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约翰壹书生命读经 · 第28篇

神圣出生的美德以实行神圣的爱（二）

The Virtues of the Divine Birth to Practice the Divine Love (2)
1读经：约翰一书三章十四至十九节上。源头、素质、元素与范围
1Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:14-19a SOURCE, ESSENCE, ELEMENT, AND SPHERE
2约壹三章十四节上说，『我们因为爱弟兄，就晓得是已经出死入生了。』在前一篇信息中我们看见，死是出于魔鬼（死的源头）的；而生命是出于神（生命的源头）的。死与生命不仅分别出于撒但和神这两个源头，也是两种素质、两种元素和两个范围。出死入生就是从死的源头、素质、元素和范围出来，进入生命的源头、素质、元素和范围。这是在我们重生（从神而生）的时候发生的。我们需要进一步来看死与生命二者的源头、素质、元素和范围。生命的素质和生命的元素有甚么不同？生命的元素和生命的范围有甚么不同？明白其间的区别对我们是很重要的。我们可举一例来说明牠们的区别。比方有一种饮料是由三种元素组成的：牛奶、茶和糖。每一种元素各有其素质。茶有茶的素质，实质；同样的，牛奶和糖各有不同的素质或实质。我们不会说这种饮料是由三种实质构成的，我们乃是说这饮料是由三种元素组成的，在这三种元素里有三种不同的素质或实质。当我们得救的时候，我们从神接受的元素不只是一种。我们接受了生命，我们也接受了义，生命和义二者在罗马五章都题到。我们在得救以前有甚么元素？我们在得救以前与撒但是一，我们有罪和死的元素。但是当我们得救时，我们接受了义（与罪相对），也接受了生命（与死相对）。
2First John 3:14a says, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.” In the foregoing message we saw that death is of the Devil, the source of death, and that life is of God, the source of life. Not only are death and life of these two sources, Satan and God; they are also two essences, two elements, and two spheres. To pass out of death into life is to pass out of the source, essence, element, and sphere of death into the source, essence, element, and sphere of life. This took place when we were regenerated, born of God. We need to consider further the source, essence, element, and sphere both of death and of life. What is the difference between the essence of life and the element of life, and what is the difference between the element of life and the sphere of life? It is important for us to understand the difference between these things. Perhaps the best way to point out the difference between source, essence, element, and sphere as applied to both life and death is to use the following illustration. Suppose a particular drink is composed of three elements: milk, tea, and sugar. Each element has its own essence. This means that with tea there is the essence, the substance, of tea. In like manner, milk and sugar each have different essences or substances. We would not say that this drink is made up of three substances. Rather, we would say that the drink is composed of three elements and that within these elements are three different essences or substances. When we were saved, we received more than one element from God. We received life, and we also received righteousness. Both life and righteousness are mentioned in Romans 5. What elements did we have before we were saved? Before we were saved we were one with Satan, and we had the elements of sin and death. But when we were saved, we received righteousness, which is versus sin, and life, which is versus death
3我们在消极和积极方面，都有两种元素。在消极方面，我们有罪和死；在积极方面，我们有义和生命。在这四种元素里，各有某种素质。生命和义的素质属于一类；罪和死的素质是另一类。
3On both the negative side and the positive side, we have two elements. On the negative side, we have sin and death; on the positive side, we have righteousness and life. In each of these four elements there is a certain kind of essence. The essence of life and the essence of righteousness are of one kind, and the essence of sin and the essence of death are a different kind.
