Living in Christ’s church Session 24
《教会论与教会生活》第24讲
主讲：林慈信牧师_校对：刘加立、爱的天空&ZJY(CGY)_文字：傅昱川
Chapter 8，我们来到第八章了。THE CHURCH:THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT，教会是圣灵的团契。
一开始我们就要讲一个《圣经》故事: The man’s name was Simon，他名叫西门，and he had the town in his pocket，他操纵了镇上所有的市民。His racket was not drugs or vice，他的骗局不是贩毒或者其他的罪恶，He was much more than a horoscope-hawking astrologer. 他也不仅仅是一个搞星象学的人，He claimed as a matter of fact to be a human center of cosmic energy. 事实上，他声称自己是宇宙的能源的一个人类的中心。In the celestial hierarchy he was that divine power that is called “Megale.” 在整个天上的阶层里面，他是一个神圣的能力称为“ Megale”。Like any alert operator, he kept an eye open for the competition. 正如任何警醒的商人一样，他会留意谁与他竞争的。Since he was working the town of Samaria in the first century，既然他在第一世纪是在操纵了、在玩弄撒玛利亚这个镇，he had presumably encountered a fair number of magicians and masters of the secret arts. 我们可以假设他也遇见过好些的魔术师和行邪术的人。
When he heard therefore that a man name Philip was in town performing miracles and proclaiming the coming of God’s power among men,Simon hurried to investigate. 因此，当他听到有一个名叫腓利的人，来到镇上行了神迹，也宣告上帝的权能在人类中间已经来临了。西门呢，就赶去研究一下。The rumors were well-grounded. 人们所造的谣言不是没有理由的。He saw Philip perform miracles that magic could not match，他看到腓利所行的神迹，是魔术不能比的。and heard an even more astonishing message. 而他听到的信息就更加令他惊讶了，Simon responded. 西门回应了这个信息。
The people who had been amazed at Simon’s powers were now amazed to see him submitting to baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. 以前人们因为西门的邪术而惊讶，现在更加地惊讶看到他顺服下来，奉主耶稣基督的名受洗了，No doubt you remember the sequel，你不会忘记后来发生什么事了。
as a matter of fact, there is a sin named after Simon. 事实上，历史上有一种罪，是用西门的名字命名的。A case of it was reported in our national news a few years ago. 其实也有在几十年前，美国也有一次这样子的新闻，The sin was very popular in the Middle Ages. 这个用西门的名字命名的罪，在中世纪是非常流行的，”Simony” came to mean the sale of church office. 这个字”Simony” 的意思，就是贩卖教会的圣职。
Offering a bag of silver, Simon horrified the apostle Peter: 西门拿了一袋的银子来，让彼得觉得非常地惊讶恐怖。”Give me also this power,that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:19).使徒行传8：19节： 西门说：“把这权柄也给我，叫我手按著谁，谁就可以受圣灵。”The incident reminds us，这件事情提醒我们， that the New Testament church was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. 新约时期的教会，的确是被圣灵的能力所充满的。So manifest was this power，这能力是那么地明显，that an operator in the occult offered to buy it. 以至一个行邪术的人甚至要购买这个能力。
The Christian church today does not seem to be so endued. 今天的基督教教会好像没有以前那么的有天赋、没有那么地圣灵的能力赋予给她。To be sure, the signs of an apostle were distinctive to the apostolic age (2 Cor. 12:12, Heb. 2:4). 当然，使徒的记号是使徒时期的特有的特点。2 Cor. 12:12，在哥林多后书12：12节，保罗说：“我在你们中间，用百般的忍耐，藉著神迹、奇事、异能，显出使徒的凭据来。”And also Heb. 2:4还有希伯来书2:4节：神又按自己的旨意，用神迹、奇事和百般的异能并圣灵的恩赐，同他们作见证。这个「他们」是谁呢？就是第3节所说的「后来是听见的人」给我们证实，就是使徒。The signs of an apostle were distinctive to the apostolic age.使徒的凭据记号，是使徒时期的一个特别的特征。
But the gift of the Spirit is the heritage of all Christians in all ages.可是圣灵这个恩赐，是任何时代所有基督徒的产业。Sometimes that gift is wrongly sought. 有的时候，人们用不正确的方法追求圣灵，Our experience-centered age may covet the ecstasy of the Spirit as a mind-blowing high. 今天我们的时代是以经验为中心的，可能我们会渴慕圣灵所赐的颠峰的状态，好像一个把人的理智都改变的一种的颠峰状态。
Former drug users who have become Christians can testify that chemistry produces no joy that can compare with the work of the Spirit. 以前吸毒的人，后来信主了，他们可以作见证说：化学作用不可能与圣灵的工作比较的、不可能与圣灵所赐的喜乐比较。Yet God will not be used,可是，总之人不能利用上帝， not even to induce religious elation.包括不能够利用上帝来造成一些宗教的兴奋、颠峰状态。
