1021 衝動還是門徒訓練？
親愛的弟兄啊，你們卻要在至聖的真道上造就自己…《猶大書 20》
我們的主沒有任何衝動或自私作為的性質，只有一種冷靜的力量，從不陷入恐慌。我們大多數人都是按照我們自己的本性發展我們的基督徒生活，而不是按照神的性情來成長。衝動是天然生命的特徵，而我們的主總是不顧它，因為它阻礙了門徒生命的發展。要警醒神的靈如何給予衝動一種抑制感，突然帶給我們自覺的愚蠢感受，那使我們立刻想要為自己辯護。衝動在小孩子身上還好，但在大人身上，卻是災難——一個衝動的成年人總是一個被寵壞的人；衝動需要通過紀律管訓被操練成直覺。
門徒訓練完全建造在神超自然恩典之上。行走在水面上，對於衝動大膽的人是容易，但作為耶穌基督的門徒，在乾地上行走，那又全然不同了。彼得在水面上向耶穌走過去，但他在乾地上是「遠遠地跟着」（馬可福音14:54）。我們不需要神的恩典來承受危機——人性和驕傲足以讓我們很好地面對壓力和緊張。但作為耶穌的門徒，我們需要神的超自然恩典，才能每天二十四小時活出聖徒生活，經歷苦差事，過着平凡、沒人注意、被忽視的生活。我們根深蒂固地認為我們必須為神做特別的事情，但我們不是要那樣地活。我們必須在平凡生活中不平凡，在平凡的街道上、在平凡的人群中聖潔——而這不是五分鐘就能學會的。
來自章伯斯的智慧
耶穌對門徒所說的偉大之語是「舍己」。當神把我們帶進門徒的關係中時，我們必須冒險相信祂的話，完全信靠祂，並注意當祂帶我們去冒險時，我們就接受之。《登山寶訓研究》
1021 Impulsiveness or Discipleship?
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith… —Jude 20
There was nothing of the nature of impulsive or thoughtless action about our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the lines of our own nature, not along the lines of God’s nature. Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman— an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.
Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he “followed Him at a distance” on dry land (Mark 14:54). We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises— human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God— but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people— and this is not learned in five minutes.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it. —Studies in the Sermon on the Mount