反思|我们为什么活不出来耶稣基督的美好的生命？

 相信对很多基督徒来说，一个一直困扰自己的很大的问题就是：为什么我信仰了这么长时间了，可是却活不出耶稣基督那美好的生命呢？甚至会感觉，好像自己的信仰在走下坡路一样，失去了初信之时的单纯和火热，随着信仰时间的增长，除了学会了更多的信仰知识以外，好像并没有什么收获？

近日，华东某地一名资深牧者L牧师与本站同工分享了最近他在这个方面的思考和看见。

前段时间，L牧师发现了一个让他很震惊的问题——“我们相信十字架当然是没错的，但是仅仅相信十字架还不够。”十字架意味着什么？十字架把我们的罪赦了，我们的罪得赦，神白白的将赦罪的永远的公义赐给了我们。耶稣背起了我们一切的罪，并且把所有的罪都钉死在了十字架上，耶稣钉十字架这件事解决了我们罪的问题。我们本来是没有生命的，但是现在借着耶稣的十字架，我们的罪得赦了，人类所有的罪恶都通过十字架已经解决了。只要信这件事的人，耶稣基督的十字架的功效就披戴在所有信的人身上。只要我们相信，我们的罪就被赦免了。但是这还不够，我们还需要有生命。

这个生命也不是凭着我们自己有的，而是借着圣灵和基督的帮助。圣灵进住到教会的里面，也要进入到每一个相信耶稣基督的人里面。“所以福音的核心不仅是十字架，更是耶稣基督他本身和他所做的事情。”

L牧师说他发现很多牧师也好，长老也好，信徒也好，都已经重生得救了。他们确实有过得救的经历，从不信到信的转变，L牧师自己就是一个典型的实例。但是有一个问题，那就是为什么我们活不出圣经上所说的公义良善的生活？

我们重生得救了，这一切我们都是白白得的，所以我们感谢上帝，可是却不能只是停留在这里。我们能不能更进一步行出上帝的公义和良善呢，我们行不出来，但是圣经却俨然命令我们叫我们活出耶稣基督的样式来。那么耶稣基督的样式究竟怎么才能活出来？也就是所谓的成圣。很多人说 ”能成圣吗？成圣不了。“ 但是无论是教义也好，或者是圣经也好，教训的都是成圣是一个过程，而不是结果。但是有些人却把它绝对化了，他们把成圣说成是已经全然圣洁的那种地步，那当然不可能，直到死我们都不可能。

我们如何才能够活出圣洁公义良善的这种上帝的形象和基督的样式？“上帝的命令叫我们爱我们的仇敌，可是别说爱仇敌了，我们连爱我们弟兄姊妹的心都不够；别说爱弟兄姊妹的心，我连爱我妻子的心都不够。那我们在教会里面说弟兄姊妹我爱你，奉主耶稣的名爱你，这些岂不都是假的吗？我们听了上帝的话，在这件事情上我们有了上帝的旨意，所以我用自己的方法去拼命的爱弟兄姊妹了，这就是我们在做法律赛人，因为我们用肉身和肉心，我的人的这种性情和我的肉体去努力去遵循上帝话语的时候，我就成了一个法利赛人。”

我们活不出耶稣基督的那样的生活。但是因为上帝命令我们应当这样生活，很多人就跟着去做了，就那么表面的去生活了，所以其实很多基督徒活出来的基本都是宗教徒的生活，而不是基督徒的生活，非常可怕。

跟其他宗教相比，我们基督教新教的外在的宗教的仪式、宗教的外表都是远远不如它们的。可是我们跟它们不同的一点，就是我们有生命，它们没有生命，这是毫无疑问的。可是问题在于我们有了生命却不能活出生命，这就是没有掌握到福音本质的问题。得救归得救了，得救的人应该有一个崭新的得救的活法，可是我们却痛苦地发现我们根本活不出来，所以很多人就很苦闷，我的取死的肉体啊，天天在上帝面前叹息，甚至有的人为了能够活出那种由心而发的生活而去禁食祷告，但是最后仍然果效甚微，到底是什么缘故？

圣灵进入到我们里面，不仅仅是赐给我们生命，而且得的更丰盛，那么丰盛的生命哪里去了？我们无法回答。于是，人们就把外表的东西描述成丰盛的生命的标志。比如说一个人他信了主以后赚钱了，又或者疾病得到医治或者其他什么事情，又比如他以前对教会漠不关心，但是现在对教会大发热心了……我们只能看到表面的现象来衡量他的信仰的好与坏或者信仰的成长与否。

