5月6日 首要真理
首要真理
福音的基本真理就像界碑，使我们安然行在神所设立的疆界之内。
这些真理是每个人得救必经的门户，也是承载整个基督教信仰重量的基石。
福音的基本真理就像界碑，使我们安然行在神所设立的疆界之内。设想你的祖父曾拥有一块土地，当年经过了仔细的丈量。他亲自看着界桩立下，甚至闭着眼也能摸清边界。但他却从未花时间把这些标记教导后人。多年过去，界桩腐烂了、被拔除了，或被雨水冲走了。如今祖父去世，地留给了你。一个不诚实的邻居声称这地属于他，并指着他种下的一片繁茂庄稼为证。你发现地契已经遗失了，而你自己也说不清地界究竟在哪里，那么在法庭上你如何为自己辩护呢？你很可能会失去这份产业，因为从未有人清楚地告诉你，你的产业在哪里结束，邻居的领地从哪里开始。
属灵的真相亦是如此：每一个基本真理旁边，总有一个邪恶的“邻居”（异端）蠢蠢欲动，急于在神话语的圣地上种下谎言的作物，好迷惑圣徒。近年来，错误的灵之所以能如此侵蚀真理，正是因为牧者没有带领会众巡查福音的界线，使他们熟悉这些首要的真理。
正如家庭生活中有必需品和奢侈品，信仰中也有“主食”与“点心”。奢侈品固然美好，能增进享受，但一旦基本需求得不到满足，它们便会迅速失去光彩。若盘中没有食物，用精致的瓷器进餐又有什么意义？若在寒冬中没有外衣，一件丝绸上衣又有何价值？
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：民14章，诗50章，
个人灵修：赛3-4章，来11章
MAY 6, WENDESDAY
PRIMARY TRUTHS
The fundamental truths of the Gospel are landmarks to keep us safely within the boundaries set by God.
These are the truths everyone must know and believe for salvation, the verities upon whose shoulders the whole weight of Christianity weighs.
The fundamental truths of the Gospel are landmarks to keep us safely within the boundaries set by God. Suppose your grandfather owned some property which at one time had been carefully surveyed. He was there when they set the stakes and could have paced it off blindfolded. But he never took the time to show anyone else the markings. Over the years, the markers rotted, were rooted up, or washed away. Now your grandfather has died and left the land to you. But a dishonest neighbor claims it is his, and as proof of ownership points to the burgeoning crop of corn he has planted. You discover the deed and land description have been lost. Since you do not really know the proper boundary lines yourself, how will you defend your case in court? You will probably end up losing your property because no one ever told you where it ends and your neighbor’s begins.
The spiritual parallel is this: Every fundamental truth has some evil neighbor (i.e., heresy) butting up against it, eager to plant a crop of lies upon the sacred ground of God’s Holy Word and thus fool the saints. And the very reason that a spirit of error has encroached so far upon the truth in the last few years is because ministers have not walked the boundaries of the Gospel with their people and acquainted them with these primary truths.
We have both staples and luxuries in our religion, just as in our homes. Luxuries are wonderful and often enhance our appreciation of the staples, but they quickly lose their appeal when our basic needs go unmet. What pleasure is there in dining from fine china if you have no food to put on the plate? Of what value is a silk blouse in the winter if you have no coat?