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希伯来书生命读经 · 第65篇

藉著生命之律的运行，模成长子的形像长子乃是原型

Being Conformed to the Image of the Firstborn Son By the Working of the Law of Life THE FIRSTBORN SON BEING THE PROTOTYPE
1整本圣经的中心思想，就是神要得著许多的儿子作祂的彰显。神要达到这个目的，首先必须有一个模型，一个原型。这原型就是祂的儿子耶稣基督。基督第一次来的时候，祂是神的独生子。这位神的独生子，成了一个在肉体里真正的人。虽然祂是真人，具有人性，祂仍然是神的独生子。祂在地上的时候，常常自称为神子或人子。（约十36，五，一51，太八20。）当鬼见到主耶稣的时候，他们称祂为神的儿子，（29，）主却不许他们这样说。主似乎是说，『你们这些跟从魔鬼的污鬼，你们当晓得我在这里是人子。我来在肉体里作人，为要对付魔鬼和你们。』基督藉著祂在肉体里的死，毁坏了魔鬼。（来二14。）因此，魔鬼和一切污鬼都怕祂是人子。魔鬼在旷野试诱主的时候，说，『你若是神的儿子，就叫这些石头变成饼罢。』（太四3。）主耶稣回答说，『经上记著，「人活著不是单靠食物，乃是靠神口里所出的一切话。」』（4。）主似乎说，『撒但，你要知道，我在这里不是作神的儿子，我乃是创世记里所应许的那个人，我来成为一个人，是要伤你的头。』
1The central thought of the whole Bible is that God wants to have many sons for His expression. In order to accomplish this, God must firstly have a model, a prototype. This prototype is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When Christ came the first time, He came as the Only Begotten Son of God. As the Only Begotten Son of God, He became a genuine man in the flesh. Although He was a real man with the human nature, He was still the Only Begotten Son of God. When He was on earth, He often called Himself either the Son of God or the Son of Man (John 10:36; 5:25; 1:51; Matt. 8:20). When the 25 demons met the Lord Jesus, they addressed Him as the Son of God (Matt. 8:29), but He commanded them not to say this. The Lord seemed to be saying, “You demons, the followers of the Devil, must realize that I am here as the Son of Man. I have come as a man in the flesh to deal with the Devil and with you.” It was by His death in the flesh that Christ destroyed the Devil (Heb. 2:14). Therefore, the Devil and all the demons were afraid of Him as the Son of Man. When the Devil tempted the Lord in the wilderness, he said, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (Matt. 4:3). The Lord Jesus replied, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). The Lord seemed to be saying, “Satan, you must know that I am here not as the Son of God, but as the very man promised in the book of Genesis. I have come as a man to bruise your head.”
2今天基督教里有所谓的摩登派，或称作新神学派。古时就有了古代的摩登派，就是撒都该人；他们不信有天使、鬼和复活。（徒二三8。）今日的摩登派，就是撒都该人的跟从者。撒都该人和法利赛人一样，以为主耶稣不过是马利亚和约瑟所生的一个犹太人而已。每次耶稣遇到这种人，就5:17-著重声明祂是神的儿子。（约五17～，25。）鬼最怕耶稣作人子，而摩登派受了魔鬼的指示，否认祂是神的儿子。鬼一旦承认耶稣是人子，牠们就毁了；而人一旦承认祂是神子，人就得救。（二十31。）耶稣是谁？祂是神的儿子，又是人的儿子。对我们来说，祂是神子；对仇敌来说，祂是人子。
2In today’s Christianity there are the so - called modernists. In ancient times there were the ancient modernists, called the Sadducees, who believed neither in angels, nor in demons, nor in resurrection (Acts 23:8). Today’s modernists are followers of those Sadducees. The Sadducees, along with the Pharisees, thought of the Lord Jesus simply as a Jew whose parents were Mary and Joseph. When Jesus came to such a person, He always stressed that He was the Son of God (John 18, 25). While the demons are afraid of Jesus being the 18 Son of Man, the modernists, under the inspiration of the Devil, do not confess that He is the Son of God. Once the demons admit that Jesus is the Son of Man they are destroyed, and once a man confesses that Jesus is the Son of God he is saved (John 20:31). Who is Jesus? He is the Son of God and the Son of Man. To us, He is the Son of God, and to the enemy, He is the Son of Man.
