成為新造的人Becominga New Creation
[每日靈修] 9/21/2018,
駱鴻銘編譯
身為基督徒，我們是新造的人（新的創造）。我們的石心已經變成了肉心。在這個比喻中，肉心是取其積極義，而非貶義。我的心曾經是冷漠、頑固、死的，對上帝的事是冥頑不靈、無動於衷的，如今它跳動著，伴隨著活潑的屬靈生活。我曾經在生物學上算是活的，在屬靈上卻是死的。如今我在生物學上是活的，而在靈性上也是活的。我是一個新人。
我的新我和舊我之間，有一種基本的不連續（radical discontinuity）。然而，這種基本的不連續，卻非毫不相干（total discontinuity）。舊人和新人之間的關聯依然存在。這位舊人受到了致命的打擊。他肯定會徹底滅亡，但他還沒死透。
基督徒生命中的衝突是一種與罪的爭戰。如果我們在基督裏，罪就不再統治我們了，但罪仍在我們裏面。重生將我們從原罪的束縛中釋放出來，但我們敗壞的本性，在天堂的這一邊卻還沒有完全消滅。
保羅談到肉體和靈魂之間發生的戰爭。 「因為情慾和聖靈相爭，聖靈和情慾相爭，這兩個是彼此相敵，使你們不能做所願意做的。」（加五17）
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
感謝上帝，祂已經將新的肉心植入到你的屬靈生命中。
進一步研讀：
加五16～17 我說，你們當順著聖靈而行，就不放縱肉體的情慾了。因為情慾和聖靈相爭，聖靈和情慾相爭，這兩個是彼此相敵，使你們不能做所願意做的。
林後五17 若有人在基督裏，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。
Becoming
a New Creation
As Christians, we are new creations. Our hearts of
stone have been turned into hearts of flesh. In this metaphor, flesh is used as
a positive figure, not a pejorative one. Where once my heart was cold and
recalcitrant, dead and inert to the things of God, now it throbs and pulsates
with spiritual life. Once I was biologically alive but spiritually dead. Now I
am biologically alive and spiritually alive as well. I am a new person.
There is radical discontinuity between my new self
and my old self. This radical discontinuity, however, is not total
discontinuity. A link between the old man and the new man remains. The old man
has been dealt a mortal blow. His total destruction is certain, but he is not
yet dead.
The conflict of the Christian life is a struggle
with sin. Sin no longer has dominion over us if we are in Christ, yet sin is
still in us. Regeneration liberates us from the bondage of original sin, but
our corrupt nature is not totally annihilated this side of heaven.
Paul speaks of the warfare that goes on between the
flesh and the spirit. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do
the things that you wish” (Gal. 5:17).
Coram Deo
Thank God for the new heart of flesh He has
implanted in your spiritual being.
Passages for Further Study
Galatians 5:16–17 2 Corinthians 5:17