We have been saved by grace. Now we enjoy the many blessings that come by grace.

我们既蒙恩得救，便因恩典得享美福。

By grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:5

你们得救是本乎恩。-以弗所书2章5节

There cannot be a Mexican party without a pi?ata—a carton or clay container filled with candies and treats. Children strike it with a stick and try to break it, hoping to enjoy its contents.

在墨西哥人的宴会上绝对少不了皮纳塔（pi?ata）。这是一种由纸板或陶土制成的容器，里面装满各式糖果和零食。孩子们拿着棍棒击破皮纳塔，就可以享用里面的东西。

Monks used the pi?atas in the sixteenth century to teach lessons to the indigenous people of Mexico. Pi?atas were stars with seven points that represented the seven deadly sins. Beating the pi?ata showed the struggle against evil, and once the treats inside fell to the ground, people could take them home in remembrance of the rewards of keeping the faith.

在十六世纪，修士们会用皮纳塔教导墨西哥原住民一些属灵功课。当时的皮纳塔是星星形状，有七个角，代表上帝所憎恨的七种恶行。人们击打皮纳塔就像是与罪恶搏斗，当皮纳塔里面的糖果掉在地上，人们就可以将奖赏捡起来带回家，以提醒自己要靠着信心胜过罪恶。

But we cannot fight evil on our own. God is not waiting for our efforts so that He will show His mercy. Ephesians teaches that “by grace you have been saved through faith, . . . it is the gift of God” (2:8). We don’t beat sin; Christ has done that.

实际上，我们没有办法独自与罪恶对抗，上帝并不是等着我们自己努力之后，才向我们施恩。以弗所书教导我们：“你们得救是本乎恩……乃是上帝所赐的”（以弗所书2章8节）。我们无须击打罪恶，因为基督已胜过一切的罪恶。

Children fight for the candies from the pi?ata, but God’s gifts come to all of us when we believe in Jesus. God “has blessed us . . . with every spiritual blessing” (1:3). We have forgiveness of sins, redemption, adoption, new life, joy, love, and much more. We don’t get these spiritual blessings because we have kept the faith and are strong; we get them because we believe in Jesus. Spiritual blessings come only through grace—undeserved grace! 

墨西哥的孩子们必须击破皮纳塔才能得到糖果，但我们只要相信耶稣，上帝所赐的福分就会临到我们众人。因为“祂在基督里曾赐给我们天上各样属灵的福气”（1章3节），我们得到赦免、救赎、接纳、新生命、喜乐、慈爱和其他各样的福气。我们得着这些属灵的福气，并不是因为持守信心或够坚强，而是因为信靠耶稣基督。上帝赐给我们不配得的恩典，让我们得享属灵的福气！

Thank You for Your mercy, Lord, 

which is great and free!

主啊，我们为着祢的恩典满心感谢，

祢让我们白白地得着美好的恩典！

Ephesians 2:1-10New International Version (NIV)

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time,gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

以弗所书 2:1-10 Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

得救是本乎恩也因着信

2 你们死在过犯罪恶之中，他叫你们活过来。 2 那时你们在其中行事为人，随从今世的风俗，顺服空中掌权者的首领，就是现今在悖逆之子心中运行的邪灵。 3 我们从前也都在他们中间，放纵肉体的私欲，随着肉体和心中所喜好的去行，本为可怒之子，和别人一样。 4 然而，神既有丰富的怜悯，因他爱我们的大爱， 5 当我们死在过犯中的时候，便叫我们与基督一同活过来。你们得救是本乎恩。 6 他又叫我们与基督耶稣一同复活，一同坐在天上， 7 要将他极丰富的恩典，就是他在基督耶稣里向我们所施的恩慈，显明给后来的世代看。 8 你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信。这并不是出于自己，乃是神所赐的； 9 也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。 10 我们原是他的工作，在基督耶稣里造成的，为要叫我们行善，就是神所预备叫我们行的。

整理：于姊妹