3最近，一位十八岁和一位二十一岁的青年人来找我，争辩说，『约翰三章十六节说，耶稣是神的独生子，而希伯来十三章八节说，耶稣基督，昨日、今日、直到永远，是一样的。你怎能说独生子已经成为长子，这岂不是说耶稣变了么？但圣经又说，祂昨日、今日、直到永远是一样的。』基督成为肉体以先，只是神的儿子，并不是人。祂成为肉体岂不是一个大转变么？约翰一章十四节说，『话成了肉体。』这明确的指明一个改变。基督若没有这个转变，我们今天就仍然在可怜的光景中。若是祂不曾成为人，一直只是神的儿子，只有神性，我们怎么会得救？基督已经改变过，从只是神的儿子改变成为人。请思想祂的成为肉体。在成为肉体以前，祂是神的儿子，并没有人的性情，祂纯粹、单单、完全是神的儿子，是神圣的，只有神性，没有血肉。然而祂成为肉体，就有了一个大改变。祂虽然有了这个大改变，但祂并没有脱下祂的神性。祂乃是带著神性，又穿上了人性。因此，在祂的成为肉体里，祂有神性，加上人性。今日，许多基督徒受教导说，耶稣是神的独生子；他们从来不知道，这位独生子已经成为长子。1约翰一章十四节说，话成了肉体，而林前十五章四十五节说，末后的亚当成了赐生命的灵。林前十五章四十五节这里又有一个『成了』。最初，基督是神的儿子，然后祂来成为肉体，后来这位在肉体里的人又成了赐生命的灵。我们相信约翰一章十四节所说，话成了肉体；我们也相信林前十五章四十五节所说，末后的亚当成了赐生命的灵。有些人定罪我说耶稣成了那灵是讲异端。这些反对者照著他们关于神圣三一老旧、传统的教训，认为父是父，子是子，灵是灵。现在他们有了麻烦，因为林前十五章四十五节说，基督成了赐生命的灵。究竟有几个灵？只有一个。基督是子，还是灵？祂是子，又是灵，也是人。这不是说，基督成为人的时候，就不再是神的儿子；也不是说祂成为灵，就不再是人，不再是神子。祂乃是包罗万有的。
3Recently, two young men, aged eighteen and twenty- one, came to me with an argumentative spirit, saying, “John 3:16 says that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God, and Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. How can you say that the Only Begotten became the Firstborn? This means that Jesus has changed. But the Bible says that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Before His incarnation, Christ was only the Son of God; He was not a man. Was not His incarnation a great change? According to the Greek, John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh.” This certainly indicates a change. If Christ had never had such a change, we would still be in a pitiful situation. If He had not become a man but had forever remained only as the Son of God with divinity, how could we have been saved? Christ has changed. He changed from being just the Son of God into a man. Consider the Lord’sin carnation. Before His incarnation, He was the Son of God, and He did not have the human nature. He was solely, singly, and absolutely the divine Son of God, having only divinity. He had no flesh and blood. But by His incarnation He changed radically. In making this radical change, He did not put off His divinity. No, keeping His divinity, He took on humanity. Hence, in His incarnation, He had divinity plus humanity. Many Christians today have only been taught that Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of God. They have never learned that this Only Begotten Son has become the Firstborn Son. John 1:1 4 says that the Word became flesh, and Corinthians 15:45 says that the last Adam became the life-giving Spirit. Here in 1 Corinthians 15:45 we have another “became.” Firstly, Christ was the Son of God. In His incarnation He became flesh, and then, as a man in the flesh, He became the life-giving Spirit. We believe John 1:14 which says that the Word became flesh, and we believe 1 Corinthians 15:45 which says that the last Adam became the life - giving Spirit. I have been condemned as a heretic for saying that Jesus became the Spirit. According to their old, traditional teaching of the Trinity, the opposers say that the Father is the Father, the Son is the Son, and the Spirit is the Spirit. But now they are troubled, for 1 Corinthians 15:45 says that Christ became the life - giving Spirit. How many Spirits are there? There is only one. Is Christ the Son or the Spirit? He is both the Son and the Spirit and also the man. This does not mean that when Christ became the man He was no longer the Son of God, nor that when He became the Spirit He was no longer the man and the Son of God. He is all-inclusive.
