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希伯来书生命读经 · 第37篇

生命之律

THE LAW OF LIFE
1在本篇信息中，我们要来看希伯来八章里一件极重要的事，就是生命之律。在七章，重要的事是不能毁坏之生命；而在八章，重要的事乃是生命之律。生命之律是八章的中心。本章虽然没有『生命之律』这几个字，但这一章在本质上所启示的，就是生命之律。我们怎么知道，八章所题的律法，就是生命之律？因为十节告诉我们，神要将祂的律法，赐在我们心思里，并且将这些律法写在我们心上。任何能分赐到我们里面的，必定是生命。一切不是生命的，都不能作到我们里面。因此，从上下文来看，八章的律法必定是指生命之律。请记得，生命之律乃是八章全章的中心和心脏。这一章还有另外五样奇妙的事物，就是属天的执事、属天的帐幕、更超特的职任、更美之约、和更美的应许。更美的应许产生更美之约，在这更美之约里，有在属天的帐幕里尽更超特职任的属天执事。因此，这里有这五样事物：应许、约、执事、职任、帐幕。
1In this message we come to a very crucial matter in Hebrews 8—the law of life. The crucial matter in Hebrews 7 was the indestructible life, and the crucial matter here in Hebrews 8 is the law of life. The focus of Hebrews 8 is the law of life. Although the words, “the law of life,” are not found in this chapter, what is revealed in this chapter essentially is the law of life. How do we know that the law mentioned in Hebrews 8 is the law of life? Because we are told in verse 10 that God will impart His laws into our mind and inscribe them on our hearts. Anything that can be imparted into our inward being must be life. Anything that is not life could never be wrought into our inward being. Therefore, according to the context of Hebrews 8, what is indicated by the word law must be the law of life. Please keep in mind that the law of life is the focus, the heart, of this whole chapter. In this chapter we also have another five wonderful things: the heavenly Minister, the heavenly tabernacle, the more excellent ministry, the better covenant, and the better promises. The better promises produce the better covenant, and within the better covenant is the heavenly Minister who has a more excellent ministry in the heavenly tabernacle. Hence, we have five things— promises, covenant, Minister, ministry, and tabernacle
2在旧约里，帐幕、祭司体系、和旧的约─律法，这三者合起来，以影儿的方式，完成神的经纶。这三件东西乃是一幅清楚的图画，给我们看见，属天的执事在属天的帐幕里尽更超特的职任；也给我们看见，根据更美的应许所立更美之约，不再以影儿的方式，乃以实际的方式，完成神的经纶。属天的帐幕、属天的执事、加上新约，三者合起来，为著实际的完成神的经纶。这就是本篇信息我们要著重的主题。我们已经看过，属天的帐幕是与我们的灵相联。既是如此，更美之约的属天执事，也是与我们的灵相联。现今属天的执事，正在更美之约下尽祂的职任。这里的中心思想乃是，属天的执事在属天的帐幕里，在更美之约下尽职。这新约称为更美之约，乃是凭更美之应许立的，这些应许可见于耶利米三十一章。更美之约的内容包括四项，就是生命之律分赐到我们里面；得著神作我们的神，我们作祂的子民；内里认识主的能力；不义得著宽恕，罪得蒙赦免。这四项都集中于生命之律上。在本篇信息中我们要来看，生命之律究竟是甚么。
2In the Old Testament, the tabernacle, the priesthood, and the old covenant, that is, the law, were combined to fulfill God’secon o my in the way of shadows. These three things give us a clear picture of the heavenly Minister with a more excellent ministry in the heavenly tabernacle and of the better covenant consummated upon better promises for the fulfillment of God’secon o my, not in the way of shadows but in the way of reality. The heavenly tabernacle, the heavenly Minister, and the new covenant are combined for the fulfillment of God’secon o my in the way of reality. This is the matter on which we are dwelling in this message. The heavenly tabernacle, as we have seen, is joined to our spirit. Since the heavenly tabernacle is joined to our spirit, the heavenly Minister of the better covenant is also joined to our spirit. Right now the heavenly Minister is doing His duty of ministering under the better covenant. This is the central thought here: the heavenly Minister doing His ministry in the heavenly tabernacle under the new covenant. This new covenant, which is called the better covenant, has been consummated upon the better promises, the promises found in Jeremiah 31. The contents of the better covenant include four items: the imparting of the law of life into our being; having God as our God and being His people; the inward ability to know the Lord; and the propitiation for unrigh te ousnesses and the forgive ness of sins. All of these four items are focused on the law of life. In this message we need to see what the law of life is.
