6月3日

標　　題：悔改

經　　節：約翰下監以後，耶穌來到加利利，宣傳神的福音，說：「日期滿了，神的國近了。你們當悔改，信福音！」（可1:14-15）

悔改是文字裡最富積極意義的其中一詞。施洗約翰的講道重心是悔改（太3:2；可1:4；路3:3）。耶穌也傳講悔改，祂要自己的門徒同樣要悔改（可1:14-15；路24:47）。天使預言彌賽亞會由罪中拯救祂的百姓（太1:21）。得到救恩的必要條件是悔改。

悔改的意義是停止往一個方向走，完全回轉到另一個方向。悔改需要定意全然地改變。當我們所做的事會導致滅亡時，神催促我們要悔改。悔改會把我們由悲慘的下場中拯救出來！這是多麼美好的一個詞，造物主居然那麼愛我們，願意警告我們那迫在眉睫的危險！

我們的問題是以為悔改是消極保守的。當察覺自己的罪時，我們喜歡「再次奉獻」生命給神。我們甚至會告訴其他人，我們比從前更有決心忠誠向主。然而，聖經從來沒有提過再次奉獻自己。它強調要悔改！悔改表示有決心地改變，而不是一種滿懷希望的決心。如果繼續犯罪，就代表我們尚未悔改！

悔改是徹頭徹尾地改變自己的心思意念，我們同意神對罪的評判，且願意以行動改變自己，好能夠合神的心意。想改變的欲望不等於是悔改，悔改一定會以行動回應神的話語。悔改的證據不是那些下決心的話語，一個被改變的生命才是。

Repentance

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15)

Repentance is one of the most positive of all words. John the Baptist centered his preaching on repentance (Matt. 3:2, Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3). Jesus also preached repentance, commanding His disciples to do likewise (Mark 1:14–15; Luke 24:47). The angel predicted that the Messiah would save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). The requirement for this salvation would be repentance.

To repent means to stop going one direction, to turn around completely, and to go the opposite way. Repentance involves a dramatic and decisive change of course. God urges us to repent when the path we are taking leads to destruction. Repentance will save us from disastrous consequences! What a wonderful word! How comforting that the Creator loves us enough to warn us of impending danger!

Our problem is that we think of repentance as something negative. When we recognize our sin, we prefer to "rededicate" our lives to God. We may even tell others we have resolved to be more faithful to God than we were before we failed Him. Yet the Bible does not speak of rededicating oneself. It speaks of repentance! Repentance indicates a decisive change, not merely a wishful resolution. We have not repented if we continue in our sin!

Repentance involves a radical change of heart and mind in which we agree with God's evaluation of our sin and then take specific action to align ourselves with His will. A desire to change is not repentance. Repentance is always an active response to God's word. The evidence of repentance is not words of resolve, but a changed life.