4假如你有一杯开水，当你把茶泡在其中，你并不是把水倒掉。当你加了奶之后，杯内仍然有水，有茶。水加茶再加奶，就成了一杯包罗各种丰富的饮料。我们喝水的时候，也就喝了茶、喝了奶。这杯饮料，本来是清水，但是加了茶和奶，就丰富了。今天耶稣是谁？祂是那包括神性和人性的赐生命之灵。今天我们的救主，与祂成为肉体以前不同，也与祂在地上时不一样。成为肉体以先，祂完全是神圣的，没有人的元素。当祂为马利亚所生，躺在伯利恒的马槽内，祂就与人性调和，穿上了人性。祂在地上时，兼有神、人二性。祂是神的儿子，也是人的儿子；是神，又是人。祂藉著复活，成了赐生命的灵。这绝不是说，祂不再是神子，不再是人子；这乃是说，祂是神子，又将人子带到那灵里。我年轻的时候，只受过教导说，耶稣基督这个人是神的儿子。从来没有人告诉我，这位奇妙的神人经过复活，成了赐生命的灵。我只听说祂为我们的罪死在十字架上，后来从死人中复活，升到天上，现今坐在天上，作我们活而有能力的救主，能拯救我们到底。（来七25。）但我那时是一个有头脑的青年人，不免怀疑究竟耶稣怎能拯救我到底？我对自己说，『怎能这样？祂远远坐在天上的宝座上，我在地上离祂这么远，祂怎能拯救我到底？』我虽然想要解答这问题，却无能为力。毫无疑问，耶稣今天是坐在天上的宝座上。既是这样，祂怎能拯救我们到底？祂之所以能拯救我们，是因为祂不仅在天上，也在我们灵里。这奇妙的一位，在天上也同时在我们灵里。我常用电来说明。我们家里用的电，也在发电厂里。一样的电同时在两个地方。
4Suppose you have a glass of pure water. When you add tea into it, you do not eliminate the water, do you? When you add milk, you still have the water and the tea. The water, the tea, and the milk make an all-inclusive drink. When we drink the water, we drink the tea and the milk. Basically, this drink is plain water, but it has been enriched with the elements of tea and milk. Who is Jesus today? He is the life- giving Spirit who includes divinity and humanity. Our Savior today is not the same as He was before the incarnation, nor the same as He was when He was on earth. Before His incarnation, He was purely divine, having no human element. When He was born of Mary in the manger at Bethlehem, He was mingled with humanity and put on human nature. While He was on earth, He was both divine and human. Being the Son of God and the Son of Man, He was both God and man. By His resurrection, He became the life - giving Spirit. This absolutely does not mean that He is no longer the Son of God nor the Son of Man; it means that as the Son of God He has brought the Son of Man into the Spirit. When I was young, I was only taught that the man Jesus Christ was the Son of God. I was never told that through resurrection this wonderful God-man became the life- giving Spirit. I was only told that He died on the cross for our sins, resurrected from the dead, and ascended into heaven where He is now sitting as the Savior who is living, mighty, and able to save us to the uttermost (Heb. 7:25). But, being a thoughtful young man, I wondered how Jesus could save me to the uttermost. I said to myself, “How can this be? He is sitting on the throne in heaven faraway from me, and I am here on earth faraway from Him. How can He save me to the uttermost?” Although I tried to solve this problem, I could not do it. Undoubtedly, Jesus is now sitting on the throne in heaven. How then can He save us to the uttermost? He can do it because He is not only in heaven but also in our spirit. This wonderful One is in heaven and in our spirit at the same time. I have often used the illustration of electricity. The electricity which we use in our homes is also in the power plant. The same one electricity is in both places at the same time.
5基督是赐生命的灵，在这赐生命的灵里有大能的、不能毁坏的神性，也有正确的、拔高的人性。从来没有一个人性，比耶稣的人性更为正确、合宜。现在，奇妙的神性和拔高的人性都在那灵里，就像茶和奶都在水里一样。当我们喝这水的时候，我们也就喝了茶和奶；当我们呼喊主耶稣这位赐生命之灵的名，我们也就得著了祂的神性和人性。
5Christ is the life - giving Spirit. Within this life - giving Spirit there is the powerful, indestructible divinity, and there is also the proper, uplifted humanity. No humanity is as right and proper as the humanity of Jesus. Both this wonderful divinity and this uplifted humanity are now in the Spirit, just like both the tea and the milk are in the water. When we drink the water, we get the tea and the milk, and when we call on the name of the Lord Jesus, who is the life-giving Spirit, we get His divinity and humanity.
