亞洲路德宗神學院「每週靈糧」
你们不要把这事看作希奇，时候要到，凡在坟墓裡的，都要听见祂的声音，就出来，行善的复活得生，作恶的复活定罪。
约翰福音 5:28,29
当主耶稣末日再来时，他要审判每一个人。即使是那些在那天前死去的人，也会从坟墓裡出来，站在祂面前接受审判。
圣经教导说，耶稣将以人对祂的信心作审判。如使徒保罗写道：“你们得救是本乎恩，也因著信，这并不是出于自己，乃是上帝所赐的，也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。”（以弗所书） 2:8,9)。
这个教导如此清楚，所以你必须思考这段经文的意思。耶稣好像说，人的善行将成为审判的基础，行善的人将得永生，而行恶的人将被判到地狱。
但在假设这两个圣经教导相互矛盾以先，请记著耶稣在这裡说的是—审判。当人在法庭上接受审讯时，最好的证据就是看得见的证据。
对基督的信心是心灵的事，因此是无形的，但对基督的信心会产生可见的善行。善行不能拯救人，但耶稣会在最后的审判中指出它们，因为它们是无形信仰的有形证据。
这就是为什麽“那些作恶的人”在末日非常害怕。没有比因不信而拒绝救主更大的罪，但“行善的人”没有什麽好怕的。只有信耶稣的人才会做上帝看为好的事。在末世，耶稣会用他们的善行向全世界表明，那些在基督耶稣裡的人是不会被定罪的。
祷告：
主耶稣，在我等待末世的时候，加力使我能过著充满善行的生活。阿门。
Good Works on the Last Day
[Jesus said] “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.”
John 5:28,29
When the Lord Jesus returns on the Last Day, he will judge every single human being who has ever lived. Even the people who died before that day will come out of their graves and stand before him for judgment.
The Bible teaches that Jesus will judge people based on whether or not they have faith in him. The apostle Paul, for example, wrote, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).
This teaching is so clear that you have to wonder what Jesus meant in today’s Bible passage. Jesus made it sound like people’s good works will be the basis for judgment, with those who have done good receiving eternal life and those who have done evil being condemned to hell.
But before you assume that the Bible teaches two contradictory ways to heaven, remember what Jesus was talking about here: judgment. When someone is being judged in a courtroom, the best evidence is visible evidence.
Faith in Christ is a matter of the heart and therefore invisible. But faith in Christ produces good works that can be seen. Good works do not save people, but Jesus will point them out at the last judgment because they are visible proofs of invisible faith.
That is why “those who have done evil” have a lot to fear on the Last Day. There is no greater evil than rejecting the Savior in unbelief. But “those who have done good” have nothing to fear. Only believers in Jesus can do works that God considers good. And on the Last Day, Jesus will use their good works to show the whole world that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, empower me to live a life filled with good works while I wait for the Last Day. Amen.
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