於2023-01-24發佈

 

兩條路 
雷克-喬納  
2023.1.24 

小說中最著名的開場白出自查理斯-狄更斯的《雙城記》:"那是最好的時代,也是最壞的時代"。但是,任何時候怎麼可能既是最好的時代又是最壞的時代呢?聖經中一個類似的短語是在《瑪拉基書》4:5:"耶和華大而可畏之日"。主的日子怎麼可能既"大"又"可畏"?

狄更斯的書回答了它如何能成為最好和最壞的時代,而聖經回答了主的日子如何能既偉大又可畏。這裡有一個提示:凡是能震動的都會被震動,而不能震動的,因為它建立在上帝的國度上,受得住每一次風暴的考驗,並以此成為黑暗中人的大光。

如果我們看一下自己的全部生活,相信耶穌是神的兒子,去教會,祈禱,讀聖經,我們可能會得出,與其他人相比,我們做得很好的結論。然而,正如《哥林多後書》10:12所指示的,那些將自己與他人相比的人是"不通達"。對於基督的真正門徒來說,我們不應該與其他人比較,而只應該與耶穌比較。我們被要求像他一樣,這是最重要的唯一衡量標準。

最大的欺騙之一是認為我們的生活為神所悅納,而事實上我們在靈裡是冷淡的。"冷淡"是耶穌描述的一種狀況,它是如此令人厭惡,使他吐出來(見啟示錄3:15-16)。如果這就是我們的狀況,我們能做什麼?任何真正見過王的人,我們的神,祂是 "燃燒的火",不能不為祂成為一團燃燒的火。在任何關係中不冷不熱或缺乏熱情是最大的羞辱。對上帝採取這種方式是人類最大的欺騙。

耶穌在路加福音12:49說:"我來要把火丟在地上,倘若已經著起來,不也是我所願意的嗎?" 在這句話之後的論述中,主談到了將來到家庭中的分裂,以及瞭解時代的記號是多麼重要。我們有沒有想過,目前在我們的時代所表現出來的分裂,甚至在家庭中,都是主所要求的?祂在約翰福音第17章中如此祈求合一,這怎麼可能呢?

這是一個悖論,而不是一個矛盾。祂的子民的合一是祂所珍視的,但取代和分散真合一的假合一是最大的敵人。只有當神的子民與覆蓋這個地球的邪惡分別時,真正的合一才能發生,而這需要與所有愛邪惡勝於愛主的人分開。

那麼,我們如何履行命令,"你們要追求與眾人和睦,並要追求聖潔;非聖潔沒有人能見主。"(希伯來書12:14)?而當世界正陷入可怕的黑暗和日益嚴重的分裂時,我們如何能"與眾人和睦"?這並不總是可能的,這就是為什麼我們被指示要追求和睦而不一定要實現之。追求和睦也不等同於追求同意。

與那些我們不同意的人追求和睦總是正確的。同樣重要的是要有智慧,知道什麼時候這是不可能的。我們始終必須追求的、永不停止的是"追求聖潔;非聖潔沒有人能見主"。成聖就是在主面前成為聖潔,而在主面前成為聖潔就是"完全"屬於祂。這方面最好的例子是在耶穌的生活中。

毫無疑問,耶穌是世上最聖潔的人,但罪人被祂吸引,祂被罪人吸引。祂最大的敵人是那些在黑暗中行走的自以為是的人。罪人被耶穌所吸引,因為祂沒有分享他們的罪,也沒有以任何方式與之妥協。祂在自己的聖潔中堅定不移,這迫使祂恨罪。然而,真正的聖潔使我們與愛所有的人並渴望所有的人得救的真神結合起來。

隨著我們世界的分裂加劇,我們對敵人的愛或恨是否在增長?這可以決定我們是在生命的道路上,還是已經漂流到通往黑暗的眾多道路中的一條。我們必須學會愛我們的敵人和那些恨我們的人。然而,這並不意味著我們必須同意他們的觀點。真正的愛永遠不會向真理妥協。 



Jan 24
WEEK 4
Two Paths
Rick Joyner

The most famous opening line of a novel is from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” But how can anytime be both the best and worst of times? A comparable biblical phrase is in Malachi 4:5: “the great and terrible day of the Lord.” How can the day of the Lord be both “great” and “terrible?”

Dickens’ book answers how it can be the best and worst of times, and the Bible answers how the day of the Lord can be both great and terrible. Here’s a hint: everything that can be shaken will be shaken, and what cannot be shaken, because it is built on God’s kingdom, will stand the test of every storm and by this become a great light to those in darkness.

If we look at the entirety of our lives and believe Jesus is the Son of God, go to church, pray, and read our Bibles, we might conclude that we are doing well compared to others. However, as instructed in II Corinthians 10:12, those who compare themselves to others are “without understanding.” For true disciples of Christ, we are not to compare ourselves to other people, but only to Jesus. We are called to be like Him, and this is the only measurement that matters.

One of the greatest deceptions is to think our lives are pleasing to God when we are, in fact, spiritually lukewarm. “Lukewarm” is a condition Jesus described as so repulsive, it caused Him to vomit (see Revelation 3:15-16). If that is our condition, what can we do? Anyone who has truly met the King, our God, who is a “consuming fire,” cannot help but become a burning fire for Him. To be lukewarm or lack passion in any relationship is the greatest insult. To act this way toward God is the greatest human deception.

Jesus said in Luke 12:49: “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!” In the discourse that follows this statement, the Lord spoke of divisions that would come to families and how essential it was to know the signs of the times. Have we ever considered that the present divisions manifesting in our times, even in families, are things the Lord required? How can this be when He prayed so much for unity in John 17?

This is a paradox, not a contradiction. The unity of His people is dear to His heart, but a false unity that supplants and distracts from the true unity is the greatest enemy. True unity can only happen when God’s people are separated from the evil that covers this earth, and this requires a separation from all who love evil more than the Lord.

So, how do we fulfill the command to, “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14)? And how can we have “peace with all men” when the world is descending into terrible darkness and growing divisions? This is not always possible, which is why we are instructed to pursue peace without necessarily achieving it. Neither is pursuing peace the same as pursuing agreement.

It is always right to pursue peace with those whom we disagree. It is also important to have wisdom to know when this is not possible. What we always must pursue and never stop attaining is “the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” To be sanctified is to be holy to the Lord, and to be holy to the Lord is to be “wholly” His. The best example of this is in the life of Jesus.

Unquestionably, Jesus was the most sanctified person to walk the earth, yet sinners were attracted to Him and He to sinners. His worst enemies were the self-righteous who walked in deep darkness. Sinners were attracted to Jesus because He did not share in their sin or compromise with it in any way. He was steadfast in His holiness, which compelled Him to hate sin. However, true holiness unites us with the true God who loves all people and desires that all people be saved.

As the divisions in our world increase, are we growing in love or hate for our enemies? This can determine whether we are on the path of life or have drifted onto one of the many paths that lead to darkness. We must learn to love our enemies and those who hate us. However, this does not mean we must agree with them. True love will never compromise the truth.