(Matt 5:27-30)(太5:27-30)
Last week we talked about anger我们上周分享了怒气. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue guiding us 求圣灵继续带领我们to practice forgiving instead of holding onto anger against others在生气的时候操练饶恕, and to practice love instead of hatred在恨人的时候操练爱人, so that we may live a fruitful life to glorify God使我们可活出结果子的生命,荣耀神. Today we’re going to talk about the next topic as Jesus teaches us about lust今天我们来分享主耶稣教导的六个对比中的第二个,关于情欲淫乱.
Matthew 5:27-30 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. 太5:27-30:你们听见有话说:‘不可奸淫。’只是我告诉你们:凡看见妇女就动淫念的,这人心里已经与她犯奸淫了。若是你的右眼叫你跌倒,就剜出来丢掉,宁可失去百体中的一体,不叫全身丢在地狱里;若是右手叫你跌倒,就砍下来丢掉,宁可失去百体中的一体,不叫全身下入地狱。
With regard to his words asking 耶稣所问的, how can the righteousness of the disciples of Jesus surpass that of the Pharisees耶稣门徒的义怎样可以超过法利赛人的义? Jesus continued his teaching about the law of “you shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14” 主耶稣继续教导“不可奸淫(出20:14)”这条诫命。Just as the seed of murder in the heart is anger就如心里的杀人始于怒气, the seed of adultery in the heart is lust心里的奸淫则始于情欲. Yes是, the Pharisees might not have committed adultery法利赛人可能并没犯奸淫罪, so they considered themselves more righteous than others所以他们自认为比别人更有义. But Jesus goes beyond the letter to the spirit of the law但主耶稣超越字句,讲的是律法的精义: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (v. 5:28). 只是我告诉你们:凡看见妇女就动淫念的,这人心里已经与她犯奸淫了。(太5:28)
Does that really come from the OT Law, you reckon你觉得这教导真是来自旧约律法吗? Yes, indeed的确是. It is from the Tenth Commandment它来自《十诫》: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:17).不可贪恋人的房屋;也不可贪恋人的妻子、仆婢、牛驴,并他一切所有的。(出20:17) The word "covet" is translated from the Hebrew word ḥāmad“贪恋”这词来自希伯来文ḥāmad, which has a basic meaning: "desire, delight in, lustful desire." 本意指“欲望,喜爱,强烈的欲望”。
Cambridge Dictionary explains Lust in this way “lust”在剑桥词典里的解释是: a very strong sexual desire强烈的性欲. Is “desire” a sin欲望是罪吗? When Jesus came主耶稣来到地上, he also had the desire to eat他也有想吃的欲望, talk and sleep想说、想睡的欲望, but he was controlled by the truth and the Holy Spirit但他受真理和圣灵的管制. But for our fallen natures但对于我们堕落的天性, we can’t deny that we are all slaves of sins and Satan in the sinful nature不可否认,我们天性里都是罪和撒旦的奴仆, and our natural desires can be twisted quickly into something that God doesn’t intend我们的天然欲望可以快速转向神不喜悦的事.
For example, food is good就如食物是好的, but it can cause us to become overweight却可导致肥胖; wine is God’s good gift酒是神所赐的礼物, but it can cause drunkenness却可导致酒醉; money is not a sin钱不是罪, but it can be an idol for us却可成为我们的偶像, all because of the problem of the heart都是因为心的问题. Jesus teaches主耶稣教导说, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." (Matthew 15:19)因为从心里发出来的,有恶念、凶杀、奸淫、苟合、偷盗、妄证、谤讟(太15:19)。
Please don’t feel condemned请不要觉得被定罪, the intention of our Saviour is not to cause us to feel guilty我们的救主不是要加添我们定罪感, but to give us wisdom to know how to overcome the temptation of lust in His grace而是要赐给我们智慧,在祂恩典里胜过淫乱的试探。Sexual sins have been a problem for men and women in society性犯罪早已是社会性问题, and even in God’s church甚至教会中也不能幸免. I have chosen a few statistics about immorality in America to read for you我来读几个美国性犯罪方面的统计数据:
One out of five men admits to having cheated on his wife. 五分之一的男性承认欺骗了妻子
One out of ten women admit to having cheated on her husband. 十分之一的女性承认欺骗丈夫
1 out of 5 pornographic images is of a child. 五分之一的色情图片中出现儿童
The sale of child pornography has become a $3 billion dollar industry儿童色情杂志市场规模达到30亿美元/年
Over 100,000 websites offer child pornography. 超过个十万网站提供儿童色情产品
2.5billion pornographic emails are sent daily. 每天发送25亿封色情邮件
A 2012 study said 43% of teens view porn weekly一份2012年的研究指出,43%的青少年每周都看色情杂志。
In a survey of over 500 Christians一份对500多名基督徒的调查指, they admitted that they were feeling disconnected from God because of lust, pron, or an affair. 他们承认因意淫、看色情或一夜情使他们感到与神隔绝。
It shows that a large number of Christians have been exposed to lust at some point in their lives这表明,相当多的基督徒在生活的某些层面中暴露在情欲淫乱中 which gives the devil a foothold to capture them给魔鬼留地步掳掠他们. But some maybe argue可能有人还会争辩说, “why are sexual things such a big deal性有这么大不了的吗? Why isn’t an affair ok男女一夜情不是很正常吗?”
