2月8日 成圣的代价

愿赐平安的神，亲自使你们全然成圣。（帖前五23-24）

我们成圣，有没有打算按这经文中的标准呢？我们把成圣这句话看得太轻率了。对成圣所要求的代价，我们有没有预备付出？代价是我们减少一切属地的兴趣，而扩大对神国度的兴趣。成圣是我们全神贯注留意神的心意与观点；也是约束身体灵魂所有的智慧，专为完成神的旨意。我们肯不肯让神在我们身上下工夫，成就神分别为圣的目的？他在我们身上的工作完成之后，我们是否肯像耶稣一样，甘愿分别自己为圣归于神？“我为他们的缘故分别为圣”。我们未能进入成圣的经历里，是我们未从神的观点了解成圣的意义。成圣就是与耶稣合而为一，以致那支配他的，也支配我们。我们预备付出那代价吗？就是一切在我们里面不属于神的东西，都要放下。

我们能否与保罗的祷告起共鸣？我们能否说：“主，你能叫一个蒙恩得救的罪人有多圣洁，就求你使我有多圣洁”？耶稣祷告要我们与他合一，正如他与父合一一样。圣灵在人身上唯一的特征，就是叫人酷肖耶稣基督，宛如骨肉，同时摆脱一切与基督相反的性情。我们肯把自己分别出来，让圣灵在我们里头作工吗？

祈祷◆主啊，当我的心思不是完全被你掌管，它很容易胡思乱想！愿我身心灵的主权都稳操在你的手中。

February 8 The Cost of Sanctification

May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely . . . —1 Thessalonians 5:23

When we pray, asking God to sanctify us, are we prepared to measure up to what that really means? We take the word sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared to pay the cost of sanctification? The cost will be a deep restriction of all our earthly concerns, and an extensive cultivation of all our godly concerns. Sanctification means to be intensely focused on God's point of view. It means to secure and to keep all the strength of our body, soul, and spirit for God's purpose alone. Are we really prepared for God to perform in us everything for which He separated us? And after He has done His work, are we then prepared to separate ourselves to God just as Jesus did? “For their sakes I sanctify Myself . . .” (John 17:19). The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God's perspective. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the nature that controlled Him will control us. Are we really prepared for what that will cost? It will cost absolutely everything in us which is not of God.

Are we prepared to be caught up into the full meaning of Paul's prayer in this verse? Are we prepared to say, “Lord, make me, a sinner saved by grace, as holy as You can”? Jesus prayed that we might be one with Him, just as He is one with the Father (see John 17:21-23). The resounding evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person's life is the unmistakable family likeness to Jesus Christ, and the freedom from everything which is not like Him. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit's work in us?