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约翰壹书生命读经 · 第5篇

神圣生命的交通

The Fellowship of the Divine Life
1读经：约翰一书一章三至七节。我们在前面几篇信息里已经看过，这封书信里第一件基本的事─神圣的生命。现在我们来看第二件基本的事，就是神圣生命的交通。神圣生命的交1通实际上就是整本约翰一书的主题。约翰福音启示耶稣基督是神圣的生命，给我们接受。我们相信祂的时候，祂就进到我们里面，我们就得著祂在我们里面作生命。这封书信是约翰福音的延续，给我们看见我们接受神圣的生命以后，就可以有生命的交通，作为神圣生命的流出。神圣生命的交通乃是对神圣生命真实的享受。换句话说，我们若要经历神圣的生命，就需要密切注意这生命的交通。
1Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:3-7 In previous messages we have considered the first of the basic matters in this Epistle—the divine life. Now we come to the second basic matter, and this is the fellowship of the divine life. Actually, the fellowship of the divine life is the topic of the entire Epistle of John. In the Gospel of John Jesus Christ is revealed as the divine life for us to receive. When we believe in Him, He comes into us, and we have Him as life within. As the continuation of the Gospel of John, this Epistle shows us that after receiving the divine life, we may have the fellowship of life as the issue of the divine life. The fellowship of the divine life is the real enjoyment of the divine life. In other words, if we would experience the divine life, we need to pay close attention to the fellowship of this life.
2约翰在约壹一章三节说，『我们将所看见并听见的，也传与你们，使你们也可以与我们有交通；而且我们的交1通，又是与父并与他儿子耶稣基督所有的。』一节先说『听见，』再说『看见。』这里正好相反。在领受启示时，听见是基本的；但在传讲、传报时，看见应当是根基。我们所传讲的，该是我们对所听见之事的领略和经历。使徒听见并看见永远的生命，然后将这生命传与信徒，使他们也可以听见并看见。藉著永远的生命，使徒享受了与父并与祂儿子主耶稣的交通；他们渴望信徒也能享受这交通。神圣生命的流出与流通
2In 1:3 John says, “That which we have seen and heard we report also to you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed the fellowship which is ours is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” Verse speaks of “have heard” and then “have seen.” Here it is vice versa. In receiving revelation, hearing is the basic thing. But in preaching, in reporting, seeing should be the base. What we preach should be what we have laid hold of and experienced of the things we have heard. The apostles have heard and seen the eternal life. Then they report it to the believers that they may also hear and see it. By virtue of the eternal life, the apostles have enjoyed fellowship with the Father and with His Son, the Lord Jesus. They desire that the believers may also enjoy this fellowship. THE ISSUE AND FLOW OF THE DIVINE LIFE
3交通一辞，原文意一同参与，共同分享。交通乃是永远生命的流出，并且实际上，就是所有已经接受并得著神圣生命之信徒里面永远生命的流。这是新耶路撒冷里生命水的流所描绘的。（启二二1。）因此，所有的真信徒都在这交通里。（徒二42。）这交通是凭我们重生之灵里的那灵而得继续的，因此称为圣灵的交通（林后十三14）和（我们）灵的交通。(腓二1。）我们信徒乃是在这永远生命的交通里，有分于父与子所是、并为我们所作的一切；这乃是我们藉著那灵的交通，享受父的爱和子的恩。这样的交通首先是使徒在藉著那灵享受父与子上所得的分，因此称为使徒的交通，（徒二42，）以及约壹一章三节我们（使徒）的交通，就是与父并与祂儿子耶稣基督的交通。这是个神圣的奥秘。永远生命这奥秘的交通，应当视为这封书信的主题。
3The Greek word for fellowship, koinonia, means joint participation, common participation. It is the issue of the eternal life, and is actually the flow of the eternal life within all the believers, who have received and possess the divine life. It is illustrated by the flow of the water of life in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:1). Hence, all genuine believers are in this fellowship (Acts 2:42). It is carried on by the Spirit in our regenerated spirit. Hence, it is called “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” (2 Cor. 13:14) and “fellowship of [our] spirit” (Phil. 2:1). It is in this fellowship of the eternal life that we the believers participate in all the Father and the Son are and have done for us; that is, we enjoy the love of the Father and the grace of the Son by virtue of the fellowship of the Spirit. Such a fellowship was first the apostles’ portion in enjoying the Father and the Son through the Spirit. Hence, it is called “the fellowship of the apostles” (Acts 2:42) and “the fellowship which is ours [the apostles’]” in 1 John 1:3, a fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. It is a divine mystery. This mysterious fellowship of the eternal life should be considered the subject of this Epistle.