义与生命
Righteousness and Life
4现在我们把这些事应用到我们的经历上。当我们在死的元素里，我们就经历死的素质，实质。我们可以再用茶作说明。我们喝茶时，所喝的不是茶的元素，所喝的乃是茶的素质。当我们接受主耶稣而得救重生时，我们接受了两种元素，然而我们不应当说我们接受了两种素质。我们在重生时，接受了生命和义的元素，现今我们乃是在这些元素里生活。但是说我们接受了两种素质，现今在这些素质里生活，这就不对了。我们已经接受了生命和义的元素，现今正在享受并经历这些元素的素质。我们已经接受了义的元素，现今正在享受这元素的素质。同样的，我们已经接受了生命的元素，现今正在经历这元素的素质。我们在重生以前，是在罪和死的元素里，因著里面罪和死之素质的运行作工而受苦。这简短的话可以帮助我们明白，怎样应用义与生命的素质和元素。我们神的儿女有两种神圣的元素－义和生命。现今我们在日常的经历中，享受神圣的义和神圣的生命。但是严格的说，我们是享受神圣的义与生命的素质，实质。
4Let us now apply these matters to our experience. When we were in the element of death, we experienced the essence, the substance, of death. Again, we may use tea as an illustration. When we drink tea, what we drink is not the element of tea; we drink the essence of tea. When we received the Lord Jesus at the time we were saved and regenerated, we received two elements. However, we should not say that we received two essences. At regeneration we received the elements of life and righteousness, and now we are living in these elements. But it would not be correct to say that we received two essences and that we are now living in these essences. Having received the elements of life and righteousness, we are now enjoying and experiencing the essences of these elements. We have received the element of righteousness, and now we are enjoying the essence of this element. Likewise, we have received the element of life, and now we are experiencing the essence of this element. Before we were regenerated, we were in the elements of sin and death, and we were suffering from the working of the essence of sin and the essence of death within us. This brief word may help us to know how to apply the essence and element of righteousness and life. As children of God, we have two divine elements— righteousness and life. Now in our daily experience we enjoy the divine righteousness and the divine life. However, strictly speaking, we enjoy the essence, the substance, of the divine righteousness and life
出死入生
Passing out of Death into Life
5我们已指出，藉著重生，我们已经从死的源头、素质、元素和范围出来，进入生命的源头、素质、元素和范围。请注意这次序：源头、素质、元素、范围。素质在源头之后，元素在素质之后，范围又在元素之后。首先有源头，然后从源头流出素质，素质形成元素，末了这元素变成范围。因此关于生命，首先有生命的源头，从这生命的源头流出生命的素质；这素质形成生命的元素；然后这生命的元素成为生命的范围。
5We have pointed out that through regeneration we have passed out of the source, essence, element, and sphere of death into the source, essence, element, and sphere of life. Please notice the sequence: source, essence, element, and sphere. The essence follows the source, the element follows the essence, and the sphere follows the element. First we have the source. Then out of the source comes the essence. The essence forms an element, and eventually this element becomes a sphere. Therefore, regarding life, we first have the source of life. Out of this source of life comes the essence of life. The essence forms the element of life, and this element of life then becomes the sphere of life.
6我们可以用泉源来说明生命的源头、生命的素质、生命的元素、以及生命的范围。水从泉源流出，成为一道河。泉源是源头。我们可以说氧化氢（H20）是从泉源流出之物的素质；这素质取了水的形状；涌流的水成为一道河。这里有泉源作源头，氧化氢作素质，水作元素，河流作范围。因此，在河流的范围里有水作元素；这元素的素质是氧化氢；这一切的源头乃是泉源。我们神的儿女已经从神接受了神圣的生命。神是神圣生命的源头，泉源。神圣生命的素质就是神的所是。因此，神的所是，神的素质，是我们所接受作为神圣生命之灵水的素质。这生命也是我们能凭以并在其中生活的元素。当我们在神圣生命的元素里生活，神圣的生命就成为我们生活的范围。现今我们在神圣生命的范围里生活，拥有神圣生命的元素，并且享受神圣生命的素质。不仅如此，当我们享受神圣生命的素质，我们与作这生命源头的神就有了生机的联结。这就是为甚么我们说，神圣的生命有源头、素质、元素和范围。在原则上，死也是一样。我们得救重生以前，是在死的源头、素质、元素和范围里。我们在死的范围里生活，有死的元素，受死的素质苦害。不仅如此，我们也与撒但（死的源头）联结。因此，我们在重生以前，经历且遭受死的源头、素质、元素和范围的苦害。我们得救以前，经历死的四方面。现今既然得救了，就经历生命的四方面。虽然我们都有这几面的经历，但我们缺少知识来分析，也缺少辞汇来描述。
