【双语灵修】耶稣是主JESUS IS LORD

罗马书6:15-23

这却怎么样呢？我们在恩典之下，不在律法之下，就可以犯罪吗？断乎不可！ 岂不晓得你们献上自己做奴仆，顺从谁，就做谁的奴仆吗？或做罪的奴仆，以至于死；或做顺命的奴仆，以致成义。 感谢神！因为你们从前虽然做罪的奴仆，现今却从心里顺服了所传给你们道理的模范。 你们既从罪里得了释放，就做了义的奴仆。 我因你们肉体的软弱，就照人的常话对你们说：你们从前怎样将肢体献给不洁、不法做奴仆，以至于不法；现今也要照样将肢体献给义做奴仆，以至于成圣。 因为你们做罪之奴仆的时候，就不被义约束了。 你们现今所看为羞耻的事，当日有什么果子呢？那些事的结局就是死。 但现今，你们既从罪里得了释放，做了神的奴仆，就有成圣的果子，那结局就是永生。 因为罪的工价乃是死，唯有神的恩赐，在我们的主基督耶稣里乃是永生。

10月12日

耶稣是主

你若口里认耶稣为主，心里信神叫他从死里复活，就必得救。(罗马书10:9)

我们有个女儿，小时候每当让她做事时，她常会脱口而出：“你又不是我老板！”

即便对象是耶稣，我们天性也不愿接受被谁拥有或主宰。事实上，正是这种想要脱离神的独立意识，将人类引向了罪恶。

但拥有神圣的主人或所有者，真的如此糟糕吗？我的自行车“住”在我的车库里。它不会因淋雨而生锈，橡胶把手也不会因长期暴晒而老化。尽管我已拥有它多年，它看起来仍像新的一样。每年夏天，我都能看到一些“无主”的自行车。有些躺在溪流和河底，它们布满泥浆，锈迹斑斑。

哪辆自行车过得更好？躺在溪流中的那辆永远不必工作！但也没有人骑它。我的自行车在好天气里，能够得到充分锻炼，而且它并不介意！它被造出来本来就是为了被骑行。

对于马和狗等家养动物而言，结果也是相似的—在好主人的照料下，它们比在野外生活得更长久、更健康。

一个简单的事实是：我们永远无法真正独立。我们被造是为了为神而活，要么成为耶稣的仆人，要么沦为罪的奴仆。作罪的奴仆只会通向死亡。但耶稣是完美的主，他爱我们—为祂而活将带来极大的喜乐！

祷告

耶稣，你是主。你爱我们、常常看顾我们。请帮助我们在你里面找到真正的喜乐和人生目标。阿们。

Romans 6:15-23

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12

JESUS IS LORD

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.—Romans 10:9

When one of our daughters was young and we told her to do something, her response was sometimes swift: “You’re not the boss of me!”

The idea of having an owner or master, even if it is Jesus, does not come naturally to us. In fact, the notion of being independent from God is what led humanity into sin.

But is having a divine Master or Owner really so bad? My bicycle “lives” in my garage. It is not rusty from sitting in the rain, and the rubber grips are not degraded from extended exposure to the sun. Though I have owned it for years, it still looks new. Every summer I see “ownerless” bikes. Some lay at the bottoms of creeks and rivers. They are coated with mud and rust.

Which bicycle has a better life? The bike lying in a creek never has to work! But no one rides it, either. My bike gets a good workout in nice weather—and it doesn’t mind! It was created to be ridden.

The outcome is similar for horses and dogs and other domesticated animals that live longer and healthier lives under the care of a good master than they can in the wild.

The simple truth is that we will never truly be independent. We are created to live for God, and we will either be servants of Jesus or servants to sin. Being a servant to sin leads to death. But Jesus is the perfect Lord, who loves us—and living for him brings perfect joy!

Jesus, you are Lord. You love us and care for us. Help us to find our true joy and purpose in living for you. Amen.