107. The Plumbline
Thus he shewed me: and behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. Amos 7:7
The metaphors of Amos are very forcible, though homely and simple.
He was God-taught; or, as men say, self-taught. Let his vision come before us, as though we saw it ourselves.
What the Lord had done was according to rule: "he stood upon a wall made by a plumbline." His past dealings are just and true.
The Lord continues to use the same infallible rule: wherever he is, he has a plumbline in his hand.
The plumb of lead falls in a straight line, and therefore the line is the best test as to whether a wall is truly perpendicular. The plumbline shows whether it bows outward, or inclines inward. It never flatters, but by its own certainty of truth it reveals and condemns all deviations from uprightness: such is the judgment of the Most High.
We shall treat the plumbline as the emblem of truth and right.
I. A PLUMBLINE IS USED IN BUILDING.
In all that we build up, we must act by the sure rule of righteousness.
1. In God's building it is so.
- He removes the old walls when tested by the plumbline, and found faulty. Truth requires the removal of falsehood.
- He builds in truth and reality. Sincerity is his essential.
- He builds in holiness and purity.
- He builds to perfection according to the rule of right.
2. In our own life-building it should be so.
- Not haste, but truth should be our object.
- Not according to the eye of man, but according to fact.
- We should build by the Word; in God's sight; after Christ's example; by the Spirit; unto holiness. Only thus shall we be using the plumbline.
3. In our building of the church it should be so.
- Teaching the Scriptures only in all things.
- Preaching nothing but the gospel.
- Laying sinners low by the law, and exalting the grace of God.
- Leading men to holiness and peace by the doctrines of truth.
- Exercising discipline that the church may be pure.
II. A PLUMBLINE IS USED FOR TESTING.
That which is out of the upright is detected by the plumbline, and so are men tested by the truth.
1. We may use it—
- On the wall of self-righteousness, conceit, boasting, etc.
- On the wall of careless living.
- On the wall of trust in ceremonials.
- On the wall of reliance upon merely hearing the gospel.
- On the wall of every outward profession.
2. God uses it in this life. He tests the hearts of men, and tries their doings.
They are often detected in the act of deception. Time also proves them, and trials test them.
3. He will use it at the last.
4. Let us use it on ourselves.
Are we born again? Are we without faith, etc.? Are we without holiness? Or is the work of the Spirit to be seen in us?
III. A PLUMBLINE WILL BE USED FOR DESTROYING. Strict justice is the rule of God's dealing on the judgment-seat. The same rule will apply to all.
1. Even the saved will be saved justly through our Lord Jesus, and in their case every sin will be destroyed, and every trace of evil will be removed before they enter heaven.
2. No one will be condemned who does not deserve it. There will be a trial, with witnesses, and pleadings, and an infallible Judge. The righteous are saved by sovereignty, but the wicked are condemned by righteousness alone.
3. Not a pain will be inflicted unjustly.
- Differences will be made in the cases of the condemned.
- There will be the strictest justice in each award.
- Every circumstance will be taken into account.
- Knowledge or ignorance will increase or abate the number of stripes (Luke 7:47-48).
4. Rejecters of Christ will find their doom intolerable, because they, themselves, will be unable to deny its justice (Luke 19:27). The lost know their misery to be deserved.
5. Since every sentence will be infallible, there will be no revision. So impartial and just will be each verdict that it shall stand for ever (Matt. 25:46).
Are we able to endure the test of the plumbline of perfect truth?
Suppose it to be used of God at this moment.
Will it not be wisest to look to Jesus, that we may have him for a foundation, and be built up in him?
