Exodus 33:5-6 (NKJV) For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.’” So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
In this passage, the people of Israel had just left the land of Egypt after years of slavery, and they did not know God. God had given them the Ten Commandments through Moses so they would know what sin is and that God is a Holy God. However, even though they had left Egypt physically, their hearts were still in Egypt because they had gotten so used to the lifestyle despite being slaves there. As a result, they were not thankful for the manna and quails provided for them daily.
There is a parallel between the Israelites leaving Egypt—a place of slavery—to enter the Promised Land, and believers leaving a lifestyle of sin to take possession of the abundant life in Christ. While the Israelites had to abide by the law to enjoy the blessings and protection of God, today, to have our prayers answered and be blessed holistically (John 15:7), we must abide in Christ and His Word.
Sin is self-centredness and the desire to live independently of God. Having the sin nature in us means that every one of us is naturally stubborn and resistant to being told what to do but wants to do things our way because we think we know best.
God had a good plan for His people in the Old Testament, but the Mosaic covenant is a conditional covenant where blessings only came if they obeyed the law and there would be curses when they rebelled. God had to operate this way with them because He is holy and righteous. When Moses was away from the crowd to be in the presence of God, the people created a golden calf and built an altar for worship, something that they could see since they did not know God or had seen Him. It was an outright violation of the Ten Commandments. Just like there were consequences for violating the law of Moses, today, we will also face the consequences of sowing into the flesh instead of walking in the Spirit (Galatians 6:8).
God has created us to be free moral agents who can choose to submit or rebel against Him. Compared to the Old Testament saints, believers in the New Testament are in a much better position because we are “new creations” who are born again, have the nature of God in us, and are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, we must still yield to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Even though God has a good plan, purpose, and good intentions for us, the key to taking hold of the abundant life in Christ still lies in our obedience.
Sermon Series: Unless Your Presence Goes with Us
拒绝固持己见
出埃及记33:5-6 耶和华对摩西说：“你告诉以色列人说：‘耶和华说：你们是硬着颈项的百姓，我若一霎时临到你们中间，必灭绝你们。现在你们要把身上的妆饰摘下来，使我可以知道怎样待你们。’” 6以色列人从住何烈山以后，就把身上的妆饰摘得干净。
在这段经文中，以色列人在为奴多年之后刚离开埃及地，他们不认识 神。 神 藉着摩西赐给他们十诫，使他们知道什么是罪，又知道 神是圣洁的神。然而，尽管他们已经离开了埃及，但他们的心仍然在那里，因为他们已经习惯了埃及的生活方式，即使他们是埃及的奴隶。因此，他们并不感恩神每天提供给他们的吗哪和鹌鹑。
以色列人离开埃及这个为奴之地并进入应许之地，与信徒们离开罪恶的生活方式进入基督里并拥有丰盛的生命，这两者之间有相似之处。以色列人必须遵守神的律法，才能认识并经历 神的祝福和保护。今天我们必须住在基督和祂的话语当中，我们的祷告可以被成就并得到全面的祝福（约翰福音15:7）。
罪是以自我为中心以及渴望脱离 神而活。我们身上的罪性意味着每个人都有固执的一面，抗拒别人告诉我们该做什么，想按照自己的方式做事，因为我们认为自己比别人了解的更多。
神在旧约中对祂的百姓有一个非常好的计划，但摩西之约是一个有条件的约，当他们遵守律法时就会得到祝福，但当他们违背律法时就会受到咒诅。 神不得不这样对待他们，因为祂是圣洁和公义的。当摩西离开群众去见 神，百姓造了一只金牛犊并筑坛供奉它，因为他们不认识 神也没见过 神，所以他们要造一个能看得见的东西来侍奉。这完全违背了十诫。就像背弃摩西的律法需要承担后果，今天我们同样面临顺着肉体的情欲撒种而不是顺着圣灵行事的后果（加拉太书6:8）。
神创造了我们，使我们成为一个有自由意志的个体，可以选择顺服或悖逆祂。与旧约中的圣徒相比，新约信徒的处境要好多了，因为我们重生了，是新造的人，在我们里面有 神的本性，并被圣灵赋予的能力。尽管如此，我们仍然需要顺服在基督耶稣里给人生命的属灵的律法里。即便 神对我们的人生有一个好的计划、旨意和善意，但我们的顺服仍然是在基督里把握丰富生命的关键。
讲章系列：除非你亲自与我们同去
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