第54章 基督对于跟随祂的人非常宝贵
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第54章 基督对于跟随祂的人非常宝贵
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Chapter 54—The Preciousness of Christ to His Followers
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[《给传道人和工人的特别证言》系列一，第9号，1897年，第75-80页。]
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（澳大利亚库兰邦，1896年5月4日）
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读了你充满沮丧精神的来信，我很难过。请阅读弗2:4-22。这段经文是为了你赐给我的。请仔细读这段经文，就象从未读过一样。其中充满了教训。基督因信住在我们心里，意味着默想基督，注视基督，始终珍爱救主为我们最好最尊贵的朋友，使我们不以任何行动使祂忧伤，得罪祂。我们始终有以下的应许安慰和帮助我们：“你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信；这并不是出于自己，乃是上帝所赐的”（弗2:8）。{TM 387.1}[1]
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[Special Testimonies, Series A 9:75-80 (1897).]
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[Cooranbong, Australia,May 4, 1896]
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I felt sorry when I read your letter breathing so depressed a spirit. Read?Ephesians 2:4-22. This scripture has been given me for you. Read it carefully, as you never read it before. It is full of instruction. Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith means the contemplation of Christ, beholding Christ, ever cherishing the dear Saviour as our very best and honored Friend, so that we would not in any action grieve and offend Him. We have always this promise to comfort and help us: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”?{TM 387.1}[1]
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要谨记撒但邪恶的阴影在任何时候都不会不投在我们的道路上，以阻挡我们的信心，蒙蔽公义的日头耶稣临格的光芒。我们的信心不可摇摆，而要穿透那阴影。我们的经验不应被埋没在怀疑的黑暗里。我们的信心不是凭感觉，而是凭真理。受到灵感的使徒论到我们是建造在使徒和先知的根基上，有耶稣基督自己为头块的房角石。说基督的教会被建造成“上帝藉着圣灵居住的所在”（弗2:22）。如果我们的“爱心有根有基”，我们就“能以和众圣徒一同明白基督的爱是何等长阔高深；并知道这爱是过于人所能测度的”（弗3:17-19）。这是多么宝贵的前景和鼓励啊！在清除了一切道德杂质的人心里，住着宝贵的救主，洁净和提高整个人性，使他成为圣灵的殿。{TM 387.2}[2]
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Bear in mind, the time will never come when the hellish shadow of Satan will not be cast athwart our pathway to obstruct our faith and eclipse the light emanating from the presence of Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness. Our faith must not stagger, but cleave through that shadow. We have an experience that is not to be buried in the darkness of doubt. Our faith is not in feeling, but in truth. The inspired apostle speaks of our being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone. The church of Christ is represented as being built for “an habitation of God through the Spirit.” If we are “rooted and grounded in love,” we shall “be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” Oh, precious possibilities and encouragement! In the human heart cleansed from all moral impurity dwells?the precious Saviour, ennobling, sanctifying the whole nature, and making the man a temple for the Holy Spirit.?{TM 387.2}[2]
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【基督是个人的救主】
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那么基督是个人的救主吗？我们身上带着主耶稣的死。那是我们的生命，救恩和公义。我们无论到哪里去，都默想我们亲爱的主。我们正凭着活泼的信心住在基督里。祂也藉着我们个人相应的信心住在我们心里。我们有上帝同在。当我们体会到这种同在时，我们的心意就被夺回，顺服耶稣基督。我们属灵的操练是与我们对这种交往的生动体验相一致的。以诺曾这样与上帝同行。我们若思考基督对我们的意义，以及祂在救赎计划中为我们所成就的工作，基督就因信住在我们心里了。我们若培养对上帝赐与我们世界和我们个人这一伟大恩赐的感悟，就必极其喜乐。{TM 388.1}[3]
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【Christ a Personal Saviour】
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Then is Christ a personal Saviour? We bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, which is life and salvation and righteousness to us. Wherever we go, there is the recollection of One dear to us. We are abiding in Christ by a living faith. He is abiding in our hearts by our individual appropriating of faith. We have the companionship of the divine presence, and as we realize this presence, our thoughts are brought into captivity to Jesus Christ. Our spiritual exercises are in accordance with the vividness of our sense of this companionship. Enoch walked with God in this way; and Christ is dwelling in our hearts by faith when we will consider what He is to us, and what a work He has wrought out for us in the plan of redemption. We shall be most happy in cultivating a sense of this great gift of God to our world and to us personally.?{TM 388.1}[3]
