晨興聖言-羅馬書五至八章...(W2-4)

第二週．週四

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晨興餧養

羅五３～４　『不但如此，就是在患難中，我們也是誇耀，因為知道患難生忍耐，忍耐生老練，老練生盼望。』

         １１　『不但如此，我們…也就要藉著祂〔我們的主耶穌基督〕，在神裏面誇耀…。』

在恩典的範圍裏，我們在神裏面誇耀。（羅五11。）這裏的誇耀，原文含歡樂意。…我們在神裏面誇耀，在神裏面歡樂。我們站在恩典的範圍裏，行走在平安的路上，就不斷在我們的神裏面誇耀、歡樂。這意思就是我們享受神。

我們天然的人需要聖別、變化並模成。所以，神帶進某些患難和苦難，叫我們得益處。這清楚啟示在羅馬八章二十八至二十九節，那裏告訴我們，神使萬有互相效力，叫我們得益處，使我們模成祂兒子的形像。因此，患難和苦難是為著我們的變化。我們都寶貴平安、恩典和榮耀，但沒有人喜歡患難。（羅馬書生命讀經，一二一至一二二頁。）

信息選讀

患難實際上是恩典連同基督一切豐富的化身。這就如神在耶穌裏成為肉體；表面上祂只是那人耶穌，實際上祂是神。表面上我們的環境是患難，實際上那是恩典。…〔羅馬五章的〕愛、恩典、和平、盼望、生命、和榮耀這六個項目，同著神格的三個身位，都超越患難。然而，患難是恩典的眷臨。

我們若說我們寶貴恩典卻不寶貴患難，這就好像說我們愛神卻不愛耶穌。然而，拒絕耶穌就是拒絕神。同樣，拒絕患難就是拒絕恩典。為甚麼神成為肉體？因為祂要臨到我們。神成為肉體就是祂恩典的眷臨。當然我們都愛神這樣的眷臨。我們若愛祂的眷臨，就必須愛祂的成為肉體。恩典與患難是一樣的；患難是眷臨我們之恩典的化身。雖然我們愛神的恩典，但我們也必須親吻患難，就是恩典的化身，恩典甜美的眷臨。

許多人不喜歡十字架，因為它是苦難、患難。相反的，蓋恩夫人卻親吻每個十字架，等候更多十字架來臨，因為她領悟十字架將神帶給她。…她歡迎十字架，因為她一有十字架，她就有神。患難是十字架，而恩典是神作我們的分，給我們享受。這恩典主要是以患難的形態眷臨我們。

患難的經歷產生忍耐。（3。）這裏的忍耐，意思是堅忍；堅忍是耐心加上受苦的產物。我們沒有人生來就有忍耐，忍耐是藉著忍受患難所產生的。…我們可以在生活的小事上經歷這忍耐。有一件…小事我很討厭，就是有人約會遲到。雖然這樣的遲延對我是苦難，卻幫助我得著忍耐。（羅馬書生命讀經，一二二至一二四頁。）

我們蒙救贖以後，被擺在生命漫長的過程中。有時候在這過程中並不舒適，但神知道我們所需要的一切，好叫祂在我們裏面完成祂的過程。祂知道我們需要在甚麼地方召會聚會，那些弟兄們應當在這處召會中帶領。祂也知道那一個人作我們的妻子或丈夫最好，以及我們該有幾個孩子。不但如此，祂知道我們需要怎樣的工作和怎樣的雇主。祂知道我們一切的需要，以完成這生命的過程。生命的過程由羅馬八章二十八節指明，這節說，『我們曉得萬有都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按祂旨意被召的人。』本節所題的『萬有』包括萬人、萬事與萬物。（李常受文集一九七一年第三冊，三五至三六頁。）

參讀：羅馬書生命讀經，第九篇。

WEEK 2 — DAY 4

Morning Nourishment

Rom. 5:3-4 And not only so, but we also boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance; and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, hope.

            11 And not only so, but also boasting in God through our Lord Jesus Christ…

In the realm of grace we boast in God (Rom. 5:11). The Greek word translated “boast” has at least three meanings: “boast,” “exult,” meaning to rejoice, and “glory.”…As we stand in the realm of grace and walk the way of peace, we constantly boast, exult, and glory in our God. This means that we enjoy God.

Our natural being needs to be sanctified, transformed, and conformed. Therefore, God brings in certain tribulations and sufferings for our good. This is clearly revealed in Romans 8:28-29, where we are told that God causes all things to work together for good that we might be conformed to the image of His Son. Hence, tribulation and suffering are for our transformation. We all appreciate peace, grace, and glory, but no one likes tribulation. (Life-study of Romans, pp. 102-103)

Todays Reading

Tribulation is actually the incarnation of grace with all the riches of Christ. This is similar to the incarnation of God in Jesus. Apparently, He was simply the man Jesus; actually, He was God. Apparently, our environment is tribulation; actually, it is grace…The six items [in Romans 5] of love, grace, peace, hope, life, and glory, along with the three persons of the Godhead all supersede tribulation. Nevertheless, tribulation is a visitation of grace.

If we say that we appreciate grace but not tribulation, it is like saying that we love God but not Jesus. However, to reject Jesus is to reject God. Likewise, to reject tribulation is to reject grace. Why was God incarnated? Because He wanted to come to us. The incarnation of God was His gracious visitation. Surely we all love such a visit from God. If we love His visit, we must love His incarnation. It is the same with grace and tribulation. Tribulation is the incarnation of grace visiting us. Although we love God’s grace, we must also kiss the tribulation, which is the incarnation of grace, the sweet visitation of grace.

Many people dislike the cross because it is a suffering, a tribulation. Madame Guyon, on the contrary, kissed each cross, waiting for more to come, because she realized that the cross brought God to her…She welcomed the cross, for when she had the cross, she had God. Tribulation is a cross, and grace is God as our portion for our enjoyment. This grace mainly visits us in the form of tribulation.

The experience of tribulation produces endurance (v. 3). Endurance is more than patience; it is the product of patience plus suffering. None of us was born with endurance; it is produced by the suffering of tribulation. We may experience this endurance in the small things of life…[A] small thing I hate is when people are late for an appointment. Although such delays are a suffering to me, they help me gain endurance. (Life-study of Romans, pp. 103-104)

After being redeemed, we are put into a long process of life. Sometimes it is not comfortable being in this process, but God knows all that we need for Him to complete His process in us. He knows what local church we need to meet with and what brothers should take the lead in that church. He also knows which wife or husband is best for us and how many children we should have. Moreover, He knows what kind of job and what kind of employer we need. He knows all our needs for the carrying out of this life process. The process in life is indicated by Romans 8:28, which says, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” The “all things” mentioned in this verse include all persons, all matters, and all things. (CWWL, 1971, vol. 3, “Being Saved in Christ’s Life and Walking according to the Spirit for the Building Up of the Body of Christ,” pp. 28-29)

Further Reading: Life-study of Romans, msg. 9