Abide in Me and I in You

John 15:1-10

The Lord is the True Vine and Believers are the Branches

Before the Lord Jesus was crucified and departed from his disciples, He indicated that “He is the vine and the disciples are the branches”, and they have life connection.

vv1-3 says that,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”

Christ turns out to the Vine and God is the gardener who is in charge of pruning the branches in order for them to bear more fruits. Branches refer to all who call themselves Christians.

Those branches that bear fruits are true disciples while those branches that do not bear fruits are superficial Christians who promise God without sincerity and they betray Him ultimately. They are not progressing and lifeless.

What does it mean to “bear fruit”?

“Bearing fruit” does not only mean bringing others to Christ. Prayers that are heard by God, and joy and love are all fruits (15:7,11-12). Fruit can also refer to the character of Christians (Galatians 5:22-24; 2 Peter 1:5-8).

God will prune those branches that bear fruits, and trim those branches that hinder the vine from bearing fruits, so that it will be more fruitful. In another word, God will discipline us sometimes in order to strengthen our character and faith.

On the other hand, God will cut off those branches that bear no fruit. These branches are useless and they consume the nutrition of the plant. They signify those who cannot bear fruit for God or who hinder the work of God. They will be cut off by God and be thrown into the fire and burnt.

Remain in the Lord by the Spirit to have Life

Hence, the Lord Jesus reminds the disciples that they have to remain in Him so that they can bear fruit. Or else, they will be cut off and thrown away.

Vv 4-5 says that,

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

“Remain” （in Greek is μένω）is the key word in this text (vv1-10), and it appears ten times. The word can be translated as “remain” or “abide” in this text. For example, verse 4 can be translated as, “Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”

What does it mean to “remain in the Lord”?

The Lord Jesus explained it by the relationship that exists between the vine and its branches. He said, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” The disciples have to remain in the Lord, just like branches are to remain on the vine. There is a life connection between them.

1 John also mentions about “remaining in the Lord”.

In 2:24 it says that,

“See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.”

The word “remains” and “abide” in this text also derive from the Greek word “μένω”, and “remain in heart” was translated literally as “remain in you.”

The Scripture reminds us to keep whatever we have heard in our hearts, and these include believing Jesus Christ as the Son of God, receiving Him as the Saviour and the Lord of our lives, as well as keeping the commandments of God and holding on to the truth.

1 John 2:27 specifically tells us to remain in the Lord in accordance to the teaching of his anointing—Holy Spirit.

“As for you, the anointing you receive from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

The Lord Jesus promises that the presence of the Holy Spirit will be with His disciples forever (John 14:14-17). The Spirit of the Truth will guide the disciples into all truth, and He will speak forth whatever He had heard, and He will teach them all things and will remind them of everything the Lord Jesus has said (John 14:26, 16:13).

The Holy Spirit dwells in us and He guides us to remember all the teachings and the words of Jesus, so that there is an intimate life connection between us and God.

“Maintaining an intimate relationship with the Lord” includes also connecting the communities of believers with love, for the communities of believers are the Body of Christ.

Therefore, let us not quench the Holy Spirit, but to seek to be filled by Him, and to rely on His power to pray unceasingly, to reflect upon the Word of God, to keep His truth and to serve God and people in the Church.  This is the life that “abides in the Lord”.

The Life Characteristics of “Remaining in the Lord”

We can see from verses 1-10 that the life that “remains in the Lord” will bear fruit. The life that bears fruits is also a life that is cleansed by God, and gives glory to God. It is a life that loves God and loves people.

1.      Cleansed by God

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” (vv1-3）

“You are already clean……” reminds me of a previous record of the Lord Jesus washing the feet of His disciples, and He said, “And you are clean, though not every one of you. “

The one unclean among the disciples was Judas Iscariot (John 13:10-11.)

Though Judas was one of the twelve disciples, his heart was away from God, and he eventually decided to betray Jesus. Even though Judas had been so often hearing the sermons preached by the Lord Jesus, yet he did not receive it genuinely. Neither did he obey nor did he believe, and he eventually ended his life miserably.