6神的作法是先得著一个原型、一个模型；这原型就是来成为人的子神。这位大神化身而成的人，在地上活了三十三年半，遍尝并经历了人生一切的痛苦，然后死在十字架上。祂藉著死，了结了旧造，解决了罪的问题，毁坏了神一切的仇敌。祂在十字架上这个包罗万有的死，为神的经纶作了一切。但这还不是结束，因为祂带著神性和人性复活了。在复活中，祂的神性完全得著彰显、显明；祂的人性，也从物质的形体变化为属灵的形体。这是极奥秘的事，人的话无法解释清楚。祂复活以后，就成了这样奇妙的一位。对这奇妙人位的各方面，我实在无法述尽说竭。今天，在这奇妙的人位，我们的救主里，我们有了永远、大能、无限的神性；并有拔高、变化的人性；有正确的人性生活；有包罗万有的死，解决了罪的问题，击败了仇敌，并了结了旧造；还有复活。我们在祂里面所得的，是何等丰富！祂现今在正确的人性里彰显神。罪在祂的脚下，撒但已被击败，旧造已被了结。这就是彰显神的原型和模型。
6God’sway is firstly to have a prototype, a model. This prototype is God the Son who came to be a man. This man, the embodiment of God, lived on earth for thirty-three and a half years, tasting and passing through all the sufferings of human life. Then He went to the cross and died. Through His death, the old creation was terminated, the problem of sin was solved, and all the enemies and adversaries of God were destroyed. His death on the cross was an all-inclusive death accomplishing everything for God’secon o my. But this was not the end, for He was resurrected with His divinity and humanity. His divinity was expressed, manifested in full, in His resurrection, and His humanity was transformed from a physical form into a spiritual form. This is very mysterious, and no human words can explain it. After His resurrection, He became such a wonderful One. I cannot adequately explain all the aspects of this wonderful Person. In this wonderful Person, who today is our Savior, we have the eternal, powerful, unlimited divinity; the uplifted, transformed humanity; the proper human living; the all- inclusive death that solved the problem of sin, defeated the enemy, and terminated the old creation; and the resurrection. How much we have in Him! He now expresses God in the proper humanity. Sin is under His feet, Satan has been defeated, and the old creation has been terminated. This is the prototype, the model of the expression of God
7不可能模倣基督像这样的一位，你能模倣么？我们甚至连茶也倣造不出来；我们不要倣造茶，只要简单的喝真茶就好了。一切的模倣都是装假。在基督教里，人受教导要模倣基督，其实是不可能模倣的。我们都知道人造花。塑胶花的颜色、形状、外表，与真花一样。起初我很喜欢塑胶花，但过了不久，我就讨厌牠们，因为牠们没有生命。人可以模倣，却不能创造。赞美主，我们不能模倣基督，祂却有办法将祂自己复制到我们里面来。
7THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF IMITATING CHRIST Can you imitate such a One? We cannot even make imitation tea. We should not try to produce an imitation tea, but simply drink real tea. Every imitation is a falsehood. In Christianity, people are taught to imitate Christ, but it is impossible to imitate Him. We are all familiar with artificial flowers. As plastic imitations of real flowers, they have the same color, shape, and appearance as genuine flowers. When they first came out, I liked them. But after awhile I came to hate them because they have no life. Man can imitate, but he cannot create. Praise the Lord that while we cannot imitate Christ, He has a way of reproducing Himself in us
8原型扩展到我们里面一个公司首先在工厂里制造出原型，然后按照原型大量生产。就某种意义说，奇妙的基督就是原型。神的作法就是把这原型放到我们里面。这位活的模型乃是一个活的人位，含有神性、人性、人性生活、钉死、复活等。由这些奇妙的元素所组成的模型，已经进到我们里面。人的方法、宗教的修行，都是在外面改良、修正；神的作法却是把基督放到我们里面。基督是谁？祂是神子、人子，也是赐生命的灵。神把这奇妙的人位放到我们里面最中心处。我们依从祂，与祂合作，向祂敞开，祂就要从我们的灵扩展到魂里。这不是模倣，乃是原型在我们里面的扩展。这就是圣经所说『儿子的名分』。基督作为『子』，进到我们里面成为我们里面『儿子』的生命。根据罗马八章十五节，我们有儿子名分的灵，叫我们成为真儿子。事实上，儿子的名分就是神的长子这奇妙的模型。在我们里面，我们有儿子的生命、儿子的灵和儿子的名分。
