Listen to the Colossians (11): Rebirth After Death

¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4 ESV)


When Paul said to the Colossians, “If then you have been raised with Christ,” he did not say it out of doubt for their faith, rather it was to encourage and challenge them. Like a swimming coach taking a group of graduates to the bay, he told them while pointing to the other side of the shore, “If indeed you have learned how to swim, then jump into the water and swim to the other side.” He would not say that out of his doubt, but rather out of his confidence in their swimming skill. Of course, a true swimmer does not have to take this challenge, but a true Christian must take Paul’s challenge to the Colossians. Therefore, here is a better illustration. On a slowly sinking cruise ship, a swimming coach would tell the new graduates, “If indeed you have learned how to swim, then jump in the water and swim to the shore to save yourself.”


Our minds were all set on things that are on earth, this is what we were good at doing. When we believed in Christ, and have been raised with Him, suddenly it is as if we have acquired a new skill. This new skill we must practice diligently is to seek the things that are above. With this new skill under our belt, we would not automatically forget our old skills. In order to prevent our old self from choking the new life within, Paul reminded us to set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, which are all the pursuits under the sun. Whether we tried to help ourselves, or extend the care to others, the years of our life is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. (Ps. 90:10 ESV) But now that we have been raised with Christ, tasted the powers of the age to come (Heb. 6:5 ESV) and knew that Christ is seated at the right hand of God far above the sun, let us forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, and press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:13-14 ESV)


Resurrection is only possible for those who have died. Therefore, before we were raised with Christ, we have already died. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death. (Rom. 6:4 ESV) When Moses was forty years old and in his prime, with his Hebrew birthright and royal upbringing in Egypt, he recommended himself with zeal to free the Israelites, yet he was abandoned by both the Egyptians and the Israelites and fled for his life into the Midian desert. In his exiled life, he lived as a hired shepherd for forty years. The once young and ambitious Moses was dead, and only an oblivious old chap was waiting for his exit. Yet the LORD God chose this living dead man Moses. Leaving his sheep behind, with his shepherd staff he led the Israelite out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan. By knowing Christ Jesus, we were also dead and non-responsive to this world and all its pleasures of sin, but we are now very much alive to the love of Christ and His gospel, because it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, (Gal. 2:20 ESV) as He is our life. 


When Christ first came into this world, the Word of eternal life was wrapped up in an unattractive and lowly body. For all mortals who seek the eternal life, this is a once-in-a-lifetime hide-and-seek with an amazing reward. And the one who seeks finds. (Matt. 7:8 ESV) When they found Him, they are willingly emptying out their corrupting lives and let Christ move in, so that with Christ wrapping inside of them, they may lead other seekers to find the Word of eternal life. When our lives are thus hidden with Christ in God, in the last day, when the great hide-and-seek has been called off, it will be revealed by fire, (1 Cor. 3:13 ESV) and that all the packaging material will be burned up, and the eternal life of Christ will be unveiled. When Christ finally appears, because we have Christ in us, we also will appear with Him in glory.

Prayer: Our heavenly Father! When we were dead in the trespasses and sin, You made us alive together with Christ! You raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus!

听歌罗西书（11）：死而后生

¹所以你们若真与基督一同复活，就当求在上面的事。那里有基督坐在神的右边。²你们要思念上面的事，不要思念地上的事。³因为你们已经死了，你们的生命与基督一同藏在神里面。⁴基督是我们的生命，他显现的时候，你们也要与他一同显现在荣耀里。【歌三1-4】


当保罗对歌罗西人说“你们若真与基督一同复活”，他表达的不是怀疑，而是激励与挑战。好比一群人学会游泳之后，教练就带他们到海湾，指着对岸对他们说，“你们若真的学会了游泳，就跳下水游到对面去。”他表达的不是怀疑，乃是对他们的信心。当然真正的泳者不是必须要接受这个挑战，但是真正的基督徒却必须要接受保罗对歌罗西人的这个挑战。所以一个更好的比方，就是在一艘缓慢下沉的邮轮上，教练对一群刚刚学会游泳的人说，“你们若真的学会了游泳，现在就跳到海里，逃到对岸去。”


我们从前所擅长的，所思念的，都是地上的事。当我们信了基督，与他一同复活之后，仿佛突然间掌握了一个新本事。这件我们必需要去做的新事，就是求在上面的事。虽然有了新本领，但从前的套路并不会自动忘掉。为了防止里面的“老我”抑制了新生命的成长，保罗提醒我们要思念上面的事，不要思念地上的事。所谓地上的事，就是一切在日光之下的追求，无论是独善其身，还是兼济天下，到头来不过是劳苦愁烦，转眼成空，我们便如飞而去【诗九十10】。但如今我们与基督一同复活，既觉悟来世的权能【来六5】，晓得在日光之上有基督坐在神的右边，就当忘记背后努力面前的，向着标杆直跑，要得神在基督耶稣里从上面召我们来得的奖赏【腓三13-14】。


只有死人，才有复活的资格。所以在我们与基督一同复活之前，早已经死了。我们是借着洗礼归入基督的死，已经和他一同埋葬了【罗六4】。摩西四十岁正当壮年的时候，以纯正希伯来血统加上埃及皇室的栽培，满腔热血地出来要为希伯来人出头。不料被埃及人和以色列人双双弃绝，只身亡命天涯，逃到米甸的旷野，隐姓埋名替人放了四十年的羊。从前那个豪气干云的摩西早已经死了，只剩下一个心灰意冷的垂垂老者。但耶和华神却拣选摩西这个活死人，让他撇下羊群，从死里复活，用他的牧羊杖带领以色列人走出埃及，去往迦南美地。因为认识耶稣基督，我们对于这个世界和其中的罪中之乐也万念俱灰，如同死人；但是对于基督的爱和他的福音却大有能力地活着，而且现在活着的不再是我，基督是我们的生命，是他在我们里面活着【加二20】。


当基督初次降临世界，以其貌不扬的肉身，承载着永生之道。对所有羡慕永生，却难逃一死的人，这仿佛是一个不容错过的，有着惊人回报的捉迷藏。神让一切寻找的，就寻见【太七7】。寻见之后，他们也把自己残败的生命倒空，让基督的生命住进来，让那些还在寻找的，也能从他们的身上寻见基督的永生之道。当我们的生命如此与基督一同藏在神里面，在末日，也就是捉迷藏最终揭晓之时，有火发现【林前三13】，既烧掉一切外面的包装，就能显出基督不朽的生命来。当他如此显现的时候，因着活在我们里面的基督，我们也要与他一同显现在荣耀里。