A true disciple who remains in the Lord is someone who believes and is willing to obey the Word of God. The Word of God compels us to forsake evil and to accept the life that is given by the Lord Jesus. God also prunes our lives to make them clean with His Word so that we can grow to be more and more like Christ.

When we remain in the Lord and the Word of the Lord remains in us, and we are willing to obey His Word and we allow Him to change our lives, our lives will be cleansed and we shall experience growth.

2.      Glorify the Father

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” （vv. 7-8）

This is a precious promise and it was special and extremely valuable to the disciples at that time. Their Lord Jesus was to leave them and He had clearly told them that they would be hated and persecuted by the world! Nevertheless, the Lord commanded them to remain in Him!

As such, the Word of the Lord also remained in them and they would remember His promise of peace and victory in the midst of their tribulations (John 14:31,16:33). They would then be able to seek God’s help in accordance to His promises.

The Bible has recorded many of God’s promises and may we remember them all and keep them in our hearts. The Lord is merciful and He is faithful. We can ask God for help as His grace is sufficient for us to handle all situations.

When we ask in accordance to His promises in whatever circumstances or needs, we are in, He will meet our needs, and He will enable us to be filled with peace, joy and patience, etc., and to bear the fruit of the Spirit in any circumstance.

It is a life that glorifies God, for when we bear the fruit of the Spirit and we reflect the glorious image of Him, others will see it in our lives and they will recognize us as disciples of Christ and they will give all glory and praises to Him.

3.      Love God and Love People

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” (vv. 9-10)

The Lord Jesus loves God and submits to all of God’s will. We who are His disciples should also learn from Him to be obedient to God and to keep His command to love others and to abide in His love.

“Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” （1 John 3:16）

Christ loves us with sacrificial love. He commanded us, that, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

Therefore, we have to love our brothers and sisters with such sacrificial love.

Although not every believer will experience the laying down of his/her life for his/her brother and sister, all of us will surely meet someone who is in need, and we need to love them sacrificially. E.g., lending out our support by giving out our money, energy or time, etc.

This kind of sacrificial love has to be translated into action (1 John 3:17-18).

Abiding in the Lord and remaining in the Word of God helps us know that loving God and loving people is the example and command given to us by the Lord. We abide in God’s love when we keep His commands.

Conclusion

Ask the Lord to pour on us His Spirit, and to guide us to take root in His living words, to remain in Him, and to allow His word to purify us and help us to go on with our lives, that we will dwell in the love of God and imitate Him to love God and people.

May we be branches that bear much fruit so that God the Father shall receive all the glory.

God Created Man in His Image

Genesis 1:26-30

God created man in His own image

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (v.26)

So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (v.27)

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (v.28)

“Man is created in God’s image.” What does it mean? What are the significances?

Man is Different from Other Creatures

God resolves to make man in His own image and likeness, and man is to be different from other creatures.

“Image” can refer to character, human’s nature (inclusive of physical body and soul) or morality, as well as spiritual quality possessed both by God and man, i.e., an ability for him to discern right from wrong, and to make moral choices.

Man, also has an acute awareness of God. Man is able to be God’s representative on earth. Man knows himself to a certain level.

However, “image” does not refer to man’s likeness with God in terms of looks or body figure, for God is Spirit.

The word “man” in verse 27 is a collective term which refers to “human beings”. Verse 28 mentions that God blesses man with an ability to multiply and increase in number, and it is a command given to our ancestors like Adam and Noah (Gen 9:1), etc.

Though the command is addressed to all human beings, it does not mean that God demands all men and women to procreate themselves. We cannot claim that God commands all men to be fruitful and multiply based on this text.

It will be untrue equally to say that married couples are not supposed to reproduce. This verse has been misused with a kind intention.

Procreation is considered a cultural mandate rather than a personal mission to the majority of us. It will be very cruel to impose this cultural value on those couples who are not able to reproduce naturally.

On the other hand, we have to understand that, our ancestors, Adam and Eve, were not fallen at the time when God commanded them to reproduce.

Procreation built upon the foundation of marriage between a man and a woman is God’s way of reproduction. Therefore, sexual behaviours within the scope of marriage is considered good and it is the intention of God for us to do so.