We make Simon’s mistake if we think that we can summon the Spirit by rubbing some Aladdin’s lamp.假如我们认为，我们可以呼召圣灵来，好像碰一碰这个阿拉丁的神灯一样呢，我们就犯了西门的错误了。The Holy Spirit is Lord, 圣灵是主， and the giver as well as the gift. 圣灵不单是赐给我们的恩赐，圣灵是赐恩赐者。There is a sense in which the church possesses the Spirit of God, 是的，从某一种意义上来说教会有上帝的灵，but only because the Spirit first possesses the church. 教会有上帝的灵，首先是因为圣灵拥有教会。
下面一段，The Church of the Spirit，圣灵的教会。
he church is the creation of the triune God:Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 教会是三一真神所创造的，父上帝、圣子和圣灵的创造。As the church of the Father，教会身为父的教会、父所创造的教会，it is the people and family of God. 她是上帝的子民、上帝的家庭；As the church of the Son，教会身为圣子的教会、圣子的创造，it is the assembly of his disciples, the Kingdom and body of Christ.教会是基督的门徒的大会，基督的国度或基督的身体；As the church of the Spirit，那么，身为圣灵的教会，圣灵所创造的，the church is the new humanity, 教会是新的人类，renewed in the image of Christ，按照基督的形像变成新的人类，and brought into living fellowship with God and with one another. 被带进到与上帝相通和彼此交通。
The church does not cease to be the people of God as it becomes the body of Christ，当教会成为基督的身体的时候，她仍然是上帝子民的，nor does it cease to be Christ’s little flock when it becomes the fellowship of the Spirit. 而教会成为圣灵的团契的时候，她仍然是基督的小群。Rather, through the history of God’s saving work the meaning of God’s gift and claim is marvelously unfolded. 反之，在整个上帝救赎大功历史上，上帝所赐的和上帝所声称的权柄不断地在展开，令我们看到真是奇妙。
The Old Testament as well as the New speaks of the promise of the Spirit. 旧约和新约《圣经》都说到：圣灵乃是那一位应许要来的那一位。In Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones，以西结书里面那个枯干骸骨的山谷，这个的异象就告诉我们：the hopelessness of Israel’s death in exile is dramatically portrayed.（告诉我们）以色列人被流放的时候是怎么样地无望。Life is long gone from this death valley of scattered skeletons.在这个充满著分散的骸骨的山谷里，老早就没有生命了。But God’s Spirit is the Creator: 但是，上帝的灵是创造者，by His power the bones are assembled, 藉著圣灵的大能，骨头连接起来了；flesh is provided,加上肌肉；the breath of life enters their nostrils，生命的气进入他们的鼻孔；and they rise to stand before the Lord(Ezek. 37:10-14). 他们就站起来在上帝的面前肃立（以西结书37：10-14节）。
The great future of which the prophets speech is the age of the Spirit, 先知们所论到的伟大的未来，就是圣灵时代。when God will come in power to bring life from the dead. 在那个时代上帝要来，大能地来到，把人从死入生，赐下生命，This is the message of Peter on the day of Pentecost. 这个就是彼得在五旬节那一天所传的信息，It is also the message of John the Baptist.这个也是施洗约翰所传的信息。He baptized with water不错，施洗约翰用水施洗，but he promised that the one who came after him would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.但是，他应许说，在他以后要来的那一位，要以圣灵和火来施洗的。
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As Jesus left his disciples after the resurrection，当耶稣在祂复活之后，离开祂的门徒的时候，he told them to wait in Jerusalem，祂告诉他们要在耶路撒冷等候，for the coming of the promise of the Father. 等候那位父所应许的来临，That promise was the Holy Spirit. 父所应许那一位，就是圣灵了。
In the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost，当在五旬节圣灵来临的时候，God Himself came to His people. 上帝亲自来到祂的子民中间。The sound of the mighty wind and the tongues of flame recall the whirlwind, the fire and the earthquake of God’s appearing at Sinai. 有大风、有火焰，舌头的火焰，就让我们想起当上帝在西乃山上降临的时候，那种的旋风、火焰和地震（使徒行传2：1-3，参考出埃及记19：18和20：18）。
The coming of the Spirit is the coming of the Lord. 圣灵的来到，就是主的来到。At Pentecost the Spirit of God enters the New Covenant temple. 在五旬节的时候，上帝的灵进入到新的约的圣殿，He gives speech to the disciples in many languages。祂赐给门徒们用各种的语言讲论，to begin the praise of the nations. 这样子，万国对上帝的赞美就开始了。
The Spirit of God is also the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9). 神的灵，同时也是基督的灵（罗马书8：9节），Only because Christ came can the Holy Spirit come. 唯有因为基督已经来，圣灵才能来。The Spirit is the gift of the Son from the throne of glory (Acts 2:33). 圣灵是谁呢？就是圣子从荣耀的宝座上所赐的礼物（使徒行传2：33节）Jesus had promised his disciples,耶稣应许过祂的门徒们说：”I will not leave you orphans: I come unto you” (John 14:18 ASV marg.). 耶稣说：“我不会留你们作为孤儿，我到你们这里来。”