Savings and Sentences
The question "What is truth?" was proposed at a Deaf and Dumb Institution, when one of the boys drew a straight line. "And what is falsehood?" The answer was a crooked line. — G. S. Bowes
That will be a wretched day for the church of God when she begins to think any aberration from the truth of little consequence. — J. H. Evans
Whitefield often affirmed that he would rather have a church with ten men in it right with God, than one with five hundred at whom the world would laugh in its sleeve. — Joseph Cook
Livingstone, as a missionary, was anxious to avoid a large church of nominal adherents. "Nothing", he wrote, "will induce me to form an impure church. 'Fifty added to the church' sounds well at home, but if only five of these are genuine, what will it profit in the Great Day?" — Blaikie
Set thine heart upright, if thou wouldst rejoice, And please thyself in thine heart's pleasing choice: But then be sure thy plumb and level be Rightly applied to that which pleaseth me. — Christopher Harvey
Sinners on earth are always punished less, and in hell never more, than their iniquities deserve. — Benjamin Beddome.
It is said of the Areopagites, in Athens, that their sentence was so upright that none could ever say he was unjustly condemned of them. How much more true is this of the righteous judgment of God, who must needs therefore be justified, and every mouth stopped! — Trapp
When a building is noticed to bulge a little, our builders hasten to shore it up with timbers; and before long the surveyor bids them take it down. Should we not see great changes in our churches if all the bowing walls were removed? Yet this would be no real loss, but in the Lord's sight an actual gain to the City of God.
When a man is afraid of self-examination, his fear is suspicious. He who does not dare to apply the plumbline to his wall may rest assured that it is out of perpendicular. A sincere man will pray, "Lord, let me know the worst of my case." It is far better to suffer needless distress than to be at ease in Zion, and then perish of the dry-rot of self-deceit.
Charles Hadden Spurgeon
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107. 準繩（垂線）