4交通是一同参与，共同分享。因此，交通乃是共同参与一件事。神圣生命的交通乃是神圣生命的流出与流通。因为神圣的生命是生机的、丰富的、行动的、活泼的，所以牠有特殊的流出，有某种的结果。神圣生命的流出、结果，乃是生命的交通。神圣生命的交通在启示录二十二章一节有清楚的描绘。在这一节我们看见，在新耶路撒冷里，生命水的河从神和羔羊的宝座流出来。神和羔羊的宝座就是救赎的神─羔羊神的宝座。创世记一章一节有神，但启示录二十二章一节有神同羔羊；创世记有创造的神，但启示录有救赎的神。从这位作源头的救赎之神，流出生命水的河。这生命水河的流通就是生命的交通。这就是说，交通乃是神圣的生命，从救赎的神里面向外涌流。按照启示录里的图画，新耶路撒冷里那一道河呈螺旋状往下流，直流到十二个城门。藉此我们能看见，新耶路撒冷全城都得著这道活水的流的供应，也就是得著生命交通的供应。神圣生命的交通从神流出来，经过祂的子民，以达到基督身体的每一部分，这身体要完成于新耶路撒冷。
4Fellowship is a common participation, a joint participation. Therefore, to have fellowship is to have a corporate participation in something. The fellowship of the divine life is the issue and flow of the divine life. Because the divine life is organic, rich, moving, and active, it has a particular issue, a certain kind of outcome. The issue, the outcome, of the divine life is the fellowship of life. The fellowship of the divine life is clearly portrayed in Revelation 22:1. In this verse we see that in the New Jerusalem the river of the water of life flows out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. The throne of God and of the Lamb is the throne of the redeeming God, the Lamb-God. In Genesis 1:1 we have God, but in Revelation 22:1 we have God with the Lamb. In Genesis we have the creating God, but in Revelation we have the redeeming God. Out of this redeeming God as the source flows the river of water of life. The flow of the river of water of life is the fellowship of life. This means that fellowship is the outflow of the divine life from within the redeeming God. According to the picture in Revelation, the river in the New Jerusalem flows downward in a spiral until it reaches the twelve gates of the city. By this we can see that the entire city of the New Jerusalem is supplied by the flow of this living water; that is, it is supplied by the fellowship of life. The fellowship of the divine life flows out of God and through His people in order to reach every part of the Body of Christ, which will consummate in the New Jerusalem
那灵的交通
the fellowship of the Spirit
5神圣生命的交通，或神圣生命的流通，就是那灵的交通。林后十三章十四节说，『愿主耶稣基督的恩，神的爱，圣灵的交通，与你们众人同在。』在这里我们看见，神的爱是源头，基督的恩是流道，那灵的交通是这流道的流通。乃是这流把基督的恩和神的爱带给我们，作我们的享受。因此，神圣生命的交通称作圣灵的交通。
5The fellowship of the divine life, or the flow of the divine life, is the fellowship of the Spirit. Second Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Here we see that the love of God is the source, that the grace of Christ is the course, and that the fellowship of the Spirit is the flow of the course. It is this flow that brings the grace of Christ and the love of God to us for our enjoyment. Therefore, the fellowship of the divine life is called the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
信徒与使徒之间
BETWEEN THE BELIEVERS AND THE APOSTLES
6神圣生命的交通乃是信徒与使徒之间的交通。（约壹一3下，徒二。）这就是说，在信徒和使徒之间有一种对三一神的共享。信徒与使徒需要彼此接触。有正确的接触，就有双向的来往，这来往就是交通，共同分享。当我们有这双向的来往时，我们就享受那在我们里面神圣的生命。这就是说，当我们有交通时，我们就有对神圣生命的享受。
6The fellowship of the divine life is a fellowship between the believers and the apostles (1 John 1:3b; Acts 2:42). This means that there is a joint enjoyment of the 42 Triune God among the believers and the apostles. The believers and the apostles need to have contact with one another. When there is the proper contact, there will be a two-way traffic, and this traffic is fellowship, a common participation. When we have this two-way traffic, we enjoy the divine life that is within us. This means that when we have fellowship, we have the enjoyment of the divine life.