Here we are confronted with the mystery of the Trinity. 这里让我们所看到的是三位一体真神的奥秘。While Jesus can speak of the Spirit as “another Advocate,” 是的，耶稣论到圣灵所说的是另一位保惠师，yet the coming of the Spirit is also the coming of Christ，然而圣灵来，同时就是基督来，so that “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Rom. 8:9).以致于若有人没有基督的灵他就不是属基督的（罗马书8：9节）。The coming of the Spirit makes both the Father and the Son present in the church. 圣灵的来临，使父上帝和圣子都在教会里，与教会同在。The Spirit is not a poor substitute for the presence of. Christ，圣灵不是基督同在的一个很粗略的代替品。不是的！but a glorious form of his presence. 圣灵乃是基督的同在一个荣耀的一个形式。
Christ told his disciples that耶稣告诉过祂的门徒们说，they should desire His going away so that the Spirit might come (John 16:7). 耶稣说，他们应该愿意基督离开，好叫灵能够来（约翰福音16：7节）。Fulfillment is the key to understanding the meaning of the presence of the Spirit in the church.「实现」是那个钥匙、关键让我们明白圣灵在教会同在的意义，Fulfillment 实现或是应验。The Spirit comes and abides. 圣灵来，是常住的。The bond between God and his people is restored, 上帝与祂子民之间的连结恢复了，not in a shadow or sign，不是藉着一个影子、一个记号，but in reality. 乃是实实在在地恢复了。
Christ baptizes with the Spirit, 基督用圣灵来施洗，the final and full baptism，这个是最后的洗礼、完整的洗礼。by which God is present in the hearts of his people. 藉着这个洗礼，上帝在祂子民的心里面与他们同在，both individually and together，不论是个人，或者是教会的整体the people of God are indwelt by the Spirit. 上帝的子民有圣灵住在里面，内住（罗马书8：9节，11节）就是个人的。（哥林多前书3：16节，6：19节；以弗所书2：22节）
The life that the Spirit brings is the life of the new age, the new creation. 圣灵所带来的生命，就是新的世代的生命，是新创造、新宇宙的生命（罗马书8：18-23节），The last days predicted by the prophets have come (Acts 2:17). 先知们所预言的末后的日子来临了（使徒行传2：17节）。The coming of the Spirit shows that Christ’s rule as the risen Lord has begun. 圣灵的来到，就显明了基督作为复活的主:，祂的统治已经开始了！（使徒行传2：22-24，同一章的31-36节）Those who partake of the Holy Spirit are partaking of the powers of the age to come. 那些领受圣灵的与圣灵有分的人，就是与将来的世代的权能有分的人（希伯来书6：5节）。Yet the Christ whom the heavens have received will come again (Acts 3:21). 可是天留着祂，天留着基督，基督会再来的。（使徒行传3：21节）。
The presence and work of the Spirit link the first coming of Christ with the Second Coming. 圣灵的同在，圣灵的工作，就将基督第一次的来临和第二次的再来呢，连起来。Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit as the down payment on Christ’s finished redemption. 保罗说，圣灵乃是基督已经完成了救赎大功的首期款，或者是质，或者是凭据（哥林多后书1：22节，5：5节，以弗所书1：14节）。A down payment is not just a promissory note. 头期款不仅仅是一个应许，一张的货币，It is payment in the coin of the final settlement. 头期款是用最后付款的那个货币来付出的，The Spirit is the Spirit of the glory to come . 圣灵乃是将要来的，将来的荣耀至临，With the presence of the Spirit we taste heaven begun. 圣灵既然同在，我们就尝到天国已经开始了。
Heaven holds no higher blessing than fellowship with the Lord，天上的最高的福分，就是与主的交通，and that fellowship is now begun in the Spirit. 而与主的交通，现在在圣灵里已经开始了。The full harvest of heaven’s blessing is still to come，是的，天上的福分，完整的丰收还没有到，but we have the first fruits of the Spirit now (Rom. 8:23). 那可是我们现在就有圣灵，祂作为我们初熟的果子（罗马书8：23节）不但如此，就是我们这有圣灵初结果子的，也是自己心里叹息，等候得着儿子的名分，乃是我们的身体得赎）Such a foretaste is also a pledge of the new heaven and earth，这种的先尝，同时也是新天新地的保证、承诺。
when creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption，到了那日，整个宇宙被造的世界要从现在败坏的捆绑释放出来，into the liberty of the children of God (Rom. 8:21).进入到上帝的儿女的自由中（罗马书8：21节）。The form that the church receives with the coming of the Spirit，那么教会既然圣灵已经来了，教会领受这个形式，is the final form of the people of God. 形状就是上帝子民最后这个形式，最后一个形状。It marks the heavenly nature of the church on earth. 圣灵是个标志，标志着在地上的教会有她的属天的本质。It fulfills the promise of God，圣灵的来临应验了、成全了上帝所应许的and anticipates the age to come. 同时预期将来那个来临的世代、来临的宇宙必来。
下一段呢，是 The Spirit Fills the Church，讲到圣灵要充满着教会。这个是我们下一讲要开始讲的。
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