彼得的最后嘱咐
彼得前书五章8至14节
8务要谨守,儆醒。因为你们的仇敌魔鬼,如同吼叫的狮子,遍地游行,寻找可吞吃的人。
9你们要用坚固的信心抵挡他,因为知道你们在世上的众弟兄也是经历这样的苦难。
10那赐诸般恩典的神曾在基督里召你们,得享他永远的荣耀,等你们暂受苦难之后,必要亲自成全你们,坚固你们,赐力量给你们。
11愿权能归给他,直到永永远远。阿们!
12我略略的写了这信,托我所看为忠心的兄弟西拉转交你们,劝勉你们,又证明这恩是神的真恩。你们务要在这恩上站立得住。
13在巴比伦与你们同蒙拣选的教会问你们安。我儿子马可也问你们安。
14你们要用爱心彼此亲嘴问安。愿平安归与你们凡在基督里的人!
信息分享
来到书信的结尾,彼得脑海中的图画,仍然是将信徒想像作群羊。不过,第8至9节的提醒,却不单是针对群羊的领袖,而是给每一只羊。
彼得提醒信徒要小心防备撒但的攻击。撒但经常在遍地游行,要寻找吞吃那些毫无防备的基督徒。按照圣经的教导,撒但真实存在,是一个可怕的实体。他是我们的敌人,经常伺机攻击我们,而且,他还有许多污鬼作他的手下。
每间教会和每个信徒都是撒但攻击的目标;他的目的就是要把教会和信徒摧毁。
彼得教导我们要「抵挡他」。基督已经在各各他的山上把撒但击败,然而,撒但却试图作最后的顽抗,继续去攻击属于基督的信徒。有些时候,我们的生命成了基督与撒但争战的战场,但我们只要与基督站在同一阵线,抵抗到底,胜利就必属于我们。
彼得在第10节给我们一个宝贵的应许。他称神是「赐诸般恩典的神」。神的恩典仿如涌流不息的活水,可以源源不绝地供应各人的需要。
彼得还提醒我们,到了人生道路的尽头,所有信徒将得享荣耀;神必保守我们,直至我们进入与祂同在的日子。
这是信徒的最终盼望。不过,在这段等候的期间,神必坚立我们。换句话说,神除了让我们站立在一个坚固的基础之上,祂更会赐力量给我们,让我们站立得稳。我们面前的日子,神已经为我们供应了一切,我们还有何挂虑呢?我们只可以像彼得在第11节所指出的,「愿权能归给他」,永远称颂神的名。
反思:
我们经常会唱「奋勇为耶稣」这首诗歌,但在现实生活中,我怎样实践这真理呢?
PETER'S FINAL WORDS
1 Peter 5:8-14
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.
14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.
Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Message
Peter still has the picture of the flock in his mind (see v. 2). But the warnings of verses 8 and 9 apply not only to the leaders of the flock but to the individual sheep also.
Peter warns us about Satan's attacks. He is constantly prowling around, seeking any Christian who becomes careless and open to attack. Satan is a personal being, a terrible reality. He is our adversary, our enemy. There is nothing weak or gracious about Satan. He is a cruel foe and has the support and help of thousands of demons.
There is no church that he will not try to enter. There is no Christian whom he will not try to pull down.
Peter says 'Resist him'. Stand against him. Satan was defeated by Christ at Calvary. Sometimes our lives will become a battleground between Christ and Satan, but if we take our stand with Christ, we will always be victorious.
In verse 10 Peter gives us a wonderful promise. He calls our God, 'The God of all grace'. Like a great tank of water or a wide river that can fill every cup or pan brought to it, God's grace is all-sufficient for our every need.
Peter also reminds us that at the end of the road there is glory for every believer, and God will keep us until that day when we enter into his presence.
That is our final hope as a Christian. But in the meantime God can strengthen and establish us. This means that day by day God will give us a strong foundation to stand on and even give us the strength to stand. What more could he do? He has done everything he could to make possible our Christian life day by day. As Peter says in verse 11 'To him be all the glory'.
A QUESTION:
Do you know what it is to 'Stand up, stand up for Jesus'?