6We may use a fountain to illustrate the difference between the source of life, the essence of life, the element of life, and the sphere of life. Water flows out of a fountain and becomes a river. The fountain is the source. We may say tha tH2O is the essence of what comes out of the fountain. This essence then takes the form of water, and the flowing water becomes a river. Here we have the fountain as the source, the H2O as the essence, the water as the element, and the river as the sphere. Therefore, in the sphere of the river we have the water as the element, and the essence of this element isH2O. The source of it all is the fountain. As children of God, we have received the divine life from God. God is the source, the fountain, of the divine life. The essence of the divine life is the very being of God. Hence, God’s being, His essence, is the essence of the spiritual water we have received as the divine life. This life also is an element by which and in which we can live. When we live in the element of the divine life, the divine life becomes the sphere of our living. Now we are living in the sphere of the divine life, possessing the element of the divine life, and enjoying the essence of the divine life. Furthermore, as we enjoy the essence of the divine life, we are organically joined to God as the source of this life. This is the reason we say that with the divine life we have the source, the essence, the element, and the sphere. The principle is the same with death. Before we were saved and regenerated, we were in the source, essence, element, and sphere of death. We were living in the sphere of death, possessing the element of death, and suffering the essence of death. Moreover, we were joined to Satan, the source of death. Therefore, before regeneration, we were experiencing and suffering the source, essence, element, and sphere of death. Before we were saved, we experienced the four aspects of death. Now that we have been saved, we experience the four aspects of life. Although we have had all these aspects in our experience, we have been short of the knowledge to analyze them and the terms to describe them.
为弟兄舍命
LAYING DOWN OUR LIVES
ON BEHALF OF THE BROTHERS
7约翰在约壹三章十六节说，『主为我们舍命，在此我们就知道何为爱；我们也当为弟兄舍命。』这节的『命，』直译是『魂。』因此，这节说，基督为我们舍了祂的魂生命，祂的朴宿克（psuche）生命；而不说基督舍了祂的神圣生命，祂的奏厄（zoe）生命。基督为我们舍了祂的魂，意思就是为我们舍了祂属人的生命。现今我们应当为弟兄舍命。这意思是如果必要，我们应当为弟兄死。我们里面有这样一个爱的生命，渴望为弟兄死，也能为弟兄死。我们里面神圣的生命，奏厄（zoe），渴望爱弟兄，如果必要，甚至为弟兄死。我们能这样作，因为我们有神圣的生命。
7In 3:16 John says, “In this we have known love, that that One laid down His life on our behalf, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers.” Literally, the Greek words for “life” and “lives” in this verse are “soul” and “souls.” Hence, this verse says that Christ laid down His soul life, His psuche life, for us, not His divine life, His zoe life. For Christ to lay down His soul for us means that He laid down His human life on our behalf. Now we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers. This means that, if necessary, we should die for them. We have within us such a loving life that longs to die for others and is able to die for them. The divine life within us, the zoe, longs to love others and even die for them if necessary. We are able to do this because we have the divine life.
