士十三25　　…耶和华的灵开始感动他。

　　徒一8　　但圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必得着能力，并要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地、撒玛利亚，直到地极，作我的见证人。

　　罗八2　　因为生命之灵的律，在基督耶稣里已经释放了我，使我脱离了罪与死的律。

　　约书亚记、士师记、和路得记这三卷书陈明神行动的两方面一幅清楚的图画：祂在经纶之灵，就是能力之灵里的行动，与祂在素质之灵，就是生命之灵里的行动。

　　在约书亚记和士师记中，难以看出神在生命中的行动。在约书亚、迦勒和一切士师身上，我们看见神在能力里的行动。参孙是这事典型的例证。他在世的日子大有能力，他死的时候甚至能力更大，而他的死乃是自杀。在他身上我们看不见生命。他是一个拿细耳人，指明他将自己服在神的作头之下，不剃头发、不吃不洁的食物、也不喝酒（士十三5~7）。这些看起来是生命的方面，但实际上只是遵照神圣的规条。…参孙以神作他的头而有能力，这是照着规条而非照着生命。因他没有出于生命的东西，就不知道如何约束他肉体里的情欲。…性这件事乃参孙的一大绊脚石。他放纵而不约束自己，无论到哪里都放纵自己（李文集一九九三年第二册，九五至九六页）。

　　Judg. 13:25 And the Spirit of Jehovah began to move him…

　　Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

　　Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.

　　The three books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth present a clear picture of the two aspects of God’s move: His move in His economical Spirit, the Spirit of power, and His move in His essential Spirit, the Spirit of life.

　　In Joshua and Judges it is difficult to see God’s move in life. With Joshua, Caleb, and all the judges we see the move of God in power. Samson is a typical illustration of this. He was powerful in his life and even more powerful in his death, which was a suicide. We see nothing of life in him. That he was a Nazarite indicates that he submitted himself under God’s headship, not cutting his hair, eating unclean food, or drinking wine (Judg. 13:5-7). These may seem to be aspects of life, but they are actually only according to the divine regulation…. Samson had power by taking God as his Head, which is according to regulation, not according to life. Because he had nothing of life, he did not know how to restrain the lust in his flesh…. The matter of sex was a big stumbling block to Samson. He had no restriction in his indulgence and indulged himself wherever he went. (CWWL, 1993, vol. 2, p. 71)

　　参孙是士师记中最后一位士师。所谓最后，是指总结或完结。士师们整个的光景总结于无生命的能力。这很可悲。一个在神元首权柄之下的拿细耳人，一个完全顺服而分别出来为着神并归于神，且满了神圣能力的人，怎么也会放纵情欲，这很难解释。无论在何处，面对任何人，参孙都满了能力，但他同时又犯淫乱，满了肉体。…我在中国曾看过一些五旬节派的传道人，他们虽大有能力，许多人却也是任意妄为，不受规律、约束或管制。…（有）的人传扬又真又活的神，并传扬基督是神的儿子成为人来作我们的救主。他们所传的是基要并正确的，但他们却活在淫乱中。这些传道人可视为今日的参孙。士师记告诉我们，耶和华的灵感动了参孙（十三25），而其他的士师也同样大有能力。…他们虽然大有能力，却过于放纵他们的情欲，毫无羞耻、顾虑和约束。

　　在士师记黑暗的情形之后，有一卷简短的路得记，明亮、洁白且发光。路得记论到生命而非能力。以利米勒虽然没有犯罪，却因离开圣地迁到摩押而受神惩治；他因为这样，就没有过一种照着神永远经纶的生活。…神惩治了他和他的儿子，使他的妻子和两个儿媳成为寡妇，没有儿子（得一1~5）。拿俄米没有悖逆神，反而承认神是剥夺她丈夫和儿子的那一位（20~21）。

　　唯有生命能维持住谱系，将神带到人性里，好将基督服事给全人类作为供应。参孙、基甸或其他的士师，都不够资格作这事。已往我鼓励圣徒要得扩增，但我无意要任何人去作这事而不在意生命，象参孙或基甸那样。我们若没有扩增，看起来似乎是没有能力也没有工作成就；然而我们若成为谱系的一部分，将基督从永远带到时间里，那可能比较好（李文集一九九三年第二册，九六至九八、一○○页）。

　　参读：再论生命的认识，第一至二、四、七、十篇；享受基督使祂得扩增，第一章。

　　Samson was the last judge in the book of Judges. Being last indicates the conclusion and consummation. The entire situation of the judges consummated in power without life. This is deplorable. It is difficult to explain how a Nazarite under God’s headship, one who was full of submission in being separated for and unto God and full of the divine power, could also be full of the indulgence of lust. Everywhere and with everyone he was powerful and at the same time fleshly in his fornication…. Although some of the Pentecostal preachers whom I saw in China were powerful, many were also reckless, without regulation, restraint, or control. [Some] persons preached the true, living God and Christ as the Son of God becoming a man to be our Savior. Their preaching was fundamental and right, but they were living in fornication. These preachers may be considered today’s Samsons. Judges tells us that the Spirit of Jehovah moved Samson (13:25), and the other judges likewise were powerful.…Although they were powerful, they too indulged their lust without shame, care, or restriction.

　　After the dark and black situation in Judges, there is the short book of Ruth, which is bright, white, and shining. Ruth deals with life, not power. Although Elimelech did not commit sin, he was chastised by God for leaving the Holy Land and moving to Moab, because by doing so, he did not live a life according to God’s eternal economy….God chastised him and his sons, leaving his wife and two daughters-in-law as widows without children (Ruth 1:1-5). Naomi did not rebel against God but instead acknowledged Him as the One who stripped her of her husband and sons (vv. 20-21).

　　Only life can maintain the lineage to bring God into humanity for the ministering of Christ as the supply to the entire human race. Neither Samson nor Gideon nor the other judges were qualified to do this. In the past I encouraged the saints to gain the increase, but I did not intend that anyone do it as a Samson or a Gideon by not caring for life. It would be better not to have the increase, to seem to be powerless and without the success of a work, yet to be part of the lineage that brings Christ from eternity into time. (CWWL, 1993, vol. 2, pp. 71-74)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1955, vol. 4, “Further Talks on the Knowledge of Life,” chs. 1-2, 4, 7, 10; CWWL, 1963, vol. 1, “The Enjoyment of Christ for His Increase,” ch. 1