Romans 8:28-39 (NKJV)
28 And we know that all
things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the
called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He
also predestined to be conformed to the image of
His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He
predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and
whom He justified, these He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to
these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His
own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely
give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge
against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and
furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes
intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For
Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things
we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that
neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things
present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor
any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
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One great obstacle to
true praise is when we see life not working out as we envisioned it should. Worry, anxiety, and stress really mean
we think God won’t get it right; bitterness means we think he already got it
wrong. The great key to the Christian life is assessing the present in light of
our assurance of the future—we know for
sure that God is constantly working for the good of his people in loving
covenant with him. Though God loves to give good gifts to his people this
doesn’t guarantee us a life of ease and comfort (what we often think is all things working together) but means
rather the ultimate good of being
made to be like Christ as we’re conformed
to the image of his Son.
What praise, what
hope, what rejoicing! The stunning promise here is that God intimately foreknew
who he would call, then justify in salvation and finally glorify with Christ.
Notice that the past tense of glorified (this
happens at the end of time) means this is so guaranteed that in God’s view it
is as good as accomplished already! Remember this when life seems to be
sinking, nothing looks like it is working out, and days look darker than ever:
Absolutely nothing then can separate you from your God who is so for you that
he delivered up his only Son for your life (Gen. 22:2). Praise him in all
circumstances as the Lord’s love is always and forever with you and working for
you!
第 7 天 羅8:28-39
28 我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按他旨意被召的人。
29 因為他預先所知道的人，就預先定下效法他兒子的模樣，使他兒子在許多弟兄中作長子。
30 預先所定下的人又召他們來；所召來的人又稱他們為義；所稱為義的人又叫他們得榮耀。
31 既是這樣，還有甚麼說的呢？神若幫助我們，誰能敵擋我們呢？
32 神既不愛惜自己的兒子，為我們眾人捨了，豈不也把萬物和他一同白白的賜給我們麼？
33 誰能控告神所揀選的人呢？有神稱他們為義了（或作：是稱他們為義的神麼）
34 誰能定他們的罪呢？有基督耶穌已經死了，而且從死裡復活，現今在神的右邊，也替我們祈求（有基督...... 或作是已經死了，而且從死裡復活，現今在神的右邊，也替我們祈求的基督耶穌麼）
35 誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕呢？難道是患難麼？是困苦麼？是逼迫麼？是飢餓麼？是赤身露體麼？是危險麼？是刀劍麼？
36 如經上所記：我們為你的緣故終日被殺；人看我們如將宰的羊。
37 然而，靠著愛我們的主，在這一切的事上已經得勝有餘了。
38 因為我深信無論是死，是生，是天使，是掌權的，是有能的，是現在的事，是將來的事，
39 是高處的，是低處的，是別的受造之物，都不能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。
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對於真正的讚美來說，一個很大的障礙就是當我們看見我們的生活不如預期一樣。我們的擔憂焦慮和壓力乃是意味著我們認為 神不能處理這事。苦毒乃是意味著我們認為祂已經做錯了。基督徒生活的一個重要關鍵乃是，當我們在評估我們現在情形的時候必須要在未來的確據的光中----我們確信 神在衪和祂子民愛的約中，祂一直不停的為著祂子民的益處而工作。雖然神願意給祂子民上好的祝福，然而這卻不保證我們的生活是一帆風順的（我們常常認為萬事互相效力）最上好的祝福乃是使我們更像基督，使我們可以效法 神兒子的形像。.
這是何等的讚美！何等的盼望！何等的喜樂！這個偉大的應許是 神預知祂會呼召誰，之後在救贖中得稱義，最終與基督同得榮耀。請注意，從英文我們可以知道這裡的得榮耀 用的是過去式（這是在世代的末了發生的），這樣的用法告訴我們，得榮耀是何等的有保障，在 神的眼中這一切已經成就了。當你的生活沉淪，好像什麼事情都不順利，生活好像前所未有的黑暗的時候，請記住：任何事都無法使你與這位將自己的獨生子獻上拯救你的 神隔絕（創22:2）。在任何環境當中都讚美祂，因為 神的愛一直陪伴著你，永遠在你身邊為你工作。
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