总题：活在神国的实际里
第五篇 活在神的主宰权柄之下并照着神的怜悯而活
Living under the Sovereignty of God and according to the Mercy of God
读经：启四11，但四3、34～35，罗九15～16、18～23，来四16
壹 我们要看见神主宰权柄的异象，这是很重要的─但四3、34～35，罗九18～23：
I. It is crucial that we see a vision of God's sovereignty—Dan. 4:3, 34-35; Rom. 9:18-23:一 主宰的权柄是指神无限的权柄、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 神是主宰一切者，祂在一切之上，在一切背后，也在一切之中─王上二二19。
1. As the sovereign One, God is above everything, behind everything, and in every thing—1 Kings 22:19.2 神有完全的能力，能照着祂的心愿，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 according 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. "For 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 我们都必须领悟我们是谁；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 dishonor?"—v. 21:a 神是窑匠，我们是祂手中的泥；神这位窑匠是主宰一切的─耶十八1～6。
a. God is the Potter, and we are the clay in His hand; God, the Potter, is sovereign—Jer. 18:1-6.b 我们的神是窑匠，对我们有完全的权利；祂对我们，有权利作祂所喜欢的─赛二九16，六四8。
b. As the Potter, our God has the absolute right over us; regarding us, He has the right to do whatever He desires—Isa. 29:16; 64:8.c 神若愿意，就能将一个器皿作成贵重的，又将另一个器皿作成卑贱的─罗九21。
c. If God wills, He can make one vessel unto honor and another unto dis-honor—Rom. 9:21.3 罗马九章二十一至二十三节启示，神照着祂的预定，主宰地将我们造成祂的容器─林后四7，提后二20～21，弗一5、11：
3. Romans 9:21-23 reveals that God sovereignly created us to be His containers, according to His predestination—2 Cor. 4:7; 2 Tim. 2:20-21; Eph. 1:5, 11:a 神这窑匠造出蒙怜悯的器皿来盛装祂自己，借以彰显祂荣耀的丰富，这乃是出于祂的主宰权柄─罗九23。
a. It is of God's sovereignty that He, the Potter, makes the riches of His glory known by creating vessels of mercy to contain Himself—Rom. 9:23.b 作贵重的器皿不是我们选择的结果，乃是起源于神的主宰权柄─21节。
b. Being vessels unto honor is not the result of our choice; it originates with.God's sovereignty—v. 21.c 神的主宰权柄是祂拣选的基础；祂的拣选在于祂的主宰权柄─11、18节，十一5、28。
c. God's sovereignty is the basis of His selection; His selection depends on His sovereignty—vv. 11, 18; 11:5, 28.4 “且要在那些蒙怜悯、早预备得荣耀的器皿上，彰显祂荣耀的丰富”─九23：
4. "In order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory"—9:23:a 神在祂的主宰里，有权柄将祂所拣选并呼召的人，作成蒙怜悯的器皿以盛装祂，使祂的荣耀得显明─11、18、23～24节。
a. In His sovereignty God has the authority to make the ones He has selected and called vessels of mercy to contain Him in order that His glory might be manifested—vv. 11, 18, 23-24.b 照着祂的主宰权柄，祂已预备我们得荣耀─23节。
b. According to His sovereign authority, He has prepared us unto glory— v. 23.贰 “‘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”─15节上、16节：
II. "‘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"—vv..15a, 16:一 怜悯是神的属性中够得最远的，比祂的恩典和爱够得更远─太九13：
A. Mercy is the most far reaching of God's attributes, going further than His grace and love—Matt. 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. 11:32.二 我们的观念是：那定意的会得着他所定意要得着的，那奔跑的会得着他所追求的─九16：
B. Our concept is that the one who wills will gain what he wills to obtain and that the one who runs will gain what he runs after—9:16:1 若是如此，神的拣选就是照着我们的努力和劳苦了。
1. If this were the case, God's selection would be according to our effort and labor.2 反之，神的拣选是出于施怜悯的神；我们不需要定意或奔跑，因为神怜悯我们。
2. 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.3 我们若认识神的怜悯，就不会信靠自己的努力，也不会因自己的失败而失望；我们可怜光景的盼望，是在于神的怜悯─弗二4。
3. 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. 2:4.三 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：
C. 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. 4:16:1 我们若认识神的主宰权柄，就会为着祂的怜悯感谢祂，领悟我们乃是在祂主宰的怜悯之下─罗九15：
1. If we know God's sovereignty, we will thank Him for His mercy, realizing that we are under His sovereign mercy—Rom. 9:15:a “主宰的怜悯”一辞，意思是神的怜悯完全在于神主宰的权柄。
a. The expression sovereign mercy means that God's mercy is absolutely a matter of God's sovereignty.b 作蒙怜悯的器皿不是我们选择的结果，乃是起源于神的主宰权柄─18节。
b. Being a vessel of mercy is not the result of our choice; it originates with God's sovereignty—v. 18.c 神对我们的怜悯是在于祂主宰的权柄；要解释神对我们的怜悯，我们只能说这是在于祂主宰的权柄，祂已选择要向我们施怜悯─15～16、23节。
c. God's mercy to us is in His sovereignty; the only thing we can say to explain God's mercy to us is that in His sovereignty, He has chosen to be merciful to us—vv. 15-16, 23.2 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─耶二九13，申四29，赛五五6。
2. In God's sovereign mercy, our hearts are inclined toward Him; because of His mercy to us, we seek Him day by day—Jer. 29:13; Deut. 4:29; Isa. 55:6.3 我们越看见与我们有关的每件事都在于神的怜悯，就会越在主面前背负我们的责任；然而，甚至我们乐意背负责任也是出于神的怜悯。
3. 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 willingness to bear responsibility is of God's mercy.4 因着神的怜悯，我们对福音有反应而别人没有反应，我们接受关于基督是生命的话而别人拒绝接受，我们走主恢复的路而别人退后不走这条路。
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.5 就着神的恢复来说，神向祂所要施怜悯的人施了怜悯。
5. Regarding His recovery, God has mercy on whom He will have mercy.四 罗马九章所启示的原则乃是，一切皆在于神的怜悯─15～16节：
D. 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，都是出于神的怜悯─16、23节。
1. The apostle Paul applied this principle to the Israelites, showing us that every-thing that happened to them was of God's mercy—vv. 16, 23.2 我们总得有一次看见神的怜悯，并且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而看见；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，就会摸着一个事实，不是一个感觉；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.