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启示录生命读经 · 第14篇

在撒狄的召会─白衣和被主承认的名

The Church in Sardis— White Garment and Name Confessed by the Lord
1在启示录二、三章里七个召会的光景和情形，符合了召会历史的各个时期，这实在是主的主宰。从第一个世纪到现在，召会历史非常清楚的分为七个时期，就是起初时期，受苦时期，属世时期，背道时期，改教时期，召会恢复的时期，以及召会恢复后又堕落的时期。在本篇信息中，我们要来看在撒狄的召会，就是改革的召会。（启三1～6。）撒狄原文意余数、余剩者或恢复。就表号说，在撒狄的召会豫表从改教至基督再来时的更正教。改教运动是神对背道罗马天主教（由堕落的推雅推喇召会所表征）的反应。改教是由少数余剩的信徒完成的，因此是余剩者所带进的恢复。
1It is truly sovereign of the Lord that the situation and condition of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 match the stages of church history. The history of the church from the first century to the present is clearly divided into seven stages: the initial stage, the suffering stage, the worldly stage, the apostate stage, the stage of Reformation, the stage of the recovered church, and the stage of the degradation of the recovered church. In this message we must consider the church in Sardis, the church in reformation (3:1-6). Sardis in Greek means the remains, the remainder, or the restoration. As a sign, the church in Sardis prefigures the Protestant Church from the time of the Reformation to the second coming of Christ. The Reformation was God’s reaction to the apostate Roman Catholic Church, signified by the degraded church in Thyatira. It was accomplished by a minority of the believers, the remainder. Hence, it was the restoration by the remainder
壹 说话者─
I. THE SPEAKER—
那有神的七灵
HE WHO HAS THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD
和七星的
AND THE SEVEN STARS
2在三章一节主说，『那有神的七灵和七星的，这样说。』神的七灵是为著使召会加强的活，七星是为著使召会加强的亮。对于在以弗所的召会，基督是那手中握著七星，在七个金灯台中间行走的。初期的召会需要基督的照顾，召会的领头人也需要祂保守的恩典。对于在士每拿的召会，基督是那死过又活的。受苦的召会需要基督复活的生命。对于在别迦摩的召会，基督是那有两刃利剑的。堕落、属世的召会需要基督审判并击杀的话。对于在推雅推喇的召会，基督是那眼目如火焰，脚像明亮之铜的。背道的召会需要基督的鉴察和审判。如今对于在撒狄的召会，基督是那有神的七灵和七星的。死沉、改革的召会，需要神七倍加强的灵，以及发亮的领头人。
2In 3:1 the Lord says, “These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.” The seven Spirits of God are for the church to be living intensely, and the seven stars are for her to be shining intensely. To the church in Ephesus, Christ is the One who holds the seven stars and walks in the midst of the seven lampstands. The initial church needed the care of Christ, and her leaders needed His keeping grace. To the church in Smyrna, He is the One who became dead and lived again. The suffering church needed the resurrection life of Christ. To the church in Pergamos, Christ is the One who has the sharp two-edged sword. The degraded, worldly church needed His judging and slaying word. To the church in Thyatira, He is the One who has eyes like flaming fire and feet like shining brass. The apostate church needed His searching and judging. Now to the church in Sardis, He is the One who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. The dead reformed church needs the sevenfold intensified Spirit of God and the shining leaders
3我们若察看今天更正基督教的光景，就看见其中缺少了七灵。他们死沉，就是由于缺少七灵。因著他们的组织，他们也需要发亮的星。加强的灵和发亮的星，就是他们一切的需要。但是，他们并不注意七灵。七灵乃是基督成为那灵的完满加强的实化，这不是所谓的灵恩神迹运动，乃是内住的七倍加强的灵。这是死沉的更正教今天的需要。并且更正教也需要一些发亮的星，而不是地位或组织。他们领头的人，必须是发亮的。
3If we examine the situation of Protestant Christianity today, we shall see that it lacks the seven Spirits. Their deadness is due to the lack of the seven Spirits. Because of their organization, they also need the shining stars. This is all they need — the intensified Spirit and the shining stars. However, they do not pay attention to the seven Spirits. The seven Spirits are the full intensified realization of Christ as the Spirit. This is not a matter of the so-called Pentecostal or charismatic movement, but of the indwelling sevenfold intensified Spirit. This is what dead Protestantism needs today. It also needs the shining stars, not the positions or the organization. Their leading ones must be shining ones.
