Instruments for Good 努力行善
Dexu Xia
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. James 4:17
The criminal had been apprehended, and the detective asked the perpetrator why he had brazenly attacked someone with so many witnesses present. The response was startling: “I knew they wouldn’t do anything; people never do.” That comment pictures what is called “guilty knowledge”—choosing to ignore a crime even though you know it is being committed.
The apostle James addressed a similar kind of guilty knowledge, saying, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them” (James 4:17).
Through His great salvation of us, God has designed us to be agents of good in the world. Ephesians 2:10 affirms, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” These good works aren’t the cause of our salvation; rather, they’re the result of our hearts being changed by God’s Holy Spirit taking up residence in our lives. The Spirit even gives us spiritual gifts to equip us to accomplish those things for which God has recreated us (see 1 Corinthians 12:1-11).
As God’s workmanship, let’s yield to His purposes and the empowering of His Spirit so that we can be His instruments for good in a world that desperately needs Him. By: Bill Crowder
Review 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and read about the spiritual gifts. What gifts has the Spirit given you? How can you exercise them?
Loving God, thank You for the salvation You’ve provided as a free gift of grace. Please give me the courage and wisdom to know how best to serve You and others.
人若知道行善，却不去行，这就是他的罪了。—雅各书4章17节
一名当街行凶的罪犯被逮捕了，刑警质问他为何敢在众目睽睽之下公然袭击他人。这名罪犯的回答令人惊骇：“因为我知道这些人不会采取任何行动，人们一向都是袖手旁观。”这番话清楚描绘出人心的冷漠，明知有罪案发生，却选择视而不见，这种知情不报的情况也可视为罪行。
使徒雅各谈到另一种类似的罪：“人若知道行善，却不去行，这就是他的罪了。”（雅各书4章17节）
上帝藉着祂对我们的伟大救赎，要我们在这个世界上成为努力行善的人。以弗所书2章10节明确指出：“我们原是上帝所作成的，是在基督耶稣里创造的，为的是要我们行各样的善事，就是上帝预先所安排的”（新译本）。行善并不是我们得救的原因，而是我们得救的结果。因为上帝的圣灵住在我们的生命中，使我们的心得以改变而乐意行善。圣灵还赐给我们属灵的恩赐，装备你我以祂所赐的新生命去完成祂所赋予的使命（参阅哥林多前书12章1-11节）。
既然你我都是上帝的杰作，愿我们能顺服祂的旨意，并靠着圣灵所赐的能力，在这个迫切需要上帝的世界里，行各样的善事。
作者： 柯贝尔
阅读哥林多前书12章1-11节
有关属灵恩赐的经文。
圣灵给了你哪些恩赐？你会如何加以运用呢？
愿我们都能使用所领受的恩赐来荣耀上帝，彼此服事!
慈爱的上帝，感谢祢白白赐予我救恩。
求祢赐我勇气和智慧，知道如何更好地服事祢和他人