“若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人。旧事已过，都变成新的了。…现在正是拯救的日子。” - 林后 5:17-6:2
一家基督教杂志邀请读者用最多七个词汇来概括福音。不少人发来了很多好的答案，这是我记得的一个：“我是神定义的人”(We are who God says we are)。
我喜欢这句话，因为它表明我不是被社会或文化类别所定义的——例如教育、年龄、财务、性别、政治观点、身体形象、脸书喜好、忙碌程度，甚至是我在某一天的自我感觉如何，这对我们每个人都是如此。这意味着我们不是以“别人说我们是什么”而被定义的，甚至不是按着我们可能选择的类别来定义的。相反，我们是被神—我们的创造主和让耶稣从死里复活的天父—所定义的。
作为基督的信徒，我们属于新造的人。我们都是蒙爱的、罪得赦免的、受祝福的神的儿女。我们已经与神和好，神呼召我们与他人分享这一信息。神呼召我们像大使一样，他们在外国生活时代表了自己的国家。我们被呼召代表神所新造的人，与神同工，将祂的爱带给这个世界。
我们是神所定义的人。因着基督的复活，开启了新的创造，凡相信祂的人都是新造的人。靠着神的能力，我们可以与每个人分享这个厚赐生命的信息，说：“现在正是悦纳的时候，现在正是拯救的日子。”
祷告
主啊，感谢你使我们在基督里成为新造的人。求你帮助我们为耶稣的缘故去分享这个好消息。阿们。
哥林多后书 5:16-6:2
16所以，我们从今以后，不凭着外貌认人了。虽然凭着外貌认过基督，如今却不再这样认他了。
17若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了。
18一切都是出于神，他藉着基督使我们与他和好，又将劝人与他和好的职分赐给我们。
19这就是神在基督里叫世人与自己和好，不将他们的过犯归到他们身上，并且将这和好的道理托付了我们。
20所以，我们做基督的使者，就好像神藉我们劝你们一般，我们替基督求你们与神和好。
21神使那无罪的替我们成为罪，好叫我们在他里面成为神的义。
1我们与神同工的，也劝你们不可徒受他的恩典。
2因为他说：“在悦纳的时候，我应允了你；在拯救的日子，我搭救了你。”看哪，现在正是悦纳的时候！现在正是拯救的日子！
You Are Who God Says You Are
“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! . . . Now is the day of salvation.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17-6:2
A Christian magazine invited readers to summarize the gospel in seven words or less. People sent in lots of good suggestions, and here is one I remember: “We are who God says we are.”
I like that because it means I am not defined by social or cultural categories—such as education, age, finances, sexual identity, political view, body image, Facebook likes, busyness, or even how I feel about myself on a given day. This is true for each one of us. It means we are not defined in terms of what others say we are—or even first of all by categories that we might choose. Instead, we are who God—our Creator and Father who raised Jesus from the dead—says we are.
As believers in Christ, we are part of a new creation. We are all beloved, forgiven, and blessed children of God. We are reconciled to God, who calls us to share this message with others. God calls us to be like ambassadors, who represent their nation as they live in another nation. We are called to represent God’s new creation as we work with God to bring his love into this world.
We are who God says we are. Since Christ has risen, a new creation has come, and all who believe in him are a part of it. And in God’s strength we can share this life-giving news with everyone, saying, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
Prayer
Lord, thank you for making us a new creation in Christ. Help us to share this good news for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
