悔改的強烈動機Powerful Motives to Repentance
摘编者：Shane Lems/Maria Marta
湯姆·華森（Thomas Watson）所著的小册子《悔改真義》（The Doctrine
of Repentance）是忏悔罪的绝佳资源。他在第七章列举了一份「悔改的强烈动机」的清单。我根据篇幅和可读性，编辑如下一些动机。 悔改和谦卑有什么益处呢？ 我们为什么需要真实悔改我们的罪呢？
一、憂傷及熔化的心使我們成為聖潔，合乎主用
一個鉛快沒有什麼用途，但熔化了就可以倒進任何模型內，作成各種不同的合用器皿。同樣地，心若在罪中剛硬，不會有什麼用途，若心悔改熔化了，就變成有用的。一顆熔化的心最適合禱告（徒九11）；一顆熔化的心能聽上帝的話（代下卅四19）；一顆熔化的心易於順服（徒廿二10）。
二、上帝非常喜悅人的悔改
上帝唯獨喜悅破碎的心靈（詩五十一17）。奧古斯丁說，馬利亞的眼淚比她給耶穌的膏油更可貴（路七38）。淚水是懇求憐憫最有力的呼求，它雖靜默無聲，卻在說：「耶和華聽了我哀哭的聲音」（詩六8）。
三、悔改能將我們的一切事奉獻給上帝
破碎的心在祭壇前的禱告是蒙上帝悅納的（路十八14）。禱告若沒有觸動悔罪的心靈，就無法觸動上帝的耳朵。我們知道當我們悔改时，上帝垂聽我們的禱告；這是何等的福分！
四、悔改既是苦澀，又是甘甜
悔改雖然苦澀，卻有甜蜜的果效，也帶來內心的安寧。奧古斯丁說：「人因罪而憂愁，卻因憂愁而喜樂」。婦人臨盆生子的時候痛不欲生，一旦孩子出生她就歡喜快樂（約十六21）。悔改的憂愁與源自上帝的喜樂相遇。
五、在重罪𥚃的悔改必蒙憐憫
「你們的罪雖像硃紅，必變成雪白」（賽一18）。喔，我的罪惡何等深重！千萬要悔改，不要使罪加重；悔改會把罪完全消去，像從未發生過一樣。
六、悔改使天上歡樂
「一個罪人悔改，在上帝的使者面前也是這樣為他歡喜」（路十五10）。人若忽略救恩，執迷在罪中，只會使魔鬼竊喜；但一個靈魂悔改歸回基督，這將使天使歡欣。
七、不悔改意味著心剛硬
剛硬的心是最壞的，我們稱之為石心（結卅六26）。不悔改是個罪，令基督傷心（可三5）。剛硬的心無法領受教導，它使人無法善盡自己的責任。與彼得一同哭泣悔改吧，因為剛硬的心就如鐵砧，承受上帝公義的鐵錘無止盡的敲打。
八、悔改使哀傷的日子很快地結束
眼睛在經歷幾場淚水的洗滌後，必享受無盡的陽光。基督會預備手帕擦乾祂兒女的眼淚（啓七17）。信徒們啊，你們很快便要穿上讚美的衣裳，以白袍代替麻衣，以凱歌代替嘆息，以頌讚代替呻吟，以生命泉代替流淚泉。這樣的日子即將來臨，上帝要審判不虔敬的人，這豈不激動人快快悔改嗎！悔改的人到那日必要安慰地仰起臉來，蒙審判者的親自赦免。
摘編自《悔改真義》（The Doctrine of
Repentance），第七章 悔改的強烈動機，95-106頁，湯姆·華森（Thomas Watson）著/ 蔣黃心湄譯，改革宗出版有限公司，2016四版。http://www.crtsbooks.net/product/thedoctrineofrepentance.aspx
Powerful
Motives to Repentance
by
Reformed Reader
Thomas
Watson’s little booklet on repentance is an excellent resource on confessing
sin. In chapter seven he gives a list of
“powerful motives to repentance.” Here
are some of them, edited a bit for length and readability. What are the benefits of a repentance and
humility? Why should we truly repent of
our sins?
1)
Sorrow and melting of heart fits us for every duty. A piece of lead, while it is in the lump, is
of no use; but melt it, and you can form it into any shape, and it is made
useful. So a heart that is hardened by
sin is good for nothing, but a heart softened by repentance is useful. A melting heart is fit to pray (Acts
9:11). A melting heart is fit to hear
the word (2 Chr. 34:19). A melting heart
is fit to obey (Acts 9:6).
2)
Repentance is acceptable to God. The
Lord will not despise a contrite and broken heart (Ps. 51:17). Augustine said Mary’s tears were better than
the ointment she brought Jesus (Luke 7:38).
Tears are loud cries for mercy.
They are silent, but they have a voice: ‘The Lord has heard the voice of
my weeping’ (Ps. 6:8).
3)
Repentance commends all our services to God.
Prayer is delightful to God when it ascends from the altar of a broken
heart. No prayer touches God’s ear but
what comes from a heart touched with the sense of sin; consider the publican
for example (Luke 18:14). We know God
hears us when we repent; this is a great blessing.
4)
Repentance is bitter and sweet.
Repentance, though bitter in itself, yet it is sweet in the
effects. It brings inward peace. Augustine said, ‘Let a man grieve for his sin
and rejoice for his grief.’ A woman in
childbirth has sorrow, but once the child is born there is joy (John 16:21). The sorrow of repentance is met with joy from
God.
5)
Great sins repented of shall find great mercy.
Though our sins are of a scarlet color, God’s mercy can wash them away
(Is. 1:18). You say, ‘Oh, but my sins
are too many to number!’ Do not make
them greater by not repenting.
Repentance unravels sin and makes it as if it had never been. With the Lord is plentiful forgiveness. We sinned, Christ bled.
6)
Repentance makes joy in heaven. The
angels rejoice when a sinner repents (Luke 15:10). When men neglect the offer of salvation and
freeze in sin, this delights the devils, but when a soul is brought home to
Christ by repentance this makes joy among angels.
7)
Lack of repentance means a hard heart – and a hard heart is the worst
heart. It is called a heart of stone
(Ezek. 36:26). Hard-heartedness is a sin
that grieves Christ (Mark 3:5). A hard
heart is not malleable; it is untuned for every duty. Weep with Peter in repentance, for a hard
heart is the anvil on which the hammer of God’s justice will be striking to all
eternity.
8)
The days of our mourning will soon be over.
After a few showers fall from our eyes we will have perpetual
sunshine. Christ will provide a
handkerchief to wipe off his people’s tears (Rev. 7:17). You who repent will shortly put on garments
of praise; you’ll exchange your sackcloth for white robes, and instead of your
sighs you will have shouts of triumph.
This will happen when Christ returns and makes all things new. The repentant soul shall at the last day lift
up his head with comfort and be acquitted by the Judge himself.
The
entire section can be found in Thomas Watson, The Doctrine of Repentance,
chapter 7.
rev
shane lems
covenant
presbyterian church (OPC)
hammond,
wi