7这种双向的交通越多越好。我们越接触使徒，就越享受神圣的生命。然而，有些人可能会指出，如今使徒不再与我们同在了。这没有错，但我们还有使徒的著作。每当我们来看使徒的著作，我们都会感觉被带进与使徒的交通里，享受我们与他们之间双向的来往。于是在这样的来往里，我们与他们一同享受神圣的生命。信徒与父
7The more of this two-way traffic we have, the better it will be. The more we contact the apostles, the more we shall enjoy the divine life. However, some may point out that the apostles are no longer with us. This is true, but we still have the writings of the apostles. Whenever we come to the apostles’ writings, we may have the sense of being brought into fellowship with the apostles and enjoying the two-way traffic between us and them. Then in this traffic we enjoy the divine life together with them. BETWEEN THE BELIEVERS AND THE FATHER
并与祂儿子耶稣基督之间
AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST
8神圣生命的交通乃是信徒与父并与祂儿子耶稣基督之间的交通。约翰说，首先信徒藉著神圣的生命与使徒有交通。然后他说，使徒与父和子有交通。藉此我们看见，交通将信徒联于使徒，并联于父和子。因此，在这交通里有神圣生命完满的一。电的流通是神圣生命的交通很好的说明。电从发电厂流到建筑物里面，电流就将发电厂联于建筑物。不仅如此，在建筑物某个房间点了灯的天花板上，个别的灯藉著电流的流通就彼此相联。没有电流的流通，天花板上的灯是分开的；但藉著电的流通，这些灯就被带进彼此的『交通』里，因为牠们都在同一个电流里面。这个例子，说明使徒和信徒在神圣生命里一同享受交通的事实。
8The fellowship of the divine life is between the believers and the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. John says that first the believers have fellowship with the apostles through the divine life. Then he says that the apostles have fellowship with the Father and the Son. By this we see that fellowship joins the believers to the apostles and to the Father and the Son. Therefore, in this fellowship there is the full oneness of the divine life. The flowing of electricity is a good illustration of the fellowship of the divine life. Electricity flows from the power plant into a building. The electrical current connects the power plant to the building. Furthermore, in a lighted ceiling of a particular room in the building, the individual lights are connected to each other by the flow of the electrical current. Apart from the flow of the current, the lights in the ceiling are separate. But through the flow of electricity, the lights are brought into a “fellowship” with one another, for they are all in the one flow of electricity. This is an illustration of the fact that the apostles and the believers enjoy fellowship together in the divine life.
信徒彼此所有的交通
THE FELLOWSHIP THE BELIEVERS HAVE with one another
9在神圣的生命里，信徒彼此有交通。（约壹一7，腓二1。）房间天花板上的电灯里面怎样有电流在流通，照样，我们众人里面也有神圣的流在流通。在这神圣的生命里，并藉著这神圣的生命，我们有交通，使我们得以享受神圣的生命。我们越有神圣的生命在我们里面流通，我们就越享受神圣的生命。
9In the divine life the believers have fellowship with one another (1:7; Phil. 2:1). As the electrical lights in the ceiling of a room have a current flowing within them, so we all have the divine current flowing within us. In this divine life and through this divine life we have fellowship for the enjoyment of the divine life. The more we have the divine life flowing within us, the more we enjoy the divine life
10在约壹一章三节只说到父与子，没有说到灵，因为那灵是隐含在交通里。事实上，永远生命的交通就是三一神父、子、灵─分赐到信徒里面，作他们惟一的分，给他们享受，从今时直到永远。
