6月9日 即使是最小的信心
即使是最小的信心
圣经并未说：“你们若有信心像香柏树”，而是说：“你们若有信心，像一粒芥菜种。”（太17:20）
神殷切地嘱咐我们要温柔对待祂的小羊，但绝没有任何人能比父神自己更温柔。圣经将圣徒列为三个等次：“小子们”、“父老”和“少年人”（约壹2:12-14）。神的灵显明了祂的关怀，不仅最先提及这些属灵年幼的人，更是将怜悯的甘甜应许赐给他们：“小子们哪，我写信给你们，因为你们的罪藉着主名得了赦免。”（约壹2:12）祂极其明白地宣告，他们的罪已经得了赦免；同时，祂也堵住了罪咎的口，使罪咎不能叫他们灰心退后，不能拦阻他们领受福音——因为他们得赦免是“藉着主名”，这圣名所发出的浩大能力，远胜过人所犯下之最深重罪孽的名号。
因此，内心的纯全，确立了灵魂在施恩宝座前得以站立的地位，以至于没有任何的罪或软弱，能拦阻它蒙神接纳。使神不听我们祷告的，并非仅仅是我们心中残存的罪孽，而是我们心里注重罪孽（诗66:18）。这是基督徒时常与之摔跤的试探：他们因自身的亏欠，便退缩不敢来到神面前作大有功效的祷告；这就如同一些穷苦人，因觉得自己的衣衫寒酸，便畏缩不敢走进教会一样。
为了对付这种软弱，神赐下了诸般的应许。无论如何，这些应许本就是我们祷告的唯一根基。并且，神使这些应许能完美地适配最微小的信心。正如一幅传神的肖像画，其目光会注视着每一个走进房间的人；同样，福音之约的应许，也向每一位在基督里真诚仰望神的人展露恩容。圣经并未说：“你们若有信心像香柏树”，而是说：“你们若有信心，像一粒芥菜种。”（太17:20）使人称义的信心，在其自身的范畴内，绝不亚于那能行神迹的信心。即使是那最微小却真实无伪的信心，也能将如山般沉重的罪咎从灵魂中挪去。因此，圣经称每一位圣徒都是“同得一样宝贵信心的人”（彼后1:1）。在创世记中，我们几乎看不见撒拉的信心；但在希伯来书11章中，神却将她的信心与亚伯拉罕更为刚强的信心并列，赐予了她尊荣的记念。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：申13-14章，诗99-101章，
个人灵修：赛41章，启11章
JUNE 9, TUESDAY
EVEN THE SMALLEST FAITH
Scripture does not say, “If ye have faithlike a cedar,” but “if ye have faith as agrain of mustard seed” (Matthew 17:20).
God cautions us to be tender to His lambs, but no one can ever be as gentle as the Father Himself. Scripture lists three ranks of saints—“fathers,” “young men,” and “little children” (1 John 2:12–14). The Spirit of God shows His concern by mentioning the young ones first and delivering the sweet promise of mercy to them: “I write unto you, little children, for your sins are forgiven you for my name’s sake” (v. 12). In plain terms He says their sins are forgiven. And at the same time He stops the mouth of guilt from discouraging them and opposing the Gospel—forgiven for His name’s sake, a name far mightier than the name of a person’s worst sin.
Sincerity, then, keeps up the soul’s credit at the throne of grace so that no sin or weakness can hinder its welcome with God. Regarding iniquity in the heart, not just having it, keeps God from hearing our prayer (Psalm 66:18). This is a temptation which Christians often wrestle with when they let their personal shortcomings turn them away from prevailing prayer—they cower like some poor people who stay away from church because their clothing is not as fine as they would like.
To take care of this problem God has provided the promises—which, in any case, are our only ground for prayer—and has made them to fit the tiniest degree of grace. And as a welldone portrait faces everyone who enters the room, so the promises of the Gospel covenant smile upon everyone who sincerely looks to God in Christ. Scripture does not say, “If ye have faith like a cedar,” but “if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed” (Matthew 17:20). Justifying faith is not beneath miracleworking faith in its own sphere. The least sincere faith in Christ removes the mountainous guilt of sin from the soul. Thus every saint is said to have “like precious faith” (2 Peter 1:1). In Genesis we can barely see Sarah’s faith, but in Hebrews 11 God gives it honorable mention, alongside Abraham’s stronger faith.