认识上帝

安息日下午 4 月 4 日

4月5日，星期日

更清晰地认识上帝

“撒旦煽动了天上的叛乱，他渴望使地上的居民联合起来，与上帝对抗。亚当和夏娃一直顺服上帝的律法，过着幸福的生活——这恰恰驳斥了撒旦在天上所宣称的上帝的律法是压迫性的。撒旦决心使他们堕落，以便他能够占领地球，并在此建立他的王国，与至高者对抗。” HF 328.1

“他宣称他们将变得像神一样，拥有比以往更大的智慧，并能达到更高的存在境界。夏娃屈服于诱惑；在她的影响下，亚当也陷入了罪恶。他们接受了蛇的话，认为神并非真心实意；他们不信任他们的创造主，以为神在限制他们的自由，他们可以通过违背神的律法来获得极大的智慧和超升。” GC88 532.1

当然，果实对她很有吸引力，但她更渴望的是有机会登上上帝的宝座，达到路西法梦寐以求的地位。路西法一定真心相信，只要天上的天使和地上的人类都听从他的命令，他就能成为上帝。

由此可见，魔鬼欺骗夏娃的理由与他欺骗自己和他的天使的理由相同，唯一的区别在于他让夏娃吃了他自己和他的天使不愿吃的果子。因此，夏娃也违背了自己的本性，吃了并非为食物而造的东西，结果她死了。但撒旦和他的天使仍然活着。

“上帝不愿我们的始祖拥有的知识，就是罪的知识。当他们接受了撒但的谎言时，悖逆和罪孽便被引入了我们的世界。这种对上帝明确命令的悖逆，这种对撒但谎言的相信，打开了祸患的闸门，倾泻到世上。撒但延续了伊甸园里的工作。他孜孜不倦地工作，使人接受他的谎言，以此作为反对上帝的证据。他阻挠基督在人身上恢复上帝的形象，并在人的灵魂中印刻上帝的样式。” 1SM 214.2

“Satan, who had incited rebellion in heaven, desired to bring the inhabitants of the earth to unite in his warfare against God. Adam and Eve had been perfectly happy in obedience to the law of God—a constant testimony against the claim Satan had urged in heaven that God’s law was oppressive. Satan determined to cause their fall, that he might possess the earth and here establish his kingdom in opposition to the Most High.” HF 328.1

“He declared that they would become like God, possessing greater wisdom than before, and being capable of a higher state of existence. Eve yielded to temptation; and through her influence, Adam was led into sin. They accepted the words of the serpent, that God did not mean what he said; they distrusted their Creator, and imagined that he was restricting their liberty, and that they might obtain great wisdom and exaltation by transgressing his law.” GC88 532.1

The fruit, of course, appealed to her, but she was tempted by the idea of having the opportunity to be exalted to the throne of God, to be exalted to the same position to which Lucifer himself aspired. Lucifer must have honestly believed that he would be as God if the angels in Heaven and the men on earth would but take orders from him.

And so we see that the Devil deceived Eve on the same grounds he deceived himself and his angels, the only difference being that he caused Eve to eat of the fruit which he himself and his angels would not eat. Consequently, Eve sinned against her physical being, too, by taking into it something that was not created for food, and consequently she died. But Satan and his angels still live.

“The knowledge which God did not want our first parents to have was a knowledge of guilt. And when they accepted the assertions of Satan, which were false, disobedience and transgression were introduced into our world. This disobedience to God's express command, this belief of Satan's lie, opened the floodgates of woe upon the world. Satan has continued the work begun in the Garden of Eden. He has worked vigilantly, that man might accept his assertions as proof against God. He has worked against Christ in His efforts to restore the image of God in man, and imprint in his soul the similitude of God.” 1SM 214.2

4月7日，星期二

神就是爱

“‘神就是爱。’约翰一书4:16。祂的本性，祂的律法，就是爱。过去如此，将来亦如此。‘至高至上，住在永恒里’，祂的‘道路永恒’，永不改变。在祂，‘没有改变，也没有转动的影儿。’以赛亚书57:15；哈巴谷书3:6；雅各书1:17。PP 33.1”

“创造力的每一次展现都是无限之爱的表达。上帝的主权意味着祂对所有受造物都赐予丰盛的祝福。”《教父与圣子》33.2

“地球年复一年地孕育丰饶，并持续绕太阳运转，并非出于其自身固有的力量。是上帝之手引导着行星，使它们在天际有序运行。正是凭借祂的力量，夏冬交替、播种收获、昼夜交替才能有规律地轮转。正是祂的话语，使植物繁茂生长，使树叶萌发，花朵绽放。我们所拥有的一切美好事物，每一缕阳光，每一场雨露，每一口食物，生命中的每一刻，都是爱的恩赐。”《圣经·爱》

“神的儿女是那些分享祂本性的人。证明我们是神家成员的，并非世俗的地位、出身、国籍或宗教特权；而是爱，一种包容全人类的爱。即使是那些心尚未完全封闭、拒绝接受圣灵的罪人，也会回应善意；他们或许会以恨报恨，也会以爱报爱。但唯有神的灵才能以爱代替恨。善待忘恩负义之人和作恶之人，行善而不求回报，乃是天国君王的标志，是至高者儿女彰显其崇高地位的可靠凭证。” MB 75.2