Man has Ownership over the World

God endowed man with right and responsibility to enjoy the earth He had created. Man is solely reserved to be used by God as His representative, and he is endowed with God’s authority to rule over birds of the air, fish of the sea, and livestock and all creatures moving on the ground.

He represents God and is responsible to rule, manage and oversee all of God’s creation that has been entrusted to him (v. 26).

We humankind are to submit to God’s authority and His will in our lives. We should recognize God as the Creator, and the reality that we are made in His own image.

However, from Genesis chapter 3 we learnt that man failed God in his assignment. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Sin had entered the world. Man’s image which was made in accordance to God’s image, was broken and destroyed in the wake of his fall and his rebellion against the Creator. And he was driven out from the Garden of Eden.

Man has sinned. However, God so loves the world that He gives His One and Only Son Jesus Christ to be our Saviour (John 3:16-17).

Changed into the Image of Christ Gradually

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, and He was with the Father before the creation of universe. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (1 Col 1:15-20)

Though Jesus Christ is the invisible image of God, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)

Jesus Christ became the last Adam. When we believe Jesus and receive Him into our lives, we are dead like the first Adam (the old). The old Adam is sinful and fallen with a marred image in him. We are clothed with the new image of Christ. This is the last Adam (the new), and we have become the new creation.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

To New Testament believers this day, “created in the image of God” also means that believers are inspired by the Holy Spirit to live their lives in accordance to the Word of God, and they are transformed eventually into the image of Christ. This is the most important aspect.

The formation of our spirituality and the process of sanctification largely depend on the Holy Spirit who indwells in us. He transforms us each day and makes us to be more and more like Christ. When we submit to Him, we have the new life in Christ as an exchange for us.

We should also refer to Revelation 21-22 as we read Genesis 1-3. We shall become a perfect new creation in the New Heaven and New Earth!

We might have struggles now and we hope someday, all evils shall be destroyed and all goodness shall prevail and last.

The Application to Christian Living

First, we have to see others with a new perspective since we are created in the image of God.

The image of God in man has been distorted when sin got into this world. But Jesus Christ has the power to restore the most broken life on earth, and to change him into the image of Christ Himself.

The Lord Jesus invites all men to come to Him. He is able to give us hope, grace and forgiveness.

Second, our understanding of the concept of “created in the image of God” teaches us how to relate with others. No matter how impaired their original image (the first Adam) is, they are after all created in the image of God.

Who have captured your attention in this world? Are they the strong, the brilliant, the rich, the capable, the educated, the tall, the beautiful, the handsome ones?

We are attracted by those who are almost perfect in our eyes. For example, those world class athletes who have won their world games. But many of them were disclosed to have taken drugs during their competitions, and they had won their championship by violating the rules and through deception.

However, when we watch the Special Olympics, we see many young athletes coming from all over the world. They overcome their physical and mental disabilities and compete in a fair manner with their dignity and moral courage.

They are created in the image of God with fullness of their dignity in the eyes of God. We should receive others with this attitude.

Let me share with you the story of Annie Siow Lee Khoon, “Turning the Other Cheek”.

She came from a broken family in Malaysia. She was uneducated and she met someone who turned out to be her nightmare.

In 1989, she was disfigured by her admirer who failed to win her heart. Her right eye turned blind. She suffered severe pains during her treatment period and she almost wanted to give up her life. A nurse in the hospital shared with her about Jesus Christ and she was saved since then.

Her life story was made into a film called “Life Can Be Good”, and was further written and published into a book, “An Uncommon Beauty”. She has travelled to Singapore, Taiwan, USA and Canada to share her story.

She joined a welfare organization known as Concern and Care Society as a volunteer ten years ago, and helped take care of the elderly as well as conduct seminars.

She said, “I love my Job. My life is not useless. I can help others with my experience.”

Are we able to see “Image Dei” (“created in the image of God”) in the lives of those I mentioned above?

We should look at their pains and tears, their struggles in lives, their imperfection with the eyes of Jesus, and to have compassion in our hearts. May our understanding of what “man is created in the image of God” compels us to have a deep empathy towards others, especially non-believers.

