So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
The grace with which figure skaters glide across the ice is mesmerizing. But once in a while, mistakes creep into flawless performances that these athletes have rehearsed to perfection. Perhaps the one fall that seemed the most unfair was Michelle Kwan’s gold medal attempt at the 2002 Olympics. She had nailed all her mid-air twists and was about to launch into a triple flip when she leaned just a little forward. The lean amplified in the air and sent her crashing onto the cold, hard ice. This heartbreaking fall cost her the only title she wasn’t able to achieve in her illustrious career.
One of the reasons why Christian perfection is so difficult to grasp is because perfecting grace working in a Christian does not mean spiritual infallibility. “Wesley made it plain that the Christian is still liable to sin, and does not possess absolute knowledge, absolute judgment, or absolute performance.”94 He emphasized that while Christian perfection (perfect love for God and neighbour) was attainable on this side of eternity, “real people in this life” still can and do fall.
所以，自己以为站得稳的，须要谨慎，免得跌倒。你们所遇见的试探，无非是人所能受的。上帝是信实的，必不叫你们受试探过于所能受的；在受试探的时候，总要给你们开一条出路，叫你们能忍受得住。《哥林多前书》10：12-13
花样滑冰者滑过冰面的优雅让人着迷。但偶尔，失误会潜入这些运动员已经精心排练的完美表演。也许最不公平的一个跌倒是2002年Michelle Kwan在奥运会金牌的尝试。她已经完成了她所有的空中翻转，当她稍往前倾时，她即将进入三重翻转，半空中由于前倾幅度过大，而将她跌在冰冷的坚硬冰面。这令人心碎的跌倒使她无法获得她光辉职业生涯的唯一头衔。 基督徒完全如此难以掌握的其中一个原因是因完全恩典在基督徒身上的工作并不意味着属灵的无误。 约翰.卫斯理明确表示，基督徒仍然有犯罪倾向，并且不具备绝对的知识，绝对的判断力或绝对的表现。”他强调，尽管基督徒的完全（对上帝和邻舍完全的爱）在永恒的方面是可以实现的，但“今生真实的人”依然可能会跌倒。
反思
你对关于约翰.卫斯理所解释那些经历完全恩典的人仍然会犯罪感受如何？
Reflection
How do you feel about Wesley’s explanation that people who have experienced perfecting grace still can sin?
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