Living a Life of Looking Up

Today, continuing from the previous message, I will talk about life inside the ark.
Genesis chapter 6 says that the ark was three hundred cubits long. One cubit is about 45 centimeters. The ark was fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high—about fifteen meters tall. God told Noah to make an opening for light high up near the top of the ark, one cubit below the roof. Unlike other boats, the ark had a roof, and the window was to be made just beneath it.

Because the light could enter only from this upper window, anyone inside the dark ark had to look up to see the light. The same was true in the tabernacle. When the high priest entered the Most Holy Place, if he looked down, he could only see sand and feel discouraged; but if he looked up, he would see the embroidered cherubim. Seeing that these angels were guarding and protecting him gave him strength and courage.

Life in the ark was a life of looking up. In the life of faith, what we look toward has a profound impact on us.
Let us think for a moment: what happens if we look at ourselves—our own weaknesses and shortcomings? At any time, when we look inside ourselves, we can see only ugliness, filth, and weakness. So if we look to ourselves, we naturally try to “do more,” “try harder.” But when things do not turn out as we imagine, we end up living in discouragement and despair.

But what happens when we look to Jesus?
Jesus is holy, precious, righteous, perfect, and powerful. Therefore, when we look to Jesus and believe in Him, we can live within righteousness, holiness, and perfection. In contrast, when we look to ourselves and rely on our own goodness or righteousness, we end up dwelling in ugliness, filth, and sin.

Imagine I have a spotless, clean house and another house that is filthy and broken.
If I go into the clean house—even if I am dirty myself—I will naturally wash and live cleanly.
But if I live in the filthy house, washing becomes meaningless. I simply continue living in dirt and ugliness.

Living a holy life does not depend on how hard we try to be good. When we enter the house of the holy Lord—when we look up to Him—holiness naturally follows. Because the Lord who lives in us is holy, our filthy way of life becomes incompatible with Him. And when we live in Him, without realizing it, our lives become holy and whole.
But those who live in a filthy house—because the house itself is dirty—cannot live a clean life no matter how much they want to. So it is crucial whether we look to the holy, righteous, pure Jesus who lives in us, or look to our own weakness, ugliness, and shortcomings.

None of us is perfect. If someone’s deeds appear holy or upright, it is only on the outside—not within. No one can sanctify or justify themselves. We are made righteous and holy because we have received the righteousness of Jesus Christ. If someone says, “I am righteous and holy,” it merely means “I am clothed with Jesus’ righteousness and holiness.”

The reason the ark’s window was placed high up was that the inside was dark; only by looking upward could light be seen. Likewise, even though we are deeply ugly, weak, and lacking, as long as we look to Jesus, who makes us perfect, we can live a righteous life. Although we remain weak and continue to fall into sin, it is impossible for us to become holy by our own deeds. Those who try to elevate their own actions to the level of perfection, holiness, or righteousness—and try to be justified by that—are those who have not realized their need to rely on Jesus Christ.

Because our nature is weak, lacking, and filthy, if we try to become perfect through our deeds, we repeatedly fail and fall. Therefore, we must set aside our ugly deeds and turn our hearts toward righteousness and holiness. When our faith shifts toward righteousness and holiness, it is as if our filthy selves have entered a clean house—we naturally change. Though our actions remain imperfect, through the faith that Jesus has made us perfect and holy, and by looking upward, we reach the place of completeness.

When we stand by faith, Jesus who lives in us changes us. He leads us away from sin, away from alcohol and tobacco, away from immorality, and into a holy life.

Today, if anyone is suffering because of alcohol, immorality, or other sins, do not struggle to escape or stop sinning. With the faith that Jesus has washed your sins whiter than snow, let your heart stand first in His holiness. Then, without realizing it, your life will gradually become holy.

We do not live a holy life by forcing our behavior into a holy state. Even though our flesh is ugly, dirty, and evil, when our hearts stand in holiness through faith in Jesus’ blood, that faith naturally leads our lives into holiness and completeness. Because people do not understand this mystery, they try to become holy through effort; and when they fail, they end up becoming hypocrites.

The reason the ark’s window was placed near the roof was so that people would live a life of looking up. After entering the ark of salvation—Jesus—we must no longer look at our weak and ugly selves, but look to Jesus who has made us complete. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Hebrews 3:1 says, “Consider Jesus.”
When we look at ourselves, we live in daily discouragement. But when we look to Jesus, who has made us complete, our hearts fill with joy and thanksgiving, and our lives become entirely different.

