12月1日 是什么使我们成为基督徒？
12月1日，周一
是什么使我们成为基督徒？
“凡信耶稣是基督的，都是从神生的，凡爱那生他的，也必爱那从祂而生的。”（约翰壹书5:1）
新约一开始就让我们看见，许多人习以为常的“基督徒定义”，其实远远不够。新约所用的词是：“重生”、“新造的人”、“从神生的”。一个人成为基督徒，不是因为他为神做了什么，而是因为神在他身上做成了什么：“凡信耶稣是基督的，都是从神生的”。接着约翰又说：“凡爱那生他的”，也就是爱那使人得生的神。照约翰的说法，是神生了我们；这是神主动的工作，不是我们主动去成就的。
我们必须花时间把这里强烈的对比讲清楚。我们太容易把“作基督徒”理解成“我做了什么”的结果：我过的生活是好人的生活——所以我是基督徒；我去教会敬拜——所以我是基督徒；我不做某些坏事——所以我是基督徒；我相信——所以我是基督徒。
在这些说法里，焦点都落在“我”和“我所做的事情”上。可是，新约一开始给“基督徒”下定义时，焦点却完全不在人的行为上，而是在神的作为上：是祂生了我们，祂使我们存在，祂赐下了生命与本质。因此我们看见：若不是神先在我们里面动了工，我们根本不可能成为基督徒。
但我还要更进一步说：什么使我们成为了基督徒，它同时也使我们在某种意义上像神。“凡信耶稣是基督的，都是从神生的。”这里“从神”这个词非常重要，意思是“出于神、源自神”。也就是说，这样的人得着了从神而来的新生命，他分享了神所赐的属灵生命，这人不再只属于旧造，而是一个“出于神的新造的人”。
默想主题：
若不是神先在我们里面动了工，我们根本不可能成为基督徒。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：代上29章，彼后3章
个人灵修：弥6章，路15章
December 1, Monday
WHAT MAKES US CHRISTIAN?
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (1 JOHN 5:1)
The New Testament at once shows us the total inadequacy of the common, current version of what constitutes a Christian. The New Testament terms are regeneration, a new creation, being born again. What makes men and women Christians is something that is done to them by God, not something they do themselves: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” And then, “Every one that loveth him that begat . . .” God, according to John, is the one who begets us; it is God’s action, not ours.
Now we need to take time in emphasizing the obvious contrast in each of these subdivisions. How ready we are to think of being a Christian as the result of something we do! I live a good life—therefore I am a Christian; I go to a place of worship—therefore I am a Christian; I do not do certain things—therefore I am a Christian; I believe—therefore I am a Christian. The whole emphasis is upon myself, upon what I do. Whereas here, at the very beginning of the New Testament definition of a Christian, the entire emphasis is not upon man and his activity, but upon God. He who begat, He who produced, He who generates, He who gives life and being. Thus we see we cannot be a Christian at all unless God has done something to us.
But I go beyond that and say that what makes us a Christian is something that makes us like God. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” That “of” is an important word; it means “out of God”; this is one who has received something of God Himself.
A Thought to Ponder: We cannot be a Christian at all unless God has done something to us.