外在的这个东西是信仰的表现，这是没有错的，可是问题是一个人外在的表现这是由生命流露出来的吗？这就未必了。我们不能说一个人信主以后，赚了很多的钱，我们就说他的信仰很好。否则最后就会变成根据一个人赚钱的多少来决定他的信仰虔诚度了——赚的钱越多，说明他的信仰越虔诚。我们不能这么说。

我们有了生命，可是我们却常常把生命放在一边，继续的依靠自己。生命是耶稣基督他自己，我们把耶稣基督放在一边，还是拼命用我自己的努力想要让我们的信仰变得更深，想要靠着自己进入到丰盛的生命里面，就这样又从本质脱离了。我们想通过宗教徒的这种外在的生活，来证明我的信仰的正确性。人不能够行到上帝的前面去，一定要让上帝先行，然后我们顺服。

L牧师说，我们总想要做很多很大的事情，仿佛如此才能我们的信仰很好。可是，无论我们所作的事情有多大或者所作的事情有多小，神关心的其实并不是这些事情。主说，“我只看重你，我只对你有关心，叫我能在你的里面活出来。”这就是福音。复活的主借着我活出来，借着你活出来，借着每一个基督徒活出来，这才是福音的最终本质。让耶稣活出来，而不是我的教义、我的学识、我的知识活出来。“只知道耶稣基督，并他钉十字架”。唯有如此，我们才能真正活出耶稣基督的美好的生命。

Is sanctification a process or a one-time event?

 Question from a Reader:

Is sanctification a process or a one-time event?

Answer from Chelsea Dudley:

When we look at Scripture there is a sense in which we, as believers, have already been sanctified (Hebrews 10:10). But even more clear is that sanctification is a process (Hebrews 10:14). Looking at what God means by justification will help make clear what sanctification is. Justification is a one-time event that happens at salvation when God declares the repentant sinner righteous before Him. God takes away our sins and gives us Christ’s righteousness. When God justifies us, we are declared righteous, we are declared holy. Sanctification is becoming what we already are. Philippians 3:12 says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Every honest believer will admit he/she still struggles with sin. Before God we are declared righteous and holy, that is how God sees us. But we still struggle with becoming righteous and holy. Sanctification is the process of becoming holy. It is the process of becoming who Christ has already declared us to be. It is the process of being transformed into His image (2 Cor. 3:18).

Sanctification is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we strive to honor God with obedience, He uses our obedience to transform us into the image of Jesus and make us holy. It is not our works that make us holy, but the Spirit’s work through us. Sanctification is a lifelong process and we won’t be completely holy until Christ returns and redeems all things.

Below are some resources that will bring even more clarification:

This is an excellent audio message by John Piper about sanctification, http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/the-gospel-and-sanctification-part-1

Here is a video of Randy talking about sinless perfectionism. Sinless perfectionism is the natural outcome of thinking sanctification is merely a one-time event. Randy also addresses sanctification in this video, http://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Jun/15/sinless-perfectionism-video/   

This is a short blog on the task of sanctification, http://www.epm.org/blog/2012/Jan/2/gift-and-task-sanctification

How to Live Like Jesus

 Do you want to live like Jesus?

Do you want to live a transformed life in relationship with God as your Father, Christ as your brother and the Holy Spirit as your constant help and comfort?

Do you want your Christian faith to not just be a part of your life, but be your life; penetrating and permeating everything you say and think and do?

If you are like me you are probably saying “Yes! Yes! Yes! I want all of those things!” while at the same time remembering how often you’ve started down that road, full of enthusiasm, passion and vision, only to stumble and falter. Maybe you’ve been disappointed by so many “false starts” toward living a truly transformed Christian life that you’re beginning to think it isn’t even possible.

If that’s the case, don’t be discouraged. Transformation is possible, not because I say so but because God does! And the key isn’t with some hidden formula, secret knowledge, or mystical experience only available to the “truly spiritual” (whoever they are). It’s for everyone who puts their trust in Jesus Christ—even you. All that’s required is listening to and trusting what God plainly tells you.

The key to living like Jesus

In Romans 12:2, God tells us the key to living like Jesus. Through the Apostle Paul He says,

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2)

Paul is saying, “Don’t let the world shape you according to its mould; rather let God refashion you to be like Jesus.”