「他又指示我：看哪，主站在有準繩築成的牆上，手拿準繩。」——阿摩司書 7:7 (7他又指示我一件事：有一道牆是按準繩建築的，主手拿準繩站在其上。)
阿摩司的比喻極其有力，雖然樸素而簡單。
他是神所教導的；或者照人的說法，是「自學」的。讓他的異象呈現在我們眼前，如同我們親眼所見一般。
主所做的一切都是按著法則而行的：「祂站在有準繩築成的牆上。」祂過去一切的作為都是公義、真實的。
主至今仍然使用同一條絕對無誤的法則：無論祂在哪裡，祂手中都拿著準繩。
鉛製的垂錘垂直下墜，形成一條筆直的線，因此準繩是檢驗牆是否真正垂直的最佳工具。準繩能顯明牆是否向外鼓出，或向內傾斜；它從不奉承，只憑自身確定不移的真實，揭露並定罪一切偏離正直的情形——這正是至高者的審判。
我們要把準繩視為真理與公義的象徵。
一、準繩用於建造
凡我們所建造的一切，都必須按著公義確實的準則而行。
1. 在神的建造中是如此
- 祂用準繩測試舊牆，若發現有問題，便將之拆除；真理要求除去虛假。
- 祂在真實與實際中建造；誠實是祂工作的本質。
- 祂在聖潔與純淨中建造。
- 祂按著公義的準則，建造至完全。
2. 在我們自己生命的建造上也當如此
- 我們的目標不是急促，而是真理。
- 不是照人的眼光，而是照事實。
- 我們當照著聖言、在神面前、效法基督、靠著聖靈、以成聖為目標來建造。
唯有如此，我們才是真正使用準繩。
3. 在教會的建造上亦當如此
- 在一切事上只教導聖經。
- 只傳講福音。
- 藉著律法使罪人謙卑，藉著恩典高舉神。
- 以真理的教義引導人走向聖潔與和平。
- 施行紀律，使教會保持純潔。
二、準繩用於試驗
凡不正直的，都會被準繩顯露；人也同樣要被真理試驗。
1. 我們可以用準繩測量——
- 自義、驕傲、自誇之牆；
- 漫不經心生活之牆；
- 倚靠禮儀之牆；
- 只憑聽道卻不行道之牆；
- 一切外在宗教告白之牆。
2. 神在今生使用準繩
祂鑑察人心，試驗人的行為。
人常在欺騙的行為中被揭露；時間也證明他們，試煉更試驗他們。
3. 祂在末日也必使用準繩
4. 讓我們先用準繩檢驗自己
我們是否重生？是否缺乏信心？是否沒有聖潔？或是，我們裡面是否顯出聖靈工作的痕跡？
三、準繩將用於拆毀
在審判台前，嚴格的公義將成為神一切作為的準則；同一條法則將適用於所有人。
1. 連得救的人，也是藉著主耶穌在公義中得救
在他們身上一切罪惡都要被除滅，一切不潔的痕跡都要被清除，然後才能進入天國。
2. 沒有人會在不該被定罪的情況下被定罪
將有審判、有見證、有辯白，並且有一位絕對無誤的審判者。
義人得救出於主權；惡人被定罪，則完全出於公義。
3. 沒有任何刑罰會是不公的
- 定罪者之間將有差別；
- 每一項裁決都將極其公正；
- 每一個情況都會被納入考量；
- 知識多或少，將影響所受刑罰的多寡（路 12:47–48 47僕人知道主人的意思，卻不預備，又不順他的意思行，那僕人必多受責打； 48惟有那不知道的，做了當受責打的事，必少受責打；因為多給誰，就向誰多取；多託誰，就向誰多要。」）。
4. 拒絕基督的人將發現自己的刑罰難以承受
因為他們自己也無法否認其公義（路 19:27 27至於我那些仇敵，不要我作他們王的，把他們拉來，在我面前殺了吧！』」）。沉淪之人知道自己的痛苦是當得的。
5. 因每一項判決都是無誤的，將不會再有改判
如此公平正直的裁決，將永遠有效（太 25:46 46對他們說：「經上說：我的殿必作禱告的殿，你們倒使它成為賊窩了。」）。
我們能承受完全真理的準繩之試驗嗎？
假若此刻神就使用準繩來測量我們呢？
那麼，最智慧的作法，豈不是仰望耶穌，使祂成為我們的根基，並在祂裡面被建造嗎？
格言與省思（Savings and Sentences）
在一所聾啞學校中，有人問：「什麼是真理？」一名男孩畫了一條直線；「那什麼是虛假呢？」回答是一條彎曲的線。——G. S. Bowes
當神的教會開始認為偏離真理並非大事時，那將是極其可悲的一天。——J. H. Evans
懷特腓常說，他寧可要一間只有十個真正與神和好的人的教會，也不要一間有五百人卻被世人暗中嘲笑的教會。——Joseph Cook
李文斯頓身為宣教士，極力避免建立一個名義上的大教會。他寫道：「沒有任何事能促使我建立一個不純潔的教會。『一次加添五十人』在家鄉聽來很悅耳；但若其中只有五個是真的，那在大日子裡有什麼益處呢？」——Blaikie
「你若要喜樂，就要使心正直；若要討你心所喜悅的喜悅，務要確保你的準繩與水平，
正確地用在我所喜悅之事上。」——Christopher Harvey
地上的罪人所受的刑罰，總是少於他們應得的；地獄中的刑罰，則從不多於他們應得的。——Benjamin Beddome
有人說，雅典的亞略巴古審判官判決極其正直，從無人能說自己被冤枉；這在神公義的審判中更是真實，使一切口都閉口無言。——Trapp
當建築物稍有鼓出時，工人會先用木材支撐；不久測量師便命令將其拆除。若我們拆除教會中一切彎曲的牆，豈不會看到極大的改變？這並非損失，而是在主眼中對神之城的真實增益。
一個害怕自我省察的人，其恐懼本身就值得懷疑；不敢用準繩測量自己牆壁的人，幾乎可以確定那牆已經歪斜。誠實的人會禱告說：「主啊，讓我知道我情況中最壞的部分。」寧可忍受不必要的痛苦，也不要在錫安安逸，最後死於自欺的乾腐病。
查爾斯．哈登．司布真 |