1月18日 没有基督就毫无能力
没有基督就毫无能力
有时，撒但与属肉体的心看似在扭打，其实不过是一场假戏——好比舞台上两名剑客在互相格挡。
“因我们还软弱的时候，基督就按所定的日期为罪人死。”（罗5:6）一个没有任何属灵装备的灵魂，能做什么来挣脱撒但的轭呢？这并不比一群手无寸铁的百姓想要挣脱征服者的枷锁更为现实。撒但对灵魂的掌控如此深重，以至于它被称作看守“住宅”的壮士：“壮士披挂整齐，看守自己的住宅，他所有的都平安无事。”（路11:21）只要没有来自上天的干预，它就不必担心内部会发生叛乱；它掌控着一切。圣灵在圣徒身上成就的事，撒但也会以邪恶的方式在罪人身上进行模拟：圣灵使人的心充满爱、喜乐和圣洁的渴望；撒但则使罪人的心充满骄傲、私欲和谎言。就像醉汉被酒精麻痹而失去自制，罪人被撒但占据以后，也就不再能主宰自己，从而成了无能为力的奴隶。
与罪和撒但为友，就是与神为敌。一个灵魂若拒绝披戴基督，就是在宣告自己背叛，主动站在了神的对立面。我们可以肯定地说：凡是神的仇敌，必是撒但的朋友——而你怎能叫一个人去攻打他自己的朋友呢？撒但会自相分争吗？里面的魔鬼会去攻打外面的魔鬼吗？
有时，撒但与属肉体的心看似在扭打，其实不过是一场假戏——好比舞台上两名剑客在互相格挡。起初你会以为他们是在真打；但你若留意他们是多么小心翼翼地避开要害去砍击，你就立刻明白了他们并不想置对方于死地。等你看见比赛结束后，他们还聚在一起分摊“演出收入”、欢笑作乐，那就更毫无疑问了。同样，当你看见一颗不悔改的心大张旗鼓地“对抗罪”，请跟着他走下那“善行的舞台”——他在台上扮演圣徒，以赢得美名；但在台下，你必定会看见他和撒但像老朋友一样躲在角落里，依然亲密无间。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：创19章，太18章，
个人灵修：尼8章，徒18章
JANUARY 18, SUNDAY
IMPOTENCY WITHOUT CHRIST
Sometimes Satan and a carnal heart appear to scuffle, but it is a farce—like the parrying of two fencers on stage.
When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). What can an unarmed soul do to shake off the yoke of Satan? No more than an unarmed people can do to shake off the yoke of a conquering army! Satan has such power over the soul that he is called the strong man who keeps the soul as his palace (Luke 11:21). If he has no disturbance from heaven, he need fear no mutiny within. He keeps everything under his control. What the Spirit of God does in a saint, Satan in a diabolical sense does in a sinner. The Spirit fills the heart with love, joy, holy desires; Satan fills the sinner’s heart with pride, lust, lying. And like the drunkard filled with wine, the sinner filled with Satan is not his own man, but an impotent slave.
Friendship with sin and Satan is enmity toward God. A soul that refuses to put on Christ declares himself a rebel and makes himself the enemy of God. I think we can safely say that whoever is God’s enemy must be Satan’s friend—and how will you make someone fight against his own friend? Is Satan divided? Will the devil within fight against the devil without?
Sometimes Satan and a carnal heart appear to scuffle, but it is a farce—like the parrying of two fencers on stage. You would think at first they were in earnest, but when you see how wary they are and where they strike one another, you soon know they do not mean to kill. Any doubt is removed when you see them after the match, making merry together with the proceeds of their performance! Likewise, when you see an unrepentant heart make a great show against sin, follow him off the stage of good works where he has gained the reputation of a saint by playing the hypocrite. There you will doubtless see him and Satan together in a corner as friendly as ever.