一月三十一日

耶和華我們的義。（耶23:6）

基督徒每逢想到基督的義時，就得到極大的安靜、鎮定、坦然和平安。神的聖徒有多少時候常是灰心喪膽，愁眉不展！我想他們不應當這樣。我也想若他們常看他們在基督裡的完全，也就不至於如此了。有人常說到自己的腐敗、心裡的敗壞和生命中本性的邪惡。這是十分對的，但為什麼不再進前一步，想到我們“在基督裡完完全全”呢？所以不怪那些常想到自己敗壞的人總是戴著一副尷尬的愁容，但我們要想到基督已成為我們的義，我們就可放心了。雖然災害折磨我，雖然撒旦苦害我，雖然在我上天堂之前還要經歷很多試驗，那些在神恩約中所為我定的；但在我主都一無所缺，基督都已成就了。他在十字架上說：“成了！”若是成了，那末我在他裡面就得以完全了，並有說不出的快樂和豐盛的榮耀，“不是有自己因律法而得的義，乃是有信基督的義，就是因信神而來的義。”我們在這世上找不到一個比較可以稱為義的人，他的義無論怎樣也不能超過那些在心中接受基督之義的人。當信徒說：“我只靠基督而活，我只有靠他才得救恩，雖然我不配，但我信我在耶穌裡面仍能得救。”於是便起了一種感激的思想——“我不當為基督而活嗎？”我既看到我因他所成就的得救，那末我不當愛他並服侍他嗎？“基督的愛激勵我們”，“叫那些活著的人不再為自己活，乃為替他們死而復活的主活”。我們因基督的義歸於我們而得救，那末我們就當看重我們所得的義。

January 31

"The Lord our Righteousness." --Jeremiah 23:6

It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further, and remember that we are "perfect in Christ Jesus." It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that "Christ is made unto us righteousness," we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it all. On the cross He said, "It is finished!" and if it be finished, then am I complete in Him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, "Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." You will not find on this side heaven a holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ's righteousness. When the believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on Him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;" then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought-- "Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love Him and serve Him, seeing that I am saved by His merits?" "The love of Christ constraineth us," "that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto Him which died for them." If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.