’Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ’God with us’ —Matthew 1:23
His Birth in History. “. . . that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not emerge out of history; He came into history from the outside. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of— He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate— God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our Lord’s birth was an advent— the appearance of God in human form.
His Birth in Me. “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . .” (Galatians 4:19). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a “Bethlehem” for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that “Christ is formed” in me. And once “Christ is formed” in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.
God Evident in the Flesh. This is what is made so profoundly possible for you and for me through the redemption of man by Jesus Christ.
他的降生與我們的新生
必有童女懷孕生子，給她起名叫以馬內利。就是神與我們同在的意思。 （賽七14）
他在歷史中誕生。 [因此所要生的聖者，必稱為神的兒子。 ]（路一35）耶穌基督是降生到世界，不是從這世界而出。他不是從歷史演進而生，乃是從歷史以外而來。耶穌基督不是人類最好的一個；他是完全無法算在人類之內的一位。他不是人變作神，乃是神成了肉身，成了人的形狀，是從外而來的。他的生命最崇高最聖潔，卻從最卑微的門進來。主的誕生，是降臨人間。
他在我裡面誕生。 [我為你們再受生產之苦，直等到基督成形在你們心裡。 ](加四19)主是從外面進到人類歷史，同樣也從外面進到我裡面。我有沒有讓自己的生命，成為神兒子的伯利恆？我必須從神而生，這與天然的生產完全不同，否則便不能進入神的國度裡。 [你們必須重生]，這不是命令，而是一項基本的事實。新生的本質，就是我完全降服神，以致基督成形在我裡面，他的本性開始透過我工作。神在肉身顯現－－這是救恩為你我所成就的事實。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，當我們在今早思想以賽亞書第五十三章，願祢的榮耀將它顯明；願祢使我們變得柔和與溫順，被祢所激勵和振奮，並且將我們提升至這種榮耀的事奉，以致我們可以捕捉祢的形象。
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
December 25, 2012
December 20, 2012
The Right Kind of Help
And I, if I am lifted up . . . will draw all peoples to Myself —John 12:32
Very few of us have any understanding of the reason why Jesus Christ died. If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is an absurdity and there is absolutely no need for it. What the world needs is not “a little bit of love,” but major surgery.
When you find yourself face to face with a person who is spiritually lost, remind yourself of Jesus Christ on the cross. If that person can get to God in any other way, then the Cross of Christ is unnecessary. If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in His way— not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world’s religion today is to serve in a pleasant, non-confrontational manner.
But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified— to lift Him up all the time (see 1 Corinthians 2:2). Every belief that is not firmly rooted in the Cross of Christ will lead people astray. If the worker himself believes in Jesus Christ and is trusting in the reality of redemption, his words will be compelling to others. What is extremely important is for the worker’s simple relationship with Jesus Christ to be strong and growing. His usefulness to God depends on that, and that alone.
The calling of a New Testament worker is to expose sin and to reveal Jesus Christ as Savior. Consequently, he cannot always be charming and friendly, but must be willing to be stern to accomplish major surgery. We are sent by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful speeches. We must be willing to examine others as deeply as God has examined us. We must also be sharply intent on sensing those Scripture passages that will drive the truth home, and then not be afraid to apply them.
正確工作的路線
我若從地上被舉起來，就要吸引萬人來歸我。 （約十二32）
很少人真正明白主耶穌受死的原因。若世人需要的只是同情，那末耶穌的十字架不過是場鬧劇，根本用不著。世界所需要的，不是一點點愛，乃是開刀動手術。當你面對一個在靈性上遇到困難的人，要提醒自己那在十字架上的耶穌基督。若那人可以從別的途徑到神那裡，耶穌基督的十字架就是多餘。你若以為能用自己的同情心或體諒去幫助人，你就是主的叛徒。你必須與神保持正確的關係，依他的方法，為他傾倒，而不是忽略了神，依人的方法去傾倒，但今日最響的調子，卻是溫和派的宗教。
有一件事不能不做的，就是每時每刻高舉被釘的主耶穌。任何教義不植根於耶穌的十字架的，必領人入歧途。工人若深信耶穌基督，緊抓他救贖的真實，和說話的人，必然被吸引。神的工人是否有用，全賴他與耶穌基督的單純關係。而這種關係是長存的，也是日益加深的。
新約的工人蒙召，是要揭發罪惡並指出耶穌是救主，因此他不能詩情畫意，乃是要嚴謹開刀。我們被差是要高舉主耶穌，不是要發表美妙的論說。我們的搜索必須深入，像神搜索我們一樣；對聖經要敏銳，把真理直截闡明，不留情地應用。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我察覺到我最近的內心，是何其缺少將我對耶穌的信心實踐出來，那些隱藏的意欲似乎經常出沒。願你將基督裡的單純引進我的生命，又使我對事情有更深入的看法－－唯一關注的是凡事獲得你的認可。
Very few of us have any understanding of the reason why Jesus Christ died. If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is an absurdity and there is absolutely no need for it. What the world needs is not “a little bit of love,” but major surgery.
When you find yourself face to face with a person who is spiritually lost, remind yourself of Jesus Christ on the cross. If that person can get to God in any other way, then the Cross of Christ is unnecessary. If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in His way— not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world’s religion today is to serve in a pleasant, non-confrontational manner.
But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified— to lift Him up all the time (see 1 Corinthians 2:2). Every belief that is not firmly rooted in the Cross of Christ will lead people astray. If the worker himself believes in Jesus Christ and is trusting in the reality of redemption, his words will be compelling to others. What is extremely important is for the worker’s simple relationship with Jesus Christ to be strong and growing. His usefulness to God depends on that, and that alone.
The calling of a New Testament worker is to expose sin and to reveal Jesus Christ as Savior. Consequently, he cannot always be charming and friendly, but must be willing to be stern to accomplish major surgery. We are sent by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful speeches. We must be willing to examine others as deeply as God has examined us. We must also be sharply intent on sensing those Scripture passages that will drive the truth home, and then not be afraid to apply them.
正確工作的路線
我若從地上被舉起來，就要吸引萬人來歸我。 （約十二32）
很少人真正明白主耶穌受死的原因。若世人需要的只是同情，那末耶穌的十字架不過是場鬧劇，根本用不著。世界所需要的，不是一點點愛，乃是開刀動手術。當你面對一個在靈性上遇到困難的人，要提醒自己那在十字架上的耶穌基督。若那人可以從別的途徑到神那裡，耶穌基督的十字架就是多餘。你若以為能用自己的同情心或體諒去幫助人，你就是主的叛徒。你必須與神保持正確的關係，依他的方法，為他傾倒，而不是忽略了神，依人的方法去傾倒，但今日最響的調子，卻是溫和派的宗教。
有一件事不能不做的，就是每時每刻高舉被釘的主耶穌。任何教義不植根於耶穌的十字架的，必領人入歧途。工人若深信耶穌基督，緊抓他救贖的真實，和說話的人，必然被吸引。神的工人是否有用，全賴他與耶穌基督的單純關係。而這種關係是長存的，也是日益加深的。
新約的工人蒙召，是要揭發罪惡並指出耶穌是救主，因此他不能詩情畫意，乃是要嚴謹開刀。我們被差是要高舉主耶穌，不是要發表美妙的論說。我們的搜索必須深入，像神搜索我們一樣；對聖經要敏銳，把真理直截闡明，不留情地應用。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我察覺到我最近的內心，是何其缺少將我對耶穌的信心實踐出來，那些隱藏的意欲似乎經常出沒。願你將基督裡的單純引進我的生命，又使我對事情有更深入的看法－－唯一關注的是凡事獲得你的認可。
December 05, 2012
“The Temple of the Holy Spirit”
. . . only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you —Genesis 41:40
I am accountable to God for the way I control my body under His authority. Paul said he did not “set aside the grace of God”— make it ineffective (Galatians 2:21). The grace of God is absolute and limitless, and the work of salvation through Jesus is complete and finished forever. I am not being saved— I am saved. Salvation is as eternal as God’s throne, but I must put to work or use what God has placed within me. To “work out [my] own salvation” (Philippians 2:12) means that I am responsible for using what He has given me. It also means that I must exhibit in my own body the life of the Lord Jesus, not mysteriously or secretly, but openly and boldly. “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection . . .” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Every Christian can have his body under absolute control for God. God has given us the responsibility to rule over all “the temple of the Holy Spirit,” including our thoughts and desires (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are responsible for these, and we must never give way to improper ones. But most of us are much more severe in our judgment of others than we are in judging ourselves. We make excuses for things in ourselves, while we condemn things in the lives of others simply because we are not naturally inclined to do them.