3我们要看见甚么是生命之律以前，必须先来看一些其他的事，作为必要的背景。这些年来，我们一再重复的题到一个中心点，就是神永远的定旨是要将祂自己分赐到我们里面，使我们成为祂活的彰显。神已经作成了这事。虽然有些消极的事，诸如撒但和罪，进来打岔，但因著基督包罗万有的钉死，这一切都成了过去的历史。包罗万有的基督，藉著祂包罗万有的钉死，了结了一切消极的事物。因此，撒但和罪已成为历史。今天很少基督徒看见，这一切都是历史。他们以为这些东西还在缠扰麻烦他们。但那是谎言─这些消极的事都成为历史了。当我们都进入新耶路撒冷时，我们要嘲笑撒但说，『撒但，现在我知道，你不过是个历史。对我而言，你甚么也不是。我是在新的范围里，就是在新天新地的范围里。撒但，我是在新耶路撒冷里，你却是个历史而已。』甚么使这一切成为历史？乃是基督那包罗万有的钉死。我们的新生，我们的重生，也是历史。在十九个半世纪以前，当基督从死里复活时，我们就重生了。（彼前一3。）照著你的感觉，你是在数年前重生的，但照著神的神圣观点，你在十九个半世纪以前就重生了。当基督从死人中复活时，我们就重生了。因此，我们的重生也成为历史。我们重生时，内里认识神的能力就分赐到我们里面；这也是十九个半世纪以前的事。这一切项目，都是已经成就的事实，遗赠给我们，作我们所得著的遗赠物。我们的眼睛若得开启，我们就不需要祈求，只要简单的说，『主阿，感谢你的遗赠，感谢你的遗嘱。我只管取用、接受、享受就彀了。』我们若看见新约事实上是个遗命，是个遗嘱，我们就会以最高品的方式传扬福音。我们会对人这样说，『朋友，这里有一个遗命，一个遗嘱，乃是耶稣基督的遗嘱。这个遗嘱说，有许多遗赠物是你的。其中有一项，就是祂已除掉了你一切的罪。甚至在你犯罪之先，神已经赦免并除掉了你的罪。另外一项遗赠物，就是在十九个半世纪以前，在你父母生你之先，你已经重生了，神圣的生命已经分赐给你了。你是否明白并不要紧。你只要接受这个遗嘱，感谢主说，『主阿，为著这遗嘱和一切的遗赠，我感谢你。为著罪得赦免和重生，我感谢你。』』新得救的人，为著祂的遗命，为著罪得赦免，为著得蒙重生，为著其他一切的遗赠物，感谢得越多，就越有膏油的涂抹，越得著生命的丰富。这就是最高品的传福音。我们要这样传福音，就必须对这遗命有清楚的看见，也必须有圣灵的能力和膏抹。当我们传这种高品福音时，人不会拒绝。他们会喜乐的接受说，『赞美主！感谢主，给我这么多的遗赠。』一个可怜的罪人若肯这样信，立即就变为亿万富翁。我期望有一天我们都要看见这样高品的传福音。
3Before we can see what the law of life is, we must consider some other things that are the necessary background for our seeing this. Throughout the years we have repeatedly mentioned one central point: that God’s eternal purpose is to dispense Himself into us in order to make us His living expression. God has done this. Although certain negative things, such as Satan and sin, have come in, these have all become past history because of the all-inclusive crucifixion of Christ. The all- inclusive Christ has terminated all the negative things by His all-inclusive crucifixion. Thus, Satan and sin are a history. Very few Christians today realize that these things are histories. They think that these things are still entangling and bothering them. But that is a lie—these negative things are a history. When we all get into the New Jerusalem, we shall laugh at Satan and say, “Satan, now I know that you are just a history. As far as I am concerned, you are nothing. I am in a new region, in the new realm of the new heaven and new earth. Satan, I am in the New Jerusalem, and you are a history.” What has made all of these things a history? The all-inclusive crucifixion of Christ. Our new birth, our regeneration, is also a history. We were regenerated nineteen and a half centuries ago when Christ was raised from the dead (1 Pet. 1:3). According to your feeling, you were reborn some years ago, but according to God’s divine point of view, you were reborn nineteen and a half centuries ago. Since we were reborn when Christ was resurrected from the dead, our rebirth is a history. When we were regenerated, the inward ability to know God was imparted into us. This also occurred nineteen and a half centuries ago. All of these items have become accomplished facts that have been bequeathed to us as our bequests. If our eyes have been opened, we shall not need to pray but simply say, “Lord, thank You for Your bequests. Thank You for Your will. I just take it, receive it, and enjoy it.” If we see that the New Testament is actually a testament, a will, we shall preach the gospel in the highest way. We would speak to people in this way, saying, “Friends, here is a testament, a will. It is Jesus Christ’s will. This will says that many bequests are yours. One bequest is that all of your sins have been taken away by Him. Before you even committed your sins, they were already forgiven by God and put away. Another bequest is that before you were born of your parents, nineteen and a half centuries ago you were reborn, and the divine life was imparted into you. It does not matter whether you understand this or not. All you need to do is receive the will and thank the Lord. Say, ‘Thank You, Lord, for the will and for all the bequests. Thank You, Lord, for the forgiveness of sins and for regeneration.’” The more the newly saved ones thank the Lord for His testament, for the forgiveness of sins, for their regeneration, and for all the other bequests, the more anointing they will have and the more riches of life they will possess. This is the highest preaching of the gospel. In order to preach the gospel in this way, we need to have a clear view of the testament and we need the power of the Spirit with the anointing. When we preach the gospel in such a high way, people will not reject it. They will be happy to receive it and say, “Praise the Lord! Thank You, Lord, for all these bequests.” If a poor sinner would do this, he would immediately become a millionaire. I expect that one day we shall see this kind of high preaching of the gospel.
