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2024/11/15 10:16:18瀏覽1340|回應0|推薦0 | |
第五週.週一 晨興餧養 但四34~35『…我[尼布甲尼撒]便頌讚至高者,讚美尊敬那永活者;因為祂的權柄是永遠的權柄,…在天上的萬軍和地上的居民中,祂照自己的意旨行事;無人能…對祂說,你作甚麼呢?』 賽六四8『耶和華阿,現在你仍是我們的父;我們是泥土,你是窯匠;我們都是你手的工作。』 主宰權柄…是神的一個屬性。祂是主宰一切的。主宰權柄指明神無限的權柄與能力。神的地位也是無限的。我們無法說神的地位有多高。同樣,我們無法測度神的榮耀與尊大。祂是主宰一切者,祂的權柄、能力、和地位沒有限量。(新約總論第一冊,一三三至一三四頁。) 信息選讀 [在羅馬九章,]保羅訴諸神的主宰權柄,問說,『人哪,你是誰,竟向神頂嘴?被塑造者豈能對塑造他者說,你為甚麼這樣造我?』(20。)在下一節保羅接着說,『窯匠難道沒有權柄,從同一團泥裏,拿一塊作成貴重的器皿,又拿一塊作成卑賤的器皿麼?』在此保羅說,作為創造者,神有主宰的權柄作祂所喜歡作的。我們是誰,竟敢與祂爭辯?我們需要認識,我們是泥土,而神是窯匠。祂有權柄從同一團泥裏,拿一塊作成貴重的器皿,又拿一塊作成卑賤的器皿。祂有權作成可怒的器皿,(22,)也有權作成蒙憐憫的器皿。(23。) 在十六節保羅說,『這樣看來,這不在於那定意的,也不在於那奔跑的,只在於那施憐憫的神。』成為蒙憐憫、貴重、得榮耀的器皿,不在於我們的定意或奔跑,只在於神向我們所施的憐憫。我們是蒙憐憫的器皿,乃是出於神主宰的憐憫。成為蒙憐憫的器皿不是我們決定的。神在我們出生以前就作了這個決定。只因着神的主宰權柄,我們纔能說我們是蒙憐憫的器皿。我們在自己裏面,或出於自己,都無權這樣說。那位對泥土有權柄的窯匠,已定意要把我們作成蒙憐憫的器皿。然而,我們承認自己是蒙憐憫的器皿,乃是神已經這樣作的明證。 神的憐憫是照着祂的旨意。在十八節保羅下結論說,『神願意向誰施憐憫,就向誰施憐憫;願意叫誰剛硬,就叫誰剛硬。』我們無法解釋神為甚麼願意向我們施憐憫。我們只能說,照着神的旨意,神的憐憫臨到了我們。…不僅如此,神的憐憫也是在於祂主宰的權柄。(20∼23。)要解釋神向我們施憐憫,只能說這是在於祂主宰的權柄,祂已定意要憐憫我們。想一想以掃和雅各的例子。誰能說為甚麼神定意要揀選雅各而不揀選以掃?我們只能說,乃是在於祂主宰的權柄,神揀選了一個,而沒有揀選另一個。神的揀選完全是照着祂的主宰權柄。 作為蒙神恩典的人,我們不僅該為着祂的憐憫感謝祂,也該為着祂的主宰權柄敬拜祂。有些詩歌說到神的憐憫,但是很難找到一首詩歌是論到神的主宰權柄。…我們需要和保羅一同被帶到神的主宰權柄這裏。不是與祂理論,反而我們該說,『哦,父神,為着你的主宰權柄,我敬拜你。雖然我不配,但在你的主宰權柄裏,你已定意向我施憐憫。』千萬不可大膽來摸神的主宰權柄。要留意保羅的警告,他問說,『你是誰,竟向神頂嘴?』(20。)我們若認識自己不過是泥土,就不會與神爭辯了。反之,我們要為着祂的主宰權柄敬拜祂。(出埃及記生命讀經,二六九至二七二頁。) 參讀:出埃及記生命讀經,第二十一至二十二篇。 WEEK 5 — DAY 1 Morning Nourishment
Dan. 4:34-35 …I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored the ever-living One; for His dominion is an eternal dominion…He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and there is no one who can…say to Him, What are You doing?
Isa. 64:8 But now, Jehovah, You are our Father; we are the clay; and You, our Potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.
Sovereignty is …one of God’s attributes. He is sovereign. Sovereignty indicates God’s unlimited authority and power. God’s position is also unlimited. We are not able to say how high is God’s position. Likewise, we cannot measure God’s glory and majesty. As the sovereign One, there is no limit to His authority, power, and position. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 113)
Today’s Reading
[In Romans 9] Paul appealed to God’s sovereignty and asked, “But rather, O man, who are you who answer back to God? Shall the thing molded say to him who molded it, Why did you make me thus?” (v. 20). In the next verse Paul goes on to say, “Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?” Here Paul says that as the Creator, God has the sovereign authority to do whatever He likes. Who are we to argue with Him? We need to recognize that we are clay and that God is the Potter. He has the authority to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor. He has the right to make vessels of wrath (v. 22) as well as vessels of mercy (v. 23).
In Romans 9:16 Paul says, “So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” To be a vessel of mercy and of honor unto glory does not depend on our willing or our running but on God’s mercy to us. It is of God’s sovereign mercy that we are vessels of mercy. We were not the ones who decided to become vessels of mercy. God made this decision before we were born. Only because of God’s sovereignty are we able to say that we are vessels of mercy. In ourselves and of ourselves we have no right to say this. As the One with authority over the clay, the Potter has chosen to make us vessels of mercy. However, our confession that we are vessels of mercy is a proof that God has made us so.
God’s mercy is according to His will. In verse 18 Paul concludes, “He has mercy on whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills.” We cannot explain why God has willed to show mercy to us. The only thing we can say is that, according to God’s will, the mercy of God has been extended to us. Furthermore, God’s mercy is in His sovereignty (vv. 20-23). The only thing we can say to explain God’s mercy to us is that in His sovereignty He has chosen to be merciful to us. Consider the case of Esau and Jacob. Who can say why God willed to choose Jacob and not Esau? All we can say is that in His sovereignty God chose the one and not the other. God’s selection is absolutely according to His sovereignty.
As those favored by God, we should not only thank Him for His mercy but also worship Him for His sovereignty. There are hymns on God’s mercy, but it is very difficult to find a hymn on God’s sovereignty…Along with Paul, we need to be brought to God’s sovereignty. Instead of reasoning with Him, we should say, “O Father God, I worship You for Your sovereignty. Although I am not worthy, in Your sovereignty You have willed to show me Your mercy.” Never presume to touch the sovereignty of God. Heed Paul’s warning when he asks, “Who are you who answer back to God?” (v. 20). If we realize that we are nothing more than clay, we shall not argue with God. Rather, we shall simply worship Him for His sovereignty. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 231-233)
Further Reading: Life-study of Exodus, msgs. 21—22
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