癌症是对罪的惩罚吗？神允许我们遭遇苦难是因为我们没有忠诚地遵守祂的律法吗？这个古老的问题困扰着那些怀疑神是否遵循因果论的人：你犯罪了，所以你要受苦。
在旧约中，我们读到一个名叫约伯的人，在一场神对他信心的考验中，他几乎失去了一切，只留下性命。约伯的朋友们控告他，说他一定是得罪了神，才遭遇这一切。约伯甚至问神说：“我若有罪，与你何妨？为何以我当你的箭靶子？”而神回应他的方式是，向他显明神的道路高过人的道路。
诗人宣称，神“没有按我们的罪过待我们。”相反，神使用了一个基于祂永恒之爱的除罪论：神付上了我们罪的代价。如果神让我们为自己的过错付代价，那么，每个活着的人都将永远陷在他们自己制造的烂泥坑里。
有些人来到他们的牧师——也就是我这里，流着泪为他们的疾病或生命中的挑战责备自己。我会充满信心地向他们保证，这不是神做事的方式。即便如此，当我癌症复发时，我也在纠结神是否在什么事上对我不满意。但神提醒我，祂丰盛的爱和恩典大过我们一切的罪。
主啊，感谢你的怜悯、恩慈和赦免。你的爱至高如天。愿我们受苦时不要疑惑，而是坚定地信靠你的应许。阿们。
诗篇 103:8-18
8耶和华有怜悯，有恩典，不轻易发怒，且有丰盛的慈爱。
9他不长久责备，也不永远怀怒。
10他没有按我们的罪过待我们，也没有照我们的罪孽报应我们。
11天离地何等的高，他的慈爱向敬畏他的人也是何等的大。
12东离西有多远，他叫我们的过犯离我们也有多远。
13父亲怎样怜恤他的儿女，耶和华也怎样怜恤敬畏他的人。
14因为他知道我们的本体，思念我们不过是尘土。
15至于世人，他的年日如草一样，他发旺如野地的花。
16经风一吹，便归无有，他的原处也不再认识他。
17但耶和华的慈爱归于敬畏他的人，从亘古到永远；他的公义也归于子子孙孙，
18就是那些遵守他的约，记念他的训词而遵行的人。
"[God] does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." — Psalm 103:10
Is cancer a punishment for sin? Does God authorize our suffering because we haven’t faithfully followed his law? This ages-old question plagues people who wonder if God follows a cause-and-effect policy: You sin, you suffer.
In the Old Testament we read of a man named Job who loses nearly everything but his life in a test of faith in God. Job’s friends accuse him, saying he must have brought this on himself by sinning against God. Job even asks God, “If I have sinned, what have I done to you . . . ? Why have you made me your target?” (Job 7:20). And God responds by showing him that God’s ways are higher than human ways.
The psalmist declares that God “does not treat us as our sins deserve.” Instead, God uses a sin-removal policy based on his everlasting love: God pays the price of our sin. If God let us pay for our wrongdoing, every living person would be stuck forever in a slimy mud pit of their own making.
Some people have come to me as their pastor, tearfully taking the blame for their own health diagnosis or life challenge. I have confidently assured them that God does not operate that way. Even so, when my cancer returned, I, too, wrestled with whether God was displeased with me about something. And God reminded me of his abounding love and grace that is greater than all our sin.
Lord, thank you for your mercy, compassion, grace, and forgiveness. Your love is as high as the heavens. When we suffer, may we not doubt but stand firm on your promises. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