We know that the goal of the commandments is love诫命是为了爱的缘故. The bible says圣经说, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified, that you should avoid sexual immorality. 1 Thess 4:3神的旨意是要你们成为圣洁,远避淫行。(帖前4:3)” what is sexual immorality什么是淫行? All unlawful sexual activities所有不合法的性行为, such as adultery比如通奸, prostitution卖淫, sexual relationships between unmarried individuals未婚性行为, homosexuality同性恋, and bestiality兽交, and so on等等. God said神说, “avoid远避” “run 快逃”, like Joseph who ran quickly from his master’s wife’s presence 像约瑟快快的逃离他主人妻子的面 when she wanted to entice him into sex temptation当她想诱惑他进入性的试探时. Why should run为什么要逃避? Because God knows that there are serious consequences for unrestrained lust因神知道不受控的情欲,后果很严重, it can cause emotional damage它可导致情绪崩溃, physical damage身体损害, spiritual damage精神损害, and damage to relationships关系破裂。
Even king David, a man after God’s heart大卫王被称为合神心意的人, when he committed sexual sin他在性上犯了罪, he didn’t get away from the consequences of sin也没有逃脱罪的后果, calamity came upon him and his family灾祸临到他和全家, his son raped his daughter儿女乱伦, one of his son’s killed another son儿子互相残杀, and slept with his wives儿子与父亲后妃同寝…we also suffer different consequences at some point because of our ancestors sins我们因祖先的罪也承受了不同的后果。
But now但现在, we are to listen to the truth让我们听真理, which is medicine to our souls真理是灵魂的良药。1 Cor 6:18 warns us(林前6:18)警告我们, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 你们要逃避淫行。人所犯的,无论什么罪,都在身子以外;惟有行淫的,是得罪自己的身子。” It’s not to harm others but your own body不是害他人而是自己的身子 。The sin of lust can cripple us physically淫乱的罪可使身体受损. Sexual sin transmits diseases into people’s bodies性犯罪带给人疾病, such as chlamydia包括衣原体感染, genital herpes生殖器疱疹, gonorrhoea淋病, syphilis梅毒, HIV Aids艾滋病, and so on等等. It not only affects us physically不但身体上受损, but also mentally and spiritually心理和精神上也受害.
