【双语灵修】靠光而行LIVING BY THE LIGHT

「但行真理的必来就光，要显明他所行的是靠神而行。」-约 3:21
再过两天就是耶稣降生的日子了，这是我们牢记耶稣为何来到世上的恰当时机。这段经文以令人难忘的宣告开始：「神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们……」神因着祂的大爱，差遣耶稣来了。

约翰福音还告诉我们，耶稣来到这世上降生与受死是为了「……叫一切信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生。」约翰还明确指出，耶稣来是为了拯救世人，而不是定世人的罪。在这几节经文中，我们看到耶稣的拯救工作既针对个人（信他的），也针对世界（世人）。耶稣的降生对你我和整个受造界来说，都是好消息！神愿意我们得着永生。

最后，神的心意是让人们活在耶稣这生命的光中。约翰将生活在光明中的人，与生活在黑暗中的人作了对比，指出「世人因自己的行为是恶的，不爱光倒爱黑暗」。黑暗是一种生活模式，但光明也是。「行真理的必来就光」。耶稣来到世上，就是为了让我们在此时此地拥抱属神的生活方式。

祷告

神啊，感谢祢差来了耶稣，显明祢奇妙的大爱。我们不能拯救自己。请帮助我们常活在耶稣的光中。阿们。

约翰福音 3:16-21
6 「神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的不致灭亡，反得永生。 17 因为神差他的儿子降世，不是要定世人的罪，乃是要叫世人因他得救。 18信他的人不被定罪，不信的人罪已经定了，因为他不信神独生子的名。19 「光来到世间，世人因自己的行为是恶的，不爱光倒爱黑暗，定他们的罪就是在此。 20 凡作恶的便恨光，并不来就光，恐怕他的行为受责备； 21 但行真理的必来就光，要显明他所行的是靠神而行。」

LIVING BY THE LIGHT

“Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light. . . .” - John 3:21

With Jesus’ birthday celebration just two days away, this is a fitting time for us to remember why Jesus came into the world. This passage begins with the memorable declaration “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. . . .” Because of his great love, God sent Jesus.

John’s gospel also tells us that Jesus came into the world as a matter of life and death: “. . . that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John also clarifies that Jesus’ purpose is to save the world, not to condemn it. In these verses we see that Jesus’ saving work has both personal (“whoever believes”) and cosmic (“the world”) audiences in view. Jesus’ birth is good news for you and me and for the whole of God’s creation! God wants us to be saved for eternity.

Finally, God’s desire is that people will live by the light of Jesus’ life. John contrasts people who live in the light with those who live in darkness, noting that “people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” Darkness is a way of life. But so is the light. “Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light.” Jesus came into the world so that we can embrace God’s way of life as our own here and now.

Prayer

God, thank you for your amazing love that has sent Jesus. We could not save ourselves. Help us to live by the light of Jesus forever. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