让主耶稣的形象透过你彰显出来
因为祂预先所知道的人---就是祂预先所懂得、被祂所爱的人,祂也从起初就预定他们要被塑造成有祂儿子的形象(由内之外地分享祂的形象)(罗马书8:29)
平安弟兄姊妹们!作为一个信徒,你预定要被塑造成有主耶稣的形象,你要在灵命上不断成长,直到你看起来像主耶稣。从你重生的那一刻起,上帝开始运作祂的超凡大能,使你由内立时被改变。但是,你内在的改变是否能够成功发展至外在的改变,这主要取决于你。我们要在灵命上成长,就像身体的成长一样。
怎样才能加速我们灵命的成长呢?
用更多的时间追求灵命的事情,胜于专注肉体的事情;投身于上帝的话语和与祂的关系;甘心乐意抛开生活中的一切琐事,而惟独亲近上帝。你这样做,上帝就会带领你、教导你、与你分享祂的形象。
你是否注意到,如果你长时间接触个性强的人,那你不由自主就会受到他们的影响。慢慢地你就会发现,自己所做的正是他们所做的。他们的习性会潜移默化地感染你,不知不觉你就会效仿他们,尤其是那些你尊重和信任的人,他们更能影响你。
你与上帝的关系也是如此,如果你将足够的时间用来亲近上帝,那么上帝也会潜移默化地影响你,祂是怎样,你也会像祂。
所以要使自己成为上帝的可用之人,就是靠着圣灵来祷告、敬拜和爱上帝。常常亲近和服从上帝的话语,并与常那些爱祂的话语、靠祂的话语而生活的人为伴。
坚持这样做,那么在不知不觉中你就会发现自己在改变。你会发现你的品性越来越像主耶稣,你会开始想祂所想、讲祂所讲,甚至你的行为举止都很像祂。那么,上帝的形象就开始透过你彰显出来。
研经:哥林多前书3:5-18
3:5 亚波罗算甚么?保罗算甚么?无非是执事,照主所赐给他们各人的,引导你们相信。
3:6 我栽种了,亚波罗浇灌了,惟有 神叫它生长。
3:7 可见栽种的算不得甚么,浇灌的也算不得甚么,只在那叫它生长的 神。
3:8 栽种的和浇灌的都是一样,但将来各人要照自己的工夫得自己的赏赐。
3:9 因为我们是与 神同工的,你们是 神所耕种的田地、所建造的房屋。
3:10 我照 神所给我的恩,好像一个聪明的工头立好了根基,有别人在上面建造,只是各人要谨慎怎样在上面建造。
3:11 因为那已经立好的根基,就是耶稣基督,此外没有人能立别的根基。
3:12 若有人用金、银、宝石、草木、禾楷在这根基上建造,
3:13 各人的工程必然显露。因为那日子要将它表明出来,有火发现,这火要试验各人的工程怎样。
3:14 人在那根基上所建造的工程若存得住,他就要得赏赐。
3:15 人的工程若被烧了,他就要受亏损,自己却要得救,虽然得救乃像从火里经过的一样。
3:16 岂不知你们是 神的殿, 神的灵住在你们里头么?
3:17 若有人毁坏 神的殿, 神必要毁坏那人,因为 神的殿是圣的,这殿就是你们。
3:18 人不可自欺,你们中间若有人在这世界自以为有智慧,倒不如变作愚拙,好成为有智慧的。
Let the image of JESUS shine forth in you
"For those whom He foreknew--of whom He was aware and loved beforehand--He also destined from the beginning...to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness]."
(Romans 8:29)
Shalom Brothers and Sisters,
As a believer, you're destined to be molded into the image of Jesus, to grow in spirit until you look just like Him. God's supernatural power began that process the moment you were born again. You were changed on the inside instantly. How successful you are in allowing this change to progress to the outer man is mostly up to you. We grow up spiritually just like we grow up physically.
What can you do to speed this growing process along?
Spend more time pursuing the things of the SPIRIT than you spend pursuing the things of the flesh. Become dedicated to the WORD of GOD and to fellowship with HIM. Be willing to pull aside from the busy things of life and get alone with HIM, so HE can guide you, teach you and share HIS likeness with you.
Have you ever noticed that if you spend time around people who have strong personalities, you will automatically be affected by them? You'll find yourself doing the things they do. Their mannerisms will rub off on you. You can't help it. They just influence you, especially if they are people you respect and admire.
The same thing is true in your relationship with GOD. If you spend enough time with HIM, HE is going to rub off on you! HIS ways will become your ways.
So make yourself available to HIM by praying in the SPIRIT and worshiping and loving HIM. Hang around HIS WORD and the people who love HIS WORD and live it.
Before you know it, you'll begin to notice yourself changing. You'll find your character becoming more like JESUS. You'll begin to think like HE does and talk like HE does and even act like HE does. HIS image will begin to shine forth in you!
Scripture Study: 1 Corinthians 3:5-18
3:5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
3:6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
3:8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
3:9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
3:10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.
3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
3:12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
3:13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
3:14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
3:15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
3:16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
3:17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
3:18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise.