神为蒙召者所作两类的事—为着他的生存
在十五章以前，亚伯拉罕经历神是保护他，并供应他许多物质事物的那一位（创十二16）。亚伯拉罕让罗得优先选择，又胜了四王。然而，这些事没有一件与达成神的目的有关，不过与亚伯拉罕的生存有关。他是在外面环境中经历这一切，不是在内里生命中经历这一切。
神为蒙召者所作两类的事—为着使他达成神的目的
你知道神的目的是甚么？神的目的是要得着一班人，有祂的形像彰显祂，有祂的管治权代表祂，并为祂的国度取得地。从创世记一章二十六节开始，我们看见神永远的目的就是要得着一班人，有祂的形像彰显祂，有祂的管治权代表祂，并为祂的国度接管地。当神来呼召亚伯拉罕，祂应许亚伯拉罕要得福彰显神，并成为大国，使神藉着他在地上得着祂的国度。这是神今天永远的目的。
但在创世记十五章以前，亚伯拉罕所遭遇的一切，都与达成神的目的无关。乃是从十五至二十四章的记载，才给我们看见神如何将一些东西作到亚伯拉罕里面，使他能达成神的目的。这不再仅仅是环境中外面的经历，乃是生命中内里的经历。
今天多数基督徒只关心他们的生存，并不关心神永远的目的。甚至在我们中间，许多人也还没有被神永远的目的深深的摸着。许多人还是盼望主给他们较好的职业、好的丈夫或妻子、好的教育、升迁。这一切使你能生存，与达成神的目的却没有直接的关系。在十五章以前，一切对亚伯拉罕的生存都是美好的，有帮助的，有利的，使他能维持生活，但那些事没有一件与达成神的目的有直接的关系。
请查看亚伯拉罕的情形。亚伯拉罕在埃及所得的牛羊能彰显神么？那些使女能代表神么？虽然神给了亚伯拉罕许多东西，但他所有的，没有一样对达成神的目的有用。生存是一回事，达成神的目的是另一回事。今天我们的原则也是一样。我们的教育、职业及房子，都有益于我们的生存，但没有一样有益于达成神的目的。
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Seed and Land (3) – Gen. 15:3
God Doing Two Categories of Things for the Called Ones — For His Existence
Before chapter 15, Abraham experienced God as the one who protected him and supplied him with many material things (Gen. 12:16). Abraham allowed Lot to have the first choice and defeated the four kings. However, none of these things were related to the fulfillment of God’s purpose; they were only related to Abraham’s existence. He experienced all of this in his outward environment, not in his inner life.
God Doing Two Categories of Things for the Called Ones — For the Fulfillment of God’s Purpose
Do you know what God’s purpose is? God’s purpose is to obtain a corporate man to express Him with His image, represent Him with His dominion, and take over the land for His kingdom. Starting from Genesis 1:26, we see that God’s eternal purpose is to have a group of people who express Him with His image, represent Him with His dominion, and take over the land for His kingdom. When God came to call Abraham, He promised that Abraham would be blessed to express God and become a great nation, so that through him, God could have His kingdom on earth. This is God’s eternal purpose today
But before Genesis 15, everything Abraham encountered was unrelated to the fulfillment of God’s purpose. It is the record from chapters 15 through 24 that shows us how God worked something into Abraham so that he could fulfill God’s purpose. This is no longer merely outward experiences in the environment, but inward experiences in life.
Today, most Christians are only concerned about their existence and do not care for God’s eternal purpose. Even among us, many have not yet been deeply touched by God’s eternal purpose. Many still hope the Lord will give them a better job, a good husband or wife, a good education or a promotion. All these things enable you to exist, but they have no direct relationship to the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Before chapter 15, everything for Abraham’s existence was good, helpful and beneficial, enabling him to sustain his life, but none of those things had a direct relationship to the fulfillment of God’s purpose.
Please check Abraham’s situation. Could the sheep and oxen Abraham obtained in Egypt express God? Could those female servants represent God? Although God gave Abraham many things, nothing he possessed was useful for fulfilling God’s purpose. Existence is one thing; fulfilling God’s purpose is another. Today, our principle is the same. Our education, career and house are all beneficial to our existence, but none of them are beneficial to the fulfillment of God’s purpose.