八福
温柔──一种属灵素质
经文
哥林多前书六1-11
1你们中间有彼此相争的事,怎敢在不义的人面前求审,不在圣徒面前求审呢?
2岂不知圣徒要审判世界吗?若世界为你们所审,难道你们不配审判这最小的事吗?
3岂不知我们要审判天使吗?何况今生的事呢?
4既是这样,你们若有今生的事当审判,是派教会所轻看的人审判吗?
5我说这话是要叫你们羞耻。难道你们中间没有一个智慧人能审断弟兄们的事吗?
6你们竟是弟兄与弟兄告状,而且告在不信主的人面前。
7你们彼此告状,这已经是你们的大错了。为甚么不情愿受欺呢?为甚么不情愿吃亏呢?
8你们倒是欺压人、亏负人,况且所欺压所亏负的就是弟兄。
9你们岂不知不义的人不能承受神的国吗?不要自欺!无论是淫乱的、拜偶像的、奸淫的、作娈童的、亲男色的、
10偷窃的、贪婪的、醉酒的、辱骂的、勒索的,都不能承受神的国。
11你们中间也有人从前是这样;但如今你们奉主耶稣基督的名,并借着我们神的灵,已经洗净,成圣,称义了。
信息分享
昨天我们提到,宇宙对于一些有侵略性的人的苛求,不会给予任何回应。承受地土的是温柔的人,即是那些柔顺、顺服和降服的人。英国社会学家赫胥黎(Thomas Huxley)曾说:「科学要求我们要好像小孩子一样降服在事实面前、要放弃任何先入为主的观念、愿意接受在大自然的引领下一切的结果,否则你只会一无所知。」
今天,我打算与你集中思想在八福里所描述的温柔这种素质(温柔有时翻译为谦卑或柔和)。那不是一种与生俱来的气质,而是因为认识基督、顺服基督的结果。当然,八福阐述的所有素质都是这样──它们是属灵的特征,不是自然的表现。这一点我需要再详加解释,因为很多基督徒说:「我天生富侵略性,所以我不可能成为温柔和温和的人。」
每一位基督徒,无论本身个性怎样,也可以成为温柔的人。这种温柔与自然品性无关,因为它是由神的灵制造出来的素质,就好像大卫这样有能力和非凡本性的人,也有他温柔的一面。又好像使徒保罗这样的人,智慧过人,个性有力而出众,但不要忘记他有极大的谦卑以及柔和的心。这些人怎能有这么美好的修养呢?不是因为他们天生倾向温柔,而是因为基督和圣灵居住在他们的内心。这不是来自天生的基因,而是来自神的恩典。
「温柔源自认识基督」
进深研究
民十二1-13;诗二十二26,一四七6;路六29
1. 摩西的伟大特点是甚么?
2. 温柔可以怎样实践出来?
祈祷
我的父、我的神,求您帮助我明白无论我的本性如何,我都可以被您恩典的力量改变。求您教导我懂得如何领受恩典,好让我越来越像您。奉主耶稣的圣名祈求,阿们。
The Beatitudes
Meekness - a spiritual quality
Bible reading:
1 Corinthians 6:1-11
1 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord's people?
2 Or do you not know that the Lord's people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?
3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?
5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?
6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a]
10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Message
Yesterday we touched on the point that the universe will not respond to the aggressive, who approach it in a demanding spirit. It is the meek - those who are yielded, submissive and compliant - who inherit the earth. Thomas Huxley is quoted as saying something which we commented on earlier: "Science says to sit down before the facts like a little child, be prepared to give up every preconceived notion, be willing to be led to whatever end nature will lead you, or you will know nothing."
Today we must focus our thinking on the fact that the quality of meekness (sometimes translated as humility or gentleness) described in is not the result of natural temperament, but comes from knowing Christ and abiding in Him. That goes, of course, for all the qualities enunciated in - they are spiritual characteristics, not natural ones. This point needs elaborating, for there are many Christians who say: "I am aggressive by nature, so it is not possible for me to be a meek and mild person."
Every Christian, whatever their natural temperament, is meant to be meek. It is not a matter of natural disposition; it is a quality produced by the Spirit of God. Think of the powerful and extraordinary nature of a man like David - and yet observe his meekness. Look at a man like Paul the apostle, a master mind, a powerful and outstanding personality, yet consider his great humility and gentleness. How did these men get to be like this? Not because of a natural proneness toward meekness, but because they were indwelt by Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is not a matter of genes; it is a matter of grace.
"Meekness comes from knowing Christ"
Prayer
My Father and my God, help me to face up to the fact that whatever I am by nature, I can be changed by the power of Your grace. Show me how to absorb that grace so that I become more and more like You. For Your own dear Name's sake. Amen.
Further study
Num. 12:1-13
Psalm 22:26; 147:6
Luke 6:29
1. What was Moses' great characteristic?
2. How does meekness reveal itself in practice?
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