A. Experiences in the Outer Court
14会幕和圣殿都是分作三部分，所以神救恩的三个阶段，也相当于在会幕和圣殿中的经历。首先，我们有在外院里的经历；在那里，我们在祭坛那里蒙了救赎，（利四7，）在洗濯盆那里得了洗净。（出三十18～21。）在洗濯盆的洗净，就是真正的过河。这相当于我们脱离世界而得救。
14Since the tabernacle and the temple are of three sections, the three stages of God’ss alvation correspond to the experiences in the tabernacle and the temple. Firstly, we have the experiences in the outer court, where we are redeemed at the altar (Lev. 4:7) and washed at the laver (Exo. 30:18-21). The washing at the laver is the real crossing of the river. This corresponds to our salvation from the world
二 在圣所里的经历
B. Experiences in the Holy Place
15其次，我们有在圣所里的经历；在那里，我们得著陈设饼的𫗪养，（出二五30，）灯台的光照，（37，）并藉著香坛蒙悦纳。（三十7。）这相当于我们魂里的变化。
15Secondly, we have the experiences in the Holy Place, where we are fed with the showbread (Exo. 25:30), enlightened by the lampstand (Exo. 25:37), and accepted through the incense altar (Exo. 30:7). This corresponds to the transformation in our soul
三 在至圣所里的经历
C. Experiences in the Holy of Holies
16第三，我们有在至圣所里的经历；在那里，我们享受神的同在，（二五22，）有分于神的荣耀。在至圣所这里，我们乃是在神的居所里。在此，我们也是在安息日的安息里。这相当于我们被拯救到灵里。
16Thirdly, we have the experiences in the Holy of Holies, where we enjoy God’s presence (Exo. 25:22) and share God’s shekinah glory. Here, in the Holy of Holies, we are in God’s habitation. Here we are in the Sabbath rest. This corresponds to the salvation into our spirit
17肆希伯来信徒的情形希伯来信徒已经在第一阶段里得救了，却徘徊于救恩的第二阶段。他们因为心思的疑惑，以致在魂中游荡，正处于要飘流回到第一阶段的危机中。作者写希伯来书，为要警告并鼓励他们，要继续往前，进入救恩的第三阶段，就是进入美地的安息，（四，）并进入灵里的至圣所。（十～20。）进入美地的安息，就是进入召会生活，并期望被带进要来的国度。进入至圣所就是在灵里。进入安息日的安息和进入正当的召会生活，都是在于我们的灵。今天，神的宝座和至圣所，都在诸天之上，也联于我们的灵。因此，我们的灵乃是极重要的地方。在我们的灵里，有神的居所，有天梯，有天的门，有神的宝座，也有至圣所。在灵这里，我们享受召会生活，并在现今的安息日里，这安息日要带我们进入要来国度之安息日的安息。作者在四章十一节说，『所以我们务必竭力进入那安息，免得有人随著那不信从的样子跌倒了。』这段话所说的安息，既是包罗万有的基督，这里的跌倒，就是从基督坠落，与基督隔绝。（加五4。）在加拉太书，加拉太信徒的危机，是从恩典的自由漂到律法的辖制里。（1～4。）保罗劝勉他们，要在恩典的自由中站立得住，就是不要与基督隔绝。在希伯来书这里，希伯来信徒的危机是不愿丢弃那照著律法设立的老宗教，也不竭力享受基督作他们的安息。他们若仍在老旧的宗教，就是在犹太教里徘徊，就会赶不上作他们安息的基督。希伯来书的作者恳切的勉励他们，要作基督的同伙，与基督一同竭力进入安息，使他们这些有分于基督的人，能享受基督作他们的安息。
17IV. THE SITUATION OF THE HEBREW BELIEVERS The Hebrew believers had been saved in the first stage but were staggering in the second stage. They were wandering in the soul by wondering in the mind and were in danger of drifting back to the first stage. The book of Hebrews was written to warn them and to encourage them to go on and enter into the third stage— into the rest of the good land (Heb. 4:11) and into the Holy of Holies in the spirit (10:19-20). To enter into 11 the rest of the good land is to enter into the church life 19 with the expectation of being ushered into the coming kingdom. To enter into the Holy of Holies is to be in the spirit. Entering into the Sabbath rest and into the proper church life are altogether a matter of our spirit. Today the throne of God and the Holy of Holies, both of which are in the heavens, are joined to our spirit. Hence, our spirit is a most crucial spot. Here, in our spirit, we have God’s habitation, the heavenly ladder, the gate of heaven, the throne of God, and the Holy of Holies. Here, in the spirit, we enjoy the church life and are in the present Sabbath which will usher us into the Sabbath rest in the coming kingdom. In 4:11 the writer said, “Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.” As the rest covered in this portion of the Word is the all - inclusive Christ, so to fall from it is to fall from Christ (Gal. 5:4, Gk. “you are severed from Christ”). In Galatians, the danger was that the Galatian believers would drift into the bondage of law from the liberty of grace (Gal. 5:1-4). Paul advised them to stand fast in the liberty of grace, that is, not to be severed from Christ. Here in Hebrews, the danger was that the Hebrew believers would not forsake their old religion which was according to the law and press on into the enjoyment of Christ as their rest. If they still staggered in their old religion, that is, in Judaism, they would come short of Christ, who is their rest. The writer of this book earnestly encouraged them to press on with Christ as His partners into the rest so that they, as His partakers, might enjoy Christ as their rest.
