约翰十六章主要的点乃是那灵的工作。按照这一章,那灵的工作有三类:使世人知罪自责;将子带同父的丰满启示与信徒以荣耀子;以及宣示要来的事。约翰的著作也有三类:福音书、书信、和启示录。他的福音书主要的是传福音,使世人知罪自责;他的书信主要的是启示子带同父的丰满;他的启示录是揭开将来一切要来的事。
在八节主说到那灵,使世人知罪自责。这里有三个项目—罪、义、审判,每个都与一个人物有关。罪与亚当有关,因为罪是藉着亚当进到人类中间。我们是在亚当里从罪而生,我们生来就是罪人。
义与基督有关,因为义是从基督来的。亚当是罪,而基督是义。在亚当里,我们是有罪的,并且是被定罪的;在基督里,我们是义的,并且是被称义的。这不是行事为人的问题,而是我们在哪里的问题。要从罪里得释放,惟一的路就是信入神的儿子基督。
审判与撒但有关,审判是为着撒但的。神无意看见你我或任何人遭受审判。但你若仍留在亚当里,你就要因此与撒但同受审判,有分于撒但所受的审判。
这些乃是福音的要点。那灵使世人知罪自责。所有的人类都生在亚当里,但人人也都能从亚当迁入基督。然而,你若留在亚当里,就要同受撒但所受的审判。
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The crucial point of John 16 is the work of the Spirit. According to this chapter the work of the Spirit is in three categories: to convict the world; to glorify the Son by revealing him with the fullness of the Father to the believers; and to disclose what is to come. John’s writings are also of three categories: the Gospel, the Epistles and the Revelation. His Gospel is mainly to preach the gospel and convict the world, his Epistles are mainly to reveal the Son with the fullness of the Father, and his Revelation is the book unveiling all the things to come in the future.
In verse 8 the Lord said of the Spirit that “He will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment.” Each of these three items – sin, righteousness, and judgment – is related to a person. Sin is related to Adam, for it was through Adam that sin entered the human race (Rom. 5:12). We were born of sin in Adam. If you were born in Adam, you were born a sinner.
Righteousness is related to Christ because righteousness comes from Christ. Adam is sin, and Christ is righteousness. In Adam we are sinful and condemned; in Christ we are righteous and justified. It is not a matter of conduct or behavior; it is a matter of where we are. The only way to be freed from sin is to believe in Christ, the Son of God.
Judgment is related to Satan Judgment is for Satan. God has no intention to see you or me or any human being suffer judgment. But if you remain in Adam, you will consequently be judged together with Satan, sharing the judgment of Satan.
These are the main points of the gospel. The Spirit convicts the world with these points. All mankind was born in Adam, but everyone can be translated out of Adam into Christ. If you remain in Adam, however, you will share Satan’s judgment.