【双语灵修】福音：你是神所爱的GOSPEL: YOU ARE LOVED!
约翰一书 4:7-12
亲爱的弟兄啊，我们应当彼此相爱，因为爱是从神来的。凡有爱心的，都是由神而生，并且认识神。 没有爱心的，就不认识神，因为神就是爱。 神差他独生子到世间来，使我们藉着他得生，神爱我们的心在此就显明了。 不是我们爱神，乃是神爱我们，差他的儿子为我们的罪做了挽回祭，这就是爱了。 亲爱的弟兄啊，神既是这样爱我们，我们也当彼此相爱。 从来没有人见过神，我们若彼此相爱，神就住在我们里面，爱他的心在我们里面得以完全了。
九月三日
福音：你是神所爱的
“不是我们爱神，乃是神爱我们，差他的儿子，为我们的罪作了挽回祭，这就是爱了。” - 约一 4:10
我妻子Jacquie是一间基督教小学的老师。有一天，她请她的学生完成这个句子：“耶稣爱我因为……。”差不多每一个学生都以类似“因为有时我会善待我的姐妹”或“因为我在学校尽力学习”的字句作答。
有趣的是，差不多所有的学生都认为耶稣的爱，与他们付出来赚取爱的努力有关。他们从那里学到这种想法的呢？这不是圣经所说的，也不是福音的信息。约翰一书4章10节这样说：“不是我们爱神，乃是神爱我们，差他的儿子，为我们的罪作了挽回祭，这就是爱了。”这些有力的字句捕捉了福音的精髓。
福音的信息，就是我们不可能藉着做什么事情，来赢取耶稣爱我们。我们的救恩是白白赐给我们，这是我们本来不配得到的礼物：我们只需要接受。今天的经文以一个爱字来总结福音的信息。
愿你今天便接受这个好消息：不是你先爱神（也不是你做了任何赚取神欢心的事），乃是祂爱你，并差祂的儿子为你的罪作了挽回祭。你蒙神所爱--只因为你是你自己，以及神就是爱。
祷告
亲爱的神，当我被提醒祢的爱是一切的开始时，求祢帮助我欣然接受耶稣是祢赐给我最大的爱的礼物，更求祢帮助我也去爱祢作为回报。阿们。
1 John 4:7-12
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
GOSPEL: YOU ARE LOVED!
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. —1 John 4:10
My wife, Jacquie, is a teacher in a Christian elementary school. One day she asked her students to complete this sentence: “Jesus loves me because . . .” Almost every student answered with phrases like “Because I am sometimes kind to my sister” or “Because I try to do my best in school.”
It was interesting to hear that almost all of the students connected Jesus’ love with their efforts to earn it. Where did that idea come from? It is not the message of the Bible, and it is not the gospel. The true heart of the gospel is captured in the powerful words of 1 John 4:10: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
The gospel message is that there is nothing we can do to make Jesus love us. Our salvation is offered as a completely free, undeserved gift: we simply receive it. Our passage sums it all up in one word: love.
Receive the good news for you today: This is love: not that you loved God (or did anything else to earn God’s favor), but that he loves you and sent his Son as a saving sacrifice for your sins. You are loved—just because you are you and God is love.
Dear God, as I am reminded that your love is the starting point of everything, help me to embrace Jesus as your greatest gift of love to me. Help me to love you in return. Amen.
1 John 4:7-12
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
GOSPEL: YOU ARE LOVED!
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. —1 John 4:10
My wife, Jacquie, is a teacher in a Christian elementary school. One day she asked her students to complete this sentence: “Jesus loves me because . . .” Almost every student answered with phrases like “Because I am sometimes kind to my sister” or “Because I try to do my best in school.”
It was interesting to hear that almost all of the students connected Jesus’ love with their efforts to earn it. Where did that idea come from? It is not the message of the Bible, and it is not the gospel. The true heart of the gospel is captured in the powerful words of 1 John 4:10: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
The gospel message is that there is nothing we can do to make Jesus love us. Our salvation is offered as a completely free, undeserved gift: we simply receive it. Our passage sums it all up in one word: love.
Receive the good news for you today: This is love: not that you loved God (or did anything else to earn God’s favor), but that he loves you and sent his Son as a saving sacrifice for your sins. You are loved—just because you are you and God is love.
Dear God, as I am reminded that your love is the starting point of everything, help me to embrace Jesus as your greatest gift of love to me. Help me to love you in return. Amen.