(527) 「灵粮主题 TODAY’s Topic」 人的生命过程 The Life Process of a Person

「灵粮经节 TODAY’s Verses」：「有一个财主穿着紫色袍和细麻布衣服，天天奢华宴乐。又有一个讨饭的，名叫拉撒路，浑身生疮，被人放在财主门口，要得财主桌子上掉下来的零碎充饥；并且狗来餂他的疮。後来那讨饭的死了，被天使带去放在亚伯拉罕的怀里。财主也死了，并且埋葬了。他在阴间受痛苦，举目远远的望见亚伯拉罕，又望见拉撒路在他怀里，就喊着说：我祖亚伯拉罕哪，可怜我罢！打发拉撒路来，用指头尖蘸点水，凉凉我的舌头；因为我在这火焰里，极其痛苦。亚伯拉罕说：儿阿，你该回想你生前享过福，拉撒路也受过苦；如今他在这里得安慰，你倒受痛苦。不但这样，并且在你我之间，有深渊限定，以致人要从这边过到你们那边是不能的；要从那边过到我们这边也是不能的。财主说：我祖阿！既是这样，求你打发拉撒路到我父家去；因为我还有五个弟兄，他可以对他们作见证，免得他们也来到这痛苦的地方。亚伯拉罕说：他们有摩西和先知的话可以听从。他说：我祖亚伯拉罕哪，不是的，若有一个从死里复活的，到他们那里去的，他们必要悔改。亚伯拉罕说：若不听从摩西和先知的话，就是有一个从死里复活的，他们也是不听劝。’; “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So, he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” 」（路加福音 Luke 16: 19-31）

「灵粮分享 TODAY’s Sharing」：从医的使徒路加在今日灵粮里所引用的路加福音 Luke 16: 19-31，就在描述救主耶稣基督和法利赛人，給他们旧约摩西律法的信仰说评论和对话，供应我们一副真正能得救的图画。这图画用富人和穷人拉撒路得救的经历与情况，显示給人类看到我们的生命过程，有着怎么样的结局。图画里证实我们只要有神的恩典，因信称义就能被主放到亚伯拉罕的怀里，赏赐得福，拥有将来神允许給祂子民的基业。 有一位牧师在证道里更加反问着说，“现在的问题是，到底谁才是亚伯拉罕的子孙呢？” 保罗在加拉太书 3：7 里解释着说：“所以，你们要知道：那以信为本的人，就是亚伯拉罕的子孙。” 在这图画里，耶稣的教导重点与提示，都在給富人能看到这穷人拉撒路的得救过程，意眛着我们这新约时代后来的信徒外邦人，也都能像拉撒路一样，因信耶稣称义而得救。死后虽然暂时被放入阴间乐园处居住，但是也都能归回到亚伯拉罕的怀里与他一起，成个亚伯拉罕的后裔子孙，意眛着我们这外邦人后来的，也都能因信耶稣称义做了神的儿女。像拉撒路一样，也都能在阴间乐园里，等候耶稣的再来迎接我们回天家天堂与神同住同在。

在图画中，耶稣更将福音救恩的描述，将人类的生命行程分有三个阶段：（1）世上/人间：当我们活在世上人间，圣灵都在动工，寻找那失落的灵魂。若是圣灵感化你，也就是救恩临到你了，引领你认识耶稣。那时你若相信耶稣， 接受祂为救主，你就必得救。因为，约翰福音 14:6 告诉我们耶稣说的：“我就是道路、真理、生命；若不藉着我，没有人能到父神那里去。”（2）阴间/乐园：人去世了，灵魂就离开了肉体世界，暂居在阴间或是乐园里。不得救的暂居阴间里受惩罚受苦，得救的暂居乐园享乐等候，大家都在等候耶稣的再来。得救的人在最后审判的时刻能过关。要记得，得救是因信耶稣本乎神的恩典。路加福音 23：43 记载耶稣给那挂在十架上，罪大恶极的强盗有着得救的恩典, 应许他的灵魂会入居阴间里的乐园，等候祂再来迎接他与祂同住在天界天堂。（3）地狱/天堂：耶稣的再来，所有的灵魂都要经过最后白衣宝座的审判，不得救的被抛入永久受刑的火湖地狱。得救的便从乐园，被耶稣迎接入到天堂与神同住。所以希伯来书 3:14更是提醒鼓励我们在人间，要跟随耶稣坚信到底，走完那得救的人生义路，说： “我们若将起初确实的信心坚持到底，就在基督里有分了。” 这经节意眛着，得救的信徒死了就能在乐园里等候，不要经过白衣宝座前的审判。耶稣也就会开门，打发你从乐园里出来，欢迎你这又良善又忠心的仆人，进入天界天堂跟主同在，与神同主。

