Daily Devotion - Apr 3 - ?}|w?w‾P‥C?eAF-× God's Best Secrets by Andrew Murray

慕安德烈每日靈修 God's Best Secrets by Andrew Murray 上帝的形像 經文: 「上帝說：『我們要照著我們的形像，按著我們的樣式造人。』」（創世記一：26） 千古以來哲人俗夫一直在思索人世的奧秘——人從那裡來？聖經為我們提出精簡權威的解答：人是按著上帝的形像所造。原來上帝是生命的源頭，祂用令人歎為觀止的奇妙作為創造了人，祂要人完全的仰賴祂，直接飲於生命活泉，祂且要住在我們裡面，藉著我們活出仁愛、聖潔、榮耀的光輝。 然而罪卻悄悄地進入世界，玷污了人原本完美的形像，這時上帝應許女人的後裔耶穌，叫世人靠祂得以稱義。「祂是上帝榮耀所發的光輝，是上帝本體的真像。」（來一：3）上帝的兒子要成為人子耶穌，上帝的計劃要藉祂得以成全，上帝的形像，也將藉祂得以彰顯。 新約教導我們明白創造的概念，並說：「上帝從創立世界以前，在基督裡揀選我們，為叫我們有兒子的形像」，又說「這新造的人滿有上帝真理仁義和聖潔的形像。」且又應許我們「若耶穌內住我心，我們就將像祂，有祂的榮耀彰顯。」我們不但有來生的盼望，更有今生的福份；知道上帝永恆的計劃不但要實現，就是今日在地上我們亦要蒙恩，「我們眾人既然敞著臉得以看見主的榮光，好像從鏡子裡返照，就變成主的形像，榮上加榮，如同從主的靈變成的。」（林後三：18） 保羅曾說：「何況那屬靈的職事豈不更有榮光嗎？」（林後三：8）讓我們反覆思想這經節，並且相信那些尊主為大的信徒，都能在生活中經歷到主榮光彰顯的實際。是的，我們要定睛於耶穌身上，主的榮光，我們就能逐日變成主的形狀，榮上加榮。 我的心哪！花時間默想這經文，堅定的相信基督徒能在生活中經歷到這真理；那按著祂形像造人的上帝，現在正藉著聖靈的大能，要將祂兒子的形像，雕刻成形在祂兒女的心中。 「願你以基督的心為心。」「我就是你的榜樣，我所做在你身上的，你也要做在別人身上。」 「主啊！求您加添我的信心，能活出這樣的形像。」 THE IMAGE OP GOD Scripture: "And God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.'"—GEN. i.26. Here we have the first thought of man—his origin and his destiny entirely Divine. God undertook the stupendous work of making a creature, who is not God, to be a perfect likeness of Him in His Divine glory. Man was to live in entire dependence on God, and to receive directly and unceasingly from Himself the inflow of all that was holy and blessed in the Divine Being. God's glory, His holiness and His love, were to dwell in him, and shine out through him. When sin had done its terrible work and spoilt the image; of God, the promise was given in Paradise of the seed of the woman, in whom the Divine purpose would be fulfilled. "God's Son, the effulgence of His glory, and the very image of His sub¬stance" (Heb. i. 3) was to become a Son of man, in whom God's plan would be carried out, His image revealed in human form. The New Testament takes up the thought of Creation, and speaks of those who are "fore-ordained to be conformed to the image of His Son"; of "the new man renewed after the image of Him that created him"; and gives the promise: "We know that when He shall be manifested, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." And, between the eternal purpose and its eternal realization, we have a wonderful promise in regard to the life here upon earth. "We all, beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. iii. 18). It was of this that Paul had-said just before: "Shall not the ministration of the Spirit be glorious by reason of the glory that excelleth?" Let us take home the promise of the text as the possible and assured experience for daily life to everyone that gives Christ His place as the Glorified One. Let us keep the heart set upon the glory of that image of God in Christ, in the assurance that the Spirit will change us into the same image day by day, from glory to glory. O my soul, take time to believe firmly and confidently that this promise will be made true in thy Christian life. God Almighty, Who created man in His image, seeks now to work out His purpose in changing thee into the image of Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. "Let that mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." "I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have (lone to you." "Lord, increase our faith." www.glorypress.com