通往勝利的道路7
我們繼續談到聖經上逐步通往在基督裡長大成熟的道路。在新約裡，我們與神的關係有五種層級，分別是：
- 信徒
- 門徒
- 僕人
- 朋友
- 兒子
我們與神最初的關係是當我們成為信徒，十字架的贖罪使我們得救並與神和好，這導致我們重生為被呼召成為的新造的人。當我們在這世界誕生，我們才開始我們的生命。當我們在基督裡重生，同樣也是如此─我們剛開始我們的新生命，並且開始在我們所呼召成為的樣式中成長。
我們很難看著新生兒便知道他們長大後的樣子，但我們可以知道每個新生的基督徒長大成熟後的樣子─像基督一樣。基督徒的最終成熟在以弗所書四章15節這樣被描述：「凡事長進，連於元首基督。」我們的終極呼召是成為像耶穌一樣，並且做祂曾做過的事。
在我們信主、受洗和重生後，下一步是「凡事」長進連於祂。要這麼做，我們必須成為祂的門徒。今日我們若上教會並花時間學習與主相關的事，我們認為自己即是祂的門徒，但如果我們去讀耶穌對成為祂門徒的要求，我們很可能會認為根本找不到這樣的人。
若要在以色列成為某位教師的門徒，他們需要在生命中沒有其他可能從門訓中分心的事物。門徒被要求全心委身─向他們的老師學習，成為像他一樣的人。我們對我們的老師萬王之王的委身，難道不該更嚴肅以待嗎？
根據聖經的定義，今日真正成為門徒的信徒很少，這是因為大使命從帶門徒降低為帶人信主。信主固然必要，卻不是終極目標。重生只是第一步，正如出生並不是我們生命的完成，只是開始而已。
在耶穌所定義的門訓，我們應該總是能判定我們現在的成熟度如何，以及下一步是什麼。在大使命中所定義的門訓是學習「祂所吩咐的每件事」。即便如此，在基督裡的門訓不是律法主義，不是在我們完成下一步時用來檢驗的制式盒子。門訓是我們在基督裡生命的清楚指引，能使我們持守在持續上行的生命道路上，凡事長進連於基督。
首要目標是為著祂在愛中成長、跟隨祂並且注視祂的榮耀，改變我們成為祂的樣式。這是與萬王之王越來越親近的相交，每天與祂同行，常在主裡面。這是我們受造的目的，在地上再也沒有比這更美好更充實的生活了。
倘若我們的基督徒生活變得無聊沒有目標，我們可以確定自己並沒有在正確的道路上，因為沒有比跟隨萬王之王更偉大的探險、更令人興奮的生活了。「生命的道路」是越發興奮和豐盛的生命，而宗教的道路不過是了無生趣和毫無生氣的。
當我們繼續研究聖經中提供給我們在基督裡長大成熟的逐步地圖，我們的目標不單是了解這些，而是要將它們活出來。主耶穌來到地上，不只是成為道路或是真理，更要成為我們的生命。
(摘自喬納word for the week, Week 24, 2021)
The Path to Victory, Part 7
We continue with the biblical step-by-step path to maturity in Christ. In the New Testament we have five levels of relationship to God, which are:
- Believer
- Disciple
- Bond-servant
- Friend
- Son
The beginning of our relationship to God is when we become a believer in the atonement of the cross for our redemption and reconciliation to God. This results in our being born again into the new creation we are called to be. When we are born into this world, we are just beginning our life. The same is true when we are born again in Christ—we are just beginning our new life and the beginning of our growth into what we are called to be.
It is hard to look at a newborn baby and know what they will look like as an adult, but we can know what every newborn Christian is called to look like when they mature—Christ. The ultimate maturity of a Christian is described in Ephesians 4:15 as: “We are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” Our ultimate calling is to be like Christ and do the works that He did.
After we believe, are baptized, and born again, the next step is to grow up into “all aspects” of Him. To do this we must become His disciples. Today if we go to church and spend some time learning about the Lord, we consider ourselves His disciples, but if we read Jesus’ requirements for being His disciple, we will likely think we don’t even know one.
To be a disciple of one of the teachers in Israel required that they could have no other commitment in their life that could in any way distract them from their discipleship. A disciple was required to have one devotion on their minds—to learn from their teacher and to become like him. Should our devotion to our Teacher, who is the King of kings, be any less serious?
That so few believers today actually become disciples, according to the biblical definition of one, is the result of the Great Commission being diluted from making disciples to making converts. Conversion is necessary, but it is not the ultimate goal. Being born again is just the first step, just as being born is not the completion of our life, but the beginning of it.
In the discipleship that Jesus defined, we should always be able to determine where we are and what the next step is in our maturity. Discipleship is defined in the Great Commission as learning “everything that He has commanded.” Even so, discipleship in Christ is not a legalistic, rigid set of boxes we check as we accomplish the next step. It is a clear guideline for our life in Christ that will keep us on the path of life that is ever ascending, and growing up in all things into Him.
The primary goal is to grow in our love for Him, to follow Him, and to see His glory that changes us into His image. It is an increasingly close fellowship with the King, to walk with and abide in Him every day. This is what we were made for, and there is no more wonderful and fulfilling life that can be lived on this earth.
Because there is no greater adventure, no more exciting life than following the King, if our Christian life has become boring and aimless we can know for sure that we are not on the right path. The “path of life” is an increasingly exciting and abundant life, while the path of religion is at best boring and lifeless.
As we continue this study of the step-by-step map that is given to us in the Bible for maturing in Christ, our goal is more than just knowing these—it is to live them. He did not come to just be the Way, or the Truth, but to be our Life.