五月九日
……曾赐给我们天上各样属灵的福气。（弗1：3）
过去、现在以及将来一切上好的福，基督都已为他的民预备好了。在奥秘的太初主耶稣是他父首先所拣选的，因着他的被选，他也把这利益赐于我们，因为在创世以前我们就在他里面被拣选了。他在永世以前就得了儿子的名分，作了他父的独生爱子，并且在他丰盛的恩典里，也借着重生和成为后嗣使我们也得了儿子的名分，因此他“就赐我们权柄作神的儿女”。这永约是有实据的，并且是起誓为证的，实在是我们的安慰和保障。主耶稣因着他预知的命定和全能的命令，他的眼在永世以前就看中了我们；我们可以安然，因为他已“涂抹了律例上所写的攻击我们、有碍于我们的字据，把它撤去”。无论什么字句都不能把属他之人的利益削去。荣耀之君的未婚妻就是我们，在我们看来我们已经许配了他，圣洁的婚筵不久就要向全世宣布出来了。天上的神谦卑虚己成为肉身是我们的，血汗、鞭笞、十架也永远是我们的。从完全的顺服，完成的救赎，复活，升天或代求而来的福分，都是他所赐给我们的。现在他的胸牌上有我们的名字，他在宝座前记念我们，大有能力地为我们祈求。他有权管辖执政的和掌权的，他在天上的至尊，都是为了要赐福于那依靠他的人。他升高和降卑时一样都是为了服侍我们。他既曾把他自己赐予我们这些在死和灾祸之深渊中的人，现在他坐在高天的宝座上也不会把他所赐予我们的收回去。
May 9
“Who hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings.” — Ephesians 1:3
All the goodness
of the past, the present, and the future, Christ bestows upon His people. In
the mysterious ages of the past the Lord Jesus was His Father’s first elect,
and in His election He gave us an interest, for we were chosen in Him from
before the foundation of the world. He had from all eternity the prerogatives
of Sonship, as His Father’s only-begotten and well-beloved Son, and He has, in
the riches of His grace, by adoption and regeneration, elevated us to sonship
also, so that to us He has given “power to become the sons of God.”
The eternal covenant, based upon suretiship and confirmed by oath, is ours, for
our strong consolation and security. In the everlasting settlements of
predestinating wisdom and omnipotent decree, the eye of the Lord Jesus was ever
fixed on us; and we may rest assured that in the whole roll of destiny there is
not a line which militates against the interests of His redeemed. The great
betrothal of the Prince of Glory is ours, for it is to us that He is affianced,
as the sacred nuptials shall ere long declare to an assembled universe. The
marvellous incarnation of the God of heaven, with all the amazing condescension
and humiliation which attended it, is ours. The bloody sweat, the scourge, the
cross, are ours for ever. Whatever blissful consequences flow from perfect
obedience, finished atonement, resurrection, ascension, or intercession, all
are ours by His own gift. Upon His breastplate he is now bearing our names; and
in His authoritative pleadings at the throne He remembers our persons and
pleads our cause. His dominion over principalities and powers, and His absolute
majesty in heaven, He employs for the benefit of them who trust in Him. His
high estate is as much at our service as was His condition of abasement. He who
gave Himself for us in the depths of woe and death, doth not withdraw the grant
now that He is enthroned in the highest heavens.
