《一》向南迁移——接上篇
我们要为神作甚么，必须有正确的立场。亚伯拉罕离开了与神亲密交通的立场，向南迁移，就失去了神的同在。圣经没有说神在南地向亚伯拉罕显现，也没有说亚伯拉罕在南地筑坛并呼求主的名。他完全失去了能与神交通的正确立场。
在二十章以前，亚伯拉罕受了割礼。在二十章，他是个受过割礼的人，不该是个天然的人，因为他确实受过神的对付。有些基督徒宣称，一旦他们经历了某种祝福，就不会再在肉体里。但看看亚伯拉罕的例子。虽然他在肉身和属灵上都受了割礼，但当他离开与神交通的正确立场，就又在肉体里了。信心之父亚伯拉罕在对神的经历达到这样的高峰以后，所行的竟和二十多年前在创世记十二章所行的一样！藉此我们看见，只要我们仍在旧造里，我们就会在肉体里作任何事情。我们若不留在与神的交通里，我们就会与世人作同样的事。不要说因为你蒙了重生，经历了灵浸，你就不会再在肉体里。无论你从神领受了多少祝福，你若不留在与祂的交通里，你就会在肉体里。
我们绝不该对自己有任何信心。己是绝对不可靠的。我们必须信靠主的同在。亚伯拉罕在十八章给神送行的时候，他是美妙的圣徒，他能站在神面前，并与神面对面的谈话，好像与亲密的朋友谈话一样。但在二十章，这美妙的人变得非常卑下。他离开了与神交通的立场以后，竟会说谎牺牲他的妻子。这似乎是不可信的，但他竟然这样作了。这给我们看见，留在神的同在里真是重要。我们的保护不是我们的自己，乃是祂的同在。
《二》重复老旧的失败
亚伯拉罕离开了神的同在，并且向南迁移以后，就重复老旧的失败－说谎牺牲他的妻子（创二十2，参十二11-13）。说谎是一回事，牺牲妻子是另一回事。许多弟兄会说谎，但也许没有人会牺牲他的妻子。但亚伯拉罕竟然这样作了。我欣赏撒拉真是个好妻子，她没有埋怨，反而同意她丈夫的谎言。
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Hidden Weakness (2) – Gen. 20:2
I. Journeying Toward the South — Continued
For us to do anything for God, we must have the proper standing. Abraham left the standing of intimate fellowship with God and journeyed toward the south, losing God’s presence. The Bible does not say that God appeared to Abraham in the south, nor does it say that Abraham built an altar and called on the name of the Lord there. He completely lost the proper standing to have fellowship with God.
Before chapter 20, Abraham was circumcised. In chapter 20 he was a circumcised person and should not have been a natural man, because he had indeed been dealt with by God. Some Christians claim that once they have experienced a certain blessing, they will never be in the flesh again. But look at the example of Abraham. Although he was circumcised both physically and spiritually, when he left the proper standing of fellowship with God, he was in the flesh again. After the father of faith, Abraham, had reached such a high peak in his experience of God, what he did was exactly the same as what he did over twenty years prior in Genesis chapter 12! By this, we see that as long as we are still in the old creation, we can do anything in the flesh. If we do not stay in fellowship with God, we will do the same things as the worldly people. Do not say that because you are regenerated and have experienced the baptism in the Spirit, you will no longer be in the flesh. No matter how many blessings you have received from God, if you do not stay in fellowship with Him, you will be in the flesh.
We should never have any confidence in ourselves. The self is absolutely unreliable. We must trust in the Lord’s presence. When Abraham sent God on His way in chapter 18, he was a wonderful saint; he could stand before God and talked with God face to face, just like talking with an intimate friend. But in chapter 20, this wonderful person became very low. After he left the standing of fellowship with God, he actually lied and sacrificed his wife. This seems unbelievable, yet he did it. This shows us that staying in God’s presence is truly important. Our protection is not our self, but His presence.
II. Repeating the Old Failure
After Abraham left God’s presence and journeyed toward the south, he repeated his old failure — lying and sacrificing his wife (Gen. 20:2, cf. 12:11-13). Lying is one thing; sacrificing one’s wife is another. Many brothers may lie, but perhaps no one would sacrifice his wife. Yet Abraham actually did this. I appreciate that Sarah was truly a good wife; she did not complain but agreed with her husband’s lie.