祷告：天父，感谢你，当我们死在过犯罪恶中，你叫我们与基督一同活过来！又叫我们与基督一同复活，一同坐在天上！

Voyage Upon the Spring Swell

While some people may consider peace of mind as of paramount importance in life, others may brush it aside as unnecessary sentimental of the weak. This somewhat abstract concept that often divides the people suddenly rests upon a solid ground during this global pandemic. Now we have all learned the value of peace in life, even if through a hard way, as this beautiful world brightened by the spring sun was suddenly thrown back into a virtual freeze by the invisible global snowstorm of a virus. Whether young or old, rich or poor, all have been shut indoors without peace. Whether we are wishing for the health to our family and friends, for the global pandemic to get under control, or for the economy to rebound, ultimately we are searching for what we have lost: that inner peace we used to enjoy without due appreciation.


Life is a voyage. Everyday we have stories played out on the deck, some are happy and some are sad. Yet everything that happens above the water line are carried upon quietly by the part that is below. The peace of those who live above the water line rest upon the part that is below. Our visible life really depends on the invisible peace of mind, and each boat of life has its own storm to weather. The moment when water breaks into its lower chamber, the boatman loses his peace. Each time after he successfully plugged the leak and weathered the storm, he would be able to enjoy more of the peace of mind. The current pandemic sweeps across the globe like a super storm. With the warning cry of “Storm ahead and watch for leaks!” surging like tides over towns and countries, they instantly took peace away from millions of boatmen on their voyage of life. Everyone wants to know how long the storm would last, and whether his little boat would survive the onslaught. Perhaps it is time to search for peace at a deeper place: is there lasting peace for boatman amidst stormy sea of life?


At the table of His last supper with disciples, Jesus said, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (Jn. 14:27 ESV) If one is troubled and afraid of the storm, he knows only the peace from the world, not the peace that Jesus gave us. What is the difference? When soldiers stormed the garden of Gethsemane, for Jesus and His disciples, it was a fierce storm of life. In fear all the disciples ran away, and Jesus alone was left to face this overwhelming storm with calm. He bled on the cross and His life was poured to the ground like water. His boat of life publicly disintegrated and sank to the bottom. Three days after He was swallowed by the river of death, Jesus walked upon that water and walked onto the floating boats of His disciples. As soon as they saw the resurrected Jesus, they have received the peace from Him. Since then they were neither troubled nor afraid anymore, but sailed right into their own storms of life with a calmness like Jesus. Though their sails have long disappeared, yet “by the side of a vessel sunk, a thousand sails are floating past.” This peace from Jesus has been passed down throughout generations. Even now in this global pandemic, this peace from Jesus is still with us.


Contrary to the peace of this world, the peace given by Jesus grows ever stronger in the storm. The peace of this world ties to the build of the boat, and it begins to dwindle under the raging storm. But on an early spring morning about two thousand springs ago, Jesus rose from the dead, and have done away with the fear of the river of death. During springtime, many rivers rise because of snow melt and appear much wider than normal. If you go rafting upon such a spring swell, you will see extraordinary sights. On a clear day with blue sky and white clouds reflected by the water around, you will experience what Tang poet Du Fu described, “Upon spring water I feel like boating in heaven.” This water of death that would drown you, can produce a beautiful illusion to appear as a door screen towards heaven. When Jesus rose from the dead, He turned this illusion into a solid ground for His disciples. Ever since, to them life voyage becomes a rafting expenditure to them. They still row as hard as they can, and they would never abandon the boat without a fight. But now they knew that at the end of this voyage, they would return the battered rafts to the rental place, they would retain all the wonderful memory of this rafting trip and move on to a wonderful new life. This is the peace that Jesus gives to everyone who believes in Him, so that without fear and trouble, they would brave their life storms to reach the beautiful shore where He is waiting for us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus! Thank you for giving us your peace! May your peace reign in our hearts that in this darkest hour we may shine for you!

春水行船

说到内心的平安，有人觉得它重于泰山，也有人觉得它属于多愁善感之人的装腔作势。这个本来让人见仁见智的抽象概念，在这场全球瘟疫中，一下子就坐实在世人的心里了。现在我们都得到一个教训，都同意平安的重要了。因为原本一个阳光灿烂、春回大地的世界，忽然间被一场看不见的病毒风暴重新拉回到寒冬腊月。无论贫富老幼，都惴惴不安地居家避疫。无论我们心中所求的是亲朋好友的健康，是全球瘟疫得到控制，还是个人和国家经济的复苏，都是要重新找回我们曾经拥有，如今倍感珍惜，那份内心的平安。


人生好比行船，甲板上每天都有故事，既有开心的故事，也有伤心的故事。但无论在吃水线以上发生什么故事，都是由吃水线以下的船体默默地承载。所以活在吃水线以上人的平安的基础，是来自吃水线以下。我们看得见的人生，都是被看不见的平安托起来的。每条人生小舟，都有自己的风暴，而船舱进水那一刻，船家就失去了平安。每次堵住破口，驶出风暴，都会让行船人更加珍惜内心那份难得的平安。如今这场瘟疫，好像一场看不见的风暴席卷全球。一句“前方飓风，小心进水”的警告如潮水般攻城掠地，所到之处，让成千上万的人生小舟瞬间失去了平安。现在人人都想知道，这场风暴还要持续多久？自己这条船能否安然渡过？或许现在正是时候来寻找更深处的平安。水上泛舟的船家在哪里能找到真平安呢？


耶稣在最后的晚餐桌上，对门徒们说，我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。我所赐的，不像世人所赐的。你们心里不要忧愁，也不要胆怯【约十四27】。在风暴中忧愁胆怯的人，都只晓得世界的平安，却不认识耶稣的平安。耶稣的平安有什么不一样呢？当军兵突袭客西马尼园，对于耶稣和他的门徒来说，就是一场人生风暴。慌乱之中，他的门徒纷纷夺路而逃，只留下耶稣坦然驶入这场针对他个人的灭顶之灾。在十字架上他血流成河，如覆水难收。耶稣这条人生小船在众目睽睽之下痛苦解体而沉没。三天以后，被死亡之河吞下的耶稣，却从那水面上走进门徒们的人生小舟。当他们一看见复活的耶稣，就得了耶稣的平安。他们真的不再忧愁，也不再胆怯，一个个带着耶稣的平安驶入他们的人生风暴中。虽然他们帆影不再，然而“沉舟侧畔千帆过”，这平安从此在人间流传下来。就在这瘟疫肆虐的当下，耶稣所赐的平安仍然与我们同在。


