让我们在耶稣的爱和真理中自由地成长吧！

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. Ephesians 3:16

求祂按着祂丰盛的荣耀，藉着祂的灵，叫你们心里的力量刚强起来。-以弗所书3章16节

A college professor of mine, picking up on my perfectionism-induced procrastination, gave me some wise advice. “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good,” he said, explaining that striving for perfect performance can prevent the risks necessary for growth. Accepting that my work would always be imperfect would give me the freedom to keep growing.

在大学时，有位教授看到我为了追求完美而耽延，便给了我明智的建议：“千万不要让完美阻碍成长。”他认为一味地追求完美的表现，会使我们因惧怕失败而停滞不前。但若能坦然接受自己所做的并非完美，就能自由地继续成长。

The apostle Paul explained an even more profound reason to let go of our own efforts to perfect ourselves: it can blind us to our need for Christ.

使徒保罗给了一个更重要的理由，我们为何无须凭己力追求完美，因为这会使你我忘了我们需要基督。

Paul had learned this the hard way. After years striving to perfectly obey God’s law, encountering Jesus changed everything (Galatians 1:11–16). Paul realized that if his own efforts were enough to be whole and right with God, “then there was no need for Christ to die” (2:21 nlt). Only by letting go of—dying to—self-reliance, could he experience Jesus living in him (v. 20). Only in his imperfection could he experience God’s perfect power.

保罗也是好不容易才有这番深刻的领悟。他多年努力完全遵守上帝的律法，直到遇见耶稣后，这心态才有所改变（加拉太书1章11-16节） 。保罗终于明白，若凭自己的努力就能在上帝面前成为完全、成为义人，那基督就白白地死了（2章21节） 。只有放掉、弃绝依靠自我，才能经历基督在他里面活着（20节） 。只有在自己的不完美中，才能经历上帝完美的大能。

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t resist sin (v. 17); but it does mean we should stop relying on our own strength to grow spiritually (v. 20).

这不是说，我们可以继续犯罪（17节） ，而是说我们不应凭自己的力量试图使灵命有所成长（20节） 。

In this lifetime, we will always be works in progress. But as our hearts humbly accept our constant need for the only perfect One, Jesus makes His home there (Ephesians 3:17). Rooted in Him, we are free to grow ever deeper in the love “too great” to ever “understand fully” (v. 19 nlt).

人的一生总是未臻完美。但若我们谦卑地承认自己时刻需要那唯一完美的耶稣，祂就会住在我们心里（以弗所书3章17节）。在祂里面，我们就能自由地成长，在祂远超过人所能理解的爱中越发长进（19节）。

主啊，我们常舍弃有祢同在的喜乐和自由，挑起依靠自己的重担。求祢帮助我们能谦卑地倚靠祢，帮助我们更深地扎根于祢的爱中。

Ephesians 3:8-19   NIV

3 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

以弗所书 3:8-19 

3 我本来比众圣徒中最小的还小，然而他还赐我这恩典，叫我把基督那测不透的丰富传给外邦人， 9 又使众人都明白，这历代以来隐藏在创造万物之神里的奥秘是如何安排的， 10 为要借着教会，使天上执政的、掌权的现在得知神百般的智慧。 11 这是照神从万世以前在我们主基督耶稣里所定的旨意。 12 我们因信耶稣，就在他里面放胆无惧，笃信不疑地来到神面前。 13 所以，我求你们不要因我为你们所受的患难丧胆，这原是你们的荣耀。14 因此，我在父面前屈膝—— 15 天上地上的各家，都是从他得名—— 16 求他按着他丰盛的荣耀，借着他的灵，叫你们心里的力量刚强起来， 17 使基督因你们的信住在你们心里，叫你们的爱心有根有基， 18 能以和众圣徒一同明白基督的爱是何等长阔高深， 19 并知道这爱是过于人所能测度的，便叫神一切所充满的充满了你们。

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

Before his dramatic conversion to Christ, Paul relied on his observance of the law for right standing with God (Philippians 3:4–6). But we see in today’s passage that Paul’s focus has shifted from human effort to acknowledging the work of the Lord. Paul prays for the believers in Ephesus that God would strengthen them (v. 16) so that Christ may dwell in them (v. 17). Then they will be rooted in love (v. 17) and filled with the fullness of God (v. 19). These are things God does for the believer, not something we do.

保罗在回转归向基督以前，总是依靠谨守律法来讨上帝的喜悦（腓立比书3章4-6节）。但我们在今天阅读的经文中看到，保罗的重心已从人的努力转到承认上帝的作为。保罗祈求上帝坚固以弗所的信徒（16节），好叫基督住在他们里面（17节），然后他们可以在爱中扎根建基（17节），充满上帝一切的丰富（19节）。这些都是上帝为信徒做成的，而不是靠我们努力做到的。

Have you been tempted to rely on your own strength to please God?

你曾试着靠自己的努力讨上帝的喜悦吗？

整理：于姊妹