創一26『神說，我們要按着我們的形像，照着我們的樣式造人，使他們管理海里的魚、空中的鳥、地上的牲畜、和全地、並地上所爬的一切爬物。』
啟二二3 ～5『…他的奴僕都要事奉他，也要見他的面；他的名字必在他們的額上。…他們要作王，直到永永遠遠。』
掌權，簡單的說，就是為神執掌權柄，來管理萬有，特別是對付他的仇敵。…神創造人，是因着他在人身上有兩面的心願和目的。一面是要人有他的形像，而彰顯他自己；另一面就是要人為他掌權，而對付他的仇敵。所以神創造人的時候，就一面按着他自己的形像和樣式創造，叫人能像他；另一面又叫人『管理海里的魚、空中的鳥、地上的牲畜、和全地、並地上所爬的一切爬物』（創一26）。這就是他給人權柄，要人為他掌權。
在亞當以後，舊約也多次記載人為神掌權的事。出埃及十四章，說到神要摩西伸杖，叫紅海分開。約書亞十章，說到約書亞禱告神，叫日頭停在空中。王上十七至十八章，說到以利亞禱告，管住雨露的下降。但以理六章，也說到但以理在坑中堵住了獅子的口。這些都是說出歷代以來，只要有人肯為神活着，神就願意把權柄賜給他們，叫萬有都服在他們的掌管之下。
到了新約，這事更是明顯。新約中頭一位為神掌權的，就是主耶穌。他斥退病症，趕逐污鬼，並責令風海平靜，這些都是他掌權的故事。以後使徒們承接主的工作，也多有為神掌權，治病趕鬼的經歷。直到今天，這樣的事在教會中還是常常有的。等到將來在國度里，得勝者要先同主掌權，管治列國（啟二26 ～27）。最後到了永世，凡得救的人，都要作王掌權，直到永遠（二二5）。到那時候，我們就正正式式、豐豐滿滿的，享受了為神掌權的福分。這些都是給我們看見，從起初直到永遠，神有一個心意，就是要得着人在宇宙中為他掌權。他創造人，有一面的目的是為着這個；他救贖人，也有一面的用意更是為着這個。
所以從權柄這一面看，掌權乃是神救恩的最終目的，也是我們靈命經歷的登峰造極。就神說，他若不把我們拯救到一個地步，能在天的境界裡為他掌權，他救恩的目的就還不算豐滿的達到。並且掌權這件事，雖然到國度和永世里才完全實現，但今天在地上神就要我們能有一個開始。就我們說，一個基督徒若還沒有達到為神掌權的地步，就還不彀標準。一個彀得上標準的基督徒，不僅是脫離了罪惡，勝過了世界，肉體受了對付，天然受過破碎，也不僅是充滿聖靈，而坐在天的境界裡，並且更是在凡事上和主一同掌權。無論在神的工作上，或在教會中，在家庭里，或在任何環境的遭遇中，他都能掌權，管治神所要他管治的一切。必須有這樣的人被神得着了，神的權柄才能借着他們通行在地上，神的國才能借着他們臨到地上（生命的經歷下冊，四一七至四一九頁）。
參讀：生命的經歷下冊，第十七篇。
Gen. 1:26 “And God said, Let Us make man in Our
image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea and over the birds of heaven and over the cattle and over all
the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
Rev. 22:3-5 “...His slaves will serve Him; and they
will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads,...and they will
reign forever and ever.”
Simply speaking, to reign is to exercise
authority for God—to rule all things and in particular to deal with His enemy....In
the creation of man God had a twofold intent and desire. On one hand, God
wanted man to possess His image so that he may express God Himself. On the
other hand, God wanted man to represent Him with His authority in order to deal
with His enemy. Therefore, when God created man, on one hand, He created him in
His image and likeness so that man might be like Him. On the other hand, God
caused man to “have dominion...” (Gen. 1:26). This means that God gave man
authority so that he might reign for Him. (The Experience of Life, p. 345)
The Old Testament records many instances
of men reigning for God after Adam. Exodus 14 tells how God wanted Moses to
lift the rod and stretch it forth to divide the Red Sea. Joshua 10 tells how
Joshua prayed to God that the sun might stand still in the sky. First Kings 17
through 18 relates how
Elijah prayed to control the rainfall. Daniel 6 tells
how Daniel shut the lions’ mouths in the den. All these instances show us that
through the ages, as long as there are men willing to live for God, God desires
to grant them authority in order that all things might come under their
dominion.
This matter is even more evident in the
New Testament. The first one in the New Testament who ruled for God was the
Lord Jesus. He commanded illness to recede (Matt. 8:8-9), cast out unclean
spirits (Mark 1:27), and rebuked and calmed the storm and the raging sea (Matt.
8:26-27). All these
incidents speak of His reigning. Later, when the
apostles continued the Lord’s works, they also had many experiences of reigning
for God by healing and casting out evil spirits (Acts 3:6-7; 14:8-10; 19:12;
16:18). To the present day, this kind of experience is often repeated in the
church. Then in the future and in the kingdom, the overcomers will reign with
Christ and rule the nations (Rev. 2:26-27). Finally, in eternity all those who
are saved will reign as kings forever and ever (22:5). At that time we will
truly and fully enjoy the blessing of reigning for God. All these instances
reveal that from the beginning until eternity, God’s one intention is that He
may gain man to reign for Him in the
universe. This was one aspect of God’s purpose in
creating man. Even more, this was one aspect of God’s intention in redeeming
man.
Therefore, from the point of view of
authority, reigning is the final goal of God’s salvation. It is the summit of
our spiritual experience. As for God, had He not saved us to the extent that we
could reign for Him in the heavenly realm, the goal of His salvation would not
have been considered fully accomplished. Furthermore, although this matter of
reigning will not be completely realized until the coming of the kingdom and in
eternity, today God wants us to have a beginning on earth. As for us, if any
Christian has not yet reached the degree of reigning for God, he is not yet up
to standard.
A Christian who is up to standard has not only been
delivered from sin, overcome the world, had his flesh dealt with and his
natural constitution broken, been filled with the Holy Spirit, and is sitting
in the heavenly realm, but even more he is reigning with Christ in all things.
Whether in God’s work, in the church, at home, or in any encounter in his
environment, he can reign and rule over that which God wants him to rule. There
must be such people gained by God so that through them the authority of God can
be executed and the kingdom of God can come upon the earth. (The Experience of
Life, pp. 345-347)
Further Reading: The Experience of Life,
ch. 17
- 未完待續