贰 召会的情形
II. THE CHURCH’S CONDITION
一 按名是活的，其实是死的
A. Living in Name, but Dead in Actuality
4主对撒狄召会的使者说，『我知道你的行为，按名你是活的，其实是死的。你要儆醒，坚固那剩下将要衰微的；因我没有见到你的行为，在我神面前有一样是完成的。』这两节圣经，对所谓的更正教，画出了一幅完全的图画。许多人认为改革的更正教是活的，主却说她是死的。因此在她死的情形中，她需要活的灵和发亮的星。
4To the messenger of the church in Sardis the Lord says, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are living, and you are dead. Become watchful and establish the things which remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your works completed before My God.” These two verses present a full picture of the so-called Protestant Church. The reformed Protestant Church has been considered to be living, but the Lord says that she is dead. Hence, in her dead condition, she needs the living Spirits and the shining stars
二 那剩下将要衰微的事
B. The Remaining Things Being about to Die
5在二节主说，『要坚固那剩下将要衰微（直译，死）的。』那剩下的，就是那些曾经失去，又为改教运动所恢复的事，如本于信得称义、公开的圣经等。这些事虽然恢复了，却是将要衰微的，将要死的。因此，更正教需要复兴，使这些事继续存活。这是更正教的真实光景。
5In verse 2 the Lord says to “establish the things which remain, which were about to die.” “The things which remain” are the things lost and restored by the Reformation, such as justification by faith and the open Bible. Though these things were restored, they “were about to die.” Hence, the Protestant Church needs revivals to keep things alive. This is the actual situation of the Protestant churches
三 没有一样行为是完成的
C. Having No Work Completed
6主也说，『我没有见到你的行为，在我神面前有一样是完成的。』改教运动所发起的事，没有一样是『完成的，』所以需要在非拉铁非的召会来完成。在神看来，在所谓的改革召会中，没有完成的工作。不要以为本于信得称义这件事，在他们中间完成了。你若有内里的看见，就知道路德马丁所恢复的本于信得称义，仍然很浅，因为路德没有太在生命一面摸称义，乃是主要在道理一面，在表面上摸这个问题。为著这位神大用的仆人，我们感谢主，但是他并不完全。在他手中的工作，没有一件是完成的。在路德的时期所恢复的东西，一直是死沉沉的，且仍是将死的。因此，许多更正教的公会，经常要有复兴运动。
6The Lord also said, “I have not found your works completed before My God.” Nothing begun in the Reformation has ever been completed. Therefore, the church in Philadelphia is needed for the completion. In the eyes of God, there are no complete works in the so - called reformed churches. Do not think that justification by faith is completed among them. If you have the inner sight, you will see that the justification by faith recovered by Martin Luther was quite shallow, for Luther did not touch justification very much in the way of life, but mainly in the way of doctrine, in a superficial way. We thank the Lord for this great servant of God, but he was not perfect. None of the work under his hand was completed. The things recovered in the days of Luther have been dying and are still about to die. This is why so many Protestant churches have frequent revivals.
