爱：神昂贵的、白白的礼物
约翰教导我们“神就是爱”。神向我们彰显祂爱的最明显方式，就是差耶稣来到我们中间。重要的是要知道神是什么时候这么做的：“惟有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，神的爱就在此向我们显明了(罗马书5:8 )。
神希望我们在与周围的人交往时体现出祂对我们的爱。正如约翰所说：“（神）既然这样爱我们，我们也当彼此相爱”。同样，保罗呼吁我们“效法神”，向众人显明祂的爱。
在某种程度上说，爱是基督教的特别之处。其他宗教似乎更注重服从或对某些行为的奖罚。人类的理性无法理解爱的奥妙。彰显神之爱的行动可能与陈旧的人类理性背道而驰。我们的心习惯了交易——因为你做了那个，我才做这个。在这种逻辑里，爱是赚来的，而不是礼物。
但是，如果神的爱必须靠自己去争取，那么我们任何人都不可能得到爱。基督徒的爱是白白得来的；它对提供爱的人来说是昂贵的，但对接受爱的人来说却不是。
神今天呼召你去爱谁呢？
天父，感谢你在基督耶稣里向我们显明了你的爱——在我们还作罪人的时候你就爱了我们！这对我们疲惫的心灵来说，实在是个好消息。请赐给我们恩典，让我们向身边的每个人彰显你的爱。阿们。
约翰一书 4:7-12
7亲爱的弟兄啊，我们应当彼此相爱，因为爱是从神来的。凡有爱心的，都是由神而生，并且认识神。
8没有爱心的，就不认识神，因为神就是爱。
9神差他独生子到世间来，使我们藉着他得生，神爱我们的心在此就显明了。
10不是我们爱神，乃是神爱我们，差他的儿子为我们的罪做了挽回祭，这就是爱了。
11亲爱的弟兄啊，神既是这样爱我们，我们也当彼此相爱。
12从来没有人见过神，我们若彼此相爱，神就住在我们里面，爱他的心在我们里面得以完全了。
Love: God’s Expensive Free Gift
"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." - Ephesians 5:1-2
John teaches that “God is love.” One of the clearest ways God has shown his love to us has been through sending Jesus to us. And it’s important to note when God did this: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
God wants us to reflect the love he has shown to us as we interact with the people around us. As John puts it, “Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Likewise, Paul calls us to “follow God’s example” by showing love to all people.
In some ways, love is what makes Christianity special. Other religions seem to focus more on obedience or a system of rewards for certain actions. And human reason cannot make sense of the focus on love. Loving actions that reflect the love of God can be so contrary to corrupt human reason. Our hearts are used to a quid pro quo—I’ll do this because you did that. Following that system, love is merely earned and not a gift.
But if God's love had to be earned, none of us could ever be loved. Christian love is free; it is expensive for the one who offers it, but not for the one who receives it.
Whom is God calling you to love today?
Father, thank you for showing your love to us in Christ Jesus—while we were sinners! This is good news for our weary hearts. Give us the grace to show love to everyone around us. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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