壹 生命之律的根源
I. THE ORIGIN OF THE LAW OF LIFE
4现在我们来看生命之律。属天的帐幕、属天的执事、更超特的职任、更美之约、更美的应许等的中心，乃是生命之律。生命之律的根源是甚么？生命之律的根源就是生命。那么，生命是甚么？生命就是神自己。神显出时，就是子。（来一3上，8上。）当这位子，就是神自己，实化为那灵时，祂就是我们的生命。（林后三17上，林前十五45下。）生命就是神在基督里成为那灵，进到我们里面。因此，那灵又称为生命之灵，（罗八2，）而这生命乃是永远、神圣的生命。藉著生命之灵的重生，（约三5～6，）从这生命产生了生命之律。我们被生命之灵重生时，永远神圣的生命就分赐到我们里面，从这生命所产生的生命之律，就存活在我们里面。
4Now we come to the law of life. The focus of the heavenly tabernacle, the heavenly Minister, the more excellent ministry, the better covenant, and the better promises is on the law of life. What is the origin of the law of life? The origin of the law of life is life. Then what is life? Life is just God Himself. When God is expressed, He is the Son (1:3a, 8a). When the Son, who is God Himself, is realized as the Spirit, He is life to us (2 Cor. 3:17a; 1 Cor. 15:45b). Life is God in Christ as the Spirit coming into our being. Thus, the Spirit is called the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2), which is the eternal and divine life. Out of this life, the law of life comes through the regeneration of the Spirit of life (John 3:5-6). When we were regenerated by the Spirit of life, the eternal and divine life was imparted into us, out of which the law of life comes to exist in our inward being
贰 生命之律的定义
II. THE DEFINITION OF THE LAW OF LIFE
5生命之律是甚么？律就是自然的法则，不变的常规。生命之律，就是某种生命所具有的自然特性，和自有、自动的功能；生命越高，生命的律也越高。因此，神圣生命之律，乃是神的生命所具自然的特性，和自有、自动的功能，而神的生命是最高的生命，所以神生命的律也是最高的。这最高的生命之律，乃是这神圣生命的功能与作用。这功能与作用乃是自有的、自发的、自然的并自动的。
5What is the law of life? A law is a natural regulation, a constant and unchanging rule. A law of life is the natural characteristic, the innate, automatic function of a certain kind of life, and the higher a life is, the higher is its law. The law of the divine life is then the natural characteristic, the innate, automatic function of the life of God, and since the life of God is the highest, its law is the highest. This highest law of life is the function, the working, of the divine life. This function and working are innate, spontaneous, natural, and automatic.