Paul said, “I beseech you . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). What I must decide is whether or not I will agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple. Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth-my body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit.”
聖靈的殿
惟獨在寶座上，我比你大。 （創四十一40）
在神的主權下，我必須向神交代怎樣管理自己的身體。保羅說他不能徒受神的恩典，就是把神的恩典當作無用的。神的恩典是絕對的，耶穌的救恩是完全的，是永遠有功效的。我不是在蒙拯救中，乃是已經得救。救恩正如神的寶座一樣永恆不改；我要作的，是把神放進我裡面的活出來。 [作成你們得救的功夫]是我的責任，意思是我要明明的，著力的，而不是隱秘的，以我的身子活出主耶穌的生命。 [我是攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]每一聖徒都當把身體服在神絕對的管治下。神要我們管理整個聖靈的殿，管理自己的幻想和情感。為此我們要負責任，絕不可放任感情。我們往往嚴於責人，寬於恕己；為自己製造許多藉口，卻定別人的罪，因為那些事是我們自己天性不喜好的。
保羅說：[我以神的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當作活祭。 ]決定的因素在於：[我同意以我的身體作神的殿麼？ ]若然，那我整個身體的律就總括在這個啟示裡；我的身體是聖靈的殿。
祈禱◆主啊，我肉身的生命若沒有了你，是何等暗晦，冷漠和憂鬱；求你以你神性的生命，來充滿我。
I am accountable to God for the way I control my body under His authority. Paul said he did not “set aside the grace of God”— make it ineffective (Galatians 2:21). The grace of God is absolute and limitless, and the work of salvation through Jesus is complete and finished forever. I am not being saved— I am saved. Salvation is as eternal as God’s throne, but I must put to work or use what God has placed within me. To “work out [my] own salvation” (Philippians 2:12) means that I am responsible for using what He has given me. It also means that I must exhibit in my own body the life of the Lord Jesus, not mysteriously or secretly, but openly and boldly. “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection . . .” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Every Christian can have his body under absolute control for God. God has given us the responsibility to rule over all “the temple of the Holy Spirit,” including our thoughts and desires (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are responsible for these, and we must never give way to improper ones. But most of us are much more severe in our judgment of others than we are in judging ourselves. We make excuses for things in ourselves, while we condemn things in the lives of others simply because we are not naturally inclined to do them.
Paul said, “I beseech you . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). What I must decide is whether or not I will agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple. Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth-my body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit.”
聖靈的殿
惟獨在寶座上，我比你大。 （創四十一40）
在神的主權下，我必須向神交代怎樣管理自己的身體。保羅說他不能徒受神的恩典，就是把神的恩典當作無用的。神的恩典是絕對的，耶穌的救恩是完全的，是永遠有功效的。我不是在蒙拯救中，乃是已經得救。救恩正如神的寶座一樣永恆不改；我要作的，是把神放進我裡面的活出來。 [作成你們得救的功夫]是我的責任，意思是我要明明的，著力的，而不是隱秘的，以我的身子活出主耶穌的生命。 [我是攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]每一聖徒都當把身體服在神絕對的管治下。神要我們管理整個聖靈的殿，管理自己的幻想和情感。為此我們要負責任，絕不可放任感情。我們往往嚴於責人，寬於恕己；為自己製造許多藉口，卻定別人的罪，因為那些事是我們自己天性不喜好的。
保羅說：[我以神的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當作活祭。 ]決定的因素在於：[我同意以我的身體作神的殿麼？ ]若然，那我整個身體的律就總括在這個啟示裡；我的身體是聖靈的殿。
祈禱◆主啊，我肉身的生命若沒有了你，是何等暗晦，冷漠和憂鬱；求你以你神性的生命，來充滿我。
November 29, 2012
The Supremacy of Jesus Christ
He will glorify Me . . . —John 16:14
The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with “the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, “That is the work of God Almighty!” Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else.
The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other kind of so-called Christian experience is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration— no being born again into the kingdom in which Christ lives and reigns supreme. There is only the idea that He is our pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Savior long before He is the pattern. Today He is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion— a mere example. He is that, but He is infinitely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God!
Jesus said, “. . . when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, . . . He will glorify Me . . .” (John 16:13-14). When I commit myself to the revealed truth of the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then begins interpreting to me what Jesus did. The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally.
The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with “the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, “That is the work of God Almighty!” Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else.
The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other kind of so-called Christian experience is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration— no being born again into the kingdom in which Christ lives and reigns supreme. There is only the idea that He is our pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Savior long before He is the pattern. Today He is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion— a mere example. He is that, but He is infinitely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God!
Jesus said, “. . . when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, . . . He will glorify Me . . .” (John 16:13-14). When I commit myself to the revealed truth of the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then begins interpreting to me what Jesus did. The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally.
November 26, 2012
The Focal Point of Spiritual Power
. . . except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . —Galatians 6:14
If you want to know the power of God (that is, the resurrection life of Jesus) in your human flesh, you must dwell on the tragedy of God. Break away from your personal concern over your own spiritual condition, and with a completely open spirit consider the tragedy of God. Instantly the power of God will be in you. “Look to Me. . .” (Isaiah 45:22). Pay attention to the external Source and the internal power will be there. We lose power because we don’t focus on the right thing. The effect of the Cross is salvation, sanctification, healing, etc., but we are not to preach any of these. We are to preach “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The proclaiming of Jesus will do its own work. Concentrate on God’s focal point in your preaching, and even if your listeners seem to pay it no attention, they will never be the same again. If I share my own words, they are of no more importance than your words are to me. But if we share the truth of God with one another, we will encounter it again and again. We have to focus on the great point of spiritual power— the Cross. If we stay in contact with that center of power, its energy is released in our lives. In holiness movements and spiritual experience meetings, the focus tends to be put not on the Cross of Christ but on the effects of the Cross.
The feebleness of the church is being criticized today, and the criticism is justified. One reason for the feebleness is that there has not been this focus on the true center of spiritual power. We have not dwelt enough on the tragedy of Calvary or on the meaning of redemption.
If you want to know the power of God (that is, the resurrection life of Jesus) in your human flesh, you must dwell on the tragedy of God. Break away from your personal concern over your own spiritual condition, and with a completely open spirit consider the tragedy of God. Instantly the power of God will be in you. “Look to Me. . .” (Isaiah 45:22). Pay attention to the external Source and the internal power will be there. We lose power because we don’t focus on the right thing. The effect of the Cross is salvation, sanctification, healing, etc., but we are not to preach any of these. We are to preach “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The proclaiming of Jesus will do its own work. Concentrate on God’s focal point in your preaching, and even if your listeners seem to pay it no attention, they will never be the same again. If I share my own words, they are of no more importance than your words are to me. But if we share the truth of God with one another, we will encounter it again and again. We have to focus on the great point of spiritual power— the Cross. If we stay in contact with that center of power, its energy is released in our lives. In holiness movements and spiritual experience meetings, the focus tends to be put not on the Cross of Christ but on the effects of the Cross.
The feebleness of the church is being criticized today, and the criticism is justified. One reason for the feebleness is that there has not been this focus on the true center of spiritual power. We have not dwelt enough on the tragedy of Calvary or on the meaning of redemption.
November 25, 2012
The Secret of Spiritual Consistency
God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . —Galatians 6:14
When a person is newly born again, he seems inconsistent due to his unrelated emotions and the state of the external things or circumstances in his life. The apostle Paul had a strong and steady underlying consistency in his life. Consequently, he could let his external life change without internal distress because he was rooted and grounded in God. Most of us are not consistent spiritually because we are more concerned about being consistent externally. In the external expression of things, Paul lived in the basement, while his critics lived on the upper level. And these two levels do not begin to touch each other. But Paul’s consistency was down deep in the fundamentals. The great basis of his consistency was the agony of God in the redemption of the world, namely, the Cross of Christ.