“从天上开始的善恶大战，到最终推翻叛乱、彻底根除罪恶，这段历史也彰显了上帝永不改变的爱。” PP 33.4

基督的恩赐揭示了天父的心意。它见证了神对我们的意念是“赐平安的意念，而不是降灾祸的意念”（耶利米书29:11）。它宣告，神对罪的恨恶如同死一般强烈，但他对罪人的爱却胜过死亡。既然祂已经承担了救赎我们的使命，祂就会毫不吝惜任何对祂救赎工作至关重要的事物，无论多么珍贵。祂不会隐瞒任何关乎我们得救的真理，不会忽略任何怜悯的神迹，也不会放弃任何神圣的作为。祂的恩典层层叠加，恩赐接踵而至。祂向所有祂想要拯救的人敞开了天上的宝库。祂收集了宇宙的财富，并开启了无限能力的资源，将这一切都交在基督手中，并说：“这一切都是为了世人。用这些恩赐去使人确信，无论在地上还是天上，没有比我的爱更大的爱。他最大的幸福将在于爱我。”（《历代志下》57.1）

“在髑髅地的十字架上，爱与自私正面交锋。这是它们最淋漓尽致的展现。基督一生只为安慰和祝福世人，而撒但杀害祂，则显明了他对上帝的仇恨之深重。他清楚地表明，他叛逆的真正目的是为了推翻上帝的宝座，并毁灭那位彰显上帝之爱的基督。”（《使徒行传》57.2）

“时机成熟之时，天上的窗户敞开，天上的恩典如洪水般倾泻而下。上帝将祂的独生子赐予我们这个世界，这是一份奇妙的礼物。鉴于此，其他世界的居民再也无法说上帝为了彰显祂对人类的爱还能做得更多。祂所作出的牺牲无法估量。为了拯救堕落的人类，祂倾尽天上的宝藏，一次性赐予世人。”《评论与启示录》1907年1月3日，第11段

“‘God is love.’ 1 John 4:16. His nature, His law, is love. It ever has been; it ever will be. ‘The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,’ whose ‘ways are everlasting,’ changeth not. With Him ‘is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’ Isaiah 57:15; Habakkuk 3:6; James 1:17. PP 33.1

“Every manifestation of creative power is an expression of infinite love. The sovereignty of God involves fullness of blessing to all created beings.” PP 33.2

“It is not because of inherent power that year by year the earth produces her bounties and continues her motion round the sun. The hand of God guides the planets and keeps them in position in their orderly march through the heavens. It is through His power that summer and winter, seedtime and harvest, day and night follow each other in their regular succession. It is by His word that vegetation flourishes, that the leaves appear and the flowers bloom. Every good thing we have, each ray of sunshine and shower of rain, every morsel of food, every moment of life, is a gift of love.” MB 74.3

“The children of God are those who are partakers of His nature. It is not earthly rank, nor birth, nor nationality, nor religious privilege, which proves that we are members of the family of God; it is love, a love that embraces all humanity. Even sinners whose hearts are not utterly closed to God's Spirit, will respond to kindness; while they may give hate for hate, they will also give love for love. But it is only the Spirit of God that gives love for hatred. To be kind to the unthankful and to the evil, to do good hoping for nothing again, is the insignia of the royalty of heaven, the sure token by which the children of the Highest reveal their high estate.” MB 75.2

“The history of the great conflict between good and evil, from the time it first began in heaven to the final overthrow of rebellion and the total eradication of sin, is also a demonstration of God's unchanging love.” PP 33.4

“The gift of Christ reveals the Father’s heart. It testifies that the thoughts of God toward us are “thoughts of peace, and not of evil.” Jeremiah 29:11. It declares that while God’s hatred of sin is as strong as death, His love for the sinner is stronger than death. Having undertaken our redemption, He will spare nothing, however dear, which is necessary to the completion of His work. No truth essential to our salvation is withheld, no miracle of mercy is neglected, no divine agency is left unemployed. Favor is heaped upon favor, gift upon gift. The whole treasury of heaven is open to those He seeks to save. Having collected the riches of the universe, and laid open the resources of infinite power, He gives them all into the hands of Christ, and says, All these are for man. Use these gifts to convince him that there is no love greater than Mine in earth or heaven. His greatest happiness will be found in loving Me. DA 57.1

“At the cross of Calvary, love and selfishness stood face to face. Here was their crowning manifestation. Christ had lived only to comfort and bless, and in putting Him to death, Satan manifested the malignity of his hatred against God. He made it evident that the real purpose of his rebellion was to dethrone God, and to destroy Him through whom the love of God was shown.” DA 57.2

“When the fulness of time came, the windows of heaven were opened, and upon the world was poured a flood of heavenly grace. God made to our world the wonderful gift of his only begotten Son. In the light of this act, it could never be said by the inhabitants of other worlds that God could have done more than he did to show his love for the children of men. He made a sacrifice that defies all computation. To save a fallen race he poured forth the whole treasure of heaven in one gift.” RH January 3, 1907, par. 11

