| 近年來，人們莫不談「愛滋」而色變。那些接觸過愛滋病毒的人害怕他們已得了愛滋病，而目前還平安無事的人則害怕有一天他們會不幸感染到愛滋病。 「愛滋」已成了人們的「最怕」！尤其是那些高危險群的人，不論男女，竟怯於到醫院做病毒檢查。包太太的先生是雙性戀者，她說：「老包很可能把『愛滋』傳給我了！但我真怕去檢查，若是陽性反應怎麼辦？生活已經夠煩了，我不想再增加一個夢魘，不管它了！」 許多人遲疑不接受檢驗的原因還有：目前尚無有效治療愛滋病的藥；就像一位女士說的：「他們能拿什麼來醫治我呢？什麼也沒有！如果檢查結果是陽性，我怕自己會昏倒了！」 ●絕望中有希望 死亡和絕望是人類最難以承受的兩件事，不論它們來自愛滋病或生命中的其他問題。但生命的事實是：離了上帝，人就難免不遭遇這兩個敵人，而──我們注定會輸。 愛滋病可能只限於某些人，但有一種病卻存在每一個人身上：「世人都犯了罪，虧缺了上帝的榮耀。」（羅馬書三章廿三章）它的結局也是不分古今中外的：「罪的工價乃是死。」（羅馬書六章廿三節） 如果我們拒絕上帝對「罪」提供的藥方，「死」就將成為難以逃脫的結果。我們也可以忽視上帝的診斷，心想或許自己並沒有「被感染」。不幸的是，檢驗結果已經出來了：我們對罪都呈陽性反應。 對愛滋病的恐懼也使得一些人即使做了檢查，卻害怕得不敢知道結果。有位女士的男友有愛滋病，她在做了血液檢查後拒不接受檢驗報告，後來，在醫生的堅持下，她才面對現實。結果是，她並沒有感染愛滋病毒。 許多人也是這樣，他們因為有罪，不敢到上帝面前，害怕聽見可怕的判決，他們想上帝必會對罪處以重刑。告訴你一個好消息：上帝要完全赦免我們的罪！為什麼？因祂深愛我們。只要我相信耶穌基督──上帝的兒子──為我們而死，上帝以祂作我們罪的贖價。正如耶穌在約翰福音所說：「上帝極愛世人，甚至將祂的獨生子賜給他們，叫一切信祂（耶穌）的，不至滅亡，反得永生。」 ●死亡中有生命 永生，而不是死亡和絕望。耶穌有權柄賜給我們永生，因祂為我們的罪而死，又從死裏復活。祂得勝罪和死亡，證明了祂的宣告是可信的：「我就是道路、真理、生命，若不藉著我，沒有人能到天父那裏去。」（約翰福音十四章六節） 人類至今仍在努力尋找醫治愛滋病的藥方──並且仍活在萬一失敗的恐懼中。但是耶穌基督已經攻克了更嚴重的致命敵人：死。現在祂邀請我們與祂同享這份勝利。你只要藉著相信，就可以得到。你可以向上帝這樣禱告： 「親愛的上帝，在我的生命中犯了許多罪，使我難逃一死並與你隔絕。我承認自己沒有辦法勝過罪，我相信耶穌基督已為我的罪而死，藉著祂，我的罪得赦免，並從你白白領受永生為禮物。謝謝你，阿們。」（阿們的意思是誠心所願） Today when people talk about fear, it’s very possible they’re talking about AIDS. Those exposed to the virus fear that they may already have it. And those who are “safe” fear that one day they may accidentally contract it. But especially for those at risk, the fear of confronting AIDS has terrified men and women so much that they even avoid taking the test for the virus. “It’s another nightmare I just don’t need in this crazy life, “says Barbara, whose husband is bisexual. “I know there’s a chance he gave me AIDS, but I’d really be terrified if I tested positive. Now I just don’t have to think about it.” And the lack of a cure for AIDS also makes many hesitant to know if they are infected. Like one woman said, “What would they have to offer me in the way of treatment? Nothing. If I tested positive, I think I’d be absolutely panicked.” ●Hope For The Hopeless Death and hopelessness. We humans don’t tolerate either of these very well, whether because of AIDS or life in general. The reality of life, though, is that apart from God, each of us will face those two enemies, and we will lose. Unlike the possibility of AIDS In some people, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And the outcome is likewise universal: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) A hopeless plunge toward death is all we have to look forward to if we reject the cure for sin that God has for us. We may choose to ignore God’s diagnosis and hope that somehow we are not “infected,” but unlike the diagnosis for AIDS, we have already tested positive for sin. The fear of AIDS has also terrified some to the point that when they are tested for the virus, they refuse to pick up the results. On woman―who has been the partner of an intravenous drug user with AIDS―flatly refused to hear the test results from her doctor. When he finally insisted that she pick them up, she did, and the results were negative. In much the same way, many people fail to go to God about their sin because they fear the worst: God only has condemnation for them. But the wonderful news is that God can offer complete pardon for our sin! Why? Because of His great love for us. How? When we trust in the death of Jesus Christ, God’s son, as the payment God provided for our sin. Jesus expressed both these thoughts when He said, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John: 3:16) ●Life for the dying Eternal life, not death and hopelessness. And Jesus has full authority to offer that life because He rose from the dead after He died for our sin. His victory over sin and death prove His statement, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John: 14:6).
Mankind is still struggling to find a cure for AIDS―and lives in fear of the consequences if it fails. But the more deadly foe, sin, has been conquered by Jesus Christ, and now He invites us to share in His victory through a simple act of faith. If you would like to be assured of this eternal life for yourself, you might express your desire to God in a prayer like this one: Lord God, I understand that the sin in my life has condemned me to death apart from you. Confessing that I can do nothing to cure my sin, I put all my trust in Christ’s sacrifice for me, and because of Him I accept your forgiveness and the eternal life You give to me as a free gift. Thank You. Amem.
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