State your beliefs to yourself again. Get back to the foundation of the Cross of Christ, doing away with any belief not based on it. In secular history the Cross is an infinitesimally small thing, but from the biblical perspective it is of more importance than all the empires of the world. If we get away from dwelling on the tragedy of God on the Cross in our preaching, our preaching produces nothing. It will not transmit the energy of God to man; it may be interesting, but it will have no power. However, when we preach the Cross, the energy of God is released. “. . . it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. . . . we preach Christ crucified . . .” (1 Corinthians 1:21, 23).
When a person is newly born again, he seems inconsistent due to his unrelated emotions and the state of the external things or circumstances in his life. The apostle Paul had a strong and steady underlying consistency in his life. Consequently, he could let his external life change without internal distress because he was rooted and grounded in God. Most of us are not consistent spiritually because we are more concerned about being consistent externally. In the external expression of things, Paul lived in the basement, while his critics lived on the upper level. And these two levels do not begin to touch each other. But Paul’s consistency was down deep in the fundamentals. The great basis of his consistency was the agony of God in the redemption of the world, namely, the Cross of Christ.
State your beliefs to yourself again. Get back to the foundation of the Cross of Christ, doing away with any belief not based on it. In secular history the Cross is an infinitesimally small thing, but from the biblical perspective it is of more importance than all the empires of the world. If we get away from dwelling on the tragedy of God on the Cross in our preaching, our preaching produces nothing. It will not transmit the energy of God to man; it may be interesting, but it will have no power. However, when we preach the Cross, the energy of God is released. “. . . it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. . . . we preach Christ crucified . . .” (1 Corinthians 1:21, 23).
November 21, 2012
“It is Finished!”
I have finished the work which You have given Me to do —John 17:4
The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the very mind and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to Him— something that might have been prevented. His death was the very reason He came.
Never build your case for forgiveness on the idea that God is our Father and He will forgive us because He loves us. That contradicts the revealed truth of God in Jesus Christ. It makes the Cross unnecessary, and the redemption “much ado about nothing.” God forgives sin only because of the death of Christ. God could forgive people in no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior because of His death. “We see Jesus . . . for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor . . .” (Hebrews 2:9). The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ— “It is finished!” (John 19:30). That is the final word in the redemption of humankind.
Anything that lessens or completely obliterates the holiness of God, through a false view of His love, contradicts the truth of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus Christ stands with us, and against God, out of pity and compassion, or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy for us. Jesus Christ became a curse for us by divine decree. Our part in realizing the tremendous meaning of His curse is the conviction of sin. Conviction is given to us as a gift of shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.
The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the very mind and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to Him— something that might have been prevented. His death was the very reason He came.
Never build your case for forgiveness on the idea that God is our Father and He will forgive us because He loves us. That contradicts the revealed truth of God in Jesus Christ. It makes the Cross unnecessary, and the redemption “much ado about nothing.” God forgives sin only because of the death of Christ. God could forgive people in no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior because of His death. “We see Jesus . . . for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor . . .” (Hebrews 2:9). The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ— “It is finished!” (John 19:30). That is the final word in the redemption of humankind.
Anything that lessens or completely obliterates the holiness of God, through a false view of His love, contradicts the truth of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus Christ stands with us, and against God, out of pity and compassion, or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy for us. Jesus Christ became a curse for us by divine decree. Our part in realizing the tremendous meaning of His curse is the conviction of sin. Conviction is given to us as a gift of shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.
October 29, 2012
Substitution
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21
The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was “made . . . to be sin . . .” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). And the revealing of the fatherhood of God is only to those to whom Jesus has been introduced as Savior. In speaking to the world, Jesus Christ never referred to Himself as One who revealed the Father, but He spoke instead of being a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24). John 14:9, where Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” was spoken to His disciples.
That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).
替代
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
現代人以為耶穌為我們的罪死，是因為他同情我們。但新約的觀點卻不然，他並非因同情而背負我們的罪，他乃是因為於我們認同。神使他成為罪。他的死，叫我們得以除罪；而他的死，是順服他父的旨意，而不是出於對我們的同情。我們蒙神悅納，不是因為順服，或答應放棄什麼東西，乃是因為基督的死，除此別無他法。我們說耶穌基督來，是彰顯神為父的地位，和他的恩慈；但新約卻說：他來是擔當世人的罪。他彰顯父神，只是向那些人他為救主的人。主從來沒有向世人說他自己就是彰顯父神的那一位，他只說自己是絆腳石（約十五22-24）。約翰福音十四章第9節是對門徒說的。
新約從沒有說基督為我死，所以我就免罰了。新約的教訓是[他為萬人死]（不是代替了我死），而我在他的死上與他合一，就從罪中得著釋放，並承受了他的義。新約所教導的代替是有雙重的意義：[神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 ]除非我決意讓基督成形在我裡面，否則，基督就不是[替]我死了。
祈禱◆主啊，為著再次感受到與你之間有著喜樂的相交，我讚美你。願你將平靜的思想和堅定的決心賜給我。讓我毫無懷疑和毫不偏斜地屬於你。
The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was “made . . . to be sin . . .” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). And the revealing of the fatherhood of God is only to those to whom Jesus has been introduced as Savior. In speaking to the world, Jesus Christ never referred to Himself as One who revealed the Father, but He spoke instead of being a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24). John 14:9, where Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” was spoken to His disciples.
That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).
替代
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
現代人以為耶穌為我們的罪死，是因為他同情我們。但新約的觀點卻不然，他並非因同情而背負我們的罪，他乃是因為於我們認同。神使他成為罪。他的死，叫我們得以除罪；而他的死，是順服他父的旨意，而不是出於對我們的同情。我們蒙神悅納，不是因為順服，或答應放棄什麼東西，乃是因為基督的死，除此別無他法。我們說耶穌基督來，是彰顯神為父的地位，和他的恩慈；但新約卻說：他來是擔當世人的罪。他彰顯父神，只是向那些人他為救主的人。主從來沒有向世人說他自己就是彰顯父神的那一位，他只說自己是絆腳石（約十五22-24）。約翰福音十四章第9節是對門徒說的。
新約從沒有說基督為我死，所以我就免罰了。新約的教訓是[他為萬人死]（不是代替了我死），而我在他的死上與他合一，就從罪中得著釋放，並承受了他的義。新約所教導的代替是有雙重的意義：[神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 ]除非我決意讓基督成形在我裡面，否則，基督就不是[替]我死了。
祈禱◆主啊，為著再次感受到與你之間有著喜樂的相交，我讚美你。願你將平靜的思想和堅定的決心賜給我。讓我毫無懷疑和毫不偏斜地屬於你。
October 20, 2012
Is God’s Will My Will?
This is the will of God, your sanctification . . . —1 Thessalonians 4:3
Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). Beware of saying, “Oh, I am longing to be sanctified.” No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.
All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.
上帝的旨意是我的心願嗎？
" 神的旨意就是要你們成為聖潔。" 帖前4：3
神是否願意使我成聖並不是一個問題，而是這是我的心願嗎？我是否願意讓神將所有贖罪已經成功的事做在我的里面？我是否願意讓耶穌成為我的聖潔，讓耶穌的生命在我的肉身裡彰顯？當心你會說："噢，我渴望成聖。"其實，你並非如此，你要停止渴望，付出實際行動達到預定目標??"我兩手空空。"要以絕對的信心接受耶穌基督成為你的聖潔，耶穌救贖的偉大奇跡將在你裡面成為真實。耶穌所成就的一切,因著神充滿愛的禮物白白的給了你。作為一個得救和得以成聖的靈魂，我的態度是完全謙卑的聖潔（並沒有驕傲的聖潔這件事），這聖潔是基於痛苦難忍的悔改，及無法言說的羞愧和降卑；同時,令人驚異的認識到，當我根本對他毫不在意時，神的愛將自己託付給我，他為我的得救和成聖完成了一切（參看羅5:8）。保羅說沒有一件事"能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。"（羅8:39）
成聖使我與耶穌基督合一，並在他裡面與神合一，這只能藉由基督的贖罪才能做到。不要把效果當成原因。在我裡面的效果是順服、事奉和禱告，這是出於無法用言語表達的感謝和崇拜，為著因贖罪而在我裡面做出的非凡的成聖。
Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). Beware of saying, “Oh, I am longing to be sanctified.” No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.