I have seen ugly and broken people, even criminals in prison, who received the Word I preached, and through faith entered into Jesus. Though it was difficult for them to break free from sinful habits, once their hearts became holy through faith in Jesus, their lives changed. Just as darkness disappears when light enters, evil and ugliness vanished from their lives, and holiness entered. Many who had committed murder or serious crimes were changed and even became preachers who lived to spread the gospel.

Are you suffering because of sinful habits?
Are you troubled because you cannot overcome sin, or issues with the opposite sex, or alcohol?
Trying to quit by effort only brings exhaustion and pain. Set these struggles aside for now. Let your heart first dwell in righteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ.

When your heart remains in the place of “I am righteous, I am holy, I am made complete by the blood of Jesus,” then without realizing it, the ugly and filthy life will gradually leave you. Without realizing it, you will begin living a holy and genuine life. Many people will come to know Jesus Christ through you. Many spiritual forebears who lived holy lives did not achieve holiness through extraordinary effort. Rather, because they believed, their hearts became holy—and without realizing it, their lives became complete.

Today, I hope you also look to Jesus.
When you look to the holy Jesus, you will naturally become like Him. Your heart will dwell in His holiness. When you remember and consider the holiness of Jesus, sin cannot lure your heart. When your heart is filled with Jesus, it will not fall into sin.

You do not need to struggle to defeat sin.
May Jesus dwell in your heart so that you live a life in which you “overcome sin by looking to Jesus and by Jesus revealing Himself within your heart.”

过仰望的生活

 

今天也接着上一讲，继续讲一下方舟内的生活。

《创世记》6章中说，方舟长三百肘。一肘大约是45厘米。方舟宽50肘，高30肘。30肘大约是高15米。神让挪亚把窗开在上边，要高一肘。方舟与其他船不同，是有屋顶的船，神让把窗开在距离屋顶一肘的地方。

因为光要从方舟上有窗的地方照进来，所以在黑暗的方舟里，要想看到光，就得仰望。同样，在会幕中，人们也需要仰望。当祭司长进入到会幕中的至圣所时，若看下面，就只能看到沙子，只能失望；若看上面，就能看到绣着的基路伯（天使），当看到这些天使在看守、保护自己时，就能得到力量和勇气。

 

方舟里的生活就是仰望的生活。在相信耶稣的信仰生活中，我们所仰望的东西会给我们带来极大的影响。让我们试想一下，假如我们仰望的是软弱不足的我们自己。不管什么时候，在我们里面都只能看到丑陋、肮脏、软弱，所以若仰望软弱的自己，我们就会想再做点什么，再努力一些。但若没能按我们所设想的成就，我们就只能过灰心、绝望的生活。

但我们若仰望耶稣，会怎么样呢？耶稣集圣洁、宝贵、公义、完全、能力于一体。所以当我们仰望、相信耶稣时，就能居住在公义、圣洁、完全中。相反，当仰望自己，依靠自己的善、自己的义时，就只能居住在丑陋、肮脏、罪恶的心中。

假设我有一栋非常干净整洁的房子，还有一栋非常破旧肮脏的房子。假如我进到干净的房子里生活，就算我身上很脏，我也会不自觉地，自然而然地去洗脚，干干净净地过日子。相反，如果我进到落满灰尘的肮脏的房子里生活，那么因为就算洗了也没用，所以不用洗了，只能就这么肮脏丑陋地生活吧。

我们过圣洁的生活，并不取决于我们多么努力地想要过善良的生活。当我们进到圣洁的主的家，仰望主，向上仰望着生活时，这些自然而然就会成就。因为居住在我们里面的主是圣洁的，那么面对圣洁的耶稣时，丑陋肮脏的我们的生活是不合适的。因此，生活在他的里面时，不知不觉间，我们的生活就会变得圣洁、完全。但是住在丑陋肮脏的房子里的人，因为房子本身就是丑陋肮脏的，所以不管自己再怎么想变得圣洁，也只能跟房子一起过肮脏的生活。因此，我们是仰望着居住在我们里面圣洁、公义、洁净的耶稣，在相信耶稣的信心里生活，还是看着自己的软弱、丑陋、不足，以此为中心生活，这一点非常重要。

