【双语灵修】白昼将近ALMOST HERE

「我们就当脱去暗昧的行为，带上光明的兵器。」-罗 13:12

将临期和圣诞节教导我们同时向两个方向看。我们回顾过去，铭记神如何差来耶稣作世上的光，使我们成为光明之子，神的儿女。同时，我们也展望未来，耶稣还要再来，使万物都更新。

保罗在写给罗马早期信徒的信中敦促他们：「凡事都不可亏欠人，唯有彼此相爱，要常以为亏欠，因为爱人的，就完全了律法。」 （罗 13:8）与约翰一样，保罗教导人们「爱是不加害于人的」。这是住在我们里面的基督之光。

但保罗并没有把这个命令简单地理解为对神在耶稣里所做的一切的回应。他还有一种前瞻性的紧迫感：「黑夜已深，白昼将近。」这不是一种威胁性的、引起恐惧的紧迫感，让我们心怀愧疚地去爱人。相反，这是一种充满喜悦、溢于言表的激情，会引导我们采取行动。耶稣就要来了！让我们为祂的再来做好准备！

我们该怎么做？我们当穿戴整齐。「脱去暗昧的行为」—也就是任何会伤害他人的行为和态度；「带上光明的兵器」—也就是爱我们的邻舍，基督的爱会藉此在我们身上得以实现

祷告

圣灵啊，我们期待耶稣再来！在我们展望那日到来之时，请帮助我们在每一段关系中，都以基督的爱来装饰自己。阿们。

罗马书 13:8-14
8凡事都不可亏欠人，唯有彼此相爱，要常以为亏欠。因为爱人的，就完全了律法。 9 像那「不可奸淫，不可杀人，不可偷盗，不可贪婪」，或有别的诫命，都包在「爱人如己」这一句话之内了。 10爱是不加害于人的，所以爱就完全了律法。11 再者，你们晓得，现今就是该趁早睡醒的时候，因为我们得救，现今比初信的时候更近了。 12 黑夜已深，白昼将近，我们就当脱去暗昧的行为，带上光明的兵器。13 行事为人要端正，好像行在白昼。不可荒宴醉酒，不可好色邪荡，不可争竞嫉妒。 14总要披戴主耶稣基督，不要为肉体安排，去放纵私欲。

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“So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” - Romans 13:12

Our Advent and Christmas celebrations teach us to look in two directions at the same time. We look back to remember how God sent Jesus as the light of the world so that we might become children of the light, God’s children. We also look ahead to when Jesus will return and fulfill his work of making all things new.

Writing to the early followers of Jesus in Rome, Paul urges them: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” In a way like John, Paul teaches that “love does no harm to a neighbor.” This is the light of Christ living in us.

But Paul frames this command not simply as a response to what God has already done in Jesus. A forward-looking urgency comes into view as well: “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.” This is not a threatening, fear-inducing urgency meant to guilt us into grudgingly loving others. Rather, this is joy-filled, overflowing excitement that leads to action. Jesus is almost here! Let’s get ready for his arrival!

How do we do that? We get dressed. “Let us put aside the deeds of darkness”—any behavior and attitude that can harm our neighbors—“and put on the armor of light”—love for our neighbors, through which the love of Christ is fulfilled in us.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, we are excited for Jesus to come back! As we look forward to that day, help us to clothe ourselves with the love of Christ in each and every relationship we have. Amen.

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