I read a Science report我读过一份科学杂志, which confirms God’s word and says确证了神的话, “when people watch pornography and “act out,” 看色情产品又去行的, the sexual sin releases a powerful concoction这种性犯罪可释放出一种强有力的混合物, creating confusion for the human body导致人体产生紊乱, which numbs and damages their brains产生脑部麻痹和损坏. It’s four times stronger than taking Morphine其强度是服用吗啡的4倍.” Throughout 13 years of deliverance ministry and the various cases I dealt with in His grace and guidance十三年以来,神恩手引导我处理许多医治释放的案例, I testify that this is true我见证了其真实性。
In 2005在二OO五年, a smart young man in his early 30’s came to our home church有个30 出头的聪明的年青人来到我们的家庭教会 and became a born- again Christian在那里信主重生. By the power of God因神的能力, he devoted his life to the Lord他将自己献给神. That night当晚, he dreamed a dream他做了个梦, in which he became richer than he had ever been梦到他发了财, and then prostitutes constantly came to tempt him妓女们就不停引诱他, but by faith in God’s word he overcame但他信神的话可以使他得胜. A half year later半年后, as it happened这件事发生了, he earned money from the share market by the grace of God靠着神的恩典他在股市里赚了钱, but he fell into the temptation of lust却跌进了淫乱的试探中。
One day有一天, while I was praying I saw that he was sleeping with a prostitute我正祷告,看见他和妓女上床, so I phoned him于是我打电话给他, he was so surprised他很惊奇, and came to the church immediately and confessed it赶紧来教会认罪. By God’s grace his wife (who was also a Christian) forgave him他妻子也因神的恩典饶恕了他. For many years许多年后, despite the grace and forgiveness that God showed him尽管神显出他的恩典和赦免, and the warnings that appeared during his bible reading or in his dreams that the Lord personally gave him也在读经和异梦中给他个人的启示, he still repeatedly slept with lots of prostitutes他仍然和很多妓女上床. One day有一天, his wife phoned me他妻子打电话给我, said that her husband was out of his mind like a madman说丈夫疯了, as if his brain was damaged脑子好像坏掉了一样. For seven days有七天时间, he jumped around like a monkey他像猴子一样跳来跳去, spoke like a madman口吐疯言, even tried to kill her要杀死妻子. 7 days later七天后, he came back to himself他恢复正常。
Then he confessed that he had watched lots of porn 于是他承认说看了很多色情片and had done what grieved the Holy Spirit again做了让圣灵担忧的事. And another half year later又过了半年, his body mysteriously caught fire in his own house although no furniture and the wooden floor were damaged他在自己家中烧死,而家中的家具毫无烧着过的痕迹. The police diagnosed as a strange death 警察判断是奇异死亡. He died when he was just 39 years old死掉时候才39岁. Nobody knows what happened at that moment没有人知道发生了什么。
In the last warning God showed him in a dream that he had entered the first two-gates of God’s kingdom在最后神赐的警告的梦中,他梦见自己进了神国的前两道门, but the third one was called “overcomer”第三道门叫“得胜”的门, which was gradually shutting for him却慢慢在他面前关上, a voice from heaven said天上有声音说, ‘repent from what you are doing quickly要速速悔改,转离所行的, otherwise, the door will be shut不然门就关上了.”
He woke up in the night and said a prayer to God他醒来后就立即向神祷告, but he failed to change可却没有实质的改变, and was defeated by the spirit of lust 被情欲淫乱的灵打败了. And he was disobedient to the vision from heaven并且他违背了从天上来的异像, because God foretold him that if he had abided in God’s word因神预先告诉他,若他连于神的话he would have overcome就能得胜. Serval days before his death死前几天, he said to his wife他跟妻子说, “What’s the point of living in this world while God doesn’t allow me to divorce神不让我和你离婚,活着有什么意思?” One day before his death死前的一天, he suddenly cried and said他突然哭了,说, “I’m gonna die我要死了.” He chose to die rather than denying his own lustful desire 他选择死也不愿否定自己的情欲。And he died in his 39在他39岁时死了. But will he lose his salvation但他会失去救恩吗? Of course, not当然不会. He had an active relationship with the Father and was a born-again Christian indeed他与父有活泼的相交,并且重生了. But he failed to overcome sexual sin却不能胜过性犯罪。
People try to find happiness in sexual sin人们想从性欲中得到快感, but instead it turns to emptiness and destruction可实际上得到的是空虚和败坏. Because the bible says因圣经说, “the one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Gal 6:8顺着情欲撒种的,必从情欲收败坏;顺着圣灵撒种的,必从圣灵收永生。(加6:8)” Don’t be deceived 不要被欺骗! If we live to please our sinful nature若我们顺着旧人情欲活着, how can we from the Spirit to reap eternal life 怎么可能从圣灵收永生? The consequences of sexual sin are destructive性犯罪的果子是毁灭性的, we can see even this from some famous preachers whose reputations and families were also destroyed by sexual sins甚至一些出名的传道人,名誉和家庭都因性犯罪遭毁坏, however God’s love and grace is to lead us toward repentance然而,神的爱和恩典领我们悔改. But how但怎样悔改呢?