6任何种类的生命，无论是植物、动物、人类或神圣的生命，都有其功能。没有功能的东西，必定不是生命。以桃树为例，其功能就是开花、结桃子。照样，狗有吠叫的功能，猫有捉老鼠的功能。每一种生命都有其自动、与生俱来的功能，这与生俱来的功能就是该种生命的律。桃树只要发挥其功能，就会结出桃子，绝不会结出别的东西。结桃子是桃树的律。农夫不必教导牠说，『小桃树，你要知道，我希望你结桃子，不要结别的东西。』桃树若会说话，必定会说，『先生，你回家休息罢。你不必教导我。岂不知我桃树的生命里，有结桃子的律么？我桃树的生命里有个律，叫我结不出别的果子，只叫我结桃子，也就是你所要的果子。』照样，猫会捉老鼠，因为猫的生命里有捉老鼠的律；狗会吠叫，因为狗的生命里有吠叫的律。生命之律是甚么？就是神圣生命里那自有、自动的功能。神圣的生命是活的、主动的、积极进取的。这生命是一直行动的，而这生命的行动乃是照其自动的生命之律而发挥功能的。神的目的是要将祂自己分赐到我们里面，作我们的生命。祂已作成这事，如今就在我们里面作我们的生命。这生命是最高层次的生命，是最主动的生命。当这生命发挥功用时，就规律我们。就著好的、正面的意义来说，神的工作就是祂的规律，因为神圣生命在我们里面的工作，就是这生命的规律。这就是生命之律。
6With any kind of life, whether it be vegetable, animal, human, or divine, there is a function. Anything that does not have a function must not be life. Consider the example of a peach tree: its function is to blossom and to bring forth peaches. Likewise, a dog has the function of barking, and a cat has the function of catching mice. Every life has an automatic and innate function, and this innate function is the law of that life. As long as a peach tree is functioning, it will bring forth peaches; it will never bring forth anything else. Bringing forth peaches is the law of the peach tree. There is no need for a farmer to teach a peach tree, saying, “Little peach tree, you must know my desire is that you produce peaches. I don’t want anything else.” If that peach tree could talk, it would say, “Sir, go home and rest. You don’t need to teach me. Don’ty ou know that in my peach-tree life there is the peach-bearing law? There is a law in my peach-tree life that keeps me from bringing forth any other kind of fruit. It causes me to bring forth peaches, just the fruit that you desire.” In like manner, a cat catches mice because in its life is the mouse-catching law, and a dog barks because in its life is the barking law. What is the law of life? It is the innate, automatic function of the divine life. The divine life is living, active, and aggressive. This life is always acting, and whenever it acts it functions according to the automatic law of life. God’sin tent i on is to dispense Himself into us as our life. He has done this and right now He is in us as our life. This life, the life on the highest plane, is the most active life. When this life functions, it regulates. In a good and positive sense, His working is His regulating, for the working of the divine life within us is its regulating. This is the law of life
参 生命之律的所在
III. THE LOCATION OF THE LAW OF LIFE
7根据希伯来八章十节，生命之律已经分赐到我们里面。这一节所引用的耶利米三十一章三十三节说，生命之律是放在我们内里的各部分，并写在我们心上。希伯来八章十节说，生命之律是放在我们的心思里，这证明心思是我们内里的一部分。我们内里的部分不仅包含心思，也包含情感和意志，这三者加上良心，都是下半节所说之心的组成成分。因此，生命之律是位于我们内里的各部分，也就是心的各部分，包括良心、心思、意志和情感；换言之，就在我们的心里。心是内里各部分的组成与总和。
7According to verse 10 of this chapter, the law of life has been imparted into our inward being. Jeremiah 31:33, from which this verse is quoted, says that the law of life is put into our inward parts and written in our hearts. Hebrews 8:10 says that the law of life is put into our mind, proving that the mind is one of our inward parts. Our inward parts include not only the mind but also the emotions and the will, which, along with the conscience, are the composition of our heart mentioned in the following clause in this verse. Hence, the law of life is located in our inward parts, the parts of our heart—conscience, mind, will, and emotion— that is, in our heart, the composition and the totality of our inward parts.
