第77章 上帝对罪人的爱
§1
第77章 上帝对罪人的爱
§2
Chap. 77—God’s Love for Sinners
§3
亲爱的P弟兄：我从你的信看出你是在一种不信的状况中，质疑你的情形是不是有指望。作为基督的使者，我要对你说：应当仰望上帝。祂“爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生”（约3:16）。现在你岂不能从这个仁厚的应许得着勇气吗？撒但会多次告诉你说你是一个罪人；但你可以回答说：确实，我是一个罪人；但基督耶稣降世，为要拯救罪人。”{5T629.1}[1]
§4
Dear Brother P,I see by your letter that you are in a state of unbelief, questioning whether there is hope in your case. As Christ’s ambassador I would say to you: “Hope thou in God.” He “so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Now cannot you take courage from this gracious promise? Satan may tell you many times that you are a sinner; but you can answer: “True, I am a sinner; but ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’”?{5T 629.1}[1]
§5
耶稣说过：我来不是召义人，乃是召罪人悔改。祂又说：“我告诉你们，一个罪人悔改，在天上也要这样为他欢喜，较比为九十九个不用悔改的义人欢喜更大”（路15:7）。你不愿相信这些宝贵的话语吗？你不愿把它们领受到心里吗？“当趁耶和华可寻找的时候寻找祂，相近的时候求告祂。恶人当离弃自己的道路；不义的人当除掉自己的意念。归向耶和华，耶和华就必怜恤他；当归向我们的上帝，因为上帝必广行赦免”（赛55:6-7）。这个应许岂不是宽广深厚丰富的吗？你还能要更多吗？你不愿让主就在这里为你竖起旌旗抵挡仇敌吗？撒但随时准备偷走上帝赐福的保证。他想要拿走人心中的每一线希望和亮光；但你务必不可让他这么做。要运用信心；打信心美好的仗；要与这些疑惑较力；要熟悉主的应许。{5T629.2}[2]
§6
Said Jesus: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” And again: “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” Will you not believe these precious words? Will you not receive them into your heart? “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Is not this promise broad and deep and full? Can you ask more? Will you not allow the Lord right here to erect a standard for you against the enemy? Satan is ready to steal away the blessed assurances of God. He desires to take every glimmer of hope and every ray of light from the soul; but you must not permit him to do this. Exercise faith; fight the good fight of faith; wrestle with these doubts; become acquainted with the promises.?{5T 629.2}[2]
§7
“我对义人说：‘你必定存活！’他若倚靠他的义而作罪孽，他所行的义都不被记念。他必因所作的罪孽死亡。再者，我对恶人说：‘你必定死亡！’他若转离他的罪，行正直与合理的事；……他必定存活，不至死亡。他所犯的一切罪必不被记念。他行了正直与合理的事，必定存活。”（结33:13-16）。{5T629.3}[3]
§8
“When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again,?when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; ... he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.”?{5T 629.3}[3]
§9
“我朝见耶和华，在至高上帝面前跪拜，当献上什么呢？岂可献一岁的牛犊为燔祭吗？耶和华岂喜悦千千的公羊，或是万万的油河吗？我岂可为自己的罪过献我的长子吗？为心中的罪恶献我身所生的吗？世人哪，耶和华已指示你何为善。祂向你所要的是什么呢？只要你行公义，好怜悯，存谦卑的心，与你的上帝同行”（弥6:6-8）。当撒但进来，要试探你放弃一切希望时，要向他指出这些话。要与大卫一同祈祷说：“求祢不要记念我幼年的罪愆和我的过犯；耶和华啊，求祢因祢的恩惠，按祢的慈爱记念我。耶和华是良善正直的，所以祂必指示罪人走正路。祂必按公平引领谦卑人，将祂的道教训他们”（诗25:7-9）。{5T630.1}[4]
§10
“Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” When Satan comes in to tempt you to give up all hope, point him to these words. Pray with David: “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will He teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way.”?{5T 630.1}[4]
§11
“耶和华说：你们来，我们彼此辩论。你们的罪虽象朱红，必变成雪白；虽红如丹颜，必白如羊毛。你们若甘心听从，必吃地上的美物，若不听从，反倒悖逆，必被刀剑吞灭。这是耶和华亲口说的”（赛1:18-20）。这些都是应许，明白而确切，丰富而完全；但它们都是基于条件的。你若服从那些条件，岂不就能信赖主实现祂的话吗？要把这些有福的应许镶在信心的框架里，放在记忆的厅堂里。它们连一个都不会落空。上帝言出必行。“因为那应许我们的是信实的”（来10:23）。{5T630.2}[5]
