凭律法靠肉体努力的产品（以实玛利）（接上篇）
今天基督教中有许多的夏甲。你是否要靠自己过基督徒的生活？你最好停下来。你是否要用属世的方法传福音？你也最好停下来。停止靠自己过基督徒的生活，停止用属世的方法为主工作。那么你也许说，“我若停下来，我不是完了么？”对，这正是神所盼望的。
亚伯拉罕虽然在七十五岁的时候就完全答应了神的呼召，但一直到他九十九岁，神没有在他身上作甚么，因为在这以前，他仍然有天然的力量。他有罗得和以利以谢作倚靠，还有夏甲来配合他天然的能力。同样，我们若有罗得和以利以谢作倚靠，有夏甲来一同努力，神就不能作甚么。只要我们还有力量产生以实玛利，神就不能作甚么。以实玛利产生以后，神要离开一段时间。当亚伯拉罕九十九岁的时候，照他的想法，自己如同已死。罗马四章十九节说，“他将近百岁的时候…想到自己的身体如同已死。”罗马四章也指出，撒拉的生育已经断绝。亚伯拉罕和撒拉都深信他们已经完了，自己不能再作甚么了。就在那时，神来了。人的尽头是神的起头。我们人天然的生命一结束，神的生命就开始。
肉体努力的产品是以实玛利，以实玛利是神所弃绝的（创十七18～19，二一10～12上，加四30）。以实玛利不但是神弃绝的，也是阻挠神显现的。我们今天的经历告诉我们同样的事。我们的以实玛利打断了我们与神的交通，并使我们无法经历神的显现。问题不在于我们的所作或所是，完全在于我们有没有神的同在。你是否一直有神的显出？我们必须忘记我们的行为和工作，而顾到神的显出。当我们有神的显出，我们就是在恩典中，在恩典的约中。但今天大多数的基督徒只顾到他们的行为和工作，而不顾到神的显出和同在。他们也许生出许多以实玛利，却没有神的同在。我们所需要的是神的同在。我们所需要的不是我们外面的工作所得外面的果子，而是我们神在里面的显现。
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The Allegory of the Two Women (5) – Gal 4:31
The Product of Laboring by the Flesh under Law (Ishmael) (Continued)
Today there are many Hagars in Christianity. Do you want to live the Christian life by yourself? You had better stop. Do you want to preach the gospel using worldly methods? You also had better stop. Stop living the Christian life by yourself; stop working for the Lord using worldly methods. Then you may say, “If I stop, am I not finished?” Yes, this is exactly what God hopes for.
Although Abraham fully answered God’s call when he was 75 years old, God did not do anything upon him until he was 99, because prior to this, he still had natural strength. He had Lot and Eliezer to rely on, and Hagar to match his natural ability. Likewise, if we have Lot and Eliezer to rely on, and Hagar to labor together with us, God cannot do anything. As long as we still have the strength to produce Ishmael, God cannot do anything. After Ishmael was produced, God had to leave for a period of time. When Abraham was 99 years old, according to his own thought, he was as good as dead. Romans 4:19 says, “He contemplated his own body, ow as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old.” Romans 4 also points out that the deadness of Sarah’’ womb was a fact. Both Abraham and Sarah were deeply convinced that they were finished and could do nothing more. Just at that time, God came. Man’s end is God’s beginning. Once our natural human life ends, God’s life begins.
The product of the effort of the flesh is Ishmael, and Ishmael is rejected by God (Gen. 17:18-19; 21:10-12a; Gal. 4:30). Ishmael is not only rejected by God but also hinders God’s appearing. Our experience today tells us the same thing. Our Ishmaels cut off our fellowship with God and cause us to be unable to experience God’s appearing. The problem does not lie in our doing or being; it lies entirely in whether we have God’s presence. Do you have God’s appearing consistently? We must forget our behavior and work and care for God’s appearing. When we have God’s appearing, we are in grace, in the covenant of grace. But today the majority of Christians only care for their behavior and work, and do not care for God’s appearing and presence. They may bring forth many Ishmaels, yet they do not have God’s presence. What we need is God’s presence. What we need is not the outward fruit obtained from our outward work, but the appearing of our God within.