4 月 2 日 预苦期第四周 星期三

(张慕洁牧师 神恩堂)

经文-哥林多后书 5:16-21

16 所以，我们从今以后，不凭着外貌认人了。虽然凭着外貌认过基督，如今却不再这样认他了。 17 若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了。 18 一切都是出于神，他借着基督使我们与他和好，又将劝人与他和好的职分赐给我们。 19 这就是神在基督里叫世人与自己和好，不将他们的过犯归到他们身上，并且将这和好的道理托付了我们。20 所以，我们做基督的使者，就好像神借我们劝你们一般，我们替基督求你们与神和好。 21 神使那无罪的替我们成为罪，好叫我们在他里面成为神的义。

经文反思

这段经文提醒我们，福音不仅是个人得救的信息，更是人与神和好的呼召。许多人熟悉 17 节 “若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人”，但“新造”不是一次性的改变，而是持续更新的过程。 “变成”在原文中的是现在完成主动语态，意味着信徒需要不断主动地活在更新中，而非被动等待改变。然而，我们常凭肉体认识福音，把福音当作满足个人需求的手段，追求属世的益处，却忽略了福音最核心的好处——我们在基督里与神和好，进入祂的义中，活出祂的荣耀，迈向基督徒的完全。

祷告

天父，感谢你赐下和好的福音，使我们不再凭肉体认人，也不再以自我中心来理解你的恩典。求你更新我们的心思意念，使我们真正明白福音的核心是借着基督与你和好，而非只求属世的好处。求圣灵引导我们，主动经营与你的关系，活出新造的生命。奉主耶稣基督的名祈求，阿们！

应用

请思考：我是否仍以属世的眼光理解福音，关注外在的祝福多于与神的关系？是否凭肉体的标准看人，而非凭基督的眼光？

操练用圣经的视角看待人、事、物。遇事时，先问自己：“在基督里，我该如何回应？”并尝试在今天的生活中，以基督的爱和怜悯对待身边的人。

2 April The Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent

(Rev Barnabas Zhang Immanuel Methodist Church)

Scripture - 2 Cor 5:16-21

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Reflections on the Scripture

This passage reminds us that the gospel is not only a message of personal salvation but also a call for reconciliation between man and God. Many are familiar with the verse, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17), but “new creation” is not a one-time change; it is a continuous process of renewal. The term “become” in the original language is in the present perfect active tense, meaning that believers must actively live in a state of renewal, rather than passively waiting for change.

However, we often understand the gospel through a worldly perspective, treating it as a means to fulfill personal needs, pursuing worldly benefits while neglecting the gospel’s core benefit—reconciliation with God in Christ. This reconciliation brings us into His righteousness, enables us to live out His glory, and leads us toward the fullness of Christian perfection.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the gospel of reconciliation, so that we no longer view people according to the flesh, nor interpret Your grace from a self-centred perspective. Please renew our minds and thoughts, so that we truly understand that the core of the gospel is reconciliation with You through Christ, not merely seeking worldly blessings. Guide us by the Holy Spirit to actively cultivate our relationship with You and live out the new creation life. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!

Application

Take a moment to reflect: Do I still understand the gospel from a worldly perspective, focusing more on external blessings than on my relationship with God? Do I evaluate others based on worldly standards, rather than through the lens of Christ?

Practice viewing people, situations, and things from a biblical perspective. When faced with something, ask yourself, “In Christ, how should I respond?” Then, try to treat those around you today with Christ’s love and mercy.