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这些思考对于整个品格有一种控制的能力。我希望你铭记，你若愿意，就可以始终得到一位神圣伴侣的同在。“上帝的殿和偶像有什么相同呢？因为我们是永生上帝的殿；就是上帝曾说：我要在他们中间居住，在他们中间来往；我要作他们的上帝，他们要作我的子民”（林后6:16）。当我们思考基督时，品格就按上帝的形象塑造。心中充满了对于祂良善、仁爱的感悟。我们默想祂的品格，祂就这样占据了我们的全部思想。祂的爱包围我们。我们向正午耀眼的太阳凝视片刻，然后再转移目标，太阳的形像就会出现在我们所看的一切事物上。我们凝视耶稣也是如此；凡我们所看的一切都必反映祂公义日头的形像。我们再不能看见或谈论别的事物了。祂的形像已经印在心灵的眼目之上，并影响我们日常生活的每一部分，使我们的整个性情都变得温和柔顺。藉着凝视，我们得以效法上帝的形像，就是基督的样式。我们会向一切所交往的人反映祂那光明快乐的公义光线。我们的品格已经改变了；因为我们的心、灵、意念都反映那爱我们为我们舍己之主的光辉。在这里再次实现了那因信住在我们心里的一种个人的活泼的感化力。{TM 388.2}[4]
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These thoughts have a controlling power upon the whole character. I want to impress upon your mind that you may have a divine companion with you, if you will, always. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” As the mind dwells upon Christ, the character is molded after the divine similitude. The thoughts are pervaded with a sense of His goodness, His love. We contemplate His character, and thus He is in all our thoughts. His love encloses us. If we gaze even a moment upon the sun in its meridian glory, when we?turn away our eyes, the image of the sun will appear in everything upon which we look. Thus it is when we behold Jesus; everything we look upon reflects His image, the Sun of Righteousness. We cannot see anything else, or talk of anything else. His image is imprinted upon the eye of the soul and affects every portion of our daily life, softening and subduing our whole nature. By beholding, we are conformed to the divine similitude, even the likeness of Christ. To all with whom we associate we reflect the bright and cheerful beams of His righteousness. We have become transformed in character; for heart, soul, mind, are irradiated by the reflection of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. Here again there is the realization of a personal, living influence dwelling in our hearts by faith.?{TM 388.2}[4]
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【耶稣常与我们同在】
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我们既已接受祂的训诲，并被祂的训诲所控制，耶稣就常与我们同在，支配我们的思想，意念和行动。我们被人间最伟大教师的训诲所感染。我们对人类的责任及感化力的认识，就会影响我们对人生和日常职责的看法。耶稣基督是我们的一切——在凡事上为始，为终，为至善。耶稣基督，祂的灵，祂的品格，给凡事染上色彩，是织成我们整个人生的经纬。基督的话乃是灵，是生命。因而我们的思想不可集中于自我；活着的不再是我们，乃是基督在我们里面活着。祂是那荣耀的盼望。自我是死的，而基督是一位永活的救主。我们不住地仰望耶稣，便将祂的形像反映于四围的人。我们不能停下来思虑自己失意的事，甚至连谈论也不可以；因为一幅更愉快的画面吸引了我们的目光——耶稣宝贵的爱。祂藉着真理的道住在我们里面。{TM 389.1}[5]
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【Abiding Presence of Jesus】
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When His words of instruction have been received, and have taken possession of us, Jesus is to us an abiding presence, controlling our thoughts and ideas and actions. We are imbued with the instruction of the greatest Teacher the world ever knew. A sense of human accountability and of human influence gives character to our views of life and of daily duties. Jesus Christ is everything to us—the first, the last, the best in everything. Jesus Christ, His Spirit, His character, colors everything; it is the warp and the woof, the very texture of our entire being. The words of Christ are spirit and life. We cannot, then, center our thoughts upon self; it is no more we that live, but Christ that liveth in us, and He is the hope of glory. Self is dead, but Christ is a living Saviour. Continuing to look unto Jesus, we reflect His image to all around us.?We cannot stop to consider our disappointments, or even to talk of them; for a more pleasant picture attracts our sight—the precious love of Jesus. He dwells in us by the word of truth.?{TM 389.1}[5]
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基督在雅各井旁对那撒玛利亚妇人说什么呢？“你若知道上帝的恩赐，和对你说‘给我水喝’的是谁，你必早求祂，祂也必早给了你活水。”“凡喝这水的，还要再渴。人若喝我所赐的水就永远不渴。我所赐的水，要在他里头成为泉源，直涌到永生”（约4:10,13,14）。基督所提到的水乃是祂圣言中祂恩典的启示；祂的灵、祂的教训是每一个人满足的泉源。人们所寻求的其它一切泉源总是不令人满意的。但真理的道仿佛清凉的川流，如黎巴嫩的水，常使人满足。在基督里有满足的喜乐，直到永远。属世的愿望，享受与娱乐根本不能使人心满意足，也不能医治人的心灵。但耶稣说“吃我肉、喝我血的人就有永生”（约6:54）。{TM 390.1}[6]
