以賽亞書1:21-31

1:21 可歎，忠信的城變為妓女！從前充滿了公平，公義居在其中，現今卻有兇手居住。
1:22 你的銀子變為渣滓；你的酒用水攙對。
1:23 你的官長居心悖逆，與盜賊作伴，各都喜愛賄賂，追求贓私。他們不為孤兒伸冤；寡婦的案件也不得呈到他們面前。
1:24 因此，主─萬軍之耶和華、以色列的大能者說：哎！我要向我的對頭雪恨，向我的敵人報仇。
1:25 我必反手加在你身上，煉盡你的渣滓，除淨你的雜質。
1:26 我也必復還你的審判官，像起初一樣，復還你的謀士，像起先一般。然後，你必稱為公義之城，忠信之邑。
1:27 錫安必因公平得蒙救贖；其中歸正的人必因公義得蒙救贖。
1:28 但悖逆的和犯罪的必一同敗亡；離棄耶和華的必致消滅。
1:29 那等人必因你們所喜愛的橡樹抱愧；你們必因所選擇的園子蒙羞。
1:30 因為，你們必如葉子枯乾的橡樹，好像無水澆灌的園子。
1:31 有權勢的必如麻瓤；他的工作好像火星，都要一同焚毀，無人撲滅。

21

How the faithful city

has become a whore!

She that was full of justice,

righteousness lodged in her—

but now murderers!

22

Your silver has become dross,

your wine is mixed with water.

23

Your princes are rebels

and companions of thieves.

Everyone loves a bribe

and runs after gifts.

They do not defend the orphan,

and the widow’s cause does not come before them.

24

Therefore says the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:

Ah, I will pour out my wrath on my enemies,

and avenge myself on my foes!

25

I will turn my hand against you;

I will smelt away your dross as with lye

and remove all your alloy.

26

And I will restore your judges as at the first,

and your counselors as at the beginning.

Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,

the faithful city.

27

Zion shall be redeemed by justice,

and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

28

But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,

and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.

29

For you shall be ashamed of the oaks

in which you delighted;

and you shall blush for the gardens

that you have chosen.

30

For you shall be like an oak

whose leaf withers,

and like a garden without water.

31

The strong shall become like tinder,

and their work like a spark;

they and their work shall burn together,

with no one to quench them.

**************

    上帝的拯救是讓公義重新回到祂的百姓中間，而這樣的作為是來自於人的生命被上帝改變。然而上帝拯救人的方法，是透過耶穌基督的代贖，以及聖靈將這樣的救恩應用到人的身上來。

    也因此我們得救一開始雖然是被稱為義，還沒有達到完全的地步。但是，上帝的恩典讓我們在基督裡，受到聖靈的陶造，就越來越達到完美的境地，越來越有基督的榮美。當然，我們在世上的日子並不會達到完美的境地，只有在上帝的國完全實現時，我們才可以像基督醫樣完全。

    說到這裡，我們知道，生命的更新是要靠上帝的恩典，不是人的努力；一切都是上帝的保守，不是人的持守，因為救恩是從上帝來的，是上帝主動的作為，人是被動的接受與順服。