All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.
上帝的旨意是我的心願嗎？
" 神的旨意就是要你們成為聖潔。" 帖前4：3
神是否願意使我成聖並不是一個問題，而是這是我的心願嗎？我是否願意讓神將所有贖罪已經成功的事做在我的里面？我是否願意讓耶穌成為我的聖潔，讓耶穌的生命在我的肉身裡彰顯？當心你會說："噢，我渴望成聖。"其實，你並非如此，你要停止渴望，付出實際行動達到預定目標??"我兩手空空。"要以絕對的信心接受耶穌基督成為你的聖潔，耶穌救贖的偉大奇跡將在你裡面成為真實。耶穌所成就的一切,因著神充滿愛的禮物白白的給了你。作為一個得救和得以成聖的靈魂，我的態度是完全謙卑的聖潔（並沒有驕傲的聖潔這件事），這聖潔是基於痛苦難忍的悔改，及無法言說的羞愧和降卑；同時,令人驚異的認識到，當我根本對他毫不在意時，神的愛將自己託付給我，他為我的得救和成聖完成了一切（參看羅5:8）。保羅說沒有一件事"能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。"（羅8:39）
成聖使我與耶穌基督合一，並在他裡面與神合一，這只能藉由基督的贖罪才能做到。不要把效果當成原因。在我裡面的效果是順服、事奉和禱告，這是出於無法用言語表達的感謝和崇拜，為著因贖罪而在我裡面做出的非凡的成聖。
October 15, 2012
The Key to the Missionary’s Work (2)
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world —1 John 2:2
The key to the missionary’s message is the propitiation of Christ Jesus— His sacrifice for us that completely satisfied the wrath of God. Look at any other aspect of Christ’s work, whether it is healing, saving, or sanctifying, and you will see that there is nothing limitless about those. But— “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”— that is limitless (John 1:29). The missionary’s message is the limitless importance of Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, and a missionary is someone who is immersed in the truth of that revelation.
The real key to the missionary’s message is the “remissionary” aspect of Christ’s life, not His kindness, His goodness, or even His revealing of the fatherhood of God to us. “. . . repentance and remission of sins should be preached . . . to all nations . . .” (Luke 24:47). The greatest message of limitless importance is that “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins . . . .” The missionary’s message is not nationalistic, favoring nations or individuals; it is “for the whole world.” When the Holy Spirit comes into me, He does not consider my partialities or preferences; He simply brings me into oneness with the Lord Jesus.
A missionary is someone who is bound by marriage to the stated mission and purpose of his Lord and Master. He is not to proclaim his own point of view, but is only to proclaim “the Lamb of God.” It is easier to belong to a faction that simply tells what Jesus Christ has done for me, and easier to become a devotee of divine healing, or of a special type of sanctification, or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Paul did not say, “Woe is me if I do not preach what Christ has done for me,” but, “. . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). And this is the gospel— “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
宣教信息之鑰
祂為我們的罪作了挽回祭，不是單為我們的罪，也是為普天下人的罪。 （約翰一書2：2）
宣道信息的中心，就是耶穌基督作了挽回祭。試拿基督任何其他方面的工作看——醫治、拯救、成聖；這些都不是無限的。 「神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。（約翰福音1：29） 」才是無限的。宣道的信息就是耶穌基督為普天下人的罪作了挽回祭，宣道士也就是被這一個啟示充滿的。
宣道信心的中心，不是耶穌基督的仁慈和良善，也不是祂彰顯了父神；而是基督把我們從罪中釋放，那是最無限的重點，就是祂為我們的嘴作了挽回祭。宣道信息不是愛國主義，不是單為某國或某人，乃是為整個世界的。聖靈進到我裡面，並不投我的喜好，祂來是要帶我與主耶穌聯合。
宣道士是與他的主聯合，他傳揚的不是自己的觀點，而是神的羔羊。要歸屬於一個宣傳“主為我們作過什麼”的集團、要成為一個熱衷於神蹟治病或成聖或靈洗的份子較容易。可是，保羅並不是說：“我若不傳主為我所作的，我就有禍了。”他乃是說：「若不傳福音，我便有禍了。（哥林多前書9： 16） 」，「神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。（約翰福音1：29） 」這就是福音。
The key to the missionary’s message is the propitiation of Christ Jesus— His sacrifice for us that completely satisfied the wrath of God. Look at any other aspect of Christ’s work, whether it is healing, saving, or sanctifying, and you will see that there is nothing limitless about those. But— “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”— that is limitless (John 1:29). The missionary’s message is the limitless importance of Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, and a missionary is someone who is immersed in the truth of that revelation.
The real key to the missionary’s message is the “remissionary” aspect of Christ’s life, not His kindness, His goodness, or even His revealing of the fatherhood of God to us. “. . . repentance and remission of sins should be preached . . . to all nations . . .” (Luke 24:47). The greatest message of limitless importance is that “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins . . . .” The missionary’s message is not nationalistic, favoring nations or individuals; it is “for the whole world.” When the Holy Spirit comes into me, He does not consider my partialities or preferences; He simply brings me into oneness with the Lord Jesus.
A missionary is someone who is bound by marriage to the stated mission and purpose of his Lord and Master. He is not to proclaim his own point of view, but is only to proclaim “the Lamb of God.” It is easier to belong to a faction that simply tells what Jesus Christ has done for me, and easier to become a devotee of divine healing, or of a special type of sanctification, or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Paul did not say, “Woe is me if I do not preach what Christ has done for me,” but, “. . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). And this is the gospel— “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
宣教信息之鑰
祂為我們的罪作了挽回祭，不是單為我們的罪，也是為普天下人的罪。 （約翰一書2：2）
宣道信息的中心，就是耶穌基督作了挽回祭。試拿基督任何其他方面的工作看——醫治、拯救、成聖；這些都不是無限的。 「神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。（約翰福音1：29） 」才是無限的。宣道的信息就是耶穌基督為普天下人的罪作了挽回祭，宣道士也就是被這一個啟示充滿的。
宣道信心的中心，不是耶穌基督的仁慈和良善，也不是祂彰顯了父神；而是基督把我們從罪中釋放，那是最無限的重點，就是祂為我們的嘴作了挽回祭。宣道信息不是愛國主義，不是單為某國或某人，乃是為整個世界的。聖靈進到我裡面，並不投我的喜好，祂來是要帶我與主耶穌聯合。
宣道士是與他的主聯合，他傳揚的不是自己的觀點，而是神的羔羊。要歸屬於一個宣傳“主為我們作過什麼”的集團、要成為一個熱衷於神蹟治病或成聖或靈洗的份子較容易。可是，保羅並不是說：“我若不傳主為我所作的，我就有禍了。”他乃是說：「若不傳福音，我便有禍了。（哥林多前書9： 16） 」，「神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。（約翰福音1：29） 」這就是福音。
October 07, 2012
The Nature of Reconciliation
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21
Sin is a fundamental relationship— it is not wrong doing, but wrong being— it is deliberate and determined independence from God. The Christian faith bases everything on the extreme, self-confident nature of sin. Other faiths deal with sins— the Bible alone deals with sin. The first thing Jesus Christ confronted in people was the heredity of sin, and it is because we have ignored this in our presentation of the gospel that the message of the gospel has lost its sting and its explosive power.
The revealed truth of the Bible is not that Jesus Christ took on Himself our fleshly sins, but that He took on Himself the heredity of sin that no man can even touch. God made His own Son “to be sin” that He might make the sinner into a saint. It is revealed throughout the Bible that our Lord took on Himself the sin of the world through identification with us, not through sympathy for us. He deliberately took on His own shoulders, and endured in His own body, the complete, cumulative sin of the human race. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. . .” and by so doing He placed salvation for the entire human race solely on the basis of redemption. Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the cross.
A man cannot redeem himself— redemption is the work of God, and is absolutely finished and complete. And its application to individual people is a matter of their own individual action or response to it. A distinction must always be made between the revealed truth of redemption and the actual conscious experience of salvation in a person’s life.
