福音從來不是舒服好聽的 The Gospel Has Never Been Comfortable or Pleasant to Hear

 福音從來不是舒服好聽的

曾經有一位未信主的朋友問牧師：「牧師，你常常說福音這麼好，信耶穌可以得救、脫離罪和將來的審判，又可以得著永生。既然福音這麼好，為甚麼真正信耶穌的人仍然這麼少？」這個問題其實很值得我們思想。你看看香港的黃大仙廟，平日已經人頭湧湧；清明節掃墓、燒香、祭拜的人更是很多。為甚麼人願意求神問卜，卻不一定願意相信耶穌？因為很多人所尋求的，是「祝福」，卻不願意面對自己的「罪」。你去求神問卜，可能有人告訴你做這個、拜那個、戴甚麼，就可以轉運、升官、發財，卻很少有人叫你離開罪惡。這樣的信仰很舒服，因為人可以繼續照自己的意思生活。

可是，福音從來不是舒服好聽的。 耶穌不只是告訴我們：「我愛你，我要祝福你。」祂也清楚地呼召我們悔改。聖經說：「你們要悔改，信福音。」（馬可福音1:15）因為人最大的問題，不是沒有錢、沒有運氣，也不是人生不夠順利，而是罪使我們與神隔絕。曾經有三個人聽見福音：一個在馬會工作、售賣彩票，一個在賭場派牌，另一個在家裡售賣元寶、蠟燭和香。他們心裡都想：「如果我信耶穌，我現在做的事情是不是得罪神？可是如果不做，我又靠甚麼生活？」這就是信仰真正的掙扎。感謝主，其中一位在馬會工作的，最後願意為了跟隨耶穌離開原來的工作，重新尋找合神心意的道路。這個決定並不容易，卻讓我們看見，真正的信心不是嘴裡說一句「我信」，而是在神的真理和自己的利益之間，願意選擇神。

真正相信耶穌，不只是相信祂存在，也不是把耶穌當作一位幫助我們升官、發財、保平安的神。 真正的信心，是承認自己是罪人，知道自己不能靠善行拯救自己，願意在神面前悔改，接受耶穌基督為救主，也願意讓祂成為自己生命的主。耶穌為我們的罪被釘在十字架上，承受我們應受的刑罰，第三天從死裡復活，使凡真心相信祂的人得著赦罪和永生。救恩是神白白賜下的恩典，不是我們靠行善賺取的；但真正的恩典，也會帶來生命的改變。信耶穌不是說從此人生沒有困難，而是我們不再以自己為中心，而願意讓基督帶領我們的生命。

所以，福音真正問我們的，不是：「信耶穌可以給我甚麼？」而是：「我願不願意把自己交給耶穌？」也許你會覺得，信耶穌要放下很多東西，要改變自己的生活，似乎很不容易。但如果耶穌真的愛你，真的為你的罪死在十字架上，祂所要求的，不是你付出一個代價來換取救恩，而是邀請你放下罪惡，回到創造你的神面前，接受祂白白的救恩。福音從來不是舒服好聽的，卻是能真正拯救人的好消息。

反思： 如果今天耶穌問你：「你願意讓我成為你生命的主嗎？」——你會怎樣回答？

Once, a non-Christian asked a pastor, “Pastor, you always say that the Gospel is so wonderful. You say that believing in Jesus can save us, deliver us from sin and the coming judgment, and give us eternal life. If the Gospel is so good, why are there still so few people who truly believe in Jesus?” This is a question worth thinking about. Just look at Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong. It is often crowded with people, and during the Qingming Festival, many people visit graves, burn incense, and offer sacrifices. Why are people willing to seek answers through fortune-telling and worship, yet not necessarily willing to believe in Jesus? Because many people are looking for “blessings” but are unwilling to face their “sin.” When you go to seek answers through fortune-telling, you may be told to do certain things, worship certain gods, or wear certain objects so that you can have better luck, become successful, or make more money. But rarely will anyone tell you to turn away from sin. Such a faith feels comfortable because people can continue living according to their own desires.

But the Gospel has never been about what is comfortable or pleasant to hear. Jesus does not simply tell us, “I love you, and I want to bless you.” He also clearly calls us to repent. The Bible says, “Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). Our greatest problem is not that we lack money, good fortune, or a smooth life. Our greatest problem is sin, which separates us from God. There were once three people who heard the Gospel: one worked at a horse-racing venue selling betting tickets, another worked in a casino dealing cards, and the third sold joss paper, candles, and incense from home. They all struggled with the same question: “If I believe in Jesus, would what I am doing be displeasing to God? But if I stop, how will I make a living?” This is where faith becomes a real struggle. Thank God, one of them, who worked at the horse-racing venue, eventually chose to leave his old job because he wanted to follow Jesus and find work that would honour God. It was not an easy decision, but it showed us that genuine faith is not simply saying, “I believe.” It means that when God’s truth comes into conflict with our own interests, we are willing to choose God.

To truly believe in Jesus is not simply to believe that He exists, nor is it to treat Jesus as someone who can help us become successful, wealthy, or safe. True faith means acknowledging that we are sinners and that we cannot save ourselves through our own good works. It means being willing to repent before God, accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and allowing Him to become the Lord of our lives. Jesus was nailed to the cross for our sins, taking the punishment we deserved, and He rose from the dead on the third day. Through Him, those who truly believe receive forgiveness and eternal life. Salvation is God’s gift of grace; it is not something we earn through good deeds. Yet genuine grace also brings transformation. Following Jesus does not mean that life will suddenly become free from difficulties. It means that we no longer live only for ourselves, but become willing to let Christ lead our lives.

So the real question of the Gospel is not, “What can Jesus give me if I believe in Him?” but, “Am I willing to give my life to Jesus?” Perhaps you may feel that believing in Jesus means giving up certain things and changing the way you live, and that may seem difficult. But if Jesus truly loves you and truly died on the cross for your sins, He is not asking you to pay a price in order to earn salvation. He is inviting you to turn away from sin, return to the God who created you, and receive His salvation freely. The Gospel has never been about what is comfortable or pleasant to hear, but it is the Good News that can truly save us.

Reflection: If Jesus asked you today, “Are you willing to let Me become the Lord of your life?” — how would you answer?