8神的生命已经分赐到我们灵里。根据这事实，生命之律必是先在我们灵里，作为一个律。然后，从我们灵里扩展到我们心的各部分，成为许多个律。在我们灵里，在所是上原是一个律；然后在我们心的各部分，在功用上成为许多个律。这就是为甚么耶利米三十一章三十三节里的律法是单数，而希伯来八章十节这里的律法是复数。
8The life of God has been imparted into our spirit. Based upon this fact, the law of this life must firstly be in our spirit as one law. Then from our spirit it spreads into the inward parts of our heart and becomes many laws. It is one law in being in our spirit and it becomes many laws in function in the many parts of our heart. This is why in Jeremiah 31:33 it is “law” and in verse 10 here it becomes “laws
肆 生命之律的功能
IV. THE FUNCTION OF THE LAW OF LIFE
9生命之律的功能，是要除掉、杀死亚当的旧元素，并加进、供应基督的新元素。当神圣生命之律在我们内里的各部分运行、规律的时候，就杀死、除掉我们天然的老东西。这律的确有能力，能减去我们天然人里一切消极的东西。同时这律也加进、供应新造里神圣的元素，把基督的丰富带到我们里面。这律减去我们里面亚当旧的元素，也加进基督新的元素。一面除去旧的，一面代之以新的。这律在基督徒的生命中，发挥一种新陈代谢的作用，并为我们完成生命的变化。
9The function of the law of life is to take away, to kill, the old element of Adam and to add in, to supply, the new element of Christ. While the law of the divine life works and regulates in our inward parts, it kills and takes away the old things of our natural being. It does have the power to reduce all the negative things in our natural man. At the same time, it adds in and supplies the divine element of the new creation, bringing the riches of Christ into our being. While it reduces the old element of Adam from us, it adds in the new element of Christ to us. While it takes away the old, it replaces it with the new. It performs a kind of metabolism in the Christian life and accomplishes the transformation of life for us
伍 生命之律的大能
V. THE POWER OF THE LAW OF LIFE
10字句的律法有所不能，又一无所成，（罗八3，来七19，）但生命之律，有『不能毁坏之生命的大能』，在成就神的定旨上，能为我们成全一切。（16。）在旧约里，字句的律法是软弱、一无所成的，只是生命之律的豫表。正如一个活人的照片，只有外表，没有生命；只能给人看，却不能为人作甚么。但在新约里，生命之律是有大能的，乃属于不能毁坏之生命的大能，能在神的经纶里为我们成全一切。这生命之律不再是只有外表，乃有神圣生命作其实际的素质；不仅给我们有所看见，更为我们一一成就。凡这生命之律所要求的，这律都能完全实现。
10The law of letters is of impossibility, perfecting nothing (Rom. 8:3, Heb. 7:19), but the law of life is of “the power of an indestructible life,” perfecting everything for us in fulfilling God’s purpose (Heb. 7:16). In the old covenant, the law of letters was weak and could not possibly perfect anything. It was merely a type of the law of life. Like a lifeless photograph of a lively person, it had the form but not the life. It showed people something, but it could do nothing for them. But in the new covenant, the law of life is powerful; it is of the power of an indestructible life that is able to perfect everything for us in God’secon o my. It is no longer merely a form; it has the divine life as its essence for reality. It not only shows us the things but also accomplishes them for us. Whatever it requires it can fulfill
陆 生命之律的结果
VI. THE ISSUE OF THE LAW OF LIFE
11生命之律的功能，为我们新陈代谢的完成生命的变化，所以生命之律的结果，就是使我们得著变化，而模成基督的形像，（林后三18，罗八29，）并且使基督成形在我们里面。在生命中的变化，以及模成基督的形像，都在于生命之律的功能，也是生命之律工作的结果。惟有藉著生命之律的规律，基督才能成形在我们里面。神圣生命之律的规律，把基督的丰富带到我们的生命里，也使基督成形在我们里面。
11As the function of the law of life accomplishes metabolically the transformation of life for us, so the issue of the law of life is that we are transformed and conformed to the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 8:29) and that Christ is formed in us. The transformation in life and the conformation to Christ depend upon the function of the law of life and are the issue of the work of the law of life. Christ can only be formed in us by the regulating of the law of life. The regulating of the law of the divine life brings the riches of Christ into our life and forms Christ in our being
柒 神在生命之律里的渴望
VII. GOD’S DESIRE IN THE LAW OF LIFE
12神不仅是我们的神，也是我们的父。因此，祂渴望在生命之律里作我们的神。我们不仅是神所造的，也是祂的儿女。因此，祂渴望我们在生命之律里作祂的子民。祂不愿意只照著外面字句的律法，作我们的神；祂愿意照著内里的生命之律，作我们的父。遵守外面字句的律法，根本不能满足神的心意。我们照著里面生命之律而活，才能使祂欢喜。祂也不愿我们只是祂的受造之物，而没有祂的生命，乃愿我们作祂的儿女，有祂的生命。因此，祂要我们在生命之律里，作祂的子民，不是照著外面字句的律法而活，乃是照著里面生命之律而活。不论祂和我们，或是我们和祂的关系，都该维系于生命之律。字句的律法没有别的，只有死。生命之律没有死，只有生命。惟有生命才能满足神的心意。我们已经看过，神圣的祭司职分就是带来生命，消除死亡，并且把我们从死的一切副产品中救出来，领我们进荣耀里去。这神圣的祭司职分要拯救我们到底，意思是说，要带我们达到全然的完全，而进入荣耀。但这种拯救，这种工作，不是客观的，乃是完全主观的。不错，基督是神圣的大祭司，坐在高处至尊至大者宝座的右边。但我们必须记得，十九个半世纪以前，祂从死里复活，成为神的长子时，就把祂的生命分赐到所有蒙神拣选并标出的人里面。虽然那时我们尚未决定要信主，但我们早在创立世界之前，就在已过的永远里被神标出了。现在你若不信这话，当你进入新耶路撒冷时，你必定会相信。神把我们标出，基督也把祂的生命分赐到我们里面。神和基督永不会错，也绝不会作错事。你若说神错选了我们，就是侮辱神。神怎么会犯错？虽然我们不配、算不得甚么，神却拣选了我们，豫先标出我们，并且神的长子基督，也把祂自己分赐到我们里面作生命。我们必须有这个异象，极其清楚的看见神的经纶。忘掉你的感觉、领会和认识，回到神纯正的话，接受这清楚的异象。凡神所作的，都是永远的，没有时间和空间的元素。神拣选我们也是永远的，没有搀杂时间的元素。我们在这里不是偶然的，都是我们的父早就安排好的，祂在创世之前就作了这样的决定。
