第五篇 神是主宰的窑匠，将我们作成祂的器皿（祂的容器）以盛装祂
God as Our Sovereign Potter Making Us His Vessels, His Containers, to Contain Him
读经：耶十八1～10，赛六四8，罗九15～16、19～23，徒九15，林后四6～7
壹 神是我们主宰的窑匠，对我们这些祂的陶器有完全的权利；看见神主宰的权柄这个异象，对我们是极其重要的─耶十八1～10，赛六四8，但四3、34～35，罗九19～23：
I. God as our sovereign Potter has absolute right over us as His pottery; it is crucial that we see a vision of God's sovereignty— Jer. 18:1-10; Isa. 64:8; Dan. 4:3, 34-35; Rom. 9:19-23:
一 主宰的权柄，乃是指神无限的权柄、能力和地位─启四11，五13：
A. Sovereignty refers to God's unlimited authority, power, and position—Rev. 4:11; 5:13:
1 作为主宰一切者，神是在每一件事之上，在每一件事背后，也在每一件事之内─王上二二19。
1. As the sovereign One, God is above everything, behind everything, and in everything—1 Kings 22:19.
2 神完全有能力，照着祂的心愿并照着祂永远的经纶，完成祂所要的─但四34~35，弗一4～5、9～11。
2. God has the full capacity to carry out what He wants accord-ing to the desire of His heart and according to His eternal economy—Dan. 4:34-35; Eph. 1:4-5, 9-11.
二 罗马九章十九至二十三节说到神的主宰权柄：─引用经文
B. Romans 9:19-23 refers to God's sovereignty:
1 “有谁抗拒祂的旨意？人哪，你是谁，竟向神顶嘴？被塑造者岂能对塑造他者说，你为什么这样造我？”─19节下～20节：
1. "Who withstands His will? But rather, O man, who are you who answer back to God? Shall the thing molded say to him who molded it, Why did you make me thus?"—vv. 19b-20:
a 我们必须领悟我们是谁；我们是神的造物，祂是我们的创造者─赛四二5。
a. We need to realize who we are; we are God's creatures, and He is our Creator—Isa. 42:5.
b 我们是祂的造物，不该抗拒祂的定旨，或向祂这创造者顶嘴─罗九20。
b. As His creatures, we should not resist His purpose or answer back to Him, the Creator—Rom. 9:20.
2 “窑匠难道没有权柄，从同一团泥里，拿一块作成贵重的器皿，又拿一块作成卑贱的器皿么？”─21节：
2. "Does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dis-honor?"—v. 21:
a 神是我们的窑匠，我们是祂手中的泥块；神─我们的窑匠─是主宰一切的─耶十八1～6，赛六四8。
a. God is our Potter, and we are the clay in His hand; God, our Potter, is sover eign—Jer. 18:1-6; Isa. 64:8.
b 神是我们的窑匠，对我们有完全的权利；祂对我们有权利作祂所喜欢的；神若愿意，祂能将一个器皿作成贵重的，又将另一个器皿作成卑贱的─耶十八6，赛二九16，六四8，罗九21。
b. As our Potter, God has the absolute right over us; regard-ing us, He has the right to do whatever He desires; if God wills, He can make one vessel unto honor and another unto dis honor—Jer. 18:6; Isa. 29:16; 64:8; Rom. 9:21.
三 神的主宰是祂拣选的基础；祂的拣选在于祂的主宰─11、18节，十一5、28。
C. God's sovereignty is the basis of His selection; His selection de-pends on His sov ereignty—vv. 11, 18; 11:5, 28.
贰 神是我们的窑匠，照着祂的预定，主宰地将我们造成祂的器皿（祂的容器）以盛装祂自己─林后四6～7，弗四6，三19下，腓二13，来十三20～21，提前三16，提后二20～21，弗一5、11：
II. God as our Potter has sovereignly created us to be His vessels, His containers, to contain Himself according to His predes-tination—2 Cor. 4:6-7; Eph. 4:6; 3:19b; Phil. 2:13; Heb. 13:20-21; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:20-21; Eph. 1:5, 11:
一 神造人的目的是要将人作成祂的器皿，祂的陶土容器，为要盛装基督作生命并被祂充满，好建造基督的身体，作神极大的团体器皿，使祂得着彰显─创二7，徒九15，罗九21、23，林后四7。
A. God's purpose in creating man was to make man His vessel, His earthenware container, to contain and be filled with Christ as life for the building up of the Body of Christ as God's great corpo-rate vessel for His expression—Gen. 2:7; Acts 9:15; Rom. 9:21, 23; 2 Cor. 4:7.