在实际上爱人
LOVING IN REALITY
8约翰在约壹三章十七、十八节接著说，『凡有世上养生之物的，看见弟兄有需要，却向他塞住慈心，神的爱怎能住在他里面？孩子们，我们相爱，不要只在言语和舌头上，总要在行为和真诚上。』十七节的世上养生之物是指物质的东西，生活的必需品。在十八节里，行为与言语相对，真诚与舌头相对。舌头是指玩弄虚空的谈论，真诚是指爱的实际。真诚表明诚实，与舌头相对，正如行为与言语相对。这里的真诚是指神的真实，真诚，乃是神圣的美德成了人的美德，作神圣实际的流出。因此，这节的真诚是神的实际成为我们的美德。
8In verses 17 and 18 John continues, “But whoever has the livelihood of the world and beholds his brother having need and shuts up his affections from him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and truth.” The livelihood of the world in verse 17 refers to material things, to the necessities of life. In verse 18, deed is versus word, and truth versus tongue. Tongue denotes the play of vain talk. Truth denotes the reality of love. Truth denotes sincerity, in contrast with tongue, as deed with word. Truth here denotes the genuineness, the sincerity, of God as a divine virtue becoming a human virtue as an issue of the divine reality. Therefore, the truth in this verse is the reality of God becoming our virtue
9约翰说，我们爱弟兄，不该只在言语和舌头上，不该只告诉圣徒，我们爱他们。这不是在真诚上的爱，在实际上的爱。在真诚或实际上爱圣徒，意思是在成为我们美德的神圣实际上，在诚实、信实、真诚、真实的事情上爱他们。我们应当这样来爱弟兄。当然，这种在真诚上的爱，包含在必要的时候，以物质的东西或金钱供给有需要的人。我们不应当用虚空的谈论来爱弟兄；我们应当在真诚上，甚至用我们养生之物来爱弟兄。我们不应当以为，在真诚上爱人，只是用一种属人的美德，只是在真挚里来爱人。不是。约翰在这里不是说到人天然美德的真挚。这里的真诚超过人的真挚；这乃是神圣的实际成为我们的美德。因此，这乃是神之所是的彰显；这就是说，我们爱圣徒的时候应当彰显神。
9John says that we should not love the brothers merely in word or in tongue, not merely telling the saints that we love them. This is not love in truth, love in reality. To love the saints in truth or reality means to love them in the divine reality that becomes our virtue, something that is honest, faithful, sincere, and real. We should love the brothers in this way. Of course, this kind of love in truth includes a love that supplies the needy ones with material things or money when necessary. We should not love the brothers with vain words; we should love them in truth and even with our livelihood. We should not think that to love in truth is simply to love in the human virtue of sincerity. No, here John is not speaking of the natural human virtue of sincerity. The truth here is more than human sincerity; it is the divine reality becoming our virtue. Thus, it is the expression of what God is. This means that in loving the saints we should express God.
知道我们是属真理的
KNOWING THAT WE ARE OF THE TRUTH
10约翰在约壹三章十九节上接著说，『在此就知道，我们是属真理的。』这节的真理是指我们在神圣出生时，从神所得著那永远生命的实际。我们得著了永远的生命，如今能凭神圣的爱来爱弟兄。我们用神圣的爱来爱弟兄，就知道我们是属这实际的。
10In 3:19a John goes on to say, “In this we shall know that we are of the truth.” In this verse truth denotes the reality of the eternal life which we have received of God in our divine birth. Having received eternal life, we may now love the brothers by the divine love. By loving the brothers with the divine love, we know that we are of this reality
11『在此』是指十八节所题在真诚上爱弟兄。这真诚是经历三一神作我们实际的结果。我们在这种爱里就知道，就有把握，我们是属真理的。十八、十九节所用的『真诚、』『真理』（原文同字）各有所指。十八节的真诚是指人一种真诚的美德，乃是我们享受三一神作实际的结果。但十九节的真理是指永远生命的实际，比我们的真诚更高、更深、更丰富。这真理是我们在神圣出生时，从神所得著那永远生命的实际，使我们能凭这爱来爱弟兄。
11The phrase “in this” refers to our loving the brothers in truth, in sincerity, as mentioned in verse 18. This truth is the issue of the experience of the Triune God as our reality. In this kind of love we shall know, shall have the assurance, that we are of the truth. In verses 18 and 19 the word “truth” is used with two different denotations. In verse 18 truth denotes the human virtue of sincerity, a virtue that is the issue of the enjoyment of the Triune God as our reality. But in verse 19 truth denotes the reality of eternal life, which is something higher, deeper, and richer than our sincerity. This truth is the reality of the eternal life which we received from God in our divine birth so that we may love the brothers by this love
