於2021-12-03發佈


跟隨萬王之王17 

主呼召那些勝過這世代的人得著所有受造物中最崇高的位置─成為神的兒女並與祂的兒子同為繼承者。這是最崇高的呼召,只有那些勝過現在彰顯在地上最大黑暗和邪惡的人,才能向受造物證明他們配得與祂一同掌權。這些人對祂的順服和忍耐對抗著一切反對,甚至連執政掌權者都不得不承認主的得勝和最終將戰勝一切的真理。

首先的亞當之妻住在一個完美世界並且完美受造;然而,當她受邪惡所試探,她卻選擇罪而不是信靠神。末後的亞當,也就是基督,將有一位新婦,住在最糟的景況中,面對世上從未有過的黑暗和敵對,但她將選擇順服。藉此,受造物將看見她配當祂的新婦,與祂一同掌權。然而,她向來知道無法靠自己的力量、公義或智慧勝過,唯有靠在主裡的信心,惟獨使人生發仁愛的信心才有功效(加拉太書5:6

新約提到假福音和假弟兄,耶穌這樣說:因為將來有好些人冒我的名來,說:我是基督,並且要迷惑許多人」(馬太福音24:5。現在和將來會有好些人傳講別的福音和別的耶穌,這種對真理的扭曲是為要吸引更多人而試圖擴大窄路的結果。任何人為任何理由想要改變福音,都算是某種程度的迷惑者。耶穌使路變得狹窄,找著的人也少,那才是真正生命的道路。

因此,那些不是藉著窄路進來的,而是當路變寬來符合他們景況的人都是「假弟兄」,他們不單在福音上扭曲,更在所有真理,包括最基本的真理上扭曲─例如神是誰和祂像什麼。如此的崇拜是照著他們自己的渴望,以他們自己的形象來造神,而不是照著祂的真面目來認識祂。這是終極驕傲,將導致終極墮落。

聖經告訴我們神愛世人,深願他們得救,這是何以祂對通往真實生命那又直又窄的路從不妥協。凡是試圖讓神的道路容易些的人,可能會讓那些認為自己現在已經得救並擁有永生的人陷入終極迷惑裡。在這樣的情況下,他們永恆的生命正處於危險中。相信一個妥協的福音,他們可能更難觸及真正的福音。

對那些神所呼召的人,要瞭解祂的道路並不難,但這並不代表很容易跟隨,神並不要一切來得輕鬆容易。藉著面對困難挑戰,我們從老我、墮落的本質得釋放,開始活出祂呼召我們成為的新造之人。我們今生所面臨的苦難不是衝著我們來的,而是為我們打造的。

我們可以想像年輕的所羅門抱怨他的父親大衛王,為何他無法逃脫其他兄弟姐妹可以逃脫的事。毫無疑問,大衛王一定會回覆他:「因為他們沒有被呼召成為君王」。

倘若我們似乎比他人接受更多的管教和更大的挑戰,很可能是因為我們的呼召。正如希伯來書十二章7-8節這麼說:你們所忍受的,是神管教你們,待你們如同待兒子。焉有兒子不被父親管教的呢?管教原是眾子所共受的,你們若不受管教,就是私子,不是兒子了。成熟的人將所有管教和挑戰視為神恩寵和喜愛的象徵,而不是當成一種拒絕或懲罰。 

(摘自喬納word for the week, Week 47, 2021)


Follow the King, Part 17

 The Lord has called those who overcome in this present world to the highest position in all creation—to be sons and daughters of God and heirs with His Son. This is the highest calling. It is only for those who prove to creation they are worthy to rule with Him by overcoming the greatest darkness and evil in creation which is now being manifested on the earth. These are those whose obedience and endurance for Him against all opposition will cause even principalities and powers to acknowledge the Lord’s victory and truth which will ultimately prevail. 

         The wife of the first Adam lived in a perfect world and was perfect as created. However, when tempted by evil she chose sin over trusting God. The “last Adam,” as Jesus is called, will have a bride that will live in the worst conditions and face the worst darkness and opposition the world has ever known yet will choose to obey. By this, creation will see she is worthy to be His bride and to rule with Him. Yet she will always know she did not overcome by her own strength, righteousness, or wisdom, but by faith in Him; a faith that works by love (see Galatians 5:6). 

         The New Testament addresses false gospels and false brethren. Jesus said,“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:5 NKJV). There are and will be many who preach another gospel and another Jesus. Some of this perversion of truth is the result of trying to make the narrow way wider to appeal to more people. Any who would change the gospel for any reason are to some degree deceivers. Jesus made a very narrow way that few would find and that is the true path of life.  

         Thus, those who will not come by the narrow way but only when the way is widened to meet their conditions are “false brethren.” These are those who pervert not only the gospel but all truth beginning with the most basic truth—who God is and what He is like. Such worship a God made in their own image according to their own desires rather than knowing Him as He is. This is the ultimate pride that will cause the ultimate fall.

         We are told the Lord loves all men and desires for them to be saved, which is why He will never compromise the straight and narrow way to true life. Those who try to make His way easier than He did can lead those who think they are now saved and have eternal life into an ultimate delusion. In this condition, their eternal lives are in jeopardy. Believing a compromised gospel, they can become even harder to reach with the true gospel.  

         The Way is easy to understand for anyone He calls, but that does not mean it will be easy to follow. He did not mean for that to be easy. By facing the difficult challenges, we are delivered from our old, fallen nature and begin to live as the new creation He has called us to be. The afflictions we face in this life are not done to us but for us. 

         We can imagine a young Solomon complaining to his father, King David, about why he could not get away with all the things his brothers and sisters could. Had he, no doubt David would have replied, “They are not called to be the king.” 

         If it seems we are receiving more discipline and greater challenges than others, it could be because of our calling. As it is written in Hebrews 12:7-8: “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” The mature see all discipline and challenges as signs of God’s favor and love, not as rejection or punishment.