6月6日 纯全遮盖软弱
纯全遮盖软弱
纯全是每一种恩典的力量。我们的恩典中掺杂的伪善越多，恩典就越显软弱。
纯全（诚实无伪），即内心的真实无妄，它就好比是一条属灵的腰带，正如士兵的腰带具有双重用途一样。士兵铠甲的上半身和下半身连接在腰部。由于这些铠甲部件不可能拼合得天衣无缝，中间总会留下一些接缝的空隙。因此，士兵需要一条宽大的腰带来遮盖这些显露的破绽。
纯全为基督徒所做的正是同样的工作。圣徒的诸般恩典并非总是整齐划一，他的生活也并非尽善尽美，以至于在属灵争战中能毫无瑕疵毫不软弱。但纯全遮盖了这一切，使这些破绽既不会令他蒙羞，也不会将他暴露在敌人的致命攻击之下。
腰带系得越紧，腰部就越有力量。因此，当神定意削弱一个国家的权势时，祂使用了这样的表达：“我也要放松列王的腰带。”（赛45:1）
纯全是每一种恩典的力量。我们的恩典中掺杂的伪善越多，恩典就越显软弱。唯有纯全的信心才是刚强的信心，唯有纯全的爱才是大有能力的爱。假冒为善之于恩典，犹如蛀虫之于橡树，又如铁锈之于坚铁——它之所以削弱恩典，正是因为它在败坏恩典。
然而，世俗道德中的“正直”就像一朵野花，甚至能开在未重生的属血气之人性的荒地上。它在行为上或许能显出某种程度的真实，但使人成圣、使人得救的恩典却连一丝一毫都没有。例如，亚比米勒把撒拉取去之后，神亲自为他作见证说：“我知道你做这事是心中正直”（创20:6）。也就是说，亚比米勒并没有故意要得罪亚伯拉罕，因为他确实不知道撒拉是亚伯拉罕的妻子。
虽然这种道德层面上的诚实，能驱使一个人在人际交往中表现得友善，但主对撒母耳的告诫至今从未改变：“不要看他的外貌……因为，耶和华不像人看人：人是看外貌；耶和华是看内心。”（撒上16:7）
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：申10章，诗92-93章，
个人灵修：赛38章，启8章
JUNE 6, SATURDAY
SINCERITY COVERS WEAKNESS
Sincerity is the strength of every grace. The more hypocrisy in our graces, the weaker they are.
Sincerity, or truth of heart, can be compared to a girdle in the light of the dual purpose of a soldier’s belt.
Here at the loins the pieces of armor which defend the lower parts of the body are connected to the upper ones. And because it is impossible for these to be perfectly knit together there will be some gaping open between the pieces. Thus a broad girdle is used to cover all the unattractiveness.
Sincerity does the same work for the Christian. The saint’s graces are not so uniform, nor his life so perfect, that there are no defects and weaknesses in his warfare. But sincerity covers them all so they cannot expose him to shame or leave him vulnerable to danger.
The more closely the belt is drawn to the body the more the loins are strengthened. Thus when God purposed to weaken a people He used this expression: “I will loose the loins of kings” (Isaiah 45:1).
Sincerity is the strength of every grace. The more hypocrisy in our graces, the weaker they are. It is sincere faith which is the strong faith, sincere love which is the mighty love. But hypocrisy is to grace as the worm is to the oak—or as rust is to iron—it weakens because it corrupts.
This kind of uprightness is like a wildflower which can grow in the waste places of nature. It may demonstrate a measure of truth in its actions, yet it does not have a single fiber of sanctifying, saving grace. For example, God Himself came in as a witness for Abimelech after he had taken Sarah: “I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart” (Genesis 20:6)—that is, he intended no wrong toward Abraham since he did not know Sarah was his wife.
While this moral honesty motivates a man to be kind in his relationships, the Lords counsel has not changed since He directed it to Samuel: “Look not on his countenance … for the Lord seeth not as man seeth” (1 Samuel 16:7).