在以撒一生的记载里，我们看见一个在各面都享受神恩典的人。你相信这样享受神恩典的人，仍会有天然的弱点，明明的说谎么？他说谎牺牲他的妻子。也许我们会说，“我若是这样的人，我绝不会那样说谎。”不要这样说。也许我们享受更多的恩典，却比以撒更明白的说谎。
神已经把我们从堕落人类中拣选出来，祂的命定已经临到我们。这不是说，我们若在神眼中为人正当，或成为属灵，那时我们会接受更多的恩典。以撒从未自己努力作好，或成为属灵，但他仍不断享受恩典。
以撒要祝福他儿子以扫，然而他把祝福和天然的喜好混杂在一起。创世记二十七章三至四节，以撒对以扫说，“现在拿你的器械，就是箭囊，和弓，往田野去为我打猎；照我所爱的作成美味，拿来给我吃，使我在未死之先，我的魂好祝福你。”（另译）。以撒似乎说，“以扫，在我未死之先，我要再吃一次野味。你若为我作些野味来，我就为你祝福。”这里我们看见以撒把神的祝福和他天然的喜好混杂在一起。虽然我们会希奇这样的人怎能祝福别人，但以撒的确祝福了。
以撒不像我们一样虔诚，他不觉得这样作不属灵。假定你是父亲，要给你的一个儿子祝福，我相信你会非常小心儆醒，祷告禁食，不敢在肉体里说话，也不敢按照天然的喜好说话。然而以撒很大胆，他告诉以扫：“在我未死之先，我要再吃一次野味。去拿些我喜爱的野味给我，我要祝福你。”以撒很诚实，他说，“我的魂好祝福你。”（创二七4，另译）。这是何等的混杂！不断的享受神恩典的以撒，竟盲目的祝福。但他是在信心里祝福，并且他的祝福被神尊重（来十一20）。
我们需要非常清楚的看见两点：第一，恩典并不根据我们的所是。我们好或坏，属灵或不属灵，都算不得甚么。因神已命定我们成为祂恩典的对象，恩典临到我们，我们无法拒绝。第二，我们题过几次，亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各，在生命经历上不是三个分开的人，乃是代表一个完整人三方面的经历。这就是为何在以撒身上我们能看到亚伯拉罕和雅各。以撒有亚伯拉罕天然的弱点，和雅各天然的生命。
每日一问：文中提到：“享受恩典不是根据我们的属灵程度。” 这句话和你以前的观念有没有冲突？为什么？
请享受诗歌 (点击诗歌名）
Isaac’s Natural Weakness and Natural Life (2) — Gal. 6:18
In the record of Isaac’s entire life, we see a person who enjoyed God’s grace in every aspect. Can you believe that a person who enjoyed God’s grace in this way could still have natural weaknesses and openly tell lies? He lied and sacrificed his wife. Perhaps we would say, “If I were such a person, I would never lie like that”. Do not say this. Perhaps those of us who enjoy more grace would lie more openly than Isaac.
God has already chosen us out of fallen mankind, and His ordination has come upon us. This does not mean that if we are upright before God, or become spiritual, we will then receive more grace. Isaac never strove on his own to be good or to become spiritual, yet he continually enjoyed grace.
Isaac wanted to bless his son Esau, but he mixed his blessing with his natural preference. In Genesis 27:3-4, Isaac said to Esau, “Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me; and prepare a savory dish for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I die”. Isaac seemed to be saying, “Esau, before I die, I want to eat game once more. If you prepare some game for me, I will bless you”. Here we see Isaac mixing God’s blessing with his natural preference. Although we might wonder how such a person could bless others, Isaac did indeed bless.
Isaac was not pious like us; he did not feel that what he was doing was unspiritual. Suppose you are a father about to bless one of your sons — I believe you would be very careful and watchful, praying and fasting, not daring to speak in the flesh, nor daring to speak according to your natural preferences. But Isaac was bold. He told Esau: “Before I die, I want to eat game once more. Bring me some of the game I love, and I will bless you.” Isaac was honest; he said, “so that my soul may bless you” (Gen. 27:4). What a mixture! Isaac, who continuously enjoyed God’s grace, blessed blindly. Yet he blessed in faith, and his blessing was honored by God (Heb. 11:20).
We need to see two things very clearly. First, grace does not depend on what we are. Whether we are good or bad, spiritual or unspiritual, it counts for nothing. Because God has ordained us to be the objects of His grace, grace comes to us and we cannot refuse it. Second, as we have mentioned several times, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in terms of life experience are not three separate persons, but represent three aspects of one complete person’s experience. This is why in Isaac we can see both Abraham and Jacob. Isaac has Abraham’s natural weakness and Jacob’s natural life.
Daily Question: The message states: “Enjoying grace is not based on our degree of spirituality.” Does this statement conflict with your previous understanding? Why?