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What said Christ to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well? “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.” “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” The water that Christ referred to was the revelation of His grace in His word; His Spirit, His teaching, is as a satisfying fountain to every soul. Every other source to which they shall resort will prove unsatisfying. But the word of truth is as cool streams, represented as the waters of Lebanon, which are always satisfying. In Christ is fullness of joy forevermore. The desires and pleasures and amusements of the world are never satisfying nor healing to the soul. But Jesus says, “Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life.”?{TM 390.1}[6]
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基督在祂的圣言中恩惠的临格不住地向人心说话，说明祂是那活水的泉源，使干渴的人恢复精神。我们有特权得到一位永活、常在的救主。祂是注入我们里面的属灵能力的源头。祂的感化力必在我们的言行中涌流出来，使我们所影响的人精神振作，在他们心里激发愿望与志向，追求力量与纯正、圣洁与平安，以及不会带来悲伤的喜乐。这就是救主住在心中的结果。{TM 390.2}[7]
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Christ’s gracious presence in His word is ever speaking to the soul, representing Him as the well of living water to refresh the thirsting soul. It is our privilege to have a living, abiding Saviour. He is the source of spiritual power implanted within us, and His influence will flow forth in words and actions, refreshing all within the sphere of our influence, begetting in them desires and aspirations for strength and purity, for holiness and peace, and for that joy which brings no sorrow with it. This is the result of an indwelling Saviour.?{TM 390.2}[7]
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【基督的代求】
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耶稣说：“我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了”（太28:20）。祂曾经降世为人在地上行走。祂的神性披覆了人性，是一个多受痛苦，常受试探，被撒但的诡计包围的人。祂在凡事上受试探，与我们一样，祂知道如何搭救被试探的人。现在祂在上帝的右边，在天上作我们的辩护者，为我们代求。想到这一点，我们总能得到安慰和盼望。祂正想念在世上受试探的人。祂想着我们每一个人，也知道我们的每一个需要。在遭遇试探的时候，我们只须说，祂关怀我，祂为我代求，祂爱我，祂已经为我死。我要把我自己毫无保留地献给祂。当我们为自己哀伤，好像我们是自己的救主时，我们就使基督的心忧伤。不行！我们必须把保守自己心灵的事交给信实的创造主上帝。祂是长远活着，为经受考验和试探的人代求。要对那公义日头的明亮光线敞开你们的心。不要让一丝怀疑、一句不信的话从你们的口中说出，免得你们撒下怀疑的种子。有丰盛的福惠为我们预备。让我们凭信心抓住它们吧。我恳劝你们要在主里刚强壮胆。上帝的力量是属于我们的。让我们谈论勇气、力量和信心吧。请阅读《以弗所书》第三章。实行其中的教训。在任何情况下都要为上帝作活泼的见证。{TM 391.1}[8]
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【The Intercession of Christ】
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Jesus says, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” He walked once a man on earth, His divinity clothed with humanity, a suffering, tempted man, beset with Satan’s devices. He was tempted in all points like as we are, and He knows how to succor those that are tempted. Now He is at the right hand of God, He is in heaven as our advocate, to make intercession for us. We must always take comfort and hope as we think of this. He is thinking of those who are subject to temptations in this world. He thinks of us individually, and knows our every necessity. When tempted, just say, He cares for me, He makes intercession for me, He loves me, He has died for me. I will give myself unreservedly to Him. We grieve the heart of Christ when we go mourning over ourselves as though we were our own savior. No; we must commit the keeping of our souls to God as unto a faithful Creator. He ever lives to make intercession for the tried, tempted ones. Open your heart to the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and let not one breath of doubt, one word of unbelief, escape your lips, lest you sow the seeds of doubt. There are rich blessings for us; let us grasp them by faith. I entreat you to have courage in the Lord. Divine strength is ours; and let us talk courage and strength and faith. Read the third chapter of Ephesians. Practice the instruction given. Bear a living testimony for God under all circumstances.?{TM 391.1}[8]