和好
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
罪是一種根本的關係；不是指所犯的錯事，而是錯的本體，就是故意極力脫離神獨立。基督教信仰是把一切建基在正視罪的本質。其他宗教對付許多罪行，聖經只對付一樣罪。主耶穌首先面對的，就是罪的遺傳。我們傳福音若忽略這一點，就使福音失卻了叫人扎心及爆炸性的信息。
聖經的啟示不是耶穌怎樣擔負我們肉體上的罪，而是他擔負了沒有人可以觸及的罪根。神叫自己的兒子成為罪，為叫罪人可以成為聖潔。在整部聖經中，我們看見主擔當世人的罪，擔在自己肩頭上，親自承擔一切。 [神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪。 ]正因他這樣做，就為全人類建立了救贖的根基。主耶穌恢復了人類原來的地位，把他們放在神本來計劃的地位上。任何人都可以因主耶穌在十字架上成就的，與神連合。
人無法自救，救贖是出於神，並且已經完全成就。救贖與人的關係，在於人的反應。我們必須把救贖的啟示，與個人生命中得救的經歷清楚區別。
祈禱◆主啊，為著你今早賜給我的感動，我感謝你－－可是，我卻是那麼令人驚愕地毫無生氣和毫不美麗！不過，這個對自己的認識，只表明當你不在我裡面時，我的生命境況。
Sin is a fundamental relationship— it is not wrong doing, but wrong being— it is deliberate and determined independence from God. The Christian faith bases everything on the extreme, self-confident nature of sin. Other faiths deal with sins— the Bible alone deals with sin. The first thing Jesus Christ confronted in people was the heredity of sin, and it is because we have ignored this in our presentation of the gospel that the message of the gospel has lost its sting and its explosive power.
The revealed truth of the Bible is not that Jesus Christ took on Himself our fleshly sins, but that He took on Himself the heredity of sin that no man can even touch. God made His own Son “to be sin” that He might make the sinner into a saint. It is revealed throughout the Bible that our Lord took on Himself the sin of the world through identification with us, not through sympathy for us. He deliberately took on His own shoulders, and endured in His own body, the complete, cumulative sin of the human race. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. . .” and by so doing He placed salvation for the entire human race solely on the basis of redemption. Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the cross.
A man cannot redeem himself— redemption is the work of God, and is absolutely finished and complete. And its application to individual people is a matter of their own individual action or response to it. A distinction must always be made between the revealed truth of redemption and the actual conscious experience of salvation in a person’s life.
和好
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
罪是一種根本的關係；不是指所犯的錯事，而是錯的本體，就是故意極力脫離神獨立。基督教信仰是把一切建基在正視罪的本質。其他宗教對付許多罪行，聖經只對付一樣罪。主耶穌首先面對的，就是罪的遺傳。我們傳福音若忽略這一點，就使福音失卻了叫人扎心及爆炸性的信息。
聖經的啟示不是耶穌怎樣擔負我們肉體上的罪，而是他擔負了沒有人可以觸及的罪根。神叫自己的兒子成為罪，為叫罪人可以成為聖潔。在整部聖經中，我們看見主擔當世人的罪，擔在自己肩頭上，親自承擔一切。 [神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪。 ]正因他這樣做，就為全人類建立了救贖的根基。主耶穌恢復了人類原來的地位，把他們放在神本來計劃的地位上。任何人都可以因主耶穌在十字架上成就的，與神連合。
人無法自救，救贖是出於神，並且已經完全成就。救贖與人的關係，在於人的反應。我們必須把救贖的啟示，與個人生命中得救的經歷清楚區別。
祈禱◆主啊，為著你今早賜給我的感動，我感謝你－－可是，我卻是那麼令人驚愕地毫無生氣和毫不美麗！不過，這個對自己的認識，只表明當你不在我裡面時，我的生命境況。
June 23, 2012
“Acquainted With Grief”
He is . . . a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief —Isaiah 53:3
We are not “acquainted with grief” in the same way our Lord was acquainted with it. We endure it and live through it, but we do not become intimate with it. At the beginning of our lives we do not bring ourselves to the point of dealing with the reality of sin. We look at life through the eyes of reason and say that if a person will control his instincts, and educate himself, he can produce a life that will slowly evolve into the life of God. But as we continue on through life, we find the presence of something which we have not yet taken into account, namely, sin— and it upsets all of our thinking and our plans. Sin has made the foundation of our thinking unpredictable, uncontrollable, and irrational.
We have to recognize that sin is a fact of life, not just a shortcoming. Sin is blatant mutiny against God, and either sin or God must die in my life. The New Testament brings us right down to this one issue— if sin rules in me, God’s life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is nothing more fundamental than that. The culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in your history and in mine— that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. We must mentally bring ourselves to terms with this fact of sin. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life.
常經憂患
他……多受痛苦，常經憂患。 （賽五十三3）
我們所經的憂患與主所經的不同；我們是忍受、經歷，卻與憂患沒有密切的關係。我們從起頭就不肯接受罪惡這個事實，對人生採取一種合乎理性的觀點，以為人只要約束自己，教育自己，生命就能逐漸似神。可是日久便發覺有一種東西存在，是意想之外的，就是罪。它把我們一切籌算破壞了。罪使事物本末倒置，毫無道理可言。我們必須承認罪是一個事實，不是一種缺陷；罪是對神赤手空拳的反叛。在我生命中不是神死，就是罪死。新約的真理使我們面對這個問題。若罪在我裡面掌權，神在我裡面的生命就死了；若神在我裡面掌權，罪在我裡面就要死；除此之外，不可能有別的結果了。人滔天的大罪，就是把耶穌基督釘在十架上。神在世上的歷史如何，你我的生命史上也必如何。我們必須承認，罪是人生苦痛憂患的因由。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你是沒有時間性的，因為[在你看來，千年如已過的昨日]；可是，對我這卻截然不同。你彌補我那被腐敗所吞蝕的年日，在基督耶穌裡使我成為一個新造的人！求你接納我對你的感恩。
We are not “acquainted with grief” in the same way our Lord was acquainted with it. We endure it and live through it, but we do not become intimate with it. At the beginning of our lives we do not bring ourselves to the point of dealing with the reality of sin. We look at life through the eyes of reason and say that if a person will control his instincts, and educate himself, he can produce a life that will slowly evolve into the life of God. But as we continue on through life, we find the presence of something which we have not yet taken into account, namely, sin— and it upsets all of our thinking and our plans. Sin has made the foundation of our thinking unpredictable, uncontrollable, and irrational.
We have to recognize that sin is a fact of life, not just a shortcoming. Sin is blatant mutiny against God, and either sin or God must die in my life. The New Testament brings us right down to this one issue— if sin rules in me, God’s life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is nothing more fundamental than that. The culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in your history and in mine— that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. We must mentally bring ourselves to terms with this fact of sin. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life.
常經憂患
他……多受痛苦，常經憂患。 （賽五十三3）
我們所經的憂患與主所經的不同；我們是忍受、經歷，卻與憂患沒有密切的關係。我們從起頭就不肯接受罪惡這個事實，對人生採取一種合乎理性的觀點，以為人只要約束自己，教育自己，生命就能逐漸似神。可是日久便發覺有一種東西存在，是意想之外的，就是罪。它把我們一切籌算破壞了。罪使事物本末倒置，毫無道理可言。我們必須承認罪是一個事實，不是一種缺陷；罪是對神赤手空拳的反叛。在我生命中不是神死，就是罪死。新約的真理使我們面對這個問題。若罪在我裡面掌權，神在我裡面的生命就死了；若神在我裡面掌權，罪在我裡面就要死；除此之外，不可能有別的結果了。人滔天的大罪，就是把耶穌基督釘在十架上。神在世上的歷史如何，你我的生命史上也必如何。我們必須承認，罪是人生苦痛憂患的因由。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你是沒有時間性的，因為[在你看來，千年如已過的昨日]；可是，對我這卻截然不同。你彌補我那被腐敗所吞蝕的年日，在基督耶穌裡使我成為一個新造的人！求你接納我對你的感恩。
May 17, 2012
His Ascension and Our Access
It came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven —Luke 24:51
We have no experiences in our lives that correspond to the events in our Lord’s life after the transfiguration. From that moment forward His life was altogether substitutionary. Up to the time of the transfiguration, He had exhibited the normal, perfect life of a man. But from the transfiguration forward— Gethsemane, the Cross, the resurrection— everything is unfamiliar to us. His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.
