2月14日 警惕作为引诱者的撒但
警惕作为引诱者的撒但
另一个要抵御撒但的方法是深入学习福音中那宏大的真理：一个灵魂在神面前是如何称义的。
如果你想在仇敌作为“搅扰者”时获得保护，就必须留心牠作为“引诱者”的行为。你可以确信，牠也正在设法对付你！撒但用来砍断基督徒安慰之根的斧头，其斧柄通常就是用基督徒自己的木料做的。撒但不过是受造物，没有工具就不能作工。牠确实能“积小成多”，但牠无法“无中生有”。这一点我们在牠试探基督的事上就能看到：牠对基督的试探是白白辛苦，因为牠来了且在基督身上什么把柄都找不到，“在这世界的王将到，牠在我里面是毫无所有”（约 14:30）。
但是，当撒但来到我们这里时，牠会发现我们旧性情的“化石”，这些东西向牠透露了我们内心的倾向。那是我们属肉体的心曾经极其珍视的“遗物”：我们的能力、私欲和骄傲。撒但把这些摆在我们面前，企图将我们从在基督里新得的恩典中引诱走。要提防牠的诱饵，不要喝牠的杯，因为其中有毒。即便那杯在试探中闪闪发光，也千万不要去看。你以为甜美而吞下去的，终必让你吐出来，变成苦胆和茵陈。
在诸般罪中，你尤其要防备那些放肆与狂妄的罪，因为你并未脱离这类危险。若你落入擅敢犯罪的网罗，要立刻呼求神的帮助。你的迟疑只会给撒但更多时间把你缠得更紧；但你若带着真实的悔改向神呼求，祂必立刻施行拯救。你越早顺服圣灵，你的灵魂受损就越轻。
另一个要抵御撒但的方法是深入学习福音中那宏大的真理：一个灵魂在神面前是如何称义的。你要从各个维度熟悉这一真理：神出于恩典的白白怜悯、基督献祭的圆满成就，以及信心在领受这些福分上所起的作用（罗3:24-25）。一旦灵魂开启了一道进入此真理的有效之门，魔鬼的勾当就必破产。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：创47章，路1:1-38，
个人灵修：伯13章，林前1章
FEBRUARY 14, SATURDAY
BEWARE OF SATAN AS A SEDUCER
Another way to fortify yourself against Satanis to study that grand gospel truth ofa soul’s justification before God.
If you want to be protected from your enemy as a troubler, you must take heed of him as a seducer. You can be sure he takes heed of you! The handle of the hatchet with which he chops at the root of the Christian’s comfort is commonly made of the Christian’s own wood. Satan is only a creature and cannot work without tools. He can indeed make much from a little, but he cannot make anything out of nothing. We see this in his assault on Christ, where he troubled himself to no purpose because he came and found nothing in Him (John 14:30).
But when he comes to us he finds fossils of our old natures, which tell him much about the disposition of our hearts. These are the artifacts our carnal hearts once held so dear; our strength, our lusts, our pride. He holds them out to us, thinking to draw us away from our new-found grace in Christ. Beware of his enticements. Do not drink from his cup; there is poison in it. Do not even look on it as it sparkles in the temptation. What you drink down with sweetness, you will be sure to bring up again as gall and wormwood.
Above all sins, guard against bold or arrogant ones. You are not beyond the danger of such. If caught in the web of presumptuous sin, call quickly to God for help. If you hesitate, you only give Satan time to entangle you more tightly. But if you cry out to God in true repentance, He will come at once to rescue you. The sooner you yield to the Spirit, the less damage is done to your soul.
Another way to fortify yourself against Satan is to study that grand gospel truth of a soul’s justification before God. Acquaint yourself with this truth in all its aspects: the free mercy of God’s grace; the accomplishment of Christ’s sacrifice; the effectiveness of faith in appropriating these blessings (Rom. 3:24–25). An effectual door once opened to let the soul in to this truth will spoil the devil’s market.