7关于第五个召会要紧的点，就是死而又死。虽然她按名是活的，其实却是死的。我们许多人都能见证，我们得救的时候，原来很活，但自从属于某个公会以后，就像被放进了冰箱；不过几个月，我们就冷淡下来，也就死了。改革的召会就是叫人死。我原先就是在一个所谓的更正教公会中长大的，我知道那里丝毫没有生命。几乎在每一面，都充满死亡。
7The crucial point about the fifth church is that it is dead and dying. While it has a name that it is living, actually it is dead. Many of us can testify that when we were saved, we were quite living. But after getting into a denominational church, we were put into the refrigerator and, after a few months, we cooled down and died. The reformed churches are deadening. I was raised in a so-called Protestant church and I know that there is absolutely no life there. In nearly every way, it is filled with death
参 主的嘱咐
III. THE LORD’S CHARGE
8在三节主说，『所以要回想你是怎样领受，怎样听见的，又要遵守，并要悔改。』本节和二节，主嘱咐在撒狄的召会要儆醒，要坚固那剩下将要衰微的事，要遵守她所领受的和听见的，并要悔改。
8In verse 3 the Lord says, “Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and keep it and repent.” In both this verse and in verse 2, the Lord charges the church in Sardis to be watchful, to establish the things which remain and which are about to die, to keep what she has received and heard, and to repent
肆 主的临到
IV. THE LORD’S COMING
9在三节主又说，『若不儆醒，我必临到你那里如同贼一样。我几时临到，你也绝不能知道。』贼是在人不知道的时候，来偷取贵重的物品。改革的更正教既是死的，就不会察觉主向寻求祂的人隐密的显现，要像贼一样临到，因此需要儆醒。新约中关于主再来的启示，不是按照我们天然的领会。
9In verse 3 the Lord also says, “If therefore you will not watch, I will come as a thief, and you shall by no means know at what hour I will come upon you.” A thief comes to steal precious things at an unknown time. Since the reformed Protestant churches are dead, they will be unaware of the Lord’s coming as a thief in His secret appearing to His seekers. Hence, there is the need of watchfulness
10照我们天然的想法，主会突然从诸天之上的宝座降临到地上。这种想法使读圣经的人碰到许多难题，我们必须放下这种想法。要明白圣经中的任何事物，我们不该倚靠自己的想法，并且绝不要应用我们天然的观念。因此，当我们来到神的话面前时，我们需要有一个清明、更新的心思。我们必须放下自己观念的有色眼镜，来到纯净的话语跟前。主的回来乃是一段过程。祂的回来要从祂的宝座开始，经过一段过程，直到祂降临，在哈米吉顿争战为止。我们曾指出，主将从宝座降到空中，在那里要完成许多事：大体圣徒的被提，在审判台的审判，羔羊的婚娶。这一切在空中完成以后，主就降到地上。早期的得胜者，包括男孩子（启十二）和初熟果子（启十四）的被提，是在主回来过程开始的时候发生的。换句话说，当他们被提的时候，主回来的过程就开始了。
10The revelation in the New Testament regarding the Lord’s second coming is not according to our natural understanding. According to our natural thought, the Lord will suddenly descend from the throne in the heavens to the earth. This thought has caused much difficulty to the students of the Bible, and we must drop it. In understanding anything found in the Bible, we should have no trust in our thoughts, and we should never apply our natural concepts. This is why we need a clear, renewed mind when we come to the Word of God. We must drop the colored eyeglasses of our concepts and come to the pure Word. The Lord’s coming back is a process. His coming back will begin from the throne and will pass through a process until He descends to fight the battle at Armageddon. As we have pointed out, the Lord will descend from the throne to the air where He will accomplish many things: the rapture of the majority of the saints, the judgment at the judgment seat, and the wedding of the Lamb. After all this has been accomplished in the air, the Lord will descend to the earth. The rapture of the early overcomers, including the man-child (ch. 12) and the firstfruits (ch. 14), will occur at the start of the process of the Lord’s coming back. In other words, when they are raptured, the process of the Lord’s coming back begins.
11三章三节和马太二十四章四十三节，都告诉我们主来是像贼一样。在突然之间，有一些信徒，就是早期的得胜者，要被取去。没有人知道，主回来的过程要开始于甚么时候，以及早期的得胜者要在甚么时候被提。但那事一临到，你就没有时间豫备自己了。你必须在那个时辰之前彻底豫备好。因此，我们都要豫备好，并要儆醒。伍得胜者─撒狄还有几名