Some people around us have various kinds of emotional, mental, social, physical and spiritual defects. We hope that someday we can lead them to know the Lord with love and compassion. We need to be ambassadors for the Lord and to practice the teaching of loving our neighbours.

Third, Christians should understand that the phrase “created in the image of God” refers to us, who are God’s representatives on earth, vessels solely and wholly used by Him, and His stewards.

We need to be good stewards, to maximise our time and resources and to use them for the salvation plan of God in our churches, communities, nation and the world.

In his book, “10 Life Principles”, Peter Drucker, a famous management consultant lists out his first principle as “Knowing who you are”.

Do you know who you are? Who are you living for? How are you living your life?

I know who I am. I am the most beloved child of Christ. I am created in God’s image, and I am pardoned by Christ’s redemption, and I am set apart to do the work of God. Since we have the “image of God”, there is a need for us to examine our priorities and all kinds of pursuits that we have in our lives.

May God touch your heart greatly today, to ponder about the way to manage your life, and to work for God, so that you will lead a fruitful life.

神与我们同在

马太福音一18-25

耶稣基督的降生

圣诞节是纪念圣子耶稣基督诞生的节日。耶稣第一次降临世间所蕴含的意义重大深远，值得我们深思。宇宙的创造主与主宰竟然成为人，实实在在地生活在他所创造的人中间，这是多么不可思议的好消息—福音！

然而，在世人欢庆圣诞节日期间，世界不同的地方却有不少人倍感孤单寂寞，甚至觉得生无眷恋而自寻短见。活着对他们来说只是悲伤与痛苦，毫无意义。他们不知道，也没有经历过“神与人同在”之奥秘与喜乐！

“神与人同在” 或 “神住在人的中间” 是一个重要的主题，贯穿《圣经》的旧约和新约。

创世记一27说，神就照着自己的形像造人，乃是照着他的形像造男造女。神创造的原意是要与人同在，以 “爱” 与人联系。

神亲临伊甸园与亚当、夏娃团契。神还赐福给人，叫他们生养众多，遍满全地。神又授权他们管理地的活物，海里的鱼，以及空中的飞鸟。神是宇宙的王或主宰，而人类就是受造世界的摄政王。人若顺服神，听命于他，活在神的同在里就一定蒙福。

神给了始祖地上一切的菜蔬和树上的果子做食物，只是他们不可以吃园中的一棵树—分别善恶树的果子，因为吃了的日子就必定死！

园中一条蛇很狡猾，他引诱夏娃背叛神。他说上帝不允许人吃禁果是因为不要他们吃了之后，就好像上帝那样什么都知道。夏娃听了魔鬼古蛇的话，开始怀疑上帝的好意。她看见果子悦人眼目，就摘了下来吃，又递给亚当吃了。

亚当和夏娃吃了禁果之后，顿时眼睛明亮。他们知道自己是赤身露体就感到羞耻，躲藏起来。他们并没有从此什么都知道。他们被魔鬼欺骗了。

亚当和夏娃不听从神的话，吃了禁果，错在哪里？

他们错在要自己扮演神。他们要自我立法，自己要决定善与恶，好与坏。他们喜欢做王去管理大地，却是不肯顺服在神的王权下。他们抗拒神的掌权，他们自己要做神，这就是罪的基本观念。

从此罪进入了世界，人类靠着自己只能把这世界推进一个毁坏的深渊。人类历史至今，世界充满杀戮、妒嫉、傲慢、谎言与偏见、仇恨、贪婪、天灾人祸、破坏大自然。人心想的，受所做的尽是恶念。

创世记三8描述 ：『耶和华神在园中行走。那人和他妻子听见神的声音，就藏在园里的树木中，躲避耶和华神的面。』

人躲藏起来，不敢见神因为他们背叛了神，惭愧，惧怕见神的面。神与人的密切关系断裂了！神审判亚当和夏娃的罪，将他们赶出伊甸园。他们没有立刻死，但是属灵意义上，已经死了。

亚当与夏娃离开了伊甸园，活在罪恶蔓延的世界中。他们的儿子该隐因为妒嫉弟弟亚伯的献祭蒙神悦纳就谋杀了他。神虽然惩罚犯过错的人，但神没有放弃或离开人，即使是杀害弟弟亚伯的该隐，神仍向他显现并与他同在，给他恩典。