二 整本圣经基本的教训就是：神是内容，我们被造是要作容器盛装这内容；我们必须盛装神，并被神充满，好使我们成为贵重的器皿，分别为圣，合乎主人使用，预备行各样的善事─提后二20～21。
B. The basic teaching of the whole Scripture is simply this: God is the very content, and we are the containers made to receive the con-tent; we must contain God and be filled with God so that we can be vessels unto honor, sanctified, useful to the master, pre pared unto every good work—2 Tim. 2:20-21.
三 我们若不盛装神，不认识神是我们的内容，就与神造我们作祂器皿的目的相悖而失去了意义─传一2～3、14。
C. If we do not contain God and know God as our content, we are a senseless contradic tion—Eccl. 1:2-3, 14.
四 保罗的全部十四封书信可以总括为这辞─“敞开的器皿”：
D. All of Paul's fourteen Epistles can be summed up in two words— open vessel:
1 神能将祂自己分赐到我们里面的程度，在于我们敞开的程度；神要我们只爱祂并使自己一直向祂敞开─王下四1～7，太五3，约一16，赛五七15，六六1～2。
1. The degree to which God can dispense Himself into us depends on the degree of our openness; God wants us only to love Him and to keep ourselves open to Him—2 Kings 4:1-7; Matt. 5:3; John 1:16; Isa. 57:15; 66:1-2.
2 退步的起点是由于自满，进步的起点是由于饥渴─申四25，路一53，腓一25，启三16～18。
2. Decadence starts from self-complacency; progress starts from hunger and thirst—Deut. 4:25; Luke 1:53; Phil. 1:25; Rev. 3:16-18.
叁 神作为我们的窑匠，在祂的主宰里有权柄将祂所拣选并呼召的人，作成蒙怜悯得尊贵和荣耀的器皿─罗九11、18、21～24：
III. In His sovereignty God as our Potter has the authority to make the ones whom He has selec ted and called to be vessels of mercy unto honor and glory—Rom. 9:11, 18, 21-24:
一 我们是照着神主宰的怜悯蒙祂拣选；神的怜悯是神的属性中够得最远的，把我们从可怜的地位，救到适合祂恩典和爱的光景─弗二1～4，来四16，太五7，七1，九13：
A. We were chosen by God according to His sovereign mercy; God's mercy is the most far-reaching of God's attributes, saving us out of our wretched position into a condition that is suitable for His grace and love—Eph. 2:1-4; Heb. 4:16; Matt. 5:7; 7:1; 9:13:
1 按我们天然的光景，我们离神太远，完全不配得祂的恩典；我们只适合接受祂的怜悯─弗二4。
1. According to our natural condition, we were far removed from God, totally unworthy of His grace; we were eligible only to receive His mercy—Eph. 2:4.
2 人的不信从给神的怜悯机会，神的怜悯就将救恩带给人─罗十一32。
2. Man's disobedience affords God's mercy an opportunity, and God's mercy brings man to salvation—Rom. 11:32.
3 我们受造成为蒙怜悯的器皿，以盛装基督这怜悯的神─九11～13、16、20～21、23，哀三21～24，路一78～79。
3. We were created to be vessels of mercy to contain Christ as the God of mercy—9:11-13, 16, 20-21, 23; Lam. 3:21-24; Luke 1:78-79.
