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哥林多后书生命读经 · 第42篇

新约的执事（十一）

The Ministers of the New Covenant (11)
1读经：哥林多后书六章一至十三节。许多圣经教师把林后六章看作是与五章分开的，他们没有指出五章与六章的关联。事实上，六章乃是五章的解释。
1Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 6:1-13 Many teachers of the Bible treat 2 Corinthians 6 as if it were separate from chapter five. They do not point out how chapters five and six are connected. Actually, chapter six is an explanation of chapter five
成为神的义
BECOMING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
2我们在五章看见，使徒已经受了和好的职事，不仅要把罪人，更要把神的子民带回到神自己里面，使他们在基督里成为神的义。使徒已经受了这样职事的托付，要把神的子民带到祂里面，并使他们与祂在生机上成为一。当我们这样被带回到神里面，我们就成了神的义。义既是神的属性，在基督里成为神的义就是成为这神圣的属性。就这面的意义说，我们乃是成了神的所是。神就是义，而我们在基督里成了神的义，就是成了神自己所是的一种属性。何等奇妙！这就是神救恩的目的，也是祂经纶的目标。神拯救我们，祂的经纶是要使我们成为神的彰显，甚至成为祂的一种属性。这件事启示在林后五章。
2We have seen that in chapter five the apostles have received the ministry of reconciliation to bring God’s people, not only sinners, back into God Himself so that they may become the righteousness of God in Christ. The apostles had been commissioned with this ministry to bring God’s people into Him and to make them one with Him organically. When we are brought back into God in this way, we become the righteousness of God. Since righteousness is an attribute of God, to become God’s righteousness in Christ is to become this divine attribute. In this sense, we become what God is. God is righteousness, and in Christ we become this righteousness of God, an attribute of what God Himself is. How marvelous! This is the purpose of God’s salvation and the goal of His economy. God’s economy in saving us is to make us the expression of God, even one of His attributes. This is revealed in chapter five of 2 Corinthians
需要进一步的和好
THE NEED FOR FURTHER RECONCILIATION
3保罗知道他在五章里对和好的描述包含了一些非常深奥的事。因此他在六章进一步解释，五章中的和好就等于完全的救恩。为这缘故，他在六章二节把和好说成是得拯救。这里的拯救不是拯救罪人，乃是拯救那些与神部分和好的人。凡已经与神部分和好的人，都需要进一步的和好，进一步得拯救。我们都能有信心宣告说，我们已经得救了；然而，我们还没有完全得救。因此，我们需要在主面前谦卑自己，祷告说，『哦，主阿，我感谢你，因著你的怜悯和恩典，你拯救了我；但是，主，我还没有完全得救，我需要你更多的救恩。』
3Paul realized that his description of reconciliation in chapter five involved something very deep. Thus, in chapter six he explains further that the reconciliation in chapter five is equal to full salvation. For this reason, in 6:2 he refers to reconciliation as salvation. The salvation here is not the salvation of sinners; it is the salvation of God’s half-reconciled people. Those who have been only partly reconciled to God need further reconciliation, further salvation. We all can confidently declare that we have been saved. However, we may not yet be saved in full. Therefore, we need to humble ourselves before the Lord and pray, “O Lord, I thank You that by Your mercy and grace You have saved me. But, Lord, I still have not been fully saved. I need more of Your salvation.”
4有些信徒蒙拯救的程度已经相当多，然而，有些信徒所蒙拯救的程度非常有限。在这些信息里，我的负担就是盼望我们得著更大程度的救恩。我很关心你们得著救恩的程度。你们已经蒙拯救到甚么程度，甚么限度？有些人受这个职事的供应多年，但所经历的救恩却仍然非常有限。不仅如此，他们蒙拯救的百分比增加得非常缓慢。我这里的点是说，和好与蒙拯救乃是程度上的事。就和好而言，特别是如此。我盼望我们和好进到神里面的程度，能快速加增。六章是说到救恩的进展。根据上下文，蒙拯救（六2）就是与神和好。只要我们这个人有些部分还未得救，在那些部分，我们与神之间就仍有不合。对这种情形更准确的形容，就是与神为仇。保罗在罗马八章说，置于肉体的心思，是与神为仇；但心思置于灵，乃是生命平安。（6。）当我们在灵里，我们就有生命，也有平安。平安指明我们与神和好。只要我们里面有些部分没有平安，我们的那些部分就仍与神为仇。这指明至少在某些事上，我们还没有与神和好，因为在这些事上，我们与神之间没有平安。只要我们一没有平安，我们就必然是与神为仇的。但是当平安临到时，与神为仇的情形就消失了。我们也可以说，与神为仇的情形一过去，平安就来了。我们有没有平安，在于我们有没有与神和好。
4Some believers have been saved to a large degree. Others, however, have been saved only to a very small extent. In these messages I am burdened that we all would have a greater degree of salvation. I am concerned about the percentage of your salvation. To what degree, to what extent, have you been saved? Some who have been under this ministry for years still only have a very limited salvation. Furthermore, the percentage of their salvation is increasing slowly. My point here is that reconciliation and salvation are matters of degree. This is especially true of reconciliation. I am hoping that the degree of our reconciliation into God will increase rapidly. What we have in chapter six is progress related to salvation. According to the context, to be saved (6:2) is simply to be reconciled to God. As long as certain parts of us are not saved, in those parts of our being there is a discrepancy between us and God. A more accurate word to describe this condition is enmity. In Romans 8 Paul says the mind set on the flesh is enmity against God. But the mind set on the spirit is life and peace (Rom. 8:6). When we are in spirit, we have life and also peace. Peace is an indication of being reconciled to God. As long as there is something within us that is lacking in peace, some part of us is at enmity with God. This indicates that, at least in certain matters, we have not been reconciled to God, for in these matters there is no peace between us and God. To be sure, whenever there is no peace, there is enmity. But when peace comes, enmity disappears. We may also say that when enmity goes, peace comes. Whether or not we are at peace depends on our being reconciled to God.
