Only by Grace 唯靠恩典
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Author: Deacon Nicholas Ng
Many of you may not have known me since I officially became a church member in Jun 2011. I think it is apt that I share with you my first encounter with Christ.
I grew up in a Christian family and going to church (Glory Presbyterian Church) and attending Sunday school was a familiar routine to me. I grew up thinking that I am a “good” Christian abiding in the rules and tradition. I thought I was doing pretty okay including attending my church baptism class before I embarked on my tertiary education.
Fast forward a year, I was at University fellowship church camp with the theme “Saved by Grace” with main speaker was Rev Chris Chua from Chinese Christian Church Milsons Point, Sydney. It was during one of Rev Chris’ sermons from Ephesians 2 that I truly understood being saved by God’s Grace and Mercy and not something not even a little about my own achievement and that evening upon hearing God’s word was as if he spoke direct to my heart and His Spirit touched my entire being that I was moved to tears on the reality of the truth. It was a moment of spiritual awakening and maturity when time stood frozen as I begin to understand fully what Christ has accomplished on the cross and indeed I was a sinner saved only by grace; I felt truly humbled from that moment that God would reached out to one so lowly like me and whose works are nothing but filthy rags and rescued me from the miry depths and the realm of darkness that engulfs into His new kingdom of light where he promised us no suffering but only eternal joy. [All at once, Sunday school lessons taught to me since young (planted by loving brothers and sisters in Christ) seems to make perfect sense and it was an experience of pure joy and gratitude and that of knowing and fearing our Lord and Savior who loves and rescued a sinner like me.]
So what does this mean for someone who has been saved by grace and not by works? It means our salvation is fully anchored on the cross and it means we have hope not in the things of this world (that are perishing) but of the new heaven and earth that God will usher in when Christ returns. It means even in times of hardship, suffering and even the recent COVID-19 pandemic we are not to waver in our faith but to stand firm. More than that, we are to be the salt and light in our community and bring them to know Christ by spreading the gospel to them.
“你们得救是靠着恩典，借着信心。这不是出于自己，而是神所赐的；这也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸.”
文:吴国樑执事
翻译:许燕杰传道
由于我是2011年六月才开始成为中国布道会的会友，所以可能你们不太认识我。我想我今天可以跟大家分享我认识主的经历，让大家认识我多一些。
我是在一个基督徒的家庭中长大，礼拜天去教会（荣耀堂长老会） 和上主日学都已成了习惯。我觉得只要我跟着“规矩”生活，按着“传统”行事就是一个“好”的基督徒了。我认为我出国读大学之前就决定上洗礼班是一个引以为傲的事。
一年过后，我参加了大学校园团契主办的营会，主题是“被恩典救赎”。营会的主题讲员是澳大利亚，悉尼一间华人教会的 Chris Chua 牧师。当时，牧师从以弗所书第二章中分享，我才知道原来被神的恩典和怜悯救赎都完全不是我的功劳。那天晚上听了神的话语之后，上帝似乎在直接跟我说话一样。圣灵大大地感动了我，使我当下因为所领受的真理而流泪。那次的经历是我属灵的觉醒也是我迈向灵命成熟的转捩点。我真正明白了耶稣基督在十字架上为我完成之大工的浩大，而我只不过是一个蒙恩的罪人。我完全谦卑和降伏于神了。神竟然愿意向一个身份如此卑微的我、一个行事就如肮脏的布一样污秽的我伸出祂爱的手。祂将我从泥巴的深处和黑暗的权势中救拔出来，进入祂应许的光明国度，那里没有受苦，只有喜乐。我从小在主日学中（儿童主日学老师们的教导）所上的课我顿时间明白了过来。那次的经历充满喜乐和感恩，因为我终于认识并敬畏那爱我并救赎我的救主。
这样，对一位蒙恩得救（不是靠行为得救）的人有何意义呢？这代表了我们的救恩是完全靠着十字架，而我们的盼望并不建立在这世上（可毁坏）的事物上而是在耶稣基督再来时所要带来的那新天新地上。这代表了我们虽然在世有苦难、煎熬（就如最近病毒的事件一样），我们的信心仍然要坚定，我们仍然要靠主站稳。不单如此，我们更是要在我们所属的群体中为盐为光，为主作见证，让更多人能够认识耶稣基督。