与世人的平安正相反，耶稣的平安在风暴中更加显明。世人的平安来自船体的牢固程度，所以风暴越大越吃紧。但在大约两千个春天前那一个春日的清晨，耶稣从死里复活，把死亡之河的恐惧彻底除掉。春天河水涨溢，两岸显得格外宽阔，这时候去漂流更是别有一番风景。若配以蓝天白云倒映水中，就能体验杜甫诗中所说的境界，“春水船如天上坐”。那能淹死人的河水，产生一个奇特幻觉，成了穿越到另外一个美丽世界的门帘。耶稣的死里复活，就把这幻觉坐实在他的门徒心中。从此人生行船，仿佛是坐皮艇漂流，划船人仍然努力前行，也绝不轻言弃船。但他们知道，当他们穿过一切人生波浪，抵达终点之后，他们会把这破败的皮艇还回租船处，然后带着漂流旅行的所有美好回忆，去活一个更精彩的人生。这就是耶稣的平安，他要赐给一切信他的人，让他们不再忧愁胆怯，勇敢地乘风破浪，抵达美丽的彼岸，在那里有耶稣在等我们。

祷告：主耶稣啊，感谢你把你的平安赐给我们，求你的平安在我们心中作王，在这至暗的世界中显出你的大光！

Listen to the Colossians (10): Treasure the Case over the Pearl

¹⁶Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. ¹⁷These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, ¹⁹and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. ²⁰If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations-- ²¹“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” ²²(referring to things that all perish as they are used)-- according to human precepts and teachings? ²³These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. (Col. 2:16-23 ESV)


As a true guide into the mystery of Christ, Paul exposed the tricks of the false ones. They enjoyed preaching on food and drink, or benefits of observing a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath, setting themselves up above others. If you and your church are thus judged as incompetent in these matters, do not feel ashamed. There are no perfect religious rituals as they are a shadow of the things to come. The orthodox Judaism is good at worshiping with a specific set of rules governing their food and daily life, as they are prescribed in the Old Testament for setting apart from the world. Yet all these were only preparations, for the substance of all Jewish rituals belongs to Christ.


Christianity certainly cannot exist without any forms. Worshiping God in a prostrate form is good, but when everyone else is bowing their head, if you insist on prostrating, your unique worshiping style would immediately set you up above the other worshipers. This pretense reveals someone who is puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind. Religious regulations are like a case, and the pearl within is Christ. Though we do need a case to hold it up, yet it is the treasure inside that case that steals our hearts. If someone insists that this case must have certain shape and design, he is not holding fast to the Head, and is being contrary to the way of Christ. Now that Christ gave Himself up for us (Gal. 1:4), let us come after Him by denying ourselves (Lk. 9:23). For Christ’s sake, is there any favorite religious ritual that we cannot give up? Paul set a good example for us when he said, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. … To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” (1 Cor. 9:19, 20, 22 ESV)


If a jewel merchant met a customer who wants to pay the full price just for the jewel case without the jewel, he probably would be happy to let him. Why not? The more of this kind of customers he has, who would pay the price of jewel for a wood box, the more profit he would pocket. But Paul, the servant of Christ, would not bear with anyone who dares to switch the gospel of God into the elemental spirits of the world by regulations – “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch.” These people who came to Christ would only go away with an empty case, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:15 ESV). They are blind guides (Matt. 15:14 ESV) who would lead many into the destruction.


Like an exquisite jewel box, these regulations according to human precepts and teachings often impress people with their grand scheme and claims of spiritual benefits. These systems of superficial works are but Towers of Babel built with human hands. No matter how impressive they look, they are contrary to the sacrifice of Christ. This kind of asceticism is promoting self-made religion, having an appearance of wisdom but are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Rm. 8:8 ESV).

Prayer: Our heavenly Father! Thank you for setting us free in Christ Jesus. With Christ we have died and released from the law of sin and death and enjoyed the glorious freedom of the heirs of God.

听歌罗西书（10）：买椟还珠

¹⁶所以不拘在饮食上，或节期，月朔，安息日，都不可让人论断你们。¹⁷这些原是后事的影儿。那形体却是基督。¹⁸不可让人因着故意谦虚，和敬拜天使，就夺去你们的奖赏。这等人拘泥在所见过的，（有古卷作这等人窥察所没有见过的）随着自己的欲心，无故地自高自大，¹⁹不持定元首，全身既然靠着他，筋节得以相助联络，就因神大得长进。²⁰你们若是与基督同死，脱离了世上的小学，为什么仍像在世俗中活着，服从那不可拿，不可尝，不可摸，等类的规条呢？^{21 22}这都是照人所吩咐所教导的。说到这一切正用的时候就都败坏了。²³这些规条，使人徒有智慧之名，用私意崇拜，自表谦卑，苦待己身，其实在克制肉体的情欲上，是毫无功效。【歌二16-23】


作为领人进入基督奥秘的向导，保罗曝光了假向导善用的招数。他们喜欢用饮食上的规矩，或者遵守特别的节期，月朔，和安息日的仪式，以显出自己教派的卓越超群。若有人以此来论断你和你的教会，不要上当，因为无论多正宗的宗教仪式，都是后事的影儿。正统犹太教所擅长的，也是旧约圣经中所教导的“分别为圣”，就是以独特的饮食起居方式来敬拜和修行。然而，这一切都是预备，因为这些宗教仪式的形体却是基督。


基督信仰固然离不开表达形式。伏地敬拜神的方式本是好的，但当周围的人都低头敬拜，你却执意要全身伏地，你这特有的敬拜方式岂不在众人中显出你的“谦虚”来。但这样故意的谦虚，其实是随着自己的欲心，无故地自高自大。宗教规条仿佛是盒子，里面的珍珠才是基督。虽然我们必需用盒子捧在手中，心中所挂念的，却是里面的宝贝。如果有人坚持这珠宝盒必需有固定的样式，就是不持定元首，与基督之道相悖。基督既为我们舍己【加一4】，我们也当舍己跟随他【路九23】。为了基督，有什么虔诚仪式我们不能舍弃呢？保罗自己也说，“我虽是自由的，无人瞎管，然而我甘心作了众人的仆人，为要多得人。向犹太人，我就作犹太人，为要得犹太人。…向软弱的人，我就作软弱的人。向什么样的人，我就作什么样的人。无论如何，总要救些人。”【林前九19、20、22】