12God is not only our God but also our Father. Hence, He desires to be our God in the law of life. We are not only God’s creatures but also His children. Hence, He desires us to be His people in the law of life. God does not desire only to be our God according to the outward law of letter; He desires to be our Father according to the inward law of life. Nothing of the keeping of the outward law of letter can satisfy God’s desire. He can only be pleased by our living according to the inward law of life. And He does not desire to have us only as His creatures without His life but also as His children with His life. Hence, He wants us to be His people in the law of life, living not according to the outward law of letter but according to the inward law of life. Both His relationship to us and ours to Him should be a relationship maintained in the law of life. With the law of letter there was nothing but death. With the law of life there is no death but life. Only life can satisfy the divine desire. We have seen that the divine priesthood is the presence of life and the absence of death and that it saves us from all of the by-products of death and brings us into glory. The divine priesthood saves us to the uttermost, meaning that it brings us into complete perfection, into glorification. But this saving, this working, is not objective; it is absolutely subjective. Yes, Christ is the divine High Priest on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high. But we must remember that when He was resurrected from the dead nineteen and a half centuries ago, being born as the Firstborn Son of God, He imparted His life into all of God’s chosen and marked- out people. Although at that time we had not yet decided to believe in the Lord, we had already been marked out by God in eternity past before the foundation of the world. If you do not believe this word now, you will believe it when you come into the New Jerusalem. God marked us out, and Christ imparted His life into us. God and Christ can never be wrong; they can never make a mistake. To say that God made a mistake in selecting us is an insult to God. How could God make a mistake? Although we are unworthy and do not deserve anything, God selected us and premarked us, and Christ, the Firstborn Son, imparted Himself into us as life. We must have this vision to see God’secon o my so clearly. Forget about your feelings, understanding, and realization and come back to the pure Word and receive the clear vision. Whatever God does is eternal and has no element of time or space. God’s choosing of us was eternal; there is no time element involved here. None of us is here by accident. It was prearranged by our Father. He made that decision before the earth was made.
13基督将祂自己分赐到我们里面之后，就坐在诸天之上的宝座上。在已过我们的职事里，我们曾说过，基督进到诸天之后，又降下到我们里面。在某种意义上，这虽然是对的，但只是照著我们的观点才是对的。从高一点的观点来看，基督并不是先升到诸天，然后再降下进到我们里面；祂乃是在升到诸天以前，在祂复活时，就已经将祂自己分赐到我们里面作生命。祂一旦进入诸天之后，就没有甚么未了的事要作，因为一切的事祂都已作成了。每一件事都完成了。祂已经洗净了人的罪，并把自己分赐到所有被神标出的人里面。基督坐在诸天之上作甚么？祂在为我们代求。可能基督指著某一个豫先标出的人说，『父阿，看那个人。你把他标出来了，我也把我的生命分赐到他里面了，但他还在那里游荡。父阿，求你带他回家。』过了不久，有基督徒朋友请他参加召会的聚会，他就被得著了。宝座上代求的基督可能又说，『这亲爱的一位已经回家了，这虽然很好，但是父阿，你必须在他里面进一步的作事。他里面的生命还未发展。这生命需要发展、尽功用并工作。』下次聚会的时候，这亲爱的一位站起来说，『主耶稣阿，我爱你，我把自己奉献给你。』因著基督那看不见的代求，生命就尽其功用。罗马八章三十四节说得很清楚，基督升到诸天之后，就在那里为我们代求。这样得了成全、合格、装备好、且是全能的一位，在为我们代求。又过了几天，代求的基督可能又为这位亲爱的圣徒说，『父阿，他现在尽功用了，但他还没有成熟。他仍然很幼嫩。』突然在一次聚会里，这位弟兄站起来祷告说，『主阿，你知道我还很幼稚，不彀成熟。主阿，我要成熟。』他的祷告和天上的代求相呼应。表面看来，似乎是他发出的祷告，事实上是他引述天上的代求。许多时候，我们在祷告和赞美中所发表的话，都是引述天上的代求。这些话不是由我们发出或发起的，乃是出自基督的代求。可能在一天早上，主摸著这位弟兄的自私，使他深深觉得他满了己。他以为这是听了某篇信息后的反应，却不知道这也是对天上代求的反应。在我们属灵生命上所发生的一切事，都是引述天上的代求，或是对天上代求的反应。
