双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：9月23日 争战流血

9月23日

争战流血

我们藉这爱子的血，得蒙救赎，过犯得以赦免，乃是照祂丰富的恩典。

以弗所书1：7

我们身陷一场属灵的争战，这是一场上帝与撒但之间的力量的角力，我们必须选择立场。

圣经警戒我们，不要被这个宇宙的邪恶所蒙蔽，撒但的谎言与真理巧妙地混在一起。当牠试探基督时，牠逻辑清晰，甚至引用圣经。因此，圣经要基督徒与世上所有的邪恶划清界限，与它们分开。使徒保罗说：“（主）又说：‘你们务要从他们中间出来，与他们分别，不要沾不洁净的物，我就收纳你们。’”（哥林多后书6：17）。

耶稣与税吏和罪人一起吃饭（见马可福音2：16）。那时，几乎每一个与祂交往的人都是被弃绝的，但祂与他们并非纯粹是社会关系，更是救赎关系。

在这一点上，我们不要混淆了，这方面很容易造成困惑。神的意思是不要我们与世界同流合污，而是要向世人作见证。我们要爱神所爱之人的世界，要与哀哭的人同哀哭（见罗马书12：15），与受苦的人同受苦，要与穷人、病人和有需要的人同在。

这是我们的困难之处：要与世人交往并爱他们，同时又不被他们污染、影响或左右。只有与基督亲密同行、不住祷告，时时寻求圣灵的引导，才能做到这样的分别。神为我们提供了抵挡世界、与世界分别的能力，我们应当在生命的每一刻运用这种能力。

我们身处世界之中，但世界不应在我们里面。船在海里是好事，但海水若进到船里就不好了。正如我们的主所祷告的：“我不求祢叫他们离开世界，只求祢保守他们脱离那恶者”（约翰福音17：15）。

今日祷告：

天父，不要让我们脱离世界，而是让我们成为世界的见证。求祢叫我们远离罪恶，保守我们在祢面前纯全、圣洁；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

September 23

BLOOD FOR THE BATTLE

In whom we have redemption through his blood,the forgiveness of sins,according to the riches of his grace.Ephesians 1:7

We are involved in a spiritual conflict.This is a battle between the forces of God and the forces of Satan.We must choose sides.

The Bible warns us about being taken in by the evil of this cosmos.Satan’s lies are cleverly mixed with truth.When he tempted Christ,he was convincingly logical and even quoted Scripture.So the Bible proposes that Christians make a clean break with all the evils of the world and that we be separated from them.The apostle Paul said,“Wherefore come out from among them,and be ye separate,saith the Lord,and touch not the unclean thing;and I will receive you”(2 Corinthians 6:17).

Now Jesus ate with publicans and sinners(see Mark 2:16).Nearly everyone He associated with was an outcast.But His relationship with them was not purely social;it was redemptive.

Now we are not to get our worlds mixed up at this point.This is where the confusion lies.God meant that we are not to mingle with the world,but we are to witness to the world.We are to love the world of men whom God loves.We are to weep with those who weep(see Romans 12:15),suffer with those who suffer,and identify ourselves with the poor,the sick,and the needy.

This then is our problem:to associate with and love those who are involved in the world no without being contaminated,influenced,or swayed by them.This distinction can only be achieved by a close walk with Christ,by constant prayer,and by seeking the Holy Spirit’s leadership every hour of the day.God has provided us the power to resist the world and be separated from it,and it is ours to appropriate that power every hour of our lives.

We are in the world,but the world is not to be in us.It is good for a ship to be in the sea,but bad when the sea gets into the ship.As our Lord prayed,“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil”(John 17:15).

Pray for the Day:

Father,don’t take us out of the world,but make us a witness to the world.But keep us from doing what is evil.Keep us pure and holy and in Your presence;in Jesus’Name,Amen.