我们当中没有一个完全人。如果有人因他的行为被人称赞为“完全、干净、圣洁”，这也只是表像，内里并非如此。没有一个人能自己成圣、成义。我们成义、成圣，是因为接受了耶稣基督的义。如果有人说：“我成义了，圣洁了”，那也只能说明他“披戴了耶稣的义、耶稣的圣洁”。把方舟的窗开在上面的原因是，方舟里昏暗，若向上看，就能够看到光；但若向下看，就只能看到黑暗。尽管我们非常丑陋、软弱、不足，只要仰望使我们完全的耶稣，就能过上成义的生活。可我们仍然是软弱的，只能陷进罪恶中，所以不可能凭借我们自己的行为成为圣洁，过上义的生活。那些想将自己的行为提升到没有瑕疵、圣洁、公义的位置上，并以此成义的人，是没有意识到依赖耶稣基督的必要性的人。

因为我们从本质上就是软弱、不足、肮脏的，所以若想靠行为成为完全，就只能不断失败，只能跌倒。因此，我们需要把我们丑陋、肮脏的行为先放一边，把我们的心引导到公义、圣洁的方向。当我们的信心挪移到成义的方向、圣洁的方向时，就像是肮脏的我们进到干净的家里去生活一样，我们的身体也会出现同样的现象。虽然我们的行为仍然是丑陋、肮脏的，但凭借相信耶稣基督已经使我们完全、圣洁的信心，并向上仰望，我们就能到达完全、圣洁的位置。当我们凭借信心站立时，不知不觉间，居住在我们里面的耶稣就会改变我们，使我们远离罪恶、远离烟酒、远离淫乱的生活，使我们进入到圣洁的生活中。

今天，如果有因为烟酒，因为淫乱的心，因为某些罪恶而感到痛苦、烦恼的人，请不要为从中脱离、不犯罪而挣扎努力。请凭借相信耶稣基督已经把各位的罪洗得像雪一样白了的信心，使各位的心先站立在主的圣洁中。那么不知不觉中，各位的生活就会渐渐变得圣洁。

我们过上圣洁的生活，不是靠把我们的行为引领到圣洁的状态。尽管我们的肉体丑陋、肮脏、邪恶，但凭借相信耶稣为了我们被钉十字架流血的信心，我们的心站在圣洁的位置上，那么不知不觉中，这信心就会把我们的生活引领到圣洁、完全中。因为不知道这样的奥秘，所以人们想靠自己的努力变得圣洁，又因为做不到，最终只能变成伪善者。

 

之所以把方舟的窗户开在临近屋顶的地方，就是为了让人们过仰望的生活。我们进到救恩的方舟——耶稣内，不能再看我们软弱丑陋的样子，而是要仰望使我们完全的耶稣。《希伯来书》12章2节中说：“仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣。”《希伯来书》3章1节中说：“你们应当思想……耶稣。”我们看软弱的自己，就只能天天掉在失望痛苦中；但当我们仰望使我们完全的耶稣时，我们的心就会被喜乐和感谢填满，过上与从前完全不同的生活。

我看到一些丑陋肮脏的人，以及因犯罪进监狱的人，听到我传讲的话语后，凭借信心进到了耶稣里。他们很难摆脱错误的行为或肮脏的习惯，但当他们藉着相信耶稣的信心，内心成为圣洁时，他们的生活改变了。就像光一进来，黑暗就消失了一样，邪恶、丑陋从他们的生活中消失，变成了圣洁的生活。很多因杀人、犯罪进到监狱里的人，都得到了改变，甚至有些人变成了为福音生活、传福音的传道者。

各位是否因为罪恶的习惯而深感痛苦呢？是否因为无法脱离罪，因为异性的问题、酒的问题而痛苦呢？我们若想要努力戒掉这些，就只能痛苦疲惫。要把这些先放一放，希望大家的“心”先藉着耶稣基督的宝血，居住在公义里。

当各位的心停留在“我成义了、圣洁了，藉着耶稣的宝血完全了”的位置时，不知不觉间，丑陋、肮脏的生活就会渐渐远离各位。不知不觉间，各位就已经过上了圣洁、真实的生活了。很多人通过大家就能发现耶稣基督。很多在我们之前过圣洁的信仰生活的前辈，不是因为他们付出了非凡的努力，而是因为他们因信使自己的心成为了圣洁，不知不觉间过上了完全的生活。

 

今天，希望大家也能仰望耶稣。若仰望圣洁的耶稣，不知不觉间，各位就能变得像耶稣一样了。各位的心会居住在耶稣的圣洁中。当各位从心里记念、思想耶稣的圣洁时，罪恶就无法诱惑各位的心。当各位的心被耶稣充满时，各位的心不会陷到罪恶中。

各位不是要努力战胜罪。希望耶稣居住在各位心里，使各位过上“通过仰望耶稣，以及耶稣显现在各位心里，战胜罪恶”的生活。