不可徒受神的恩典
NOT RECEIVING THE GRACE OF GOD IN VAIN
5保罗在林后六章一节对哥林多人说，『而且我们既与神同工，也就劝你们不可徒受祂的恩典。』这里保罗的意思是说，『哥林多的信徒阿，不要徒受神的恩典。神太恩待你们了，祂赐给你们的已经是恩上加恩。你们既接受了神这么多的恩典，我恳求你们不要徒受祂的恩典。』徒受神的恩典，意思是说，接受了恩典却没有在得救的事上有甚么长进。
5In 6:1 Paul says to the Corinthians, “And working together with Him, we also entreat you that you do not receive the grace of God in vain.” Here Paul seems to be saying, “Believers at Corinth, don’t receive God’s grace in vain. God has graced you very much. He has bestowed grace upon grace on you. Since you have received so much of God’s grace, I beg you not to receive it in vain.” To receive the grace of God in vain means to receive grace without making any progress in the matter of being saved
6我们若要成为不徒受恩典的人，就需要更多的救恩。这就是为甚么保罗在二节接著说，『因为祂说，「在悦纳的时候，我应允了你；在拯救的日子，我济助了你。」看哪，现在正是最可蒙悦纳的时候；看哪，现在正是拯救的日子。』传道人常用这节经文传福音。他们常常这样传讲：『现在正是拯救的日子，不要错过接受神恩典的机会。』然而，保罗在一节并不是说要接受神的恩典，他乃是警戒他们，不可徒受神的恩典。哥林多人已经接受神的恩典，他们需要让这恩典在他们里面作工。如果他们让神的恩典在他们里面作工，他们就不会徒受神的恩典。这就是要在各方面与神完全和好。不仅如此，这也就是经历现时的救恩。今天应该是得著进一步救恩的日子，是藉著神的恩典与神进一步和好的日子。
6If we would be those who do not receive the grace of God in vain, we need more salvation. This is the reason Paul goes on to say in verse 2, “For He says, In an acceptable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I helped you; behold, now is a well-acceptable time; behold, now is a day of salvation.” Preachers often use this verse for the preaching of the gospel. In their gospel preaching they say something like this: “Now is the time, the day, of salvation. Don’t miss the opportunity to receive God’s grace.” In verse 1, however, Paul does not speak about receiving God’s grace; he warns about receiving God’s grace in vain. The Corinthians had already received the grace of God. Their need was to allow this grace to work in them. If they allowed the grace of God to work in them, they would not receive God’s grace in vain. This is to be reconciled to God in full and in every respect. Furthermore, this is to experience a present salvation. Today should be a day of further salvation, a day of progress in being reconciled to God through His grace.
