11月24日

標 題：不在乎言語，乃在乎權能

經 節：因為神的國不在乎言語，乃在乎權能。（哥林多前書四章20節）

基督教不是道德的陳腔濫調、高談闊論和崇高理想。神國度的基本特性是權能。保羅的事工不斷地面對早期眾教會的批評，有些誹謗者甚至到哥林多的城市，大聲疾呼保羅的錯誤。有時候，教會裡的人信以為真，相信了對使徒保羅的批評誹謗。

保羅提醒他們，測試一個人是否為天國子民，不是看他說的話有無說服力，而是看他生命中屬靈的權能。保羅坦率地承認，有人認為他說話沒有口才（哥林多後書十：10）。然而，他們無法質疑神在保羅生命中，所施展的權能。他曾經看過許許多多的人悔改歸主，許多教會也因他的事工而建立。他倚靠那能醫治病人及使死人復活的神的權能，不管他的口才能否滔滔雄辯，那些話語帶著從神而來的屬靈能力與權柄。

你將會遇到許多人，想以他們對神國的看法來說服你。他們說的話可能很動聽，甚至以圖表來證明他們的觀點！然而，要檢驗他們的話是否可信，就得查看他們生活的屬靈能力。如果一個人滔滔不絕地解釋某神學觀點，卻在生活中慣性犯罪，他的生活使得他所說的話不足為信。如果一個人談論神的權能，但在生活中卻看不到一點得勝的見證，那麼他所說的話是空話。基督徒生活的得勝之道，用口說明遠比用生命活出，要簡單多了。

如果你僅有敬虔的外貌，卻沒有敬虔實質的屬靈權能（提摩太后書三：5），求神潔淨你的罪，以聖靈充滿你，好叫你的生活能看到神權能的彰顯。

Not in Word but in Prayer

For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. (1 Corinthians 4:20)

Christianity is not moral platitudes, lofty intentions, and noble thoughts. The fundamental characteristic of God’s kingdom is power. Paul faced constant criticism about his work among the early churches. Some of his detractors would travel to cities such as Corinth and speak extensively about all that Paul was doing incorrectly. At times, people in the churches were enticed to believe the slanderous criticisms against the apostle.

Paul responded with a reminder that the test of a kingdom citizen’s authenticity was not the persuasiveness of his words, but the spiritual power of his life. Paul candidly acknowledged that some did not find him eloquent in speech (2 Cor. 10:10). Yet they could not question God’s power in his life. He had seen many people converted, and many churches were started through his ministry. He had been used to heal the sick and raise the dead through God’s power. Regardless of whether his words were eloquent, they carried spiritual power and authority that came from God.

You will encounter many people who seek to convince you of their opinions concerning the kingdom of God. They may speak passionately. They may even bring charts and graphs to prove their points! But the test of the validity of their words is the spiritual power of their lives. If a person speaks forcefully about a point of doctrine but is habitually sinning, his words are discredited by his life. If a person talks of the power of God but gives no evidence of victory in her life, her words are empty. It is much easier to talk about the victorious Christian life than it is to live it.

If you only have the appearance of godliness without any corresponding spiritual power (2 Tim. 3:5), ask God to cleanse you of your sin and to fill you with His Spirit so that your life is characterized by power.