4月19日
标 题： 认识神
经 节： 你们查考圣经，因你们以为内中有永生；给我作见证的就是这经。然而，你们不肯到我这里来得生命。（约翰福音五章39～40节）
查经不会给你永生。你可以背诵整本圣经，及讨论圣经学者的研讨课题，却从未经历圣经的真理。人喜欢书过于书的原作者，实在令人不可思议。书不会当面质询你的罪，但作者会。你能漠视书，却很难拒绝那位想要与你沟通的作者。
耶稣时代的法利赛人以为神喜悦他们对圣经的知识，他们能够引用又长又复杂的经文，且喜爱背诵经文，常一连好几个小时地研究神的律法。然而，耶稣强烈谴责他们，因为他们虽知律法，却不认识神。他们以自己的圣经知识为傲，却拒绝邀请去认识神的儿子。
你能够想像自己明知神对你此生所有的应许，却埋头做其他的事？你可能正要转向追求那些替代品。那些替代品也不见得是坏事，它们可能包括在教会事奉、做好事，或者读几本属灵书籍。没有任何基督教活动，可以替代你与耶稣的关系。当使徒保罗把自己所做的每一件“好事”与认识耶稣比较，他把那些好事当作“废物”（腓立比书三：8）。永远不要为了有宗教活动就心满意足，要以创建与耶稣基督个人心灵悸动的成长关系为至宝。
Knowing Christ
“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal
life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come
to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40)
Bible study will not give you eternal life. You could memorize the
entire Bible and be able to discuss minute issues of biblical scholarship and
yet fail to experience the truths found in its pages. It is a subtle temptation
to prefer the book to the Author. A book will not confront you about your sin,
the Author will. Books can be ignored; it is much harder to avoid the Author
when He is seeking a relationship with you.
The Pharisees in Jesus’ day thought God would be pleased with their
knowledge of His Word. They could quote long, complicated passages of
Scripture. They loved to recite and study God’s Law for hours on end. Yet Jesus
condemned them because, although they knew the Scriptures, they did not know
God. They were proud of their Bible knowledge, but they rejected the invitation
to know God’s Son.
Can you imagine yourself knowing all that God has promised to do in your
life but then turning to something else instead? You may be tempted to turn to
substitutes. These substitutes aren’t necessarily bad things. They might
include serving in the church, doing good deeds, or reading Christian books. No
amount of Christian activity will ever replace your relationship with Jesus.
The apostle Paul considered every “good” thing he had ever done to be “rubbish”
when compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ (Phil. 3:8). Never
become satisfied with religious activity rather than a personal, vibrant, and
growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
