牧者心聲
全在乎美善的上帝
陳小宛牧師
2024 年 6 月 29 日 / 30 日
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「我總是未夠好！」我常常聽到掙扎著是否受洗的弟兄姊妹這樣說，尤其是少年人。
我們身處的文化對成績表現趨之若鶩，社會總是根據成績和成就來衡量我們，以致我們會千方百計去討求別人的認同。然而我們是追隨耶穌基督的人，我們應要自問：我到底要達至誰的期望？我的優劣，該由誰來斷定？我的本相，誰會全然接納？無疑，這一切問題的答案全在乎上帝！
讚美主！經過五年之後，我們重歸康澤禮堂，舉行英崇第19屆洗禮，有六名少年人公開宣認耶穌為他們的主和救主。他們的故事，見證了父母的榜樣（例如容讓孩子作出信仰的決定）、屬靈長輩（不一定是主日學老師或團契導師）的正式與非正式引導、以及他們在朋輩中間的參與（例如少年團契）是多麼重要。見到這六名少年人因為參與短宣或外展活動，因而在靈裡不斷成長，我實在深感欣慰。當他們不再聚焦於自己，而是注目其他人，當他們不再只求滿足自己的意欲，而是尋求上帝的心意，他們便有了新的目光。上帝改變了這些少年人，以致他們對別人、對自己、（更重要的）對上帝自己，都有了新的想法！他們與上帝的相遇，激勵了他們更多仰望祂，更認真面對基督信仰，甚至決定接受洗禮。
的確，我們應要少一點思想自己，多一點思想上帝。假如我們更多以上帝為中心，我們就不會那麼自我中心，同時也不會那麼在意別人對自己的看法。我們須知道沒有所謂「好」的基督徒，假如我們努力要成為一名「好」的基督徒，那我們就是倚仗了自己的努力和能力；假如我們按這心態去爭取上帝的認許，那我們就很容易掉入律法主義的陷阱。
耶穌說：「所以，你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。」（太五48）弟兄姊妹，上帝要求我們成為「完全」，但在愛與順服上帝方面成為完全，是一個漫長的歷程。我們的目標是要藉著聖靈的幫助，結出屬靈的果子，逐漸反映出上帝的性情，活出基督耶穌的生命樣式。
我們並不「好」，將來也絕不會「好」起來，因為我們仍是沉淪的罪人。然而美善的上帝能在我們的生命中施行奇事——將我們由裡至外轉化，使我們的生命變得美麗，條件是我們要全然順服與降服於祂。這一切不在乎我們自己，而在乎上帝！
"I am not good enough!", "I will never be good enough!" It is often what I hear from brothers and sisters, especially teenagers, who struggle about baptism.
We live in a culture increasingly driven by performance. We are constantly evaluated based on our achievements and accomplishments, so we eagerly seek approval from other people. But as followers of Jesus Christ, we should always ask ourselves: Whose expectations are we trying to live up to? Who defines what is good? Who has already accepted us for just as we are? No doubt that the answer to all these questions is God!
Praise the LORD! After five years, the 19th Baptismal Service of the English Ministry (EM) is back in the Main Church, with six teenagers making public declaration of their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Their stories, together with many other stories, have testified the importance of the modeling role of parents (including letting their children decide on their faith), the formal and informal mentoring of Christian adults (not necessarily Sunday School teachers and fellowship counselors), and their participation in a peer group (such as youth fellowship). I am particularly encouraged to see these six teenagers growing spiritually through going on short-term mission trips or doing outreach activities. When they focus not on themselves but other people, seek not what they want but the heart and will of God, they gain new perspectives. God has changed how these teenagers think about other people, themselves and, most importantly, God Himself! All these encounters with God have inspired them to look upon Him more, be more serious about the Christian faith, and even make the decision to receive baptism.
Indeed, we should think less of ourselves and more of God. The more we become God-centered, the less we will be self-centered, and we will care much less what other people think of us. There is no such thing as a "good Christian." If we strive to be one, we are depending on our own efforts and abilities. We will easily fall into the trap of legalism as we try to earn God's approval.
Jesus says, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). Brothers and sisters, God asks us to be perfect, and becoming perfect in love and obedience to Him is a process. With the help of the Holy Spirit, our purpose is to bear spiritual fruit, reflect the character of God more and more, living a life that resembles the life of Christ Jesus.
We are not and never will be good for we are still fallen human beings. But the good God can do wonders in our lives – transforming us from the inside out, making our lives beautiful – when we submit and surrender ourselves completely to Him. It is not about us, but God!
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