3月6日 我们与恶人的争战
我们与恶人的争战
当你被恶人辱骂逼迫时，要越过他们去看问题；要把忿怒对准撒但，因为牠才是你的头号仇敌，人不过是牠手中的傀儡。
在圣徒与恶人的一切争战中，撒但才是恶人阵营中的最高统帅。恶人所做的是他们“元帅”的差事，他们所满足的是撒但的私欲。劫掠约伯的是示巴人，但他们是奉撒但的差遣而来；异端散布毒素，歪曲真道，使许多人偏离，却不过是“撒但的差役”（林后11:15），其动机、诡计和工价都出于撒但。那些逼迫者，无论用口还是用手，都不过是魔鬼的工具（启2:9-10）。
当你看见有人疯狂地敌挡基督的真理或仆人时，要怜悯他们，因为他们是世上最可怜的人。不要惧怕他们的权势，也不要羡慕他们的才干，他们不过是撒但的使者。古时的殉道者称他们为撒但的“苦役”和“宰杀之奴”。奥古斯丁在写给李西尼乌斯（一个才华横溢却邪恶的昔日学生）的信中说：“唉，看到你这样闪耀的天才竟沦为魔鬼的玩物，我何等哀痛！你若捡到一个金杯，会把它献给教会；但神赐给你一颗‘金脑袋’——如此的才干与机智——你却正用它向魔鬼敬酒，直到沉沦！”
当你看见有权势、有才智的人用神所赐的才能来敌挡神时，要为他们的灵魂哀哭。他们若一生贫贱愚昧，也比用神给的能力替魔鬼效劳要强百倍。
所以，当你被恶人辱骂逼迫时，要越过他们去看问题；要把忿怒对准撒但，因为牠才是你的头号仇敌，人不过是牠手中的傀儡。然而，这些人仍有可能被赢回归给基督，最终成为你的弟兄。安瑟伦曾这样解释：“当仇敌骑马冲锋时，勇敢的战士并不向马发怒，而是向骑马的人发怒；他要击杀的是骑士，好夺取那匹马归为己用。”我们对待恶人，也当如此。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出17章，路20章，
个人灵修：伯35章，林后5章
MARCH 6, FRIDAY
OUR WAR WITH THE WICKED
When reproached and persecuted by wicked men, look beyond them. Spend your wrath on Satan, who is your chief enemy. Men are only his puppets.
Now in all the saints’ wars with the wicked, Satan is commander-in-chief on the wicked side. It is their captain’s work the wicked do, his lusts they fulfill. The Sabeans were the ones who plundered Job, but they went on Satan’s errand The heretic spreads corrupt doctrine and perverts the faith of many, but he is only a minister of Satan (2 Corinthians 11:15), who gives him his call, his wiles, and his wages. Persecutors, whether by their tongues or their hands, are but the devil’s instruments (Revelation 2:9–10).
When you see people striving furiously against the truths or servants of Christ, pity them as the most miserable people on earth. Do not fear their power, nor admire their talents. They are emissaries of Satan. The martyrs of old called them his drudges and slaughter-slaves. Augustine said in a letter to Lycinius (a brilliant but wicked man who once had been his student), “Oh, how I weep to see such a sparkling wit as yours prostituted to the devil’s service! If you had found a golden chalice, you would have given it to the church; but God has given you a golden head, talent, and wit, and with them you are drinking yourself to the devil!”
When you see men of power and intellect using their talents against God, weep for their souls. Better they had lived and died slaves and fools than to do the devil’s business with their God-given abilities.
When reproached and persecuted by wicked men, look beyond them. Spend your wrath on Satan, who is your chief enemy. Men are only his puppets. They may be won to Christ’s side and so become your friends at last. Anselm explains it in the following manner, “When the enemy comes riding up in battle, the valiant soldier is not angry with the horse, but with the horseman. He works to kill the rider so that he may possess the horse for his own use.” Thus we must do with the wicked.