§12
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Here are the promises, plain and definite, rich and full; but they are all upon conditions. If you comply with the conditions, can you not trust the Lord to fulfill His word? Let these blessed promises, set in the framework of faith, be placed in memory’s halls. Not one of them will fail. All that God hath spoken He will do. “He is faithful that promised.”?{5T 630.2}[5]
§13
你要做的那份工作已清楚地摆在你面前了：“你们要洗濯、自洁，从我眼前除掉你们的恶行，要止住作恶，学习行善，寻求公平，解救受欺压的；给孤儿伸冤，为寡妇辨屈”（赛1:16-17）。“恶人若还人的当头和所抢夺的，遵行生命的律例，不作罪孽，他必定存活，不至死亡”（结33:15）。主宣布：“你本国的子民还说：‘主的道不公平。’”“以色列家啊，你们当听，我的道岂不公平吗？你们的道岂不是不公平吗？”“所以主耶和华说：‘以色列家啊，我必按你们各人所行的审判你们。你们当回头离开所犯的一切罪过。这样，罪孽必不使你们败亡。你们要将所犯的一切罪过尽行抛弃，自做一个新心和新灵。以色列家啊，你们何必死亡呢？主耶和华说：我不喜悦那死人之死，所以你们当回头而存活’”（结33:17;18:25;30-32）。{5T630.3}[6]
§14
The work which you have to do on your part is plainly set before you: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the?evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” “If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.” The Lord declares: “The children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal.” “Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not My way equal? are not your ways unequal?” “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God; and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”?{5T 630.3}[6]
§15
在这里主已清楚启示了祂拯救罪人的旨意。许多人对于主愿不愿意救他们表示怀疑与不信，他们所采取的这种态度有损上帝的品格。那些报怨祂严厉的人实际上是在说：“主的道不公平。”但祂显然驳回了罪人的诋毁：“‘你们的道岂不是不公平吗？’当你们不悔改，不离弃你们的罪时，我能赦免你们的过犯吗？”在我已摆在你面前的圣经的话中，充分维护了上帝的品格。当罪人悔改并离弃自己的罪以便上帝能与他寻求品格完全的努力同工时，主必接纳他。这些应许并非模棱两可的，但人若遵守条件，这些应许在基督里“都是是的。所以藉着祂也都是阿们的，叫上帝因我们得荣耀”（林后1:20）。上帝在为世界的罪赐下祂的儿子时，全部的目的乃是人可以得救，不是在犯罪和不义中，而是在于离弃罪，洗涤自己品格的衣袍，并将之在羔羊的血里洗白净。祂打算从人除掉祂所憎恶的冒犯性的东西，但人必须在这项工作中与上帝合作，放弃并憎恨罪，因信接受基督的义。神与人要这样合作。{5T631.1}[7]
§16
Here the Lord has plainly revealed His will concerning the salvation of the sinner. And the attitude which many assume in expressing doubts and unbelief as to whether the Lord will save them is a reflection upon the character of God. Those who complain of His severity are virtually saying: “The way of the Lord is not equal.” But He distinctly throws back the imputation upon the sinner: “‘Are not your ways unequal?’ Can I pardon your transgressions when you do not repent and turn from your sins?” The character of God is fully vindicated in the words of Scripture I have placed before you. The Lord will receive the sinner when he repents and forsakes his sins so that God can work with his efforts in seeking perfection of character. The promises are not yea and nay, but if man complies with the conditions, they are, in Christ, “yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory?of God by us.” The whole purpose in giving His Son for the sins of the world is that man may be saved, not in transgression and unrighteousness, but in forsaking sin, washing his robes of character, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb. He proposes to remove from man the offensive thing that He hates, but man must co-operate with God in the work. Sin must be given up, hated, and the righteousness of Christ must be accepted by faith. Thus will the divine co-operate with the human.?{5T 631.1}[7]
