讀經筆記

在基督信仰的歷程中，我漸漸瞭解為何傳道人、牧師是要強調「一切都要連結到主耶穌基督」，以主耶穌基督為信仰核心，因為高舉主耶穌基督，信仰的根基才會穩固，而生命的更新，才不會有偏離的危險。 

初信主時，我習慣從「耶穌基督是我的救主」的角度來信主，這個角度不能算錯，但有隱憂，隱憂就是「下意識的把主耶穌基督當作解決我人生問題的工具」，在這個角度中，其實「自己」已然成為信仰的「核心」，一旦神沒有幫我解決問題，或神解決的方式、結果不合我意，在信仰上「移情別戀」就很容易發生。這個角度顯明，我需要的不是「神」，而是「為我解決問題的工具」。

 以主耶穌基督為核心（一切都要連結到主耶穌基督）就不同了，我會想認識神、經歷神。當更真切的認識神公義、慈愛的屬性以及美善的本質，就會湧現對神的渴慕，願意放下自己，順服神的權柄，而在順服中，改造老我「成為新造的人」（林後5:17）就會是順理成章的事，因為神為我們預備好的渴慕之心，會降低「讓神在我生命中動工」的抗拒與難度（例如：過去貪戀、抗拒不了世俗的罪，如今會選擇神的慈愛與恩典，跟著神一起恨惡曾經貪戀的罪，並在神的保守中，遠離罪的綑綁）。

 而我們也會成為神的器皿，一起參與神拯救世人的大計劃，在「萬事都互相效力」（羅8:28）的真理中，不僅僅是「自己因為愛神而得益處」，也可以「因為愛神，讓別人得益處」——單單憑著愛神、學神，就能夠「與神更靠近」，自自然然地成就了生命的美善。

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Bible Study Notes – August 20, 2023

In my journey of Christian faith, I have gradually come to understand why preachers and pastors emphasize that “everything must be connected to the Lord Jesus Christ,” and that Christ must be the very center of our faith. Only when we exalt Jesus Christ will the foundation of our faith be firm, and only then will our lives be renewed without danger of deviation.

When I first believed in the Lord, I tended to approach faith from the perspective of “Jesus Christ is my Savior.” This perspective is not wrong, but it contains a hidden concern—namely, that subconsciously, I was treating the Lord Jesus Christ as a tool to solve my life’s problems. From that angle, “I” had actually become the center of my faith. Once God did not solve my problems, or when His way and timing did not align with my expectations, it became easy to transfer my devotion elsewhere. This reveals that what I needed was not truly God Himself, but rather a means to fix my problems.

However, when Jesus Christ becomes the true center of faith—when everything is connected to Him—my heart begins to desire to know God and experience God. As I come to understand more deeply His righteousness, love, and goodness, a longing for God naturally arises within me. I become willing to lay down myself and submit to His authority. Through this obedience, the transformation of the old self into “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) happens naturally. The longing God has placed within us lowers our resistance to His transforming work in our lives—for example, where I once clung to worldly sins and could not resist temptation, now I choose God’s love and grace, learning with Him to hate the sins I once desired, and under His protection, break free from their bondage.

We also become vessels of God, participating together in His great plan of salvation for humanity. In the truth that “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28), not only do we ourselves benefit because we love God, but we also bring blessing to others because we love God. Simply by loving God and learning from Him, we draw closer to Him—and in doing so, naturally fulfill the goodness and beauty of life.