你知道神的拯救计划不单是拯救人的灵魂的吗?对很多基督徒来说,“耶稣拯救”的意思是耶稣把我们从罪中拯救出来,这是对的,但还有更多其他的意思的呢。耶稣来是要拯救整个世界、拯救所有受造之物。
所以当耶稣再来时,世界不会被消灭,反而将会被更新。一切受造之物不会再受制于人类罪恶的影响,而是会被更新、洁净,并变得完整。
最初人类第一次犯罪时,大地便受到咒诅。而在整个人类历史中,我们常常成为大地、天空和海洋的咒诅。我们常常破坏和摧残神的创造,而没有保护、守卫和培植它。
在罪的咒诅的辖制之下,受造之物都在“叹息”。一切受造之物都盼望脱离这受咒诅的境况。宇宙盼望耶稣再来,祂的仇敌被征服,并祂的儿女被显明是属祂的日子。
那时,所有受造之物和神的儿女都一同获得释放了。
祷告
神啊,感谢你使整个世界从罪的咒诅得释放的方案。求你帮助我们去保护和培植这个你到来拯救的世界。阿们。
罗马书 8:18-27
18我想,现在的苦楚若比起将来要显于我们的荣耀,就不足介意了。
19受造之物切望等候神的众子显出来。
20因为受造之物服在虚空之下,不是自己愿意,乃是因那叫他如此的;
21但受造之物仍然指望脱离败坏的辖制,得享神儿女自由的荣耀。
22我们知道,一切受造之物一同叹息、劳苦,直到如今。
23不但如此,就是我们这有圣灵初结果子的,也是自己心里叹息,等候得着儿子的名分,乃是我们的身体得赎。
24我们得救是在乎盼望。只是所见的盼望不是盼望。谁还盼望他所见的呢?
25但我们若盼望那所不见的,就必忍耐等候。
26况且,我们的软弱有圣灵帮助。我们本不晓得当怎样祷告,只是圣灵亲自用说不出来的叹息替我们祷告。
27鉴察人心的,晓得圣灵的意思,因为圣灵照着神的旨意替圣徒祈求。
"The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God." - Romans 8:21
Did you know that God's plan of salvation includes more than the saving of human souls? For many Christians "Jesus saves" means that Jesus saves us from our sins, and that is true—but there is also much more. Jesus came to save the whole world, all of creation.
So, when Jesus comes again, the world will not be obliterated—it will be renewed. The creation will no longer be subjected to the effects of human sin. It will be renewed, purified, and made whole.
At the time of our first sin, the ground itself became cursed. And throughout human history we have often been a curse to the ground and to the air and the seas as well. We often spoil and wreck God's creation rather than protecting, guarding, and cultivating it.
In this situation, creation "groans" under the effects of the curse of sin. All of creation longs to be set free from this cursed state. The universe longs for Jesus to return, for his enemies to be conquered, and for his children to be revealed as his own.
Then all creation will be set free, along with the children of God.
O God, thank you for your solution of setting the whole world free from the curse of sin. Help us to guard and cultivate the world you came to save. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