經文: 「為上帝所愛，奉召作聖徒的眾人。」

我們常以為能做聖徒，必有過人之處，其實他們與一般上帝的兒女無異。所有重生得救的信徒，上帝都呼召他們成義稱聖，成為聖徒。當人越親近上帝，就越感受到自己的敗壞與不潔。當人越服事上帝，就越體會到肉體的軟弱與有限。
若我們曾親眼見到保羅，我們會想到原來他與我們是一樣性情的人；若我們曾與保羅親身談過話，我們會知道原本他也與我們一樣經歷過許多患難與考驗。所以，莫以為古代聖徒有超凡的能力，能夠脫離苦離逆境，或是盲目崇拜他們，以為他們是高人一等。不，他們是與我們有一樣性情的人，他們達到的聖潔境界，我們也可達到，所謂「舜何人也？禹人也？有為者亦若是。」上帝呼召每個兒女成聖，這是基督徒的本份，我們要追求像天父一樣完全。上帝給古代聖徒亮光啟示，也一樣給我們亮光啟示，上帝給他們恩典，也一樣給我們夠用的恩典。我們怎能安於現狀，不求長進？
他們一生擺上，為主而活，所以越來越像耶穌。讓我們學習向他們看齊，「單單仰望耶穌」，那麼我們就能越來越流露聖徒的氣質，與耶穌馨香之氣。

Morning, July 5
Scripture: “Called to be saints.”(Romans 1:7)

We are very apt to regard the apostolic saints as if they were “saints” in a more especial manner than the other children of God. All are “saints” whom God has called by His grace, and sanctified by His Spirit; but we are apt to look upon the apostles as extraordinary beings, scarcely subject to the same weaknesses and temptations as ourselves. Yet in so doing we are forgetful of this truth, that the nearer a man lives to God the more intensely has he to mourn over his own evil heart; and the more his Master honours him in his service, the more also doth the evil of the flesh vex and tease him day by day. The fact is, if we had seen the apostle Paul, we should have thought him remarkably like the rest of the chosen family: and if we had talked with him, we should have said, “We find that his experience and ours are much the same. He is more faithful, more holy, and more deeply taught than we are, but he has the selfsame trials to endure. Nay, in some respects he is more sorely tried than ourselves.” Do not, then, look upon the ancient saints as being exempt either from infirmities or sins; and do not regard them with that mystic reverence which will almost make us idolaters. Their holiness is attainable even by us. We are “called to be saints” by that same voice which constrained them to their high vocation. It is a Christian's duty to force his way into the inner circle of saintship; and if these saints were superior to us in their attainments, as they certainly were, let us follow them; let us emulate their ardour and holiness. We have the same light that they had, the same grace is accessible to us, and why should we rest satisfied until we have equalled them in heavenly character? They lived with Jesus, they lived for Jesus, therefore they grew like Jesus. Let us live by the same Spirit as they did, “looking unto Jesus,” and our saintship will soon be apparent.