8THE SPREADING OF THE PROTOTYPE INTO OUR BEING In a factory, a company firstly manufactures a prototype. Then the mass production is according to that prototype. In a good sense, our wonderful Christ is a prototype. God’sway is to put this prototype into us. This living model is a living Person including divinity, humanity, human living, crucifixion, and resurrection. Such a model, consisting of all these marvelous elements, has come into our being. The human, religious way is to correct or improve us from without. God’sway is to put Christ into us. Who is Christ? He is the Son of God, the Son of Man, and the life-giving Spirit. God has put this wonderful Person into the very center of our being. If we agree and cooperate with this wonderful One, opening up to Him, He will spread outward into our soul from our spirit. This is not imitation; it is the spreading of the prototype within our being. This is what the Bible calls sonship. Christ has come into us as the Son to be the life of the Son in us. According to Romans 8:15, we have the spirit of sonship. We have the sonship which makes us real sons. This sonship is actually the wonderful model Himself, the Firstborn Son of God. We have the life of the Son, the Spirit of the Son, and the sonship within us.
9再来看茶包放进一杯水里的例证。我们越搅动水，水就越被茶充满。茶要扩散并调和到水里，直到水成为『茶水』。没有人能模倣耶稣。我们若能模倣祂，猴子也就能模倣小孩子。基督是如此奇妙的人位，我们怎能模倣祂？这完全不是模倣的问题，乃是被儿子名分充满的问题，就像水被茶充满一样。子已经进到我们里面，作我们的儿子名分。祂这儿子的名分，有儿子的生命、灵、地位和权利。这儿子的名分今天正等著我们与祂合作，好让祂在我们里面扩展到全人。
9Consider once again the illustration of a tea bag placed in a glass of water. The more we stir the water, the more it will be saturated with the tea. The tea will spread into and mingle with the water until it becomes tea-water. No one can imitate Jesus. If we could imitate Jesus, then a monkey could imitate a boy. Christ is such a wonderful Person. How can we imitate Him? It is not a matter of imitating Jesus; it is a matter of being saturated with the sonship, just as water is saturated with tea. The Son, as the very sonship, has come into us. As the sonship, He is the life, the Spirit, the position, and the right of the Son. This sonship is now waiting for our cooperation that He might spread throughout our being
the Only Begotten Son
独生子成为长子
BECOMING THE FIRSTBORN SON
10希伯来书和罗马书，都说到儿子名分这件事。希伯来书告诉我们，基督第一次来到地上之后，藉著复活，至终成为长子。（一5～6。）祂成为肉体以前，是神的独生子；但藉著复活，祂生为神的长子。多年以前，每当我读到诗篇二篇七节，我就感到难解。那里说，『你是我的儿子，我今日生你。』行传十三章三十三节和希伯来一章五节，也都引用这一节。我感到不解，常常问自己：『基督不已经是神的儿子么？既然祂是神的儿子，为甚么还要从神而生，成为神的儿子？』以后我看见，基督在成为肉体以前虽是神的儿子，却没有人的性情。当祂成为肉体，就穿上了人性。祂神圣的元素乃是神的儿子，但祂人性的元素还不是。因此，祂需要经过复活，叫祂人性的元素也从神而生。藉著这出生，神的独生子成了神的长子。换句话说，独生子并没有从神生的人性。当祂成为神的长子时，祂的人性就为神所生。这样，祂就成了神的长子，而这长子又成为原型、模型。基督成了许多弟兄中的长子，（罗八29，）就是这个意思。长子是原型，许多弟兄是大量的产品。今天，这模型就是主耶稣基督这个活的人位，是神圣儿子名分的总和。这活的人位进到我们里面，我们就得了儿子的名分，成为神的儿子。现今我们都是神的儿子，而主耶稣作模型，正在我们里面作工并运行。
10In both Hebrews and Romans the matter of sonship is covered. In Hebrews we are told that, after His first coming, Christ eventually became, through resurrection, the Firstborn Son (1:5-6). Before His incarnation He was the Only Begotten Son of God, but through resurrection He was born the Firstborn Son of God. When I read the Scriptures years ago, I was bothered by Psalm 2:7, which says, “Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” This verse is quoted both in Acts 13:33 and in Hebrews 1:5. Being troubled by this, I asked myself, “Wasn’t Christ the Son of God already? Since He already was the Son of God, why did He need to be born of God in order to be the Son of God?” Later I realized that before His incarnation, Christ was the Son of God without human nature. When He was incarnated, He put on humanity. His divine element was the Son of God, but His human element was not. Hence, He had to be resurrected that His human