The transfiguration was completed on the Mount of Ascension. If Jesus had gone to heaven directly from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than a glorious Figure. But He turned His back on the glory, and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity.
The ascension is the complete fulfillment of the transfiguration. Our Lord returned to His original glory, but not simply as the Son of God— He returned to His father as the Son of Man as well. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But now they are His in absolute, full power. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ now has all the power at the throne of God. From His ascension forward He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
他的升天與我們的合一
正祝福的時候，他就離開他們，被帶到天上去了。 （路二十四51）
主登山變像之後的經歷，是我們沒法體驗的。從那時起，主的生命完全是為了代贖。登山之前，他過的是正常人的生活；登山之後，經過客西馬尼、十字架，以至復活，都不是我們所熟悉的。他的十字架，是人類進入神生命的門；他的複活，使他有賜人永生的權柄；他的升天，使天門為人敞開。
在升天的山上，登山變像的意義就明顯了。耶穌若在登山變像時升了天，他就是獨自而去，對我們只是一個榮耀的形像而已。可是，他紆尊降貴，從山上來，與墮落的人類等量齊觀。
升天是登山變像的實現，我們的主這時回到他原有的榮耀裡去；可是他不單是以神兒子的身分回去，也以人子的身分回到神那裡去。因為人子升天，人就有自由的通道直接去到神寶座前。
作為人子，耶穌故意限制了他的權能、全知，以及無所不在的自由；升天后卻全部在他掌管之中了。耶穌基督為人子，有著神寶座的一切權能，從他升天之日起直到今天，他是萬王之王，萬主之主。
祈禱◆主啊，我的每一方面，都徹底、完全和絕對需要你。我是一個等待你注滿的龐大潭穴，以你的榮耀和美善注滿我，直至湧流不息。
We have no experiences in our lives that correspond to the events in our Lord’s life after the transfiguration. From that moment forward His life was altogether substitutionary. Up to the time of the transfiguration, He had exhibited the normal, perfect life of a man. But from the transfiguration forward— Gethsemane, the Cross, the resurrection— everything is unfamiliar to us. His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.
The transfiguration was completed on the Mount of Ascension. If Jesus had gone to heaven directly from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than a glorious Figure. But He turned His back on the glory, and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity.
The ascension is the complete fulfillment of the transfiguration. Our Lord returned to His original glory, but not simply as the Son of God— He returned to His father as the Son of Man as well. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But now they are His in absolute, full power. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ now has all the power at the throne of God. From His ascension forward He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
他的升天與我們的合一
正祝福的時候，他就離開他們，被帶到天上去了。 （路二十四51）
主登山變像之後的經歷，是我們沒法體驗的。從那時起，主的生命完全是為了代贖。登山之前，他過的是正常人的生活；登山之後，經過客西馬尼、十字架，以至復活，都不是我們所熟悉的。他的十字架，是人類進入神生命的門；他的複活，使他有賜人永生的權柄；他的升天，使天門為人敞開。
在升天的山上，登山變像的意義就明顯了。耶穌若在登山變像時升了天，他就是獨自而去，對我們只是一個榮耀的形像而已。可是，他紆尊降貴，從山上來，與墮落的人類等量齊觀。
升天是登山變像的實現，我們的主這時回到他原有的榮耀裡去；可是他不單是以神兒子的身分回去，也以人子的身分回到神那裡去。因為人子升天，人就有自由的通道直接去到神寶座前。
作為人子，耶穌故意限制了他的權能、全知，以及無所不在的自由；升天后卻全部在他掌管之中了。耶穌基督為人子，有著神寶座的一切權能，從他升天之日起直到今天，他是萬王之王，萬主之主。
祈禱◆主啊，我的每一方面，都徹底、完全和絕對需要你。我是一個等待你注滿的龐大潭穴，以你的榮耀和美善注滿我，直至湧流不息。
May 07, 2012
Building For Eternity
Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it . . . —Luke 14:28
Our Lord was not referring here to a cost which we have to count, but to a cost which He has already counted. The cost was those thirty years in Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal, and hatred, the unfathomable agony He experienced in Gethsemane, and the assault upon Him at Calvary— the central point upon which all of time and eternity turn. Jesus Christ has counted the cost. In the final analysis, people are not going to laugh at Him and say, “This man began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:30).
The conditions of discipleship given to us by our Lord in verses 26, 27, and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple ” (Luke 14:26). This verse teaches us that the only men and women our Lord will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately, and with great devotion— those who have a love for Him that goes far beyond any of the closest relationships on earth. The conditions are strict, but they are glorious.
All that we build is going to be inspected by God. When God inspects us with His searching and refining fire, will He detect that we have built enterprises of our own on the foundation of Jesus? (see 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). We are living in a time of tremendous enterprises, a time when we are trying to work for God, and that is where the trap is. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus, as the Master Builder, takes us over so that He may direct and control us completely for His enterprises and His building plans; and no one has any right to demand where he will be put to work.
永恆的建造
你們那一個要蓋一座樓，不先坐下算計花費，能蓋成不能呢？ （路十四28）
主所指的代價，不是要我們去計算，他已經計算好了。就是三十年在拿撤撒，三年被人擁戴、毀謗和憎恨，客西馬尼園無底的痛苦，加略山上被宰殺－－成為整個時間與永恆轉動的樞軸。
耶穌基督已計算了代價。所以世人最終也無法指著他說：[這人動了工，卻不能完工。 ]在26、27及33節中，主陳明作門徒的條件；在他建造大工所用的人，是他已經為他們付上一切代價的人。 [人到我這裡來，若不恨……就不能作我的門徒。 ]主的意思是在他建造大工上用得著的人，是那些熱切地、忠心地愛他，超過地上任何最親密者的人。條件非常嚴格，但卻是榮耀的。
我們一切所建造的，都要經神檢驗。神察驗的火，是否發覺在主的根基上，竟建立了我們自己的事業？現在正是建立事業的大好機會，是我們努力為神工作的日子，可是其中卻密佈著網羅。其實認真地說，我們根本不能為神作工。耶穌把我們放在他的工程上，完全放在他建造的大計中，我們是沒有權選擇要被放在什麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，引導我們的心思進入你的計劃中。許多人已步向你那榮耀，卻帶有危險的開放境地。主啊，請傾注你那浩大的能力，來糾正我們的生命，使它成為煥發著健康的豐盛生命。
Our Lord was not referring here to a cost which we have to count, but to a cost which He has already counted. The cost was those thirty years in Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal, and hatred, the unfathomable agony He experienced in Gethsemane, and the assault upon Him at Calvary— the central point upon which all of time and eternity turn. Jesus Christ has counted the cost. In the final analysis, people are not going to laugh at Him and say, “This man began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:30).
The conditions of discipleship given to us by our Lord in verses 26, 27, and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple ” (Luke 14:26). This verse teaches us that the only men and women our Lord will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately, and with great devotion— those who have a love for Him that goes far beyond any of the closest relationships on earth. The conditions are strict, but they are glorious.
All that we build is going to be inspected by God. When God inspects us with His searching and refining fire, will He detect that we have built enterprises of our own on the foundation of Jesus? (see 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). We are living in a time of tremendous enterprises, a time when we are trying to work for God, and that is where the trap is. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus, as the Master Builder, takes us over so that He may direct and control us completely for His enterprises and His building plans; and no one has any right to demand where he will be put to work.
