一月四日

你們卻要在我們主救主耶穌基督的恩典和知識上有長進。（彼後3:18）

“在恩典上有長進”——不是在一樣恩典上，而是在一切恩典上有長進。要在恩典的根本——信上有長進，要更堅定不移地信神的應許，要叫信增長得有根有基，完全而一致。也要在愛上有長進，求神使我們的愛能推而廣之，叫我們的愛心更博大、更強大起來，能注入我們的每一個思想、話語和舉動。更要在謙卑上有長進，要常處於至卑之境，知道自己是毫無所有。當你在謙卑上“往下”紮根時，也要“往上”結果，在禱告中與神日漸接近，並與耶穌更加親近。願神和聖靈使你“在……主救主……的……知識上有長進”，若人不在耶穌的知識上有長進，就是拒絕蒙福。認識（多知道）他就是“永生”，而在他的知識上有長進就是在福樂上有長進。那不切求認識基督的人，根本對他毫無所知。嘗過他滋味的人還要再嘗，雖然基督足可滿足人，但這滿足不能使食欲飽足，只能增進食欲。正像鹿渴慕溪邊的水一樣，你要更加切慕耶穌的愛。若你不願更加認識他，你就是不愛他，因為愛要常唱“親之近之”。離開基督就是地獄；進到耶穌面前便是天堂。若是在認識耶穌上毫無長進，就不要滿足，要不停地追求。要在他的神性與人的關係，他所完成的工作，他的死，他的復活，他現今在榮耀裡的代求和他大有榮耀的再來等方面多知道他。要切實住在十字架下，尋求他受創傷的奧秘，就必更加愛耶穌，並且更加瞭解他對我們的愛，這是試驗人在恩典上有無長進的好方法。

January 4

"Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." --2 Peter 3:18

"Grow in grace"--not in one grace only, but in all grace. Grow in that root-grace, faith. Believe the promises more firmly than you have done. Let faith increase in fulness, constancy, simplicity. Grow also in love. Ask that your love may become extended, more intense, more practical, influencing every thought, word, and deed. Grow likewise in humility. Seek to lie very low, and know more of your own nothingness. As you grow downward in humility, seek also to grow upward--having nearer approaches to God in prayer and more intimate fellowship with Jesus. May God the Holy Spirit enable you to "grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour." He who grows not in the knowledge of Jesus, refuses to be blessed. To know Him is "life eternal," and to advance in the knowledge of Him is to increase in happiness. He who does not long to know more of Christ, knows nothing of Him yet. Whoever hath sipped this wine will thirst for more, for although Christ doth satisfy, yet it is such a satisfaction, that the appetite is not cloyed, but whetted. If you know the love of Jesus--as the hart panteth for the water-brooks, so will you pant after deeper draughts of His love. If you do not desire to know Him better, then you love Him not, for love always cries, "Nearer, nearer." Absence from Christ is hell; but the presence of Jesus is heaven. Rest not then content without an increasing acquaintance with Jesus. Seek to know more of Him in His divine nature, in His human relationship, in His finished work, in His death, in His resurrection, in His present glorious intercession, and in His future royal advent. Abide hard by the Cross, and search the mystery of His wounds. An increase of love to Jesus, and a more perfect apprehension of His love to us is one of the best tests of growth in grace.