element might be born of God. Through this birth, the Only Begotten Son of God became God’s Firstborn Son. In other words, the Only Begotten Son did not have the humanity which had been begotten of God. When He became the Firstborn Son of God, His humanity was born of God. In this way He became the Firstborn Son of God, and this Firstborn Son became the prototype, the model. This is what it means to say that Christ is the Firstborn among many brothers (Rom. 8:29). The Firstborn Son is the prototype, and the many brothers are the mass production. This model today is a living Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the totality of the divine sonship. When this living Person comes into us, we have the sonship and become a son of God. Now we are the sons of God, and the Lord Jesus as the model is working and moving in us.
内里被浸透的问题
A MATTER OF INWARD SATURATION
11虽然我们里面得了儿子的名分，成为神的儿子，但我们仍然不像神的儿子。假如我把一个茶包放进一个五加仑大缸的水里，茶即使在水缸的中心，但水还显不出茶的颜色，必须等茶扩散出来，充满整缸水，全部的水就渐渐被『茶化』，而变成茶水。照样，基督进入我们灵里，我们就为神所生。但祂进来以后，并没有多少机会在我们里面扩展。这不是外面行为的问题，而是内里浸透的问题。希伯来书告诉我们，独生子已经成了长子。这长子又重生了许多儿子，现今祂是完美、完全、而又得著荣耀的模型。祂虽然是完美又完全的，但我们这些有儿子名分在里面的众子，还末在这儿子名分里达到完美、完全、又得荣耀的地步。现今我们正在达到完美、完全、以及变化并得荣的过程中。
11Although we have become sons of God by having the sonship in us, we still do not look like the Son of God. Suppose I put a tea bag in a five-gallon jar of water. The tea may be in the center of the jar, but the water does not yet have the appearance of tea. The tea must spread into and saturate the water. Gradually, all the water will be teaified and become tea. In like manner, we have been born of God by having Christ come into our spirit. But after coming into us, He has not had much opportunity to spread Himself into our being. This is not a matter of outward behavior; it is a matter of inward saturation. Hebrews tells us that the Only Begotten Son has become the Firstborn. This Firstborn Son has regenerated many sons and now He is the model in perfection, completion, and glorification. Although He is perfect and complete, we, the many sons with the sonship within us, have not yet been perfected, completed, and glorified in this sonship. Presently, we are in the process of perfection, completion, transformation, and glorification
儿子的名分与模成
SONSHIP AND CONFORMATION
12在罗马书，特别在第八章，也说到同一件事。许多基督教的领导人对于罗马八章多有著述。然而他们主要的是著重圣灵，而多多少少忽略了生命之律，也忽略了模成神长子的形像。在基督教的书籍中，很难找到一本论到模成的书。但是要使儿子的名分达到完全，使长子的众弟兄得以完全，模成是必需的。虽然我们是神长子的弟兄，但我们并不太像祂。今天我们可能不太像祂，但我们是在模成祂形像的过程中。我们里面儿子的名分达到完全有多少，乃在于我们是否愿意被模成基督的形像。问题不在于外面的行为，乃在于我们是否愿意被模成长子的形像。
12The book of Romans, especially chapter eight, speaks of the same thing. Many Christian leaders have written a great deal on Romans 8. However, they mainly emphasize the Spirit. They have more or less neglected the law of life and the conformation to the image of the Firstborn Son of God. It is difficult to find a Christian book which deals with the subject of conformation. Nevertheless, conformation is necessary for the completion of the sonship, for the completion of the many brothers of the Firstborn. Although we are brothers of God’s Firstborn Son, we do not resemble Him very much. We may not look much like Him today, but we are in the process of being conformed to His image. How much the sonship is completed in us depends on how willing we are to be conformed to the image of Christ. This is not a question of outward doing, but of whether or not we are willing to be conformed to the image of the Firstborn.
