8月15日 新生的跡象

你們必須重生。（約三7）

“人老了，如何能重生呢？”答案是在於人肯死去－－對自己的權利、德行、宗教，以及其他一切全然死去，然後接受一個他從來沒有的生命。這新生命是從有意識的悔改，及不自覺的成聖中孕育出來。

“凡接待他的。”（約一12）我對耶穌的認識，是因內在屬靈生命的體會，還是從聽人家講論而來？我生命中有沒有什麼使我與主耶穌相連，使我以他為個人救主？一切的靈性歷史，都必須以個人認識作為基石。重生的意思，就是我看見了主耶穌。

“人若不重生，就不能見神的國。”（約三3）我是否在尋找天國？還是看到神的統治？重生使我有了新的異象，叫我能夠體察神的統治。他的統治其實一直存在，是與他的本性相符的；如今我既接受了他，就看得見他的統治。“凡從神生的，就不犯罪。”（約壹三9）我是設法不犯罪？還是已經停止犯罪？從神生的，就有神超然的能力，可以停止犯罪。聖經從沒有問：基督徒應否犯罪？聖經強調基督徒必不可犯罪。新生命的效能就是使我們不犯罪，不單是有能力不犯罪，而是根本停止去犯。約翰一書三章9節不是說我們沒有犯罪的可能；乃是說我們若順服神在我們裡面的生命，就不會犯罪。

祈禱◆主啊，我似乎令你憂心－－那將會帶來什麼後果呢？讓我在你的門口守候和等待。

August 15 Signs Of The New Birth

“Ye must be born again.” John 3:7

The answer to the question “How can a man be born when he is old?” is – When he is old enough to die – to die right out to his “rag rights,” to his virtues, to his religion, to everything, and to receive into himself the life which never was there before. The new life manifests itself in conscious repentance and unconscious holiness.

“As many as received Him.” (John 1:12) Is my knowledge of Jesus born of internal spiritual perception, or is it only what I have learned by listening to others? Have I something in my life that connects me with the Lord Jesus as my personal Saviour? All spiritual history must have a personal knowledge for its bedrock. To be born again means that I see Jesus.

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) Do I seek for signs of the Kingdom, or do I perceive God's rule? The new birth gives a new power of vision whereby I begin to discern God's rule. His rule was there all the time, but true to His nature; now that I have received His nature I can see His rule.

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” (1 John 3:9) Do I seek to stop sinning or have I stopped sinning? To be born of God means that I have the supernatural power of God to stop sinning. In the Bible it is never – Should a Christian sin? The Bible puts it emphatically – A Christian must not sin. The effective working of the new birth life in us is that we do not commit sin, not merely that we have the power not to sin, but that we have stopped sinning. 1 John 3:9 does not mean that we cannot sin; it means that if we obey the life of God in us, we need not sin.