何西阿書6:6

 

我喜愛良善（或譯：憐恤），不喜愛祭祀；喜愛認識上帝，勝於燔祭。

I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

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    上帝對我們的要求是與祂建立愛的關係，甚於對祂的獻祭！因為對祂的獻祭是為了解決罪的問題，除去彼此的隔閡，這樣的是上帝已經透過耶穌基督如同祭物獻上，已經完成了，不需要再做甚麼了！

    現在上帝對我們的要求，就是以愛來親近祂、認識祂，和祂有親密的交流，這就是祂所要我們做的，這也是祂犧牲主耶穌來救贖我們的目的。祂更以主耶穌的復活來宣告祂的決心，祂勝過罪與死，祂用永遠的慈愛等待我們歸向祂，讓我們與祂在基督裡聯合，祂更用聖靈來感動我們，引導我們活在這救恩之中！

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，既然上帝已經透過耶穌基督完成死祭，又讓耶穌基督復活好讓我們過活祭的生命，正如保羅所說：「所以，弟兄們，我以上帝的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當作活祭，是聖潔的，是上帝所喜悅的；你們如此事奉乃是理所當然的。」(羅馬書12:1) 

    讓我們來過與上帝聯合相愛的生活，盼望上帝國的完全實現！

 

 

 

羅馬書5:12-21

 

5:12 這就如罪是從一人入了世界，死又是從罪來的；於是死就臨到眾人，因為眾人都犯了罪。
5:13 沒有律法之先，罪已經在世上；但沒有律法，罪也不算罪。
5:14 然而從亞當到摩西，死就作了王，連那些不與亞當犯一樣罪過的，也在他的權下。亞當乃是那以後要來之人的預像。
5:15 只是過犯不如恩賜，若因一人的過犯，眾人都死了，何況上帝的恩典，與那因耶穌基督一人恩典中的賞賜，豈不更加倍地臨到眾人嗎？
5:16 因一人犯罪就定罪，也不如恩賜，原來審判是由一人而定罪，恩賜乃是由許多過犯而稱義。
5:17 若因一人的過犯，死就因這一人作了王，何況那些受洪恩又蒙所賜之義的，豈不更要因耶穌基督一人在生命中作王嗎？
5:18 如此說來，因一次的過犯，眾人都被定罪；照樣，因一次的義行，眾人也就被稱義得生命了。
5:19 因一人的悖逆，眾人成為罪人；照樣，因一人的順從，眾人也成為義了。
5:20 律法本是外添的，叫過犯顯多；只是罪在哪裡顯多，恩典就更顯多了。
5:21 就如罪作王叫人死；照樣，恩典也藉著義作王，叫人因我們的主耶穌基督得永生。

 

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

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    說到救恩，我們不能不知道：「就如罪作王叫人死；照樣，恩典也藉著義作王，叫人因我們的主耶穌基督得永生。」

 

    為甚麼主耶穌的救恩有這麼大的力量呢？看看保羅怎樣說：「只是過犯不如恩賜，若因一人的過犯，眾人都死了，何況上帝的恩典，與那因耶穌基督一人恩典中的賞賜，豈不更加倍地臨到眾人嗎？因一人犯罪就定罪，也不如恩賜，原來審判是由一人而定罪，恩賜乃是由許多過犯而稱義。」「因一人的悖逆，眾人成為罪人；照樣，因一人的順從，眾人也成為義了。」

 

    也因此說到救恩，我們必須清楚：救恩的成就是透過耶穌基督，不是人的努力所成就的！如果有一個人離開罪惡歸向上帝，成為上帝的兒女，我們要將榮耀歸給上帝，人沒有什麼權力向人、向上帝邀功！

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，我們不要去奪上帝的榮耀，不要將歸給上帝的榮耀歸給自己或別人，在教會裡不要對人歌功頌德，若是要只有將榮耀歸給主耶穌，大家一起來讚美主！

 

 

 

 

羅馬書5:1-11

 

5:1 我們既因信稱義，就藉著我們的主耶穌基督得與上帝相和。
5:2 我們又藉著他，因信得進入現在所站的這恩典中，並且歡歡喜喜盼望上帝的榮耀。
5:3 不但如此，就是在患難中也是歡歡喜喜的；因為知道患難生忍耐，
5:4 忍耐生老練，老練生盼望；
5:5 盼望不至於羞恥，因為所賜給我們的聖靈將上帝的愛澆灌在我們心裡。
5:6 因我們還軟弱的時候，基督就按所定的日期為罪人死。
5:7 為義人死，是少有的；為仁人死，或者有敢做的。
5:8 惟有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死，上帝的愛就在此向我們顯明了。
5:9 現在我們既靠著他的血稱義，就更要藉著他免去上帝的忿怒。
5:10 因為我們作仇敵的時候，且藉著上帝兒子的死，得與上帝和好；既已和好，就更要因他的生得救了。
5:11 不但如此，我們既藉著我主耶穌基督得與上帝和好，也就藉著他以上帝為樂。