如果珠宝商遇见有人买椟还珠，可能乐得与之计较。愿意花珍珠般的重价去购买木头盒子的人越多，他的利润就越高。但基督的仆人保罗却不能容忍有人把神的福音变成了世上的小学，僵化为一套不可拿，不可尝，不可摸，等类的规条。这些到基督面前买椟还珠的人，装作仁义的差役【林后十一15】，是瞎眼领路的【太十五14】，要把许多人引到灭亡中去。


好像精雕细琢的宝盒，这些人为的宗教规条，常以其周详的架构和神奇的应许，让人佩服不已。但这些表面功夫，不过是用人手搭建的巴别塔，无论看起来多么宏伟壮观，却恰恰与基督的舍己相反。他们乃是到神面前自表谦卑，是用私意崇拜，使人徒有智慧之名，在克制肉体的情欲上，是毫无功效。这等属肉体的人，不能得神的喜欢【罗八8】。


祷告：天父，感谢你在耶稣基督里释放了我们，让我们既与基督同死，就脱离了罪和死的律，得享神儿女自由的荣耀！

Die in Your Boots

“A Fox will grieve for the death of a hare”. This common Chinese idiom means all things feel sorry for their own kind, as both animals are favorite prey for hunters. Though this is an expression of personification, many animals do show signs of grief, or startle when encountering the death of its company. If this happens to lower animals, how much more do we feel about our fellow human? As an overseas Chinese, I am particularly heartbroken for the news from the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of Coronavirus outbreak. As the virus spreads all over the globe, the onlookers of fire standing on the other shore suddenly feel the same burn right from behind. You can imagine the shock as we barely have time to switch mood from sympathizing those on a sinking boat, to realizing our very own boat is sinking together.


Who is not afraid of death? However, this fear varies from person to person, and even for the same person, his fear of death varies with respect to different kind of death. If one lived to the fullest of his expectation and died of a good old age, his final death warrants a celebration. No one is afraid of such a death, whether be it of his own, or of his loved ones. What we fear most is the untimely death. Whenever an unnatural death is happening, it leaves the dying cringing and the surviving grieving. When the deadly plague breaks out, the relatively rare occurrence of sudden and painful deaths suddenly become common place events that could happen to everyone. The fear of death would jump out in the broad daylight from the depth of our mind. What have been sporadic sparks here and there now become a wildfire that could wipe out the entire forest. For those who live under the shadow of death of a deadly plague, the wish of dying a good old age is almost as untenable as eternal life. It also becomes easier to recognize and honor those who die in their boots.


Not many people have courage to die in their boots, but there are certainly people like that. What produces such a courage to meet his own death undauntedly? I heard reports that after a forest fire, someone discovered unhurt chicks under the wings of a burned eagle. I read news about the discovery of a surviving infant hurdled tightly by the diseased mother under earthquake rubbles. It is love that motivates people to face their own deaths with courage. No one wants to die, but in order to save their loved ones, they are willing to give up their lives. This sacrificial love enables people to overcome the fear of death. When the deadly plague breaks out and everyone’s life is under threat, out of love, Dr. Li Wenliang marched against the tide for the sake of truth. By his death he revealed the love he had towards people, and this earned him the respect of the world. There is another kind of hero who stands up against the tide. Even before the coming of the deadly plague, out of love for truth, they would stand up and fight. Few noticed them, because the plague had not come, and life still seems rather enjoyable. When Pastor Wang Yi was publicly exposing the Chinese Caesar who wants to grab what belongs to God, he was already preparing to die in his boots for the truth. What kind of truth can overcome fear and enable him to die for it, even without the respect of the world?


The spread of the plague not only shortens the distance between one’s birth and his death, but it also shortens the time to recognize and honor the whistleblower. Therefore when Dr. Li Wenliang died, the whole world was moved. The stop of the plague would not change the fate of our ultimate death, yet it would damp our desire for salvation from the Savior. When Jesus Christ was crucified, the whole world couldn’t care for less. Yet it is this Jesus who began to travel backwards in the death march of mankind for the first time. He first traveled backwards to the cross, and then from the grave he traveled backwards to life again. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:7-8 ESV) As soon as one is touched by His great love, and shocked by such complete salvation from death, like Pastor Wang Yi, he would have no fear of physical death. He would follow Jesus Christ, the forerunner of our faith, and be ready to die in his boots for the sake of truth. Christians are all such travelers who have overcome the fear of death. It is a small thing that we would lead people out of fear of Coronavirus, we would lead them out of death for good and into enteral life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus! Thank you for coming to suffer and to die for us, and to resurrect from the grave on our behalf! May your love motivate us to speak out for truth, and the darker the cloud of death surrounds us the louder we are!

死于非命

“兔死狐悲”这个成语，说的是同为猎物的狐狸，看到兔子中箭，也感同身受，不免难过。其中固然有拟人化的想象，但不少动物的确会对同伴之死流露出悲哀与惊吓。物犹如此，人何以堪？身为海外华人，从瘟疫发源地武汉传来的见闻尤其让人揪心。随着瘟疫的国际扩散，让原本隔岸观火的局外人突然发觉后院起火。前一刻还在对本是同根生的落难同胞们深表同情，没想到这同情之心正在以最快的速度转化为同病相怜了。


怕死之心，人皆有之，但这种惧怕强弱有别。其强弱不但因人而异，就算同一个人，对于不同死法的恐惧也不尽相同。如果人能长命百岁，寿终正寝地死去，算得上是件喜事，这样的死法，无论对死者还是对生者都无所谓惧怕。而真正让人恐惧的，乃是死于非命。每当这样的不幸降临，总会让逝者无奈，生者唏嘘。而在瘟疫肆虐之时，横祸从不可预测的小概率事件瞬间成了无人可以幸免的常态。死于非命的恐惧就堂而皇之地从幕后登上了前台，从星星之火升级为燎原了。对于活在瘟疫之下，死荫幽谷中的人，寿终正寝的结局几乎变得和永生一样难以置信，但那些从容赴死的逆行者们此时就格外显眼，也更被人所敬仰。


