双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：2月28日   中保基督

2月28日  

中保基督

“我小子们哪，我将这些话写给你们，是要叫你们不犯罪。若有人犯罪，在父那里我们有一位中保，就是那义者耶稣基督。”

约翰一书 2:1

很遗憾，在某些情况下，人们会做错事、做傻事。有时候，这些人意识到自己所做的，感到内疚，并努力想扭转他们的生活。但问题是，他们已经犯下了造成很大伤害的错误。最终，那些愚蠢的行为会萦绕在他们心头，他们将面临审判。

在那个时刻，他们可能试图为自己辩护，倾诉心声，表示后悔和道歉，向法庭求情。但是，法官即便再怎样仁慈为怀，也无济于事，因为愚蠢之事已经发生，破坏已经造成，必须要有人付出代价，进行偿还。

在生命的尽头，人们都要到上帝面前交帐。他们会竭力为自己辩护求情。上帝愿意饶恕他们，愿意怜悯他们。但是，谁来承担他们所造成的恶果呢？只有当主耶稣站出来，看着父神说：“我来接受惩罚，我来担当罪责，我来代替这人面临审判。”

今日祷告：

耶稣，我需要祢。祢是我的中保。谢谢祢为我承担了一切。我如何能够报答祢呢？奉主耶稣基督的圣名，阿们！

February 28 – Advocate

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

1 JOH N 2 : 1

There are situations, unfortunately, where people do wrong, stupid things. Sometimes these people realize what they have done, feel terrible, and strive to turn their lives around. But the problem is that they have still committed harmful mistakes. Eventually, those foolish acts come around to haunt them and they stand judged.

In that moment, they could try to plead their own case. They could pour out their heart with apologies and ask the court to compassion. But the judge, as benevolent and caring as he might be, is in a no-win situation. That stupid thing still happened, damage was done, and someone still needs to pay for it and restore it.

At the end of their life, people will appear before God. They will plead and pour out. The Judge will want to forgive. He will want to grant mercy. But who then will pay for the damage that has been done? That’s when Jesus will stand up, look at his Father, and declare, “I will take the punishment. I will pay for the damage. I will stand in judgment in this person’s place.”

Pray for the Day:

Jesus, I need you. You are my advocate. Thank you for standing for me and taking the consequences for me. How could I ever repay you? Amen.