18希伯来三章七节至四章十一节，指出以色列人跌倒，不能进入美地的安息。我们看过，就他们而言，有三个地方，就是埃及、旷野和迦南；他们在这三地的历史，表征他们有分于神完全救恩的三个阶段。这豫表我们新约信徒有分于神完全的救恩。第一阶段，我们接受基督，得救赎并蒙拯救脱离世界。第二阶段，我们在跟随主时，成了飘流的人，这种飘流总是发生在我们的魂里。第三阶段，我们完满的有分于并享受基督，这是我们在灵里所经历的。我们追求物质的享受和罪中之乐，就是在埃及所豫表的世界中。我们在魂里飘流，如同以色列人在旷野飘流，就是在旷野。我们在灵里享受基督，就是在迦南。以色列人在旷野飘流时，总是发怨言，起争论，责怪人，那必定是在魂里，不是在灵里。但迦勒和约书亚相信神的话，顺从主，向著目标竭力往前，这必定不是在魂里，乃是在灵里。接受本书信的希伯来信徒，当时正不知如何对待他们老旧的希伯来宗教。这种在心思里的犹疑，就是在魂里游荡，并不是在灵里经历基督。所以这卷书的作者说，神的话，就是引自旧约的话，像两刃的利剑，能刺入他们的犹疑，将他们的魂与灵剖开。骨髓如何深藏在骨节里，灵也照样深藏在魂里。要使骨髓与骨节分开，主要的是骨节必须破碎。同样的原则，要使灵与魂分开，魂也必须破碎。希伯来信徒的魂及其犹疑的心思，怀疑神救恩的法则，考虑到自己的利益，必须被神活的、有功效、能刺入的话破碎，好使他们的魂与灵分开。因此，本书作者劝勉希伯来的信徒，不要留在魂里游荡，这魂是他们必须否认的。他们该竭力进入灵里，有分于并享受属天的基督，使他们能在千年国里，在祂作王时有分于国度的安息。他们若仍在魂里流荡，就会偏离神的目标，失去对基督完满的享受和国度的安息。
18Hebrews 3:7 through 4:11 refers to the children of Israel falling away from entering into the rest of the good land. We have seen that with them there were three places — Egypt, the wilderness, and Canaan — that their history in these three places signifies the three stages of their participation in God’s full salvation, and that this is a type of us, the New Testament believers, in our participation in the full salvation of God. In the first stage we received Christ and were redeemed and delivered from the world. In the second stage we became wanderers in following the Lord. This wandering always transpires in our soul. In the third stage we partake of and enjoy Christ in a full way. This is experienced in our spirit. When we pursued the pleasures of material and sinful things, we were in the world, typified by Egypt. When we wander in our soul, we are in the wilderness. The wilderness in which the Israelites wandered signifies our soul. When we enjoy Christ in our spirit, we are in Canaan. When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, they were always murmuring, reasoning, and chiding. That was surely in their soul, not in their spirit. But Joshua and Caleb believed in the word of God, obeyed the Lord, and pressed toward the goal. This was surely not in their soul but in their spirit. The receivers of this book, the Hebrew believers, were at that time wondering what they should do with their old Jewish religion. This wondering in their mind was a wandering in their soul, not an experience of Christ in their spirit. Thus, the writer of this book says that the word of God, that is, what has been quoted from the Old Testament, can pierce like a sharp two-edged sword into their wondering and divide their soul from their spirit. As the marrow is concealed deep in the joints, so is the spirit concealed deep in the soul. The dividing of the marrow from the joints requires mostly the breaking of the joints. In the same principle, the dividing of the spirit from the soul requires the breaking of the soul. The Hebrew believers’ soul with its wondering mind, doubting concerning God’sway of salvation and considering it sown interest, had to be broken by the living, operative, and piercing word of God that their soul might be divided from their spirit. Hence, the writer of this book advised the Hebrew believers not to stagger in the wandering of their soul, which soul they must deny, but to press on into their spirit to partake of and enjoy the heavenly Christ that they may participate in the kingdom rest of Christ’s reign in the millennium. If they staggered in the wandering of their soul, they would have missed God’s goal and suffered the loss of the full enjoyment of Christ and the kingdom rest.