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God accepts us as we are, and changes us as we serve Him in love.
上帝接纳我们的不完美，并在我们的服事中改变我们。
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.1 Timothy 1:12
我感谢那给我力量的我们主基督耶稣，因祂以我有忠心，派我服事祂。-提摩太前书1章12节
For years, feelings of unworthiness and shame over my less-than-godly past had an adverse impact on every aspect of my life. What if others discovered the extent of my blemished reputation? Though God helped me muster up courage to invite a ministry leader to lunch, I strived to seem perfect. I scrubbed my house spotless, whipped up a three-course meal, and donned my best jeans and blouse.
多年来，我常因过去不敬虔的生活而感到自卑和羞愧，这对我的生活造成许多负面影响。我常担心万一过去的事被人发现该怎么办？虽然上帝赐我勇气，邀请一位事工领袖来家里吃午餐，但我仍害怕别人怎么看我，想呈现美好的一面。我把屋子打扫得一尘不染，精心烹调三道菜，穿上最好的牛仔裤和衬衫。
Fear can leave usI rushed to turn off the front-yard sprinklers. Twisting the leaking nozzle, I screamed when a gush of water drenched me. With towel-dried hair and smeared makeup, I changed into dry sweat pants and a T-shirt . . . just in time to hear the doorbell. Frustrated, I confessed my morning’s antics and motives. My new friend shared her own battles with fear and insecurity stemming from guilt over past failings. After we prayed, she welcomed me to her team of God’s imperfect servants.
这时前院的洒水器开始喷水，我冲上去想关紧喷嘴，哇！一道水柱将我淋得全身湿透。我带着半湿的头发，糊了的妆容，换上休闲裤和T恤??这时门铃响了！我沮丧地向客人坦承自己的心结。这位事工领袖安慰我，她也常因以前的过犯所产生的罪疚而恐惧不安。我们一起祷告之后，她提醒我上帝的仆人都不完美，她欢迎我加入她的事奉团队。
The apostle Paul accepted his new life in Christ, refusing to deny his past or let it stop him from serving the Lord (1 Timothy 1:12-–14). Because Paul knew Jesus’s work on the cross saved and changed him—the worst of sinners—he praised God and encouraged others to honor and obey Him (vv. 15–17).
使徒保罗得着在基督里的新生命后，他不否认过去的错误，也不因此而停止服事上帝（提摩太前书1章12-14节）。因保罗知道耶稣藉着十字架的大工，拯救和改变他这个罪魁。所以，保罗歌颂上帝，并鼓励人尊荣、顺服上帝（15-17节）。
When we accept God’s grace and forgiveness, we’re freed from our past. Flawed but fiercely loved, we have no reason to be ashamed of our real faces as we serve others with our God-given gifts.
当我们接受上帝的恩典和赦免时，就不受过去的一切所辖制。你我虽不完美却仍蒙上帝所爱，我们靠着上帝的恩赐服事人，就无需为自己的真面目而羞惭。
Lord, thanks for eliminating our shame and insecurities as You use us to serve You, no matter what our life looked like before You saved us.
主啊，感谢祢除去我们的羞愧和焦虑，让我们来服事祢，无论我们过去的景况如何。
1 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
When Paul said he was shown mercy because he acted in ignorance and unbelief (1 Timothy 1:13), he was echoing a common theme of Scripture. Old Testament sacrifices were made for sins done in ignorance (see Leviticus 4:2, 13, 22; Hebrews 9:7). So was mercy only given to Eve who was deceived—and not to Adam? (1 Timothy 2:14). No. Even when we consciously do wrong, as Adam did, He still offers His mercy. Who doesn’t need to hear Jesus say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
保罗说他蒙了怜悯，因为他是在不信主、不明白真理时做了逼迫教会的事（提摩太前书1章13节），这里也反映出圣经中一个常见的主题。在旧约，人们常为了误犯的罪而献祭（参阅利未记4章2、13、22节；希伯来书9章7节）。那么，是不是只有被欺骗的夏娃蒙怜悯，而刻意犯罪的亚当就不蒙怜悯吗？（提摩太前书2章14节）当然不是！即使我们像亚当那样明知故犯，上帝仍然会赐下祂的怜悯。正如耶稣说：“父啊，赦免他们！因为他们所做的，他们不晓得”（路加福音23章34节）。我们有谁不需要这句话呢？
整理：于姊妹
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