13儿子的名分和那灵的见证我们若想要知道如何被模成基督的形像，就必须一再来读罗马八章。这一章如同宝库里的一个宝箱，其中装满了丰富。这一章中有生命之律，儿子的名分，以及模成神儿子的形像。十四至十六节清楚的说到儿子的名分。十四节说，『因为凡被神的灵引导的，都是神的儿子。』十五节说，我们『所受的乃是儿子名分的灵』。我们知道我们受了儿子名分的灵，因为『那灵自己同我们的灵见证我们是神的儿女』。（16。）在我们深处有一个很强的见证，证明我们是神的儿女。我们许多人能有把握的说，『我知道我还不像基督，但我有完全的确据，知道我是神的儿子。不管你们怎样批评或轻看我，我毫无疑问的已经从神而生。』我们有这见证在我们灵里，而不在我们的心思里。你若回到心思里去想，你会起疑惑说，『我大概还末重生。我若已经重生，怎么仍然与从前一样？我还需要向主说，「主阿，怜悯我，如果我还未得著重生，现在就求你使我重生。」』我以前就曾这样作过。但是正当我们在心思里怀疑的时候，我们灵的深处却见证我们已经从神而生。这不是一个教训，乃是我们的经历。凡呼求过主耶稣之名的，就是已经重生的人，并且儿子名分的灵，就是基督自己，在他灵里见证他是神的儿女。无论我们多坏，基督徒生活多失败，我们灵里仍然见证我们是神的儿子。这是个不容争辩的事实。重生不是一件小事。
13SONSHIP AND THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT If we would know how to be conformed to Christ’sim age, we must read Romans 8 again and again. This chapter is a treasure chest in a treasure store. All the riches are here. In this chapter we have the law of life, the sonship, and the conformation. Verses 14 through 16 speak clearly about sonship. Verse 14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Recovery Version), and verse 15 says that we have received “a spirit of sonship.” We know that we have received a spirit of sonship because the “Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are the children of God” (v. 16). Deep within, we have a strong witness, a strong testimony, that we are the children of God. Many of us can confidently say, “I know that I do not look like Christ, but I have the full assurance that I am a son of God. I don’t care how much you criticize or belittle me, I have no doubt that I have been born of God.” We have this witness in our spirit, not in our mind. If you turn to your mind, you will begin to doubt, saying to yourself, “Probably I have not been born again. If I have been regenerated, why am I still the same? I need to say, ‘O Lord, be merciful to me. If I have not been born again, cause me to be born again right now.’ ” In the past, I did this very thing. But while we are doubting in our mind, we have the witness deep in our spirit that we have been born of God. This is not a teaching; it is our experience. Whoever has called on the name of the Lord Jesus has been regenerated, and the spirit of sonship, that is, Christ Himself, is in his spirit witnessing to the fact that he is one of God’s children. However bad we may be or however defeated we are in our Christian life, we still have the witness in our spirit that we are sons of God. This is a fact, and no one can argue with it. It is not a small thing to be born again
模成长子形像的路
THE WAY TO BE CONFORMED to the image of the Firstborn
14然而，我们不能停在仅仅重生这个事实。罗马八章二节说到生命之灵，十四至十六节说到儿子的名分，二十九节说到模成。我们今天正在这个被模成神长子形像的过程中。我们如何能被模成？罗马八章六节给我们看见这条路，就是把我们的心思置于灵。心思置于灵就是生命。不论我们作甚么、说甚么，必须确定我们的心思是置于灵。我们的心思若不置于灵，就像未接上电源的电器一样。我们若感觉我们的心思没有置于灵，就该立即停下一切，并呼求主耶稣的名。我们很多人都能见证，我们简单的呼求主名以后，就深深觉得，心思又再一次置于灵。这事很简单，关系却非常重大。
14However, we should not stop with the mere fact of being born again. Romans 8 mentions the Spirit of life in verse 2, sonship in verses 14 through 16, and conformation in verse 29. We are now in the process of being conformed to the image of God’s Firstborn Son. How can we be conformed? The way is found in Romans 8:6—by setting our mind on our spirit. The mind set on the spirit is life. In whatever we do and say, we must be sure that our mind is on our spirit. When our mind is off our spirit, we are like an electrical appliance which has been disconnected. If we sense that our mind is not on our spirit, we should stop and call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Many of us can testify that after simply calling on the name of the Lord Jesus, we had the sense deep within that, once again, our mind was on our spirit. Although this is a simple matter, it is very serious.
