十月二十七日

可信的話。（提後2：11）

保羅有四次提到“可信的話”。頭一處是在提前一章十五節：“這話是可信的，是十分可佩服的。在罪人中我是個罪魁。”第二次是在提前四章八、九節：“惟獨敬虔，凡事都有益處，因有今生和來生的應許。這話是可信的，是十分可接受的。”（改譯）第三處是在提後二章十一、十二節：“有可信的話說……我們若能和他受苦，也必和他一同作王。”（改譯）第四處是在多三章八節：“這話是可信的。我也願你把這些事切切實實地講明，使那些已信神的人留心作正經事業。”我們可以找出它們的關係。第一處爲我們立定了永遠救恩和神的洪恩的根基，使我們看到救主的使命。第二處叫我們看到得救的雙重福分——上泉與下泉的福——現今與永遠。第三處叫我們看到蒙選召之人的責任；神已經安排我們與基督同受苦難，幷以應許隨之說：“我們若能和他受苦，也必和他一同作王。”最後一處爲基督徒定下了服務的方針，叫我們殷勤行善。

因此我們得救的根源乃在于神的洪恩；其次救恩在現在與未來所給人的好處；我們也要與基督一同受苦，一同服務，多結聖靈的果子。我們應當把這些可信的話珍藏在心裏，讓它們作我們生活的指導、安慰和教訓。外邦人的使徒證明它們是可信的，它們現在仍然可信，絕不會有一句落空；它們是十分可佩服的（或可接受的），讓我們現在就接受，幷且證明它們是可信的。願這幾處可信的話常寫在我們房屋的四角。

October 27

"It is a faithful saying."--2 Timothy 2:11

Paul has four of these "faithful sayings." The first occurs in 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." The next is in 1 Timothy 4:6, "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation." The third is in 2 Timothy 2:12, "It is a faithful saying--If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him"; and the fourth is in Titus 3:3, "This is a faithful saying, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works." We may trace a connection between these faithful sayings. The first one lays the foundation of our eternal salvation in the free grace of God, as shown to us in the mission of the great Redeemer. The next affirms the double blessedness which we obtain through this salvation--the blessings of the upper and nether springs--of time and of eternity. The third shows one of the duties to which the chosen people are called; we are ordained to suffer for Christ with the promise that "if we suffer, we shall also reign with him." The last sets forth the active form of Christian service, bidding us diligently to maintain good works. Thus we have the root of salvation in free grace; next, the privileges of that salvation in the life which now is, and in that which is to come; and we have also the two great branches of suffering with Christ and serving with Christ, loaded with the fruits of the Spirit. Treasure up these faithful sayings. Let them be the guides of our life, our comfort, and our instruction. The apostle of the Gentiles proved them to be faithful, they are faithful still, not one word shall fall to the ground; they are worthy of all acceptation, let us accept them now, and prove their faithfulness. Let these four faithful sayings be written on the four corners of my house.