1217 救贖——創造需要也滿足需要
然而屬血氣的人不領會神聖靈的事，反倒以為愚拙。並且不能知道，因為這些事惟有屬靈的人才能看透。《哥林多前書2:14》
神的福音製造了人對福音的需要感。福音對那些己經是奴僕的人是隱藏的嗎？不，保羅說：「如果我們的福音被遮蔽，就是遮蔽在那些滅亡的人身上。這世代的神弄瞎了他們的心眼，不信…」（哥林多後書 4:3-4）。大多數的人都認為自己是完全道德的，對福音沒有需要感。是神在人身上創造了這種需要感，但那個人繼續完全沒有意識到自己的需要，直到神顯明祂自己。耶穌說：「你們祈求，就給你們…」（馬太福音 7:7）。但直到人祈求前，神不能給予；這不是說祂想對我們有所保留，那是祂為救贖之道制定了計劃。通過我們的祈求，神啟動了祂的計劃，在我們裡面創造了一些在我們祈求之前是不存在的東西；救贖的內在現實是它一直不斷地創造。救贖在我們裡面創造了神的生命，也創造了屬於那生命的東西。唯一可能滿足那需要的，就是那創造了需要的；這就是救贖的意義——它創造，它也滿足。
耶穌說：「我若從地上被舉起來，就要吸引萬人來歸我。」（約翰福音 12:32）。當我們傳講自己的經歷時，人們可能會感興趣，可是這並不會喚起真正的需要感。但是一旦耶穌基督被「舉起來」，神的靈就會創造一種需要耶穌的意識。神救贖的創造大能只有通過傳揚福音才能在人的靈魂中工作。從來都不是個人經歷能拯救人，而是救贖的真理。「我對你們所說的話就是靈，就是生命。」（約翰福音 6:63）。
來自章伯斯的智慧
1217 Redemption— Creating the Need it Satisfies
The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him… —1 Corinthians 2:14
The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel. Is the gospel hidden to those who are servants already? No, Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe…” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The majority of people think of themselves as being completely moral, and have no sense of need for the gospel. It is God who creates this sense of need in a human being, but that person remains totally unaware of his need until God makes Himself evident. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7). But God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He wants to withhold something from us, but that is the plan He has established for the way of redemption. Through our asking, God puts His process in motion, creating something in us that was nonexistent until we asked. The inner reality of redemption is that it creates all the time. And as redemption creates the life of God in us, it also creates the things which belong to that life. The only thing that can possibly satisfy the need is what created the need. This is the meaning of redemption— it creates and it satisfies.
Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is “lifted up,” the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him. The creative power of the redemption of God works in the souls of men only through the preaching of the gospel. It is never the sharing of personal experiences that saves people, but the truth of redemption. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Beware of bartering the Word of God for a more suitable conception of your own. —Disciples Indeed, 386 R