创世以前已拣选了
你听说过加尔文主义者从楼梯上摔下来后说的话吗？“哎！我真高兴这件事已经结束了！”他一边揉着头上的擦伤一边喃喃自语。
像这样的笑话针对的是预定论的教义，或者叫神的拣选：神甚至在创立世界以前，就拣选了祂的百姓。根据批判者的说法，预定论否定了人类的自由和自由意志。但不知为何，圣经以一种奥秘的方式显明，拣选和自由意志是并存的。
可能我们很难在逻辑上解释神的主权和人的责任，但在圣经中我们看到了许多两者同时运作的例子，只要想想保罗在大马色的路上的呼召就好了 (使徒行传 9)。
在保罗写给教会的信中，他强调神的拣选，但他并没有清楚解释这其中的奥秘。究竟怎样又是神的拣撰，又是我们的意志决定是否接受耶稣作为救主以致得救呢？尽管如此，保罗所描述的拣选，还是带给我们极大安慰的。因为在祂奇妙的怜悯和恩典中，神爱我们——甚至在创世以前就爱了！
另外，神的拣选也是一种呼召。出于祂的恩典和怜悯，祂拣选我们去爱和事奉祂，好让我们有份于将祂的爱和怜悯带给这个世界。
今天，唯独藉着恩典，愿你在神极大的爱和怜悯中感受安慰，并在你一切所行的事上荣耀祂吧。
我们的父啊，唯独祢的恩典，甚至在创世以前祢就爱了我们。求祢帮助我们来爱你，并在我们的每日生活中荣耀祢。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。
以弗所书 1:3-14
3愿颂赞归与我们主耶稣基督的父神！他在基督里曾赐给我们天上各样属灵的福气：
4就如神从创立世界以前，在基督里拣选了我们，使我们在他面前成为圣洁，无有瑕疵；
5又因爱我们，就按着自己的意旨所喜悦的，预定我们藉着耶稣基督得儿子的名分，
6使他荣耀的恩典得著称赞；这恩典是他在爱子里所赐给我们的。
7我们藉这爱子的血得蒙救赎，过犯得以赦免，乃是照他丰富的恩典。
8这恩典是神用诸般智慧聪明，充充足足赏给我们的；
9都是照他自己所预定的美意，叫我们知道他旨意的奥秘，
10要照所安排的，在日期满足的时候，使天上、地上、一切所有的都在基督里面同归于一。
11我们也在他里面得了基业；这原是那位随己意行、做万事的，照着他旨意所预定的，
12叫他的荣耀从我们这首先在基督里有盼望的人可以得著称赞。
13你们既听见真理的道，就是那叫你们得救的福音，也信了基督，既然信他，就受了所应许的圣灵为印记。
14这圣灵是我们得基业的凭据，直等到神之民被赎，使他的荣耀得著称赞。
Chosen From Before Creation
"He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." — Ephesians 1:4
Have you heard what the Calvinist said after tripping down the stairs? "Boy, I'm glad that's over with!" he muttered, nursing the bruise on his head.
Jokes like these take aim at the doctrine of predestination, or election: God's choosing of his people even before he made the world. According to critics, predestination quashes human freedom and free will. But somehow, mysteriously, the Bible shows that there is both election and free will.
God's sovereignty and our human responsibility may be difficult to explain logically, but in the Bible we see lots of examples of both at work. Just think of Paul's call on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).
In his letters to churches, Paul insists on election, but nowhere does he fully explain the mystery of God's choosing and how that works with our own will to receive him as Lord and be saved. Nonetheless, Paul describes election as a teaching of great comfort. In his amazing mercy and grace, God loved us even before he created the world!
What's more, God's choosing is also a calling. Out of his grace and mercy he has chosen us for acts of love and service so that we can be a part of bringing his love and mercy to the world.
By grace alone, take comfort today in God's great love and mercy, and glorify him in all you do.
Our Father, through your grace alone you loved us even before you made the world. Help us to love you and glorify you in our lives today. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
编辑进度:
发布时间:
繁體版:
Line:
栏目:
机构:
作者: