與上帝合作Cooperating with God
[每日靈修] 10/1/2018, 駱鴻銘編譯
馬丁路德曾給出以下類比：當我們被稱義時，就好像醫生剛剛對某種致命疾病採取了保證見效的治療方法。雖然患者可能仍然要忍受暫時的鬥爭，繼續對抗他疾病的殘餘勢力，但最終的結果已經確定了。即使還必須進行復建治療，醫生可以宣布患者已被治癒。
我們的稱義也是如此。在基督裏，上帝藉著將祂兒子的功德歸算給我們，來宣告我們為義人。伴隨著這個宣言，上帝也在我們裏面注入一些東西；祂賜我們聖靈。聖靈立刻開始在我們裏面工作，帶領我們過聖潔的生活。
新約在成聖方面包含了一個響亮的反合論（paradox）。聖經說：「當恐懼戰兢做成你們得救的工夫。因為你們立志行事都是神在你們心裏運行。」（腓二12b-13a）。請注意，這裏有兩個行為主體在工作。我們蒙召去工作，上帝也應許會工作。我們稱這種活動為「協同作用」（synergism）。這是上帝與人之間的合作成果。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
你是否在成聖的過程中與上帝合作，還是你完全依賴祂來畢竟全功？
進一步研讀：
林後六2 因為他說：『在悅納的時候，我應允了你；在拯救的日子，我搭救了你。』看哪！現在正是悅納的時候；現在正是拯救的日子。
羅十三11 再者，你們曉得現今就是該趁早睡醒的時候；因為我們得救，現今比初信的時候更近了。
腓二12 這樣看來，我親愛的弟兄，你們既是常順服的，不但我在你們那裏，就是我如今不在你們那裏，更是順服的，就當恐懼戰兢做成你們得救的工夫。
Cooperating with God
Martin
Luther gave the following analogy: When we are justified, it is as though a
doctor has just administered a sure and certain remedy for a fatal disease.
Though the patient may still endure a temporary struggle with the residual
effects of his illness, the outcome is no longer in doubt. The physician
pronounces the patient cured even though a rehabilitation process must still be
carried out.
So it
is with our justification. In Christ, God pronounces us just by the imputation
of the merits of His Son. Along with that declaration, God administers
something to us; He gives us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit begins
immediately to work within us to bring us to holy living.
The
New Testament contains a ringing paradox with respect to sanctification. The
Bible says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for God is at
work within you both to will and to do” (Phil. 2:12b–13a). Notice that there
are two agents working here. We are called to work and God promises to work as
well. We call this activity synergism. It is a cooperative effort between God
and man.
Coram
Deo
Are
you cooperating with God in the process of sanctification or are you depending
on Him to do it all?
Passages
for Further Study
2
Corinthians 6:2
Romans
13:11
Philippians
2:12