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Jesus Sets You Free From This

2023-05-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 4:1-11.  Let’s go!

Galatians 4:1-5 (NIV)
1  What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.
2  He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
3  So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
4  But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,
5  to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

On verses 1-5:  These are not the easiest verses to interpret, but here goes.  Paul begins by painting the picture of an underage child of a rich father, who until the time he becomes of age, is subject to the supervision of guardians and trustees.  These guardians and trustees exercise a great deal of control over the son such that this son is effectively no different from a slave, even though he is an heir (v1-2).  Why does Paul mention this?  It’s because Paul is saying that at one time, we were children living under the enslaving control of “the basic principles of the world” (v3) (also translated “the elemental spiritual forces of the world”).

對不敬虔者的報應

2023-05-11 in , /by

以賽亞書66:15   看哪，耶和華必在火中降臨，祂的車輦像旋風，以烈怒施行報應，以火焰施行責罰。

閱讀經文：66:15-17

15 「看哪，耶和華必在火中降臨，祂的車輦像旋風，以烈怒施行報應，以火焰施行責罰。 16 因為耶和華在一切有血氣的人身上，必以火與刀施行審判，被耶和華所殺的必多。 17 那些分別為聖潔淨自己的，進入園內跟在其中一個人的後頭，吃豬肉和倉鼠並可憎之物，他們必一同滅絕。」這是耶和華說的。

本段乃是第六十六章的第二段，其中又分為兩部份，第一部份乃是論到神對不敬虔之惡百姓的報應（66:15-17）；第二部份乃是論到在新世界當中，普天下列國對耶和華神的奉獻與服事（66:18-24）。

在這第一部份（66:15-17）的一開始，耶和華神再度以戰士的姿態出現，先知以舊約慣用以描述耶和華神那無上的威嚴與可畏的大自然變化。先知以三個形象來，來敘述耶和華神降臨所帶來的震撼（66:15）。

1.「在火中降臨」──在出埃及記時候，上帝在荊棘燒著的火中向摩西顯現，這表明上帝乃是煉淨一切的，但在祂的煉淨中，被煉淨的對像卻不會毀壞。因此，「煉淨的全能者」便是此時這一位耶和華神戰士所要讓祂的百姓體認到的第一個形象。

對敬虔餘民的信息

2023-05-10 in , /by

以賽亞書66:13   母親怎樣安慰兒子，我就照樣安慰你們，你們也必因耶路撒冷得安慰。

閱讀經文：66:5-14

5 你們因耶和華言語戰兢的人，當聽他的話：「你們的弟兄，就是恨惡你們，因我名趕出你們的，曾說：『願耶和華得榮耀，使我們得見你們的喜樂！』但蒙羞的究竟是他們！ 6 有喧嘩的聲音出自城中，有聲音出於殿中，是耶和華向仇敵施行報應的聲音。

在上一段論述完神對死抱型式主義的惡百姓的責備與審判之後，接著先知對那些持守單純信靠神之心的百姓給予嘉勉，並向他們報喜訊。

這個嘉勉的信息，包括首先以型式主義者所犯的錯，來安慰那持守單純心志的百姓。先知對著他們論到「你們的弟兄」（指形式主義的敬拜者）是「恨惡你們的，因我的名趕出你們」，先知挑明說到形式主義者因為不能接受單單信靠神拯救的看法，因而排斥敬虔的選民。他們曾經驕狂地宣稱「願耶和華得榮耀」。事實上，這句話是形式主義者的一廂情願，實際上他們所作的行為並不榮耀神。因此先知說，到頭來「蒙羞的究竟是他們」，因為他們口中宣稱「願耶和華得榮耀」，實際上卻背其道而行、口是而心非。

The Babysitter and the Babe

2023-05-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 3:23-29.  Let’s go!

Galatians 3:23-25 (NIV)
23  Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
24  So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
25  Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

On verses 23-25:  In Galatians 3:23-25, Paul talks more about this question:  if God’s plan was that we would be justified by faith in Jesus Christ, what was the point of God giving us the law through Moses?

Paul’s answer: the law was put in place to govern and watch over God’s people until Jesus Christ came.  Paul compares God’s law to a guardian who takes care of you when you are still young, and how when you become an adult that guardian no longer has authority over you.

對形式主義者的信息

2023-05-09 in , /by

以賽亞書66:2  耶和華說：這一切都是我手所造的，所以就都有了。但我所看顧的就是虛心、痛悔、因我話而戰兢的人。

閱讀經文：66:1-4

1 耶和華如此說：「天是我的座位，地是我的腳凳，你們要為我造何等的殿宇？哪裡是我安息的地方呢？」 2 耶和華說：「這一切都是我手所造的，所以就都有了。但我所看顧的就是虛心、痛悔、因我話而戰兢的人。 3 假冒為善的宰牛好像殺人，獻羊羔好像打折狗項，獻供物好像獻豬血，燒乳香好像稱頌偶像。

六十六章為以賽亞信息的尾聲，本章分為兩段。第一段論到神對死抱型式主義的惡百姓的責備與審判（66:1-4），第二段為神對敬虔的餘民堅忍的稱讚與賜福（66:5-14）。

今天的信息為第一段，先知以真假敬拜的對比，來論到審判的依據。在這一段中又分為兩部份──第一部份66：1-2論到真實敬拜的本質，第二部份66:3-4論到對假敬拜的責備與審判。

在第一部份的講論中，先知先敘述何為真實敬拜的本質。先知以向百姓提出兩個問題，來進行他的講論。這兩個問題包含在第一節上帝的宣告中，神說：「天是我的座位，地是我的腳凳，你們要為我造何等的殿宇呢？哪裡是我安息的地方呢？」的確，物質的殿不能使神安居，唯有神降卑自己時，才有可能「形式上」的住在人手所造的殿中。上帝要能夠得到安息，也並非「形式上」住在人手所造的殿中，而是因著罪惡能夠由地上完全的除去。

God’s Law and God’s Promise Are Working Together for You

2023-05-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 3:15-22.  Let’s go!