亚当和夏娃接着生了塞特，代替死了的亚伯。神从塞特的后裔，保守一条敬畏神的血脉。他们就是《圣经》所记载，不少与神同行或同在的人物，例如：以诺与神同行(创5:22,24);挪亚与神同行(创6:9)；神应许亚伯拉罕并且一直与他同行(参创12章 至25章)。

神特别拣选亚伯拉罕，与他立约。神与应许亚伯拉罕得很多后裔，也会得土地，建立国家。神要与他们同在，祝福他们。万国必因亚伯拉罕和他的后裔得福。这是神的救恩计划。

他要从他建立一个家族，一个国家，一群圣洁的子民。神要救赎他们重新回到神的同在里蒙福。

亚伯拉罕之后，神应许与以撒同在(创26:3,24)；神与雅各同在(创28:15;参31章)；神与约瑟同在 (参创39章)。

当以色列(雅各)将离世时，神与他同在的经历使他信心满满地向约瑟保证“神必与你们同在”(创48:21)。

雅各又名以色列。雅各生了十二个儿子，日后成为以色列的十二支派。以色列人在埃及人口增大到几百万。他们在埃及为奴四百年，为埃及人做苦工，建造大型的建筑物。

神就向摩西显现，呼召他带领以色列人出埃及，进入应许之地建立国家，做属神的子民。同样的，神对摩西说：“我必与你同在。”(出3:12)神也应许摩西的接班人—约书亚，说：“我怎样与摩西同在，也必照样与你同在。”(书1:5)

神引领以色列人出埃及后，停留在西奈山一年。神与以色列人立约，并且颁布律法给以色列人遵守。耶和华神要成为以色列人的神，以色列人显得懂得如何活出圣民—神的子民的身份。

神吩咐摩西建会幕，把以色列十二个支派的帐棚围着会幕而设，表明神居住在以色列人的中间，与他们同在、同行。神住在子民中间，而子民顺服他的律例典章就必然蒙福，免于天灾人祸或敌人的侵略。

以色列人在旷野漂流了四十年，摩西离世了，约书亚负责带领以色列人进入迦南地。又过了四百年的士师掌权，以色列终于正式立国，扫罗是第一人王。扫罗不顺服神被神遗弃了。大卫王接任，然后他的儿子所罗门接任。所罗门根据会幕的基本结构，为神造了美奂美仑的圣殿。

然而，神与人同在的意愿却不是人的意愿！以色列的王国历史记载了神与他们同在，以及神对他们的慈爱与容忍，然而以色列人却一而再，再而三地背叛与神所立的约，选择离弃神。

即便如此，神也没有遗弃人，祂不断地差派先知呼唤他们回转，但他们无动于衷导致以色列人最终被亚述和巴比伦侵略而亡国与成为俘虏，落入悲惨与凄凉的境地。

然而神是信实的神，他与亚伯拉罕有约，应许赐给他的后裔土地和祝福他们。神也应许大卫的后裔永远坐在王位上。神不遗弃他的子民，也不放弃他们！

以色列人在波斯打败巴比伦之后，从巴比伦归回耶路撒冷重建城墙和圣殿。但是他们当时只是臣服于波斯帝国的一个省。耶路撒冷和圣殿也不复之前的宏大美观。当时子民的信仰生活也是受到先知的不断鞭策。

讲到底，子民的软弱还是陷入罪，无法认真顺服神，遵守神的律法。先知们发预言说，神将会差派一为救赎主—弥赛亚君王来复兴以色列。他是大卫的后裔做在王位上。他也是神子的身份，拥有荣耀和尊贵的身份。他更是一位受伤的仆人，代替子民接受罪的刑罚而被压伤。

旧约结束了，又四百年过后，时候终于到了。新约福音书作者宣告弥赛亚基督降临了！他是耶稣—亚伯拉罕的后裔、犹大以及大卫的子孙。

新约中引用旧约预言最多的就是以赛亚书了。关于救主的降生，救主的受难以及救主的复活，无不在以赛亚书中清楚呈现。而这位救主是谁？以赛亚先知直接指向名为“以马内利”的那一位。