11In 3:3 and Matthew 24:43 we are told that the Lord will come as a thief. Suddenly, some of the believers who are the early overcomers will be taken away. No one knows the time of the beginning of the process of the Lord’s coming back and of the rapture of the early overcomers. When it comes, there will be no time for you to prepare yourself. You must be thoroughly prepared before that time. Therefore, we must be prepared, ready, and watchful. V. THE OVERCOMERS—A FEW NAMES IN SARDIS
一 未曾因死亡玷污自己衣服的
A. Not Having Defiled Their Garments with Death
12在四节主说，『然而在撒狄，你还有几名是未曾玷污自己衣服的。』在圣经里，衣服表征我们行事为人并生活上的所是。玷污衣服在这里特指沾染死亡。在神面前死比罪更能玷污人。（利十一24～25，民六6～7，9。）这节里的玷污，是指一切带著死亡性质的东西。撒狄的玷污，不是被罪玷污，乃是被死亡玷污。死比罪更污秽。按照旧约，若有人犯罪，只要献赎罪祭，就得著赦免。（利四27～31。）但是，若有人摸了人的尸体，他必须等七天之后才得洁净。（民十九11，16。）这就是说，死的玷污，远比罪的玷污严重。今天的基督徒对死没有感觉。你若去拉斯维加斯赌场赌钱，你会觉得犯了罪；但你若死气沉沉的来参加聚会，你并不感觉有甚么严重。可是在神眼中，这个死的光景，比在拉斯维加斯赌场里赌钱更严重。基督徒都定罪罪，却不定罪死。人就是坐在聚会中像僵尸一样，也不觉得有甚么错。我不喜欢接近死的东西。有一天，我母亲死了，虽然我们都很爱她，却都不敢整夜陪在她的尸体旁边。若你亲爱的妻子，为你作事而把自己弄脏了，你会更爱她。但是她若死了，你就不愿意靠近她的尸体。主憎恶死亡。但是大部分在改革召会里的基督徒，没有这种对死的观念。他们可能说，『公会有甚么不对？』公会不但不对，更充满了死。殡仪馆里的尸体并没有甚么不对，但充满了死。死是最大的问题，是最丑陋的！对神来说，死其臭无比，是祂所不能容忍的。
12In verse 4 the Lord says, “But you have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments.” Garments in the Bible signify what we are in our walk and living. To defile the garments means particularly to stain them with deadness. Death is more defiling before God than sin (Lev. 11:24-25; Num. 6:6, 7, 9). In this verse, the defilement denotes anything of the death nature. The defilement in Sardis was not the defilement of sin; it was the defilement of death. Death is dirtier than sin. According to the Old Testament, if anyone sinned, he could be forgiven simply by offering the sin offering (Lev. 4:27-31). However, anyone who touched the dead body of a man had to wait seven days before he could be cleansed (Num. 19:11, 16). This indicates that the defilement of death is more serious than that of sin. Christians today have no consciousness of death. If you go to Las Vegas to gamble in a casino, you will sense that you have sinned. But if you came to a meeting in a dead way, you may not sense the seriousness of it. But in the eyes of God, this death situation is more serious than gambling in aLas Vegas casino. Although Christians condemn sin, they do not condemn deadness. People sit in the meetings like corpses and they see nothing wrong with it. I do not like to be near anything dead. One day, my mother died. Although we all loved her, none of us dared to stay near her dead body overnight. If your dear wife would dirty herself while doing something for you, you would love her more than ever before. But if she were to die, you would not want to be near her dead body. The Lord hates death. However, most Christians in the reformed churches do not have this concept of death. They may say, “What is wrong with the denominational churches?” They are not only wrong— they are filled with death. Though there may be nothing wrong with the corpses in a mortuary, they are full of death. Death is the greatest problem. How ugly it is! It is a stench to God, and He cannot tolerate it.
13我们在地方召会中，都要憎恶死。我宁愿看见召会中的人有错，也不愿看到他们发死。我曾多次问一些弟兄姊妹，为甚么在聚会里不尽功用，通常他们的回答是怕说错了话。我对这些答覆的反应是：『你出错越多越好。活的孩子最会犯错，但坟墓里的死孩子，再也不会犯错。』你若只坐在聚会里，动也不动，当然永远不会出错。虽然你可能对了，但你是死的对。我宁愿要活的错，也不要死的对。我或许犯错，但人人都知道我是活的。你宁愿要死的对，还是要活的错？
13In the local churches, we all must hate death. I would rather see the people in the churches wrong than to see them dead. Many times I have asked the brothers and sisters why they do not function in the meetings. Often their reply was, “I’m afraid of making a mistake.” To this, I responded, “The more mistakes you make, the better. Living children make many mistakes. But the dead children in the cemeteries make no mistakes at all.” If you simply sit in the meeting without doing anything, you will never be wrong. Although you may be right, you will be dead right. I would rather be livingly wrong than dead right. I may make mistakes, but everyone will know how living I am. Which do you prefer—to be dead right or livingly wrong
