Books
历代志生命读经 · 第4篇

神福音的最高点

The Highest Point of God’s Gospel
1读经：提摩太前书1:4，创世记1:26，约翰福音12:24，哥林多前书10:17，歌罗西书3:11。
1Scripture Reading: 1 Tim. 1:4; Gen. 1:26; John 12:24; 1 Cor. 10:17; Col. 3:11
2在本篇信息中，我有负担说到神福音的最高点－神成为人，为要使人在生命和性情上，但不在神格上，成为神。
2In this message I have the burden to speak a word on the highest point of God’s gospel—God becoming a man that man may become God in life and in nature but not in the Godhead
神类和人类
GOD’SKIN DAND MANKIND
3永远的神在祂的永远里，照著祂的心愿有一个『梦』，使祂定了一个计画，这计画在新约里称为神的经纶。（提前一４，弗一１０，三９。）于是神创造宇宙，以祂的心愿（亚当）为中心。这心愿一点不差乃是与神同类的人，（创一２６，）他要繁殖而充满全地。（２８。）
3The eternal God in His eternity had a ‘‘dream’’ according to His heart’s desire, and He made a plan, which in the New Testament is called God’secon o my (1 Tim. 1:4; Eph. 1:10; 3:9). Then God created the universe, making His heart’s desire (Adam) the center. This heart’s desire is nothing less than one who is the same kind as God is (Gen. 1:26), one who would reproduce and fill the whole earth (v. 28
4神乃是照著祂的类来造人。这就是说，在人堕落以前，没有人类，只有神类。从神的观点看，『人类』这辞是消极的，因为不该有人类，只该有神所创造作为神类的人。然而，人从堕落以后，与神分开，成了人类。由于这堕落，撒但进来引起难处，全世界就被抛进混乱里。从人类混乱的世界中，神拣选了亚伯拉罕，他的后裔成了以色列国。以色列国不该与万国并列，因为她虽在万国之中，却不与万国同列。这国是分别的子民，圣别归神的圣别子民。神用祂的选民以色列作豫表，表征在堕落的人类之中，神所要得著一班将来的人。
4God made man after His kind. This means that before the fall of man there was no mankind, only God’s kind. Contrary to the definitions given in Webster’s dictionary, from God’s point of view the word mankind is a negative term, for there should be no mankind, only the man created by God as God’s kind. However, after the fall man separated himself from God and became mankind. Through this fall Satan came in to cause trouble, and the whole world was thrown into confusion. Out of the confused world of mankind, God chose Abraham, whose descendants became the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel should not be listed with the nations, because it was among the nations but not with the nations. This nation was a separate people, a holy people sanctified unto God. God used His elect Israel as a type to signify that, among fallen mankind, God would have a people to come in the future
神成为人
God becoming a man
产生神人类
TO PRODUCE GOD-MAN KIND
5在亚伯拉罕二千年以后，拣选的神成为一个人。这位神人藉著祂的死与复活，产生祂自己的大量复制。祂是那一粒麦子，成了许多子粒。（约十二２４。）这许多子粒磨成细面，调成一个饼。（林前十１７。）主耶稣这位神的独生子，乃是那独一的子粒，祂使我们成为许多子粒，与祂『同胎』所生的许多弟兄，（罗八２９，）调和成一个饼，一个身体。我们中间没有国籍、种族、或社会地位的分别。（西三１１。）我们是新的一类，是『神人类』。
5Two thousand years after Abraham, the choosing God became a man. This God - man, through His death and resurrection, has made a mass reproduction of Himself. He as the one grain became many grains (John 12:24). The many grains are ground into fine flour and blended together to become one loaf (1 Cor. 10:17). The Lord Jesus as the only begotten Son of God was the one grain, and He made us the many grains, His many ‘‘twins,’’ His many brothers (Rom. 8:29), to be blended into one loaf, one Body. Among us there is no difference in nationality, race, or social rank (Col. 3:11). We are a new kind, ‘‘God-man kind.’’