13After Christ imparted Himself into us, He went to sit on the throne in the heavens. In some of our past ministry we said that after Christ went into the heavens, He came down into us. Although this is right in a sense, it is only right according to our point of view. Looking at this matter from a higher point of view, we can see that Christ did not first ascend into the heavens and then come down to get into us but that before He ascended to the heavens, at the time of His resurrection, He imparted Himself into us as life already. Once He entered into the heavens, He had nothing left to do because He had already accomplished everything. Everything was finished. He had made purification of sins and had imparted Himself into all of God’s marked-out people. What is Christ doing asHes its in the heavens? He is interceding. Perhaps Christ would say of a certain premarked one, “Father, look at that one. He has been marked out by You and I have imparted My life into him, but he is still wandering. Father, bring him home.” Soon afterward, some Christian friends invite him to a meeting of the church and he is captured. After that, the interceding Christ on the throne might say, “It is good that this dear one has come home, but, Father, You must do something further in him. The life in him has not been developed. It needs to develop, function, and work.” Then in the next meeting this dear one stands up and says, “Lord Jesus, I love You. I consecrate myself to You.” The life functions because of Christ’sin visible intercession. As Romans 8:34 makes clear, after ascending to the heavens, Christ is there interceding for us. Such a perfected, qualified, equipped, and Almighty One is interceding for us. After a few days, the interceding Christ may say of this dear one, “Father, he is functioning now, but he is not mature. He is still so young.” Suddenly in a meeting this brother stands up and prays, “Lord, You know that I am still so young. I am not yet mature. Lord, I want to mature.” His prayer corresponds to the heavenly intercession. It seems that the prayer originated with him, but actually it was a quotation of the heavenly intercession. Many times our utterances in prayer or praise are quotations of the heavenly intercession. Such utterances are not originated or initiated by us but by Christ’s intercession. Perhaps this same brother is touched one morning concerning his selfishness, having the deep conviction that he is full of self. He may think that this is the reaction to a certain message, not realizing that this also is a reaction to the heavenly intercession. Whatever happens to us in our spiritual life is either a quotation of the heavenly intercession or a reaction to it.
14基督现今在天上，为我们众人代求。祂代求的目的是要我们里面神圣的生命，就是祂自己，能在我们全人得著发展，并使生命之律扩展到我们里面各部分，成为许多个律，在各方面规律我们。其中一个律，要在我们的心思中加以规律，使其完全更新。你可能以为心思的更新，是因著在召会生活中所听的教导和信息。事实上不是这样；心思的更新不是来自外面，乃是来自你里面神圣生命许多律中的一个律。当你的心思被生命之律更新，你的心思就会被翻转过来，你绝不会照著以前的想法思想了。你一切的思考，都被你里面运行的生命那规律人的律所完全更新。这意思是说，神圣的生命已从你的灵里，长到你的心思里了。生命之律中的另一个律，会进到我们的情感里，将其充满。不管我们的情感本来是冷淡的、或是热情的，有一个律会深入我们的情感，以基督的情感来规律，并且把基督情感的元素加进来。就著一面意义说，我们的情感要得再造，被基督情感的元素所浸润。我们的爱、恨不再和以前一样。凡是从我们出于情感所作的一切，都会绝对翻转过来；我们的爱尤其受了规律、浸透、变化和再造。这就是基督的生命长到我们的情感里。同样的原则，另一个运行的律会浸透我们的意志。我们的意志，无论天生是固执、或是服从，都无分别，因为对基督的生命全无用处。已往我见过一些人意志很固执，也见过一些人意志很服从。召会的长老们多数喜欢服从的意志，我却觉得两种意志都同样的麻烦。按人的感觉，我们都喜欢服从的意志，但这服从的意志只要是出于天然的，就有所不足。我们的意志，无论是固执、服从或折衷的，都不重要。只要是我们的意志，对基督的生命就毫无用处。神圣生命这运行的律，必要浸透我们的意志。我听见许多人说，『我恨我这个固执的意志，』但我却未听见人说，『我恨我这个服从的意志。』我们都得学习说，『我恨我固执的意志，恨我服从的意志，恨我折衷的意志，我就是恨我的意志。不管我的意志是固执的、服从的、折衷的，只要是我的意志，我就恨，因为那是天然的。』当神圣生命的律运行在我们里面，其功能之一就是以基督的意志浸润我们的意志，使祂的意志成为我们的意志。这样，我们的意志，就逐渐被基督意志的元素所再造。这意思是说，基督的生命长到我们的意志里。最终，我们的心思、情感、意志里，都有基督生命的增长。