今晨在「纯全喜乐 Pure Joys」里，读到约翰·派博牧师 Rev. John Piper 也写了一篇， “富人和拉撒路” 的分享。牧者也都引用今日灵粮同样的经节，路加福音 Luke 16: 19-31，但是却讲述了另一个人生容易犯罪堕落的问题，有关于人的金钱地位身份的故事。这也就是「今日灵粮 Spiritual FOOD TODAY」主题所要分享， “人的生命过程” 中，还有另一个重要的问题，基督徒得要思考。

派博牧师在今日灵粮里的分享里，将这问题摘要地有着这样的解释：这有犹太人身份的富人并不能得拯救，然后这财主在第 24 节中喊道：“亚伯拉罕父亲呀！” 换句话说，这个人就是亚伯拉罕后裔的犹太人。然而他的犹太人身份并没有拯救他。你还记得施洗约翰在路加福音 3:8-11 中传道的内容吗？ 结出与悔改相称的果子，不要开始对自己说：“我们有亚伯拉罕为我们的祖宗”，因为我告诉你们，神能够从这些石头中为亚伯拉罕兴起子孙。现在斧子已经放在树根上；所以，凡不结好果子的树就被砍下来，丢在火里 … 有两件衣裳的，就分给那没有的。 因此，比喻中的财主是那些敢说 “我是亚伯拉罕的孩子，很安全” 的人之一。但他没有结出与悔改相称的果子，他没有分享食物，没有衣服，斧子落下，现在他在阴间里。而这无疑正是法利赛人在第 14 节中对耶稣的嘲讽： “我们是亚伯拉罕的子孙！不要威胁我们，说用我们的钱可能会改变我们永恒的命运。” 因此，我们确定金钱，地位，身份不能得有耶稣的救恩签证。救恩得来的只能经过信耶稣，也本乎神的恩典。大家星期五开心，周末与端午节庆祝快乐！

「灵粮祷告 TODAY’s Prayer」：当这一切都说完了，在本篇分享的总结里 「今日灵粮 Spiritual FOOD TODAY」也就引用耶利米 Jeremiah 17: 9-10，让大家在主的爱里能相互勉励与祷告。先知耶利米早在他的旧约经节里，预知也提醒我们作基督徒的，要知道 “人的生命过程” 中，不要太过注重确定要有金钱，地位，和身份的生命过程，觉得这才是过上好生活的意义，在经节里先知提醒我们说, “人心比万物都诡诈，坏到极处，谁能识透呢？我 ─ 耶和华是鉴察人心、试验人肺腑的，要照各人所行的和他做事的结果报应他。” 求神赐我们有上来的智慧，懂得这个 “富人和拉撒路” 的比喻是在教导人们，要记得在地狱中的人死后，他们的金钱，地位，身份，和记忆都会被神记录保留下来至到审问。大多数基督徒都相信灵魂的不朽和特定的耶稣最后的审判。祈求神怜悯，监察我们每天在生活里的心思意念，帮助我们坚守救恩的信心，在 “人的生命过程” 中，都能持守圣洁过着义人该过的生活，讨好神的旨意给祂有着喜悦。祷告奉主的名，阿门！

Luke 16: 19-31, quoted by this medical apostle Luke in today’s spiritual food, describes the comments and dialogue between the Savior Jesus Christ and the Pharisees regarding their faith in the Old Testament Law of Moses. Provide us with a picture of how we can truly be saved in faith. This picture uses the salvation experiences and circumstances of the rich and poor Lazarus to show mankind how our life process will end. The picture proves that as long as we have God’s grace and are justified by faith, we can be placed in Abraham’s arms by the Lord, be rewarded with blessings, and have the inheritance that God will allow to His people in the future. A pastor asked even more in his sermon, "The question now is, who are the descendants of Abraham?" Paul explained in Galatians 3:7: " Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.” In this picture, the focus and hints of Jesus’ teachings are to allow the rich to see the salvation process of the poor Lazarus, which means that we, the Gentile believers later in the New Testament era, can also be like Lazarus. The way is the same. You are saved by believing in Jesus. Although you are temporarily put into the paradise of Hades after death, you can also return to the arms of Abraham and become the descendants of Abraham, which means that though we are the Gentiles, later all of us will also be justified by faith in Jesus to become the children of God. Like Lazarus, we will also be able to wait in the paradise of Hades for Jesus to come back to welcome us and live with God in heaven.