二 穿白衣与主同行
B. Walking with the Lord in White
14主论到那些未曾玷污自己衣服的人说，『他们要穿白衣与我同行，因为他们是配得过的。』（启三4。）『白』不但表征纯洁，也表征蒙称许。在这里，白衣表征行事为人并生活不受死亡玷污，并要蒙主称许。这是与主同行，特别在要来的国度里与主同行的资格。
14Speaking of these who have not defiled their garments, the Lord says that “they shall walk with Me in white for they are worthy” (v. 4). White not only signifies purity, but also approvedness. White garments here signify the walk and living which are unspotted by death and which will be approved by the Lord. It is a qualification for walking with the Lord, especially in the coming kingdom
陆 对得胜者的应许
VI. THE PROMISE TO THE OVERCOMER
15我们若把启示录二章和三章的上下文好好读过，就会看见在这七封书信中，每一次主给他们的应许，严格说来，都是指著要来的国度，不是指著永世，指著我们永远的定命。这些应许都是指著我们在要来国度里的前途。这是我们明白这七封书信中所有应许的基本并管治原则。在四节中，主应许那些活的圣徒，就是那些没有玷污自己衣服的人，要穿白衣与祂同行。这事要发生在甚么时候？乃是在基督婚娶的日子，这日子要持续一千年。穿白衣与主同行，是指在这一千年里与主同行。但在原则上，这也必须应用到我们今天与主同行的生活。
15If you read the context of Revelation 2 and 3, you will see that every time the Lord gives a promise in these seven epistles, strictly speaking it refers to the coming kingdom. It never refers to eternity, to our eternal destiny. Rather, it refers to our future in the coming kingdom. This is the basic and governing principle in understanding all the promises in these seven epistles. In verse 4 the Lord promises that the living ones, those who have not defiled their garments, will walk with Him in white. When will this be? In the wedding day of Christ which will last for a thousand years. To walk with the Lord in white means to walk with Him during these thousand years. In principle, this must also be applied to our walk with the Lord today
16主在五节里说，『得胜的，必这样穿白衣；我也绝不从生命册上涂抹他的名，并且要在我父面前，和我父的众使者面前，承认他的名。』这里的得胜，是指胜过更正教死的光景，即胜过死的更正教。五节全节，都是主给得胜者的应许，要成就于主回来之后的千年国。
16In verse 5 the Lord says, “He who overcomes, he shall be clothed in white garments, and I will by no means erase his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” To overcome here means to overcome the deadness of the Protestant churches, that is, to overcome dead Protestantism. The whole of verse 5 is the Lord’s promise to the overcomers. It will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom after He comes back
一 身穿白衣，与主同行
A. To Be Clothed in White Garments, Walking with the Lord
17第一，主应许得胜者『穿白衣。』在这应许里，穿白衣是在千年国给得胜者的奖赏。他们在今世的行事为人，在来世要成为他们的奖赏。每一个信徒，都需要两件衣服：头一件是为著我们得救的称义，表明基督在客观方面作我们的义。在路加十五章，浪子回家的时候，父亲为他豫备了上好的袍子。父亲对他作的第一件事，就是把这件上好的袍子，加在他身上。浪子穿上这件袍子以后，在父面前就得称义了。他本来是个可怜的叫化子，不配与父亲在一起；但是一旦穿上袍子，他就得著称义，并且蒙称许了。这就是说，他在基督里得著称义，基督作了他义的遮盖。他披戴了基督作他的义。因此，这件称义的衣服，是为著救恩的。然而，除了这件衣服之外，我们还需要另一件衣服，使我们能蒙主称许，讨主喜悦。启示录十九章八节『明亮洁净的细麻衣』就是指这第二件衣服。照著豫表，诗篇四十五篇里的王后有两件衣服，一件是为著救恩，另一件是为著使她能与王一同掌权。我们得救以后，需要成熟并胜过一切的阻挠和打岔。我们必须奔跑赛程，达到目标。当我们奔跑赛程的时候，有许多事物阻挠我们达到目标，我们必须胜过这一切阻挠。不错，我们已经蒙了拯救，得了称义，有了第一件救恩的袍子；但我们必须往前达到成熟，达到我们的目的地。我们若这样行，就必得著赏赐。这不是得著基督作我们客观的义，乃是经历基督作我们主观的义。基督作我们客观的义，是加在我们身上的，但基督作我们主观的义，乃是从我们出来的。我们必须把基督活出来，作我们的第二件衣服。这件衣服是为著得赏赐。五节所说的白衣乃指这第二件衣服；我们有了这第二件衣服，就能讨主喜悦，并且要得著赏赐。
