2008-10-18 Devotionals Today

知信行網上團契為各主內肢體提供的每日靈糧，歡迎訂閱，推介及奉獻支持。 《網絡天糧》查詢，請電郵：ccf@ccfellow.org 訂閱天糧 | 轉介天糧 | 修訂訂閱 | 奉獻支持 基督再來 粵語 國語 第18天 讀經：   約翰壹書二章28節至三章3節 有關基督徒生命的教導，不單涉及如何處理我們的過去，和如何活出現在，更讓我們對將來抱有極大的盼望。這盼望主要是環繞主耶穌基督的再來。 基督終有一天會在我們面前顯現，然後我們便會被帶到祂的面前。這個觀念先是令我們感到十分振奮，接著便對我們發出極大的挑戰，因為我們都要顯露在基督的審判台前。 這段經文告訴我們有關主再來的三方面。首先，是我們要坦然無懼地面對祂的再來；其二，是我們會在祂再來的時候改變；其三，是我們要因著祂的再來而儆醒。讓我們分述如下： 當基督再來的時候，面對祂的基本上只有兩大類人，就是信徒和非信徒。可是，第28節卻告訴我們，信徒中間可能也分為兩大類：第一類是坦然無懼地迎接主的再來；第二類卻因主的再來而感到慚愧。 經文沒有暗示信徒可能會失去救恩；然而，一個生活散漫的信徒，又怎能與主保持美好的相交？當主再來的時候，他當然會感到無限慚愧了。 約翰繼續指出，當基督再來的時候，我們便會改變。祂當初降世為人，是道成肉身，成為我們中間的一個人。但當祂再來的時候，我們便會反過來變得像祂。我們將會有一個像祂那樣的身體，就是永不衰殘的身體。我們將會有祂一樣的性情，就是無罪的性情。此外，我們將會像祂一樣，永遠在天上與天父在一起。還有甚麼比這一切更寶貴呢？ 最後，是基督再來提醒我們此刻要儆醒。盼望在主的再來時能變得像祂的信徒，此刻便應該學像主。信徒若能「潔淨自己」，便能夠愈來愈像主，像主的仁愛、像主的忠心、像主的真誠。 禱告： 主啊，求你使我常作準備，隨時預備迎接你的再來。 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHRIST'S COMING AGAIN Day 18 Bible Reading:   1 John 2:28 to 3:3 CHRIST'S COMING AGAIN One of the many wonderful things about the Christian life is that it not only covers the past and the present but it also gives us a tremendous hope for the future. That hope is centred in the second coming of Jesus Christ. Christ will one day appear for us and then we will appear before him. The first thought is thrilling. The second thought is challenging. 'We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ.' These verses speak of three aspects of his coming. First being confident at his coming, then being changed at his coming and thirdly being challenged by his coming. Let's look briefly at each of these. These verses do not say being confident of his coming, but confident at his coming. When he comes there will be two classes of people-the believers and the unbelievers. But this verse 28 says-to us that there will be two classes of believers at his coming. There will be those who will face him confidently and there will be those who will be ashamed before him at his coming. There is no suggestion here that a true Christian may be lost at his coming but that it is possible to live such a careless, undisciplined life that we are out of fellowship with Christ when he comes. How could a person like that be anything else but ashamed at the coming of Christ? John says also that we will be changed at Christ's coming. At Christ's first coming, he became like one of us. At his second coming we will become like him. We will have a body like his-eternal. We will have a nature like his-sinless. We will have a position like his-in heaven with our Father. Could anything be more wonderful than that? Then there is the challenge of his coming. The Christian who hopes to be like him at his coming must begin to be like him now. The word 'purify' here really means to keep on purifying ourselves-in other words to grow more and more like him. It means to grow more loving, to be more faithful, to be more sincere, or putting it simply again, to be more like Christ. A PRAYER: Lord help me to be ready if you were to come today.