神圣的出生与永远的生命
DIVINE BIRTH AND ETERNAL LIFE
12约翰在这封书信里陈明深入、神圣且奥秘的事，这一切都与神圣的生命有关。然而，基督徒说到神的生命或永远的生命，他们的领会通常很有限。他们并没有深入、丰富且深奥的领会神圣的生命。有些信徒甚至不明白永远的生命是一件生机的事；他们以为永远的生命仅仅是我们将要在永世里享受的永远福分，或永恒生命。然而即使我们正确的领会永远的生命是一件生机的事，我们的领会可能还是相当肤浅。我们藉著神圣的出生，已经得著了永远的生命。许多基督徒谈到永恒的生命，他们不了解永远的生命是神圣出生的结果，结局，果子。我们许多人不了解，永远的生命进到我们里面，乃是神圣出生的结果。我们说到永远的生命，可能没有一种观念，看见这与神圣的出生有关。因此，看见永远的生命已经藉著神圣的出生进到我们里面，这对我们是很重要的。没有神圣的出生，就不会有永远的生命。
12In this Epistle John presents deep, divine, and mysterious things. All these things are related to the divine life. However, Christians often speak of the life of God or eternal life with a very limited understanding. They do not understand the divine life in a deep, rich, and profound way. Some believers do not even realize that eternal life is an organic matter. They regard eternal life merely as an eternal blessing or as everlasting life that we shall enjoy in eternity. But even though we may have a right understanding of eternal life as something organic, our understanding of it may still be rather shallow. We have received eternal life through our divine birth. However, when many Christians talk about everlasting life, they do not realize that eternal life is the result, the issue, the fruit, of the divine birth. In the past, many of us did not realize that eternal life came into us as a result of the divine birth. In speaking about eternal life, we may not have had the concept that it is related to the divine birth. Therefore, it is important for us to realize that eternal life has come into us through the divine birth. Apart from the divine birth, we cannot have eternal life
13我们已经看见，十九节的真理（或实际）是指我们在神圣出生时，所得著神圣生命的实际。因此，这实际与神圣的生命和神圣的出生有关。我们既然已经得著了神圣的生命，我们就能凭著神圣的爱来爱弟兄。这里有神圣的出生、神圣的生命、和神圣的爱。藉此我们看见，爱弟兄不是一件肤浅或简单的事。相反的，我们对弟兄的爱乃是神圣出生与神圣生命的结果。因为我们已经藉著神圣的出生得著了神圣的生命，我们就有神圣的爱，叫我们能以这爱来爱弟兄。我们可以说，我们有爱弟兄所需要的属灵资本。神圣的生命是我们爱弟兄的能力。我们足能爱弟兄，因为我们已经从神而生。藉著神圣的出生，我们已经得著了神圣的生命，这生命的素质乃是爱。因此，我们能以神圣的爱来爱弟兄。我们若在真诚（我们享受神作实际的结果）上爱弟兄，这就证明我们是在神圣的实际里。这确证一件事实：我们是在藉神圣出生所得著之神圣生命的实际里；我们以神圣的爱来爱弟兄，藉此就知道我们是属神圣实际的。
13We have seen that in verse 19 truth, or reality, refers to the reality of the divine life which we received in our divine birth. Therefore, this reality involves the divine life and the divine birth. Now that we have received the divine life, we can love the brothers by the divine love. Here we have the divine birth, the divine life, and the divine love. By this we see that loving the brothers is not a shallow or simple matter. On the contrary, our love for the brothers is the issue of the divine birth and the divine life. Because we have received the divine life through the divine birth, we have the divine love with which to love the brothers. We may say that we have the spiritual capital needed to love the brothers. The divine life is our ability to love the brothers. We are well able to love the brothers because we have been born of God. Through the divine birth we have received the divine life, and the essence of this life is love. Therefore, we can love the brothers with the divine love. If we love the brothers in sincerity, which is the issue of our enjoyment of God as reality, this will be the evidence that we are in the divine reality. It will be a confirmation of the fact that we are in the reality of the divine life, which we have received through the divine birth. By loving the brothers with the divine love, we know that we are of the divine reality