应一个法国教会的邀请，我的一位同事得以前往欧洲旅行。这对他来说是一次千载难逢的经历，但长途飞行对他来说相当困难。他在飞机上又渴又饿，却拒绝服务员提供任何食物或饮料。为什么呢？他以为吃东西要花很多钱，而他身上没有多余的钱。他没有意识到食物已经包含在机票里面了。
许多基督徒就像我的同事一样。他们没有意识到代价已经被付上了。
作为基督徒，我们可以说是在一个新的系统中。我们不再是老我的囚徒。神的每一个儿女都在耶稣基督里得着了新的生命。我们进入了一个新的现实。在基督里，旧的生命已经死去，你蒙召进入新的生命。你获得了新的性情，与基督联合，蒙神喜悦。
这对我们所有人来说都是好消息。面对罪性，我们不再感到软弱无力，而是可以活在新的现实中，即基督已经为我们所需的一切付上了代价，使我们得救、拥有新生命。藉着圣灵的大能，我们可以过充满上帝公义和圣洁的感恩生活。
天父，有时我记不起你在我生命中的恩典有多么伟大。请赦免我，并赐我恩典来拥抱我是你的儿女这一新身份。奉耶稣的名，阿们。
以弗所书 4:20-24
20你们学了基督，却不是这样。
21如果你们听过他的道，领了他的教，学了他的真理，
22就要脱去你们从前行为上的旧人，这旧人是因私欲的迷惑渐渐变坏的；
23又要将你们的心志改换一新，
24并且穿上新人，这新人是照着神的形象造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁。
"Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." - Ephesians 4:24
At the invitation of a French church, one of my colleagues was able to travel to Europe. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him, but the very long flight was rather difficult for him. He was thirsty and hungry, and yet he refused any food or drink from the flight attendants. The reason? He thought he would have to pay a lot of money for the food, and he had no extra money with him. He didn’t realize the food was already included in the price of the flight.
Many Christians are like my colleague. They do not realize that the price has already been paid.
As Christians, we are—so to speak—in a new system. We are no longer prisoners of our old lives. Every child of God has a new life in Jesus Christ. We have entered a new reality. In Christ, your old life has been put to death, and you are called into new life. You have received a new nature, conformed to Christ and pleasing to God.
This is good news for us all. Instead of feeling weak and powerless against our sinful nature, we can live into the new reality that Christ has paid for everything we need in order to be saved to new life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live grateful lives that are filled with God’s righteousness and holiness.
Heavenly Father, sometimes I fail to remember how great your grace is in my life. Forgive me for those times, and give me the grace to embrace my new identity as your child. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