§17
我们应该当心，不要给怀疑和不信留地步，免得在我们绝望的心态中抱怨上帝，向世人误表祂。这会使我们置身于撒但一边。他说：“可怜的人哪，我怜悯你，在罪下悲痛；但上帝没有怜悯。你久已期待一线希望；但上帝丢下你，让你灭亡，并在你的不幸中感到满足。”这是一个可怕的欺骗。不要听从那试探者，而要说：“耶稣已经死过，使我可以活着。祂爱我，不愿要我灭亡。我有一位满有同情的天父；虽然我滥用了祂的爱，浪费了他厚赐我的福惠，但我要起来，到我父那里去，说：‘我得罪了，……从今以后，我不配称为祢的儿子，把我当作一个雇工吧’”（路15:19）。这个比喻告诉你浪子会如何受到接纳。“相离还远，他父亲看见，就动了慈心，跑去抱着他的颈项，连连与他亲嘴”（路15:20）。圣经就这样描绘了上帝乐愿接受悔改、回转的罪人。{5T632.1}[8]
§18
We should beware that we do not give place to doubt and unbelief, and in our attitude of despair complain of God and misrepresent Him to the world. This is placing ourselves on Satan’s side of the question. “Poor souls,” he says, “I pity you, mourning under sin; but God has no pity. You long for some ray of hope; but God leaves you to perish, and finds satisfaction in your misery.” This is a terrible deception. Do not give ear to the tempter, but say: “Jesus has died that I might live. He loves me, and wills not that I should perish. I have a compassionate heavenly Father; and although I have abused His love, though the blessings He has graciously given me have been squandered, I will arise, and go to my Father, and say: ‘I have sinned, ... and am no more worthy to be called Thy son: make me as one of Thy hired servants.”’ The parable tells you how the wanderer will be received. “When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” Thus the Bible represents God’s willingness to receive the repentant, returning sinner.?{5T 632.1}[8]
§19
但是就连这个实在慈怜感人的比喻，也没有充分表达天父无限的怜悯同情。主藉先知宣布说：“我以永远的爱爱你，因此我以慈爱吸引你”（耶31:3）。虽然罪人离天父的家还远，还在异乡浪费自己的财物，但天父仍然倾心于他；而且人心被唤醒的每一个归回上帝的渴望都不过是祂灵的温柔恳求，请求、劝说、吸引浪子归向他天父的爱心。{5T632.2}[9]
§20
But even this parable, tender and touching as it is, comes short of expressing the infinite compassion of the heavenly Father. The Lord declares by the prophet: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore?with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” While the sinner is yet far from his Father’s house, wasting his substance in a strange country, the Father’s heart is yearning over him; and every longing awakened in?the soul to return to God is but the tender pleading of His Spirit, wooing, entreating, drawing the wanderer to his Father’s heart of love.?{5T 632.2}[9]
§21
既有如此丰富的圣经应许摆在你面前，你还能有什么置疑的余地呢？当一个可怜的罪人渴望回头，渴望离弃罪恶之时，你能相信主会严酷地予以拒绝，不准他来到祂的脚前悔改吗？请除掉这样的思想吧！再没有比这些想法更能羞辱上帝的了。再没有比怀存这样关于天父的观念更能伤害你自己的心灵了。若有关于上帝的这种观念，我们全部的属灵生命都会染上一种无望的色调。这些观念会阻碍一切寻求上帝或侍奉祂的努力。我们务必不可以为上帝只是一位随时准备对我们进行宣判的法官。祂固然憎恶罪恶；但祂却怜爱罪人，在基督里舍了祂自己，好使凡愿意的都可以得救，并在荣耀的国里享有永远的福乐。{5T633.1}[10]
§22