这个世界中从容赴死的逆行者不多，但一直都有。到底什么力量可以让血气之人胜过恐惧而从容赴死呢？据说森林大火之后，有人于焦土中死鹰伸展的双翼之下，发现幸存的雏鹰。也有人在地震废墟中，从遇难母亲紧抱的怀中发现一息尚存的婴儿。是爱的力量让人从容赴死。他们其实不愿去死，但为了救所爱之人，他们甘愿舍己。舍己之爱让人胜过死亡的恐惧。当瘟疫来临，所有人的生命都受到威胁。但因为心有所爱，李文亮医生敢为真相逆行，并从容赴死，就显出他的爱心，也赢得世人的尊重。还有另外一类逆行者，他们在瘟疫来临之前，就为真理逆行，却鲜为人知，因为当时众人还陶醉于岁月静好。当王怡牧师，在讲台上大声责备那妄自要将属乎神的也据为己有的中国凯撒时，他已经在为真理从容赴死。到底什么真理，让他胜过恐惧，在世人的漠然中从容赴死呢？


瘟疫的降临不但缩短了人生死的间隔，也缩短了为吹哨者平反的时间，所以李文亮医生死的时候就感动了全世界。然而就算瘟疫过去也改变不了人终有一死的结局，但没有瘟疫的催逼，人们更容易自我麻痹。所以耶稣基督钉死十架的时候，全世界都漠不关心。但正是耶稣基督开始了人类死亡长征路上的第一次逆行。他先是逆流而上十字架，被埋葬，又逆流而上从死里复活。为义人死，是少有的，为仁人死，或者有敢作的。惟有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，神的爱就在此向我们显明了【罗五7-8】。当人一旦被这大爱所感动，被这彻底的拯救所震撼时，就会像王怡牧师一样，胜过对死的恐惧，义无反顾地跟随耶稣基督这位开路先锋，走上为真理发声的人生逆行路。基督徒都是这世界上视死如归的逆行者，带领人走出对冠状病毒的惧怕还是小事，更要领人走出死亡，进入永生。


祷告：主耶稣啊，感谢你来为我们受苦受死，又为我们复活！愿你的爱激励我们，为真理发声，越在死亡笼罩之时越大声！

Listen to the Colossians (9): Spring to Life

¹⁰who is the head of all rule and authority. ¹¹In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, ¹²having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. ¹³And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Col. 2:10-15 ESV)


Paul mentioned rule and authority at both ends of this passage. Who are they? Paul was not referring to the officials and kings of the earth, even though they have authority to rule over people. We know that because the last verse says they are disarmed by God on the cross. Not only Caesar in Rome and the religious leaders in Jerusalem were still in power after Jesus’ crucifixion, but which human ruler of world has ever been disarmed and brought to shame by the cross of Christ? The identity of these rulers is made clear inside this passage because there are both a breakdown on how they are disarmed, and a description of their power over man.


After they are stripped off of power, those who were dead in their trespasses are made alive. Therefore, we know these rulers have authority over sinners, they own their lives and can kill at will. Though human rulers of this world, such as Caesar, have similar power to convict and to kill, and make many trembled before them, yet, who is afraid of Caesar now? Therefore, the true rulers behind the scene, are not the dictators of flesh and blood, but the cosmic powers over this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:12 ESV) The Bible clearly reveals the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil. (Heb. 2:14 ESV) And from the beginning, through fear of death man were subject to his lifelong slavery, (Heb. 2:15 ESV) not slave to flesh and blood, but as Jesus said, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. (Jn. 8:34 ESV) But the wages of sin is death, yet the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23 ESV)


How did Christ set slaves free and make them spring to life from death? It is in Christ that they have received a special circumcision. In former days, God made a covenant with the offspring of Abraham with circumcision as a sign. But this former covenant cannot break the bondage of sin, as the circumcision made with hands cannot put off the body of flesh. When we receive the baptism by faith in Jesus Christ, we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, (Gal. 5:24 ESV) and buried with Him. When the entire Jerusalem saw Jesus being crucified and buried, no one wanted to be his company, and even His beloved disciple Peter had denied Him three times. Who can believe that He would be raised from the dead in three days? For those who can, this incredible faith serves as a convenient sign, as if a circumcision made without hands. This is the circumcision of Christ, which sets the believers apart from the world and into a new covenant. For all who are in this new covenant are raised with Christ through faith in the powerful working of God and spring to life eternal.


Nevertheless, the former rulers would certainly oppose Christ for setting their captives free. Their ownership rest in the record of debt according to the commandments of God. According to those legal demands, we are debtors and had to pay back with our lives. But the circumcision of Christ not only put off the body of the flesh, but cancel the record of debt that stood against us and nail it to the cross. The shame Christ endured on earth turns into glorious victory in the heavenly realm. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame. Even though the whole world lies in the power of the evil one, yet we know that we are from God. (1 Jn. 5:19 ESV) Therefore, let us live a life of cross among the dead, for it is the testimony that we are indeed raised from the dead to the glory of God.

Prayer: O Lord! Thank you for what you have accomplished on the cross! May your resurrection power work in us and work out from us, strength upon strength!

听歌罗西书（9）：妙手回春

¹⁰他是各样执政掌权者的元首。¹¹你们在他里面，也受了不是人手所行的割礼，乃是基督使你们脱去肉体情欲的割礼。¹²你们既受洗与他一同埋葬，也就在此与他一同复活。都因信那叫他从死里复活神的功用。¹³你们从前在过犯，和未受割礼的肉体中死了，神赦免了你们（或作我们）一切过犯，便叫你们与基督一同活过来。¹⁴又涂抹了在律例上所写，攻击我们有碍于我们的字据，把它撤去，钉在十字架上。¹⁵既将一切执政的掌权的掳来，明显给众人看，就仗着十字架夸胜。【歌二10-15】


在这段的头尾两节，都提到执政的掌权的。他们指的是谁呢？他们肯定不是指这世上的君王和长官，虽然他们好像都是执政掌权之人。因为最后一节说，神借着基督的十字架就打败了一切执政掌权的。不但当时掌权的凯撒和耶路撒冷的宗教领袖们在基督钉十字架之后依然掌权，直到如今，又有哪个人间的执政掌权者被基督的十字架剥夺了权势（这是比掳来更准确的译法），又被十字架公开羞辱的呢（这是比明显给众人看更清楚的译法）？答案的线索就在这一段的中间，因为其中详细阐述了这些执政掌权者是怎样被剥夺权势，被废掉武功的，也提到他们手中的权柄。


