1209 天然生命的反对
凡属基督耶稣的人，是已经把肉体，连肉体的邪情私欲，同钉在十字架上了。《加拉太书5:24》
天然生命本身不是有罪的，但我们必须弃绝罪，一切都要与罪没有任何关系。罪属于地狱和魔鬼。我，作为神的孩子，属于天堂和神。那不是放弃罪的问题，而是放弃我对自己的权利、我的天然独立性和我的自我意志的问题，这是我们必须争战的地方。从天然的角度来看，那些正确、高尚和好的事物，正是阻碍我们成为神设定最好的所是。一旦我们明白天然道德的卓越性会反对或抵消了对神的降服，我们就把我们的灵魂带入最大争战的核心。我们很少有人会争论什么是肮脏、邪恶和错误的，但我们会争论什么是好；正是好在与最好对抗。一个人越往道德卓越高阶走，对耶稣基督的对抗就越强烈。「凡属基督的人，是已经把肉体钉在十字架上了…」你天然生命的代价不只是一两件事，而是一切。耶稣说：「若有人要跟从我，就当舍己…」（马太福音 16:24），也就是说，他必须舍弃他对自己的权利，并且必须先认识到耶稣基督是谁，才能做到真正的自我否定。当心，不要拒绝参加自己独立性【自主权】的葬礼。
天然生命不是属灵的，只有通过献上为祭【牺牲】，才能使它成为属灵的。如果我们不刻意献上天然生命为祭，超自然的生命就永远不会对我们成为自然的生命。没有高阶路或捷径可走。我们每个人都有办法完全靠自己的双手实现它。这不是祷告的问题，而是献祭牺牲的问题，从而实现祂的旨意。
窗体顶端
来自章伯斯的智慧
证明圣灵内住的主要特征是在个人处事上令人惊奇的温柔，以及对神话语的火热诚实。《真的门徒》
1209 The Opposition of the Natural
Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. —Galatians 5:24
The natural life itself is not sinful. But we must abandon sin, having nothing to do with it in any way whatsoever. Sin belongs to hell and to the devil. I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and to God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence, and my self-will. This is where the battle has to be fought. The things that are right, noble, and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God’s best. Once we come to understand that natural moral excellence opposes or counteracts surrender to God, we bring our soul into the center of its greatest battle. Very few of us would debate over what is filthy, evil, and wrong, but we do debate over what is good. It is the good that opposes the best. The higher up the scale of moral excellence a person goes, the more intense the opposition to Jesus Christ. “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh….” The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…” (Matthew 16:24). That is, he must deny his right to himself, and he must realize who Jesus Christ is before he will bring himself to do it. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.
The natural life is not spiritual, and it can be made spiritual only through sacrifice. If we do not purposely sacrifice the natural, the supernatural can never become natural to us. There is no high or easy road. Each of us has the means to accomplish it entirely in his own hands. It is not a question of praying, but of sacrificing, and thereby performing His will.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The main characteristic which is the proof of the indwelling Spirit is an amazing tenderness in personal dealing, and a blazing truthfulness with regard to God’s Word. —Disciples Indeed, 386 R