7月17日 与罪争战
与罪争战
然而，当我们摒弃自私，并以仁慈待人时，哪怕只是“因门徒的名”给人“一杯凉水”，在神眼中也比出于自私目的献上的一杯黄金更有价值（太10:42）。
如果有人打着“在圣灵里得自由”的旗号，对那些看似有罪的事物掉以轻心，他很可能会发现，自己竟在一种“属灵”的伪装下，犯下了严重的罪行。你要记住，你与罪争战，应当是出于对神的敬畏。
有些人抵挡罪的动机极其肤浅，以至于神几乎根本不看重他们的得胜。当我们禁食祷告时，祂问：“你们禁食，岂是丝毫向我禁食吗？”（亚7:5）。然而，当我们摒弃自私，并以仁慈待人时，哪怕只是“因门徒的名”给人“一杯凉水”，在神眼中也比出于自私目的献上的一杯黄金更有价值（太10:42）。
神定意要用祂自己的爱来激励我们离弃罪恶。君王在颁布诏书之前，会先印上自己的徽章和尊名；神同样也将祂荣耀的名放在祂的诫命之前，圣经记着说，“神吩咐这一切的话”（出20:1）。神要祂的儿女在所行的一切事上尊祂的名为圣。
正如天父吩咐祂的家人远离恶事，祂也要我们为自己所犯的罪忧伤，并且这忧伤应当是为着祂的缘故。有时人的忧伤极其自私，以至于一个人只要能把自己的灵魂从永恒的定罪中抢救出来就心满意足，哪怕这样做在某种程度上亏缺了神的荣耀也在所不惜。但一个蒙恩之人的哀恸却流向另一个方向：“我向祢犯罪，惟独得罪了祢”（诗51:4）。
替人做工的人和自己当老板的人之间，有着天壤之别。独立经营的人自己承担一切亏损，但用主人的本钱做买卖的仆人，必须把每一笔损失都记在主人的账上。基督徒啊，你是一个仆人。你所拥有的一切其实都不属于你，而是属于神的。当你陷入罪中时，你必须为着自己辜负了祂而深感忧伤，你会说：“我羞辱了我的神，浪费了祂赐给我的恩赐；我败坏了祂的名，也叫祂的圣灵担忧。”
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：书24章，徒4章，
个人灵修：耶13章，太27章
JULY 17, FRIDAY
FIGHTING SIN
When we are unselfish and kind to others, though, a “cup of cold water” given “in the name of a disciple” is more valuable in God’s sight than a cup of gold for selfish purposes (Matthew 10:42).
The person who saunters out into the appearance of evil in the name of “freedom in the Spirit” may find himself committing gross sin under some appearance of good. Combat sin for God’s reasons.
Some people resist sin for such shallow motives that God hardly notices their victory. When we have fasted and prayed He asks, “Did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?” (Zechariah 7:5). When we are unselfish and kind to others, though, a “cup of cold water” given “in the name of a disciple” is more valuable in God’s sight than a cup of gold for selfish purposes (Matthew 10:42).
God wants it to be His love which constrains us to renounce sin. Princes prefix documents with their coat of arms and royal names before sending them out; and God sets His glorious name before His commandments too—“God spake all these words” (Exodus 20:1). God would have His children to sanctify His name in everything they do.
Just as the Father commands His family to turn away from evil, it is for His sake that He wants us to mourn over those sins we do commit. Sometimes grief can be so selfish that a man is satisfied to snatch his soul from eternal damnation even if this somehow defamed the glory of God. But a gracious soul’s mourning runs in another channel: “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned” (Psalm 51:4).
There is a vast difference between a man who works for another person and one who is his own boss. The independent person assumes all his losses himself, but the servant who trades with his master’s stock must put every loss on that account. Christian, you are a servant. All you have is not really yours, but God’s. And when you fall into sin, your sorrow must be for the way you have wronged Him: “I have dishonored my God and wasted the talents He has given me; I have wounded His name and grieved His Spirit.”