这些执政掌权者被剥夺权柄的直接后果就是，从前在过犯中死了的人，现在活过来了。所以这些掌权者的辖民就是罪人，而他们的权柄在于杀掉罪人。虽然世上掌权之人，比如罗马帝国的凯撒，好像也有定罪杀人的权柄，也曾经让许多人害怕。但今天还有谁怕他呢？所以那躲在幕后真正执政掌权的，并非属血气的暴君们，而是那些管辖这幽暗世界的，天空属灵气的恶魔【弗六12】。圣经明确告诉我们，那掌死权的，就是魔鬼【来二14】。而古往今来的人，都因怕死而为奴仆【来二15】，并非做某个人的奴仆，如耶稣所说的，所有犯罪的，就是罪的奴仆【约八34】。但罪的工价乃是死，惟有神的恩赐，在我们的主基督耶稣里乃是永生【罗六23】。


基督是怎样释放被奴役的罪人，叫他们从死里复活的呢？就是在他里面，罪人领受了特别的割礼。从前神与亚伯拉罕的后裔立约，是以割礼为记。但那前约并不能让人脱离罪的捆绑，因为人手所行的割礼，不能让人脱离肉体的情欲。当人因信耶稣基督而受洗，就把自己的肉体，连肉体的邪情私欲都与基督同钉十字架【加五24】，与他一同埋葬。当时耶路撒冷全城的人都看见耶稣被钉死，被埋葬，但无人愿意和他同钉和同埋，连耶稣的爱徒彼得都三次不认主。谁能相信他竟会从死里复活呢？所以这样的信心，就成了一个天然的记号，仿佛一个不是人手能行的割礼。这是基督的割礼，把信的人从世界中分别出来，归入了新约。所有在新约的人，因信神叫基督从死里复活，就与他一同复活，出死入生了。


从前的执政掌权者肯定不同意基督把人从他们手下抢走。他们管人的权柄来自神的律例上所写的规条，按照那些诫命我们都罪有应得，罪该万死。但基督的割礼，让我们不但脱去肉体情欲，更把那攻击我们，定我们有罪的字据撤去，钉在十字架上。基督在地上忍受的羞辱，在天上却是荣耀的得胜。他把一切执政的掌权的掳来，公开地羞辱。虽然全世界都卧在那恶者手下，但我们知道我们是属神的【约壹五19】。让我们在死人中间活出十字架的生命，这就是我们死里复活的见证和神的荣耀。

祷告：主耶稣啊，感谢你在十字架上所成就的一切！愿你复活的大能，因信，在我们里面发动出来，力上加力！

Prayer Warrior

If you have filled out surveys in the U.S., you would notice that individuals often as asked to identify his religion. Many people would easily check the box for “Christian”. If we press further and ask whether they regularly attend Sunday service, read Bible often, or pray daily, I’m afraid not many people would check them all. If you identify yourself as a Christian, but always fall asleep during sermon, and neither read the Bible nor pray, I’m afraid the box you checked on the survey form only represents a wishful thinking on your part. After all, in America you can identify yourself with any formal religion without the fear of persecution. If Christianity was declared illegal, and Christians were imprisoned, even those who had regular Bible study and prayer life would be tempted to give up their identification with Christians, how much more so for those who have little practice of their faith?


When we come before God, He would neither take a survey, nor need anyone to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man (Jn. 2:25 ESV). Comparing to check boxes on a survey form, the faith that is in a man has a better correlation with his prayer life. A man’s prayer habit better reflects his spiritual health than his church attendance and Bible knowledge. This is because church attendance comes with added benefit of the sweet fellowship and community support, and Bible knowledge with intellectual satisfaction and even a sense of pride. On the contrary, our private prayer life can only be sustained with our faith in God and reliance on Him. Therefore, we must pray without ceasing, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us. (1 Thess. 5:18 ESV)



A universally known prayer type is the prayer for help in evil times. When the ship prophet Jonah boarded in Mediterranean Sea was caught up in a fierce storm, then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. (Jon. 1:5 ESV) When your ship is tossed back and forth on a stormy sea, even the most irreligious person would pray with the most pious heart to any god he can remember or imagine. Whether it is for yourself or for someone else, if the only prayer you know is the prayer for help, then you cannot pray without ceasing, because we do not sail into stormy sea very frequently. If possible, we would even wish that would never happen to our voyage of life. In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to pray seven prayers. Only the last two have to do with helps in evil times. And lead us not into temptation, which is preparation for the evil days ahead, but deliver us from evil, (Matt. 6:13 ESV) which is for help in evil days. The other five prayers before these two are not for decoration purpose only, they are indeed prayers of higher priority with greater urgency.


About ten years ago, when The Hunger Games trilogy first came out, it was a big hit. The story is about a compulsory televised survival battle for the fittest, set in a dystopia. The plot is so captivating because it skillfully woven together daily urgency (to escape from hunt and to hunt for kills) and ultimate single life goal (to become the last man standing). Don’t you know that our Christian identity means we are enlightened by Christ, so we can realize this present world is a dystopia under the dark power of Satan? Our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8 ESV). We are indeed all participants of a compulsive survival battle, but the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1 Jn. 3:8 ESV). By our faith in Jesus Christ, we can take up the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:13 ESV). If we want to win in this spiritual battle, we must become a prayer warrior, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (Eph. 6:18 ESV). Only through unceasing prayer, we can be in full alert and not get hit by the darts of the enemy. Only the one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death (Rev. 2:11 ESV).

Prayer: Our heavenly Father! Fill us with the Holy Spirit and enable us to become prayer warrior that we may be victorious day after day, all the way to the final victory!