我们把以赛亚书与马太福音的两段经文并列来看一下：

『因此，主自己要给你们一个兆头，必有童女怀孕生子，给他起名叫以马内利〔就是神与我们同在的意思〕。』（以赛亚书7:14）

『有主的使者向他梦中显现，说：“大卫的子孙约瑟，不要怕，只管娶过你的妻子马利亚来。因她所怀的孕是从圣灵来的。她将要生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫耶稣，因他要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来。这一切的事成就是要应验主借先知所说的话，说：必有童女怀孕生子；人要称他的名为以马内利。”』（以马内利翻出来就是“神与我们同在”）（马太福音1:20-23）

神充满万有，无处不在，无所不能，要与人同在，让人能亲眼看见、亲手摸到、亲自感知神的存在，最直接的方式就是神成为人的样式，住在人类当中，与人类生活在一起。

约翰福音一开卷就以气势磅礡宣告耶稣基督是永恒的圣子。他成了肉身住在人中间。『太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。这道太初与神同在。』（约翰福音1:1-2）

道成了肉身住在我们中间，充充满满的有恩典有真理。我们也见过他的荣光，正是父独生子的荣光。（约翰福音1:14）

使徒约翰以见证人的身分表示，他见过耶稣基督，见过耶稣基督的荣光，聆听过耶稣基督的教训，跟随过耶稣基督的脚踪。约翰非常明白，耶稣基督是上帝的独生子。

神的儿子经由圣灵在童贞女马利亚身上感孕，成为肉身，取了与人类相同的形象，出现在人类历史的某个时空。为要成就一个伟大的救赎，就是要将人类从罪恶中拯救出来。所以，耶稣基督降生了，耶稣基督传道了，耶稣基督受死了，更重要的是，耶稣基督复活了！

圣诞节纪念耶稣的诞生再次提醒我们——神的意愿是要与祂所创造的人同在！神的意愿没有改变，祂乐意与敬畏祂的人同在，从创世至今仍然不变！

在耶稣基督的时代，人们亲自历经了祂的真实与同在，亲自享受祂的恩典与真理。不仅如此，神与人同在的事实，今天仍然发生着，每一个基督徒都能体会到，耶稣基督复活升天之后，圣灵继续以不可见但可感知的方式与信徒们同在，这同样是一个历史史实。

有如马利亚受孕是从圣灵来的，我们接受耶稣的救恩，成为基督的门徒也必须从圣灵重生(参约3 章)。耶稣差圣灵内住在我们里面(约14:16-17) 。新约多处记载圣灵在使徒与门徒的生命里见证了神与他们的同在。

保罗在书信中教导：“如果神的灵住在你们心里，你们就不属肉体，乃属圣灵了。人若没有基督的灵，就不是属基督的。”(罗8:9)

所以，属基督的门徒必然有神的灵，即圣灵住在心里。透过圣灵的内住，耶稣就与我们同在，直到世界的末了。耶稣临升天之前，对在场的门徒说：『所以，你们要去，使万民作我的门徒，奉父子圣灵的名，给他们施洗。凡我所吩咐你们的，都教训他们遵守，我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了。』（马太福音28:19-20）

既然如此，我们要敏锐内住在我们里面的圣灵，因是“圣灵将神的爱浇灌在我们心里。”(罗5:5)

所以，属基督肢体的我们要“竭力保守圣灵所赐合而为一的心”(弗4:3)，“不要消灭圣灵的感动” (帖前5:19)，也“不要叫神的圣灵担忧”(弗 4:30)，凡事都要“靠圣灵行事”(加5:25)。

愿我们的意愿如同神的意愿，都能成为耶稣基督的门徒，就获得圣灵住在我们里面。通过内住在我们里面的圣灵，我们与神同在、同行！

在圣诞与新年佳节期间，愿我们“靠着圣灵，随时多方祷告祈求……，为众圣徒祈求……，使我们得着口才，能以放胆开口讲明福音的奥秘”(弗6:18-19)，向世人见证神的真实与属性，邀请他们来一同经历“神与我们同在”的喜乐！