“Walking a Tightrope between Two Kingdoms 要在兩個國度之間走鋼線嗎?“(John 約翰福音 8:28-30)
So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’ Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
所以耶穌說:“你們舉起了人子以後,必定知道我就是‘那一位’,並且知道我不憑著自己作甚麼事;我說的這些話,是照著父所教導我的。那差我來的和我同在,他沒有留下我獨自一人,因為我常作他喜悅的事。”耶穌說這些話的時候,就有許多人信了他。
Most Christians being caught in a trap like walking the tightrope between the natural and the spiritual kingdoms find no peace in either. As Adam’s children our lives on earth are subject to the limitations of the flesh and the weakness and ills to which human nature is heir. As God’s children possessing heavenly status we enjoy a higher kind of life in the Spirit and intimate fellowship with Christ! However, this dilemma has no biblical foundation. ‘I always do what pleases him’ was Christ’s brief summary of His own total life of offering accepted by God the Father making no distinction between act and act. We are called upon to exercise an aggressive faith, in which we offer all our acts to God with His acceptance. Let us learn to find God in all our simple deeds!
許多基督徒都陷於一個圈套裡,好像在物質與屬靈兩國度之間走鋼線,在那一邊都找不到平安。作為亞當的子孫,我們在地上的生命受到肉體和軟弱疾病等人遺傳的本性所限制。作為擁有屬天的地位、神的兒女,我們在靈裡享受更高層次的生命,並與基督親密的相交!然而,這兩難情況是毫無聖經根據的。 「我常作他喜悅的事」是基督自己整個奉獻的生命,蒙父神接納而行為與行為之間没有區分的總結。我們蒙召去使用積極進取的信心,在其中我們向神獻上所有自己蒙祂悅納的作為;讓我們學習在自己一切單純的行事為人上尋找神!
Prayer: Abba Father, many of us might have been trapped by this old ‘sacred-secular’ antithesis causing a lack of true faith and peace in Jesus Christ. It is easy to say, “I always do the will of the Father” when we only debate theological points. Thank you for reminding us that when this means going to the cross, it is entirely another thing to always do your will. Help us not to cultivate a false image of intimacy with you but to learn to find you in all our simple deeds! Amen.
禱告:阿爸父啊!我們中許多人或許已陷於這自古以來「神聖與世俗」對立之說的圈套裡,導致在耶穌基督裡真確信心和平安的缺欠。當我們單單辯論神學的論點時,會容易去說「我常行父的旨意」。感謝你提醒我們,當這意味著走上十字架去的時候,常去行你的旨意完全是另一回事。求你幫助我們,不去建立虛假的與你親近的形像,卻要學習在自己一切單純的行事為人上尋找你!阿們。