神最厌恶的事之一就是祂的百姓假冒为善。在整个旧约中,神责备以色列人在宗教上流于形式,而他们实质却一直生活在罪中,拜偶像。
在这里,耶稣也抓住了这个主题。我们即使在信主之后,试图在基督里过新生活,也会与“老我”较量。虽然我们有时会顺从神,向别人显出祂的爱,但我们在其他时候也会跌倒,回到旧人的光景。或者我们可能因为错误的理由而做正确的事,比如说送给别人东西,却期望得到回报。
正如我们在登山宝训后面的教导中所看到的,我们可能会参与敬拜,祈祷,或慷慨募捐,然而心却仍然远离神。真正的义不仅仅是在宗教活动中打卡。它是谦卑和真诚地寻求服事神而不是服务我们自己。如果我们追求信仰是出于渴求获得关注或谋求个人利益,那么我们就是伪君子,我们的敬拜也毫无意义。
但是,当我们的行动来自于纯粹的信仰而不是自我利益时,我们就能看见神,并以更深的方式经历祂的同在。耶稣呼召我们审视自己的心,并请求神帮助我们在我们一切所做的事上真正显明祂的爱。
父啊,请洁净我的心,使我免于恶念和私欲。帮助我每天以谦卑的心态和清洁的意念来服事你。阿们。
马太福音 5:8
8清心的人有福了!因为他们必得见神。
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." - Matthew 5:8
One of the things God detests more than anything is hypocrisy from his people. Throughout the Old Testament, God rebukes Israel for going through the motions of religion while they keep living in sin and worshiping idols.
Here Jesus picks up on that same theme. Even after we come to faith, we battle with our “old selves” as we try to live our new life in Christ. Though we sometimes obey God and show his love to others, we can also slip up and go back to our old ways. Or we might do the right things for the wrong reasons, such as giving something away while expecting to get something in return.
As we’ll see later in the Sermon on the Mount, we can show up for worship, pray, or give generously and still have a heart that is far from God. True righteousness is about more than just checking religious boxes. It’s about humbly and sincerely seeking to serve God instead of ourselves. If we are pursuing faith out of a desire for attention or personal gain, then we are hypocrites, and our worship amounts to nothing.
But when our actions come from pure faith rather than self-interest, we are able to see God and to experience his presence in a deeper way. Jesus calls us to examine our hearts and to ask God to help us truly show his love in all we do.
Father, purify my heart of sinful desires and selfish motives. Help me to serve you in humility and with pure intentions each day. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