Jesus says主耶稣说, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell" (5:29-30). 若是你的右眼叫你跌倒,就剜出来丢掉,宁可失去百体中的一体,不叫全身丢在地狱里;若是右手叫你跌倒,就砍下来丢掉,宁可失去百体中的一体,不叫全身下入地狱。(太5:29-30)” Does Jesus want us to harm ourselves主耶稣要我们自残身体吗? Is self-mutilation Jesus’ intent自阉是主的旨意吗? No不. God is holy神是圣洁的, and He wants His children to be holy祂想自己的孩子成为圣洁. Romans 12:9b says, Hate what is evil, cling to what is good(罗12:9下)恶要厌恶,善要亲近. And Col 3:5 says, put to death, therefore whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry(西3:5)所以要治死你们在地上的肢体,就如淫乱、污秽、邪情、恶欲和贪婪,贪婪就与拜偶像一样。God commands us to love what He loves神吩咐我们爱祂所爱的. He loves people祂爱人, we also should love people我们就当爱人, but He hates sins但祂恨恶罪, like sexual immorality就如淫乱, lust贪恋, we also should hate我们也当恨恶, which become idolatry那些就是拜偶像. They are idols for people who are addicted to them他们是上瘾之人的偶像. On the contrary相反, God’s will for us is to sanctify us in His truth神的旨意是要我们在真理里洁净自己, and that we should avoid sexual immorality (see 1 Thess 4:3) 应当“远避淫行(帖前4:3)”
So I believe that what Jesus’ saying is that we should have such an attitude of hating sins that we determinedly flee from lust我相信主耶稣这话的意思是,我们当持有一种坚决逃避情欲淫乱的态度, turning our eyes from watching what we shouldn’t watch坚决不看我们不该看的. He calls us to overcome sins through His grace他呼召我们靠祂恩典去胜过罪, so that when the judgment of the second death comes当第二次的死的审判来时, we won’t be hurt at all我们不必受损. But only those who are overcomers will not be hurt at all by the second death (Re 2:11) 但唯有得胜的,必不受第二次死的害( 启2:11)
It didn’t say that those who failed to overcome would be put to the second death 经上没有说不得胜的要进入第二次的死, however, they will be hurt by the second death 然而,他们要受第二死的害。We don’t want to be hurt at all by the second death, do we我们都不想受第二次死的害,对吗? Here is something that you can do你可以这样行:
.Stop feeding your lust by getting rid of anything in your home that triggers this lust 除去家中可挑起情欲之物,停止喂养情欲。
. Throw out any pornographic materials you possess from your home, your computer and your cell phone除去家中、电脑中、手机中任何色情内容. Purchase a service that filters out pornography from your computers if it is necessary有需要的话可购置电脑过滤程序.
.Throw away any items or pictures that are related you to a sex relationship丢掉任何与不正当性关系有关之物件或相片. Accept God’s grace and complete forgiveness for yourself as His child接受神赐给祂孩子的恩典和完全的赦免, pray to disconnect yourself from the soul ties to that person whom you had a sexual relationship with祷告断开你与那人之间的魂结.
.Surrender your whole being to the Lord全心全人向神降服.
.Use the weapons of prayer, scripture reading, and fasting.拿起祷告的权柄,读经,禁食.
From Jesus’ words we see that overcoming lust is the key to make our inner being whole in God’s eyes从主耶稣的话里,我们看见胜过情欲是使我们里面完全的关键! But frankly, I have to tell you something然而诚实地说, that through 13 years of deliverance ministry在十三年的医治释放事工中, I’ve found that sexual sin is such a strong weapon the devil uses to pull Christians down我发现性犯罪是魔鬼打垮基督徒的强有力武器. But we are more than conquerors through him who loves us但靠着爱我们的主,我们在一切事上都得胜有余了! God has revealed his strategic victory over lust through His words for us神借着祂的话启示我们胜过情欲的策略, if we believe and practice them in faith through the Holy Spirit我们若信靠圣灵而操练, no weapon of the devil can stand against us魔鬼就不能抵挡我们!
Unfortunately不要侥幸, don’t expect by just one or two prayers that you can be free forever from this bondage不要指望一两次祷告就可使你从捆绑中永得自由, because sexual impurity or sexual perversion 因性方面的不洁和悖逆 is shaped by complicated factors 是由许多错综复杂的因素形成 such as biological如生物学的, personal个人的, family家庭的, ancestors祖先的, and social influences社会的影响.
