第二週．週二
晨興餧養
羅五１８ 『如此說來，藉著一次的過犯，眾人都被定罪，照樣，藉著一次的義行，眾人也都被稱義得生命了。』
２１ 『使罪怎樣在死中作王，恩典也照樣藉著義作王，叫人藉著我們的主耶穌基督得永遠的生命。』
基督在十字架上受死的義行，結果乃是生命的稱義。羅馬五章二十一節…說，恩典藉著義作王，乃是叫人得生命。〔十八和二十一節〕表明，生命的來到，乃是義的結果。（見八10。）
生命是神救恩的目標，因此稱義乃是生命的稱義。稱義本身不是目的，乃是為著生命。我們藉著稱義，已經達到並符合神義的標準，所以現在神能將祂的生命分賜給我們。稱義改變我們外面的地位，生命改變我們裏面的性質。被稱義得生命，表明生命乃是羅馬五章的中心，並且生命生機的聯結乃是稱義的結果 。（聖經恢復本，羅五18註2，18註3。）
信息選讀
在羅馬五章一至十一節，保羅說到六個特出的辭：愛、恩典、和平、盼望、生命和榮耀。神的愛已經藉著聖靈，澆灌在我們心裏。（5。）我們得以進入現在所站的這恩典中。（2。）我們既本於信得稱義，就對神有了和平。（1。）接著，我們因盼望而誇耀、歡樂。（2。）十節告訴我們，我們要在祂的生命裏得救。最終，我們盼望有分於神的榮耀。（2。）這六項是神的稱義部分的結果。…為著這一切事，你需要得稱義。這一切都是我們的分，作神稱義的結果。
隨著這六個重要的辭，我們有三個美妙的身位。（雖然我不喜歡『身位』這辭，因為在關於神聖三一的教訓裏，這辭受到誤解，但關於神格，在我們人的語言裏沒有更恰當的辭可用。）在五章一至十一節，我們看見三一神的三個身位。五節說到聖靈，告訴我們聖靈已將神的愛澆灌在我們心裏。然後六節告訴我們，我們還軟弱、不虔的時候，基督就為我們死了。最終，十一節說，現今我們在神裏面誇耀。…我們在神裏面喜樂、誇耀並歡樂，因為神是我們的享受。因此，五章揭示六件美妙的事物和三個美妙的身位。我們有愛、恩典、和平、盼望、生命和榮耀。因著神的稱義，我們就有聖靈、基督和神作我們的享受。
原來，我們不但是罪人，也是神的仇敵。藉著基督救贖的死，神已稱義我們這些罪人，並使我們這些仇敵與祂自己和好了。（1，10～11。）這發生在我們相信主耶穌的時候。我們憑信接受了神的稱義與和好。這就開了路，將我們引進恩典的範圍以享受神。…在恩典的範圍裏，我們所享受的第一件事乃是神的愛。…（5。）在我們的基督徒生活中，許多時候我們需要鼓勵和堅固。我們經歷苦難的時期，也許有問題和疑惑。你可能說，『為甚麼我的基督徒生活中有這麼多難處？為甚麼有這麼多試煉和試驗？』…雖然有這些疑惑，但我們無法否認神的愛在我們裏面。從我們第一次呼求主耶穌的名那天起，神的愛就藉著聖靈澆灌在我們心裏了。這就是說，那靈啟示、堅固、並向我們保證神的愛。內住的聖靈似乎說，『不要疑惑。神愛你。你現在不領會為甚麼必須受苦，但有一天你會說，「父，為著我所經過的難處和試煉，我感謝你。」』當你進入永世的門時，你會說，『為著一路上臨到我的苦難和試驗，讚美主。神用這些變化我。』（羅馬書生命讀經，一一七至一一九頁。）
參讀：羅馬書生命讀經，第十一篇。
WEEK 2 — DAY 2
Morning Nourishment
Rom. 5:18 So then as it was through one offense unto condemnation to all men, so also it was through one righteous act unto justification of life to all men.
21 In order that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ’s righteous act of dying on the cross resulted in justification of life. Romans 5:21 says that grace reigns through righteousness unto life…[Verses 18 and 21] show that life comes as the result of righteousness (see 8:10). (Rom. 5:18, footnote 1)
Life is the goal of God’s salvation; thus, justification is “of life.” Justification is not an end in itself; it is for life. Through justification we have come up to the standard of God’s righteousness and correspond with it, so that now He can impart His life to us. Justification changes our outward position; life changes our inward disposition. Justification unto life indicates that life is the focus of Romans 5 and that the organic union of life is an issue of justification. (Rom. 5:18, footnote 2)
Todays Reading
In Romans 5:1-11 Paul mentions six outstanding words: love, grace, peace, hope, life, and glory. The love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit (v. 5). We have access into this grace in which we stand (v. 2). Since we have been justified out of faith, we have peace toward God (v. 1). Following this, we boast, exult, and glory because of the hope (v. 2). Verse 10 tells us that we will be saved in His life. Finally, we expect to share the glory of God (v. 2). These six items are part of the result of God’s justification…For all these matters you need justification. All of them are our portion as the issue of God’s justification.
Along with these six significant words, we have three wonderful persons. (Although I do not like the term persons, because it has been inaccurately understood in the teachings on the Trinity, there is no term more adequate in our human language to use in relation to the Godhead.) In Romans 5:1-11 we see the three persons of the Triune God. Verse 5 speaks of the Holy Spirit, telling us that the Holy Spirit has poured out the love of God in our hearts. Then verse 6 tells us that while we were yet weak and ungodly, Christ died for us. Finally, verse 11 says that now we boast in God…We joy, boast, exult, and glory in God because He is our enjoyment. Thus, Romans 5 unveils six wonderful things and three wonderful persons. We have love, grace, peace, hope, life, and glory. As a result of God’s justification, we have the Holy Spirit, Christ, and God as our enjoyment.
Originally, we were not only sinners but also enemies of God. Through the redeeming death of Christ, God has justified us, the sinners, and has reconciled us, His enemies, to Himself (vv. 1, 10-11). This transpired when we believed in the Lord Jesus. We have received God’s justification and reconciliation by faith. This has opened the way and ushered us into the realm of grace for the enjoyment of God. In the realm of grace the first thing we enjoy is the love of God…(v. 5). Many times in our Christian life we need
encouragement and confirmation. As we pass through periods of suffering, we may have questions and doubts. Perhaps you say, “Why are there so many troubles in my Christian life? Why are there so many trials and tests?”… Although these doubts arise, we cannot deny that the love of God is within us. From the day we first called on the Lord Jesus, the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. This means that the Spirit reveals, confirms, and assures us with the love of God. The indwelling Holy Spirit seems to say, “Don’t doubt. God loves you. You don’t understand why you must suffer now, but one day you will say, ‘Father, I thank You for
the troubles and trials that I passed through.’ “ When you enter the gate of eternity, you will say, “Praise the Lord for the sufferings and tests that fell upon me on my journey. God used them to transform me.” (Life-study of Romans, pp. 99-101)
Further Reading: Life-study of Romans, msg. 11
