【双语灵修】活出感恩的生命LIVING A LIFE OF GRATITUDE

路加福音17:11-19

耶稣往耶路撒冷去，经过撒马利亚和加利利。 进入一个村子，有十个长大痲疯的迎面而来，远远地站着， 高声说：“耶稣，夫子，可怜我们吧！” 耶稣看见，就对他们说：“你们去，把身体给祭司察看！”他们去的时候就洁净了。 内中有一个见自己已经好了，就回来大声归荣耀于神， 又俯伏在耶稣脚前感谢他。这人是撒马利亚人。 耶稣说：“洁净了的不是十个人吗？那九个在哪里呢？ 除了这外族人，再没有别人回来归荣耀于神吗？” 就对那人说：“起来走吧！你的信救了你了。”

10月22日

活出感恩的生命

这样，怎么说呢？我们可以仍在罪中、叫恩典显多吗？断乎不可！我们在罪上死了的人岂可仍在罪中活着呢？ (罗马书6:1-2)

我们得救是本乎恩，不是因着行为。但这是否意味着我们就不必行善了呢？答案清晰而明确。恩典与善行并非对立，在神儿女的生命中它们相辅相成（参以弗所书 2:8-10）。

当我们信靠基督时，旧有的罪性就死去了。那旧有的本性与基督同钉十字架并被埋葬，我们在基督里获得新生命。“若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了！”（哥林多后书5:17）

与基督同复活，意味着活出一种生命状态—行善（用耶稣的话说就是“结好果子”，见约翰福音15章），对我们而言这是自然而然的事。结出好果子是我们信心与悔改真实无伪的明证，善行是感恩之情的自然流露。

对于所有在基督里获得新生命的人来说，行善虽然已经成为“第二天性”，我们仍需努力践行。尽管旧性情已被钉死，但它仍会不时抬头试图重新掌权。它不再是我们生命的主导力量，但仍是需要与之抗争的势力。渴望结出美好的果实，能够让我们确信自己真正得救，这对尚未认识耶稣的人而言，也是一个有力的见证。

祷告

耶稣啊，感谢你为我们舍命成就救恩。我们献上生命来感谢你，竭力为你的荣耀而活。阿们。

Luke 17:11-19

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

LIVING A LIFE OF GRATITUDE

Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? —Romans 6:1-2

We have been saved by grace and not by works. But does that mean we do not have to do good? The answer is clear and decisive. Grace and good works are not competitors. They go hand in hand in the lives of God’s children (see Ephesians 2:8-10).

When we come to faith in Christ, our old sinful nature dies. The old nature is crucified and buried with Christ, and we rise to new life in Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Being raised with Christ means living a life in which good works (or “good fruit” in the words of Jesus—John 15) become natural to us. Bearing good fruit is a sign that our faith and conversion are true and genuine. Good works are a natural expression of thankfulness.

While doing good becomes “second” nature to all who have new life in Christ, we still need to work at it. Though the old nature has been crucified, it still rises up from time to time to try to reassert itself. It is no longer the driving force in our life, but it remains a force to fight against. Wanting to produce good fruit assures us that we are indeed saved, and that is a powerful witness to people who do not yet know Jesus.

Jesus, thank you for dying for us to purchase our salvation. We commit our lives to thanking you by striving to live for your honor and glory. Amen.