神的异象
蒙赦免！
经文
彼得前书二11-25
11亲爱的弟兄阿，你们是客旅，是寄居的。我劝你们要禁戒肉体的私欲；这私欲是与灵魂争战的。
12你们在外邦人中，应当品行端正，叫那些毁谤你们是作恶的，因看见你们的好行为，便在鉴察（或作：眷顾）的日子归荣耀给神。
13你们为主的缘故，要顺服人的一切制度，或是在上的君王，
14或是君王所派罚恶赏善的臣宰。
15因为神的旨意原是要你们行善，可以堵住那糊涂无知人的口。
16你们虽是自由的，却不可借着自由遮盖恶毒，（或作：阴毒）总要作神的仆人。
17务要尊敬众人，亲爱教中的弟兄，敬畏神，尊敬君王。
18你们作仆人的，凡事要存敬畏的心顺服主人；不但顺服那善良温和的，就是那乖僻的也要顺服。
19倘若人为叫良心对得住神，就忍受冤屈的苦楚，这是可喜爱的。
20你们若因犯罪受责打，能忍耐，有甚么可夸的呢？但你们若因行善受苦，能忍耐，这在神看是可喜爱的。
21你们蒙召原是为此；因基督也为你们受过苦，给你们留下榜样，叫你们跟随他的脚踪行。
22他并没有犯罪，口里也没有诡诈。
23他被骂不还口；受害不说威吓的话，只将自己交托那按公义审判人的主。
24他被挂在木头上，亲身担当了我们的罪，使我们既然在罪上死，就得以在义上活。因他受的鞭伤，你们便得了医治。
25你们从前好像迷路的羊，如今却归到你们灵魂的牧人监督了。
信息分享
今天我们要再来思考从圣殿的那重要时刻所涌流到以赛亚心中的恩典和赦免。让我们再次来聆听那些话：「看哪，这炭沾了你的嘴，你的罪孽便除掉，你的罪恶就赦免了」（赛六7）。
在基督徒圈子中，我们经常谈及赦免，但我们有否真的明白神要赦免我们，祂需要付出多大的代价？席蒙得（David Seamands）指出，给予饶恕的一方，在饶恕时总需要付出很大代价。他说：「有人伤害我们而我们饶恕对方时，是接受我们感受到的伤害和愤怒，将它们转向自己。我们不将它们放在对方身上，而是自己承受。」有些人要求别人接受一段考验，然后才给予饶恕。我认识一个男人，每当他的妻子让他不悦，他就会令她要苦苦哀求数天然后才得到原谅。真正的饶恕是多么的不一样。没有饶恕，婚姻或友谊都不可能正常的发展。饶恕表示把你自己的自尊、愤怒、伤害，放在你的心上，以你爱的火焰将它烧尽。神赦免我们的时候就是这么做的。
现在我们要超越以赛亚的异象，进而考虑福音的精神，那就是在神里面不单有圣洁，也有赦免。不过神的赦免是昂贵的，神要以祂的独子为代价。今天的经文有力地说：「他被挂在木头上，亲身担当了我们的罪。」天上地下还有甚么比这更奇妙的吗？
「我们是否真的明白神为赦免所付出的代价？」
进深研究
约壹一5-10；诗一三零4；弗一7；赛四十三25
1. 我们怎样自欺？
2. 接受饶恕有甚么条件？
祈祷
神啊！有谁给我的伤害，能与我给您的伤害相比？您饶恕了我，求您现在帮助我饶恕别人，是仁慈、不怀怨地饶恕。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。
The Vision of God
Forgiven!
Bible reading:
1 Peter 2:11-25
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.
12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority,
14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves.
17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.
20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."[a]
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
24 "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."
25 For "you were like sheep going astray,"[b] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Message
We must spend at least one more day reflecting on the wonder of the grace and forgiveness that flowed toward Isaiah at that significant moment in the Temple. Listen to the words once more: "See, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for" (Isa. 6:7).
In Christian circles we talk so easily about forgiveness. But do we really understand what it cost God to forgive? David Seamands points out that forgiveness is always at great cost to the forgiving one. He says: "When someone hurts us and we forgive them we take the hurt and indignation we feel and turn it back upon ourselves. Instead of putting it upon them we bear it in ourselves." Some people require of others that they be put on probation before forgiveness is given. I knew a man who, whenever his wife hurt him, would make her almost beg for days for his forgiveness. How different is real forgiveness. No marriage can properly operate without it - and no friendship either. Forgiveness means taking your own pride, your own indignation, your own hurt, holding it to your heart and quenching it in the flame of your love. This is what God does with us when He forgives.
We are now moving beyond Isaiah's vision to consider the genius of the gospel, namely that in God there is not only holiness but forgiveness also. Divine forgiveness, however, is costly. It cost God His only Son. Our text for today puts it powerfully when it says: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree." Can anything in earth or heaven be more wonderful?
"Do we really understand what it cost God to forgive?"
Prayer
O God, nothing that anyone has done or can do against me compares to what I have done against You. Yet You have forgiven me. Help me now to forgive others, and to forgive graciously, not grudgingly. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
Further study
1 John 1:5-10
Psalm 130:4
Ephesians 1:7
Isaiah 43:25
1. How do we deceive ourselves?
2. What is the condition for receiving forgiveness?
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