九月四日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0904.mp3″]
经文: 要用公道天平、公道法码、公道升斗、公道秤。(利未记十九:36)
法码、天平、和量器之使用应当要按照公道的标准。这一点,基督徒当然不需要再被人提醒了。即使全世界的人都摒弃了诚实,它仍将存于信徒的心中。当然,尚有其它衡量道德和属灵事物的天平,这些也常常需要受检验。衡量我们自己性格的天平和衡量他人的是否一样精确?我们是否会将自己几两的良善改变成几磅,而将别人成担的杰出表现改为几斗?用来量度我们的试炼困难之天平是否按标准校正了?保罗不知道比我们多受了多少苦难,但是只称他的苦难是至轻的(参阅林后四:17)。然而,我们常以为我们所受的是极重的痛苦,一定是法码出了问题!那些衡量我们信仰教义的天平,是否公正?恩典的教义应该与神话中的诫令有相同的重量。不幸的是,对许多基督徒而言,总有一边的重量不等。对真理有正确的衡量是重要的。那些用以估量我们的义务职责之量器似乎都太轻了。当一个富有的人奉献给上帝的并不比一个穷困的人所奉献为多时,我们能说那是“公道升斗、公道秤”吗?当传道人处于半饥饿状态,那是诚实的交易吗?穷人被藐视、富人受奉承,那是公道的天平吗?但愿我们都能找出不公道的天平、法码和量器,并且加以毁灭。
Evening, September 4
Scripture: “Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have.”(Leviticus 19:36)
Weights, and scales, and measures were to be all according to the standard of justice. Surely no Christian man will need to be reminded of this in his business, for if righteousness were banished from all the world beside, it should find a shelter in believing hearts. There are, however, other balances which weigh moral and spiritual things, and these often need examining. We will call in the officer to-night.
The balances in which we weigh our own and other men’s characters, are they quite accurate? Do we not turn our own ounces of goodness into pounds, and other persons’ bushels of excellence into pecks? See to weights and measures here, Christian. The scales in which we measure our trials and troubles, are they according to standard? Paul, who had more to suffer than we have, called his afflictions light, and yet we often consider ours to be heavy-surely something must be amiss with the weights! We must see to this matter, lest we get reported to the court above for unjust dealing. Those weights with which we measure our doctrinal belief, are they quite fair? The doctrines of grace should have the same weight with us as the precepts of the word, no more and no less; but it is to be feared that with many one scale or the other is unfairly weighted. It is a grand matter to give just measure in truth. Christian, be careful here. Those measures in which we estimate our obligations and responsibilities look rather small. When a rich man gives no more to the cause of God than the poor contribute, is that a just ephah and a just hin? When ministers are half starved, is that honest dealing? When the poor are despised, while ungodly rich men are held in admiration, is that a just balance? Reader, we might lengthen the list, but we prefer to leave it as your evening’s work to find out and destroy all unrighteous balances, weights, and measures.