这个月我们思想圣经中提出的问题,今天已到了尾声,我们乃是怀着盼望来结束的。
在罗马书8章,使徒保罗问道:"既是这样,还有什么说的呢?神若帮助我们,谁能敌挡我们呢?"保罗在这里说"既是这样,"是指他先前谈论的救恩内容,例如不再作罪和死的奴仆、赐生命的灵住在我们里面、作为神的儿女得到的新生命、尽管今天受苦但仍然蒙应许将来得更新、有力量和盼望去坚持到底。
相信耶稣不会完全除去我们在今生遇到的困难,然而我们仍然晓得,"万事都互相效力,叫爱神的人得益处,就是按他旨意被召的人。"尽管有不幸的事临到我们,神总有法子藉着这些事在我们身上作工,叫我们效法"他儿子的模样"的。
"谁能敌挡我们呢?"保罗的问题是一个自问自答的问题:神若帮助我们,当然没有人能敌挡我们的啦!保罗跟着说下去:"靠着爱我们的主,在这一切的事上已经得胜有余了。因为我深信无论是死、是生,是天使、是掌权的,是有能的,是现在的事,是将来的事,是高处的、是低处的,是别的受造之物,都不能叫我们与神的爱隔绝;这爱是在我们的主基督耶稣里的。"
亲爱的神,我们晓得,祢若帮助我们,没有什么能敌挡我们的。求祢藉着祢的灵引导我们为祢而活。奉耶稣名祈求,阿们。
罗马书 8:28-39
28我们晓得万事都互相效力,叫爱神的人得益处,就是按他旨意被召的人。
29因为他预先所知道的人,就预先定下效法他儿子的模样,使他儿子在许多弟兄中做长子;
30预先所定下的人又召他们来,所召来的人又称他们为义,所称为义的人又叫他们得荣耀。
31既是这样,还有什么说的呢?神若帮助我们,谁能敌挡我们呢?
32神既不爱惜自己的儿子,为我们众人舍了,岂不也把万物和他一同白白地赐给我们吗?
33谁能控告神所拣选的人呢?有神称他们为义了。
34谁能定他们的罪呢?有基督耶稣已经死了,而且从死里复活,现今在神的右边,也替我们祈求。
35谁能使我们与基督的爱隔绝呢?难道是患难吗?是困苦吗?是逼迫吗?是饥饿吗?是赤身露体吗?是危险吗?是刀剑吗?
36如经上所记:"我们为你的缘故终日被杀,人看我们如将宰的羊。"
37然而,靠着爱我们的主,在这一切的事上已经得胜有余了。
38因为我深信:无论是死,是生,是天使,是掌权的,是有能的,是现在的事,是将来的事,
39是高处的,是低处的,是别的受造之物,都不能叫我们与神的爱隔绝;这爱是在我们的主基督耶稣里的。
"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31
Today we come to the end of our month of reflecting on questions in the Bible. And we conclude with hope.
In Romans 8, the apostle Paul asks, "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" The "things" Paul is referring to are the teachings about salvation that he has discussed earlier, such as freedom from sin and death, the life-giving Spirit who lives in us, the new life we have as God’s children, the promise of renewal despite suffering we may face today, and strength and hope to endure.
Faith in Jesus does not remove all the struggles we may encounter in life. Still, we know that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Somehow, even despite bad things that can happen in our lives, God works to conform us "to the image of his Son."
Paul’s question "Who can be against us?" answers itself: If God is for us, of course no one can be against us! And Paul goes on to say, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Dear God, we know that if you are for us, nothing can stand against us. By your Spirit, guide us to live for you. In Jesus, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