4月8日，星期三

上帝在创造中的角色

“圣父与圣子着手进行他们所预想的伟大而奇妙的工作——创造世界。大地从造物主手中诞生，无比美丽。山峦、丘陵、平原，河流和水体点缀其间。大地并非一片广袤的平原，而是山峦起伏，打破了单调的景色。这些山峦不像如今的山峰那样高耸险峻，而是形状规整优美。裸露的巨石从未显露于地表，而是埋藏于地下，如同大地的骨骼。水流均匀分布。丘陵、山脉和美丽的平原上遍布植物、鲜花，以及各种高大雄伟的树木，它们比现在的树木高大得多，也美丽得多。空气清新宜人，大地宛如一座宏伟的宫殿。天使们目睹了上帝奇妙而美丽的创造，并为此欢欣鼓舞。LHU 47.2

“地球和其上的走兽被创造之后，父与子便实现了他们在撒旦堕落之前就已定下的旨意，要按着自己的形象造人。他们共同创造了地球和其上的一切生物。如今，神对祂的儿子说：‘我们要按着我们的形象造人。’亚当从造物主手中被造出来时，身材高挑，体态匀称优美。他比当时生活在地球上的人高出两倍多，而且比例完美。他的五官完美无瑕，俊美动人……夏娃的身高略不及亚当，她的头略高于亚当的肩膀。她也同样高贵，体态匀称，容貌俊美。”（《路加福音》47.3）

“The Father and the Son engaged in the mighty, wondrous work they had contemplated—of creating the world. The earth came forth from the hand of the Creator exceedingly beautiful. There were mountains and hills and plains; and interspersed among them were rivers and bodies of water. The earth was not one extensive plain, but the monotony of the scenery was broken by hills and mountains, not high and ragged as they now are, but regular and beautiful in shape. The bare, high rocks were never seen upon them, but lay beneath the surface, answering as bones to the earth. The waters were regularly dispersed. The hills, mountains, and very beautiful plains were adorned with plants and flowers, and tall, majestic trees of every description, which were many times larger and much more beautiful than trees now are. The air was pure and healthful, and the earth seemed like a noble palace. Angels beheld and rejoiced at the wonderful and beautiful works of God. LHU 47.2

“After the earth was created, and the beasts upon it, the Father and Son carried out their purpose, which was designed before the fall of Satan, to make man in their own image. They had wrought together in the creation of the earth and every living thing upon it. And now God said to His Son, “Let us make man in our image.” As Adam came forth from the hand of his Creator he was of noble height and of beautiful symmetry. He was more than twice as tall as men now living upon the earth, and was well proportioned. His features were perfect and beautiful.... Eve was not quite as tall as Adam. Her head reached a little above his shoulders. She, too, was noble, perfect in symmetry, and very beautiful.” LHU 47.3

4月10日，星期五

进一步思考

“救主以充满力量和希望的话语结束了祂的教导。然后，祂为门徒们祷告，倾诉祂心中的重担。祂仰望苍天，说：‘父啊，时候到了，愿你荣耀你的儿子，使你的儿子也荣耀你；正如你赐给他权柄管理凡有血气的，叫他将永生赐给你所赐给他的人。认识你——独一的真神，并且认识你所差来的耶稣基督，这就是永生。’” DA 680.2

基督完成了祂所受托的工作。祂在地上荣耀了神。祂彰显了父的名。祂聚集了那些要在世上继续祂工作的人。祂说：“我在他们身上得了荣耀。如今我不再在世上，他们却在世上，我往祢那里去。圣父啊，求祢因祢的名保守祢所赐给我的人，使他们合而为一，像我们一样。”“我不但为这些人祈求，也为那些因他们的话信我的人祈求，使他们都合而为一……我在他们里面，你在我里面，使他们完完全全地合而为一，叫世人知道祢差了我来，也知道祢爱他们如同爱我一样。”（《使徒行传》680.3）

“因此，基督以拥有神圣权柄者的语言，将祂所拣选的教会交托在父的怀抱中。祂作为一位被分别为圣的大祭司，为祂的子民代求。祂作为一位忠实的牧者，将祂的羊群聚集在全能者的荫庇之下，在坚固可靠的避难所中。祂将在那里迎战撒旦，进行最后的决战。”（《历代志下》680.4）

“With strong, hopeful words the Saviour ended His instruction. Then He poured out the burden of His soul in prayer for His disciples. Lifting His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee: as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” DA 680.2

“Christ had finished the work that was given Him to do. He had glorified God on the earth. He had manifested the Father’s name. He had gathered out those who were to continue His work among men. And He said, “I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are.” “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; ... I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.” DA 680.3

“Thus in the language of one who has divine authority, Christ gives His elect church into the Father’s arms. As a consecrated high priest He intercedes for His people. As a faithful shepherd He gathers His flock under the shadow of the Almighty, in the strong and sure refuge. For Him there waits the last battle with Satan, and He goes forth to meet it.” DA 680.4