| 切實相愛 | |
| 經文: 「你們既因順從真理，潔淨了自己的心，以致愛弟兄沒有虛假，就當從心裡彼此切實相愛。」（彼得前書一：22） | |
| 在這章一開始，彼得闡釋我們對基督之愛的真理：「你們雖然沒有見過祂，卻是愛祂；如今雖不得看見，卻因信祂就有說不出來、滿有榮光的大喜樂。」（彼前一：8）這就是聖靈的果子。 這節經文裡，他提到「兄弟之愛」，「你們既因順從真理，潔淨了自己的心，以致愛弟兄沒有虛假。」在初代教會這道理是淺顯易懂的，一旦你歸順基督，隨之而來的承諾是愛弟兄沒有虛假；所以彼得繼續說：「就當從心裡彼此切實相愛。」藉由聖靈產生對弟兄真誠的愛，是真實悔改的最佳表徵。 在接下去的三章，我們看到彼得一談到這個主題，就再三地闡明解釋：「務要尊敬眾人，親愛教中的弟兄、敬畏上帝、尊敬君王。」（二：17）；「總而言之，你們都要同心，彼此體恤，相愛如弟兄，存慈憐謙卑的心。」（三：8）；又說：「你們要謹慎自守、警醒禱告。最要緊的是彼此切實相愛，因為愛能遮掩許多的罪。」（四：7～8）對弟兄火熱沒有虛假的愛，是真實信仰不可或缺的表徵。 上帝的話猶如一面鏡子，要照明我們的本相，看我們在日常生活中有否做個真基督徒，行出愛的教訓，若我們的心責備我們，我們就當立刻回到上帝面前，向祂承認我們的罪。讓我們相信愛的聖靈真實地內住我心，且要澆灌上帝的愛在我們心中，要潔淨我們的自私與恨意，使我們誠於中形於外，能活出上帝的形像。若我們還未做到完全降服耶穌的地步，就讓我們的心不得安息，好讓愛的聖靈能真正掌管我們全人及每天的生活。 | |
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| UNFEIGNED LOVE OF THE BRETHREN | |
| Scripture: "Seeing ye have purified your souls through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with o pure heart fervently."—1 PET. i. 22. | |
| In the beginning of this chapter, Peter had expressed a wonderful truth about our love to Christ: "Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (ver. 8). This was the fruit of the Spirit. In our text he speaks of "the love of the brethren." "Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto the unfeigned love of the brethren." In the days of the Early Church it was clearly understood at conversion that, in con¬fessing Christ, the new convert also promised unfeigned love to the brethren. So Peter continues: "See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." Unfeigned, fervent love through the Spirit should be the chief token of a true conversion. We see how much stress Peter lays on this point in the three next chapters, as he returns to the subject each time. (ii. 17), "Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." (iii. 8), "Finally, be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tender-hearted, humble-minded." These are all signs of the life of God in the soul. And then (iv. 7, 8), "Watch unto prayer, above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins." Unfeigned, fervent love of the brethren was the indispensable sign of true godliness. God's Word is a mirror into which the Church and each individual member must look, to see that we are truly Christian, showing by our conduct that we take God's Word as our rule of life If our hearts condemn us, we must turn at once to God, confessing our sin. Let us believe that the Spirit of love does indeed dwell in us, and will shed abroad God's love in our hearts, and purify us from all hatred and selfishness, and restore the image of Christ within us. Let us not rest content until we have surrendered ourselves wholly to God, that His Spirit of love may reign and rule within us. | |
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