祷告勇士

在美国做问卷调查，在宗教信仰这一栏里，会有很多人在“基督徒”这一项上打勾。但是若能更进一步，调查一下是否定期参加主日崇拜，是否习惯性阅读圣经，是否经常祷告的话，能够在这些选项都打勾的人，就不会太多了。那些对基督徒有身份认同，但一听道就打瞌睡，既不爱读圣经，也不知道怎样祷告的人，他们在问卷调查上画的勾可能只是一个一厢情愿的表达。毕竟在美国，你可以与任何正规的宗教信仰认同而不致受到逼迫。如果基督教被定为非法，信教者都要坐牢的话，那么连那些爱读圣经又常常祷告的人，都不一定有勇气坚持信仰认同，更何况那些疏于属灵操练的人呢？


当人来到神面前时，神既不需要做问卷调查，也用不着谁见证人怎样，因他知道人心里所存的【约二25】。我们里面所存的信心，和我们在无压力情况下问卷调查中画的勾关系不大，却与我们的祷告生活有很大关联。一个人的祷告习惯比他参加教会活动，甚至比他的圣经学问，更能反应出这人的属灵健康来。因为教会活动中有团契的甜美，也有彼此的扶助，而圣经学问会带来知识上的满足感，甚至属灵的骄傲。相比之下，我们私底下祷告生活的坚持，更多来自我们对神的信心和依靠。所以，我们必须不住地祷告，因为这是神在基督耶稣里向我们所定的旨意【贴前五17-18】。


有一种祷告，全世界人都会，那就是求救的祷告。当先知约拿所乘的船在地中海遇到飓风，水手便惧怕，各人哀求自己的神【拿一5】。当你乘的船在滔天巨浪中被抛来抛去，就算平时不信鬼神的人，也会以最大的虔诚，向任何听来的或者想象出来的神明求救。无论是为自己还是为别人，如果你只会求救的祈祷的话，你肯定无法做到不住地祷告。因为人生急难的日子并不多，而且我们都希望根本不要遇上这样的日子才好。在主祷文中耶稣教门徒的七个祷告中，只有最后的两祷是和人生急难有关。不叫我们遇见试探，这算是对未知急难的预备，和救我们脱离凶恶【太六13】，这是急难中的呼求。而主祷文中前面那五个祷告，并非虚张声势，乃是比我们自身安危更加优先，也更加迫切的祈祷。


大约十年前，当《饥饿游戏三部曲》这套小说问世的时候，一时洛阳纸贵。故事中的主人翁置身于反面乌托邦背景下的一场杀人游戏中。这个故事之所以扣人心弦，就在于它巧妙地把生活的紧迫性（随时都会被杀死，也随时准备杀死对手）和生命的终极目的（成为最后的胜者）完美地结合在一起。岂不知基督徒这个身份的真正含义，就是因为耶稣基督而觉悟到这个世界乃是被恶者所辖制的反面乌托邦吗？有我们的仇敌魔鬼，如同吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人【彼前五8】。我们真好像是生活在杀人游戏中。但神的儿子显现出来，为要除灭魔鬼的作为【约壹三8】。我们因信主耶稣基督，得以穿戴神所赐的全副军装。【弗六13】我们若要在这场属灵的争战中得胜，就必须要做一个祷告勇士，靠着圣灵，随时多方祷告祈求，并要在此儆醒不倦，为众圣徒祈求【弗六18】。唯有不住的祷告能让我们保持清醒，不致中了仇敌放的暗箭。唯有如此得胜的，必不受第二次死的害【启二11】。

祷告：天父啊，恳求你赐下圣灵来，让我们都成为大能的祷告勇士，每天靠主打胜仗，直到最后的胜利！

Listen to the Colossians (8): Walk by Faith

⁶Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, ⁷rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. ⁸See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, ¹⁰and you have been filled in him, (Col. 2:8-10 ESV)


Paul now entered the main theme of this epistle: As one received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Christ came not for the purpose of public display or personal collection, but for us to have life and have it abundantly (Jn. 10:10 ESV). Therefore, if we believe in Him, we must be rooted in Him. Three things would come out from a proper rooting, as it is made clear from three parallel participles in the Greek text. Two passive effects are we’d be built up in Christ and established in the faith. One active effect is we would be abounding in thanksgiving. These are how the Colossians were taught after they believed. It is the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints by Christ (Jud 1:3 ESV), and for thousands of years thereafter, this same faith is still being taught, even unto us.


For all who have thus being taught, they must watch out for and resist two temptations. One is being ineffective or unfruitful as warned by Peter (2 Pe. 18 ESV). The other is what Paul mentioned here, being taken captive by heresies. These heresies attract people with their abstract philosophy. This is not to say that preachers cannot talk about philosophy. In fact, even Paul himself quoted some Greek philosophic poets (Act 17:28) when he preached to the Athenians and took these elemental spirits of the world to lift Christ up. False teachers would do the opposite. They turn Christ into a supporting role to lift up a human tradition. If a preacher would impress the audience only with his own knowledge and oration skill, it is not a good sermon. A good sermon would impress the audience with Jesus and His love. All preachers who testify for Christ should echo the words of John the Baptist, He must increase, but I must decrease. (Jn. 3:30 ESV)


Heresies also like to boast about their own noble heritage and despise churches with humble origin. This attitude of self-promotion gives away their foundation which is according to human tradition, and not according to Christ. In Christ, God purposely chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise (1 Cor. 1:27 ESV). All who belong to Christ would walk in Him, by neither judging people by appearance, nor attending only prosperous and thriving churches. On the contrary, they would purposely seek out and join the weak flock, because the power of Christ is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9 ESV). Therefore, all the self-certified elites and those who follow after them, be they in the world or in the church, have not known Christ at all. They, like Pharisees, are blind guides, and will all fall into a pit (Mat. 15:14 ESV). 


But we are different from all the bandwagon riders of this world, not seeking our own advantage, but that of many (1 Cor. 10:33 ESV). Because in Christ the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and by faith we have been filled in Him. The world can neither appreciate nor obtain this richness in Christ. This richness is made available to us is in proportion with our faith. When we are of little faith, we may either be like the church in Smyrna, who only saw the poverty and not the richness in Christ (Rev. 2:9), or like the church in Laodicea, who considered themselves rich yet pitiable and poor in Christ (Rev. 3:17). Only when our faith grow, we would appreciate more and more the love and richness God bestowed to us in Christ Jesus, and to abound in thanksgiving. In order to enter all the riches in Christ, we need no empty philosophy, because Jesus already came and dwells bodily among us. In return let us walk in Him. 

Prayer: O Lord! Thank you for redeeming us and giving us life abundantly! Help us walk in You into ever increasing richness and thanksgiving!

