Have you ever relied on someone and been regrettably let down? A spouse, a friend, parents? We have all been there. Sadly, we sometimes project this onto God and our relationship with Him. We forget that …
God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? – Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)
This verse reminds us of the dependability of God. Once He has spoken, it is as good as done. In His time, which is the perfect time.
Romans 8:35, 38-39 (NKJV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … 38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Although the Apostle Paul taught repeatedly on walking in the newness of life with God, it is easy for us human beings to revert to depending on ourselves, on others, on resources. Anything, but God. But there always comes a time when we reach the end of ourselves, and we must be fully dependent on God alone.
The Apostle Paul used a few contrasting words like ‘for and against’, ‘charge and justifies’, ‘condemn and make intercession’, and ‘separate and love’. All these words become alive in our lives, particularly in distress, in tribulation, or in persecution. The situation overwhelms us, and the negative half of the word pairings becomes glaringly real to us; we feel that God is against us, we think He is bringing a charge against the wrong we have done, we believe we are being condemned and separated from God’s love. But Paul reminds us of the truth that God is FOR us, that God is the one who justifies through Jesus’ blood, and that nothing shall separate us from God’s love.
We must constantly remind ourselves of these truths. There will always be challenges, trials, upheavals. But one thing is certain, in this world where everything is fleeting like vapour, there is One who is unchangeable, reliable, and true, always loving and gracious. Our God is rock solid. And you can set that in stone!
Sermon Series: The Dependability of God
坚如磐石
你是否曾经依赖过某人，到头来却失望地发现自己芳心错付？可能是配偶、朋友、父母? 我们都有过这样的经历。可悲的是，我们有时会将此投射到神和我们与祂的关系上。 我们忘了……
民数记23:19 神非人、必不致说谎、也非人子、必不致后悔。祂说话岂不照着行呢？祂发言岂不要成就呢。
这节经文提醒我们神的可靠。神一旦开口, 就如同已经成就。按着祂的时间，完美的时间。
罗马书8:35, 38-39 谁能使我们与基督的爱隔绝呢？难道是患难吗？是困苦吗？是逼迫吗？是饥饿吗？是赤身露体吗？是危险吗？是刀剑吗？…因为我深信无论是死、是生、是天使、是掌权的、是有能的、是现在的事、是将来的事、是高处的、是低处的、是别的受造之物、都不能叫我们与神的爱隔绝。这爱是在我们的主基督耶稣里的。
虽然使徒保罗反复教导我们要在新生命中与神同行，但我们人类很容易回到依赖自己、依赖他人或依赖资源的状态。依赖除了神以外的任何一切。但我们总有山穷水尽之时，那时我们定要完全单单地依靠神。
使徒保罗使用了许多对比词，比如”帮助和敌挡”、”控告和代祷：及”隔绝和爱”。这些词句在我们的生活中是活生生的，尤其是在困苦、患难或逼迫中。 这些情况让我们不知所措，反义词组中消极的那一半对我们来说变得真实得让人无法直视; 我们觉得神在抵挡我们，我们认为祂在指控我们所做的错事，我们以为自己被定罪并与神的爱隔绝。 但保罗提醒我们一个真理那就是神是向着我们的，神亲自藉着耶稣的宝血称我们为义, 没有什么能叫我们与神的爱隔绝。
我们必须不断用这些真理提醒自己。人生难免挑战、考验和动荡。 但有一件事是肯定的，在这个一切都像云雾一样转瞬即逝的世界上，有一位是不变的、可靠的和真实的，永远满有慈爱和恩典。 我们的神坚稳如磐石这一点不会改变！
讲章系列：神的可靠性
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