每天為主而活

bible Reading: Ephesians 4: 1 – 6

讀經： 以弗所書四章1至6節

In the first three chapters of Ephesians, Paul is telling us about our wonderful position in Christ. His theme has been 'all that God has planned for the Church and all the blessings God has for every individual believer'! Now in the next three chapters Paul says: 'since all of this is true and since you are a child of God, your life ought to show something of the life and character of Christ'.

在以弗所書的頭三章，保羅把我們在基督裡的奇妙身分告訴我們。他的要旨是要讓我們得知：「神為教會所預定的一切計劃，以及神賜每位信徒的各樣福氣」。如今來到接著的三章，保羅則教導我們：「上述所言的一切既是事實，而你們又既是神的兒女，那麼，你們就必須活出信徒的生命和基督的樣式。」

In these chapters, Paul writes about our relationships with fellow Christians, our neighbours, our families and with those we work with. Paul says that our Christian life ought to be seen in all of these areas.

保羅在這幾章經文中，談及我們與其他信徒、鄰舍、家人和同工的關係；而無論在那一方面，我們都應該活出信徒的品格。

Just take some of the words Paul uses in verse 2 and put them alongside your life. For example what does 'humidity' mean. Beside everything else, it means that you don't want to be the centre of attention all the time. Children want that don't they? A Christian should be prepared to take second place or even last place. What does Paul say about Christ in Philippians 2:8? 'He humbled himself.' Shouldn't a Christian be prepared to do the same?

我們可以嘗試將保羅在第2節列出的品格，抽取其中一項來應用在自己身上。以「謙虛」為例；謙虛的含意很豐富，但其中一個意思，就是表示信徒不應時刻關注著自己。這豈不是小孩子的表現嗎？小孩子豈不是只顧滿足自己的需要嗎？然而，信徒卻要把自己的需要看為其次，甚至是為了禮讓別人，而把自己的需要放到最後。保羅在腓立比書二章8節怎樣描述基督？他說基督「自己卑微」。基督徒豈不應該效法基督的榜樣嗎？

Long-suffering'. That is the spirit of Christ being seen in our lives when people criticise or say unkind things about us. If we will allow Christ to be seen, especially when we are right and they are wrong, we will be doing what Christ wants us to do.

'Forbearing one another'. Someone has said this means 'Lovingly putting up with all that is disagreeable in other people'. That's hard isn't it? We like to be with people who like us and who say nice things about us. But when people are disagreeable and don't do things the way we want, that is the time when the spirit of Christ in us should be clearly shown.

其次是「互相寬容」。有人認為，這表示要「容忍別人身上一切不愜你意的東西」。這當然很難啊！我們都喜歡跟趣味相投，或恭維我們的人相處；那些跟我們意見不合，或處事方式不同的人，我們往往會故意疏遠；然而，正正是在後者的情況，我們更特別需要見證基督合一的靈就在我們中間。

Are you willing to pray this prayer today? 'Lord please live your own lovely life in me so that others may see I belong to you.'

禱告： 「主啊，求你的愛充滿我，願我的生命流露出你的愛，以致別人看見你活在我的生命中。」