| 基督徒的一個根本問題是在於：我們仍然活在地上，又怎能把天上的身份活出來呢？ 保羅在這幾節經文用了一些很強烈的措辭來回答這個問題。首先，是第5節的「所以」。他的意思是說：「如今，按著你們在基督裡的身份，並鑑於基督已進入你們生命的事實，你們必須將過往在你們心中作王的舊人置之死地」。他採用「治死」這個字詞，意思是「不要輕易向你的舊性情和它的慾望讓步。不要接受它提出的任何藉口──拒絕它的提議和願望。當它要勝過你的時候，要堅決抗拒它，不要與它為友。」 然而，保羅不是說過，我們已經在基督裡死了的嗎？在神的眼中，信徒豈不是與基督同釘十架了嗎？這確實是事實；我們如今只是要將這個事實活出來。 例如，當你購置一所房子時，它就屬於你。可是，直至你搬進去居住，你才可以享受它的好處。在信仰上也是同出一轍：你如今要遷入這新的國度，才能享受那些已屬於你的好處。 基督確實為我們成就了一切，但同時，我們卻要自願進到祂為我們預備的恩典裡面。當我們遷新居的時候，我們的朋友要知道我們何時搬遷，才能提供協助；同樣地，聖靈也要我們決定進到基督裡面，祂才會幫助我們得享基督已為我們預備的福樂。 保羅列出一些屬於舊性情的事物，它們在神眼中都是已死的。我們未必有這些表現，可是，第8節所列出的惡行，在基督徒的生命中卻是相當常見。我們未必會犯第5 節所列的罪，但第8節中列的那些又如何呢？在神的眼中，它們同樣是罪，罪是沒有大小之分的；它們都是屬於我們信主之前的舊人，所以，它們如今應該死了。 願我們都禱告主說：「主啊，我渴望今天能活出你所賜的新性情，求聖靈幫助我活出新人。」 |
Bible Reading: Colossians 3:5-11 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. |
| How can our earthly experience be anything like our heavenly position? Paul has some strong words to say to us about that question in these verses. The first word is 'therefore', in verse 5. He is saying 'now in the light of your position in Christ, in view of the fact that Christ is in your life, put to death the old nature that used to reign in your heart'. The word he uses for putting to death means 'don't be easy on your old nature and the things it wants to do. Don't excuse it-refuse its suggestions and desires. Stand strong and firm when it wants to take over. Don't play with it.' But hasn't Paul said that we are already dead in Christ? Doesn't God see the believer as crucified with Christ? Absolutely, but this needs to be worked out now in daily living. For example: Have you ever bought a house? It became yours the moment you bought it, but you did not enter into the benefits of it until you actually moved in. You had to do just that-to move in, in order to enjoy what was yours. While it is true that Christ has done everything for us, yet there remains the decision of our will to enter into what he has made possible for us. The Holy Spirit will help us in much the same way as someone might help us decide when to move into our new house or help us with the actual moving. Our daily prayer should be 'Lord I am yours, and I am willing that the Holy Spirit will help me to move into all that you have made possible. I want this for myself today.' Paul lists some of the things that belong to the old nature which God sees as being in the place of death. Some of them may not apply to us but the attitudes of verse 8 are all too often seen in the lives of Christians. We may not be guilty of the things Paul mentions in verse 5, but what about the ones he names in verse 8? One is just as bad as the other in God's sight. All of them belong to the old nature-what we were before we came to Christ. . Can we say today 'Lord Jesus, I want my new nature which you have given me to be seen in my life for your sake today? |
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