「讓我們竭力進到完全的地步,不必再立根基,就如那懊悔死行,信靠神。」(來六:1)
根基和對其上房屋的功效之間不同的比喻,是要告訴我們兩種生命的比喻,聖保羅把神的房屋之根基立在因信耶穌而稱為義的教訓上,這是一個失喪的罪人要得到永遠救恩一個不二的門路(參羅五:2)
根基以上的房屋是什麼?請讀羅馬書五章十二至十八節,使徒指出那裏把因信稱義,與神相和,僅僅是開始。接著他指出在亞當裏我們的命运是死亡,在第二個亞當—基督—裏我們接受豐盛的恩典,那就是靠著耶穌基督我能活著,這是根基上面生命的建築物,接著第六章裏他又指出:在基督裏我們向罪是死的,藉着浸禮我們進入基督的死,我們若在祂死的形式上與祂聯合,也要在祂復活的形狀上與祂聯合,如果我們在基督那我們必定向罪是死的,在耶穌裏向神是活的。
因著與主在死和復活上聯合,基督能使我們從罪的權勢下得以自由,藉著聖靈,基督將我們從罪的權勢裏完全釋放出來,這棟基督裏生命的大廈必須建造在因信稱義的根基上。
我們對羅馬書六章領悟或實行的何等少!這話包括我們已經立的根基在內,不!我們得經歷更深的真理, 我們必須經歷基督是我們的生命,在祂裏面與祂同釘十字架,在祂裏面與祂的死和復活的形狀聯合,這樣能使我們成聖,在聖靈裏過着神聖而喜樂的生活。
“Let us press on to perfection, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.” – HEB. vi. I.
The parable of the difference between the foundations and the effect on the houses built on them will teach us important lessons about the two kinds of life. St Paul lays the foundation of the house of God in the doctrine of Justification by faith in Jesus Christ. That is the one sure immovable ground upon which a lost sinner finds his eternal salvation (Rom, v. 2).
What is the house built upon this foundation? Read Romans v. I2-I8. There the apostle points out that Justification and peace with God are not everything; they are only the beginning. Then he goes on to show that as in Adam we died, so in the second Adam, Christ, we receive the abundance of grace whereby we may live through Jesus Christ. That is the life built on the foundation. He points out in chapter vi. how in Christ we have dies unto sin: we are baptized into His death; and as we are united to Him by the likeness of His death, we shall be united by the likeness of His resurrection. If we have died with Christ, we may be sure we really are dead to sin, but alive unto God in Jesus our Lord.
It is union with the crucified and risen Christ that sets us free from the power of sin, and through the Spirit, Christ Jesus releases us wholly from the power of sin. This life in Christ is the edifice that must be built upon the foundation of justification.
How little is Romans vi. grasped or appropriated. We are ever ready to lay the foundation and be content with that. Nay, Child of God, our experience must be deeper. We must experience that Christ is our life, that we are crucified with Him, and in Him, and in Him are dead and risen again. That only will enable us to live a holy, godly life in the joy of the Holy Spirit.