需要心宽宏
THE NEED TO BE ENLARGED IN HEART
7我们若要与神完全和好，完全得救，我们就需要心宽宏。保罗恳求哥林多人要宽宏，他说，『在我们里面，你们并不受限制，你们乃是限制在自己的心肠里。但你们也要宽宏，作同样的报答，我像对孩子说的。』（六12～13。）我们已经指出，心宽宏需要六章三至十节所说适应一切之生命的各方面；需要十八个『在…上』或『以…』─在忍耐上、在患难上、在贫困上、在困苦上、在鞭打上、在监禁上、在扰乱上、在劳苦上、在不睡上、在不食上、以纯洁、以知识、以恒忍、以恩慈、以圣别的灵、以无伪的爱、以真实的话、以神的大能；也需要三对『藉著』─藉著在右在左义的兵器，藉著荣耀和羞辱，藉著恶名和美名。最后，还需要七对『似乎』─似乎是迷惑人的，却是真诚的；似乎不为人所知，却是人所共知的；似乎在死，看哪，我们却活著；似乎受管教，却不被治死；似乎忧愁，却常常喜乐；似乎贫穷，却叫许多人富足；似乎一无所有，却拥有万有。如果我们具备适应一切之生命的这一切特征─『在…上』或『以…』、以及『藉著』和『似乎』的各项，我们就必然是宽宏的。
7If we would be fully reconciled to God, fully saved, we need to be enlarged in our heart. Paul appealed to the Corinthians to be enlarged: “You are not straitened in us, but you are straitened in your inward parts; now for a recompense in kind, I speak as to children, you also be enlarged” (6:12-13). As we have pointed out, to be enlarged requires the aspects of the all-fitting life covered in 6:3-10. It requires the eighteen items beginning with “in”: in endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, in pureness, in knowledge, in longsuffering, in kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love, in the word of truth, in the power of God. It also requires the three pairs starting with “through”: through the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, through glory and dishonor, through evil report and good report. Finally, it requires all the seven pairs beginning with “as”: as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and well known, as dying and behold we live, as being disciplined and not being put to death, as made sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet enriching many, as having nothing and possessing all things. If we have all these characteristics of the all-fitting life, all the items with “in,” “through,” and “as,” we have truly been enlarged
8已过五十年来，我认识了许多亲爱、宝贝的长老同工弟兄们，有很多位都非常严谨、梗直。对于马太十章十六节主所说，要『灵巧像蛇』，这些梗直的弟兄一点也不能『像蛇』。他们也不可能经历『似乎是迷惑人的，却是真诚的』。这里『真诚的』，意思就是梗直。我所指的这些弟兄，不仅严谨，更是极其梗直。譬如，这样的一位弟兄会说，『哦，那个人不应该留在召会里，把他赶出去！我们怎么可能接纳他？哦，那位姊妹真糟，该被定罪。』我多次想尽全力说服这些梗直的弟兄要有弹性。我们可能说，『这位是在主里的真弟兄，无可否认的，他在一些事情上犯了错，但我们还是要包容他，宽恕他，给他有机会改进。』然而有时这样一位梗直的弟兄会反应说，『不！那不合圣经。』这种态度明显指明，这样严谨、梗直的弟兄们，需要心宽宏。
8In the past fifty years I have known many dear and precious brothers who were elders and co-workers. A good number of these brothers were very strict and straight. Regarding the Lord’s word in Matthew 10:16 to be “prudent as serpents,” these straight ones could not at all be “as serpents.” Neither could they be “as deceivers, yet true.” To be true here means to be straight. The brothers to whom I am referring were not only strict; they were extremely straight. For example, one such brother might say, “Oh, that person shouldn’t be in the church. Cast him out! How can we possibly accept him? Oh, that sister is awful. She should be condemned.” Many times we tried our best to convince these straight brothers to be more flexible. We might say, “This one is a real brother in the Lord. No doubt, he is wrong in certain things. But we still must embrace him by forgiving him and by giving him an opportunity to improve.” Nevertheless, sometimes a straight brother would respond by saying, “No! That is not the biblical way!” This attitude is a clear indication that those who are strict and straight in this way need to be enlarged.
