8月28日 向他人作见证
向他人作见证
良心的平安之于灵魂，犹如健康之于身体。即使是金线织就的华服，披在病患肩头也无法使他感到舒坦。
领人归向基督，是何等蒙神悦纳的善工！医生绝不会向带病人求医的人发怒，因为借着治愈疾病，医生的尽心与医术将广为人知。这也正是基督长久以来所怀抱并为之祈求的伟大旨意，就是“叫世人可以信”是神差了祂来（约17:21）。祂借着福音的恩典招聚灵魂，目的乃是“从外邦人中选取百姓归于自己的名下”（徒15:14），也就是从罪人堆中拣选一群特属祂的子民，向他们施怜悯，并使祂荣耀的名被高举。
和好的平安使人与神和好；但良心的平安使人与自己和好。自从人破坏了与神之间的平安，他就再也无法与自己的良心作朋友。这第二种平安是如此不可或缺，以至于人若没有它，就根本无法品尝与神和好的甘甜，也无法体会任何其他怜悯的滋味。
良心的平安之于灵魂，犹如健康之于身体。即使是金线织就的华服，披在病患肩头也无法使他感到舒坦。同样，对于一颗饱受煎熬的良心而言，任何事物都无法令它喜乐。当摩西将好消息带给在埃及受苦的以色列人时，他们“因苦工愁烦，不肯听他的话”（出6:9）。哈拿与丈夫上耶路撒冷过节，她却“哭泣不吃饭”（撒上1:7）。照样，带着创伤的灵魂去听讲道，却无法从中得着喂养；他听见了许多宝贵的应许，却无力领受其中所赐的生命。
将君王的盛宴摆在内心极其愁烦的人面前，并不能使他开怀；他宁愿独自躲进角落里哭泣。“忧伤的灵，谁能承当呢？”（箴18:14）那些无法治愈的绝症，向来被视为医生的耻辱；而那不断控告人的良心所带来的属灵困惑，也让世人一切试图医治它的枉然之举尽显羞愧。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：撒上20章，林前2章，
个人灵修：哀5章，约1章
AUGUST 28, FRIDAY
WITNESS TO OTHERS
Peace of conscience is to the soul what health is to the body. Even a suit of gold cloth does not feel comfortable on a diseased man’s shoulders.
What an acceptable work it is to win men to Christ! A doctor is never angry with a man who brings a patient to him, because through the cure his dedication and skill will be publicized. And this is the great design Christ has had for a long time, and prayed for—“that the world may believe” that God sent Him (John 17:21). His aim in gathering souls by the grace of the Gospel is “to take out… a people” from the heap of sinners “for his name” (Acts 15:14)—to choose a peculiar people, show mercy on them, and allow His glorious name to be exalted.
Peace of reconciliation reconciles a man to God; but peace of conscience reconciles him to himself. Since man broke peace with God he has not been able to be a friend to his own conscience. This second kind of peace is so necessary that the person cannot taste the sweetness of reconciliation with God, or of any other mercy, without it.
Peace of conscience is to the soul what health is to the body. Even a suit of gold cloth does not feel comfortable on a diseased man’s shoulders. And neither does anything seem joyous to a distressed conscience. When Moses brought good news to the troubled Israelites in Egypt “they hearkened not” to him “for anguish of spirit” (Exodus 6:9). Hannah went up to the festival at Jerusalem with her husband but “she wept, and did not eat” (1 Samuel 1:7). Thus the wounded soul goes to the sermon but does not partake of it; she hears many precious promises but cannot receive the life they offer.
A royal banquet spread before a deeply troubled man does not make him happy; he would rather go off in a corner by himself and cry. “A wounded spirit who can bear?” (Proverbs 18:14). Diseases which are incurable are called the physician’s reproach. And the spiritual perplexity of an accusing conscience puts all the world to shame for their vain attempts to apply a cure.