 

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

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    在基督徒的信仰有一個很重要的規則：就是我們透過主耶穌與上帝和好，英文是「reconciliation」，翻成中文是「復和」的意思。

 

    然而這個「復和」並不是人可以做到的，世人犯罪而悖逆上帝，世人捨棄與得罪上帝在先，因此人沒有資格說復和。也因此人與上帝的復和，的主動權只有上帝，而不是人！

 

    也因為這樣，上帝透過主耶穌來成就上帝與人之間復和的事情。上帝的作法是主耶穌來代替人償還對上帝的虧欠，使上帝的心意滿足，如此才合乎公平正義的要求，如此上帝才可以赦免人的罪，不再以憤怒對待人，如此上帝與人才可以復和，人才可以享受上帝的愛！也因此，人因為耶穌基督的寶血遮蓋，才能使上帝不再記念人的罪！

 

    因此，耶穌基督的寶血和死亡不是救我們脫離魔鬼，而是救我們脫離上帝的憤怒，讓我們享受上帝的慈愛！我們沒有虧欠魔鬼，我們只有虧欠上帝！有些講員，沒有好好閱讀聖經，沒有思考上帝在基督裡的作為，在此常常犯解經之錯誤！以至於沒有將榮耀歸給上帝，反倒和魔鬼糾纏不清呢！

 

 

 

以斯帖記7章

        以斯帖記7:1-10   ,

以斯帖記7:1-10

 

7:1 王帶著哈曼來赴王后以斯帖的筵席。
7:2 這第二次在酒席筵前，王又問以斯帖說：「王后以斯帖啊，你要甚麼，我必賜給你；你求甚麼，就是國的一半也必為你成就。」
7:3 王后以斯帖回答說：「我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若以為美，我所願的，是願王將我的性命賜給我；我所求的，是求王將我的本族賜給我。
7:4 因我和我的本族被賣了，要剪除殺戮滅絕我們。我們若被賣為奴為婢，我也閉口不言；但王的損失，敵人萬不能補足。」
7:5 亞哈隨魯王問王后以斯帖說：「擅敢起意如此行的是誰？這人在哪裡呢？」
7:6 以斯帖說：「仇人敵人就是這惡人哈曼！」哈曼在王和王后面前就甚驚惶。
7:7 王便大怒，起來離開酒席往御園去了。哈曼見王定意要加罪與他，就起來，求王后以斯帖救命。
7:8 王從御園回到酒席之處，見哈曼伏在以斯帖所靠的榻上；王說：「他竟敢在宮內、在我面前凌辱王后嗎？」這話一出王口，人就蒙了哈曼的臉。
7:9 伺候王的一個太監名叫哈波拿，說：「哈曼為那救王有功的末底改做了五丈高的木架，現今立在哈曼家裡。」王說：「把哈曼掛在其上。」
7:10 於是人將哈曼掛在他為末底改所預備的木架上。王的忿怒這才止息。

 

So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, ² and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

³ Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. ⁴ For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.^[a]”

⁵ King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

⁶ Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. ⁷ The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

⁸ Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. ⁹ Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits^[b] stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!” ¹⁰ So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.

 

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    王在以斯帖的宴席中吃喝得很快樂，以至於又說了「很奇怪」的話：「王后以斯帖啊，你要甚麼，我必賜給你；你求甚麼，就是國的一半也必為你成就。」

    以斯帖就趁機說出：「我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若以為美，我所願的，是願王將我的性命賜給我；我所求的，是求王將我的本族賜給我。因我和我的本族被賣了，要剪除殺戮滅絕我們。我們若被賣為奴為婢，我也閉口不言；但王的損失，敵人萬不能補足。」

    亞哈隨魯王問王后以斯帖說：「擅敢起意如此行的是誰？這人在哪裡呢？」

    以斯帖說：「仇人敵人就是這惡人哈曼！」

    王聽了大大生氣，這可將哈曼嚇壞了，因為他一人的私慾，竟然惹了國王和王后生氣，這下子他完了！就哀求王后，又被國王誤解，這樣他就失去了機會，最後死在自己所預備的架子！

    人許多時候，常常被私慾所害，自掘墳墓都不知！就如哈曼想除到與自己利益相衝突的人，又不擇手段，以為自己一定會享受自己「努力」的成果，殊不知一切都無法達成還落到身敗名裂的慘狀！

    這也讓我們看見不敬畏上帝的下場，我們在世為人可要引以為戒！