“How Then Can We Live 我們怎能存活呢？“（Ezekiel以西结书33:10-11）
‘Son of man, say to the Israelites, “This is what you are saying: ‘Our offences and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of[b] them. How then can we live?’” Say to them, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?”
“人子啊！你要對以色列家說：‘你們這樣說：我們的過犯和罪惡常在我們身上；我們必因此衰弱而死，怎能存活呢？’你要對他們說：‘主耶和華這樣宣告：我指著我的永生起誓，我絕不喜悅惡人死亡，卻喜悅惡人離開他所行的，得以存活。以色列家啊，迴轉吧！離開你們所行的，何必死亡呢？’
‘How then can we live?’ was an accusing question of God’s people raised against the fairness of His judgment which Prophet Ezekiel spoke about to come upon Judah and Jerusalem in this life (here not in first reference to eternal judgment). Their complaint was that they thought God was sadistic and cruel, making repentance impossible because He loved to see humanity suffer!? God responded to their accusation by declaring His nature/character of taking no pleasure in the death of the wicked (which also applies to God’s eternal judgment) and yet the judgment will still happen because He will not spare the requirements of justice and holiness for those who refuse to turn to Him. ‘Why will you die?’ implies that people do not have to perish in the coming judgment if they would choose not death but life by repenting, turning to Him and being saved.
「我們怎能存活呢？」是神的子民提出指控的問題，反駁先知以西結所提及，神的審判在今生（在此不是首要所指永恆的審判）臨到猶大和耶路撒冷的公平性。他們投訴的是，他們以為神是施虐狂和殘忍的，使悔改迴轉是沒有可能的，因為祂鍾意人受苦！ ？神回應他們的指控，宣認祂絕不喜悅惡人死亡的本質/性情（這也應用於神永恆的審判），然而，這審判仍必發生，因為對那些拒決轉向神的人來說，祂必不免去那公正和聖潔的要求。 「你們何必死亡呢？」意味著如果人會選擇生命（以悔改，轉向祂而得救），而不是死亡，他們在來臨的審判中沒有必要滅亡。
Prayer: Merciful and loving Father, your judgment is fair because you take no pleasure in it. Although your judgment is severe, you have left room in Jesus Christ for people to repent. Your heart longs for us to repent, to return from turning to our own way and live in your presence, your requirements of justice and holiness, and your blessings forever. May the illumination of the Holy Spirit guide us into your truth, setting us free from the slavery of our enemies (the devil and our flesh). Amen.
禱告: 慈悲仁愛的父啊！你的審判是公平的，因為你在審判裡得不著任何樂趣。雖然你的審判是嚴厲的，但是你在耶穌基督裡已給人留下悔改的空間。你的心渴望我們去悔改，從偏行己路迴轉，並永遠活在你的同在、你公正和聖潔的要求和你的祝福裡。願聖靈的光照引導我們進入你的真理，使我們從自己的仇敵（魔鬼和私慾）的奴役中釋放出來。阿們。
