“The Grace of God Cannot Be Extinguished 神的恩典是不能被撲滅的“(1 Timothy 提摩太前書 1:12-14)
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
我感謝那賜我能力的、我們的主基督耶穌,因為他認為我有忠心,派我服事他。我從前是褻瀆神的、迫害人的、凌辱人的,然而我還蒙了憐憫,因為我是在不信的時候,由於無知而作的。我們主的恩典,隨著在基督耶穌裡的信心和愛心,在我身上越發增加。
The grace of the living God is one of His attributes which is revealed in any dispensation to those who found favour in His eyes. His grace is as boundless as infinitude. The great source and spring of Christian morality is the love of Christ Himself, not Moses’ law which however contains the principles of morality that cannot be abrogated and can represent the will of God for mankind. Men may in any dispensation flee from God or despise His grace but they cannot extinguish it. Our past should not disqualify us from serving God because His mercy and grace are sufficient to cover our past and enable us to serve Him.
永活神的恩典既是祂其一的屬性,在任何時代中彰顯在那些在祂眼前蒙恩的人,祂的恩典自然是浩瀚無垠,無窮無盡了。基督徒德行的最大根源與動力,就是基督的愛,而非摩西的律法。然而律法卻包含了道德原則,不能廢去,也代表著神對人的旨意。任何時代的人都可以逃避神,或藐視祂的恩典,但他們卻無法撲滅它!我們的過去理應沒有讓自己失去服侍神的資格,因為祂的慈悲憐憫和恩典,足夠遮蓋我們的過去,並使我們能夠服侍祂。
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your exceeding abundant grace that has saved us. We might often see our Christian service as a matter of volunteering. Yet as Christians, in regard to you and your church, we are not volunteers but slaves, duty bound servants of you who expect us of faithfulness even shown in the small things. Since faithfulness is something very down-to-earth, help us to be faithful in the place you have placed us. Amen.
禱告: 親愛的主耶穌,感謝你格外豐盛的恩典救了我們。我們或許往往把基督徒的服侍看作為志願的事宜。然而作為基督徒,對你和你的教會,我們不是志願者,卻是奴僕、你預期我們就算在小事上顯出忠心、有責任的僕人。因著忠心是腳踏實地的,求你幫助我們都可以在你已放置我們的位份上忠心。阿們。