一月十四日

以大能施行拯救。（賽63:1）

從“拯救”兩字，我們便可明白救恩大功的全部意義，從起初神就要人完全成聖。這兩個字是“言簡意賅，包羅萬象”的；的確不錯，一切恩典都包在這兩個字裡了。基督不單能以大能拯救那些悔改的人，並且他也能使人悔改。他能把信的人帶到天堂上；並且他更能賜人新心，把信放在人的心中。他能使恨惡聖潔的人愛聖潔，能使輕視他名的人在他面前屈膝。這還不是它全部的意義，因為神的力量在事後仍可看出。信徒的生活一步一步的都是“全能的神”所行得神跡。荊棘焚燒了，卻是沒有燒毀。他能使他的子民聖潔，也能保守他們一直聖潔，並能使他們愛敬他，直到他使他們聖潔的生活得以完成。基督的能力不僅在於使人相信之後，就任憑他自生自長，他開了工就作到底；他既把生命的種子放在必死之人的生命中，就使他屬神的生活生存下去，並賜他力量，直到他能掙開罪惡的一切捆綁，使人能丟棄世界，在榮耀裡達到完全的境地。信徒啊！這是多麼令人鼓舞呀！你在為某個所愛的人禱告嗎？要繼續禱告，因為基督能“以大能施行拯救”。你沒有力量使背道的人歸回，但主是大能的。要倚靠那大能的膀臂，求神使用他的膀臂大賜力量。你自己有什麼事困擾你嗎？不要怕，因為他的力量夠你用的。不論你是與別人或單獨作工，耶穌都能“以大能施行拯救”，最好的證據就是他曾拯救了你。神沒有用大能施行毀滅，真是一件萬幸的事。

January 14

"Mighty to save." --Isaiah 63:1

By the words "to save" we understand the whole of the great work of salvation, from the first holy desire onward to complete sanctification. The words are multum in parro: indeed, here is all mercy in one word. Christ is not only "mighty to save" those who repent, but He is able to make men repent. He will carry those to heaven who believe; but He is, moreover, mighty to give men new hearts and to work faith in them. He is mighty to make the man who hates holiness love it, and to constrain the despiser of His name to bend the knee before Him. Nay, this is not all the meaning, for the divine power is equally seen in the after-work. The life of a believer is a series of miracles wrought by "the Mighty God." The bush burns, but is not consumed. He is mighty to keep His people holy after He has made them so, and to preserve them in his fear and love until he consummates their spiritual existence in heaven. Christ's might doth not lie in making a believer and then leaving him to shift for himself; but He who begins the good work carries it on; He who imparts the first germ of life in the dead soul, prolongs the divine existence, and strengthens it until it bursts asunder every bond of sin, and the soul leaps from earth, perfected in glory. Believer, here is encouragement. Art thou praying for some beloved one? Oh, give not up thy prayers, for Christ is "mighty to save." You are powerless to reclaim the rebel, but your Lord is Almighty. Lay hold on that mighty arm, and rouse it to put forth its strength. Does your own case trouble you? Fear not, for His strength is sufficient for you. Whether to begin with others, or to carry on the work in you, Jesus is "mighty to save;" the best proof of which lies in the fact that He has saved you. What a thousand mercies that you have not found Him mighty to destroy!