 We are born corrupt and selfish, following the ways of the world. By nature, none of us is good (Ephesians 2:2). Since God cannot look at evil, His wrath should be on us (Habakkuk 1:13, John 3:36). But our Holy God still takes pleasure in us (Isaiah 62:4, Zephaniah 3:17, Colossians 1:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:9, Philippians 4:18, Hebrews 13:16). How can our Holy God take pleasure in sinners?
God resolved this dilemma through Christ. His beloved Son’s crucifixion not only saves us from God’s wrath, but also justifies us while we are sinners (Romans 5:1, 5:6-9, 8:32). Through faith in God, we are united with Christ. Our sins are nailed to the cross, with Christ’s righteousness counted as ours (Romans 3:24, 4:5, 8:30; Psalm 32:1-2; Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24). We contribute nothing to this (Philippians 3:9, Romans 5:19, 2 Corinthians 5:21). However, we still sin. Fortunately, through union with Christ, we are still pleasing to God (Matthew 3:17). Note that God doesn’t approve our remaining corruption. He will discipline and refine those He loves, while simultaneously we are forgiven and pleasing to Him (Proverbs 3:11-12, Hebrew 12:5-6). Because of Christ, we have been made perfect once and for all (Hebrews 10:14). But the essence of Christian ethics is that we pursue holiness because we are holy (1 Corinthians 5:7). We seek to please God when we are already perfectly pleasing to Him (Colossians 1:10, Philippians 4:18, 2 Corinthians 5:9, Ephesians 5:10). We depend on Christ for our righteousness and sanctification, where we will be made holy gradually. Through faith in His grace, God empowers us to realize our desire for doing His will. God is pleased with our works of faith. Christ gets the glory in us, and we get the glory in Him (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; Ephesians 1:6; Hebrews 11:6, 13:20-21). The faith for our justification is also the faith for our sanctification. Through faith in God, we are perfectly pleasing to Him, while progressively pleasing to Him as He gradually transforms us. Summary of a sermon by John Piper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1RsfVM-ZTk 圣洁的神怎么能喜悦罪人呢？ 我们生来就自私败坏，随从这个世界的风俗。 从本性上讲，世上没有一个好人（以弗所书 2:2）。 既然上帝不能忍受罪恶，祂的忿怒应该临到世人身上（哈巴谷书 1:13, 约翰福音 3:36）。但神仍喜悦我们（以赛亚书 62:4，西番雅书 3:17，歌罗西书 1:9-10，哥林多后书 5:9，腓立比书 4:18，希伯来书 13:16）。 圣洁的神怎么能喜悦罪人呢？ 上帝藉着基督解决了这个两难的挑战。 祂的爱子被钉十字架，不仅救我们脱离上帝的忿怒，而且在我们还是罪人的时候就称我们为义（罗马书 5:1、5:6-9、8:32）。 我们靠着对上帝的信心与基督联合。 我们的罪被钉在十字架上，基督的义算为我们的义, 归于我们（罗马书 3:24、4:5、8:30；诗篇 32:1-2；歌罗西书 2:14；彼得前书 2:24）. 我们对此没有任何贡献（腓立比书 3:9，罗马书 5:19，哥林多后书 5:21）。 然而，我们仍然犯罪。 幸运的是藉着与基督联合，我们仍然蒙上帝喜悦（马太福音 3:17）。 请留心上帝不赞成我们余下的败坏，祂会管教并熬炼祂所爱的人。但同时我们会被上帝赦免并蒙祂喜悦（箴言 3:11-12，希伯来书 12:5-6）。 我们因为基督，已经一次完全，并且永远完全了（希伯来书 10:14）。 但基督教伦理的本质是追求圣洁，因为我们是圣洁的（哥林多前书 5:7）。 当我们已经完全取悦上帝时, 我们持续不断地寻求取悦上帝（歌罗西书 1:10，腓立比书 4:18，哥林多后书 5:9，以弗所书 5:10）. 我们靠着基督称义成圣，逐渐成为圣洁。 上帝通过我们对祂恩典的信心，赐给我们力量, 将遵行祂旨意的渴望化为实际的行动。 上帝喜悦我们靠信心的行为, 同时基督在我们里面得荣耀，而我们也在祂里面得荣耀（帖撒罗尼迦后书 1:11-12；以弗所书 1:6；希伯来书 11:6、13:20-21）。 使我们称义的信心也是使我们成圣的信心。 我们藉着对神的信心，完全地讨神喜悦。同时当祂逐渐地改变我们时，我们也不住地取悦祂。
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