4 因着神的怜悯，我们对福音有反应，别人没有反应；我们接受关于基督是生命的话，别人拒绝接受；我们走主恢复的路，别人退后不走这条路─诗歌二百三十四首，第三节。
4. Because of God's mercy, we responded to the gospel when others did not respond, we received a word about Christ as life when others refused to receive it, and we took the way of the Lord's recovery when others drew back from taking this way—Hymns, #296, stanza 3.
二 “‘我要向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯；……’这样看来，这不在于那定意的，也不在于那奔跑的，只在于那施怜悯的神”─罗九15上、16：
B. "'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy'…So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy"—Rom. 9:15a, 16:
1 我们的观念是，定意的会得着他所定意要得着的，奔跑的会得着他所追求的─16节：
1. Our concept is that the one who wills gains what he wills to obtain and that the one who runs gains what he runs after— v. 16:
a 若是这样，神的拣选就是照着我们的努力和劳苦。
a. If this were the case, God's selection would be according to our effort and labor.
b 相反的，神的拣选是在于那施怜悯的神；我们不需要定意或奔跑，因为神怜悯我们。
b. On the contrary, God's selection is of God who shows mercy; we do not need to will or to run, for God has mercy on us.
c 我们若认识神的怜悯，就不会信靠我们的努力，也不会因着我们的失败而失望；对于我们苦恼的光景，盼望乃在于神的怜悯─弗二4。
c. If we know God's mercy, we will neither trust in our effort nor be disappointed by our failures; the hope for our wretched condition is in God's mercy—Eph. 2:4.
2 我们若要在神新约的经纶里事奉神，就需要认识这完全在于神主宰的怜悯─罗九15～16，来四16：
2. If we would serve God in His New Testament economy, we need to know that it is wholly a matter of God's sovereign mercy— Rom. 9:15-16; Heb. 4:16:
a 如果我们知道神的主宰权柄，我们会为着祂的怜悯感谢祂，因看见我们乃是在祂主宰的怜悯之下─罗九15。
a. If we know God's sovereignty, we will thank Him for His mercy, realizing that we are under His sovereign mercy— Rom. 9:15.
b “主宰的怜悯”一辞，意指神的怜悯完全是照着祂的主宰；成为蒙怜悯的器皿，不是我们拣选的结果；这乃是起源于神的主宰─18节。
b. The expression sovereign mercy means that God's mercy is absolutely a matter of God's sovereignty; being a vessel of mercy is not the result of our choice; it originates with God's sovereignty—v. 18.
c 要解释神向我们施怜悯，只能说这是在于祂主宰的权柄，祂已拣选要怜悯我们─15～16、23节。
c. The only thing we can say to ex plain God's mercy to us is that in His sovereignty He has chosen to be merciful to us—vv. 15-16, 23.
3 在神主宰的怜悯里，我们的心倾向于祂；因着祂给我们的怜悯，我们天天寻求祂─耶二九12～13，申四29，赛五五6，诗二七8，一〇五4，一一九2，来十一6。
3. In God's sovereign mercy our hearts are inclined toward Him; because of His mercy to us, we seek Him day by day—Jer. 29:12-13; Deut. 4:29; Isa. 55:6; Psa. 27:8; 105:4; 119:2; Heb. 11:6.
4 我们越看见每件与我们有关的事都在于神的怜悯，就越会在主面前背负我们的责任；然而，就连我们愿意背负责任也是出于神的怜悯。
4. The more we see that everything related to us is a matter of God's mercy, the more we will bear our responsibility before the Lord; however, even our will ingness to bear responsibil-ity is of God's mercy.
5 说到主的恢复，神要向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯。
5. Regarding His recovery, God has mercy on whom He will have mercy.
三 罗马九章启示一切皆在于神的怜悯这原则─15～16节：
C. Romans 9 reveals the principle that everything depends on God's mercy—vv. 15-16:
1 使徒保罗把这原则应用在以色列人身上，叫我们看见一切发生在以色列人身上的事，都是出乎神的怜悯─16、23节。
1. The apostle Paul applies this principle to the Israelites, show-ing us that every thing that happened to them was of God's mercy—vv. 16, 23.