17Firstly, the Lord promises the overcomer that he will be “clothed in white garments.” To be “clothed in white garments” in this promise will be a prize to the overcomers in the millennial kingdom. In what they have been walking in this age, will be a prize to them in the coming age. Every Christian needs two garments. The first is the garment of salvation signifying Christ as our righteousness objectively. In Luke 15, when the prodigal son returned home, the father had the best robe prepared for him. The first thing the father did was to have the best robe placed upon him. Wearing that robe, the prodigal son was justified in the presence of the father. He had been a pitiful beggar, no longer worthy to be with the father. But once he had the robe upon him, he was justified and approved. This means that he was justified in Christ and that Christ became his justifying covering. He was covered by Christ as his righteousness. Thus, the garment of justification is for salvation. However, besides this, we need another garment to make us approved and well-pleasing to the Lord. The “fine linen, bright and pure” in 19:8 denotes this second garment. According to typology, the queen in Psalm 45 has two garments, one for salvation and the other for her to be with the king in His reign. After we have been saved, we need to mature and overcome all frustrations and distractions. We must run the race and reach the goal. As we are running the race, there are many things which would frustrate us from reaching the goal. We must overcome all these frustrations. Yes, we have been saved and justified and have the first robe for our salvation. But we must go on to maturity and reach our destination. If we do so, then we shall receive a reward. This is not a matter of Christ as our objective righteousness, but of experiencing Christ as our subjective righteousness. Christ as our objective righteousness has been put upon us, whereas Christ as our subjective righteousness comes out of us. We must live out Christ as our second garment. This garment is for the reward. The white garments mentioned in verse 5 refer to this second garment. When we have this second garment, we are well-pleasing to the Lord and shall receive the reward.
二 名字不会从生命册上被涂抹
B. Name Not to Be Erased out of the Book of Life
18凡得胜的，主应许『绝不从生命册上涂抹他的名。』我们不能单凭本节来明白这经节。这样作是很危险的。若要明白像这样的经节，我们需要根据整本圣经才算妥当。从生命册上涂抹他的名，指明那名已经记在生命册上。生命册是神圣的名册，其上记录那些有分于神所豫备之福的人。凡神所拣选并豫定要有分于这些福分的圣徒，名字都记在这册上。（路十20。）这些福分分三个时期：
18To the one who overcomes the Lord promises that He “will by no means erase his name out of the book of life.” We cannot understand this verse by itself. It is dangerous to do this. In order to understand a verse such as this we need to be safeguarded by the whole Bible. The name being “erased out of the book of life” indicates that that name was already written in the book of life. “The book of life” is a divine record of the names of those who partake of the blessings God has prepared for them. The names of all the saints chosen by God and predestinated to partake of these blessings are written in this book (Luke 10:20
19（一） 召会，（二）千年国，（三）永世。召会时期的福分，如赦罪、
19These blessings are in three stages: the church, the millennial kingdom, and eternity. The blessings in the
20救赎、重生、永远的生命、神圣的性情等，乃是初期的分。凡神所拣选，名字记在生命册上的人，都有分于这些初期的分，以开始他们属灵的生活。如果他们与神供应的恩典合作，他们就会在召会时代里在生命上成熟，这在生命上较早的成熟，要构成主在祂回来时所要用以赏赐他们的奖赏，就是进入千年国，有分于那时期的神圣福分，如享受主的快乐和安息，（太二五21，23，来四9～，）辖管列国（启二26～27，二十4，6）等。这些福分是神为祂所拣选的人豫备的，为要激励他们在召会时代与神一同往前。然而，许多蒙拣选的人接受了神的赦罪、救赎、永远的生命、神圣的性情之后，不肯与祂的恩典合作，并与祂一同往前；因此，他们在召会时代生命不能成熟，到主回来时也就没有豫备好，不能进入千年国，分享那时代的神圣福分为奖赏。所以，在千年国期间，他们的名要从生命册上被涂抹。等到他们在千年国期间受了主的管教，生命长大成熟之后，就要在永世时期分享神圣的福分，如永远的祭司职任带著神永远的同在、永远的君王职分、（启二二3～5、）新耶路撒冷、生命树（启二二14）和生命水（启二二）等。那时他们的名字要再一次记在生命册上。这就是说，凡神所拣选，名字记在生命册上，并在召会时期有分于神圣福分的人，必永不灭亡，（约十28，）就是，他们绝不会失去永世的神圣福分。但有些人在召会时代不肯与主合作，在千年国期间就要受主时代的管教，失去那时期的神圣福分。
