创世记二十一章有两段。在第一段，我们看到以撒的出生（创二一1-7）。以撒这名的意思是“喜笑”，或“他必喜笑。”他是照着神的应许，在约定的时候，就是生命的时候出生的。就着亚伯拉罕和撒拉而言，以撒的出生是一件大事。以撒的出生有甚么属灵的意义？这可从保罗在加拉太四章寓意的解释中看到。亚伯拉罕怎样蒙神呼召，今天我们也照样是蒙神呼召的人。神呼召我们有一个目标，与祂呼召亚伯拉罕的目标相同，就是生出后裔。神已经呼召我们来生出基督。亚伯拉罕怎样蒙召来生出以撒，我们也照样蒙召来生出基督。我们蒙召不是要产生好行为。神的目标乃是要我们生出基督。
亚伯拉罕在生以撒的事上所遭遇的一切难处，都是在他那面，不是在以撒这面。照样，基督很容易藉我们并从我们出来，但我们身上有许多难处。事实上，我们自己就是个难处。我们不是生出基督的正确人物。虽然我们能产生许多东西，并且从得救以来就这么作，但我们太难生出基督。
我们要生出基督，必须受割礼。我们天然的生命、力量、和我们的己必须被了结。这种了结为“以利沙代”那全丰全足者开路，进到我们这人里面作全丰全足的恩典，好生出基督。亚伯拉罕经历了这点。在创世记二十一章，亚伯拉罕达到他的目标，以撒藉着他出生了。今天基督，就是真以撒，需要我们把祂生出来。基督徒生活和教会生活，就是在于生出基督来。我们必须在聚会、日常生活、家庭生活和工作中生出基督来。
以撒的出生不是凭着亚伯拉罕天然的力量，也不是照着亚伯拉罕的时候，乃是凭着神恩典的工作，并照着神的时候，就是神所约定生命的时候。亚伯拉罕受到这事的试验。在亚伯拉罕天然的力量受对付、被了结以前，神不会也不能作甚么，藉亚伯拉罕生出祂所渴望得着的后裔，以达成祂的目的。因此，神必须等候。当神等候的时候，亚伯拉罕就受到试验。我们在生出基督的事上也是一样。我们天然的力量总是使神等候，直到我们天然的生命受对付、被了结。然后，照着祂的时候，祂要进来作恩典的力量，藉我们生出祂所渴望得着的。神有祂的作法，有祂的时候。惟有凭祂的作法，并在祂的时候，我们才能生出基督，以成就祂的目的。
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Isaac Born – Christ Born Through Us — Gen. 21:1-2
Two Things Needed to Fulfill God’s Purpose — The Second Item is the Land
Genesis 21 has two sections. In the first section, we see the birth of Isaac (Gen. 21:1-7). The meaning of the name Isaac is “laughter”, or “he shall laugh”. He was born according to God’s promise, at the appointed time, which was the time of life. As far as Abraham and Sarah were concerned, the birth of Isaac was a great matter. What is the spiritual significance of the birth of Isaac? This can be seen from Paul’s allegorical interpretation in Galatians 4. Just as Abraham was called by God, we today are also those called by God. God called us with a goal, the same goal as He had with Abraham, which is to bring forth the seed. God has called us to bring forth Christ. Just as Abraham was called to bring forth Isaac, we also are called to bring forth Christ. We are not called to produce good works. God’s goal is for us to bring forth Christ.
All the difficulties Abraham encountered in the matter of bringing forth Isaac were on his side, not on Isaac’s side. Likewise, it is very easy for Christ to come out through us and from us, but there are many difficulties with us. In fact, we ourselves are the difficulty. We are not the right persons to bring forth Christ. Although we can produce many things, and have done so since we were saved, it is too difficult for us to bring forth Christ.
If we are to bring forth Christ, we must be circumcised. Our natural life, our strength, and our self must be brought to an end. This ending opens the way for “El Shaddai”, the All-sufficient One, to come into us as the all-sufficient grace so that we may bring forth Christ. Abraham experienced this. In Genesis 21, Abraham reached his goal, and Isaac was born through him. Today Christ, who is the real Isaac, needs us to bring Him forth. The Christian life and the church life consist in bringing forth Christ. We must bring forth Christ in the meetings, in our daily life, in our family life and in our work.
The birth of Isaac was not by Abraham’s natural strength, nor was it according to Abraham’s time, but by God’s work of grace and according to God’s time, which is the time of life appointed by God. Abraham was tested in this matter. Before Abraham’s natural strength was dealt with and brought to an end, God would not and could not do anything to bring forth through Abraham the seed He desired, in order to fulfill His purpose. Therefore, God had to wait. While God waited, Abraham was tested. It is the same with us in the matter of bringing forth Christ. Our natural strength always causes God to wait until our natural life is dealt with and brought to an end. Then, according to His time, He will come in to be the strength of grace to bring forth through us what He desires to have. God has His way and His time. Only by His way and in His time can we bring forth Christ to fulfill His purpose.