双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：9月5日 新造的人

9月5日

新造的人

这样，怎么说呢？我们可以仍在罪中，叫恩典显多吗？断乎不可！我们在罪上死了的人，岂可仍在罪中活着呢？

罗马书6:1-2

先知以西结说：“我也要赐给你们一个新心，将新灵放在你们里面”（以西结书36:26）。在使徒行传中，彼得称之为悔改归正。保罗在罗马书中称其为“从死里复活”（罗马书6：13）。保罗在歌罗西书3：9-10说是，“脱去旧人和旧人的行为，穿上新人；这新人在知识上渐渐更新，正如造他主的形像”。提多称之为“重生的洗和圣灵的更新”（提多书3：5）。彼得说这是“与神的性情有份”（彼得后书1：4）。约翰称它为“出死入生”（约翰福音5：24）。在英国教会的教理问答中，它被称为“向罪而死，向义而活”。

因此，圣经教导我们，人可以经历神亲自带来的属灵和道德上的彻底改变。耶稣在约翰福音3：3论“重生”所用的单词被翻为“再一次”，实际上它的意思是“从上面而来”。约翰福音三章上下文教导我们，重生是在人愿意向神降服时，神为人所做的事。人本身并没有新生命的种子，这是从神而来的。

一天，有只毛毛虫爬到树上，大自然给它披上了一件纤维长袍。它睡着了，几个星期后，它变成了一只美丽的蝴蝶。因此，但凡痛苦、沮丧、不快乐、受良心谴责和情绪控制、被自私支配、好争斗、困惑、愁苦、酗酒、服用巴比妥类药物、寻求逃避现实的人，都可以凭信心来到基督面前，成为一个新人。这听起来难以置信，甚至不可能，但这正是圣经所教导的。

你觉得自己活在茧中吗？转向基督，求祂给你美丽的翅膀，使你可以飞越于你的问题之上，得胜它们。

今日祷告：

天父，我们祈求祢赐给我们顺服祢的勇气，赐给我们对祢的爱，使我们不再回到那已被除去的罪恶过犯中；奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。

September 5

THE NEW PERSON

What shall we say then?Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?God forbid.How shall we,that are dead to sin,live any longer therein?Romans 6:1-2

The prophet Ezekiel said,“A new heart also will I give you,and a new spirit will I put within you”(Ezekiel 36:26).In the book of Acts,Peter called it repenting and being converted.Paul speaks of Romans as being“alive from the dead”(Romans 6:13).In Colossians Paul calls it“[a putting off of]the old man with his deeds;and[putting]on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him”(3:9-10).In Titus he calls it“the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost”(Titus 3:5).Peter said it was being“partakers of the divine nature”(2 Peter 1:4).John termed it passing“from death unto life”(John 5:24)).In the Church of England catechism it is called“a death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness.”

Thus the Bible teaches that man can undergo a radical spiritual and moral change that is brought about by God Himself.The word that Jesus used,and which is translated“again,”actually means“from above,”The context of the third chapter of John teaches that the new birth is something that God does for man when man is willing to yield to God.Man does not have within himself the seed of the new life;this must come from God Himself.

One day a caterpillar climbs up into a tree where nature throws a fiber robe about him.He goes to sleep,and in a few weeks he emerges a beautiful butterfly.So man-distressed,discouraged,unhappy,hounded by conscience,driven by passion,ruled by selfishness,belligerent quarrelsome,confused,depressed,miserable,taking alcohol and barbiturates,looking for escapisms-can come to Christ by faith and emerge a new man.This sounds incredible,even impossible,and yet it is precisely what the Bible teaches.

Do you feel you are in a cocoon?Turn to Christ and ask Him to give you your beautiful wings so that you might soar above your problems and be victorious over them.

Pray for the Day:

Father,we pray that You will give us the courage to obey You,the love for You that we would never turn back to that sin that was so destroyed;in Jesus’Name,Amen.