1202 基督徒的完全
這不是說我已經得着了，已經完全了…《腓立比書3:12》
認為神想讓我們成為祂所能做的完全的典範，這是一個陷阱；神的目的是使我們與祂合一。聖潔運動的強調往往是神正在創造聖潔的樣本，放在祂的博物館裡。如果你接受這種個人聖潔的概念，你生命既定的目標將不是為了神，而是為了你生命中被稱為有神的證據。我們怎麼能說，「我生病絕不會是神的旨意」呢？如果神定意壓傷祂自己的兒子（以賽亞書 53:10），那祂為什麼不該壓傷你呢？在你的生命中閃耀和彰顯神的，不是你相對一致認定聖徒的理想模樣，而是你與耶穌基督真實活潑的關係，以及無論你健康或生病，都毫無限制地委身於祂。
基督徒的完全並非也永遠不可能是人類的完全。基督徒的完全是與神關係的完全，即使在人類生活中似乎不重要的，事實上也表現出那種關係。當你順服耶穌基督的呼召時，首先擊中你的，是你必須做的事情都是無關痛癢的。其次令你震驚的，是其他人似乎都過着完全一致的生活；那種生活可能會讓你覺得神是不必要的，通過你自己人為努力和奉獻，你也能達到神對你生命的標準。在一個墮落的世界裡，那是絕不可能的。我蒙召，要活在與神如此完全的關係中，以至於我的生命能在別人生命中產生對神的渴慕，而不是對我自己的欽佩。對自己的想法會妨礙我對神的用處。神的目的不是把我變得完全，使我成為祂陳列室中的戰利品；祂正在把我帶到祂可以使用我的地方；讓祂做祂想做的吧。
來自章伯斯的智慧
「是我揀選了你們…」（約翰福音 15:16），把這偉大的理解保持在你的信條中；不是你得到了神，而是神得到了你。《竭誠為主》，10 月 25 日
1202 Christian Perfection
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect… —Philippians 3:12
It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do— God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, “It could never be God’s will for me to be sick”? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son (Isaiah 53:10), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.
Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that hits you is the pointlessness of the things you have to do. The next thought that strikes you is that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives may leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary— that through your own human effort and devotion you can attain God’s standard for your life. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
“I have chosen you” (John 15:16). Keep that note of greatness in your creed. It is not that you have got God, but that He has got you. My Utmost for His Highest, October 25, 837 R