What’s the main message of Galatians?  It’s that we are justified by faith in Christ and not by trying to obey God’s laws.  (Remember that “justified” means to be declared righteous in God’s sight and worthy to be in God’s presence.)  Earlier in Galatians 3:6-14, Paul focuses on the life of Abraham as an example of “justification by faith”, how Abraham believed God and God credited it to him as righteousness.  In other words, God justified Abraham not because he perfectly obeyed God’s laws, but because Abraham believed God’s promise.

Now in the following verses, Galatians 3:15-22, Paul answers some questions on how justification by faith works if God gave laws for His people to obey in the Old Testament.  

God Planned It All Along

2023-05-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 3:6-14.  Let’s go!

Galatians 3:6-14 (NIV)
6  Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7  Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.
8  The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
9  So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

On verses 6-14:  When I was a kid growing up in church, my teachers would get us to sing a song called “Father Abraham”.  It went like this:

Father Abraham had many sons
Many sons had Father Abraham
I am one of them, and so are you
So let’s just praise the Lord

There were these funny actions that accompanied the song.

Now why would a Chinese boy growing up in Vancouver be calling an old middle eastern man from ancient Mesopotamia, whom he has never met, his father?

新天新地

2023-05-08 in , /by

以賽亞書65:17  看哪，我造新天新地，從前的事不再被記念，也不再追想。

閱讀經文：65:16-25

16 這樣，在地上為自己求福的，必憑真實的神求福；在地上起誓的，必指真實的神起誓。因為從前的患難已經忘記，也從我眼前隱藏了。

17 「看哪，我造新天新地，從前的事不再被記念，也不再追想。 18 你們當因我所造的永遠歡喜快樂，因我造耶路撒冷為人所喜，造其中的居民為人所樂。 19 我必因耶路撒冷歡喜，因我的百姓快樂，其中必不再聽見哭泣的聲音和哀號的聲音。 20 其中必沒有數日夭亡的嬰孩，也沒有壽數不滿的老者，因為百歲死的仍算孩童，有百歲死的罪人算被咒詛。

在論述完神對不虔之民與敬虔之餘民的信息之後，先知接著揭開了一項奧祕，那就是有關新天新地的啟示。耶和華神透過先知向選民介紹祂的新世界與新秩序──「看哪！我造新天新地，從前的事不再被記念，也不再追想」，以前的舊世界與舊秩序將完全過去（65:16-17）。有解經家認為這一段新天新地的敘述，並非指千禧年國度的來臨，因為第20節說到在新天新地中，「必沒有數日夭亡的嬰孩，也沒有壽數不滿的老者。因為百歲死的仍算孩童，有百歲死的罪人算被咒詛」。這些學這認為既是新天新地的時代，就不會有罪人與死亡的存在，因此這段經文最可能是指被擄歸回後耶路撒冷的新光景。

The Most Common False Teaching Today – Don’t Fall For it

2023-05-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 3:1-5.  Let’s go!

Galatians 3:1-5 (NIV)
1  You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
2  I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
3  Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
4  Have you suffered so much for nothing–if it really was for nothing?
5  Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

What is the most common false teaching that billions of people believe about God and heaven?  It’s believing that through your own goodness or effort you can go to heaven or reach God.  That’s what Paul was warning the Galatians against in his letter called “Galatians”.

積善之家有餘慶，積惡之家有餘殃(2)

2023-05-07 in , /by

以賽亞書65:10   沙崙平原必成為羊群的圈，亞割谷必成為牛群躺臥之處，都為尋求我的民所得。

閱讀經文：65:8-16

8 耶和華如此說：「葡萄中尋得新酒，人就說：『不要毀壞，因為福在其中。』我因我僕人的緣故也必照樣而行，不將他們全然毀滅。 9 我必從雅各中領出後裔，從猶大中領出承受我眾山的，我的選民必承受，我的僕人要在那裡居住。 10 沙崙平原必成為羊群的圈，亞割谷必成為牛群躺臥之處，都為尋求我的民所得。 11 但你們這些離棄耶和華，忘記我的聖山，給時運擺筵席，給天命盛滿調和酒的， 12 我要命定你們歸在刀下，都必屈身被殺。因為我呼喚，你們沒有答應，我說話，你們沒有聽從，反倒行我眼中看為惡的，揀選我所不喜悅的。」

上一段論到對於那些悖逆神去拜偶像的百姓，上帝將挪去他們原本所蒙的救恩，轉而把救贖賜給外邦人。本段繼續就此一主題，論到雖然神向百姓發怒，但是有少數對耶和華神保持真敬虔的餘民卻將要被分別（65:15b）。神將不把他們與惡百姓一同除滅，反倒要把臨到他們的咒詛化為祝福（65:8-10）。