20stage of the church, such as forgiveness, redemption, regeneration, eternal life, and the divine nature are all the initial portions. All God’s chosen ones whose names are written in the book of life have a share in these initial portions to begin their spiritual life. If they cooperate with God’s supplying grace, they will mature in life in the church age, and this earlier maturity in life will constitute a prize with which the Lord will reward them at His coming back. That prize will be the entrance into the millennial kingdom and participation in the divine blessings in that stage, such as the joy and rest of the Lord (Matt. 25:21, 23; Heb. 4:9-11) and the reign over the nations (Rev. 11 2:26-27; 20:4, 6) which God has prepared as an incentive for His chosen ones to go on with Him in the church age. However, many of His chosen ones, after receiving His forgiveness, redemption, eternal life, divine nature, etc., will not cooperate with His grace and go on with Him. Hence, they are unable to mature in life in the church age and thus will not be ready at the Lord’s coming back to enter into the millennial kingdom and share in the divine blessings of that age as a prize. Therefore, during the millennial kingdom their names will be erased from the book of life. After being disciplined by the Lord and growing in life unto maturity during the millennial kingdom, they will share in the divine blessings in the stage of eternity, such as the eternal service with God’s eternal presence, the eternal kingship (22:3-5), the New Jerusalem, the tree of life (22:14), and the water of life (22:17). Then their names should be written in the book of life again. This means that all God’s chosen ones whose names are written in the book of 17 life and who have been brought into the participation of the divine blessings in the stage of the church shall “by no means perish forever” (John 10:28), that is, they shall by no means lose the divine blessings of eternity. But some, who will not cooperate with the Lord in the church age, will be dispensationally disciplined by the Lord during the millennial kingdom and will miss the divine blessings in that stage.
21我们都面临一种危险，就是在要来的一千年中，名字从生命册上被涂抹。你若失败了，不肯凭著主的恩典作得胜者，那么当主在千年国里掌权的时候，你的名字就不会在生命册上。这就是说，你虽然蒙召，却没有被选上，我们在十七章十四节能看见，当主回来，提接了所有的圣徒后，主要在他们中间作个拣选。这个拣选要根据今天我们如何过基督徒的生活。我们过的若是失败的生活，主必定不拣选我们。但我们若是过得胜的生活，就必被选上，这一千年中，就会有我们的名字。这好像从学校毕业。虽然所有学生的名字都列在班级名单上，不过只有少数几名能列在得奖的名单上。从生命册上涂抹一个信徒的名字，不是指他要永远灭亡，乃是说在要来的千年国里，并没有他的名字。这就是说在千年国里，他失去了长子的名分，没有权利分享神原初要给一切祂所拣选之人的那一分。神原初的心意，是要所有蒙祂拣选的人，在今天享受基督到极点，好使他们在来世有权利享受基督。因著许多人今天不肯这样作，所以当国度来到时，他们便失去他们长子的名分。只有那些与神原初心意合作的人，会在国度中享受基督作他们特别的分。他们的名字，那时会在生命册上，但其他许多人的名字，却不在其上。因为看见这个异象的基督徒不多，所以他们无法明白关于这事的经节。神的心意，是要把基督作到我们里面，成为我们的享受。召会时期就是神完成这事的时间。但是我们是否愿意在这事上与神合作，就在于我们。因著许多人不肯与神合作，所以祂以智慧定规了，把要来国度时代中，对基督的享受作成一个赏赐。这个赏赐激励我们，在今天就与神合作，享受基督。我们若不合作，必会失去国度时期。生命册上所记录的名字，乃是所有有分于对基督之享受的人。在召会时期，我们每个人的名字都在上面。但在国度时期，那些懒散之人的名字，就要从册子上被涂抹。千年国之后，他们的名字要放回到生命册上。看见神在祂救恩里的福分有三个时期是很有益的，这三个时期就是召会时代，国度时代，和永世。我们能不能在国度里有分于对基督完满的享受，乃在于我们今天肯不肯在召会生活中享受基督。不要失去今天的机会。我们若今天享受基督，在要来的国度里就必得赏赐。那些在要来的国度里失去对基督特别享受的人，要受神对付，好使他们能被带进对基督完满的享受中。所以，到最后，当我们都经过了召会和国度这两个时代，在享受基督上都成熟了，就进入永世。
21We face the danger of having our names erased from the book of life during the thousand years. If you are defeated and refuse to be an overcomer by the Lord’s grace, your name will not be there in the book of life when He is reigning during the thousand years. This means that you have been called but that you have not been chosen. In 17:14, we can see that, at His coming back, after all the saints have been raptured, the Lord will make a selection. This selection will depend on how we have lived our Christian life. If we have lived in a defeated way, the Lord certainly will not select us. But if we have lived in a victorious way, we shall be selected, and our names will be there during the thousand years. This is similar to graduation