2 我们总得最少有一次看见并确定地碰见神的怜悯─弗二4，太九13：
2. There must be at least one time when we see God's mercy and definitely touch His mercy—Eph. 2:4; Matt. 9:13:
a 对于这件事，我们最少需要有一次眼睛得开启；起码要有一次看见一切在于神的怜悯。
a. Concerning this matter, our eyes need to be opened at least once; there must be at least one time when we see that everything depends on God's mercy.
b 不论我们是一次的看见，或是经过一段过程的看见，当我们摸到这件事，就会摸到一个事实，而非一个感觉；这事实就是：一切皆在于神的怜悯。
b. Whether we see this all at once or we realize it through a process, the minute we touch this matter, we touch not a feeling but a fact; this fact is that every thing depends on God's mercy.
四 “所以我们只管坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前，为要受怜悯，得恩典，作应时的帮助”─来四16，参15，路十五20～24。
D. "Let us therefore come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help"— Heb. 4:16, cf. v. 15; Luke 15:20-24.
五 父神在祂的主宰里，已怜悯了我们；所以，我们必须为着祂主宰的怜悯赞美并敬拜祂：
E. In His sovereignty God the Father has had mercy on us; therefore, we must praise and worship Him for His sovereign mercy:
1 “我今享受你的怜悯，永远不旧、永远新；每日早晨临到我身，犹如甘露施滋润。何等甜美、何等甜美，满心赞美你怜悯”─诗歌二十二首，第五节。
1. "Father, we enjoy Thy mercy, I Ever fresh and ever new; I Every morning shed upon us, I It refreshes as the dew. I How we taste it！ How we taste it！ I Giving Thee the praises due"— Hymns, #26, stanza 5.
2 “父，你怜悯并你恩惠、慈爱，我已得尝；你这怜悯带来你的同在，并你面光。因你怜悯，我今向你下拜，赞你怜悯，歌颂直到万代”─诗歌二十三首，第三节。
2. "Father, Thy mercy with Thy love and grace I Did we obtain; I And in Thy mercy, with Thee face to face, I We'll e'er remain; I And for Thy mercy we would worship Thee I Through all our days and through eternity"—Hymns, #25, stanza 3.
六 我们受造成为蒙怜悯得尊贵的器皿，以盛装基督这尊贵的神（提后二20～21，罗九21），好使我们尊重神和人（士九9）：─引用经文
F. We were created to be vessels of mercy unto honor to contain Christ as the God of honor (2 Tim. 2:20-21; Rom. 9:21) so that we may honor God and men (Judg. 9:9):
1 我们成为得尊贵的器皿，不是我们拣选的结果；这乃是起源于神的主宰─罗九21。
1. Being vessels unto honor is not the result of our choice; it originates with God's sovereignty—Rom. 9:21.
2 信徒借着重生成为得尊贵的器皿，有基督作他们的宝贝─林后四6～7。
2. The believers are vessels unto honor with Christ as their treasure through regeneration—2 Cor. 4:6-7.
3 信徒借着洁净自己脱离卑贱的器皿，而成为得尊贵的器皿─提后二20～21。
3. The believers are vessels unto honor through their cleansing of themselves from the vessels unto dishonor—2 Tim. 2:20-21.
4 得尊贵的器皿乃是凭着灵而活且凭着灵而行以尊重神（加五16、25），并将那灵供应人以尊重人的人（林后三6、8）。─引用经文
4. Vessels unto honor are those who honor God by living and walking by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25) and those who honor men by ministering the Spirit to them (2 Cor. 3:6, 8).
七 我们受造成为蒙怜悯得荣耀的器皿，以盛装基督这荣耀的神：
G. We were created to be vessels of mercy unto glory to contain Christ as the God of glory:
1 荣耀就是神自己彰显出来，显明出来了─耶二11，徒七2，弗一17，林前二8，彼前四14，西二9，诗二四7～10。
1. Glory is God Himself expressed and manifested—Jer. 2:11; Acts 7:2; Eph. 1:17; 1 Cor. 2:8; 1 Pet. 4:14; Col. 2:9; Psa. 24:7-10.
