作者: Burk Parsons 譯者: Maria Marta
我們是健忘的人。我們常常忽略創造的威嚴，以及它是如何將我們的視線引向我們主權、聖潔、恩慈的造物主的。我們忘記歸榮耀給創造與維持我們的上帝。我們忘記為所有的福份向上帝感恩。我們忘記向上帝禱告，我們忘記讚美上帝。我們忘記上帝有豐盛的慈愛。我們忘記耶穌基督為了我們，在我們裡面，藉著我們所做的工作。我們忘記耶穌基督成全律法的一生，我們忘記祂贖罪犧牲之死。我們忘記祂的復活，我們忘記我們正在等候復活。我們忘記耶穌基督正在父上帝的右邊，替我們祈求。我們忘記耶穌基督將會回來，審判活人、死人。我們忘記上帝無所不知，祂知道我們的心思意念。我們忘記聖靈的位格和大能。我們忘記聖靈住在我們裡面，我們是上帝的殿。我們忘記上帝按照祂的旨意和良善的美意在我們身上作工。我們忘記上帝使萬事互相效力，叫愛祂的人得益處，就是按祂旨意被召的人。我們忘記我們與基督聯合，在基督裡我們的救恩是保障的。我們忘記我們與耶穌基督一同坐在天上。我們忘記上帝在新天新地把一切都更新。我們忘記上帝的應許。我們忘記法律。我們忘記福音。我們忘記上帝的信實。然而，上帝永遠不會忘記我們。
在整本聖經裡，我們信實，立約的上帝不斷提醒我們：「我記念」（創九15；利廿六42；結十六60）。上帝不會忘記我們，以及祂對我們的永恒的承諾。雖然我們很容易懷疑和忘記上帝，但上帝曾應許，祂決不允許我們在最後會忘記祂。為了幫助我們記住祂，上帝為我們提供了充足的管道，使我們能夠記住祂。上帝賜給我們祂默示、可靠、無誤的聖言，祂賜給我們能力，使我們能夠明白它，愛它，並把它藏在心裡。此外，上帝在耶穌基督的位格與工作中，把祂自己賜給我們。耶穌基督是上帝道成肉身，祂是永恒的道，「是神榮耀所發的光輝，是神本體的真像」（來一3）。對基督的基礎性認識是聖靈的工作，聖靈征服，蘇醒，釋放我們的心，使我們能夠認識耶穌基督。
如果上帝讓我們最後忘記祂，就不會有祂（預先所安排的）兒子的基業（譯按：參弗一4新譯本）。但因為在基督裡上帝不再記念我們的罪，為了基督的緣故，為了祂的榮耀和我們永遠的好處，上帝會讓我們永遠記住祂。
本文原刊於Tabletalk雜誌2016年十二月號 。
God Never Forgets Us
by Burk Parsons
We are a forgetful people. We too often overlook the majesty of creation
and how it directs our gaze to our sovereign, holy, and gracious Creator. We
forget to give God glory for creating us and for sustaining us. We forget to
thank Him for all blessings. We forget to pray to Him, and we forget to praise
Him. We forget His steadfast and abounding love. We forget what Christ has done
for us, in us, and through us. We forget Christ’s law-fulfilling life, and we
forget His sacrificial, atoning death. We forget His resurrection, and we
forget that we are awaiting resurrection. We forget that Christ is interceding
for us at the right hand of the Father. We forget that Christ is coming back to
judge the living and the dead. We forget that God is all-knowing and knows the
intentions of our hearts. We forget the person and power of the Holy Spirit. We
forget that the Holy Spirit dwells within us and that we are the temple of God.
We forget that God is at work in us both to will and to work according to His
good pleasure. We forget that God is working all things together for good for
those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. We forget that we
are united to Christ and that our salvation is secure in Christ. We forget that
we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places. We forget that God will make
all things new in the new heaven and new earth. We forget God’s promises. We
forget the law. We forget the gospel. We forget God’s faithfulness. And yet,
God never forgets us.
Throughout Scripture, our faithful, covenant Lord reminds us, “I will
remember” (Gen. 9:15; Lev. 26:42; Ezek. 16:60). He will not forget us and His
everlasting promises to us. And though we are prone to wander and forget God,
God has promised that He will never allow us to forget Him in the end. In order
to help us remember Him, our Lord has provided us with abundant means to
remember Him. The Lord has given us His inspired, authoritative, and inerrant
Word, and He has given us the ability to know it, to love it, and to hide it in
our hearts. Moreover, the Lord has given us Himself in the person and work of
Jesus Christ. As God incarnate, Christ is the eternal Word, the “radiance of
the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Heb. 1:3). And
foundational to knowing Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit who has made us
know Christ by conquering, quickening, and liberating our hearts.
If God were to let us forget Him finally, there would be no inheritance
for His Son. But because God remembers our sin no more in Christ, He will, for
the sake of Christ, cause us to remember Him now and forever, for His glory and
our eternal good.