15请姊妹们想想她们买东西的经历。许多次，你上百货公司买东西，会觉得心思未置于灵，但你仍然买了些东西。你若回想那个经历，就发现你的心思完全不在灵上。你去买东西的时候，若觉得心思的确是置于灵，你就可以去买。不然的话，你该停下来。照著灵而行，照著灵生活行事，就是这个意思。
15I would ask the sisters to consider their experience in shopping. Many times when you went shopping in a department store, you sensed that your mind was not on your spirit, but you still bought something. If you look back on that experience, you will realize that your mind was altogether off your spirit. If in going shopping you sense that your mind is on the spirit, you may go ahead. But if you sense that it is not on the spirit, you should stop. This is exactly what it means to walk, to have our being, according to the spirit
凭著内里生命的感觉而行
WALKING BY THE INNER SENSE OF LIFE
16那灵今天并不是远在诸天之上，祂就在我们里面。罗马八章六节含示，那灵在我们的灵里是可以感觉得到的。我们怎么知道心思置于肉体就是死？我们乃是凭内里的感觉而知道。我们从深处觉得被隔断而死了。每当我们把心思置于肉体，里面就有这种感觉：不必别人来告诉我们，我们自己就能觉得。一位弟兄可能对他妻子说，『我是在灵里和你争吵，你不晓得么？』他虽然嘴里这么说，深处却感觉到，他的心思并不在灵上。我恨清楚这种光景，因为我自己也有很多这样的经历。我们可以告诉别人我们是对的，但在灵里我们知道自己不对，因为生命的感觉不同意我们，不称义我们所作的。根据我们里面深处的感觉，我们知道自己被隔断了。这是属灵驾驶上的红灯。我们看见红灯时，就要停下来。当我们感觉里面的绿灯亮了，我们才可以继续前进。这就是跟随里面的灵，照里面生命的感觉而活，而行事为人。
16Today the Spirit is not far away in the heavens; He is within our very being. Romans 8:6 implies that the Spirit in our spirit can be sensed. How do we know that setting our mind on the flesh is death? We know it by the inner sense. Deep within, we sense that we have been cut off and that we are dead. Whenever we have our mind set on the flesh, we have this sense within. We do not need anyone to tell us this; we can sense it ourselves. A married brother may say to his wife, “While I’m arguing with you, I’min the spirit. Can’ty ou realize this?” While he is saying this with his mouth, deep within he can sense that his mind is not on his spirit. I understand this quite well because I have experienced so much of it myself. Although we may tell others that we are right, in our spirit we know that we are wrong, for the sense of life does not stand with us, nor does it justify what we are doing. According to our deep inner sense, we know that we have been cut off. This is a red light in our spiritual driving. Whenever we see a red light, we must stop. When we have the sense that the inner light is green, we may then proceed. This is what it means to follow the Spirit within and to live, walk, and have our being according to the inner sense of life
17模成基督形像的路，就是把心思置于灵。堕落之人的心思是他全人的代表，因为这样的人，行事为人都是按著他的心思。信徒若不是照著灵而行，也是这样。因此，我们的心思若置于灵，我们全人就置于灵。在每天的生活中，在我们的所是与所作上，我们必须有把握，我们的心思是置于灵。我们把心思、全人置于灵，就是生命。这乃是照著生命之律的运行。
17The way to be conformed to the image of Christ is by keeping our mind on our spirit. The mind of a fallen person is the representative of his whole being, for such a person does everything according to his mind. It is the same with the believers who do not walk in spirit. Thus, when our mind is on our spirit, it means that our whole being is on our spirit. In our daily living, in all that we are and do, we must have the assurance that our mind is on the spirit. To have our mind, our whole being, on the spirit is life. This is according to the working of the law of life.