神为信徒的行为定下甚么准则?
罗马书十二章1至8节
1所以弟兄们,我以神的慈悲劝你们,将身体献上,当作活祭,是圣洁的,是神所喜悦的;你们如此事奉,乃是理所当然的。
2不要效法这个世界,只要心意更新而变化,叫你们察验何为神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。
3我凭着所赐我的恩,对你们各人说:不要看自己过于所当看的,要照着神所分给各人信心的大小,看得合乎中道。
4正如我们一个身子上有好些肢体,肢体也不都是一样的用处。
5我们这许多人,在基督里成为一身,互相联络作肢体,也是如此。
6按我们所得的恩赐,各有不同:或说预言,就当照着信心的程度说预言;
7或作执事,就当专一执事;或作教导的,就当专一教导;
8或作劝化的,就当专一劝化;施舍的,就当诚实;治理的,就当殷勤;怜悯人的,就当甘心。
信息分享
谢尔登(Charles Sheldon)多年前写了一本书,名叫《跟随祂的脚踪行》,曾经帮助和激励了不少基督徒。纵然如此,我们往往未必能够轻易判断耶稣想要我们怎么做,我们也都会犯错;可是,只要我们仰望祂,祂总会借着圣灵来帮助我们。
从负面来看,圣经清楚教导我们,不要效法世界的标准。我们接受耶稣基督以后,便代表我们已离开那个不认识基督的世界,进入一个新的国度。这个国度会为我们的行事为人,提供一套新的准则,那就是基督的准则。
新约对此作出了一些强烈的劝吁。罗马书十二章2节教导我们说:「不要效法这个世界,」一个英文意译本圣经(J. B. Phillips)将这节经文译得很好:「不要让这个世界把你挤进它的模子。」我们的生活方式要跟这世界截然两样。
按照新约的看法,世界是一个妨害基督徒成长的陷阱。究竟「世界」代表甚么呢?那就是我们的社会和文化,它不仅不接受基督的管辖和准则,而且还处处与基督为敌。撒但是这世界的王。我们可以轻易看见,这个世界的标准,不可能成为基督跟随者的标准。
然而,不与世俗为伍,并不等于与世隔绝。我们要在世上为基督作见证,却不要跟从世俗而行。
反思:
我们要从世界分别出来,归给基督。
WHAT IS GOD'S STANDARD FOR BELIEVERS?
Romans 12:1-8
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Serve God with Spiritual Gifts
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;
8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Message
A book written by Charles Sheldon many years ago has helped and challenged many Christians. Its title is simple - “In His steps or what would Jesus do?” Even then it is not always easy to decide what Jesus wants us to do and we all make mistakes. But as we look to Him, His help is always near in the person of the Holy Spirit.
On the negative side, we are plainly told not to live by the world's standards. When we accepted Jesus Christ, we came out from a world which does not know Him and we entered a new kingdom. That means a new different standard of conduct as we have seen. Now our standard is Christ.
The New Testament has some strong words on this point. Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world”. The well-known paraphrase by J. B. Phillips expresses it well, “Don't let the world squeeze you into its mould.” The pattern for our lives has changed dramatically.
The New Testament sees the world as a real peril and hindrance to our Christian life. What is meant by the “world”? It is that part of our culture and society, which is not under the rule of Christ and is actively opposed to Him. Satan is the head of that world. You can easily see that the standards of that world could not be the standards of a follower of Jesus Christ.
However, to be separated from that world does not mean to be isolated from it. We are here to be a witness for Christ but we are not to follow its pathways.
REMEMBER: We are separated from the world, so that we can be separated unto Christ.

