倚靠上帝的恩典Relying on God’s Grace
[每日靈修] 12/9/2018, 駱鴻銘編譯
有功德的苦難神學的諷刺之處在於它往往會產生與其初衷完全相反的效果。最初只是要人謙卑地願意受苦的呼召，變成了一種自義的狡猾工具。也許我們要完成的最艱鉅的任務就是倚靠上帝的恩典，而且是唯獨上帝的恩典來拯救我們。我們的驕傲很難依靠恩典。恩典是給其他人的——給乞丐的。我們不想靠天上的福利制度生活。我們想要用自己的方法去賺取，也為自己贖罪。我們自認為我們會去天堂，因為我們有資格在那裏。
我可能忍受的一切苦難都無法讓我在天堂賺得一席之地。我也不能通過苦難來配得基督的功德。我完全是一個無用的僕人，必須倚靠另一個人的功德才能得救。
如果我們的苦難能填補基督的榮耀，我們就可以和保羅一樣為此感到高興。我們可以為我們的迫害感到高興，並期待基督所應許的祝福。但基督所應許的祝福，是極大賞賜的祝福，是恩典的賞賜。即使不是賺來的，也會給我們的應許。
奧古斯丁這樣說道：「我們在天上的賞賜是上帝為祂自己的恩賜加上冠冕的結果。全是恩典。」
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
感謝上帝賜予你天上的賞賜，這是上帝為祂自己的恩賜加上冠冕的結果。
進一步研讀：
西一24 現在我為你們受苦，倒覺歡樂；並且為基督的身體，就是為教會，要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠。
羅八18 我想，現在的苦楚若比起將來要顯於我們的榮耀就不足介意了。
林後四16 所以，我們不喪膽。外體雖然毀壞，內心卻一天新似一天。我們這至暫至輕的苦楚，要為我們成就極重無比、永遠的榮耀。原來我們不是顧念所見的，乃是顧念所不見的；因為所見的是暫時的，所不見的是永遠的。
Relying on God’s Grace
The
irony of the theology of meritorious suffering is that it tends to produce the
very opposite effect from its original intention. What began as a call to
humble willingness to suffer became an insidious tool for self-righteousness.
Perhaps the most difficult task for us to perform is to rely on God’s grace and
God’s grace alone for our salvation. It is difficult for our pride to rest on
grace. Grace is for other people—for beggars. We don’t want to live by a
heavenly welfare system. We want to earn our own way and atone for our own
sins. We like to think that we will go to heaven because we deserve to be
there.
All
the suffering I could possibly endure could not earn me a place in heaven. Nor
can I merit the merit of Christ through suffering. I am altogether an
unprofitable servant who must rely on someone else’s merit to be saved.
With
Paul we can rejoice in our sufferings if they enhance the glory of Christ. We
can rejoice in our persecutions and look forward to the promised blessing of
Christ. But the blessing Christ promised, the blessing of great reward, is a
reward of grace. The blessing is promised even though it is not earned.
Augustine
said it this way: “Our rewards in heaven are a result of God’s crowning His own
gifts. Sola gratia.”
Coram
Deo
Give
thanks to God for your heavenly rewards, which are the result of God’s crowning
His own gifts.
Passages
for Further Study
Romans
8:18
2
Corinthians 4:16–18