10In 1:3 only the Father and the Son are mentioned, not the Spirit, because the Spirit is implied in the fellowship. Actually, the fellowship of the eternal life is the impartation of the Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—into the believers as their unique portion for them to enjoy today and for eternity
使喜乐得以满足
FOR FULL JOY
11约翰在一章四节接著说，『我们写这些事，是要叫我们的喜乐得以满足。』『我们的，』有些古卷作『你们的。』使徒的喜乐也就是信徒的喜乐，因为信徒是在使徒的交通里。
11John goes on to say in 1:4, “And these things we write that our joy may be made full.” Instead of “our,” some manuscripts read “your.” The apostles’ joy is also the believers’ joy because the believers are in the fellowship of the apostles
12交通是永远生命的流出，喜乐（对三一神的享受）乃是这交通的结果，就是藉著那灵有分于父的爱和子的恩的结果。因著这种对神圣生命属灵的享受，我们在三一神里的喜乐就得以满足。我们通常不认为喜乐是重要的一项。但在这封书信里，在神圣的生命与神圣生命的交通之后，所题到第三件重要的事就是喜乐。神圣的生命带来交通，交通带来喜乐。
12Fellowship is the issue of the eternal life; and joy, that is, the enjoyment of the Triune God, is the issue of this fellowship, the issue of participation in the Father’s love and the Son’s grace through the Spirit. By such a spiritual enjoyment of the divine life, our joy in the Triune God may be made full. We do not usually regard joy as a major item. But in this Epistle, joy is the third matter of major importance to be covered, coming after the divine life and the fellowship of the divine life. The divine life issues in fellowship, and fellowship issues in joy
13你是个喜乐的基督徒，还是个忧愁的基督徒？忧愁也许指明你不在神圣生命的交通里。但你若是满了喜乐，你就在这交通里。新约用三个辞描述我们在神圣生命里的喜乐，除了『喜乐』以外，还用了『欢乐』和『欢腾』二辞。我们不仅该喜乐，我们也该欢乐并欢腾。喜乐而缄默还有可能，但我们要欢乐并欢腾，就不能保持缄默。神的救恩叫我们喜乐，更使我们欢乐并欢腾。因此，我们聚在一起的时候，我们应当喜乐。在旧约里，当神的百姓来在一起过节的时候，他们满了喜乐。诗篇里甚至嘱咐他们要向耶和华大声欢呼。(诗九五I，九八4，6。）宗教不喜欢听到欢呼声，神却欣赏我们的欢呼。神喜欢看见我们满了喜乐。因此，使徒约翰告诉我们，如果我们享受神圣生命的交通，我们必定会满了喜乐。不仅如此，当我们满了喜乐时，我们就会欢乐并欢腾。我们都该是这样欢乐并欢腾的基督徒。让我们喜乐的来参加召会的聚会，因为我们在神圣的交通里享受神圣的生命。
13Are you a joyful Christian, or are you a sorrowful one? To be sorrowful may be an indication that you are out of the fellowship of the divine life. But if you are joyful, full of joy, you are in this fellowship. The New Testament uses three words to describe our joy in the divine life. In addition to the word “joyful,” the words “rejoice” and “exult” are used. Not only should we be joyful— we should also rejoice and exult. It is possible to be joyful and yet be silent. But in order to rejoice and exult we cannot remain silent. God’s salvation makes us joyful and causes us to rejoice and exult. Therefore, when we gather together, we should be joyful. In the Old Testament God’s people were full of joy when they came together for the feasts. In the Psalms they were even charged to make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psa. 95:1; 98:4, 6). Religion does not like to hear a joyful noise, but God appreciates it. He likes to see that we are full of joy. Hence, the apostle John tells us that if we enjoy the fellowship of the divine life, we shall surely be full of joy. Furthermore, when we are full of joy, we shall rejoice and exult. We all should be such rejoicing and exulting Christians. Let us come to the church meetings joyfully because we enjoy the divine life in the divine fellowship.
