双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：12月17日 神就是爱

12月17日

神就是爱

 没有爱心的，就不认识神；因为神就是爱。神差祂独生子到世间来，使我们藉着祂得生，神爱我们的心，在此就显明了。

约翰一书4:8-9

从创世记到启示录，从地上最大的悲剧到地上最大的胜利，人的最低谷和神的最高峰，这戏剧性的故事可以用这一行美好的语句来表达：“神爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生”（约翰福音3:16）。

许多人误解了神本质的属性——爱。“神就是爱”并不意味着一切都是甜蜜、美丽和幸福的，也不意味着神的爱不可能允许对罪的惩罚。

神的圣洁要求所有的罪都要受到惩罚，但神的爱为罪人提供了救赎和拯救的计划。神的爱提供了耶稣基督的十字架，使人可以得到宽恕和洁净。正是神的爱将耶稣基督送上了十字架。

谁能描述或衡量神的爱？圣经启示了一个事实：神就是爱。当我们传讲正义时，正义里包含着爱。当我们传讲公义时，公义建基于爱。当我们传讲赎罪时，赎罪是爱的计划，由爱提供，由爱给予，由爱完成，因爱而需要赎罪。当我们传讲基督复活时，我们是在传讲爱的神迹。当我们传讲基督再来时，我们是在传讲爱的实现。

今日祷告：

天父，祢的爱奇妙！求祢帮助我像祢爱我一样去爱别人；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

December 17

GOD IS LOVE

He who does not love does not know God for God is love.In this the love of God was made manifest among us,that God sent his only Son into the world,so that we might live through him.1 John 4:8-9,RSV

From Genesis to Revelation,from earth’s greatest tragedy to earth’s greatest triumph,the dramatic story of man’s lowest depths and God’s highest heights can be couched in twenty-five beautiful words:“For God so loved the world,that he gave his only begotten Son,that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,but have everlasting life”(John 3:16).

Many people misunderstand the attribute of God’s nature which is love.“God is love”does not mean that everything is sweet,beautiful,and happy,and that God’s love could not possibly allow punishment for sin.

God’s holiness demands that all sin be punished,but God’s love provided a plan of redemption and salvation for sinful man.God’s love provided the Cross of Jesus Christ by which man can have forgiveness and cleansing.It was the love of God that sent Jesus Christ to that cross.

Who can describe or measure the love of God?The Bible is a revelation of the fact that God is love.When we preach justice,it is justice tempered with love.When we preach righteousness,it is righteousness founded on love.When we preach atonement,it is atonement planned by love,provided by love,given by love,finished by love,necessitated because of love.When we preach the resurrection of Christ,we are preaching the miracle of love.When we preach the return of Christ,we are preaching the fulfillment of love.

Pray for the Day:

Father,Your love is amazing.Help me to love others in the way that You love me;in Jesus’Name,Amen.