六月十六日
我又賜給他們永生,他們永不滅亡……(約10:28)
基督徒不當輕易地發生一種不信的思想或說出不信的話語。因爲神的孩子若不信靠他的慈愛、他的真理和他的信實,必然使神大大地不喜悅。我們怎能疑惑他源源而來的恩典使他傷心呢?基督徒呀!若你仍舊被忘記或是仍在滅亡之中,那是與神寶貴的應許有違背的。若是果真如此,他說的話還靠得住嗎?他曾說:“婦人焉能忘記她吃奶的嬰孩,不憐恤她所生的兒子?即或有忘記的,我卻不忘記你。”這應許有什麽價值呢?“大山可以挪開,小山可以遷移,但我的慈愛必不離開你,我平安的約也不遷移。這是憐恤你的耶和華說的。”基督的話是真的嗎?“我又賜給他們永生,他們永不滅亡,誰也不能從我手裏把他們奪去。我父把羊賜給我,他比萬有都大,誰也不能從我父手裏把他們奪去。”恩典的道理在那裏呢?若神的兒女有一個仍然滅亡,那末一切道理就都被推翻了。基督既爲他們死了,他們也信靠了他,而仍然被弃絕,那末神的誠實、他的尊榮、他的能力、他的恩典、他的約、他所起的誓都必歸于虛空。要除去這些不信的疑懼免得羞辱神。你要起來,抖去灰塵,穿上你的華美的衣裳。要記得,若你疑惑他所應許你永不滅亡的話,就是罪。讓你心中的永生表現出極大的信靠和喜樂。
“這見證就是神賜給我們永生,這永生也是在他兒子裏面。人有了神的兒子就有生命,沒有神的兒子就沒有生命。”
June
16
“And
I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” — John 10:28
The Christian should never think or speak
lightly of unbelief. For a child of God to mistrust His love, His truth, His
faithfulness, must be greatly displeasing to Him. How can we ever grieve Him by
doubting His upholding grace? Christian! it is contrary to every promise of
God’s precious Word that thou shouldst ever be forgotten or left to perish. If
it could be so, how could He be true who has said, “Can a woman forget her
sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea,
they may forget, yet will I never forget thee.” What were the value of that
promise–“The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My
kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be
removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” Where were the truth of
Christ’s words–“I give unto My sheep eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave
them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My
Father’s hand.” Where were the doctrines of grace? They would be all
disproved if one child of God should perish. Where were the veracity of God,
His honour, His power, His grace, His covenant, His oath, if any of those for
whom Christ has died, and who have put their trust in Him, should nevertheless
be cast away? Banish those unbelieving fears which so dishonour God. Arise,
shake thyself from the dust, and put on thy beautiful garments. Remember it is
sinful to doubt His Word wherein He has promised thee that thou shalt never
perish. Let the eternal life within thee express itself in confident rejoicing.
“The gospel bears my spirit up:
A faithful and unchanging God
Lays the foundation for my hope,
In oaths, and promises, and blood.”