以撒活在天然生命里如雅各—接上篇
天然的生命总是引起麻烦。以撒家中的偏爱带来了抓夺。利百加要她心爱的儿子得到祝福。在创世记二十七章我们看见，她是一个抓夺的能手（创二七5-7）。她教导雅各如何抓夺。在创世记三十章雅各欺骗他舅父拉班夺取羊群（创三十31-43），创世记二十七章在原则上也是一样。利百加豫备了美味，并且把山羊皮包在雅各的手上和颈项上。当以撒摸他的时候，他说，“声音是雅各的声音，手却是以扫的手。”（创二七22）。这里我们看见雅各抓夺的技巧是他母亲教的，而他母亲是他父亲的一部分。在某种意义上，母亲欺骗了父亲，意思就是一个人的第二部分欺骗了他的第一部分。这样的家庭一切的骗局都是自欺。至终，家中每个人都受了骗。创世记没有告诉我们利百加活了多久，她可能在雅各从拉班家回来之前就死了。这就是说，利百加因着欺骗，失去了她的儿子。利百加可能再没有见到她的儿子。她以为帮助了她的儿子，实际上因着她的抓夺，反而失去了他。
像以撒这样的人仍有这样的天然弱点，仍活在这样的天然生命里，这是难以相信的。以撒因着他天然的生命而受苦（创二六34-35，二七41-46，二八6-9）。以撒虽然一直享受恩典，但在生活中有受苦的一面。以撒和利百加都因活在天然里而受苦，因为以扫的妻子，常使他们灵里愁烦（创二六34-35，另译）。
一面以撒享受恩典，一面他也因着活在天然生命里而受苦。天然生命不会阻挠恩典，但会使我们受苦。天然生命不会减少恩典的分量，却会增加痛苦的分量。只要你有天然生命的一面，这就会使你受苦。你若不想受苦，就不该活在天然生命里。不要自作聪明，用你的智慧帮助神，或在天然生命里作甚么。这只会增加你的痛苦。我们最好不要活在天然的生命里。
以撒虽然活在他天然的生命里，但神是主宰一切的。从某种意义说，天然生命帮助了神的主宰安排。神已豫定雅各得着长子的名分，并且有分于长子的祝福。利百加的抓夺使她自己受苦，但神的主宰却用它来达成祂的目的。每件事都在神主宰的权下，为着达成祂的目的。因此我们都能说，“赞美主，不论我是好是坏，属灵或不属灵，神的目的终必达成。不论发生甚么事，我总是在恩典之下，也在恩典的享受之中。”没有一事能阻挠我们享受恩典。然而我们若要避免痛苦，就不该活在天然的生命里。
每日一问：文中说：“天然生命不会减少恩典，却会增加痛苦。” 你对这句话有没有一些生活中的体会？
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Isaac’s Natural Weakness and Natural Life (5) — Gen. 27:6-7
Isaac Lives in the Natural Life like Jacob — Continued
The natural life always causes trouble. The favoritism in Isaac’s household brought about scheming and grasping. Rebekah wanted her beloved son to receive the blessing. In Genesis chapter 27 we see that she was an expert at scheming and grasping (Gen. 27:5-7). She taught Jacob how to grasp. In Genesis chapter 30 Jacob deceived his uncle Laban to take the flocks (Gen. 30:31-43), and Genesis chapter 27 is the same in principle. Rebekah prepared the savory dish and put goatskin on Jacob’s hands and neck. When Isaac felt him, he said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau” (Gen. 27:22). Here we see that Jacob’s technique of grasping was taught by his mother, and his mother was part of his father. In a certain sense, the mother deceived the father — meaning the second part of a person deceived the first part. All the deception in such a household is ultimately self-deception. In the end, everyone in the household was deceived. Genesis does not tell us how long Rebekah lived; she may have died before Jacob returned from Laban’s house. This means that Rebekah, because of her deception, lost her son. Rebekah may never have seen her son again. She thought she was helping her son, but in reality, because of her grasping, she lost him instead.
It is hard to believe that a person like Isaac still had such natural weaknesses and still lived such a natural life. Isaac suffered because of his natural life (Gen. 26:34-35; 27:41-46; 28:6-9). Although Isaac continually enjoyed grace, there was a side of suffering in his life. Both Isaac and Rebekah suffered because of living in the natural, for Esau’s wives were a grief of mind to them (Gen. 26:34-35).
On one hand Isaac enjoyed grace; on the other hand he suffered because of living in the natural life. The natural life does not hinder grace, but it causes us to suffer. The natural life does not diminish the measure of grace, but it increases the measure of suffering. As long as you have the natural life aspect, it will cause you to suffer. If you do not want to suffer, you should not live in the natural life. Do not be clever in your own eyes, using your wisdom to help God, or doing things in the natural life. This will only increase your suffering. It is best for us not to live in the natural life.
Although Isaac lived in his natural life, God is sovereign over all things. In a certain sense, the natural life helped God’s sovereign arrangement. God had already ordained that Jacob would obtain the birthright and have a share in the blessing of the firstborn. Rebekah’s grasping caused her own suffering, but God’s sovereignty used it to accomplish His purpose. Everything is under God’s sovereign hand, for the accomplishment of His purpose. Therefore we can all say, “Praise the Lord — whether I am good or bad, spiritual or unspiritual, God’s purpose will ultimately be accomplished. No matter what happens, I am always under grace and also in the enjoyment of grace”. Nothing can hinder us from enjoying grace. However, if we want to avoid suffering, we should not live in the natural life.
Daily Question: The message says: “The natural life does not diminish grace, but it increases suffering.” Do you have any experience from your own life that relates to this statement?