0203 成为「世界上的污秽」
人还把我们看作世界上的污秽…《哥林多前书4:13》
这些话并不夸张。对我们这些自称为福音传道人，我们可能不真是如此的唯一原因，不是保罗忘记或误解了它们的确切真实，而是我们太过于谨慎和关心自己的欲望，以至于不容让自己成为「世界上的污秽」或废物。「要在我肉身上补满基督患难的缺欠」（歌罗西书1:24），这不是成圣的圣洁结果，而是圣化的证据—是被分别出来，「特派传神的福音」（罗马书1:1）。
「亲爱的弟兄啊，有火炼的试验临到你们，不要以为奇怪。」（彼得前书 4:12）。 如果我们真的认为所遇到的事情很奇怪，那是因为我们害怕、胆怯。 我们如此密切地关注自己的利益和欲望，以至于我们在远离泥潭，说：「我不会屈服，我不会低头或弯腰。」而你确实不必如此，如果你愿意的话，你可以仅仅勉强得救。你可以拒绝让神将你视为「特派传神的福音」的人【为福音被分别出来的人】。 或者你可以说：「只要福音被传扬，我不在乎是否被当作『世界上的污秽』。」一个真正耶稣基督的仆人，是愿意为神的福音的真实而经历殉道的人。当一个有道德的人面对蔑视、不道德、不忠或不诚实时，他会因被冒犯而感到非常厌恶，以至于转身，绝望地对冒犯者关闭了自己的心。但神救赎真实的奇迹，在于最坏、最卑劣的冒犯者永远无法耗尽祂的爱。 保罗不是说神将他分别出来，是要展示祂使他成为多么了不起的人，而是 「将祂儿子启示在我心里…」【要在我里面显出祂的儿子…】（加拉太书1:16）
来自章伯斯的智慧
神设计环境要看我们如何行事。我们会成为天父的孩子？或会再次回到卑鄙、常识的态度？我们会冒一切风险并忠于他吗？「你要至死忠心，我就赐给你生命的冠冕。」生命的冠冕意味着我将看到我的主最终获得了胜利，甚至在我身上也是。《至善—朝圣者歌集》
0203 Becoming the “Filth of the World”
We have been made as the filth of the world… —1 Corinthians 4:13
These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or “filth of the world.” “Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ…” (Colossians 1:24) is not the result of the holiness of sanctification, but the evidence of consecration— being “separated to the gospel of God…” (Romans 1:1).
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you…” (1 Peter 4:12). If we do think the things we encounter are strange, it is because we are fearful and cowardly. We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, “I won’t submit; I won’t bow or bend.” And you don’t have to— you can be saved by the “skin of your teeth” if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is “separated to the gospel….” Or you can say, “I don’t care if I am treated like ‘the filth of the world’ as long as the gospel is proclaimed.” A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom for the reality of the gospel of God. When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but “to reveal His Son in me…” (Galatians 1:16).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
God engineers circumstances to see what we will do. Will we be the children of our Father in heaven, or will we go back again to the meaner, common-sense attitude? Will we stake all and stand true to Him? “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” The crown of life means I shall see that my Lord has got the victory after all, even in me. –The Highest Good—The Pilgrim’s Song Book, 530 L