十二月十一日

那召你們的本是信實的，他必成就這事。（帖前5：24）

天堂是我們永遠不會犯罪的地方，在那裏我們用不到再儆醒防守那永不懈怠的仇敵，因爲那裏沒有試探人的來陷害我們的脚了。惡者不再攪擾，倦者必得安息，天堂乃是“不能玷污”的“基業”，乃是至聖之境，因此十分安全。聖徒在地上有時不也曾嘗到過這種屬靈安全的喜樂嗎？根據神的話，一切與羔羊聯合的人都是安全的；一切正直的人都必持守自己的道路；一切將自己的靈魂交托基督保守的人，必然知道他是一位信實而不變的保全者。我們既有這真道扶持我們，雖然還在地上也能享受這安全了；這崇高而榮耀的安全，不僅是保守我們不致失足的安全，這神聖的安全乃是出于耶穌的可靠應許。他曾說，信他的人必不滅亡，幷且說他在哪裏，他們也必在那裏。信徒啊！願我們常常因著聖徒必然得蒙保全的真道歡喜快樂，幷因信尊崇我們神的信實。

願神使你徹底瞭解在基督耶穌裏得以安全的意義！願他使你確知你的名已經銘刻在他的手上；願他在你的耳邊輕聲說道：“不要怕，因我與你同在。”要仰望誠信真實的新約的中保，好使他在神的寶座前代表天家中最軟弱的你，和一切蒙選的族類；你這樣默想其中的意義，就必嘗到主杯中的美酒和樂園中的佳果。若你堅信“那召你們的本是信實的，他必成就這事”，你就必嘗到那在天上已經得以完全之聖徒的靈魂所享受的福樂滋味。

December 11

"Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."—1 Thessalonians 5:24

Heaven is a place where we shall never sin; where we shall cease our constant watch against an indefatigable enemy, because there will be no tempter to ensnare our feet. There the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. Heaven is the "undefiled inheritance;" it is the land of perfect holiness, and therefore of complete security. But do not the saints even on earth sometimes taste the joys of blissful security? The doctrine of God's word is, that all who are in union with the Lamb are safe; that all the righteous shall hold on their way; that those who have committed their souls to the keeping of Christ shall find him a faithful and immutable preserver. Sustained by such a doctrine we can enjoy security even on earth; not that high and glorious security which renders us free from every slip, but that holy security which arises from the sure promise of Jesus that none who believe in him shall ever perish, but shall be with him where he is. Believer, let us often reflect with joy on the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and honor the faithfulness of our God by a holy confidence in him.

May our God bring home to you a sense of your safety in Christ Jesus! May he assure you that your name is graven on his hand; and whisper in your ear the promise, "Fear not, I am with thee." Look upon him, the great Surety of the covenant, as faithful and true, and, therefore, bound and engaged to present you, the weakest of the family, with all the chosen race, before the throne of God; and in such a sweet contemplation you will drink the juice of the spiced wine of the Lord's pomegranate, and taste the dainty fruits of Paradise. You will have an antepast of the enjoyments which ravish the souls of the perfect saints above, if you can believe with unstaggering faith that "faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."