The promise of heaven is our eternal hope.

天国的应许是我们永恒的盼望。

He has given us new birth into . . . an inheritance that can never perish. 1 Peter 1:3–4

祂……重生了我们，叫我们……可以得着不能朽坏……的基业。-彼得前书1章3-4节

When I asked a friend who is about to retire what she feared about her next stage of life, she said, “I want to make sure I don’t run out of money.” The next day as I was talking to my financial counselor he gave me advice on how I might avoid running out of money. Indeed, we all want the security of knowing we’ll have the resources we need for the rest of our lives.

我问一个即将退休的朋友，在人生的下一个阶段她最害怕的是什么，她说：“我最担心将来我会缺钱。”隔天，当我跟我的理财顾问谈话时，他也提出建议，告诉我如何避免金钱耗尽。的确，我们都希望确保自己在垂暮之年，仍拥有足够的资源。

No financial plan can provide an absolute guarantee of earthly security. But there is a plan that extends far beyond this life and indefinitely into the future. The apostle Peter describes it like this: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:3–4).

没有任何理财计划能为我们提供绝对的安全保障，但有一个计划却远超过今生，而且还延伸到未来。使徒彼得曾对此提出论述，他说：“[上帝]曾照自己的大怜悯，藉耶稣基督从死里复活，重生了我们，叫我们有活泼的盼望，可以得着不能朽坏、不能玷污、不能衰残、为你们存留在天上的基业。”（彼得前书1章3-4节）

When we place our faith in Jesus to forgive our sins we receive an eternal inheritance through God’s power. Because of this inheritance, we’ll live forever and never run short of what we need.

当我们相信耶稣赦免我们的罪，我们就能藉着上帝的大能，得到永恒的基业。因着这个基业，我们将有永生，并且永远不虞匮乏。

Planning for retirement is a good idea if we’re able to do so. But more important is having an eternal inheritance that never runs out—and that is available only through faith in Jesus Christ.

如果我们有能力规划退休生活固然很好，但更重要的是，我们要拥有一个永不朽坏的基业，这是唯有信靠耶稣基督才能得到的。

Dear God, I want that assurance of an eternal inheritance—

the certainty of everlasting life with You.

I put my faith in Jesus to forgive my sins and

make me His child. 

Thank You for saving me and reserving 

a place for me in Your eternal kingdom.

亲爱的上帝，我想要得着永恒基业的确据，
确信能在永恒中与祢同住。我相信耶稣赦免我的罪，
并让我成为祂的儿女。感谢祢拯救我，
并在祢永恒的国度里为我预备地方。

1 Peter 1:3-9 New International Version (NIV)

Praise to God for a Living Hope

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritancethat can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

彼得前书 1:3-9Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

可以得着不朽坏不衰残的基业

3 愿颂赞归于我们主耶稣基督的父神！他曾照自己的大怜悯，借着耶稣基督从死里复活，重生了我们，叫我们有活泼的盼望， 4 可以得着不能朽坏、不能玷污、不能衰残、为你们存留在天上的基业。 5 你们这因信蒙神能力保守的人，必能得着所预备、到末世要显现的救恩。 6 因此，你们是大有喜乐；但如今在百般的试炼中暂时忧愁， 7 叫你们的信心既被试验，就比那被火试验仍然能坏的金子更显宝贵，可以在耶稣基督显现的时候得着称赞、荣耀、尊贵。

未见基督却是爱他

8 你们虽然没有见过他，却是爱他；如今虽不得看见，却因信他就有说不出来、满有荣光的大喜乐， 9 并且得着你们信心的果效，就是灵魂的救恩。

整理：于姊妹