With the rich promises of the Bible before you, can you still give place to doubt? Can you believe that when the poor sinner longs to return, longs to forsake his sins, the Lord sternly withholds him from coming to His feet in repentance? Away with such thoughts! Nothing can be more dishonoring to God than these ideas. Nothing can hurt your own soul more than to entertain such thoughts of our heavenly Father. Our whole spiritual life will catch a tone of hopelessness from such conceptions of God. They discourage all effort to seek God or to serve Him. We must not think of God only as a judge ready to pronounce sentence against us. He hates sin; but from love to sinners He gave Himself, in the person of Christ, that all who would might be saved and have eternal blessedness in the kingdom of glory.?{5T 633.1}[10]
§23
主亲自宣布了祂已被撒但恶意歪曲了的品格。祂启示自己为“耶和华，耶和华，是有怜悯有恩典的上帝，不轻易发怒，并有丰盛的慈爱和诚实，为千万人存留慈爱，赦免罪孽、过犯和罪恶”（出34:6-7）。有什么语言比祂所选向我们表示祂的爱时使用的语言更加强烈更温柔呢？祂说：“妇人焉能忘记她吃奶的婴孩，不怜恤她所生的儿子？即或有忘记的，我却不忘记你”（赛49:15）。{5T633.2}[11]
§24
The Lord Himself declares His character that Satan has malignantly set in a false light. He has revealed Himself as “The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” What stronger or more tender language could have been employed than He has chosen in which to express His love toward us? He declares: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”?{5T 633.2}[11]
§25
在救赎的计划中，“慈爱和诚实彼此相遇；公义和平安彼此相亲”（诗85:10）。全智、全能的上帝，住在不可近的光中，乃是充满仁爱，充满良善的。所以你这怀疑而战兢的人，要归荣耀于上帝；因为耶稣活着为我们代求。要把荣耀归给上帝，因为祂赐下了祂的爱子，而且祂为我们死必不至归于徒然。{5T633.3}[12]
§26
In the plan of redemption, “mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” The all-wise, all-powerful God, He who dwells in light unapproachable, is full of love, of goodness. Therefore give glory to God, ye that are doubting and trembling; for Jesus lives to make intercession for us. Give God the glory for the gift of His dear Son and that He has not died for us in vain.?{5T 633.3}[12]
§27
P弟兄啊，你问我你曾否犯了那在今生与来生都不得赦免的罪。我的回答是：我看不出分毫的凭据证明有此情形。什么构成得罪圣灵的罪呢？那就是故意把圣灵的工作归功于撒但。举例来说，假使一个人是为上帝圣灵特别的工作作见证，他有令人信服的凭据，证实这工作是与圣经相符，而且圣灵也与他的心一同证明那是出于上帝的。可是到了后来，他陷于试探之下；骄傲，自满，或是其他的恶习性制服了他；并且他否认一切足以证明这工作神圣性的凭据，竟称他以前所承认的圣灵之能力是撒但的能力。上帝是藉着圣灵为媒介在人心上作工；当人故意拒绝圣灵，说它是出于撒但之时，他们就是割断了上帝能与他们交往的通路。他们既否认上帝所乐于赐给他们的凭据，就杜绝了那曾照亮他们心上的光，结果他们就落在黑暗之中。基督的话便这样证明了：“你里头的光若黑暗了，那黑暗是何等大呢”（太6:23）？在短时期之内，犯这种罪的人外表上看来仍是上帝的子民；但到了环境改变，要显明他们的品格，及表现他们的精神态度究竟如何之时，便发现他们是在仇敌的立场上，站在他的黑旗之下。{5T634.1}[13]
§28
Brother P, you ask if you have committed the sin which has no forgiveness in this life or in the life to come. I answer: I do not see the slightest evidence that this is the case. What constitutes the sin against the Holy Ghost? It is willfully attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit. For example, suppose that one is a witness of the special work of the Spirit of God. He has convincing evidence that the work is in harmony with the Scriptures, and the Spirit witnesses