from school. Although all the names of the students may be on the class list, only a few names will be on the list to receive a reward. To erase the name of a believer from the book of life does not mean that he shall perish for eternity. It only means that during the thousand years of the coming kingdom his name will not be there. This means that he will lose his birthright in the millennial kingdom, having no right to share what God originally intended to give to all of His chosen ones. God’s original intention is that all His chosen ones should enjoy Christ to the uttermost today that they might also have the right to enjoy Christ in the coming age. Since many are unwilling to do this now, when the kingdom comes, they will lose their birthright. Only those who cooperate with God’s original intention will be in the kingdom enjoying Christ as their special portion. Their names will be in the book of life at that time, but the names of many others will not be there. Because not many Christians have seen this vision, they cannot understand the verses concerning this matter. God’s in tent i on is to work Christ into us for our enjoyment. The church age is the time for this to be accomplished. But whether or not we are willing to cooperate with God in this matter depends on us. Because many will not cooperate with God, in His wisdom He has decided to make the enjoyment of Christ in the coming kingdom age a reward. This reward is an incentive encouraging us to cooperate with God and to enjoy Christ today. If we do not cooperate, we shall miss the kingdom age. The book of life is a record of all the names who have a share in the enjoyment of Christ. During the church age all our names are there. But in the kingdom age, the names of the sloppy ones will be erased from this book. After the millennial kingdom, their names will then be put back into the book of life. It is good to see that God’s blessing in His salvation is of three ages: the church age, the kingdom age, and the age of eternity. Whether or not we will be in the kingdom sharing the full enjoyment of Christ depends upon whether we are willing to enjoy Christ today in the church life. Do not miss the opportunity today. If we enjoy Christ today, we shall be rewarded in the coming kingdom. Those who miss the special enjoyment of Christ in the coming kingdom will be dealt with by God that they might be brought into the full enjoyment of Christ. Therefore, eventually, when we all have passed through these two ages, the church age and the kingdom age, we all shall be ripe in the enjoyment of Christ and shall enter into the age of eternity.
三 主在父面前和众使者面前承认他们的名
C. Name to Be Confessed by the Lord before the Father and the Angels
22我们若是得胜者，主不但不会从生命册上涂抹我们的名，更要在父面前，和祂的众使者面前，承认我们的名。这指明那些不愿意作得胜者的信徒，他们的名字既要从生命册上被涂抹，主也就不会在父面前，和祂的众使者面前，承认他们的名。
22If we are overcomers, the Lord will not erase our names out of the book of life; rather, He will confess our names before the Father and His angels. This indicates that since the names of those believers who are unwilling to be overcomers will be erased out of the book of life, their names will not be confessed by the Lord before the Father and His angels
柒 那灵所说的话
VII. THE SPIRIT’S SPEAKING
23死沉的改革召会，需要活的灵所说的话。死的字句知识，绝不能代替加强之灵的说话。字句杀死人，（林后三，）那灵却赐人生命。（约六63。）所有在死沉的更正教里的人，都当听那灵所说的话。
23The dead reformed church needs the speaking of the living Spirit. The knowledge of the dead letters can never replace the speaking of the intensified Spirit. The letter kills (2 Cor. 3:6). It is the Spirit who gives 6 life (John 6:63). All those in dead Protestantism must listen to the speaking of the Spirit.