享受神作光
ENJOYING GOD AS LIGHT
14约翰在一章五节说，『神就是光，在祂里面毫无黑暗；这是我们从祂所听见，现在又报给你们的信息。』除了前面经文里三件主要的事：生命、交通和喜乐以外，使徒从主所听见进一步的信息，乃是报给信徒，神就是光。首先我们有神圣的生命，然后本于这生命，我们有神圣生命的交通。交通带来喜乐。当我们在这交通的喜乐元素里，我们就在神的光中。因此，先后顺序是生命、交通、喜乐和光。
14In 1:5 John says, “And this is the message which we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” In addition to the three main things in the preceding verses— life, fellowship, and joy—a further message, which the apostles have heard from the Lord, is to announce to the believers that God is light. First we have the divine life, and then out of this we have the fellowship of the divine life. Fellowship issues in joy. When we are in this joyful element of the fellowship, we are in the light of God. Therefore, the sequence is life, fellowship, joy, and light
15在前面的经文里，是以明言说到父与子，而那灵是隐含在永远生命的交通里。这里是这封书信首次说到神，并说到祂是三一神─父、子、灵。这位神正如在福音的光中所启示的，乃是光。约翰和其他早期门徒所听见的信息，无疑的，就是主耶稣在约翰八章十二节和九章五节所说的话：祂就是光。然而，约翰在这里说，这信息乃是神就是光。这指明主耶稣就是神，含示神圣三一的素质。『神就是光』一辞，就像约壹四章八节和十六节『神就是爱，』以及约翰四章二十四节『神是灵』一样，不是作为隐喻，乃是作为叙述，用以指明并描述神的性质。在祂的性质上，神是灵，是爱，也是光。灵是指神人位的性质，爱是指神素质的性质，光是指神彰显的性质。爱与光都与神是生命有关，这生命是属于灵的。（罗八2。）神、灵和生命，实际上乃是一。神就是灵，灵就是生命。在这样的生命里，有爱也有光。这神圣的爱向我们显明，就成了恩典；这神圣的光照在我们身上，就成了真理。约翰的福音书启示主耶稣将恩典和真理带给我们，（约一14,17，）使我们得著神圣的生命；(约三14~16；)约翰的书信揭示神圣生命的交通把我们带到恩典和真理的源头，就是神圣的爱与神圣的光。他的书信乃是他福音书的延续。在他的福音书里，是神在子里到我们这里来作恩典和真理，使我们成为神的儿女；（约一12~13；）在他的书信里，是我们这些儿女在父生命的交通里，往父那里去，有分于祂的爱与光。前者是神出到外院子，在祭坛那里满足我们的需要；（利四28~31；）后者是我们进入至圣所，在约柜那里接触神。（出二五22。）这是对神圣生命更往前、更深的经历。在约翰的福音书里，我们因著信入子，接受了神圣的生命，接著就该在他的书信里，藉著这生命的交通，继续享受这生命。他全部的书信都是向我们揭示这一件事，就是藉著住在神圣生命的交通里享受这生命。神是灵，这是指祂的身位。神也是爱和光，爱是指祂的素质，光是指祂的彰显。神的爱与神的光都与祂的生命有关。这生命实际上就是神自己。生命也就是那灵。当这生命显现出来时，牠乃是带著恩典与真理而来。当我们接受主耶稣时，我们就接受了生命，现今我们享受恩典与真理。这生命将我们带回归神。首先，神来到我们这里，使我们可以接受恩典和真理。现在我们回到父那里，接触祂这位恩典和真理的源头，这源头就是爱和光。我们回到父那里，就可以享受爱作恩典的源头，并享受光作真理的源头。因此，在神圣生命的交通里，我们被带回到神那里，享受爱作恩典的源头，以及光作真理的源头。这种对爱和光的领会不是出自人的推理，乃是来自主话中神圣的启示。在这启示里，有好些项目给我们享受，就好比筵席上的许多道佳肴一样。我们有神，有那灵作神身位的性质，有爱作神素质的性质，有光作神彰显的性质，有神圣的生命、恩典和真理。我们有了这一切神圣的事物，就被带回到父神那里。当我们被带回到父那里，我们就会见祂，并享受祂这爱，就是恩典的源头，享受祂这光，就是真理的源头。何等美妙，我们在神圣生命的交通里享受神圣的光！
15In the preceding verses, the Father and Son are mentioned with clear words, and the Spirit is implied in the fellowship of the eternal life. Here God is mentioned for the first time in this Epistle, and He is mentioned as the Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. This God, as revealed in the light of the gospel, is light. The message that John and the other early disciples heard was, undoubtedly, the word spoken by the Lord Jesus in John 8:12 and 9:5 that He is the light. However, John says here that the message was that God is light. This indicates that the Lord Jesus is God and implies the essence of the Divine Trinity. The expression, “God is light,” like “God is love” in 4:8 and 16, and “God is Spirit” in John 4:24, is used not in a metaphoric sense but in a predicative sense. These expressions denote and describe the nature of God. In His nature God is Spirit, love, and light. Spirit denotes the nature of God’s Person; love, the nature of God’s essence; and light, the nature of God’s express i on. Both love and light are related to God as life, which life is of the Spirit (Rom. 8:2). God, Spirit, and life are actually one. God is Spirit, and Spirit is life. Within such a life are love and light. When this divine love appears to us, it becomes grace, and when this divine light shines upon us, it becomes truth. John’s Gospel reveals that the Lord Jesus has brought grace and truth to us (John 1:14, 17) that we may have the divine life (John 3:14-16), whereas his Epistle unveils that the fellowship of the divine life brings us to the very sources of grace and truth, which are the divine love and the divine light. His Epistle is the continuation of his Gospel. In his Gospel it was God in the Son coming to us as grace and truth that we may become His children (John 1:12-13). In his Epistle it is we, the children, in the fellowship of the