In the picture, Jesus further describes the salvation in the gospel and divides the human life journey into three stages: (1) The world/the human world: When we live on earth in this human world, the Holy Spirit is at work, looking for the lost soul. If the Holy Spirit enlightens you, it means that salvation has come to you and leads you to know Jesus. If you believe in Jesus at that time and accept Him as your Savior, you will be saved. Because, John 14:6 tells us what Jesus has said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to God the Father except through me." (2) Hades/Paradise: When a person dies, his soul will leave this physical world and lived temporarily in Hades with suffering, or in Paradise of Hades with blessings. The unsaved people temporarily live in Hades to be punished and suffered, while the saved people temporarily live in paradise and enjoy life after death. Everyone is waiting for the return of Jesus to save them. Those who are saved by faith with Jesus will survive the final judgment when Jesus returns. Remember, salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus. Luke 23:43 records that Jesus gave the sinful thief hanging on the cross the grace of salvation, promising that his soul would enter to the paradise of Hades and wait for Him to come again to welcome him and live with Him in heaven. (3) Hell/Heaven: When Jesus returns, all souls will go through the final judgment of the White Throne, and those who cannot be saved will be thrown into the lake of fire hell where they will be tortured forever. Those who are saved are welcomed by Jesus from paradise into heaven and live with God. Therefore, Hebrews 3:14 reminds and encourages us to follow Jesus firmly to the end and walk the path of righteousness in the life of salvation, saying: “If we hold on to the sure faith we had at the beginning until the end, we are partakers of Christ. "This verse means that after a saved believer dies, he can wait in the paradise without going through the judgment in front of the white throne. Jesus will open the door and send you out of paradise to welcoming you as a good and faithful servant into heaven, and live with the Lord Jesus and God Father.

This morning in "纯全喜乐 Pure Joys", I read an article written by Rev. John Piper on "The Rich and Lazarus". The pastors also quoted the same verses and story as in the today’s spiritual food, Luke 16: 19-31, but explain the story in another way about how easy it is to sin and fall in life, a story about money, status, and identity. This is what the theme of "今日灵粮 Spiritual FOOD TODAY" is about to share. In the "human life process", however, there is another important issue that Christians need to think about.

Pastor Piper had this issue explained in his sharing in today’s spiritual food and highlighted that: The rich man, who was Jewish, could not save, and then the rich man cried out in verse 24, "Father of Abraham!" In other words, this man was a Jew who was a descendant of Abraham. Yet his Jewishness did not save him. Do you remember what John the Baptist preached in Luke 3:8-11? Bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father," for I say to you, God is able to raise up children for Abraham out of these stones. Now the ax is laid at the root of the tree; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire ... He who has two garments gives them to the one who has not. Therefore, the rich man in the parable was one of those who dared to say, “I am a child of Abraham, and I am safe.” But he bore no fruit worthy of repentance, he shared no food, no clothing, the ax fell, and now he is in Hades. And this is certainly what the Pharisees were mocking Jesus for in verse 14: "We are Abraham's children! Don't threaten us that using our money might change our eternal destiny." So, we determine that money, Status and identity cannot have the salvation visa of Jesus. Salvation can only be obtained through faith in Jesus and by the grace of God. Happy Friday everyone, and happy weekend with the celebrations of Dragon Boat Festival everywhere!

When all this is said, in the summary of this sharing, "今日灵粮 Spiritual Food TODAY" would like to quote Jeremiah 17: 9-10, so that everyone can encourage and pray for each other in the love of the Lord. The prophet Jeremiah had foreseen and reminded us as Christians in his Old Testament verses that we should know that in "The Life Process of a Person ", we should not focus too much on determining the life process of having money, status, and identity, which is the meaning of living a good life. In the verses, the prophet reminded us that "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I, the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Pray that this parable will teach us with wisdom to remember that after death, the money, status, identity, and memories of those in hell are recorded and preserved by God till final judgment. Most Christians believe in the immortality of the soul and the specific final judgment from Jesus. May God have mercy on us and monitor our thoughts and intentions in our daily lives, help us to hold on to the faith of salvation, and remain holy throughout the human life process, living a righteous life that pleases God's will and in His pleasure. Pray in the name of the Lord, Amen!

(527) Whisper, Dr. John 张皇卿博士编写于 at 脸书网站：www.facebook.com/johnking9999 和 and 维,克斯网站：johnking9999.wixsite.com/website Edmonton, AB, Canada Friday 06. 14. 2024.