經文: 「並且我主的恩是格外豐盛，使我在基督耶穌裡有信心和愛心。」— (聖經·提摩太前書 1章14節)
「在上帝我們的父面前，不住的記念你們因信心所作的工夫，因愛心所受的勞苦，因盼望我們主耶穌基督所存的忍耐。」— (帖撒羅尼迦前書 一3)「但我們既然屬乎白晝，就應當謹守，把信和愛當作護心鏡遮胸，把得救的盼望當作頭盔戴上。」(帖撒羅尼迦前書 五8)「弟兄們，我們該為你們常常感謝上帝。這本是合宜的，因你們的信心格外增長，並且你們眾人彼此相愛的心也都充足。」(帖撒羅尼迦後書 一3)
這幾處經文保羅指出基督徒生活中愛與信心之間真實的關連，通常要先有信心；此乃深深根植於上帝的愛，然後再結出聖靈的果子，繼而向弟兄姐妹們顯出愛來。正如同樹木一樣，根深則枝旺，開花則結果，因此就有了信心和愛心，恩典就源源不絕而來。
然而我們常把信心和愛心分開。在五旬節那段日子，門徒對耶穌有充分的信心，對弟兄姐妹也有說不盡的愛心，兩者是同步進行的。那時候對信徒們的教導是：信靠耶穌的聖名，且要接受聖靈，如此就帶出這樣的結果-信的人都在一起，且凡物公用，同心興旺福音。
然而，在宗教改革時期，情況並非如此發生。信心方面的教義，是有革命性的突破，比如得救非靠行為，乃是靠因信成義；但在愛心的教導上卻乏善可陳，因此在那段日子，對於上帝全能的大愛能改變人一生的福音，這信息並未能普及傳遍各地。
讓我們緊記這段經文在心：「我主的恩是格外豐盛，使我在基督耶穌裡有信心和愛心。」若我們在上帝的愛裡培育信心，自然而然，我們就會從心中湧出對弟兄姐妹的愛；這樣從上帝而來的純真之愛，必須在家居生活中也彰顯出來。
但願上帝能日復一日幫助我們以信心根植在祂的愛裡，使我們無論何時何地，都能成為祂活生生的見證，並且成為別人的祝福。
—《 神 的 心 意 》
(每日靈修 9月7日)
作者：慕安德烈
編輯：榮華興
『 Faith and Love 』
Scripture: “And the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love.” — (1 Timothy 1:14)
“Your work of faith and labour of love.” — (1 Thessalonians 1:3) “The breastplate of faith and love.” — (1 Thessalonians 5:8) “Your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each of you all toward one another aboundeth.” — (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
These expressions of the Apostle Paul show us the true connection between faith and love in the life of the Christian. Faith always comes first; it roots itself deeply in the love of God, and bears fruit in love to the brethren. As in nature the root and the fruit are inseparable, so is it with faith and love in the realm of grace.
Too often the two are separated. On the Day of Pentecost they were one. There was a powerful faith towards the Lord Jesus, with a fervent love to the brethren. The sum of the preaching on that day was: Believe in the Name of Jesus Christ, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And the natural result followed: “And all that believed were together, and had all things common.” “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.”
Also, that this should not have been wholly the case at the Reformation. A powerful reformation took place in regard to the doctrine of faith, but at the same time what a lack of love there was between the preachers and the leaders in that faith! So the world was not taught the lesson that God’s love was all-powerful to sanctify the whole life of man!
Let this thought sink deep into our hearts: “The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love.” As we cultivate faith in God’s love, our hearts will be filled with love to the brethren. The genuineness of our faith in the love of God must be shown by love in our daily lives at home.
May God help us from day to day by faith to be rooted in this love, that we may at all times be living examples of its truth and power, and so become a blessing to others.
— God’s Best Secrets by Andrew Murray
「 7 September 」