6正如有许多新辞描写人类文化中新的发展，照样，我们需要新的辞汇和发表，描写我们属灵文化中的事。『神人类』就是这样一个发表。在基督里，神与人成为一个实体，就是神人。在神的创造里没有人类，只有人作神类。由于人的堕落，才产生了人类。至终神成为人，得著祂自己的大量复制，因而产生新的一类。这新的一类既不是神类，也不是人类，乃是神人类。今天我们在基督里的信徒乃是神人类；我们是神人。
6Just as there are new words to describe new developments in human culture, so we need new terms and expressions to describe matters in our spiritual culture. God-man kind is such an expression. In Christ God and man have become one entity, the God-man. In God’s creation there was no mankind; there was only man as God’s kind. It was through man’s fall that mankind came into existence. Eventually God became a man to have a mass reproduction of Himself and thereby to produce a new kind. This new kind is neither God’s kind nor mankind—it is God-man kind. Today as believers in Christ, we are God-man kind; we are God-men
神调和地上的万国，使我们这些神人
GOD BLENDING THE NATIONS ON EARTH
THAT WE, THE GOD-MEN
调和成为一个身体
MAY BE BLENDED INTO ONE BODY
7照著我们的家谱，我们彼此分散远离。我们如何能调和成为一个身体？因著已过五十年间地上所发生的重大改变，如今这成为一件可能的事。藉著现代化的运输和交通工具，全地的人都能调和。在我们每半年一次的训练里，来自五十个国家之多的圣徒聚在一起。今天全球成了小地球，使我可以对来自这许多不同国家的人讲说圣言。我在得救那天告诉主，从那时起我要走遍中国一村又一村，传讲圣经，告诉人关于耶稣基督的事。我的存心是只向我的同胞讲说。我从未梦想会在美国这里，对来自五十个国家的圣徒讲说。由此我们看见，是神将全地调和在一起，将我们调和成为一个身体。
7According to our genealogy, we were scattered far away from one another. How could we be blended into one Body? This is now possible because of the great changes that have taken place on earth during the past fifty years. Through the modern means of transportation and communication, people from all over the earth can be blended. In our semi-annual trainings saints come together from as many as fifty nations. The globe today has become a small earth- ball, making it possible for me to speak the holy Word to people from so many different nations. On the day I was saved I told the Lord that from that time onward I wanted to travel from village to village in China, preaching the Bible and telling people about Jesus Christ. My intention was to speak only to my countrymen. I never dreamed that I would be here in the United States speaking to saints from fifty nations. From this we see that God has blended the earth together so that we may be blended into one Body
8一九三八年有一天，我接到北平一位姊妹的信，里面有两张支票。这位姊妹告诉我，她信神会差遣我去美国，一张支票是为著我旅途的花费，另一张是为著我去的时候我家人的需用。我回答她说，我没有负担去美国。但她告诉我，我该保留支票，迟早主会差遣我到美国。二十年后我访问这个国家，至终成了美国公民。这是主的作为。行传5:31五章三十一节告诉我们，主耶稣在祂的升天里是元首和救主。祂是地上君王的元首，（启一５，）而我乃是被祂差遣到这里。
8One day, in 1938, I received from a sister in Peking a letter containing two checks. This sister told me that she believed that God would send me to America and that one check was for my trip there and back and the other was for taking care of my family while I was gone. I answered her, saying that I did not have any burden to go to the United States. But she told me that I should keep the checks and that sooner or later the Lord would send me to the United States. Twenty years later I visited this country, and eventually I became a citizen. This was the Lord’s doing. Acts tells us that in His ascension the Lord Jesus is the Leader and the Savior. He is the Ruler of all the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5), and I was sent here by Him.
