正常的基督徒生活 (1985)

《正常的基督徒生活》（英语：The Normal Christian Life）是倪柝声于1938年至1939年旅行欧洲时完成的著名作品，首先用英语在英国（开西大会）、丹麦讲道时发表，回中国后由上海福音书房出版了中文文本。该书被许多基督徒视为经典著作，这也是西方基督教界最熟悉的一本倪柝声著作。该书已经用多种语言出版，至今至少出版了25万册。

内容

该书内容是关于《罗马书》第5章参～《罗马书》第8章参和《罗马书》第12章参，共分为14章，内容包括：

基督的血

基督的十字架

长进的途径——知道

长进的途径——计算

十字架的分界

长进的途径——将自己献给神

永远的目的

《罗马书》第7章参的意义与价值

长进的途径——随从灵而行

在基督里面一个身体

十字架与魂生命

长进的途径——背十字架

福音的目的

The Normal Christian Life is a book by Watchman Nee first delivered as a series of addresses to Christian workers who were gathered in Denmark for special meetings in 1938 and 1939. The messages were first published chapter by chapter in the magazine A Witness and A Testimony published by Theodore Austin-Sparks. The first chapter was published in the November–December 1940 issue. This first publication of the book can be viewed in the original magazines on Austin-Sparks.Net. It was later published as a book by Witness and Testimony Publishers in August 1945 and advertised in the Sept/Oct edition of the "A Witness and A Testimony" magazine. The messages were also published as a book by Angus Kinnear in 1957 in Bombay, India.

In The Normal Christian Life, Watchman Nee presents foundational principles for the Christian life and walk drawing primarily from the Epistle to the Romans. The book is generally regarded by many as the first introduction of Watchman Nee to the Western world. As of 2009, this book has sold over 1 million copies and is available in many editions and languages.

Subject

Watchman Nee based his speaking on the first eight chapters of the New Testament book of Romans. Nee takes the first eight chapters of Romans as a "self-contained unit" and divides these chapters into two parts: Romans 1:1 to 5:11 as part one and Romans 5:12 to 8:39 as part two. In the first part of Romans "sins" is given prominent attention and deals with the question of the sins man has committed before God. However, the second section deals with "sin," that is the inward nature, or inward working principle, within man that causes man to commit sin. Thus there is a difference between the acts of a sinner, sins, and the inward nature of a sinner, sin. Nee reveals that God's dual remedy is the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Cross of Christ. The Blood "deals with what we have done, whereas the Cross deals with what we are. The Blood disposes of our sins, while the Cross strikes at the root of our capacity for sin". As Nee progressively moves along in his book, he first touches upon the Blood and then focuses upon the Cross for the remainder of the book.

Four Steps of the Cross

Watchman Nee gave four steps in which a Christian lives the Christian life. Basing from Romans 6:6, there is the need for the knowledge of the cross of Christ as a fact in our experience.

The second step is the matter of reckoning. Reckoning is the stating and considering of facts and promises that God has revealed to be true.

The third step is the matter of presenting to God. Coming to Romans 6:13, Watchman Nee says that Christians consecrate that which passed through death and resurrection in the new creation. In this way, Christians would no longer live to themselves but to Christ because He has the full authority over their lives.

The fourth step is the matter of Walking after the Spirit. Firstly, walking after the Spirit does not refer to our "working" but of dependence on God's working and operation. Secondly, it refers to subjection. This means that the Christian life is the yielding of all the dictates of our flesh and be of subjection to the Spirit.

Influence

The Normal Christian Life is one of Nee's most well known books. It is considered by many to be a spiritual classic of Christianity. It has been reprinted and reissued in many editions and in many languages. The book's enduring appeal is not only due to Nee's exposition of Romans but also to the many illustrations, personal accounts, and anecdotes that Nee used. The Normal Christian Life has impacted millions of Christians since Nee spoke it and is a major contributor to the local churches movement today. Nee was recognized in the United States House of Representatives by Christopher H. Smith of New Jersey in 2009. He recognized Nee as having been one of the most influential Chinese Christians of his era. In the Congressional record, The Normal Christian Life is highlighted by Smith as being among his most popular and influential books.

Contents

Preface