Deeper Love vs 爱之深

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Dexu Xia

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Feb 7, 2019, 3:37:13 AM2/7/19

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Deeper Love

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

When they first met, Edwin Stanton snubbed US president Abraham Lincoln personally and professionally—even referring to him as a “long-armed creature.” But Lincoln appreciated Stanton’s abilities and chose to forgive him, eventually appointing Stanton to a vital cabinet position during the Civil War. Stanton later grew to love Lincoln as a friend. It was Stanton who sat by Lincoln’s bed throughout the night after the president was shot at Ford’s Theater and whispered through tears on his passing, “Now he belongs to the ages.”

Reconciliation is a beautiful thing. The apostle Peter pointed followers of Jesus there when he wrote, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Peter’s words cause me to wonder if he was thinking of his own denial of Jesus (Luke 22:54–62) and the forgiveness Jesus offered him (and us) through the cross.

The deep love Jesus demonstrated through His death on the cross frees us from the debt for our sins and opens the way for our reconciliation with God (Colossians 1:19–20). His forgiveness empowers us to forgive others as we realize we can’t forgive in our own strength and ask Him to help us. When we love others because our Savior loves them and forgive because He has forgiven us, God gives us strength to let go of the past and walk forward with Him into beautiful new places of grace.

爱之深

惟有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，上帝的爱就在此向我们显明了。-罗马书5章8节

当爱德温·史坦顿（Edwin Stanton）首次和美国总统亚伯拉罕·林肯见面时，便奚落林肯的外貌与他的能力，甚至嘲讽他是“长臂怪物”。但是林肯却欣赏史坦顿的才干，选择宽恕他，甚至在南北战争期间，指派他担任重要的内阁职务。史坦顿后来成为林肯的好友，敬重爱戴他。林肯于福特剧院遇刺那晚，史坦顿彻夜守在病床边，在林肯过世时含泪轻语：“现在他已名留青史了。”

和好实在是一件美好的事。使徒彼得在写给耶稣跟随者的信中指出：“最要紧的是彼此切实相爱，因为爱能遮掩许多的罪”（彼得前书4章8节）。我猜想，彼得写这段话时，是否正想到自己三次不认耶稣（路加福音22章54-62节），以及耶稣藉着被钉十字架饶恕了他（与我们）。

耶稣死在十字架上所显现那深厚的爱，救我们脱离自己的罪债，开启我们与上帝和好的途径（歌罗西书1章19-20节）。祂的饶恕使我们有能力饶恕别人，因我们知道不能靠自身的力量去饶恕人，只能寻求祂的帮助。倘若我们能因救主爱世人而去爱其他人，因蒙救主饶恕而去宽恕他人，上帝就赐给我们力量，使我们能放下过去，与祂一同迈步向前，进入那崭新美好的恩典之地。