認識基本的衝突Understandingthe Basic Conflict
[每日靈修] 9/20/2018, 駱鴻銘編譯
傑奇博士（Dr. Jekyll）和海德先生（Mr. Hyde）的故事可能成為基督徒生活的一個寓言。 我們的肢體裏有一場戰爭，在新與舊之間、罪惡與美德之間、犯罪與順從之間，會不斷發生衝突。我們似乎得了道德的精神分裂症。這是聖經所謂的「舊人」和「新人」之間的鬥爭。
每當我聽到福音傳道者宣告：「來到耶穌面前，你所有的問題都將結束，」我都會因為聽見不實廣告而感到畏縮。我感到畏縮，是因為這個承諾與我的經歷、我的屬靈朝聖相衝突。
從某種意義上說，在我成為基督徒之後，我的生活才變得複雜起來。在我回轉（悔改歸信）之前，我只能和一個人爭鬥，就是那舊人。我的精神生活只有一個維度（one-dimensional）。我是海德先生。傑奇博士從未露面打擾過我。
在我回轉之前，我已經死在過犯罪惡中。正如保羅在以弗所書第二章描述未重生之人的經歷一樣，我「隨從今世的風俗，順服空中掌權者的首領，就是現今在悖逆之子心中運行的邪靈。」（第2節）。
但如今我是基督徒了。我已經活過來，認識到上帝的事，上帝重生的恩典使我有了新的生命。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
進一步研讀：
弗二1～3 你們死在過犯罪惡之中，他叫你們活過來。那時，你們在其中行事為人，隨從今世的風俗，順服空中掌權者的首領，就是現今在悖逆之子心中運行的邪靈。我們從前也都在他們中間，放縱肉體的私慾，隨著肉體和心中所喜好的去行，本為可怒之子，和別人一樣。
弗四21 如果你們聽過他的道，領了他的教，學了他的真理，就要脫去你們從前行為上的舊人，這舊人是因私慾的迷惑漸漸變壞的；又要將你們的心志改換一新，並且穿上新人；這新人是照著神的形像造的，有真理的仁義和聖潔。
西二三9～10 不要彼此說謊；因你們已經脫去舊人和舊人的行為，穿上了新人。這新人在知識上漸漸更新，正如造他主的形像。
Understanding
the Basic Conflict
The story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde could be an
allegory for the Christian life. There is a war in our members, a constant
conflict between the old and the new, between vice and virtue, sin and
obedience. We seem to be moral schizoids. It is a struggle between what the
Bible calls the “old man” and the “new man.”
Whenever I hear an evangelist declare, “Come to
Jesus and all your problems will be over,” I cringe because I am hearing false
advertising. I cringe because this promise conflicts with my experience and my
spiritual pilgrimage.
In one sense, my life didn’t become complicated
until I became a Christian. Before my conversion, I only had one man with which
to contend—the old man. My spiritual life was one-dimensional. I was Mr. Hyde.
Dr. Jekyll never showed up to bother me.
Prior to my conversion, I was dead in trespasses
and sins. As Paul describes the course of the unregenerate person in Ephesians
2, I “walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of
the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (v.
2).
But now I am a Christian. I have been made alive to
the things of God, being quickened to new life by the regenerating grace of God.
Coram Deo
Thank God that you no longer walk according to the
course of this world and the prince of the power of the air.
Passages for Further Study
Ephesians 2:1–3