九月二十三日
在他爱子里蒙悦纳。（改译）（弗1：6）
这是信徒的专利和特权！其中包含着我们在神面前的成义，但“悦纳”在希腊文中还有别的意思。它说明我们是神满足的对象，甚至是神所欢喜的。我们这些虫、必死的人、罪人能成爲神所爱的对象，真是一件希奇的事！但只有“在爱子里”才能蒙悦纳。
有一些基督徒以爲自己的经验可以蒙悦纳，至少他们是这样想。当他们的灵性活泼时，他们的希望明朗时，他们便以爲神悦纳他们，因爲他们感到自己很高超，很属天；但他们行将就木的时候，就担心自己不再是蒙神悦纳的了。若他们能够明白，只要他们站在永不改变的、永远完全、永无玷污、皱纹等类之病的、神永远所爱的爱子里面，他们的一切喜乐都不能高举他们、一切的失望都不能把他们从神的眼中压制下去时，那末他们该多麽快乐，幷荣耀他们的救主呀！
信徒啊！要因你“在爱子里”蒙悦纳而快乐吧！你往里看，你必说：“这里没有什麽可以蒙悦纳的！”但你仰望基督，看那里有什麽可以蒙悦纳的。你的罪困扰你，但神已把你的罪抛在他的背后，你已在那义者里蒙了悦纳。你必须与败坏争斗，与诱惑角力，但你已在那胜过一切恶势力的主里面蒙了悦纳。魔鬼来引诱你，要放心，它不能损害你，因你已在打破撒但头的主里蒙了悦纳。要确实知道你自己的荣耀地位，已经得荣耀的灵魂也不过和你一样地蒙悦纳。他们只是在天堂上、“在爱子里”蒙悦纳，你现在也一样地在基督里蒙悦纳了。
September
23
“Accepted
in the beloved.” — Ephesians 1:6
What a state of privilege! It includes our justification before God, but
the term acceptance” in the Greek means more than that. It signifies that
we are the objects of divine complacence, nay, even of divine delight. How
marvellous that we, worms, mortals, sinners, should be the objects of divine
love! But it is only “in the beloved.” Some Christians seem to be
accepted in their own experience, at least, that is their apprehension. When
their spirit is lively, and their hopes bright, they think God accepts them,
for they feel so high, so heavenly-minded, so drawn above the earth! But when
their souls cleave to the dust, they are the victims of the fear that they are
no longer accepted. If they could but see that all their high joys do not exalt
them, and all their low despondencies do not really depress them in their
Father’s sight, but that they stand accepted in One who never alters, in One
who is always the beloved of God, always perfect, always without spot or
wrinkle, or any such thing, how much happier they would be, and how much more
they would honour the Saviour! Rejoice then, believer, in this: thou art
accepted “in the beloved.” Thou lookest within, and thou sayest,
“There is nothing acceptable here!” But look at Christ, and see if
there is not everything acceptable there. Thy sins trouble thee; but God has
cast thy sins behind His back, and thou art accepted in the Righteous One. Thou
hast to fight with corruption, and to wrestle with temptation, but thou art
already accepted in Him who has overcome the powers of evil. The devil tempts
thee; be of good cheer, he cannot destroy thee, for thou art accepted in Him
who has broken Satan’s head. Know by full assurance thy glorious standing. Even
glorified souls are not more accepted than thou art. They are only accepted in
heaven “in the beloved,” and thou art even now accepted in Christ
after the same manner.
