Two Wonderful Choices
Recently, we completed the four-sermon series on the book of Jude. The thematic summary the Pastoral Team used for the book is “Living with the end in sight”. Jude exhorts us to contend for the faith and not be misled or mislead others into living lives inconsistent with our eternal calling, because we are fully accountable to the Lord for how we have lived when Christ returns. We should long for His return and “keep ourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us to eternal life.”
Christians’ attitudes towards Christ’s return vary greatly. Some truly long for that to happen as soon as possible so that all the evil, injustice, unrighteousness and suffering in this world will end, and we are fully sanctified to enjoy face-to-face fellowship with the Lord in the heavenly kingdom. Others would rather He returns as late as possible to allow more time to enjoy worldly pleasures. Yet others dread the prospect of having to account for their unfaithfulness before the Lord’s judgement seat. We do not know when the Lord will return, and rightly or wrongly, most would not expect that to happen in our lifetime. So, the end of our physical lives on earth is practically the cut-off point for our preparation to face Christ’s return. Understandably, our attitudes towards Christ’s return are reflected in our attitudes towards our physical life and death.
Paul says “I eagerly expect and hope that…. I will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Phil 1:20-21) Undoubtedly, there is nothing that the world can offer that can win his heart. As he says later in Phil 3:8 “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” Paul longs for heaven, and considers “to die is gain”. However, that does not mean that Paul is fed up with suffering in this sinful world so that he longs to escape to heaven. For Paul, “to live is Christ”, meaning if he lives on, he can have fruitful labour for Christ to achieve His will, in which he takes great delight. Continuing to live is an exciting prospect too. Hence, he says "I hardly know which to choose", both prospects are so enticing and inviting.
I wish that all of us can have Paul’s perspective of life and death. Both are wonderful alternatives whichever is the Lord’s will for us. Let us live with the end in sight, to prepare and long for eternal and intimate fellowship with the Lord, and delight in living for Christ each day He gives us to live.
兩個美好的選擇
最近，我們完成了《猶大書》四篇講道的系列。教牧團為這卷書所用的主題是：「帶着終結的視野眼光來生活」。猶大勸勉我們要為信仰爭戰，不要被誤導或過着與我們蒙召之恩不一致的生活而誤導他人。因為當基督再來時，我們要為自己的所作所行完全向主交賬。我們應該「保守自己常在神的愛中, 仰望我們主耶稣基督的憐憫，直到永生」地渴望祂的再來。
信徒對基督再來的態度有很大差異。有些人真心渴望祂儘快回來，這樣世界上所有的邪惡、不公、不義和痛苦就會結束，我們也會完全成為聖潔，與主在天國裡面對面地享受團契。另一些人寧願祂盡可能晚些回來，以便有更多時間享受屬世的享樂。更有一些人則懼怕要在主的審判台前為自己的不忠誠交賬。我們不知道主何時會再來，正確與否，大多數人都不會預期在自己有生之年中會發生。所以，我們肉體生命的結束時，實際上也是我們為面對基督再來做好準備的截止點。可以理解的是，我們對基督再來的態度，反映於我們對自己肉體体生命和死亡的態度。
保羅說：「照着我切慕、所盼望的，沒有一事叫我羞愧。只要凡事放瞻，無論是生是死，總叫基督在我身上照常顯大。因為對我來說，活着就是基督，死了就有益處。」（腓1:20-21）無疑，世上没有任何東西能奪取他愛主的心。如他在腓立比書3:8所說：「我把一切事當作有損的，因我以認識我主基督耶穌為至寶。我為祂已經丟棄萬事看作糞土，為要得着基督。」保羅渴望天國，並深信「死了反而得益」。然而，這並不意味着保羅厭倦了面對世界的罪惡和苦難，以至於他渴望逃到天國。對保羅來說，「活着就是基督」，這意味着如果他活下去，他就能够為基督作有豐碩成果的服侍，以達成神的旨意，而這也叫他十分喜悦。繼續活下去也是一件令人雀躍興奮的事。因此，他說：「我處於兩難之間不知該選擇哪一個」，因為這兩個情况對他來說都是如此美好和吸引的。
我希望我們每個人都能擁有保羅對生死的看法。無論哪種選擇，都是美好的，都是我們遵行主旨意的道路。讓我們帶着終結的視野眼光來生活，預備並渴望與主有永恒親密的團契，並在主賜給我們每一天的生命中，喜悦地為基督而活。