14Christ is in heaven interceding for us all. The purpose of His intercession is that the divine life within us, which is just Himself, may develop in our whole being and that its law of life may spread into our inward parts and become many laws regulating us in every aspect. One of these laws must get into our mind to regulate it and to renew it completely. You may think that the renewing of the mind is due to the teachings and messages that you hear in the church life. Actually this is not so; the renewing of the mind does not come from without but from one of the many laws of the divine life within you. When your mind is renewed by the law of life, it will be revolutionized, and you will never think the way you did before. All of your considerations will be fully renewed by the regulating law of the working life within you. This simply means that the divine life has grown from your spirit into your mind. Another of these many laws will get into our emotion and saturate it. Whether our emotion is cold or hot, one of the laws will penetrate our emotion and regulate it with the nature of Christ’s emotion, bringing the element of the emotion of Christ into our emotion. In a sense, our emotion will bere made, having been saturated with the element of Christ’se motion. We shall never love or hate as we did before. Everything that we do out of our emotion will be absolutely revolutionized. In particular, our love will be regulated, permeated, transformed, and remade. This is the growth of the life of Christ into our emotion. In the same principle, one of these working laws will permeate our will. Whether our will is naturally stubborn or submissive makes no difference, for neither is useful for the life of Christ. In the past I have seen some very stubborn wills and some submissive wills. While most of the elders in the churches love the submissive wills, I am just as bothered by the submissive wills as by the stubborn wills. According to our human feeling, we all love a submissive will, but as long as a submissive will is a natural will, it is not adequate. It does not matter whether our will is stubborn, submissive, or neutral. As long as it is our will, it is useless for the life of Christ. The working of the law of the divine life must permeate our will. Although I have heard many people say, “I hate my stubborn will,” I have never heard anyone say, “I hate my submissive will.” We all must learn to say, “I hate my stubborn will, my submissive will, and my neutral will. I just hate my will. I don’t care whether my will is stubborn, submissive, or neutral. As long as it is my will, I hate it because it is natural.” As the law of the divine life works in us, one of its functions will saturate our will with the will of Christ, making His will ours. In this way our will is remade with the very element of Christ’s will. This means that Christ’s life will grow into our will. Eventually, in our mind, emotion, and will there will be the growth of the life of Christ.
15这种浸透和浸润，就是所谓的拯救到完全。基督拯救我们到底，不是说我们在地上与祂无分，祂远在诸天之上与我们无关，只是为我们代求，直到我们向祂祷告，祂就答应我们的祷告，伸出手来拯救我们。这是宗教的观念。我们必须看见，基督在十字架上已经除掉我们的罪，祂在复活里已把自己分赐到我们里面作生命，今天祂坐在诸天之上神的宝座上，为我们代求。一面，祂是在我们灵里，作我们生长的生命；另一面，祂也是在诸天之上的宝座上，为著祂撒在我们里面种子的长大和发展代求。这就是客观而主观的基督，为著我们的经历。祂神圣的生命乃是这样在我们里面显出功能。祂生命的每一功能，都是生命之律的一种规律。这些生命的功能，有的要扩展到我们的心思里，有的要浸透我们的情感和意志；这就是生命之律的工作。
15This permeation, this saturation, is what it means to be saved into perfection. Christ’ss aving us to the uttermost does not mean that we are on earth, having nothing of Him, and that He is far away in the heavens unrelated to us, interceding for us until we pray and He answers our prayer by stretching out His hand to save us. That is a religious concept. We need to see that on the cross Christ put away our sins, that in His resurrection He imparted Himself as life into all of us, and that now He is sitting on the throne of God in the heavens interceding for us. On the one hand, He is in our spirit as our life growing; on the other hand, He is on the throne in the heavens interceding for the growth and development of the seed that He has sown within us. This is the subjectively objective Christ for our experience. It is in this way that His divine life functions within us. Every bit of the function of His life is a regulation of its law. Some of these life functions will spread into our mind and others will permeate our emotion and will. This is the work of the law of life