0202 呼召的不可抗拒的力量
若不傳福音，我便有禍了。《哥林多前書 9:16》
要提防拒絕聽神的呼召；每個得救的人都被呼召去證明他得救的事實，然而這與傳道的呼召不同，只是在傳道中可以使用的一個例證。在這節經文中，保羅是指傳福音的呼召不可抗拒力量在他裡面所生的刺痛。永遠不要試圖將保羅所說關於傳道的呼召應用到那些被呼召到神面前得救的靈魂身上，得救是再容易不過的，因為這完全是神的主權作為— 「仰望我，就必得救。」（以賽亞書 45:22）。我們的主對門徒訓練的要求條件，與得救的條件從來就不相同。我們是透過基督的十字架而得救，但作門徒是帶有選擇的 — 「若有人…」（路加福音 14:26）。
保羅的話與我們成為耶穌基督的僕人有關，我們要做什麼或要去哪裡，從未徵得我們的許可。神使我們如同擘開的餅和傾倒的酒，以討祂自己喜悅。被「特派傳神的福音」意味着能夠聽到神的呼召（羅馬書 1:1）。一旦某人聽到那個呼召，一種配為基督之名受苦就產生了。突然間，每一個野心、每一個生命的慾望、以及每一個展望，都被完全抹掉和熄滅了，只剩一件事：「特派傳神的福音」。一旦呼召臨到，卻試圖走向其他方向的靈魂有禍了。聖經學院的存在，是為了讓你們每一個人知道，神是否有一個真正關心傳揚祂福音的男人或女人，並看看神是否為此目的抓住了你。一旦神的呼召抓住你，要當心其它競爭的呼召。
來自章伯斯的智慧
我們在黑暗中才是真實的我們；其他一切都是名譽。神看的是我們在黑暗中的所是：我們思維中的想象，內心的思想，身體的習慣；這些是在神眼中標記我們的事情。《神的愛——不被注意的事工》
0202 The Compelling Force of the Call
Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16
Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. That, however, is not the same as the call to preach, but is merely an illustration which can be used in preaching. In this verse, Paul was referring to the stinging pains produced in him by the compelling force of the call to preach the gospel. Never try to apply what Paul said regarding the call to preach to those souls who are being called to God for salvation. There is nothing easier than getting saved, because it is solely God’s sovereign work— “Look to Me, and be saved…” (Isaiah 45:22). Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that he requires for salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Christ. But discipleship has an option with it— “If anyone…” (Luke 14:26).
Paul’s words have to do with our being made servants of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us as broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be “separated to the gospel” means being able to hear the call of God (Romans 1:1). Once someone begins to hear that call, a suffering worthy of the name of Christ is produced. Suddenly, every ambition, every desire of life, and every outlook is completely blotted out and extinguished. Only one thing remains— “…separated to the gospel…” Woe be to the soul who tries to head in any other direction once that call has come to him. The Bible Training College exists so that each of you may know whether or not God has a man or woman here who truly cares about proclaiming His gospel and to see if God grips you for this purpose. Beware of competing calls once the call of God grips you.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We are only what we are in the dark; all the rest is reputation. What God looks at is what we are in the dark—the imaginations of our minds; the thoughts of our heart; the habits of our bodies; these are the things that mark us in God’s sight. –The Love of God—The Ministry of the Unnoticed, 669 L