【双语灵修】信心的眼睛FAITH EYES

哥林多后书 5:16-17

所以，我们从今以后，不凭着外貌[a]认人了。虽然凭着外貌认过基督，如今却不再这样认他了。 若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了。

4月9日

信心的眼睛

“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

当耶稣复活时，人们需要一双新的眼睛才能清楚地、真实地看见他。

马利亚只看见一个园丁，直到耶稣叫了她的名字（《约翰福音》20:16）。以马忤斯路上的那两个门徒只看见一个不知情的过路人，直到耶稣与他们一同擘饼（《路加福音》24:30-31）。

后来，作为逼迫耶稣跟随者的头号人物扫罗（保罗），他的眼睛也被开启了。他被天上射来的强光拦住，并听见耶稣的声音说：“你为什么逼迫我？”（《使徒行传》9:3-6）。扫罗领受了信心的眼睛，使他能真正地看出耶稣就是主、是救主。

在今天的经文中，这位后来成为耶稣宣教士的保罗宣告说：我们现在看别人的眼光也可以不再一样了。因着耶稣，我们可以看见，所有“在基督里”的人都是新造的人（New Creation）。每一个信徒的重生，都在回应着基督复活的神迹。

不仅如此，当我们看见一个“在基督里”的人，一个新造的人，这是一个记号，表明神正在做一件更大的事—就是荣耀地重塑祂的整个受造界。这就是其他经文所描述的新天新地的降临（《以赛亚书》65:17；《启示录》21:1）！

所以，当有人信了基督，我们在那个人身上就看到了新的创造。这就提醒了我们神那持续进行的“新创造工程”，这工程正是由耶稣复活的神迹所启动的！

祷告

噢，神啊，求赐给我们信心的眼睛，像保罗一样看见你那正在进行的新创造之工。愿我们看见、欢喜、向你献上赞美，并活在那确据之中。阿们。

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

THURSDAY, APRIL 9

FAITH EYES

If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! —2 Corinthians 5:17

When Jesus came back to life, the people who saw him required new eyes to see him clearly, truly.

Mary saw only a gardener until Jesus spoke her name (John 20:16). The two disciples from Emmaus saw only a clueless traveler until Jesus broke bread with them (Luke 24:30-31).

Later, Saul (Paul), a leading persecutor of Jesus’ followers, had his eyes opened too. He was stopped by a blinding light from heaven, and he heard the voice of Jesus saying, “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:3-6). Saul received eyes of faith so that he could see Jesus truly as the Lord and Savior.

In our text for today Paul, who became a missionary for Jesus, declares that we can see other people differently now too. Because of Jesus, we can see that all who are “in Christ” are a new creation. The rebirth of every believer echoes the miracle of Christ’s resurrection.

And there’s more. When we see an “in Christ” person, a new creation, it’s a sign that God is up to something bigger— a glorious remaking of his whole creation. This is what other texts have described as the coming of a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1)!

So when someone comes to faith in Christ, we see in that person a new creation. And this is a reminder of God’s continuing project of making a new creation, launched by the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection!

O God, give us eyes of faith to see your ongoing work of new creation as Paul did. May we see, rejoice, give you praise, and live in that confidence. Amen.