8月29日 得安慰的良心
得安慰的良心
罪引发恐惧的抽搐，使人的良心扭曲并饱受折磨。
良心的平安是福音的福气，且唯独是福音的福气。良心认识耶稣，也认识耶稣的福音；它拒绝顺服任何其他人或事物。有两个特别的主题可以证明这一真理：首先，是什么能满足良心；其次，是什么能将这满足应用在良心上。
是什么能满足良心呢？罪引发恐惧的抽搐，使人的良心扭曲并饱受折磨。若“罪”这个简短的字眼（实则是致命的瘟疫）真能从人的心思中被彻底涂抹，风暴很快就会平息，灵魂也必立刻化作平静的海洋，安宁而柔和，连一丝惧怕的涟漪都不会惊扰它的水面。但罪就是那激起狂风巨浪的约拿；它走到哪里，战争就必如影随形。
当亚当犯罪时，他在那悲惨的一口吞咽中，将这良心甜美的平安饮尽了。难怪那果子刚下咽，就几乎使他窒息，因为“他们二人的眼睛就明亮了，才知道自己是赤身露体”（创3:7）。如今，凡要将真正平安带给良心的事物，都必须先击倒“罪”这个歌利亚，如此战争方能止息，平安才能带来医治。
确乎如此，在罪人良心里灼烧作痛的，正是罪那浸满毒液的箭头，也就是罪咎感。它向人发出审判将至、刑罚难逃的警报，从而夺去人的安息。因为这人极其惧怕永活永恒之神无限的忿怒临到他时将要发生的可怕光景，他便活在对那将至之事的恐惧与煎熬之中。
如今，你若想安慰一颗良心（这良心正因自身的罪咎点燃了神怒气的炭火，并在其上被炙烤），你就必须先熄灭这些炭火，并向他宣告这大好信息：神赦免罪孽，并且祂愿意与悔改信靠的罪人和好。除了这福音之外，没有任何事物能使人在自己的心思中得着真正的平安。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：撒上21-22章，林前3章，
个人灵修：结1章，约2章
AUGUST 29, SATURDAY
A COMFORTABLE CONSCIENCE
Sin causes the convulsions of horror which distort and torment a person’s conscience.
Peace of conscience is the blessing of the Gospel and only the Gospel. Conscience knows Jesus, and the Gospel of Jesus; it refuses to obey anyone or anything else. Two particular themes will demonstrate this truth—first, what satisfies the conscience; and second, what applies this satisfaction to the conscience.
What satisfies the conscience? Sin causes the convulsions of horror which distort and torment a person’s conscience. If this little word—but such a deadly plague—could ever be blotted out of men’s minds, the storm would soon be stilled and the soul would immediately become a calm sea, quiet and smooth, without the least wave of fear to disturb its face. But sin is the Jonah which stirs up the tempest; wherever it comes, war is sure to follow.
When Adam sinned he drank away this sweet peace of conscience in one unhappy swallow. No wonder it almost choked him as soon as it was down his throat—“and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). Now, whatever is to bring true peace to the conscience must first prostrate this Goliath of sin before the war can end and peace can heal.
It is true—the poisoned head of sin’s arrow which burns and throbs in the sinner’s conscience is guilt. It robs the person of his rest by giving the alarm that judgment is coming and punishment is inevitable. Because that man dreads what will happen when this infinite wrath of the eternal living God comes for him, he lives in fear and agony of that expectation.
Now if you want to comfort a conscience which roasts on the burning embers of God’s anger, kindled by his own guilt, you must first quench those coals and present the news that God forgives sin and that He will make reconciliation with sinners who repent and believe. Nothing but this Gospel can offer the man true peace with his own thoughts.