Where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal . . . ? —1 Corinthians 3:3
The
natural man, or unbeliever, knows nothing about carnality. The desires
of the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit warring against
the flesh, which began at rebirth, are what produce carnality and the
awareness of it. But Paul said, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not
fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). In other words, carnality will disappear.
Are
you quarrelsome and easily upset over small things? Do you think that
no one who is a Christian is ever like that? Paul said they are, and he
connected these attitudes with carnality. Is there a truth in the Bible
that instantly awakens a spirit of malice or resentment in you? If so,
that is proof that you are still carnal. If the process of
sanctification is continuing in your life, there will be no trace of
that kind of spirit remaining.
If the Spirit of God
detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it
right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will
make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand
completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I
can explain that.” When the light shines and the Spirit brings
conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and
God will deal with it. If, however, you try to vindicate yourself, you
prove yourself to be a child of the darkness.
What is
the proof that carnality has gone? Never deceive yourself; when
carnality is gone you will know it-it is the most real thing you can
imagine. And God will see to it that you have a number of opportunities
to prove to yourself the miracle of His grace. The proof is in a very
practical test. You will find yourself saying, “If this had happened
before, I would have had the spirit of resentment!” And you will never
cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you
on the inside.
是體貼肉體麼？
你們中間有嫉妒分爭，這豈不是屬乎肉體？ （林前三3）
未重生的人根本不知何為肉體。人重生之後，肉體與聖靈相爭，聖靈與肉體相爭，結果就產生了[肉慾]的問題。保羅說：[在聖靈裡行事，就不放縱肉體的情慾。 ]如此，肉慾就消失了。
你是否好爭論？易被瑣事煩惱？ [不，信徒不會如此！ ]保羅卻說會。他把這些事與肉體連在一起。在聖經真理中，有那一項容易引起你的怒氣？這便證明你仍然屬肉體。若成聖的工夫作成了，這種狀態就不復存在。
聖靈若發現你裡面有任何錯處，並不叫你去糾正；乃是要你接受那光照，然後他才去糾正。光明的子女會立即認罪，赤露敞開地站在神面前。黑暗之子卻說：[噢，我可以自圓其說開脫出去的。 ]所以，一旦光照來了，就要做光明之子，真知道有錯，要向神認罪，神自會對付那罪；你若為自己辯護，就仍是黑暗之子。
怎樣證明肉慾已經消失了？不要自欺，肉慾一旦克服了，是最真實不過的事。神會讓你有無數的機會，去證實他在你身上的奇恩。實際的考驗是唯一的證據。你會說：[奇怪得很，若在從前，這件事必叫我懷恨在心！ ]神在你裡面所作的改變，會令你畢生驚訝，沒齒難忘。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你的道路何等奇妙！當我回顧你帶領我走過的道路，和你的耐心寬待，我便在驚嘆、愛意和讚美中渾然忘我。
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