第六週■週六

w06d06-ch

晨興餧養

彼後一10 ～ 11『所以弟兄們，應當更加殷勤，使你們所蒙的呼召和揀選堅定不移；你們行這幾樣，就永不失腳。這樣，你們就必得着豐富充足的供應，以進入我們主和救主耶穌基督永遠的國。』

在彼後一章十節…這裏的殷勤，卽在神聖的生命裏發展屬靈的美德，在神聖生命的成長裏往前。這使神對我們的呼召和揀選堅定不移。

我們若殷勤發展五至七節所題的美德，就會證實我們的呼召和揀選。…有些人也許懷疑神是否揀選了他們。他們疑惑這事，原因是他們缺少彼得所列舉的美德。但我們若發展這些美德，並由這些美德構成，就會證實我們蒙了呼召和揀選。這就是使我們所蒙的呼召和揀選堅定不移。不但如此，我們行這幾樣，就永不失腳，因爲我們已徹底被構成。（彼得後書生命讀經，六三頁。）

信息選讀

我們在神聖生命和神聖性情的發展裏所享受全備的供應，…必充分的供應我們，使我們豐富的進入我們主永遠的國。這供應要叫我們憑神聖生命和神聖性情一切的豐富，作我們達到神輝煌榮耀的優越美德（能力），使我們能彀並合格進入要來的國。這不是僅僅得救，乃是得救後又追求在神聖生命裏長大成熟，而受到國度的賞賜。

彼後一章十一節永遠的國，指所賜給我們主和救主耶穌基督之神的國，（但七13 ～ 14，）就是要在
祂回來時顯現的。（路十九11 ～ 12。）這國要作賞賜，賜給那些追求在祂生命裏長大以致成熟，並發展祂性情之美德的忠信信徒，使他們在千年國時能有分於祂在神榮耀裏的君王職分。（提後二12，啓二十4，6。）這樣進入主永遠的國，與進入神永遠的榮耀有關；這榮耀就是祂在基督裏呼召我們所到達的。〔彼前五10，帖前二12。〕

彼後一章十一節指明，我們可得着豐富充足的供應，以進入我們主的國。然而，好些基督徒不會這樣進入，因爲他們從未發展神聖的種子以致成熟，藉此建立這入口。我們若不被神聖的美德構成，就不能建立這樣的入口。但我們若有神聖生命的發展，並由神聖性情的元素構成，我們就會得着豐富充足的供應，以進入要來的國。

要在我們主和救主耶穌基督永遠的國裏作王，我們就需要在生命上成熟。我們基督徒命定要在主的國裏作王。然而，人若缺少在神聖生命上的成熟，如何能在要來的國裏作王？…卽使主要叫不成熟的人登寶座作王，那人也會曉得，他無法盡君王職任。這指明甚至我們自己也知道，爲着要作王，我們需要長大成熟。

照着彼得在一章五至十一節的話，長大成熟就是發展我們所已經接受的。我們已分得奇妙的同樣寶貴之信，這信是包羅萬有的種子。一切神聖的豐富都在這種子裏，但我們必須殷勤，將這些豐富發展爲美德。然後我們需要在我們的美德上發展知識；在知識上發展節制；在節制上發展忍耐；在忍耐上發展敬虔；在敬虔上發展弟兄相愛；並在弟兄相愛上發展愛。藉着發展這些美德，我們就長大，至終我們要達到成熟。結果，我們要充滿基督，用保羅的話說，就是達到基督豐滿之身材的度量。（弗四13。）這樣，我們就會有資格並裝備好，在要來的國裏作王。（彼得後書生命讀經，六四、七三至七四頁。）

參讀：彼得後書生命讀經，第七篇。

WEEK 6 — DAY 6

Morning Nourishment

2 Pet. 1:10-11 Therefore, brothers, be the more diligent to make your calling and selection firm, for doing these things you shall by no means ever stumble. For in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly and bountifully supplied to you.

In 2 Peter 1:10 …to be diligent is to develop the spiritual virtues in the divine life, to advance in the growth of the divine life. This makes God’s calling and selection of us firm.

If we are diligent to develop the virtues mentioned in verses 5 through 7, we will confirm, make sure, our calling and selection…Some may question whether God has chosen them. The reason they have doubt concerning this matter is that they lack the virtues listed by Peter. But if we develop these virtues and are constituted of them, we will have the confirmation that we have been called and selected. This is to make our calling and selection firm. Furthermore, in doing these things we will never stumble, because we have been thoroughly constituted. (Life-study of 2 Peter, pp. 52-53)

Today’s Reading

The bountiful supply that we enjoy in the development of the divine life and divine nature…will enable and qualify us to enter into the coming kingdom by all the riches of the divine life and divine nature as our excellent virtues (energy) unto the splendid glory of God. This is not merely to be saved but, after being saved, to pursue the growth and maturity in the divine life and thereby receive the kingdom reward.

The eternal kingdom in 2 Peter 1:11 refers to the kingdom of God, which was given to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Dan. 7:13-14), and which will be manifested at His coming back (Luke 19:11-12). It will be a reward to His faithful believers, who pursue the growth in His life unto maturity and the development of the virtues of His nature that in the millennium they may participate in His kingship in God’s glory (2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:4, 6). To enter thus into the eternal kingdom of the Lord is related to entering
into God’s eternal glory, to which God has called us in Christ (1 Pet. 5:10; 1 Thes. 2:12).

Second Peter 1:11 indicates that we may have an entrance richly and bountifully supplied into the kingdom of our Lord. However, a good number of Christians will not have such an entrance, because they have never built up this entrance by developing the divine seed unto maturity. If we are not constituted of the divine virtues, we will not be able to build up such an entrance. But if we have the development of the divine life and are constituted of the elements of the divine nature, a rich and bountiful entrance into the coming kingdom will be supplied to us.

In order to be kings in the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we need maturity in life. We Christians are destined to be kings in the Lord’s kingdom. However, how can someone be a king in the coming kingdom if he lacks the maturity in the divine life?…Even if the Lord would want to enthrone as a king someone who is not mature, that person would realize that he is not able to exercise the kingship. This indicates that even we ourselves know that we need to grow to maturity in order to be kings.

According to Peter’s word in 1:5-11, to grow to maturity is to develop what we have already received. We have been allotted the wonderful equally precious faith, and this faith is an all-inclusive seed. All the divine riches are in this seed, but we must be diligent to develop them into virtue. Then we need to develop in our virtue knowledge; in knowledge, self-control; in selfcontrol, endurance; in endurance, godliness; in godliness, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, love. By developing these virtues we grow, and eventually, we will reach maturity. As a result, we will be full of Christ, and, in Paul’s words, we will arrive at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13). Then we will be qualified and equipped to be kings in the coming kingdom.
(Life-study of 2 Peter, pp. 53-54, 61-62)

Further Reading: Life-study of 2 Peter, msg. 7