2023-11-20 周一 两个国度

经文:我们晓得我们是属神的,而整个世界都卧在那恶者里面。(约壹五19,另译)

在宇宙中有两个源头,这两个源头有两种生命,从这两种生命就产生两个国度。神有祂的生命,从祂的生命产生了神的国;撒但有他邪恶的生命,从撒但的生命产生了撒但的国。因此,在宇宙中有两个国度─神的国和撒但的国。

神的国和撒但的国都是生命的事。神的国是神圣生命的事,撒但的国是撒但生命的事。如果你思想世界的局势,你就会看见,整个人类乃是一个国度,不仅是出于人的生命,甚至更是出于撒但的生命。今天的人类社会乃是撒但生命的国度。人类已经变成撒但的生命及其一切活动的总和。因此,人的国度已经变成属撒但的国度,就是撒但的国。

我们必须看见这两个国度─神的国和撒但的国。至终,神的国要吞灭撒但的国。当亚当为神所造时,他是无罪的。神将亚当摆在指明两个源头─神和撒但─的两棵树前。神造人的目的是要建立国度。按照圣经,神工作的终极完成乃是国度。在圣经里,房子代表家,而城代表国。在永世里,没有房子,只有一座城─新耶路撒冷。使徒约翰说,他看见城内没有殿(启二一22)。殿要扩大为城,城代表国度。至终神要建立祂的国。

神要怎样建立祂的国?当我们听到“建立”一辞时,也许以为意思是把许多东西或元素组合在一起,把一个摆在另一个旁边。然而这不是神的路;神的路是要将祂自己摆在人里面作生命。这生命要在我们里面长大,直到产生国度。

在神进到人里面之前,撒但非常诡诈的进到人里面。正如所有的欺骗者一样,撒但是很会说话的。他用诡诈的说话,把他的思想灌输到人的思想里。他把他邪恶的思想注射到人的心思里。今天原则也是一样。每当你接受一个思想,你就会照着那个思想而行动。先有思想,后有行动。人所接受的思想,至终会影响他们的行为。撒但将他邪恶的思想注射到人的心思之后,人就运用他的身体,把善恶知识树的果子接受到他里面。

请享受生命诗歌195首 (点击诗歌名)


Two Kingdoms — 1 John 5:19

There are two sources in the whole universe, and there are two kinds of life in these two sources. From these two kinds of life, two kingdoms are generated. God has his life, and from his life comes the kingdom of God; Satan has his evil life, and from Satan’s life comes the kingdom of Satan. Therefore, there are two kingdoms in the whole universe – the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.

The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan are both matters of life. The kingdom of God is a matter of divine life, and the kingdom of Satan is a matter of Satanic life. If you think about the world situation, you will see that the entire human race is a kingdom, not only out of human life, but even out of Satan’s life. Today’s human society is the kingdom of Satan’s life. Humanity has become the totality of Satan’s life and all of his activities. Therefore, the kingdom of man has become the domain of Satan, that is, the kingdom of Satan.

We must see these two kingdoms – the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Eventually, the kingdom of God will devour the kingdom of Satan. When Adam was created by God, he was sinless. God placed Adam in front of two trees, pointing to two sources – God and Satan. God’s purpose in creating man was to establish a kingdom. According to the Bible, the consummation of God’s work is the kingdom. A house signifies a family, and a city signifies a kingdom in the Bible. In eternity, there will be no house, but only one city – New Jerusalem. The apostle John said that he saw there was no temple in the city (Rev. 21:22). The temple will be enlarged into a city, and the city represents the kingdom. Eventually God will establish his kingdom.

How does God establish his kingdom? When we hear the word “establish”, we may think it means putting many materials or elements together, placing one next to another. However, this is not God’s way, his way is to put himself into man as life. This life will grow within us until the kingdom is generated.

Before God entered into man, Satan cunningly entered into man. Like all deceivers, Satan was a good talker. He spoke deceitfully and instilled his thoughts into man’s mind, that is, injecting his evil thoughts into man’s mind. The principle is the same today. Whenever you receive a thought, you act on it. Thought comes first, then followed by an act. The thoughts that are received by man will eventually affect their behaviors. After Satan injected his evil thoughts into man’s mind, man used his body to receive into himself the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.