So coming out from this bondage has to be a gradual process of sanctification that we need to stick to从情欲捆绑中脱离出来,是一个需要我们持守的逐渐成圣的过程。For Satan is always there to look for an opportunity to tempt us因为撒旦总是不停的在找机会来试探, if we don’t abide in His word by the power of the Holy Spirit若我们不靠圣灵能力住在祂的话里, how can we be really free怎能真的自由? Because Jesus says 耶稣说, “if you abide my word你们若常遵守我的道…you will know the truth你们必晓得真理, and the truth will set you free真理必叫你们得自由. John 8:31-32”
Probably nine years ago大约九年前, at a church event一次教会活动中, when someone was introducing me to a born-again Christian who was just 24 years old有人介绍一个24岁的重生基督徒给我认识, “gosh” when I saw his, I saw a smokey shadow like a big beast come out from his back 哇!我看到他背后出来一个兽形的如烟一样的大黑影with the deceiving power of lust like a net to capture the people around him带着迷惑的情欲捉住他周围的人, and he himself was a victim and a slave他本人也是受害者和奴仆。I rebuked the spirit in the name of Jesus and it disappeared我奉耶稣的名斥责,它就消失了。But it didn’t mean that the person was delivered但这不说明那人被释放了, it was the Lord showing me something over that young man只是主指示我有东西控制着这个年轻人. “Fortunately还好,” I said to the Lord我跟主说, “he isn’t in my church他不是我们教会的人. Otherwise不然的话, you must teach me how to set him free你必要教导我怎样释放他.” I had been praying for him我有为他祷告. A few days later几天后, one evening, he appeared in front of me unexpectedly 他意外地出现在我面前and asked for deliverance他请我为他医治释放。
So I asked the Lord to show me something so that I would be able to lead him to repentance我于是问主怎样领他悔改. When he was reading bible verses and was praying at my direction当我领他祷读神的话, a vision was sent to me就看到一个异象, I saw a pregnant woman sitting there crying and missing her ex-lover not her husband我看见有个怀孕的女子坐着哭泣,怀念在丈夫之前的男友... So I spoke out我就说,
“when you were in your mum’s womb你还在妈妈肚子里的时候, your mum and your dad’s relationship broken up你妈妈和爸爸的关系破裂了, she was lonely妈妈很孤独, because of the loneliness and rejection因着孤单感和拒绝感, she opened the door to the spirit of lust for another man就思念其他男人,向情欲之灵开门…so you have been captured by the spirit of lust since you were in your mum’s womb所以你在妈妈肚子里就被情欲捆绑, but we were all born in sin但我们都生在罪中, Jesus loves us and died for our sins主耶稣爱我们为我们的罪死, are you willing to receive His forgiveness to forgive yourself你愿意接受祂的赦免饶恕你自己, and to forgive your mum并且饶恕你母亲吗?” He said yes他说愿意, after the prayer祷告后, I asked him to check with his mum to check the truth of the revelation我要他向妈妈验证这启示的真实性. He said他说, “That’s absolutely true那是真的, my mum told me about her story long ago我妈妈很久以前告诉过我她的故事. And my daddy was out of his mind for 8 years我爸爸疯了八年. My family was suffering from a miserable curse我家遭受着可怕的咒诅.” He said that when he was just 3 or 4 years old他三四岁的时候, he could feel there was an evil power to force him to peep at women’s bodies就感到有股邪恶的力量迫使他偷看女人的身体.
I was so stunned by the story he told me我听了他的故事很震惊.
I had been fasting and praying to seek God’s guidance how to totally set those people free我就禁食祷告,寻求神,怎样完全释放这样的人, because many of those tough cases were brought to me during those years因为那些年里神带来很多难搞的案子. And I found, yes是, forgiveness is one of the keys to set people free饶恕是释放人的关键之一, we should practice it in faith我们要在信心中操练, but that’s not enough但这还不够! Get rid of everything in your environment that triggers lust除掉你周围一切引发情欲的东西, that’s very important这很重要, but that’s not enough但还不够! Foster a godly habit of devotions建立一个敬虔灵修习惯, reading the bible every day and praying每天读经祷告, yes对, that’s very helpful这很有用, but it’s not enough to beat lust但仍不足以胜过情欲! However, they are all what we should do in faith但这些我们都要在信心里去做, despite these此外, Jesus reigning in us is the only key that can drive away all darkness耶稣在我们里面掌权,这才是驱走一切黑暗的唯一关键! Because every knee should bow only before Him因为万膝必向祂跪拜! Jesus is the name above all names耶稣的名超乎万名! Satan will bow before Him but not us (the old-self) 撒旦要在祂面前跪下,但不是我们(老自己) ! But how 怎样驱走黑暗呢?