9神创造地，并照著祂的类造人。人堕落了，成为人类。从堕落的人类中，神拣选亚伯拉罕作另一班人的父。再过二千年，神成为人，并活在地上作神人。我很喜乐，我成了美国人，但我更喜乐，我成了神人。藉著归化，我成为美国人，但藉著重生，我成为神人。你知道神今天要甚么么？我们可以说，祂要基督徒，和在基督里的信徒。但事实上，神所要的不仅仅是基督徒，或甚至在基督里的信徒。祂乃是要一大群神人。我信我们坐在诸天之上的神，每当看见神人的聚集，尤其是来自五十个国家神人的聚集，就很喜乐。在这样的聚集中，每个人都有神人的样式。现在我要请你看诗歌第一百五十四首：
9God created the earth and made man according to His kind. Man fell and became mankind. From fallen mankind God chose Abraham to be the father of another people, and then two thousand years later God became a man and lived on earth as a God-man. I am glad that I have become an American, but I am much more glad that I have become a God-man. I am an American by naturalization, but I am a God-man by regeneration. Do you know what God wants today? We may say that He wants Christians and believers in Christ. Actually, what God wants is not merely Christians or even believers in Christ; He wants a big group of God-men. I believe that our God, who is sitting in the heavens, is happy whenever He looks upon a gathering of God-men, especially a gathering of God-men from fifty nations. In such a gathering everyone has the appearance of a God-man. At this juncture I would ask you to consider Hymns, #203
10一远在时间尚未起首，万有尚都未开始，在父怀中并荣耀里，你是神的独生子。当父将你赐给我们，你的身位仍一样，为将父的所有丰满，藉著圣灵来表扬。
101 In the bosom of the Father, Ere the ages had begun, Thou wast in the Father’s glory, God’s unique begotten Son. When to us the Father gave Thee, Thou in person wast the same, All the fulness of the Father In the Spirit to proclaim
11二藉著你死并你复活，你就成为神长子；藉著重生分赐生命，我们成为神众子。我们是你生命繁殖，是你许多的弟兄，我们是你荣耀复本，是你神圣的扩充。
112 By Thy death and resurrection, Thou wast made God’s firstborn Son; By Thy life to us imparting, Was Thy duplication done. We, in Thee regenerated, Many sons to God became; Truly as Thy many brethren, We are as Thyself the same
12三你曾是那惟一麦粒，落到地里而死了；藉著死亡，并藉复活，显出繁殖的荣耀。你使我们由你得生，变成许多的子粒；众人调和成为一饼，作你丰满的身体。
123 Once Thou wast the only grain, Lord, Falling to the earth to die, That thru death and resurrection Thou in life may multiply. We were brought forth in Thy nature And the many grains became; As one loaf we all are blended, All Thy fulness to proclaim.
13四我们是你的复制品、是你身体并新妇、是你表现、是你丰满，永远让你来居住。我们是你普及、继续、是你生命的开展、是你长成、是你富余，与你合一永无间。
134 We’re Thy total reproduction, Thy dear Body and Thy Bride, Thine expression and Thy fulness, For Thee ever to abide. We are Thy continuation, Thy life-increase and Thy spread, Thy full growth and Thy rich surplus, One with Thee, our glorious Head
14这首诗歌说，基督这独生子曾是那惟一麦粒。藉著祂的死与复活，祂使我们变成许多的子粒。既是这样的子粒，我们就是神的众子，（来二１０，）与基督『同胎』所生的许多弟兄。现在这许多子粒调和成为一饼，就是基督的身体，祂的复制品。
14This hymn says that once Christ, the only begotten Son, was the only grain. Through His death and resurrection He has made us the many grains. As such grains, we are the many sons of God (Heb. 2:10), Christ’s many brothers, His many ‘‘twins.’’ Now the many grains are blended as one loaf, which is Christ’s Body, His reproduction
人成为神
THE DEIFICATION OF MAN
15在第二至第五世纪，教父们发现圣经里三个高超的奥秘：（一）三一神，神圣的三一，最高的奥秘；（二）基督的身位；（三）人成为神，就是人在生命和性情上，但不在神格上成为神。然而，第五世纪以后，关于这末了一个奥秘的真理逐渐失去了。今天的基督教使用奈西亚信经，确认头两个奥秘－神圣三一的奥秘与基督身位的奥秘，但许多人没有看见第三个奥秘－神成为人，为要使人在生命和性情上成为神。今天在多数的基督徒中间，没有关于这点的教导。但我很强的觉得，主要恢复这真理。就真理而论，这也许是主所要恢复的最后一项。
15In the second to the fifth centuries, the church fathers found three high mysteries in the Bible: (1) the Triune God, the Divine Trinity, the highest mystery; (2) the person of Christ; and (3) the deification of man—that man could become God in life and in nature but not in the Godhead. However, after the fifth century the truth concerning this last mystery was gradually lost. Using the Nicene Creed, today’s Christianity affirms the first two mysteries—the mystery of the Divine Trinity and the mystery of Christ’s person—but much of Christianity does not see anything about the third mystery—the mystery of God becoming man that man may become God in life and in nature. There is no teaching regarding this among most Christians today. But I feel strongly the Lord is going to recover this truth. As far as the truth is concerned, this may be the last item that the Lord needs to recover
因著领悟我们是神人
REVOLUTIONIZED
而有革命性的改变
BY REALIZING THAT WE ARE GOD-MEN
16当我们想到自己是神人，这种想法，这种领悟，会使我们在日常的经历中有革命性的改变。例如，一位弟兄也许对他的妻子不高兴。但他一记得他是神人，他的态度就会立刻改变。他会渴望作神人丈夫。
16When we think of ourselves as God - men, this thinking, this realization, revolutionizes us in our daily experience. For example, a brother may be unhappy with his wife. But he remembers that he is a God-man, and immediately his attitude is changed. Then he will desire to be a God-man husband.
