The Surrendered Life

I have been crucified with Christ . . . —Galatians 2:20

To become one with Jesus Christ, a person must be willing not only to give up sin, but also to surrender his whole way of looking at things. Being born again by the Spirit of God means that we must first be willing to let go before we can grasp something else. The first thing we must surrender is all of our pretense or deceit. What our Lord wants us to present to Him is not our goodness, honesty, or our efforts to do better, but real solid sin. Actually, that is all He can take from us. And what He gives us in exchange for our sin is real solid righteousness. But we must surrender all pretense that we are anything, and give up all our claims of even being worthy of God’s consideration.

Once we have done that, the Spirit of God will show us what we need to surrender next. Along each step of this process, we will have to give up our claims to our rights to ourselves. Are we willing to surrender our grasp on all that we possess, our desires, and everything else in our lives? Are we ready to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ?

We will suffer a sharp painful disillusionment before we fully surrender. When people really see themselves as the Lord sees them, it is not the terribly offensive sins of the flesh that shock them, but the awful nature of the pride of their own hearts opposing Jesus Christ. When they see themselves in the light of the Lord, the shame, horror, and desperate conviction hit home for them.

If you are faced with the question of whether or not to surrender, make a determination to go on through the crisis, surrendering all that you have and all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you.

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全捨的生命

我已經與基督同釘十字架。 （加二20）

一個真正與耶穌基督聯合的人，不但捨棄了罪，更把個人對事物的觀點也一概捨棄。從上頭、從聖靈而生的意思，就是先放下，然後才得著；而第一步要放下的就是一切虛假。主要我們帶到他面前的，不是良善、不是誠實、不是努力，而是罪；他所要接受的就是這些。那他以什麼代替我們的罪呢？真正的義。但我們先得放下一切自以為是的偽裝，一切自以為配得神恩眷的資格。

然後，聖靈會繼續顯示我們還有什麼要放下得。我必須在任何情況下，放棄自己的主權。我是否願意視自己與基督同死，放棄一切所有的？放棄感情上羈絆，放棄所有手上執著的東西。不再緊緊抓住，視為己有。

我們放下之先，總會經歷刻骨銘心的痛苦。當人真以主的眼光看自己，震驚的不是那些肉體可怕的罪，而是心中對耶穌基督那驚人的高傲本性。當他在主的光中看見自己，那羞愧、驚懼、絕望，必顯露無遺。要是你正在面臨[放下的問題]，就必須經過那抉擇的關頭。若能放下一切，神便按他的心意模造你。

祈禱◆[散佈亮光是為義人。 ]主啊，何等的豐收！你的道路是何等的奇妙。