God is faithful神是信实的. He exposed that the root of lust, sexual addictions or sexual perversion is not sexual sin itself祂揭示了情欲、性上瘾和性扭曲本身之根源,不是性犯罪. The root of lust is pride情欲的根源是骄傲. If we want to stop bearing bad fruit我们若不想结出坏果子, we must uproot pride from our hearts就必须从心里拔除骄傲。We see it clearly in Romans从(罗1:21-26) 1:21–26, For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.因为,他们虽然知道神,却不当作神荣耀祂,也不感谢祂。他们的思念变为虚妄,无知的心就昏暗了。自称为聪明,反成了愚拙;将不能朽坏之神的荣耀变成偶像,仿佛必朽坏的人和飞禽、走兽、昆虫的样式。
Why haven’t many Christians been free from the bondage of lust为什么许多基督徒没有从情欲捆绑中的自由? Please listen, “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. 请听,因为那样,神就不救他们脱离情欲行污秽的事 。Because of what因为什么? They claim to be wise 自称为聪明. Christians say基督徒会问, “I’ve given thanksgiving to the Lord我有向神感恩, and I haven’t worshipped idols我没有拜偶像.” What’s the nature of people choosing to worship created things rather than the Creator人选择拜受造之物,不拜造物之主的本质是什么呢? Because of the self因为自我(老自己)! The nature of pride is to be like God骄傲的本质是做神, ‘Do whatever I think is right in my own eyes行自己眼中看为正的”. “I think he is poor我认为他没钱, so I give money to him我就给钱…I think he is bad我认为他很坏, so I make a judgment about him就论断他…”
“I”, “me”, “the self” 我,我,我,is the biggest idol for us是我们的最大的偶像, no matter how much bible knowledge we gain不管我们知道多少圣经知识, we are still given over to shameful lusts if we choose to obey the self若我们只听自己的,就仍然被交付在情欲的辖制里. If “I”…me…my feelings” reign…若“我,我,我的感觉”掌权 we are still given over to shameful lusts 我们就仍被交付在情欲的辖制里. Paul the apostle through the Holy Spirit gives us the great antidote for sexual sin like this使徒保罗在圣灵里 告诉我们如何治服淫乱: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) 我已经与基督同钉十字架,现在活着的不再是我,乃是基督在我里面活着;并且我如今在肉身活着,是因信神的儿子而活,祂是爱我,为我舍己。(加2:20)
The most powerful antidote for sexual sin is humility最强大的淫乱罪的解药是谦卑, and the expression of humility is to no longer “me” - the old-self lives谦卑的表现是 不再是我们旧人活着, but give way to Christ而是让位于基督, and allow Him to rule in us让祂在我们里面掌权! No matter how good we think our own thoughts are不管我们自己的想法有多好, give way to Christ让位给基督, and wait for His will to be revealed and follow Him等候祂的旨意显明而跟随. This is the way of dying to our pride这是向我们的骄傲死的道! Dying to the self and abiding in Christ is the ONLY way to prevail over all the perverting power in us向己死、住在基督里是胜过一切我们里面堕落权势的唯一之路!
We thank our Lord Jesus Christ感谢主耶稣, who is the Lamb that has been slaughtered for our sins为我们罪被杀的神羔羊, he was resurrected and has overcome for us祂为我们复活、为我们得胜! And now He is in us 现在祂在我们里面! But are we still in ourselves但我们是否仍在自己里? Or are we choosing to deny ourselves and its thoughts and desires to abide in Him 还是选择否定自己和自己的邪情私欲 去住在祂里面? In His love may we surrender the self to His cross 在祂的爱里,我们将老自己交付在十字架上, even suffer pain 哪怕要自己受苦, by paying the price of taking up our own cross to follow His genuine humility借着付代价背起我们自己的十字架来跟随祂的真谦卑, “Father, no what I will, but what You will.” 不要照我的意思,只要照你的意思 then we may share in His real freedom 那样我们将进入祂的真自由, which is only in the King Christ Jesus这自由单在基督耶稣我们的王里面! “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Re12:7-11 弟兄胜过它,是因羔羊的血和自己所见证的道。他们虽至于死,也不爱惜性命。(启12:7-11) Anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:7) 因为已死的人是脱离了罪。(罗6:7)