永恆的建造
你們那一個要蓋一座樓，不先坐下算計花費，能蓋成不能呢？ （路十四28）
主所指的代價，不是要我們去計算，他已經計算好了。就是三十年在拿撤撒，三年被人擁戴、毀謗和憎恨，客西馬尼園無底的痛苦，加略山上被宰殺－－成為整個時間與永恆轉動的樞軸。
耶穌基督已計算了代價。所以世人最終也無法指著他說：[這人動了工，卻不能完工。 ]在26、27及33節中，主陳明作門徒的條件；在他建造大工所用的人，是他已經為他們付上一切代價的人。 [人到我這裡來，若不恨……就不能作我的門徒。 ]主的意思是在他建造大工上用得著的人，是那些熱切地、忠心地愛他，超過地上任何最親密者的人。條件非常嚴格，但卻是榮耀的。
我們一切所建造的，都要經神檢驗。神察驗的火，是否發覺在主的根基上，竟建立了我們自己的事業？現在正是建立事業的大好機會，是我們努力為神工作的日子，可是其中卻密佈著網羅。其實認真地說，我們根本不能為神作工。耶穌把我們放在他的工程上，完全放在他建造的大計中，我們是沒有權選擇要被放在什麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，引導我們的心思進入你的計劃中。許多人已步向你那榮耀，卻帶有危險的開放境地。主啊，請傾注你那浩大的能力，來糾正我們的生命，使它成為煥發著健康的豐盛生命。
April 06, 2012
The Collision of God and Sin
. . . who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree . . . —1 Peter 2:24
The Cross of Christ is the revealed truth of God’s judgment on sin. Never associate the idea of martyrdom with the Cross of Christ. It was the supreme triumph, and it shook the very foundations of hell. There is nothing in time or eternity more absolutely certain and irrefutable than what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross— He made it possible for the entire human race to be brought back into a right-standing relationship with God. He made redemption the foundation of human life; that is, He made a way for every person to have fellowship with God.
The Cross was not something that happened to Jesus— He came to die; the Cross was His purpose in coming. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). The incarnation of Christ would have no meaning without the Cross. Beware of separating “God was manifested in the flesh. . .” from “. . . He made Him. . . to be sin for us. . .” (1 Timothy 3:16 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The purpose of the incarnation was redemption. God came in the flesh to take sin away, not to accomplish something for Himself. The Cross is the central event in time and eternity, and the answer to all the problems of both.
The Cross is not the cross of a man, but the Cross of God, and it can never be fully comprehended through human experience. The Cross is God exhibiting His nature. It is the gate through which any and every individual can enter into oneness with God. But it is not a gate we pass right through; it is one where we abide in the life that is found there.
The heart of salvation is the Cross of Christ. The reason salvation is so easy to obtain is that it cost God so much. The Cross was the place where God and sinful man merged with a tremendous collision and where the way to life was opened. But all the cost and pain of the collision was absorbed by the heart of God.
神與罪的衝突
他被掛在木頭上親身擔當了我們的罪。 （彼前二24）
耶穌的十字架，說明神對罪惡的審判。但千萬別以為耶穌的十字架是一種殉道精神；十字架是至高無上的勝利，連地獄的根基也震動了。不論今生或是來世，再沒有比耶穌基督在十字架上所成就的，更加確實。他挽回了全人類，使他們與神恢復正常的關係。他使救贖成為人類生命的根基，也就是說，他為人開了一道通往神的途徑。
十字架並非偶然臨到耶穌的，他是為此目的而來。他是[那創世以先被殺的羔羊]。道成肉身的整個意義，就是十字架。當心別把神在肉身顯現，與人子成為罪分開來看。道成肉身的目的，正是為了顯露自己。十字架是今生與永世的中心，是兩者的謎底。
十字架不是人的十字架，是神的十字架，神的十字架永遠不能以人的經歷去體驗。十字架是神本性的顯露，是任何人得以達致與神合一的通道。我們是來到十字架面前，不是越過去；我們住在十字架所帶進來的生命裡。
救恩的中心，就是耶穌的十字架；救恩所以如此易得，是因為神付出了重大得代價。十字架是神與罪人碰頭得地方，這猛然的撞擊，開拓了生命的路；可是，這撞擊是發生在神心裡的。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著你在我們最核心的問題上施行大能的救贖，我讚美你。願藉著你的大能，使我複活，進入新的生命。
The Cross of Christ is the revealed truth of God’s judgment on sin. Never associate the idea of martyrdom with the Cross of Christ. It was the supreme triumph, and it shook the very foundations of hell. There is nothing in time or eternity more absolutely certain and irrefutable than what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross— He made it possible for the entire human race to be brought back into a right-standing relationship with God. He made redemption the foundation of human life; that is, He made a way for every person to have fellowship with God.
The Cross was not something that happened to Jesus— He came to die; the Cross was His purpose in coming. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). The incarnation of Christ would have no meaning without the Cross. Beware of separating “God was manifested in the flesh. . .” from “. . . He made Him. . . to be sin for us. . .” (1 Timothy 3:16 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The purpose of the incarnation was redemption. God came in the flesh to take sin away, not to accomplish something for Himself. The Cross is the central event in time and eternity, and the answer to all the problems of both.
The Cross is not the cross of a man, but the Cross of God, and it can never be fully comprehended through human experience. The Cross is God exhibiting His nature. It is the gate through which any and every individual can enter into oneness with God. But it is not a gate we pass right through; it is one where we abide in the life that is found there.
The heart of salvation is the Cross of Christ. The reason salvation is so easy to obtain is that it cost God so much. The Cross was the place where God and sinful man merged with a tremendous collision and where the way to life was opened. But all the cost and pain of the collision was absorbed by the heart of God.
神與罪的衝突
他被掛在木頭上親身擔當了我們的罪。 （彼前二24）
耶穌的十字架，說明神對罪惡的審判。但千萬別以為耶穌的十字架是一種殉道精神；十字架是至高無上的勝利，連地獄的根基也震動了。不論今生或是來世，再沒有比耶穌基督在十字架上所成就的，更加確實。他挽回了全人類，使他們與神恢復正常的關係。他使救贖成為人類生命的根基，也就是說，他為人開了一道通往神的途徑。
十字架並非偶然臨到耶穌的，他是為此目的而來。他是[那創世以先被殺的羔羊]。道成肉身的整個意義，就是十字架。當心別把神在肉身顯現，與人子成為罪分開來看。道成肉身的目的，正是為了顯露自己。十字架是今生與永世的中心，是兩者的謎底。
十字架不是人的十字架，是神的十字架，神的十字架永遠不能以人的經歷去體驗。十字架是神本性的顯露，是任何人得以達致與神合一的通道。我們是來到十字架面前，不是越過去；我們住在十字架所帶進來的生命裡。
救恩的中心，就是耶穌的十字架；救恩所以如此易得，是因為神付出了重大得代價。十字架是神與罪人碰頭得地方，這猛然的撞擊，開拓了生命的路；可是，這撞擊是發生在神心裡的。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著你在我們最核心的問題上施行大能的救贖，我讚美你。願藉著你的大能，使我複活，進入新的生命。
April 05, 2012
His Agony and Our Access
Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples . . . . ’Stay here and watch with Me’ —Matthew 26:36, 38
We can never fully comprehend Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, but at least we don’t have to misunderstand it. It is the agony of God and man in one Person, coming face to face with sin. We cannot learn about Gethsemane through personal experience. Gethsemane and Calvary represent something totally unique— they are the gateway into life for us.
It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over in Gethsemane. In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying. His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man. He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God— Satan could not touch Him there. But Satan’s assault was that our Lord would come through for us on His own solely as the Son of Man. If Jesus had done that, He could not have been our Savior (see Hebrews 9:11-15). Read the record of His agony in Gethsemane in light of His earlier wilderness temptation— “. . . the devil . . . departed from Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). In Gethsemane, Satan came back and was overthrown again. Satan’s final assault against our Lord as the Son of Man was in Gethsemane.
The agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world. The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Because of what the Son of Man went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God.
