福音的重要信息:圣灵和得救的确据
罗马书八章9至17节
9如果神的灵住在你们心里,你们就不属肉体,乃属圣灵了。人若没有基督的灵,就不是属基督的。
10基督若在你们心里,身体就因罪而死,心灵却因义而活。
11然而,叫耶稣从死里复活者的灵若住在你们心里,那叫基督耶稣从死里复活的,也必借着住在你们心里的圣灵,使你们必死的身体又活过来。
12弟兄们,这样看来,我们并不是欠肉体的债去顺从肉体活着。
13你们若顺从肉体活着,必要死;若靠着圣灵治死身体的恶行,必要活着。
14因为凡被神的灵引导的,都是神的儿子。
15你们所受的,不是奴仆的心,仍旧害怕;所受的,乃是儿子的心,因此我们呼叫:阿爸!父!
16圣灵与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女;
17既是儿女,便是后嗣,就是神的后嗣,和基督同作后嗣。如果我们和他一同受苦,也必和他一同得荣耀。
信息分享
当你接受耶稣基督作救主的那一刻,圣灵便会进入你的心里。请读使徒行传二章38节:「你们各人要悔改……就必受所赐的圣灵。」圣灵住在你的心里,向你证明基督的实在。
圣灵也同时证明你是神的儿女。罗马书八章16节清楚指出:「圣灵与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女。」祂的见证,至少带出两个结果。
第一个是正面的结果,就是确证你是神的儿女。祂鼓励你要凡事仰望慈爱的天父,祂帮助你去祷告。罗马书八章26节说:「我们的软弱,有圣灵帮助我们……圣灵亲自用说不出来的叹息,替我们祷告。」换句话说,圣灵会随时帮助我们,赐我们平安。
另一方面,当我们想做或做了某些不该做的事情,圣灵便会责备我们,叫我们知罪。
当你受试探的时候,圣灵会提醒你,叫你记着自己是神的儿女;既是神的儿女,就不该作出有违这身份的事。这些都是圣灵在你心里作见证的结果。
除此以外,你的改变也见证你的得救。从前你喜爱世俗的事,但如今却喜爱属天的事。这是圣灵在你们心里的工作。
牢记经文:
「若有人在基督里,他就是新造的人,旧事已过,都变成新的了。」(林后五17)
GREAT WORDS OF THE GOSPEL THE HOLY SPIRIT AND OUR ASSURANCE
Romans 8:9-17
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Message
Yesterday we saw how the witness of God's word is the basis for our assurance. What other help do we have? Each believer has the Holy Spirit's presence and witness in his heart.
The Holy Spirit came into your life when you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Read Acts 2:38. 'Repent ... and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' He is in you to make Christ real to you.
He is there also to witness to you that you are a child of God. Romans 8:16 clearly states, 'The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.' He witnesses to us in at least two ways - we could call them positively and negatively.
In a positive way, He assures you that you are God's child. He encourages you to look to God as your loving Father and He helps you to pray. Romans 8:26 says, 'The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us.' He acts positively. He can give you peace concerning the answers to your prayers.
On the other hand the Holy Spirit will also speak to you about the things you should not do. Where He speaks in this way concerning something you have already done, it is called conviction.
When you are tempted, the Holy Spirit will remind you that you are a child of God and that it would be wrong for you to act in this way. This is all part of the witness of the Spirit to your heart.
There is also the witness of your changed life. Things you loved before have been replaced by new desires. It is all part of the work of the Holy Spirit living within you.
REMEMBER THIS VERSE: 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.' (2 Corinthians 5:17)