2 主能对父说，“我在地上已经荣耀你，你交给我要我作的工，我已经完成了”（约十七4）；这意思是主在地上生活时，显明并彰显了父。─引用经文
2. The Lord was able to tell the Father, "I have glorified You on earth, finishing the work which You have given Me to do" (John 17:4); this means that while the Lord was living on earth, He manifested and expressed the Father.
3 基督神性之荣耀的释放（路十二49～50），乃是祂经过死而在复活里（徒三13），为父用神圣的荣耀所荣耀（约十二23～24）；在基督的得荣里，祂这末后的亚当成了赐生命的灵，为着祂神圣的分赐（七39，路二四26、46，林前十五45下，林后三6）。─引用经文
3. The release of the glory of Christ's divinity (Luke 12:49-50) was His being glorified by the Father with the divine glory (John 12:23-24) in His resurrection (Acts 3:13) through His death; in Christ's glorification He, as the last Adam, became the life-giving Spirit for His divine dispensing (John 7:39; Luke 24:26, 46; 1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:6).
4 我们是蒙怜悯得尊贵和荣耀的器皿，为神所预备，借着被荣化─神完全救恩的最后一步─而得荣耀─罗八21、23、29～30，腓三21。
4. As vessels of mercy unto honor and glory, we have been pre-pared by God unto glory through glorification—the last step of God's full salvation—Rom. 8:21, 23, 29-30; Phil. 3:21.
5 神按照祂主宰的权柄创造、塑造甚至造作我们为着祂的荣耀─赛四三7，罗九23：
5. According to His sovereign authority, God created, formed, and even made us for His glory—Isa. 43:7; Rom. 9:23:
a 我们被祂的主宰权柄所预定，作祂的容器，使祂得着荣耀的彰显和显明。
a. We were predestinated by His sovereignty to be His con-tainers for His glorious expression and manifestation.
b 这是我们对神功用的极点，是神照着祂的主宰权柄而有之拣选的目标─11、18节。
b. This is the climax of our usefulness to God—the goal of God's selec tion according to His sovereignty—vv. 11, 18.
c 让神得荣耀，乃是我们事奉的目的─七6，十一36。
c. The glorification of God is the purpose of our service—7:6; 11:36.
d 我们对神最高的事奉，就是彰显祂，使祂得荣耀─林前六20，十31，罗六4。
d. The highest service that we can render to God is to express Him for His glory—1 Cor. 6:20; 10:31; Rom. 6:4.
e 神的荣耀作到召会中，神就在召会中得着彰显；因此，在召会中荣耀归与神，就是神在召会中得着荣耀─弗三16、20～21。
e. God's glory is wrought into the church, and He is expressed in the church; hence, to God is the glory in the church; that is, God is glorified in the church—Eph. 3:16, 20-21.
6 我们有这宝贝，基督这荣耀的神，住在我们这些瓦器里（林后四7）；住在我们里面的“这宝贝”（7），就是“耶稣基督的面”（6），基督的同在，“基督的人位”（二10─面，英译作person，人位）。─引用经文
6. We have this treasure, Christ as the God of glory, dwelling within us, the earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7); "this treasure" (v. 7) indwelling us is "the face of Jesus Christ" (v. 6), the presence of Christ, "the person of Christ" (2:10).
7 当我们将心转向主，就在灵里观看主灵，就是基督的同在，我们就“渐渐变化成为与祂同样的形像，从荣耀到荣耀，乃是从主灵变化成的”─三16～18，参提后四22。
7. When we turn our heart to the Lord, we are beholding the Lord Spirit as the presence of Christ in our spirit, and we are "being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit"—3:16-18; cf. 2 Tim. 4:22.
8 观看主的荣耀是我们自己看主，返照是叫别人经过我们看主─赛六十1、5。
8. To behold the glory of the Lord is to see the Lord ourselves; to reflect the glory of the Lord is to enable others to see Him through us—Isa. 60:1, 5.