神的灵被称为圣灵是什么意思呢?首先,祂与邪灵形成对比,邪灵引诱我们离开神,引诱我们犯罪,企图使我们悖逆神。但与此相反,神的灵被称为圣灵,也是因为祂使我们成为圣洁。
圣经不仅说到那些对圣灵的事没有天然观念的人,也说到那些随从罪性,即“情欲”的人。这些人的生活与神呼召我们的生活方式完全相反。他们的行为有奸淫、污秽、拜偶像、仇恨、争竞、忌恨、恼怒、结党等等(加 5:19-20)。
但圣灵充满了我们,使我们的身体成为圣灵的殿。我们成为圣洁的,被分别出来,供神自己特别使用。这个意像有许多含义。殿是用来敬拜的,所以我们的生命应该总是发出对神的赞美。作为神的殿,我们不是属于自己的,而是蒙召成为活祭,是圣洁的,蒙神悦纳的(罗 12:1)。
教会是基督的身体,所以她也是圣洁的。每一个在基督里的信徒都是这个身体的一部份,也是一座圣殿。当我们认识到圣灵使我们成为圣洁的殿,我们就会用我们的身体来荣耀神,我们也会尊重所有的基督徒,因为他们是基督的身体。
圣灵,求你洁净我的思想;掌管我的身体和生活,使我的身心灵都是圣洁的。阿们。
哥林多前书 3:16-17; 6:19-20
16岂不知你们是神的殿,神的灵住在你们里头吗?
17若有人毁坏神的殿,神必要毁坏那人;因为神的殿是圣的,这殿就是你们。
19岂不知你们的身子就是圣灵的殿吗?这圣灵是从神而来,住在你们里头的。并且你们不是自己的人,
20因为你们是重价买来的,所以要在你们的身子上荣耀神。
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" - 1 Corinthians 6:19
What does it mean that the Spirit of God is called the Holy Spirit? For one thing, he stands in contrast with evil spirits that draw us away from God, tempt us to sin, and influence us to be rebellious against God. But he is also called the Holy Spirit because he makes us holy.
The Bible talks not only about people who have no natural idea about the things of the Spirit, but also about people who follow after the sinful nature, the "desires of the flesh." These are people who live completely opposite to the way God calls us to live. They act with sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, hatred, divisiveness, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, and so on (Galatians 5:19-20).
But the Holy Spirit fills us so that our physical bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit. We become holy, set apart, for the special use of God himself. This truth has many implications. Temples are for worship, so praise for God should always arise from our lives. As God's temples, we are not our own but are called to be living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1).
The church is the body of Christ, so it too is holy. Every believer in Christ is a part of that body and is a temple too. When we realize that the Holy Spirit has made us holy temples, we honor God with our bodies, and we honor all Christians as the body of Christ.
Holy Spirit, purify my thoughts; take charge of my body and my life so that I am holy in body, soul, and spirit. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