双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：9月17日 社会救赎

9月17日

社会救赎

我们靠着圣灵，凭着信心，等候所盼望的义。

加拉太书5:5

已故的C.S.刘易斯在他的大作《基督徒的行为》中说：“盼望是神学美德之一。因我们对永恒​世界的期待，并不像现代人所认为的那样，是逃避现实或凭空想象，而是基督徒应该持守的盼望。这不是说我们对当今的世界要无所作为。只要读过历史你就会发现，对这世界贡献最大的，正是那些对未来的世界关注最多的基督徒。正因为基督徒大多不去思考另一个世界，所以在这个世界上他们才不能发挥作用。”C.S.刘易斯说，“你若定睛天国，就会胜过世界；你若定睛世界，将一无所得。”

在当今这个悲观、忧郁、沮丧的世代，有一道明亮的盼望之光，那就是耶稣基督的应许：“我若去为你们预备了地方，就必再来……”（约翰福音14:3）。

个人救恩的性质完全建立在主耶稣基督祂自己和祂的工作上。圣经说，“你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信，这并不是出于自己，乃是神所赐的；也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸”（以弗所书2:8-9）。

但圣经也告诉我们，人类社会的救赎——就是重整人类社会的不公、战争、贫穷和疾病，终有一天会脱离人类的掌控，因为我们无法藉着教育、进化、政治、技术、军事力量或科学来实现这种重整。一个世界性的教会也无法实现这一目标，因为它无法影响各国国会和议会的立法，从而产生人类的善行、消除所有仇恨、邪恶和罪恶。

人类社会的救赎只有靠耶稣基督再来的大能，通过天国公义的原则才能得以实现。这预言中救赎的实现，适用于人类生活和国家生存的每一个阶段。

今日祷告：

天父，藉着祢的圣灵，我们才能持守耶稣再来的盼望，使一切归正；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

September 17

SALVATION OF SOCIETY

We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.Galatians 5:5

The late C.S.Lewis,in his remarkable book Christian Behavior,said,“Hope is one of the theological virtues.”This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not,as some modern people think,a form of escapism or wishful thinking,but one of the things a Christian is meant to do.It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is.If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were those who thought the most of the next.It is only since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they’ve become so ineffective in this one.“Aim at heaven,”said C.S.Lewis,“and you will get earth thrown in.Aim at earth,and you will get neither.”

In the midst of the pessimism,gloom,and frustration of the present hour there is one bright beacon of light of hope-and that is the promise of Jesus Christ,“If I go and prepare a place for you,I will come again”(John 14:3).

The whole nature of individual salvation rests squarely on the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.The Scripture says,“For by grace are ye saved through faith;and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God:not of works,lest any man should boast”(Ephesians 2:8-9).

But the Bible also teaches that the salvation of society-in the reordering of man’s social injustice,war,poverty,and disease-will be taken out of man’s hands someday.We’re not going to achieve all this by education,evolution,politics,technology,military power,or science.Nor will it be achieved by a universal church that can influence legislation in the congresses and parliaments of nations so as to produce such benevolent acts of man that all hate,evil,and sin will be abolished.

The salvation of society will come about by the powers and forces released by the apocalyptic return of Jesus Christ.It will come through the Kingdom of God in its principles of righteousness.It will be the prophesied fulfillment of redemption applied to every phase of human life and national existence.

Pray for the Day:

Father,it is through Your Holy Spirit that we hold onto the hope that Jesus will return and make everything right;in Jesus’Name,Amen.