五月十五日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/05/0515.mp3″]
经文: 被成全。(希伯来书十二:23)
基督徒需要行在两种完全之中──在耶稣中称义和藉圣灵成圣。在重生的基督徒心中仍然存着腐败──经验告诉我们如此。上帝完成祂早已开始之工作的日子已临近。祂要我的灵魂不仅在基督内完全,更是藉圣灵得以完全,没有瑕疵。我这个拙劣的、有罪的心能成为圣洁,像上帝一般圣洁吗?我的灵魂常会呼喊:“我真是苦阿,谁能救我脱离这取死的身体呢?”(罗七:24)有一天,我将从罪和死中得到完全释放,没有任何邪恶之事可以侵扰我的耳朵,也没有不圣洁的思想来搅扰我的平安。当我穿过约但时,成圣的工作就成全了。那时,我的灵将在圣灵的火中受最后的洗礼。我渴望死去,以致能得到最终之洁净,引导我进入天国。藉耶稣的宝血和藉圣灵的工作,我能说:“我是洁净的。”我们应当颂扬圣灵的能力使我们配享在天父面前!将来能得以完全的盼望,不应令我们满足于目前的不完全。若是这样,我们的盼望就不可能是真的。恩典的工作必须现在就内住我们心中,否则到那时候就不能成为完全。让我们祈求“被圣灵充满”(弗五:18),使我们可以结出公义的果子。
Evening, May 15
Scripture: “Made perfect.”(Hebrews 12:23)
Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs-the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the breasts of the regenerate-experience soon teaches us this. Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which he has begun; and he shall present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish, or any such thing. Can it be true that this poor sinful heart of mine is to become holy even as God is holy? Can it be that this spirit, which often cries, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this sin and death?” shall get rid of sin and death-that I shall have no evil things to vex my ears, and no unholy thoughts to disturb my peace? Oh, happy hour! may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan, the work of sanctification will be finished; but not till that moment shall I even claim perfection in myself. Then my spirit shall have its last baptism in the Holy Spirit’s fire. Methinks I long to die to receive that last and final purification which shall usher me into heaven. Not an angel more pure than I shall be, for I shall be able to say, in a double sense, “I am clean,” through Jesus’ blood, and through the Spirit’s work. Oh, how should we extol the power of the Holy Ghost in thus making us fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet let not the hope of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now. If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now or it cannot be perfected then. Let us pray to “be filled with the Spirit,” that we may bring forth increasingly the fruits of righteousness.