Father’s life, coming to the Father to participate in His love and light. The former was God coming out to the outer court to meet our need at the altar (Lev. 4:28-31); the latter is we entering into the Holy of Holies to contact Him at the ark (Exo. 25:22). This is further and deeper in the experience of the divine life. After receiving the divine life in John’s Gospel by believing in the Son, we should go on to enjoy this life in his Epistle through the fellowship of this life. His entire Epistle discloses to us this one thing, that is, the enjoyment of the divine life by abiding in its fellowship. God is Spirit. This refers to His Person. God is also love and light. Love refers to His essence, and light, to His expression. Both God’s love and light are related to His life. This life is actually God Himself. Life is also the Spirit. When this life was manifested, it came with grace and truth. When we received the Lord Jesus, we received life, and we now enjoy grace and truth. This life brings us back to God. First, God came to us so that we may receive grace and truth. Now we go back to the Father and contact Him as the source of grace and truth, and this source is love and light. Going back to the Father, we may enjoy love as the source of grace and light as the source of truth. Therefore, in the fellowship of the divine life, we are being brought back to God to enjoy love as the source of grace and light as the source of truth. This understanding of love and light is not derived from human reasoning; it comes from the divine revelation in the Word. In this revelation we have a number of items for our enjoyment, comparable to many courses of a feast. We have God, the Spirit as the nature of God’s person, love as the nature of God’s essence, light as the nature of God’sex press i on, the divine life, grace, and truth. When we have all these divine things, we are brought back to God the Father. When we are brought back to the Father, we meet Him and enjoy Him as love, which is the source of grace, and light, which is the source of truth. How marvelous that in the fellowship of the divine life we enjoy the divine light!
联于使徒
TO JOIN WITH THE APOSTLES
和三一神，
AND THE TRIUNE GOD
以完成神的定旨
FOR THE CARRYING OUT OF GOD’S PURPOSE
16我们在神圣生命的交通里联于使徒和三一神，以完成神的定旨。约翰在约壹一章三节的话，指明把个人的利益，为著某一共同的目的，放在一边，并联于别人。因此，与使徒有交通，在使徒的交通里，并在使徒的交通里与三一神有交通，乃是放下我们个人的利益，联于使徒和三一神，为著完成神的定旨。按照约翰的著作，这定旨是双重的。首先，这定旨是要信徒因著住在三一神里面，得以在神圣的生命里长大；(约壹二～27；）并基于神圣的出生，过神圣之义与神圣之爱的生活，（约壹二28～五3，）以胜过世界、死、罪、魔鬼和偶像。（约壹五4～21。）其次，这定旨是要众地方召会为著耶稣的见证，得以建造起来成为灯台，（启一～三，）并终结完成于新耶路撒冷，作神完满的彰显，直到永远。（启二一～二二。）我们有分于使徒对三一神的享受，就是联于使徒和三一神，以完成神、使徒和所有信徒所共有三一神的神圣定旨。
16In the fellowship of the divine life we join with the apostles and the Triune God for the carrying out of God’s purpose. John’s word in 1:3 indicates the putting away of private interest and joining with others for a certain common purpose. Hence, to have fellowship with the apostles, to be in the fellowship of the apostles, and to have fellowship with the Triune God in the apostles’ fellowship is to put aside our private interest and join with the apostles and the Triune God for the carrying out of God’s purpose. According to John’s writings, this purpose is twofold. First, this purpose is that the believers may grow in the divine life by abiding in the Triune God (2:12-12 27) and, based upon the divine birth, live a life of the divine righteousness and the divine love (2:28—5:3) to overcome the world, death, sin, the Devil, and idols (5:4-21). Second, it is that the local churches may be built up as the lampstands for the testimony of Jesus (Rev. 1—3) and consummate in the New Jerusalem as the full expression of God for eternity (Rev. 21—22). Our participation in the apostles’ enjoyment of the Triune God is our joining with them and with the Triune God for His divine purpose, which is common to God, the apostles, and all the believers.
