Our relationship with God requires love, faith, and knowledge, all intertwined together (1 John 4:16). Our faith needs the Holy Spirit to renew our heads and hearts because only spiritual beings know spiritual things. Therefore, we must be born again (John 3:7).
We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Such love has the following attributes. I. Acknowledge our love for God. Christ deserves our love, at least due to the sacrifice He made. He also demands it. For those ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of them later. Those who acknowledge Him before others will be acknowledged before His heavenly Father (Luke 9:26, Matthew 10:32-33). Also, acknowledging Him will put them among the most blessed, such as the angels in heaven. If we so acknowledge and live consistently, we may influence others and receive great blessings, because it demonstrates that we are not of the world. But beware that the world will attack us (Genesis 3:15). II. Our love comes from knowledge and faith, knowing and believing that God loves us so much that He gave His only son so we may have eternal life (1 John 4:16, John 3:16). Consider how God has chosen us, redeemed us through His sacrifice, and taken us into Him. Look at His mercy supporting us daily. This will create in us a love for Him. If we don’t love Him, we are extremely ungrateful. In this way, such love will come naturally. It can’t be forced and isn’t because of duty. We just can’t help but love Him because He first loved us. But, like love for our children, our love for God doesn’t come out all the time. III. Our love is based on a great mystery. It is a mystery why God loves us. We can only attribute it to His grace and faithfulness. Give God all the glory. IV. Our love is a force sustained by a higher force, which is God’s love to us. God’s love is extremely powerful. Nothing can stop His love. Christ’s love compels us, empowering us to do impossible things, such as living not for ourselves but for Him (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Summary of a sermon by Charles Spurgeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIB3MHd2EWo 爱神的秘密 信徒与上帝的关系需要爱、信和知识彼此交织在一起(约翰一书 4:16)。我们的信仰需要圣灵来更新我们的头脑和心灵,因为只有属灵的人才知道属灵的事。 所以,我们必须重生(约翰福音 3:7)。 我们爱上帝因为祂先爱我们(约翰一书 4:19)。 这样的爱有以下的属性。 (一)承认我们对上帝的爱。 至少因为基督的牺牲,祂配得我们的爱。爱基督是祂的要求。以祂为耻的人,祂也会以他们为耻。在人面前承认祂的,祂也会在天父面前承认他们(路加福音 9:26,马太福音 10:32-33)。承认祂的人将被放在最受祝福的(例如天使)被造中间。 我们如此承认祂,并且活出这样的生命,就可以影响他人并得到莫大的祝福,因为这表明我们不属于这世界。但要小心,世界会攻击伤害我们(创世记 3:15)。 (二) 我们的爱来自知识和信心, 知道并相信上帝爱我们,甚至将祂的独生子赐给我们,使我们得永生(约翰一书 4:16, 约翰福音 3:16)。 思想上帝如何拣选我们,藉着祂的牺牲救赎我们,并把我们带到祂里面。祂的慈悲每天托住我们。这一切会在我们里面产生对祂的爱。若非如此,我们岂不是非常忘恩负义? 所以,这样的爱是自然而然,不能被强迫, 也不是出于责任感。 我们情不自禁地爱祂,因为祂先爱我们。但就像对自己儿女的爱一样, 我们对上帝的爱不会每时每刻都流露出来。 (三) 我们的爱基于一个伟大的奥秘。 神为何爱我们是个谜,只能将其归于上帝的恩典和信实,当把所有的荣耀归给上帝。 (四)我们爱的力量是由更高的大能托住的,就是上帝对我们的爱。 上帝的爱极其强大,没有什么能阻止它。 基督的爱激励我们,赐我们力量去完成不可能的事情, 例如不再为自己而活,单单为祂而活(哥林多后书 5:14-15)。 Comments are closed.
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