【双语灵修】信实的神FAITHFUL GOD

创世记 3:1-15

耶和华神所造的，唯有蛇比田野一切的活物更狡猾。蛇对女人说：“神岂是真说，不许你们吃园中所有树上的果子吗？” 女人对蛇说：“园中树上的果子我们可以吃， 唯有园当中那棵树上的果子，神曾说：‘你们不可吃，也不可摸，免得你们死。’” 蛇对女人说：“你们不一定死！ 因为神知道你们吃的日子眼睛就明亮了，你们便如神能知道善恶。”

于是女人见那棵树的果子好做食物，也悦人的眼目，且是可喜爱的，能使人有智慧，就摘下果子来吃了；又给她丈夫，她丈夫也吃了。 他们二人的眼睛就明亮了，才知道自己是赤身露体，便拿无花果树的叶子，为自己编做裙子。 天起了凉风，耶和华神在园中行走，那人和他妻子听见神的声音，就藏在园里的树木中，躲避耶和华神的面。 耶和华神呼唤那人，对他说：“你在哪里？” 他说：“我在园中听见你的声音，我就害怕，因为我赤身露体。我便藏了。” 耶和华说：“谁告诉你赤身露体呢？莫非你吃了我吩咐你不可吃的那树上的果子吗？” 那人说：“你所赐给我与我同居的女人，她把那树上的果子给我，我就吃了。” 耶和华神对女人说：“你做的是什么事呢？”女人说：“那蛇引诱我，我就吃了。” 耶和华神对蛇说：“你既做了这事，就必受咒诅，比一切的牲畜野兽更甚！你必用肚子行走，终身吃土。 我又要叫你和女人彼此为仇，你的后裔和女人的后裔也彼此为仇，女人的后裔要伤你的头，你要伤他的脚跟。”

星期二

三月三日

信实的神

“‘我又要叫你和女人彼此为仇；你的后裔和女人的后裔也彼此为仇。女人的后裔要伤你的头；你要伤他的脚跟。’” - 创 3:15

《创世记》第3章的故事内容通常被描述为“堕入罪中”。起初，亚当和夏娃每天都与神都有美好的关系，可是有一天，他们犯罪了，他们因羞愧便躲避神。神曾吩咐他们不可吃分辨善恶树上的果子（《创世记》 2:16-17），但是魔鬼撒但把不信的种子撒在他们的脑袋中，他们便违背了神的吩咐。他们吃了那禁果，结果便失去了与神的亲密关系。

神曾说过，违背命令的咒诅就是死亡，那天亚当和夏娃并没有立刻死去，神主动寻找他们，没有消灭他们。他们无法负起犯罪的刑罚，神亲自为他们的罪承担了后果。有一天，神自己的儿子，也是他们的后裔，会舍弃自己的性命来为所有人偿还罪债（《马太福音》 1:18-25）。

朋友会以忠诚相待。神常常视我们为朋友，但是我们与神之间的忠诚并不对称。我们时常不忠于神，然而神却是信实的。

神怎样做才能使我们与祂和好？神的救赎计划真是出乎我们的意料，当时亚当和夏娃未能清楚看到，然而这个计划已经开始了，并且继续下去，直到神差祂的儿子到来才完成。神的儿子由女人所生，祂一生没有犯罪，并且舍弃自己的性命为我们偿还罪债。神是何等奇妙和信实啊！

祷告

亲爱的神，我们天天都犯各样的罪。我们为你的信实感谢你，求你帮助我们忠心为你而活。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。

Genesis 3:1-15

TUESDAY, MARCH 3

FAITHFUL GOD

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” —Genesis 3:15

The story in Genesis 3 is often described as “the fall into sin.” Adam and Eve started with a wonderful, day-by-day relationship with God, but then one day they sinned. And they hid from God in their shame. God had said they should not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). But then the devil, Satan, planted seeds of doubt in their minds, and they disobeyed. They ate the forbidden fruit and fell from their close relationship with God.

The curse of disobeying, God had said, would be death. But Adam and Eve did not die that day. God sought them out and did not strike them down. They also failed to take the blame for their actions, and God took the consequences of their sin on himself. It turned out that one day his own Son, who was also their offspring, would give up his own life to pay for the sins of all people (Matthew 1:18-25).

Friends are faithful to each other. God is always a friend to us, but we are not equally faithful. We sin. We are often unfaithful, but God is faithful.

How could God make us right with him? The plan of salvation is not what we would expect. It was not fully visible to Adam and Eve, but it started, continued, and became complete when God sent his Son, born of a woman, to live without sin and to give his life to pay for all our sin. What an amazing, faithful God!

Dear God, we sin in many ways every day. Thank you for being faithful, and please help us to live faithfully for you. In Jesus, Amen.