第四单元，灵魂的复原与本性的良善
在单元四，我们探讨灵魂败坏的根源在于自我崇拜，而在这第五单元提到生命重塑的基础在于舍己（向自己死）。 ”舍己“、”背起自己的十字架“、”攻克己身“、”向自己死“，已经越来越少在教会里听到，或是不被重视，强调的教导。 的确这些呼召似呼不再受欢迎、我们还能对于现今注重“feel good” 的基督徒要求什么呢？这也说明我们今天教会和基督徒的光景。
在单元五里，作者带我们看看，灵魂复原和“未堕落”的内心应该是怎样的。 这也是重生、得蒙赦免、圣灵充满的人，内在六个向度的情况，他能选择，和自然的去顺从神 。
now we want to see clearly what goes on within the person who is “unruined,” as we might say. In particular, we must see what is the basic shift (given regeneration and forgiveness) that can lead to the reordering of the six universal dimensions of the human self in subordination to God. （77页，1段）
1. 舍己
i. 感谢主，人性有一个特点，就是它有复原的能力。就算本性堕落了， 它也能复原，更可贵和不可思议 （神的爱和信实的不可思议）
One of the amazing things about the human being is that it is capable of restoration, and indeed of a restoration that makes it somehow more magnificent becau se it has been ruined. This is a hopeful but strange thought. （77页，1段）
ii. 约翰.加尔文 用“舍己”来描述基督徒生命转化和灵魂复原的关键。
IT IS SUCH AN overall transformation of personality that Calvin captured under the heading “self-denial,” a term he used to summarize the entire Christian life. （78页，2段）
iii。“舍己” ＝ 或向自己死，与灵魂复原息息相关，是基督徒灵命塑造的必要根基，没有打好并且维护这根基，灵命塑造就不会有丝毫进展。 （78页，2段）
iv。有了舍己，就是放弃以自己为生命的终极参照点，不在随从自己的心意。 能继续活出基督的样式，他们的生命融入神的生命中。他们能，也会要追求良善，能够行善，这就是人唯一真正的自由。 当人的心思体贴圣灵，就有生命和平安。 （80页，4段 － 81页，1段）
v。 结果就是，能依靠神的心意做你想做的 DOING WHAT YOU WANT— GOD’S WAY （或说，你想做的，也是一致于神的心意）
vi. 舍己不是自义／自救的另一个技巧
Self-denial will then externalize itself in overt practices of group identity that may seem very sacrificial, but can leave the “mind of the flesh” in full control. (83页, 1段)
2. 计算代价 ： 背十字架所要付出的代价 VS 不背十字架需要付出的代价，这两方面都要考量。
to count the cost is to take into consideration both the losses and the gains of all possible courses of action, to see which is most beneficial. This done, Jesus knew, the trials of apprenticeship (discipleship) would appear to be the only reasonable path. （83页，4段）
不背十字架的代价是 ：
i. 不能 ：开一条新的出路，让灵魂日渐的恢复本性的良善
But to step with Jesus into the path of self-denial immediately breaks the iron-clad grip of sin over human personality and opens the way to a fuller and ever fuller restoration of radical goodness to the soul. It accesses incredible, supernatural strength for life. （95页，4段）
ii. 不能：经历生命和意志真正的被转化
脱下旧人，穿上新人的过程，会是越来越真实的
New vision becomes an attachment and takes on an ever greater reality as we progress; and that, in turn, pushes the old attachments toward the exits of our lives— which we then are not sad to see go. （84页，6段）
以致，我们可以要，神所要的，真正的“要”
We come to want to not want what we now want, and to want to not think of what now lives before our mind; and we come to want to be made willing for what we are not now really willing. （85页，1段）
iii. 不能 ：经历活在爱里的喜乐 Rejoice in love
“greatly rejoicing, with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1: 8, PAR). Jesus does not deny us personal fulfillment, but shows us the only true way to it. In him we “find our life.” （85页， 2段）
The “cross” we must take is laid upon all obsessive and partial desires, so that the broad reach of agape love can integrate for us a whole and eternal life with God and man. （85页，3段）
iv. 不能 ：拥有灵魂真正应该有的品格，就是施予和饶怒
GIVING AND FORGIVING ARE of course central to the divinely restructured life, as we take on the character truly suited to the human soul. （86页，3段）
支持我们继续有动力的来源是耶稣基督，
The necessary support for giving and forgiving is abundantly supplied by Jesus through the reality of the kingdom of God that he brings into our lives. He makes this available to us in response to our confidence in Him. （87页，4段）
爱神，时常经历祂的看顾，我们能摆脱“专顾自己”的重担
It is love of God, admiration and confidence in his greatness and goodness, and the regular experience of his care that free us from the burden of “looking out for ourselves.” （88页，2段）
v. 不能 ：让人性的六个向度彼此和睦共济，能爱得有力量和方向
EXPERIENCE-BASED CONFIDENCE IN God’s loving care allows all six dimensions of the human self progressively to come into harmony with each other and enables us to be generous in every respect to those around us. Only love of God frames and supports love of neighbor, giving it right direction and the power to carry out its aim of goodness within the kingdom. And love of God and neighbor gradually pulls the entire structure of the person into proper alignment. （88页，4段）
vi. 不能 ： 可以抗拒罪恶和引诱，它们不再能控制我们的每个向度，特别是社交、身体和情绪。
－老我是在这世界形塑而成，特别是我们的社交情境和身体。
From where we start, the substance of our selves, formed in a world against God, is ready to act otherwise in all of its dimensions, especially in the social and the bodily. （89页，4段）
－渐渐的，那怕我们的欲望未得满足时，我们也可以不被它控制，或有太多的反应。
Being dead to self is the condition where the mere fact that I do not get what I want does not surprise or offend me and has no control over me. （90页，1段）
－它们不再支配我们的情绪和思想
if we are dead to self to any significant degree, these rebuffs will not take control of us, not even to the point of disturbing our feelings or peace of mind. （90页，3段）
－我们不是要寡欲，基督徒还是有恰当和丰富的感觉和欲望，只是对于纯粹满足自己的欲望，反应的很冷淡，不再重要。
Apprentices of Jesus will be deeply disturbed about many things and will passionately desire many things, but they will be largely indifferent to the fulfillment of their own desires as such. Merely getting their way has no significance for them, does not disturb them. They are free to focus their efforts on the service of God and others and the furthering of good generally, and to be as passionate about such things as may be appropriate to such efforts. （91页，1 & 2段）
vii. 不能 ：爱神爱人，在一切事上都由这份爱来引导。
What we surely can say is that those who are dead to self are not controlled in thought, feeling, or action by self-exaltation or by the will to have their own way, but are easily controlled by love of God and neighbor. They still have some sensitivity to self-will, no doubt, and are never totally beyond the possibility of falling under subjugation to it. Only a proper discipline and grace will prevent this from actually happening. But they no longer are locked in a struggle with it. （93页，2段）
viii. 不能 ：不再被愤怒、怨恨以及报复的念头所影响
TO ACCEPT, WITH CONFIDENCE in God, that I do not immediately have to have my way releases me from the great pressure that anger, unforgiveness, and the “need” to retaliate imposes upon my life. This by itself is a huge transformation of the landscape of our life. （94页，5段）
背十字架（舍己，向自己死）的，就是把以上的“不能”换成“能”，那是何等的恩典和美丽的方向。
我要以这句结束，激发彼此一起思考：
世界像是一件松身的衣服，只会与我们身上的某些地方轻轻接触。 － 圣法兰西斯
“wear the world like a loose garment, which touches us in a few places and there lightly.” － St. Francis of Assisi（90页，3段）
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