他的痛苦與我們的相交
耶穌同門徒來到一個地方，名叫客西馬尼，就對他們說……你們在這裡等候，和我一同儆醒。 （太二十六36、38）
縱然我們無法體會主在客西馬尼的痛苦，但我們也不要誤解。這是神人一體面對罪惡的痛苦。因此就我們個人的經歷，是無法體會的。客西馬尼與各各他，是耶穌所專有的，叫我們得生命的門。
耶穌在客西馬尼，並不是因十架的死亡而恐懼；他曾強調說，他是為死而來的。他所恐懼的是不能以[人子]的身分過這一關。作為神子，耶穌絕對可以過關，撒但不能碰他分毫；但撒但要毀滅的，是他以一個孤獨的個體過這一關；就是說，使他不能成為救主。試以主受試探的情景去讀客西馬尼痛苦的禱告：[魔鬼暫時離開耶穌。 ]在客西馬尼，撒但最後向主以人子身份所施的襲擊，是在客西馬尼。
客西馬尼的痛苦，是神子為要完成他作世人救主的使命所忍受的痛苦。幔子裂開，顯示他付出何等的代價，為叫我們可以成為神的兒子。我們如此容易得救，是基於他的痛苦。基督的十字架，是人子的勝利。這不但表明我們的主已經得勝，而且帶來人類的拯救。如今人人可以來到神面前，完全因為[人子]所經歷的痛苦。
祈禱◆主啊，我對你的救贖和完全的救恩，是何其缺乏欣賞。主啊，驅使我產生豐富的感恩；讓我對主耶穌基督懷著永遠的愛。
We can never fully comprehend Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, but at least we don’t have to misunderstand it. It is the agony of God and man in one Person, coming face to face with sin. We cannot learn about Gethsemane through personal experience. Gethsemane and Calvary represent something totally unique— they are the gateway into life for us.
It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over in Gethsemane. In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying. His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man. He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God— Satan could not touch Him there. But Satan’s assault was that our Lord would come through for us on His own solely as the Son of Man. If Jesus had done that, He could not have been our Savior (see Hebrews 9:11-15). Read the record of His agony in Gethsemane in light of His earlier wilderness temptation— “. . . the devil . . . departed from Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). In Gethsemane, Satan came back and was overthrown again. Satan’s final assault against our Lord as the Son of Man was in Gethsemane.
The agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world. The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Because of what the Son of Man went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God.
他的痛苦與我們的相交
耶穌同門徒來到一個地方，名叫客西馬尼，就對他們說……你們在這裡等候，和我一同儆醒。 （太二十六36、38）
縱然我們無法體會主在客西馬尼的痛苦，但我們也不要誤解。這是神人一體面對罪惡的痛苦。因此就我們個人的經歷，是無法體會的。客西馬尼與各各他，是耶穌所專有的，叫我們得生命的門。
耶穌在客西馬尼，並不是因十架的死亡而恐懼；他曾強調說，他是為死而來的。他所恐懼的是不能以[人子]的身分過這一關。作為神子，耶穌絕對可以過關，撒但不能碰他分毫；但撒但要毀滅的，是他以一個孤獨的個體過這一關；就是說，使他不能成為救主。試以主受試探的情景去讀客西馬尼痛苦的禱告：[魔鬼暫時離開耶穌。 ]在客西馬尼，撒但最後向主以人子身份所施的襲擊，是在客西馬尼。
客西馬尼的痛苦，是神子為要完成他作世人救主的使命所忍受的痛苦。幔子裂開，顯示他付出何等的代價，為叫我們可以成為神的兒子。我們如此容易得救，是基於他的痛苦。基督的十字架，是人子的勝利。這不但表明我們的主已經得勝，而且帶來人類的拯救。如今人人可以來到神面前，完全因為[人子]所經歷的痛苦。
祈禱◆主啊，我對你的救贖和完全的救恩，是何其缺乏欣賞。主啊，驅使我產生豐富的感恩；讓我對主耶穌基督懷著永遠的愛。
January 09, 2012
Prayerful Inner-Searching
May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless . . . —1 Thessalonians 5:23
“Your whole spirit . . . .” The great, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit is in the deep recesses of our being which we cannot reach. Read Psalm 139 . The psalmist implies— “O Lord, You are the God of the early mornings, the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea. But, my God, my soul has horizons further away than those of early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature. You who are the God of all these, be my God. I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot discover, dreams I cannot realize. My God, search me.”
Do we believe that God can fortify and protect our thought processes far beyond where we can go? “. . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). If this verse means cleansing only on our conscious level, may God have mercy on us. The man who has been dulled by sin will say that he is not even conscious of it. But the cleansing from sin we experience will reach to the heights and depths of our spirit if we will “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). The same Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirit. It is only when we are protected by God with the miraculous sacredness of the Holy Spirit that our spirit, soul, and body can be preserved in pure uprightness until the coming of Jesus-no longer condemned in God’s sight. We should more frequently allow our minds to meditate on these great, massive truths of God.
求神省察
願你們的靈，與魂，與身子，得蒙保守，在我主耶穌基督降臨的時候，完全無可指摘。 （帖前五23）
[你們的靈（整個靈）……] 聖靈最奧妙的工作是隱藏在我們裡面，這個隱密處，連我們自己也無法探究。試讀詩篇一三九篇。詩人說：你是清早的神，你是深夜的神，你是山峰的神，你是海洋的神。可是，我的神啊，我的靈魂裡有比清晨更廣遠的天際，比黑夜（世間的）更深沉的黝黑，高過任何崇山峻嶺，深過任何大海深淵；但你是這一切的神，求你做我的神。我攀不上那頭顛峰；也達不到那深淵；有許多動機，我追溯不了；有許多夢想，我無法實現。我的神啊，找我出來吧。
你信否神的保守遠非我們所能想像？ [基督耶穌的血洗淨我們一切的罪]這句話若只是感知上的經驗，願神憐憫我們。那在罪中麻木的人，他可以說並不感覺到罪。其實罪得潔淨，是靠我們裡面得靈。當我們活在光明中，如同神在光明中，那充滿耶穌基督生命的聖靈，也必把生命的靈灌注在我們裡面。
惟有當神以聖靈的大能，防衛著我們，我們的靈與魂與身子，才得蒙保守，毫無瑕疵，而且在神眼中無可指摘，直到主來。我們往往未懂得把心思放在神這些重要得真理上。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天親臨在我們當中，又牽引我們進入你裡面；請先由我開始。潔淨我，噢，主啊，除去我的一切瑕疵；縱使我對它們仍渾然不知，你卻早已一目了然。
“Your whole spirit . . . .” The great, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit is in the deep recesses of our being which we cannot reach. Read Psalm 139 . The psalmist implies— “O Lord, You are the God of the early mornings, the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea. But, my God, my soul has horizons further away than those of early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature. You who are the God of all these, be my God. I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot discover, dreams I cannot realize. My God, search me.”
Do we believe that God can fortify and protect our thought processes far beyond where we can go? “. . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). If this verse means cleansing only on our conscious level, may God have mercy on us. The man who has been dulled by sin will say that he is not even conscious of it. But the cleansing from sin we experience will reach to the heights and depths of our spirit if we will “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). The same Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirit. It is only when we are protected by God with the miraculous sacredness of the Holy Spirit that our spirit, soul, and body can be preserved in pure uprightness until the coming of Jesus-no longer condemned in God’s sight. We should more frequently allow our minds to meditate on these great, massive truths of God.
求神省察
願你們的靈，與魂，與身子，得蒙保守，在我主耶穌基督降臨的時候，完全無可指摘。 （帖前五23）
[你們的靈（整個靈）……] 聖靈最奧妙的工作是隱藏在我們裡面，這個隱密處，連我們自己也無法探究。試讀詩篇一三九篇。詩人說：你是清早的神，你是深夜的神，你是山峰的神，你是海洋的神。可是，我的神啊，我的靈魂裡有比清晨更廣遠的天際，比黑夜（世間的）更深沉的黝黑，高過任何崇山峻嶺，深過任何大海深淵；但你是這一切的神，求你做我的神。我攀不上那頭顛峰；也達不到那深淵；有許多動機，我追溯不了；有許多夢想，我無法實現。我的神啊，找我出來吧。
你信否神的保守遠非我們所能想像？ [基督耶穌的血洗淨我們一切的罪]這句話若只是感知上的經驗，願神憐憫我們。那在罪中麻木的人，他可以說並不感覺到罪。其實罪得潔淨，是靠我們裡面得靈。當我們活在光明中，如同神在光明中，那充滿耶穌基督生命的聖靈，也必把生命的靈灌注在我們裡面。
惟有當神以聖靈的大能，防衛著我們，我們的靈與魂與身子，才得蒙保守，毫無瑕疵，而且在神眼中無可指摘，直到主來。我們往往未懂得把心思放在神這些重要得真理上。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天親臨在我們當中，又牽引我們進入你裡面；請先由我開始。潔淨我，噢，主啊，除去我的一切瑕疵；縱使我對它們仍渾然不知，你卻早已一目了然。
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