效法父Imitating the Father
[每日靈修] 2/12/2018, 駱鴻銘編譯
經文：所以，你們該效法神，好像蒙慈愛的兒女一樣。2) 也要憑愛心行事，正如基督愛我們，為我們捨了自己，當作馨香的供物和祭物，獻與神。（弗五1～2）
若我們要窮究神的愛，明白其意義的長闊高深，可以透過兩種方法：從上到下，或從下到上。藉著從上到下，我們聚焦在聖經提到「神的愛」這個屬性的每一處經文，看這個宣告的完整表達，然後看佩帶祂形象的人如何反射這種性情。
或者我們可以從下到上，默想神關於愛的誡命，並且從神的律法的亮光中分辨出祂自己的性情（因為每一條律法都反映出祂的屬性，祂完美的律法也都是從祂的屬性發出的）。
使徒保羅號召我們要憑愛心行事來效法神（弗五1～2）。其次，這種效法被視為是效法基督，因為基督是新亞當，祂完美地顯明了神的愛。祂是父的愛子。祂最愛神，也最愛我們。無論是在垂直的關係中，還是在水平的關係中，祂都把愛顯明出來。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
在今日默想神的愛，默想愛的最佳榜樣：主耶穌基督。
進一步研讀：
弗五8～11。
8) 從前你們是暗昧的，但如今在主裏面是光明的，行事為人就當像光明的子女。9) 光明所結的果子就是一切良善、公義、誠實。10) 總要察驗何為主所喜悅的事。11) 那暗昧無益的事，不要與人同行，倒要責備行這事的人；
Imitating the Father
If we
are to search out the depths and riches of the meaning of God’s love, we can
approach our quest in two ways. We can work from the top down or from the
bottom up. By working from the top down, we can focus on everything the Bible
says about the character of God’s love, seeing the full expression of the
declaration that “God is love,” and then seeing how that dimension of God’s
character is to be reflected by His image-bearers.
Or we
can proceed from the bottom up, reflecting on God’s commandments to us
regarding love, and discern from this light of His law something of His own
character that stands behind His law and out of which His perfect law proceeds.
The
apostle Paul calls us to imitate God, which is carried out by walking in love
(Eph. 5:1–2). Next, this imitation is viewed as an imitation of Christ—in that
Christ, as the new Adam, perfectly demonstrates the character of the Father’s
love. He is the Beloved of the Father. He is the supreme lover of God and lover
of our souls as well. He shows love both in its vertical and horizontal
relationships.
Coram
Deo
Meditate
today on God’s love and the supreme example of love, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Passages
for Further Study
Ephesians
5:1–2
Ephesians
5:8–11