凭律法靠肉体努力的产品（以实玛利）（接上篇）
我们可以看看这些自定律法的例子。也许你说，你绝不再向丈夫发脾气，或者对他态度不好。这是你的第一条诫命。你的第二条诫命是：你既是个基督徒女士，基督徒妻子，你就需要亲切、甘甜且谦卑。你的第三条诫命是绝不批评别人。第四条是常常爱人，绝不恨人。这些自定的律法就是我们的夏甲。我们能否遵守我们的律法，在神看都没有两样，因为在祂看来，我们就是能守住，也不算数。在已往的年日里，有的姊妹几乎成功的履行她们自制的律法。她们有强的个性，强的意志，强的心愿，整天尽力控制脾气，要表现亲切、甘甜且谦卑。这些姊妹也许在这事上很成功，但她们所产生的不过是以实玛利。这些姊妹很喜欢她们的以实玛利，就一面意义说，她们以此为傲。在弟兄们身上，原则也完全一样。
我们虽然得了一个以实玛利，自己看起来不错，但我们深处却感觉到有所缺欠。我们失去了神的同在。不仅如此，这个以实玛利常讥诮属灵的事（创二一9）。一面我们不喜欢这种讥诮的元素，但另一面，我们觉得以实玛利既是自己产生的，他还不太坏。但由于失去了神的同在，我们就发现自己有了麻烦。正像今天以实玛利的子孙是以色列人的难处，我们所产生的以实玛利也是我们的难处。我们一旦对这一点清楚了，就会祷告说，“主阿，保守我在你的恩典中，保守我在你的应许里。你的应许或者今天就成就，或者多少年后才成就，都不成问题。我只在意你的应许。”
在基督徒的生活中是如此，在基督徒的工作中也是如此。新约告诉我们，人得救之后需要传福音并结果子。但在所谓得人的事上，我们用过多少天然的努力和力量！各种的夏甲，就是从埃及得来的，都被用来得人。每一种属世的得人方法都是夏甲。是的，你可以用夏甲得人，但所得来的是甚么样的人？他们不是以撒，乃是以实玛利。按照新约，正确的结果子并传福音乃是凭着里面生命的涌流，凭着神把基督作到我们里面，经过我们，再从我们出去。这意思就是，正确的传福音乃是凭着基督作我们的恩典。
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The Allegory of the Two Women (4) – Gal. 4:30
The Product of Laboring by the Flesh under Law (Ishmael) (Continued)
We can look at examples of these self-made laws. Perhaps you say you will absolutely never lose your temper with your husband again, or treat him with a bad attitude. This is your first commandment. Your second commandment is: Since you are a Christian lady, a Christian wife, you need to be kind, sweet and humble. Your third commandment is never to criticize others. The fourth is to always love people and never hate people. These self-made laws are our Hagar. Whether we can keep our laws or not makes no difference in God’s eyes, because in His view, even if we can keep them, it does not count. In past years, some sisters almost successfully carried out their self-made laws. They had a strong character, a strong will and a strong desire; all day long they did their best to control their temper and to appear to be kind, sweet and humble. These sisters may have been very successful in this matter, but what they produced was nothing but Ishmael. These sisters liked their Ishmael very much; in a sense, they were proud of this. The principle is exactly the same with the brothers.
Although we have obtained an Ishmael and look quite good, deep within we feel a lack. We have lost God’s presence. Not only so, this Ishmael often mocks spiritual things (Gen. 21:9). On one hand, we do not like this element of mocking, but on the other hand, we feel that since Ishmael was produced by us, he is not too bad. But because we have lost God’s presence, we discover we are in trouble. Just as Ishmael’s descendants are the trouble of the Israelites today, the Ishmaels we produce are also our trouble. Once we are clear about this point, we will pray, “Lord, keep me in Your grace, keep me in Your promise. Whether Your promise is fulfilled today or many years later is not an issue. I only care for Your promise.”
This is true in the Christian life, and it is also true in the Christian work. The New Testament tells us that after a person is saved, they need to preach the gospel and bear fruit. But in the matter of so-called soul-winning, how much natural effort and strength have we used! All kinds of Hagars, those obtained from Egypt, have been used to win people. Every worldly method of winning people is a Hagar. Yes, you can use Hagar to win people, but what kind of people are obtained? They are not Isaac, but Ishmael. According to the New Testament, proper fruit-bearing and gospel preaching are by the flow of the inner life, by God working Christ into us, passing through us, and then going out from us. This means that the proper preaching of the gospel is by Christ serving as our grace.