听歌罗西书（8）：信而行之

⁶你们既然接受了主基督耶稣，就当遵他而行。⁷在他里面生根建造，信心坚固，正如你们所领的教训，感谢的心也更增长了。⁸你们要谨慎，恐怕有人用他的理学，和虚空的妄言，不照着基督，乃照人间的遗传，和世上的小学，就把你们掳去。⁹因为神本性一切的丰盛，都有形有体的居住在基督里面。¹⁰你们在他里面也得了丰盛。【歌二6-10】


保罗现在开始进入这封信的正题：人若接受了主基督耶稣，就当遵他而行。基督不是给人用来收藏和观赏的，他来是要叫人得生命，并且得的更丰盛【约十10】。所以人若信基督，就必须在他里面向下生根。而根基稳固之后，从原文的动词结构来看就更清楚，会带来三个效果。两个被动的效果就是，这人在基督里被建造和在信心上得坚固。一个主动效果就是，这人心中满溢出感谢来。歌罗西人正是领了这样的教训而信主的。这教训也是基督从前一次就完整地交付给圣徒的真道【犹3】，千百年后直到如今，我们所领的仍是同样的教训。


所有如此在基督里受教的人，都要抵挡两个诱惑。一个是彼得提到的闲懒不结果子的诱惑【彼后一8】，另外一个就是保罗在这里提醒我们要特别谨慎的，不要被异端邪说掳去。异端总爱用高深的哲学（理学）吸引人。并非传道人不能提哲学，因为连保罗向雅典人传道的时候，也曾引用他们熟悉的希腊哲理诗【徒十七28】，和世上的小学来高举基督的真理。但假传道刚好反过来，他们把基督的道理变成了配角，高举人的学问。如果一篇道的结果只是让听道的人佩服讲道者的口才和学识，就不能算是好的讲道。好的讲道应该让听道的人对耶稣印象深刻，被基督的爱所折服，并愿意遵他而行。所有见证基督的传道人，都当效法施洗约翰的心志说，主必兴旺，我必衰微【约三30】。


异端也喜欢强调自己师出名门，轻看其他基督的教会。这唯我独尊的自信正好暴露出来他们是照着人间的遗传，并不是照着基督。在基督里，神故意拣选世上愚拙的，叫有智慧的羞愧【林前一27】。凡属基督的，也当遵他而行，既不以外貌取人，也不以外表的兴旺来挑选教会。他们反而去加入那些软弱的教会，因为基督的能力，正是在人的软弱上显得完全【林后十二9】。所以，一切自诩为精英和那些追随精英的人，无论是在世界上，还是在教会中，都根本不认识基督。他们和法利赛人一样，是瞎眼领路的，都要掉在坑里【太十五14】。


我们能这样与世人迥异，不求自己的益处，只求众人的益处【林前十33】，都因为神一切的丰富，都藏在基督里。因为信他，我们也从基督里得了丰盛。这在基督里的丰盛，世人既看不见更无法领受。但我们能够，而且我们所得着的丰盛，是和我们的信心成正比。在我们小信的时候，要么像士每拿教会，只看见自己的贫穷，却不晓得自己在基督里的富足【启二9】；要么像老底嘉教会，自以为富足，却不知道自己在基督里的可怜与贫穷【启三17】。唯有当我们在信心上长进之后，才会越来越明白神在基督耶稣里所赐给我们的爱与丰富，我们感恩的心也更增长了。进入这一切的丰盛，我们不需要任何高深的哲学，因为耶稣基督已经有形有体地活在世上，我们只要凡事遵他而行。


祷告：主耶稣啊，感谢你来救赎我们，又赐给我们丰盛的生命！帮助我们一步一步走在跟从你的路上，越走越丰盛，越走越感恩！

Treacherous Mist and Glorious Cloud

Yesterday morning on the way to my daily swim, I found myself driving into a very dense fog. The car lights bounced back and created a blinding white halo, and with visibility down to a few feet, I could barely see the road. Fortunately, I have been driving on this road everyday and knew every turn of this road by heart. Otherwise, I would have to slowly crawl forward and be frightened to death. There is a saying, life is as unpredictable as the weather. There may be a dense fog suddenly appearing in our life too, and we would not be so fortunate because we forever travel on a new road in life. Therefore, whenever we encounter dense fog in our life journey, we have to slow down and take caution, because one mistake could wreck our life.


Life is indeed like driving at night. We must turn on the headlights to illuminate the path forward. The farther we can see, the easier the driving would be. Many people may seek for wealth, because money can serve as a high beam illuminating the road in front. The more money we have in the pocket, the more confident we may feel towards tomorrow. Like the famous rich man, we may congratulate ourselves, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” (Lk. 12:19 ESV) But God may suddenly send dense fog our way and wake us up from the illusive faith we have in money. Our vision into the future is practically zero. This awakening in the fog may come too late, because not everyone who head into a dense fog may exit safely. We must prepare ahead of time for the vision that can piece through the fog, so that we may know the way despite the fog and safely arrive our destination.


After reaching certain mileage, every life journey would eventually end up in a fog. Our physical strength and cognitive ability would go downhill, and even our eyesight would decline. As the Poet Du Fu described the inevitable blurring of our vision, “All the flowers are forever clouded by a fog for an old man.” Yet this blur could also bring some beauty. Later yesterday morning, when I drove to church during sunrise, the fog was still present. Under the morning sunshine, the golden mist turned the rolling meadows and forests into a breath-taking beautiful fairyland. It is the same visibility-reducing fog, which becomes a deadly mist in a dark and meandering mountain road, but turns into a glorious cloud under bright sunshine over a straight thoroughfare.


This last fog hanging over the end of every life journey was meant to swallow us alive. We can all amen the prayer that Job prayed when he was entangled by the deadly fog in his life. He prayed to God, Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer before I go-- and I shall not return-- to the land of darkness and deep shadow, the land of gloom like thick darkness, like deep shadow without any order, where light is as thick darkness. (Job 10:20-22 ESV) Thanks be to God who hears the prayers of the dying, He sent us His Son Jesus Christ as The light shines in the darkness. (Jn. 1:5 ESV) The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. (Jn. 1:9 ESV) To all who have received this true light, they received the vision by faith that can piece through the fog. Because   faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1 ESV) It can turn the deadly fog along life’s journey into a glorious cloud. In the last two chapters of the Bible, we can dimly see the beautiful destination behind the glorious cloud and see the towing shape of the Holy City, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. (Rev. 21:11 ESV) I could never grow tired in beholding this beautiful yet cloudy scene. It gives me direction when I am in a dense fog. One day when the dust settles and cloud lifts, let us meet again at that Holy City by the river of life!

Prayer: O Lord! Open our eyes that we may see your promise of glory! May your light turn the mist into glorious cloud for us that we can march on every day!