路加福音13:1-9

 

13:1 正當那時，有人將彼拉多使加利利人的血攙雜在他們祭物中的事告訴耶穌。
13:2 耶穌說：「你們以為這些加利利人比眾加利利人更有罪，所以受這害嗎？
13:3 我告訴你們，不是的！你們若不悔改，都要如此滅亡！
13:4 從前西羅亞樓倒塌了，壓死十八個人；你們以為那些人比一切住在耶路撒冷的人更有罪嗎？
13:5 我告訴你們，不是的！你們若不悔改，都要如此滅亡！」
13:6 於是用比喻說：「一個人有一棵無花果樹栽在葡萄園裡。他來到樹前找果子，卻找不著。
13:7 就對管園的說：『看哪，我這三年來到這無花果樹前找果子，竟找不著。把它砍了吧，何必白佔地土呢！』
13:8 管園的說：『主啊，今年且留著，等我周圍掘開土，加上糞；
13:9 以後若結果子便罷，不然再把它砍了。』」

 

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

⁶ Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. ⁷ So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

⁸ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

 

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

 

    「悔改」不是「因為後悔做錯事而改變」的意思，而是「心意更新而歸向上帝」的意思。然而這種動力是來自聖靈，不是人的自覺或是領悟到什麼道理。因為人自從亞當犯罪以來，已經被罪惡轄制，如同樹木盤根在建築物一樣，人無法靠己力自救，必須要上帝的拯救大能，才能領受悔改的力量！

 

    當然人的悔改不一定是馬上實現，需要時間來成就，正如主耶穌所說的比喻：園丁要求主人要再等一段時間，雖然已經栽種了三年還沒有節出果子！人的悔改也是長期累積的結果，不見得馬上有成果。

 

    所以，生命的更新是要交託在上帝的手中，是著急不得的，要等候時間，上帝必定會成就的！