17当我们在神圣的交通里享受三一神，我们就被带进一种情形里，自然而然的将自己联于使徒和三一神，为著一个共同的目的。神有一个定旨，使徒们实现神的定旨。我们在神圣的交通里享受神圣的生命，就有分于这定旨及其实现。神渴望藉著使徒，也藉著我们成就的定旨，首先是要信徒因著住在三一神里面，得以在神圣的生命里长大。不仅如此，神愿意信徒基于神圣的出生，过神圣之义与神圣之爱的生活，以胜过世界、罪、死、魔鬼和偶像。其次，神的定旨是要众地方召会被建造起来，成为耶稣的见证，末了这见证要终结完成于新耶路撒冷。因此，神的定旨是要祂每一个儿女都在神圣的生命里长大，过义和爱的生活，以胜过一切消极的事物。这样，众地方召会就要被建造成为耶稣的见证，最终就有新耶路撒冷，作三一神永远的彰显。这就是神的定旨，也是使徒工作的负担。他们与神共有这定旨。现在我们该在神圣生命的交通里联于他们，这样享受神圣生命里的交通，就会将我们引进使徒与三一神共有的权益里。我们的目的就与三一神和使徒一样，要信徒在生命里长大，过义和爱的生活，以胜过消极的事物，使众地方召会得以建造起来，结果产生新耶路撒冷，作三一神终结的彰显。
17When we enjoy the Triune God in the divine fellowship, we shall be brought into a situation where spontaneously we join ourselves to the apostles and the Triune God for a common purpose. God has a purpose, and the apostles work out God’s purpose. By enjoying the divine life in the divine fellowship, we participate in this purpose and its outworking. The purpose God desires to fulfill through the apostles and also through us is first that the believers would grow in the divine life by abiding in the Triune God. Furthermore, God intends that, based upon the divine birth, the believers would live a life of the divine righteousness and the divine love to overcome the world, sin, death, the Devil, and idols. Second, God’s purpose is that the local churches would be built up as the testimony of Jesus and that ultimately this testimony would consummate in the New Jerusalem. Therefore, God’s purpose is to have every child of His grow in the divine life and live a life of righteousness and love to overcome all negative things. Then the local churches will be built up as the testimony of Jesus, and ultimately there will be the New Jerusalem as the eternal expression of the Triune God. This is God’s purpose, and this is the burden of the apostles in their work. They have this purpose in common with God. Now we should join them in the fellowship of the divine life, and this enjoyment of fellowship in the divine life will usher us into the interests the apostles have in common with the Triune God. Along with the Triune God and the apostles, our purpose will be the believers’ growth in life and their living a life of righteousness and love to overcome negative things so that the local churches may be built up and issue in the New Jerusalem as the consummate expression of the Triune God.
18我们若看见真实的交通，就会晓得交通是一件大事。但是多年来我们所领会的交通，只是一种在神圣生命里的享受。我们没有看见交通也包括共同的权益。神供应我们享受不是没有目的的。神是有定旨的，祂将祂生命交通里的享受赐给我们，有一个定旨。神的定旨是要𫗪养我们，使我们可以在神圣的生命里长大，并且基于神圣的出生，可以过神圣之义与神圣之爱的生活，以胜过那恶者、世界、罪和一切偶像。神的定旨也是要众地方召会可以建造起来，作耶稣的见证。最终，这见证要完成于新耶路撒冷，作三一神完全、永远的彰显。这是神圣生命交通的目的。
18If we see what fellowship really is, we shall realize that fellowship is a great matter. However, for years we have understood fellowship to be merely a kind of enjoyment in the divine life. We have not seen that fellowship also involves a common interest. God does not supply us with enjoyment without a purpose. God is purposeful, and He has a purpose in giving us the enjoyment in the fellowship of His life. God’s purpose is to feed us so that we may grow in the divine life and that with the divine birth as the basis we may live a life of the divine righteousness and divine love to overcome the evil one, the world, sin, and all idols. It is also God’s purpose that the local churches may be built up as the testimony of Jesus. Eventually, this testimony will consummate in the New Jerusalem as the complete and eternal expression of the Triune God. This is the purpose of the fellowship of the divine life