很多时候,我们会有意无意地尝试为我们的罪付上代价。我们努力遵守各种条例和律法,我们努力做个“好人”。当我们后悔犯罪时,内心有些东西会让我们觉得必须“纠正它”。我们想努力向神偿还些什么,就好像我们可以换得救恩。但是,我们不能。而且,因着耶稣,我们已经得以成圣了。
正如我们在默想希伯来书时所了解到的,祭司们每天都忙着为人们的罪献祭。在赎罪日这天,大祭司要为百姓所有的罪献上祭物,年复一年。
现在,有一位已经来了,祂将自己的身体一次献上,作为完美的祭物。耶稣为我们死在十字架上,这一点足以使我们成圣。我们不再需要日复一日,年复一年地献上祭物。基督已经将自己一次献上,永远成全了。
我们不必努力赚取自己的成圣,因为基督已经使我们成圣了,我们的回应是,靠着祂的能力,努力活出基督造我们的样子。
我们已经得以成圣了;现在,靠着基督,我们的救主,我们可以开始更加像祂。
主耶稣基督,感谢你为我们的罪牺牲自己,一次献上,使我们得以成圣。求引导我们更加像你。阿们。
希伯来书 9:24-10:10
24因为基督并不是进了人手所造的圣所——这不过是真圣所的影像——乃是进了天堂,如今为我们显在神面前。
25也不是多次将自己献上,像那大祭司每年带着牛羊的血进入圣所。
26如果这样,他从创世以来,就必多次受苦了。但如今在这末世显现一次,把自己献为祭,好除掉罪。
27按着定命,人人都有一死,死后且有审判;
28像这样,基督既然一次被献,担当了多人的罪,将来要向那等候他的人第二次显现,并与罪无关,乃是为拯救他们。
1律法既是将来美事的影儿,不是本物的真像,总不能藉着每年常献一样的祭物,叫那近前来的人得以完全。
2若不然,献祭的事岂不早已止住了吗?因为礼拜的人,良心既被洁净,就不再觉得有罪了。
3但这些祭物是叫人每年想起罪来,
4因为公牛和山羊的血断不能除罪。
5所以,基督到世上来的时候就说:“神啊,祭物和礼物是你不愿意的,你曾给我预备了身体。
6燔祭和赎罪祭是你不喜欢的。
7那时我说:‘神啊,我来了,为要照你的旨意行,我的事在经卷上已经记载了。’”
8以上说:“祭物和礼物,燔祭和赎罪祭,是你不愿意的,也是你不喜欢的。”这都是按着律法献的。
9后又说:“我来了为要照你的旨意行。”可见他是除去在先的,为要立定在后的。
10我们凭这旨意,靠耶稣基督只一次献上他的身体,就得以成圣。
"And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." - Hebrews 10:10
There are many times in which we try, either intentionally or not, to pay for our sins. We try to follow all kinds of rules and regulations. We try to be “good” people. When we are sorry for our sins, something inside makes us think we have to “make things right.” We want to try to pay God back, as if we might pay for our salvation. But we can’t. And yet, because of Jesus, we have been made holy already.
As we have learned in these reflections on Hebrews, the priests were busy every day offering sacrifices for people’s sins. And on the Day of Atonement the high priest would make a sacrifice for all the sins of the people, year after year after year.
Now we have one who has come and has offered us his own body as the perfect sacrifice, once for all. Jesus’ death on the cross for our sake was enough to make us holy. We no longer have to offer sacrifices day after day, year after year. Christ has already sacrificed himself, once for all.
We do not have to try to earn our holiness, for Christ has already made us holy. And as we have already been made holy, our response is to strive, in his strength, to live into what Christ has already made us to be.
We have already been made holy; now, in the strength of Christ, our Savior, we can begin to be like him.
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your sacrifice for our sins, once for all, making us holy. Guide us to be like you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