四月四日

神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。（林後5:21）

悲哀的基督徒呀！你為什麼哭泣呢？你是為自己的敗壞悲傷嗎？仰望你完全的主，要知道你在他裡面已經得以完全了，在神的眼中認為你像沒有犯過罪一樣的完全；不，還不只這樣，我們乃是義的，主已經成為我們的義袍穿在我們身上了，因此你所有的超過了人的義——你所有的乃是神的義。你不必因你的罪性和敗壞悲傷，要切記，你所有的罪都不能定你的罪。你已經學會恨惡罪，你也要學會知道罪並不是你的了——已經放在基督的頭上了。你所站的地位並不是你的——乃是基督的。你被悅納並非因你，而是因你的主；你今天雖然有許多罪，還是一樣地被神接納，好像當你站在神的寶座前，脫離了敗壞的時候一樣地蒙悅納。我求你，著重這個寶貴的意思：在基督裡完全。因為你已“在基督裡得以完全”了。你穿上了救主的義袍，你必像那聖者一樣地聖潔了。“誰能定他們的罪呢？有基督耶穌已經死了，而且從死裡復活，現今在神的右邊，也替我們祈求。”基督徒呀！你的心應當歡喜快樂，因為你已“在愛子裡蒙悅納”了。你為什麼還駭怕呢？你的臉要常掛著笑容，你的生活要靠近你的主，你要靠近天城居住，因為不久，你的時候來到，你要被舉起到耶穌所坐的地方，在他右邊和他一同作王，正像他升高到神的右邊和神一同作王一樣。這一切都是因為是“那不知罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。”

April 4

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." --2 Corinthians 5:21

Mourning Christian! why weepest thou? Art thou mourning over thine own corruptions? Look to thy perfect Lord, and remember, thou art complete in Him; thou art in God's sight as perfect as if thou hadst never sinned; nay, more than that, the Lord our Righteousness hath put a divine garment upon thee, so that thou hast more than the righteousness of man--thou hast the righteousness of God. O Thou who art mourning by reason of inbred sin and depravity, remember, none of thy sins can condemn thee. Thou hast learned to hate sin; but thou hast learned also to know that sin is not thine--it was laid upon Christ's head. Thy standing is not in thyself--it is in Christ; thine acceptance is not in thyself, but in thy Lord; thou art as much accepted of God to-day, with all thy sinfulness, as thou wilt be when thou standest before His throne, free from all corruption. O, I beseech thee, lay hold on this precious thought, perfection in Christ! For thou art "complete in Him." With thy Saviour's garment on, thou art holy as the Holy one. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Christian, let thy heart rejoice, for thou art "accepted in the beloved"--what hast thou to fear? Let thy face ever wear a smile; live near thy Master; live in the suburbs of the Celestial City; for soon, when thy time has come, thou shalt rise up where thy Jesus sits, and reign at His right hand; and all this because the divine Lord "was made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."