9我们需要严、需要直。但我们应当严以待己，而不是对人。为此，我们需要宽宏。那些非常梗直的人，通常也是狭窄的。他们需要心宽宏。当我们的心宽宏时，我们不可松散，而该继续对自己严、对自己直。但我们不可把这个原则应用到别人身上。如果主在我们里面作了这样的工作，我们就是宽宏的了。我请你们再思想一下保罗在林后六章三至十节所题到的每一件事。我们若具备这些特征和资格，我们就会有宽宏的心。也许我们外面很微小，我们的心却如同海洋一般。但我们若没有这些资格，我们的心就非常小。我们可能在自己的眼中很伟大，但我们的心却极其狭窄。譬如，某人犯了错，我们可能从此不再与他交往，直到他悔改认错为止。这就是我们狭窄的记号。这也表示我们不能使别人与神和好，因为我们自己还没有与神完全和好。我们的狭窄是很强的标示，我们只是部分与神和好，我们得拯救的百分比还很低。我们的心究竟有多宽宏，在于我们与神和好的程度。
9We need to be straight and strict. However, we should be strict with ourselves, not with others. In order to be strict with ourselves and not with others, we need to be enlarged. Those who are very straight are usually narrow as well. They need to have their hearts enlarged. When we become enlarged in our heart, we should not become loose. Rather, we should continue to be strict and straight concerning ourselves, but we should not apply this principle to others. If the Lord has done such a work in us, we have been enlarged. I would ask you to consider once again all the matters covered by Paul in 6:3-10. If we have all these characteristics and qualifications, we shall have a large heart. We may be outwardly very small, but our heart will be like an ocean. But if we do not have these qualifications, we shall have a very small heart. We may be great in our own eyes, yet our heart may be extremely narrow. For example, our attitude may be that if a certain one makes a mistake, we should have nothing to do with him unless he repents. This is a sign of narrowness. It is also an indication that we are not able to reconcile others to God, for we ourselves have not been fully reconciled to Him. Our narrowness is a strong indication that we have been reconciled to God only partially and that the percentage of our salvation is quite low. How large our heart is depends on the degree of our reconciliation to God
赦免与忘记
FORGIVING AND FORGETTING
10我参加结婚聚会的时候常被请求要说点话。我不太愿意在这种场合中说话。问题不是我无话可说，而是我真心想要说的，在这种场合可能太直率、太坦诚了。我很不喜欢在婚礼中那些好听、取悦人的话，因为那些话太不合实际。倘若我要在结婚聚会中说话，我喜欢说真话，特别是说到夫妻之间彼此宽恕的困难。
10Often when I attend a wedding meeting, I am urged to give a word. However, I am reluctant to speak at weddings. The problem is not that I do not have anything to say. It is that what I really desire to say may be too frank and honest for the occasion. I strongly dislike the kind of nice, pleasant talk common at weddings, because it usually is far from the truth. If I were to speak at a wedding meeting, I would like to tell the truth, especially concerning the difficulty husbands and wives have in forgiving each other.
11一位弟兄一旦被他的妻子得罪了，他可能永不会忘记，也永不会原谅他的妻子。当然，很多妻子也是如此。我喜欢对刚结婚的弟兄姊妹这样说：『姊妹，要尽力不得罪你的丈夫，你若得罪他，他要好几年的时间才会原谅你。弟兄，不要以为你的妻子是天使；她绝对不是天使。不仅如此，你必须常常爱她。你对她的爱如果不表达出来，你可能会得罪她；她会很久忘不了你的过错。』我用这事作为另一个例子，说明心的狭窄。所有已婚的弟兄姊妹，你们的心需要宽宏。弟兄们，你的妻子得罪过你么？我劝你忘掉罢。你若能赦免别人，忘记别人得罪了你，那就表示你是宽宏的人，是心胸宽大的人。当你被别人得罪，你愿意赦免那人么？赦免事实上乃是忘记。也许我们应该说忘记代替赦免。这样，丈夫会对妻子说，『亲爱的，让我们都忘掉那次得罪对方的事罢。』忘记才是真正的赦免。在你的家庭生活和召会生活中，你可能被得罪过许多次。你把所有被人得罪的事都记录下来了么？你记得你的丈夫或妻子怎样得罪你么？或者记得某位长老怎样得罪你么？你记得圣徒们怎样得罪你么？我们需要赦免并忘掉所有得罪我们的事。我们可能会赦免，但要我们忘记相当困难。我们很难赦免并忘记，乃是因为我们的心还不彀宽宏。因此，我们再次看见，我们的心需要宽宏。我们需要与神完全和好并且完全得救，好使我们的心实在是宽宏的。
11Once a certain brother has been offended by his wife, he may never forget that offense and never forgive his wife for causing it. Of course, many wives are the same way. What I would like to say to a newly married brother and sister is this: “Sister, try your best to avoid offending your husband. If you offend him, it may take him many years to forgive you. Brother, don’t think that your wife is an angel. She certainly is not an angel. Furthermore, you must love her always. If you fail to express your love for her, she may be offended and remember your failure for a long time.” I use this as another illustration of narrowness of heart. All married brothers and sisters need to be enlarged in heart. Brothers, has your wife offended you? I urge you to forget it. If you are able to forgive an offense and forget it, that is a sign that you have become an enlarged person, a person with a large heart. When you are offended by someone, are you willing to forgive that person? To forgive actually is to forget. Perhaps instead of talking about forgiving, we should speak of forgetting. Then a husband would say to his wife, “Dear, let us both forget that offense.” Forgetting is true forgiving. Both in your family life and in the church life you probably have been offended many times. Have you kept a record of all the offenses? Do you remember how your husband or wife offended you, or how you were offended by a certain elder? Do you remember all the offenses caused by the saints? We need to forgive and forget all offenses. We may forgive, but it may be harder for us to forget. This difficulty with forgiving and forgetting is caused by a heart that has not been adequately enlarged. Thus, we see once again that we need our hearts to be enlarged. To be fully reconciled and saved will cause us truly to be enlarged in our hearts