双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：12月4日 纯正福音

12月4日

纯正福音

基督在创世以前，是预先被神知道的，却在这末世，才为你们显现；你们也因着他，信那叫他从死里复活，又给他荣耀的神，叫你们的信心，和盼望，都在于神。

彼得前书1:20-21

今天，当世界领袖们努力解决那些看似难以克服的问题时，当暴风雨的乌云笼罩着大地时，这种黑暗和危险的局面，恰恰突显出耶稣基督的光芒，祂宣称“我是世界的光；跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走，必要得着生命的光”（约翰福音8:12）。祂是“上帝的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。”（约翰福音1:29）。祂是古代以色列所应许的弥赛亚；祂是绝望无助的外邦人的盼望——包括世界上大多数人，无论是非洲人、亚洲人、美洲人还是欧洲人。

在所有福音事工中，我从来没有觉得有必要让耶稣去“适应”我所宣教的众多不同国籍、文化、部落或种族。我相信语境化。我会尝试根据特定听众的文化背景，改编例证或强调某些真理，以帮助他们更清楚地理解福音。但福音的基本真理不会改变。万物都是由祂而造的，祂托住受造的万有，所以祂救赎恩典的信息适用于所有人。关于祂为童贞女所生，祂无罪的生命、祂的牺牲和代死、祂的复活和升天到父的右边，以及祂再来的荣耀盼望，这些事实绝不可以以任何方式被淡化或扭曲。

今日祷告：

父啊，求祢保守我和其他肢体口中所传的纯正福音，使福音被传开、被信服以及被遵从，愿人都顺服祢；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

December 4

ADAPTED OR ADOPTED?

He was chosen before the creation of the world,but was revealed in these last times for your sake.Through him you believe in God,who raised him from the dead and glorified him,and so your faith and hope are in God.1 Peter 1:20-21,NIV

Today,as world leaders struggle with seemingly insurmountable problems,as storm clouds gather around the globe,this darkening and menacing situation simply accentuates the brightness of the One who proclaimed,“I am the light of the world:he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,but shall have the light of life”(John 8:12).He is“the Lamb of God,which taketh away the sin of the world!”(John 1:29).He is the promised Messiah of ancient Israel.He is the hope of the hopeless,helpless Gentiles-which includes most of the population of the world,whether they be African,Asian,American,or European.

In all my evangelistic ministry I have never felt a need to“adapt”Jesus to the many and varied nationalities,cultures,tribes,or ethnic groups to whom I have preached.I believe in contextualization.I try to adapt illustrations or emphasize certain truths that will help a particular audience understand the Gospel more clearly in light of their cultural background.But the essential truths of the Gospel do not change.All things were created by Him and He sustains all creations,so the message of His saving grace is applicable to all.The facts concerning His virgin birth,His sinless life,His sacrificial and substitutionary death,His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father,and the glorious hope of His return must not be diluted or distorted in any way.

Pray for the Day:

Father,keep the Gospel pure as it goes forth from my lips and from the lips of the rest of Your Body,so that the Gospel will be proclaimed and believed and followed and that You will be obeyed;in Jesus’Name,Amen.