17我们需要领会，作为人类的一部分，乃是一件消极的事。在神的观点里，『人类』是指堕落之人消极的辞。身为在基督里的信徒和神的儿女，我们不是人类，我们乃是神人类。领悟这点，会使我们改变，甚至有革命性的改变。当我们领悟我们是神人，我们会说，『主，你是第一位神人，我们是许多跟随你的神人。你过人性生活，不是凭你属人的生命，乃是凭神神圣的生命，以彰显祂。祂的属性成了你的美德。你活在这地上，每天都在死。你是被钉死而活著。主，今天你是我的生命，是我的人位，你就是我。所以我必须死。我需要模成你的死。我必须每天被钉死而死，以过神人的生活，人性的生活，但不是凭我属人的生命，乃是凭神圣的生命，以你的生命和你的性情作我的构成，彰显你神圣的属性，这属性成了我人性的美德。』这使我们不只成为基督徒，或在基督里的信徒，乃成为与神同类的神人。这是神福音的最高点。
17We need to understand that to be a part of mankind is to be something negative. In God’s view mankind is a negative term referring to fallen man. As believers in Christ and children of God, we are not mankind—we are God-man kind. To realize this is to be changed, even revolutionized. When we realize that we are God-men, we will say, ‘‘Lord, You are the first God-man, and we are the many God-men following You. You lived a human life, not by Your human life but by God’s divine life to express Him. His attributes became Your virtues. You were here on this earth dying every day. You were crucified to live. Lord, You are my life today and You are my person. You are just me. I therefore must die. I need to be conformed to Your death. I have to be crucified to die every day to live a God-man’s life, a human life yet not by my human life but by the divine life, with Your life and Your nature as my constitution to express You in Your divine attributes, which become my human virtues.’’ This makes us not just a Christian or a believer in Christ but a God-man, one kind with God. This is the highest point of God’s gospel
18传扬神成为人，为要使人在生命和性情上成为神的真理，并过神人的生活，带进新的复兴，结束这世代照著这福音，我们虽然堕落，基督却为我们死。我们若相信祂，接受祂，我们就要得著永远的生命，成为神的儿子。今天基督徒都承认，所有在基督里的信徒都是神的儿子，或神的儿女，但他们不敢承认，在基督里的信徒是神。在这世代的末了，我们教导并传扬一个真理，就是神成为人，为要使人成为神，在生命和性情上，但不在神格上，与祂一样。听见这真理乃是一大福分。听见神要一班神人以后，你如何能满意于成为别的？你要成为甚么？你要成为典型的中国人或典型的美国人么？你要仅仅成为基督徒或在基督里的信徒么？我们都该宣告，我们要过神人的生活。至终，神人将是胜利者，得胜者，作耶路撒冷里的锡安。这要带进历史上前所未见新的复兴，也要结束这个世代。
18PREACHING THE TRUTH THAT GOD BECAME A MAN THAT MAN MAY BECOME GOD IN LIFE AND IN NATURE AND LIVING THE LIFE OF A GOD-MAN TO BRING IN A NEW REVIVAL AND TO END THIS AGE According to this gospel we were fallen, yet Christ died for us. If we believe in Him and receive Him, we will have the eternal life to be the sons of God. Christians today admit that all the believers in Christ are the sons of God or the children of God, but they do not dare admit that the believers in Christ are God. At the end of this age, we are teaching and preaching the truth that God became a man in order to make man God, the same as He is in life and in nature but not in the Godhead. It is a great blessing to hear this truth. After hearing that God wants a group of God-men, how can you be content to be anything else? What do you want to be? Do you want to be a typical Chinese or a typical American? Do you want to be merely a Christian or a believer in Christ? We should all declare that we want to live the life of a God-man. Eventually, the God- men will be the victors, the overcomers, the Zion within Jerusalem. This will bring in a new revival which has never been seen in history, and this will end this age