Drawing close to Christ helps us to live as He designed us.

亲近基督能帮助我们活出应有的样式。

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

因为世人都犯了罪，亏缺了上帝的荣耀。-罗马书3章23节

The word dysfunctional is often used to describe individuals, families, relationships, organizations, and even governments. While functional means it’s in proper working order, dysfunctional is the opposite—it’s broken, not working properly, unable to do what it was designed to do.

我们的身体器官、家庭婚姻、人际关系，还有社会上的组织和政府，都有其特定的功能。功能正常表示正处于妥善运作的秩序中，而功能失调则代表系统损坏、未能妥善运作或是未能发挥预设的功能。

In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul begins by describing a spiritually dysfunctional humanity (1:18–32). We are all part of that rebellious company: “All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. . . . For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (3:12, 23).

在使徒保罗写给罗马人的书信中，一开始就说到人类的灵性沦丧，如同功能失调（1章18-32节）。所有人都被圈在悖逆之中，正如保罗说：“都是偏离正路，一同变为无用。没有行善的，连一个也没有！……因为世人都犯了罪，亏缺了上帝的荣耀。”（3章12、23节）

The good news is that “all are justified freely by [God’s] grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus . . . to be received by faith” (vv. 24–25). When we invite Christ into our lives and accept God’s offer of forgiveness and new life, we are on the path to becoming the person He created us to be. We don’t immediately become perfect, but we no longer have to remain broken and dysfunctional.

然而，所幸的是，我们“如今却蒙上帝的恩典，因基督耶稣的救赎，就白白地称义。……藉着人的信”（24-25节）。当我们邀请基督进入我们的生命中，接受上帝赐予的赦罪之恩，以及祂所赐的新生命，我们就慢慢地成为祂起初造我们的样式。虽然我们不会立刻臻于完美，但却不再需要继续停滞在功能失调的状态。

Through the Holy Spirit we receive daily strength to honor God in what we say and do and to “put off [our] old self . . . to be made new in the attitude of [our] minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:22–24).

我们每天都能透过圣灵得着力量，以言行荣耀上帝，并能“脱去[我们]从前行为上的旧人，……又要将[我们的]心志改换一新，并且穿上新人，这新人是照着上帝的形像造的，有真理的仁义和圣洁”（以弗所书4章22-24节） 。

Lord, in our dysfunctional lives we turn to You for restoration and strength. Thank You for Your amazing grace and love!

主啊，当我们的生活功能失调时，求祢复兴我们，
加添力量给我们。感谢祢奇妙的恩典与慈爱！

Romans 3:10-26New International Version (NIV)

10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[a]
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[b]
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[c]
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d]
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[e]
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[f]

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in[g] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[h] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

整理：于姊妹