with his spirit that it is of God. Afterward, however, he falls under temptation; pride, self-sufficiency, or some other evil trait, controls him; and rejecting all the evidence of its divine character, he declares that that which he had before acknowledged to be the power of the Holy Spirit was the power of Satan. It is through the medium of His Spirit that God works upon the human heart; and when men willfully reject the Spirit and declare it to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. By denying the evidence which God has been pleased to give them, they shut out the light which had been shining in their hearts, and as the result they are left in darkness. Thus the words of Christ are verified: “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” For a time, persons who have committed this sin may appear to be children of God; but when circumstances arise to develop character and show what manner of spirit they are of, it will be found that they are on the enemy’s ground, standing under his black banner.?{5T 634.1}[13]
§29
我的弟兄啊，圣灵今天招请你。你当全心来就耶稣。忏悔你的罪，向上帝承认，抛弃一切罪孽，预备自己能承受祂的诸般应许。“仰望我，就必得救”（赛45:22），乃是祂恩惠的招请。{5T634.2}[14]
§30
My brother, the Spirit invites you today. Come with your whole heart to Jesus. Repent of your sins, make confession to God, forsake all iniquity, and you may appropriate to yourself all His promises. “Look unto Me, and be ye saved,” is His gracious invitation.?{5T 634.2}[14]
§31
日子要到，那时上帝烈怒的可怖的谴责，要向一切对祂顽固不忠的人们发出。这将是上帝必秉公义说话并行骇人的大事，报应凡干犯祂律法之人的时候。但你却不必列身于那些在上帝怒气之下的人群中。现今就是祂拯救的日子。从髑髅地的十字架所发出来的光，正是清楚明亮地照着，显明耶稣，我们的赎罪“牺牲”。当你读到我给你所提到的诸般应许之时，须记得它们都是表达那说不出的爱与慈怜。无穷慈爱之主的伟大心肠，存有无涯无尽的怜悯，是倾向罪人的。“我们藉这爱子的血得蒙救赎，过犯得以赦免”（弗1:7）。是啊，只要相信上帝是你的帮助者。祂欲在人的身上恢复祂的道德形像。当你认罪悔改前来靠近祂时，祂也要以慈悲及饶恕来就近你。我们所有的都是欠主的。祂是我们救恩的创始者。当你恐惧战兢地作成自己得救的工夫之时，“都是上帝在你们心里运行，为要成就祂的美意”（腓2:13）。{5T634.3}[15]
§32
The day will come when the awful denunciation of God’s wrath will be uttered against all who have persisted in their disloyalty to Him. This will be when God must speak and?do terrible things in righteousness against the transgressors of His law. But you need not be among those who will come under the wrath of God. It is now the day of His salvation. The light from the cross of Calvary is now shining forth in clear, bright rays, revealing Jesus, our Sacrifice for sin. As you read the promises which I have set before you, remember they are the expression of unutterable love and pity. The great heart of infinite Love is drawn toward the sinner with boundless compassion. “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Yes, only believe that God is your helper. He wants to restore His moral image in man. As you draw nigh to Him with confession and repentance, He will draw nigh to you with mercy and forgiveness. We owe the Lord everything. He is the author of our salvation. As you work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”?{5T 634.3}[15]