二月八日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/02/0208.mp3″]
经文: 祂要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来。(马太福音一:21)
你若问救恩的意思是什么,许多人会回答:“从地狱中救出来进入天国。”没有错,我们的主耶稣基督要拯救祂所有的百姓脱离将来的上帝之震怒。祂救他们脱离因自己的罪所带来的可怖定罪。但是祂的得胜远比这一点完全。祂救祂的百姓“脱离罪恶”。在基督施行拯救的地方,祂将撒但从王位上抛下,不再让它作王。人若仍让罪统治他那必死的身体,就不是真正的基督徒。罪仍会在我们里面,在我们的灵魂进入荣耀以前,罪不会完全被排除,但是罪也永不再握有主权。必然会有主权的争战──老我的欲望,反对上帝植在我们心中的新律法和新灵,但是罪永不会居上风,不会再成为我们本性中的绝对统治者。基督是我们心中的主人,罪必不再得胜。犹大支派的狮子已经战胜,龙必被赶出。罪是否征服了你?你的生活若不圣洁,是因你的心尚未改变。你的心若未改变,你就是尚未得救的人。救主若尚未洁净你,更新你,尚未让你恨恶罪、喜爱圣洁,那祂尚未在你心中作任何工作,你也尚未救。恩典若不能使人变好,就是没有价值的赝品。基督不是在百姓的罪中拯救他们,而是救他们脱离罪。非圣洁,没有人能见主(参阅来十二:14)。“凡称呼主名的人,总要离开不义。”(提后二:19)
Evening, February 8
Scripture: “He shall save his people from their sins.”(Matthew 1:21)
Many persons, if they are asked what they understand by salvation, will reply, “Being saved from hell and taken to heaven.” This is one result of salvation, but it is not one tithe of what is contained in that boon. It is true our Lord Jesus Christ does redeem all his people from the wrath to come; he saves them from the fearful condemnation which their sins had brought upon them; but his triumph is far more complete than this. He saves his people “from their sins.” Oh! sweet deliverance from our worst foes. Where Christ works a saving work, he casts Satan from his throne, and will not let him be master any longer. No man is a true Christian if sin reigns in his mortal body. Sin will be in us-it will never be utterly expelled till the spirit enters glory; but it will never have dominion. There will be a striving for dominion-a lusting against the new law and the new spirit which God has implanted-but sin will never get the upper hand so as to be absolute monarch of our nature. Christ will be Master of the heart, and sin must be mortified. The Lion of the tribe of Judah shall prevail, and the dragon shall be cast out. Professor! is sin subdued in you? If your life is unholy your heart is unchanged, and if your heart is unchanged you are an unsaved person. If the Saviour has not sanctified you, renewed you, given you a hatred of sin and a love of holiness, he has done nothing in you of a saving character. The grace which does not make a man better than others is a worthless counterfeit. Christ saves his people, not in their sins, but from them. “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” If not saved from sin, how shall we hope to be counted among his people. Lord, save me now from all evil, and enable me to honour my Saviour.