Here it is; the way to transformed living. It’s no secret. God hasn’t made it complicated. It’s fairly simple, but not necessarily easy, so let’s take a closer look at Paul’s words.

When he says, “do not be conformed,” he’s using a passive verb, which means that we’re the receivers of the conforming work, not the doers. In other words he’s telling us not to let ourselves be squeezed by the world into its mould.

Next, when Paul says, “but be transformed,” he’s using another passive verb, which means we’re also not the ones doing the transforming work. God is doing it to us, like a potter moulding the clay (Isaiah 64:8). Simply put, Paul is saying, “Don’t let the world shape you according to its mould; rather let God refashion you to be like Jesus.”

The how of living like Jesus

Now for the important part…the how. How do we put a stop to the world’s “conforming” influence in favour of God’s “transformation?”

The answer: “by the renewing of your minds.”

Now you’re probably saying, “Ok, but how do we do that? How do we renew our minds?”

Good question! The easiest way I can put it is like this: By learning to think like Jesus. I could say a whole lot more than that, but the reason I like this short answer is because it reminds me that even Jesus didn’t live like Jesus just by just trying really hard. Rather, he lived in perfect obedience to God because his mind was perfectly aligned with the mind and will of the Father.

“Men do what they think.”

FRANCIS SCHAEFFER

If that was true for Jesus then it must be true for us, which is why Paul went on to say,

…be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

(Romans 12:2)

You see, living like Jesus means approving of what God approves of; wanting what God wants; and calling good what God calls good, acceptable what he calls acceptable, and perfect what he calls perfect.

But we can do none of those things until we learn to think like Jesus, because as Francis Schaeffer said, “Men do what they think.”

Why Christians struggle to live like Jesus

I think the reason many Christian aren’t living transformed lives is because they’re pursuing God’s heart while ignoring His mind. This is backed up by so much research showing how little Christians read, study and understand the Bible. It also explains why so many Christians today struggle to pinpoint what really sets their values, lifestyles, and perspectives apart from the rest of culture around them.

We fail to live like Jesus because we haven’t learned to think the way he thinks.

The mission of Prepared to Answer is to teach a new generation of Christians to think like Jesus. Yes, living like Jesus is more than just thinking like him, but it is certainly not less. We can’t live with hearts devoted to Christ, after all, if our minds aren’t.

We fail to live like Jesus because we haven’t learned to think the way he thinks.

If you’re still reading, that means that something here resonates with you. You sense that despite your sincerest intentions you’re missing an essential key to living a truly transformed Christian life.

If so, I want to invite you to join with me and a community of others who are seeking to live as Jesus did and teaching others to do the same by accepting God’s call to consciously, intentionally, diligently, and faithfully re-train ourselves to think like Jesus.

Ready to continue the journey? Next post in series (2 of 3): How Do I Start Thinking Like Jesus?

Originally published Jul 23, 2018, updated Aug 11, 2020.

Ways to Grow in Your Faith

 God has dealt to every person a measure of faith (Romans 12:3, NKJV). But as a Christian full of faith, God doesn’t want you to become stagnant. He wants you to GROW in Him! Growing in Him means growing from faith to faith (Romans 1:17, KJV). It means getting to know Him better, and getting to know Him more this week than last week, and more today than yesterday. Below are four ways you can grow in your faith.

Grow Through Hearing the Word

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17, NKJV).

If you want to grow in your faith, it starts by hearing, and that means feeding yourself with God’s Word. When you hear God’s Word, it changes you. It affects your worldview and alters the way you think. Is this talking about brainwashing? Yes—if brainwashing means washing your brain with the Word of God!

We want to see things the way God sees them, and we want to think the way He thinks. The good news is, there’s an entire book filled with the way God thinks: the Bible. Open your Bible and begin to read. Get an audio recording of the Bible, and listen to it as you go to sleep, as you get ready in the morning, or as you drive in your car. Get audio and video teaching from Bible teachers you can trust. We have hundreds of teachings and media resources available to you for free on our website in the Watch section. Additionally, you can subscribe to our podcast and listen to faith-filled teaching on the go. It’s a great way to start your growth.

Grow Through Believing the Word

It’s one thing to hear the Word…it’s another to believe it. You may have heard for years that Jesus is Lord. You may have grown up in a Christian home and been taught that since you were old enough to understand what your parents were saying. But something happened the day you believed it. Everything changed. “The old passed away and everything became new.”

Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (KJV, emphasis added). You became a Christian from hearing—and believing—God’s Word. That goes for every part of your Christian life. When you read God’s Word, don’t hesitate to believe it. If God said it, it doesn’t matter how you feel about it. If God said it, it doesn’t matter what you’ve heard that’s contrary to it. God’s Word trumps everything else. You may be struggling with your health. You may feel sick. You may have gone to a church that says God doesn’t heal today. What does God’s Word say? It says:

“I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26).

“By his wounds you are healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

“[Jesus] healed all the sick among them” (Matthew 12:15).

If God’s Word says it, the matter is settled. It’s time to believe it.

Grow Through Taking God’s Word

“But I’m still sick!” you may say.

Once you’ve heard God’s Word and made the decision to believe it, you need to make the decision to take it. Take hold of the truth and never let go.

Taking it means putting God’s Word before your eyes and keeping it before your eyes. Every day, speak that truth. When you want to receive your healing, search through God’s Word and find verse after verse after verse about how God wants to heal you. Highlight those verses. Print them out. Tape them on your mirror. Add them as the home screen on your smartphone. Speak them every day.

When you take God’s Word, the world may be playing tug of war with you, but you won’t let go of that truth! Read it, believe it, take it and never let go no matter what comes your way!

Grow Through Acting on God’s Word

“Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead…. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:17-18, NKJV).

It’s one thing to read, believe and take hold of something. It’s another to act as though you believe it.

When you know that you know God has healed you—because that’s the loving God He is—it’s time to act like it. Wake up in the morning and thank God for your healing. You may feel sick; you may feel like not moving a muscle. But don’t let your feelings stop you from acting on God’s Word. You may not be able to do much yet, because sometimes it takes time to get the natural in line with the supernatural. If someone tells you, “You look sick,” reply, “No, I’m doing great because by His stripes, I am healed!”

As you act upon His Word, you’re allowing it to grow in you, settle in you, become active and strong in your life.

 

Hearing. Believing. Taking. Acting. When you listen to the Lord, believe what He says, take Him at His Word, and act on it, you’ll find yourself growing in your faith like never before. Then, God’s Word will be working in your life in a way like nothing else can. It’ll be working in a life full of FAITH!

© 1997 – 2022 Eagle Mountain International Church Inc. Aka Kenneth Copeland Ministries. All Rights Reserved.

The Efficacy of Christ's Cross

 The Efficacy of Christ's Cross

The cross of Christ, with its infinite suffering, sorrow, and shame, freely endured by Him, can only be known in all its value by God, Who has fully accepted it. For He “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God is glorified thereby.

The work of propitiation was there and thus perfectly accomplished by Jesus the Son of God and Son of man, lifted up from the earth, and exalted now to the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3). Thence He sent down the Holy Ghost to bear testimony, not only in the church, but to sinful man, that a Savior now sits upon the throne of God, and that to believe in Him secures not only the forgiveness of all his sins, but “justification from all things from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39). “For He was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification,” (Rom. 4:25). “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).

It is no small measure of blessing and joy to a guilty, and condemned sinner, that trembles at God's word, to be able to say, Through faith in a once crucified now risen and glorified Christ, I am “justified freely by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3); or, according to Col. 1:14, in Christ I “have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” And is even this all? Far from it. From the moment he believes, he can thank the Father Who made him meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the saints (Col. 1:12). For he has been sanctified by the will of God through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Heb. 10:10); yea, by that one offering “perfected forever” (ver. 14). And a blessed testimony to this glorious truth is given by the presence and indwelling of the Holy Ghost sent down ever since the day of Pentecost (Heb. 10:15-17), Who bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:16), all sins and iniquities having been forever removed from the believer before God, so that there is no more offering for sin. Less than this is not His gospel nor suited to Christ's cross. Other than this is not the Holy Spirit's witness to us. The sinner's position is thus entirely changed by the faith of Christ and of His blood. A new standing in divine grace is given to the believer. He is no longer seen in his sins, nor is he any longer under the responsibility of his Adam nature. As a child of God he is set apart by the Spirit to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:2). He is called to the path of His obedience (1 Peter 1:14-15). He is a new creature in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17), old things being passed, and new things come. Peace and joy now fill his heart in believing, and he exults in hope of the glory of God (Rom. 5:2).