二月十八日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/02/0218.mp3″]
经文: 父亲，我得罪了天，又得罪了你。（路加福音十五：18）
蒙基督宝血洗净的人，不需要再像罪犯一样，到审判的上帝面前去认罪。从法律的观点来看，基督已永远除去他们的罪，因此他们不再站在被定罪的地位，反之，已是永远被爱主接纳了。但是，因为他们如同孩童一样，所以也会如孩童般犯罪，必须每天到天父面前认罪。犯了罪的孩子有义务向他们地上的父亲认罪。上帝的恩典在我们心中教导我们，作为基督徒，我们向天上的父也有相同的义务。我们每天都会犯错，若不能每天蒙饶恕，就不能安歇。若我们没有寻求赦免，冒犯天父的罪没有被洗净，我会感到自己与祂远离了。我会怀疑祂对我的爱，会在祂面前恐惧战兢，不敢向祂祈求。我像浪子一般，虽然仍是儿子，却远离了父亲。倘若我怀着忧伤，因为得罪了如此厚爱仁慈的父亲，向祂不停倾诉一切，直到我相信自己蒙赦免了，我就会感到父上帝对我圣洁的爱。基督徒的一生不仅要走过蒙救的路，尚要经历着耶稣基督我主享受与上帝同在的平安。像罪犯般认罪与像儿子般认罪两者之间有天渊之别。父亲的胸怀，是为后悔认罪的儿子预备的。我们一次洗罪就永远洁净了，但是我们每日行走在这地上被污秽的双脚，仍需常常被洗净。
Evening, February 18
Scripture: “Father, I have sinned.”(Luke 15:18)
It is quite certain that those whom Christ has washed in his precious blood need not make a confession of sin, as culprits or criminals, before God the Judge, for Christ has for ever taken away all their sins in a legal sense, so that they no longer stand where they can be condemned, but are once for all accepted in the Beloved; but having become children, and offending as children, ought they not every day to go before their heavenly Father and confess their sin, and acknowledge their iniquity in that character? Nature teaches that it is the duty of erring children to make a confession to their earthly father, and the grace of God in the heart teaches us that we, as Christians, owe the same duty to our heavenly Father. We daily offend, and ought not to rest without daily pardon. For, supposing that my trespasses against my Father are not at once taken to him to be washed away by the cleansing power of the Lord Jesus, what will be the consequence? If I have not sought forgiveness and been washed from these offences against my Father, I shall feel at a distance from him; I shall doubt his love to me; I shall tremble at him; I shall be afraid to pray to him: I shall grow like the prodigal, who, although still a child, was yet far off from his father. But if, with a child’s sorrow at offending so gracious and loving a Parent, I go to him and tell him all, and rest not till I realize that I am forgiven, then I shall feel a holy love to my Father, and shall go through my Christian career, not only as saved, but as one enjoying present peace in God through Jesus Christ my Lord. There is a wide distinction between confessing sin as a culprit, and confessing sin as a child. The Father’s bosom is the place for penitent confessions. We have been cleansed once for all, but our feet still need to be washed from the defilement of our daily walk as children of God.
