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Through the Son we can enjoy life in God’s kingdom.
我们靠着耶稣,活出上帝子民的生命。
The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 NKJV
律法是我们训蒙的师傅,引我们到基督那里,使我们因信称义。-加拉太书3章24节
“I just can’t do it!” lamented the dejected student. On the page he could see only small print, difficult ideas, and an unforgiving deadline. He needed the help of his teacher.
有个学生垂头丧气地哀叹:“我办不到,我就是不会!”在书页上,他只看到蝇头小字、难以理解的观念,还有不容延误的作业缴交期限。他非常需要老师的帮忙。
We might experience similar despair when we read Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44). Anger is as bad as murder (v. 22). Lust equals adultery (v. 28). And if we dare think we can live up to these standards, we bump into this: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48).
或许我们在读登山宝训时,也会感到沮丧。耶稣告诉我们,要爱我们的仇敌(马太福音5章44节) ,发怒就等同于杀人(22节) ,动了淫念就是犯奸淫(28节) 。或许我们以为能达到这些标准,但耶稣还说:“所以你们要完全,像你们的天父完全一样。”(48节)
“The Sermon on the Mount produces despair,” says Oswald Chambers. But he saw this as good, because at “the point of despair we are willing to come to [Jesus] as paupers to receive from Him.”
难怪章伯斯曾经说道:“登山宝训令人绝望。”但他认为这是好的,因为在此绝望之中,我们才会甘愿像个一无所有的人,谦卑地来到耶稣的面前接受祂的帮助。
In the counterintuitive way God so often works, those who know they can’t do it on their own are the ones who receive God’s grace. As the apostle Paul put it, “Not many of you were wise by human standards. . . . But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27).
上帝的作为往往违反常理,那些承认自己办不到的人,才能领受祂的恩典。正如使徒保罗所言:“你们蒙召的,按着肉体有智慧的不多,……上帝却拣选了世上愚拙的,叫有智慧的羞愧。”(哥林多前书1章26-27节)
In God’s wisdom, the Teacher is also our Savior. When we come to Him in faith, through His Spirit we enjoy His “righteousness, holiness and redemption” (v. 30), and the grace and power to live for Him. That’s why He could say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).
耶稣不单教导我们登山宝训,祂也成为我们的拯救者,这就是上帝的智慧。我们只要相信耶稣,就可藉由圣灵得享祂的“公义、圣洁、救赎”(30节),并得着恩典与能力为祂而活。正因如此,耶稣才会说:“虚心的人有福了,因为天国是他们的。”(马太福音5章3节)
Thank You, Lord, for blessing those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, and who hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. You are our righteousness!
感谢主赐福给饥渴慕义的人,更感谢祢让我们因信称义。
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV
1 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
哥林多前书 1:26-31
1 弟兄们哪,可见你们蒙召的,按着肉体有智慧的不多,有能力的不多,有尊贵的也不多。 27 神却拣选了世上愚拙的,叫有智慧的羞愧;又拣选了世上软弱的,叫那强壮的羞愧。 28 神也拣选了世上卑贱的、被人厌恶的以及那无有的,为要废掉那有的, 29 使一切有血气的,在神面前一个也不能自夸。 30 但你们得在基督耶稣里,是本乎神,神又使他成为我们的智慧、公义、圣洁、救赎。 31 如经上所记:“夸口的,当指着主夸口。”
INSIGHT
The Bible is filled with stories of how God used weak, unlikely, or flawed characters to bring about His purposes. Included in that lineup are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, and Peter—just to name a few. God chose elderly Abraham and his barren wife to be “the father [and mother] of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). He used Isaac, who played favorites (25:27–28), and Jacob, a deceiver, to continue that line (25:29–34; 27:1–29). God called the reluctant Moses, a murderer on the run, to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 2:11–15; 14:1–31). God chose the prostitute Rahab to hide the spies in Jericho (Joshua 2) and to be included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5); He called Gideon, who cowered in fear, to serve as judge and rescue the Israelites from the Midianites (Judges 6–8); and He appointed Peter, an outspoken fisherman, to be His disciple (Matthew 16:22). God still uses flawed characters—you and me—to fulfill His purposes.
圣经常常都有记载,上帝如何使用软弱、不适合或有缺点的人来成全祂的旨意。举例来说,有亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各、摩西、喇合、基甸和彼得。上帝拣选了年迈的亚伯拉罕和他不生育的妻子,让他们“作多国的父[和母]”(创世记17章5节)。上帝使用偏爱大儿子的以撒(25章27-28节)和欺骗人的雅各,延续亚伯拉罕的血脉(25章29-34节,27章1-29节)。上帝呼召不甚情愿的摩西,一个逃亡的凶手,带领祂的百姓离开埃及为奴之地(出埃及记2章11-15节,14章1-31节)。上帝拣选妓女喇合藏匿了去耶利哥的探子(约书亚记2章),并将喇合列入耶稣的家谱(马太福音1章5节);呼召害怕畏缩的基甸作士师,拯救以色列人脱离米甸人的手(士师记6-8章);拣选心直口快的渔夫彼得,作祂的门徒(马太福音16章22节)。今天,上帝依然使用有缺点的人,包括你和我,来成全祂的旨意。
整理:于姊妹
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