“许多基督徒一辈子聚会敬拜，最终仍活在地狱中”，弟兄姐妹们听说过这句话吗？是不是有点危言耸听？这句话强调了基督教信仰中的一个重要观点，即仅仅参加教会的聚会和敬拜活动并不足以保证一个人的得救。得救不仅仅是外在行为的表现，而是内心的真实信仰、对神的关系，以及对罪的省察和改正。
1. 内心的信仰与外在行为的关系
圣经中多次强调，真正的信仰在于内心的改变和对神的真实关系，而不仅仅是外在的宗教行为。例如，耶稣在《马太福音》15:8中说：“这百姓用嘴唇尊敬我，心却远离我。”也就是说，只有口头上的敬拜和参加每周的敬拜活动是不够的，核心问题在于我们是不是在用心灵和诚实的敬拜。
2. 信仰的真实与伪善
耶稣多次批评伪善的宗教领袖，因为他们虽然表面上非常虔诚，但内心却没有真正的信仰和悔改。例如，在《马太福音》23章中，耶稣多次责备法利赛人和文士，称他们为“假冒伪善的人”。这也是我今天的读经体会之一，以前每当读到这里，我总会有一种感觉，似乎自己和耶稣站在一起，同样有资格那样指责他们。随着自己经历的增加和读经的深入，我渐渐发现：原来我自己就是那些“假冒伪善的人”-----简单的说就是‘悔改’不彻底，‘不彻底’的意思就是信靠主的言行不完全一致。
3. 得救的根本在于信靠耶稣
在圣经的教导中，得救的根本在于信靠耶稣基督，接受祂为个人的救主，凡事仰赖祂而不仅仅是做一个‘周日基督徒’。正如《约翰福音》3:16所说：“神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生。”因此，得救是基于对耶稣基督的完全信靠和接受，并在这个信仰与现实矛盾的世俗生活中去实践，而不是单单靠自己的所谓血气和智慧。
换一个角度说，虽然行为本身不能使人得救，但我们的信仰会在不断践行主道的行为中体现出来。雅各书2:17说：“信心若没有行为就是死的。”这意味着，真正的信心会自然地流露出好的行为和生活方式。
有了上面的铺垫后我们进入今天的话题，如何敬拜？
4. 敬拜的前提：省察和改正自己的罪
敬拜的真正意义在于与神的亲密关系，这包括省察和改正自己的罪与过犯，而不仅仅是单纯地祷告和敬拜。圣经教导我们要认罪悔改，如《约翰一书》1:9所说：“我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义。”敬拜时认罪悔改后，回到现实生活中，基督徒需要警惕的是避免继续我行我素，继续在生活中实践神的教导，体现出真实的悔改和改变。否则仍然会象本文开始说的那样，一不小心仍然会堕入‘地狱’般的生活中。
5. 地狱的现实表现
这里所说的“地狱”不仅仅指的是死后的永罚，更指的是在活着时因为长期被罪的捆绑所产生的内心痛苦和心灵辖制。长期的罪恶感和心灵的重担会让人心情不愉悦，甚至导致身体出现问题。正如圣经所说：“罪的工价乃是死”（罗马书6:23），这种“死”不仅仅是指身体的突然败坏，更是指心灵和情绪方面的担心、焦虑、煎熬和由此带来的生活痛苦，缺少快乐。
“用心灵和诚实”（《约翰福音》4:24）去敬拜的实际意义就在于，当我们接受耶稣基督作我们的救主时，就该完全仰赖祂，不应把自己的情绪当作替代救恩的筹码，更不应该把他人的罪和过犯当作我们与主之间的羁绊。
弟兄姐妹们，我们的信仰在于内心对神的真实关系、对耶稣基督的信靠，以及对罪的省察和改正，而不仅仅是外在的宗教行为，也不是靠心灵鸡汤给我们带来的幻觉。人群中那些得救的人是在生活中表现出与他们信仰相一致的行为和态度，省察和改正自己的过犯，活出了基督的样式。同时，我们也要意识到，地狱的痛苦不仅仅是未来的惩罚，更是当下罪的捆绑对我们心灵和身体的辖制，没有悔改的生活如同天天活在地狱中，享受不到主恩的快乐。愿每个人都能靠主的话语彻底脱离罪的捆绑，享受内心的平安和喜乐。
让我们一起为此祷告！
（如有建议敬请留言讨论，邮箱：hu0023@gmail.com）
Is Worship a Guarantee Against Living in Hell?
“Many Christians may attend church and worship all their lives, yet end up living in hell.” Have you heard this statement, dear brothers and sisters? It might sound alarmist. What it emphasizes is an important point in the Christian faith: merely participating in church services and worship does not guarantee salvation. Salvation is not demonstrated solely by external behaviors but by genuine inner faith, a true relationship with God, and the ongoing examination and correction of one’s sins.
- The Relationship Between Inner Faith and External Actions
The Bible repeatedly stresses that true faith lies in inner transformation and an authentic relationship with God—not merely in outward religious acts. For example, in Matthew 15:8, Jesus says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” In other words, mere lip service and weekly worship are not enough; the key issue is whether we are worshiping with our hearts and sincerity.
- Genuine Faith Versus Hypocrisy
Jesus frequently criticized the hypocritical religious leaders, who appeared devout on the outside yet lacked true faith and repentance in their hearts. In Matthew 23, for example, He repeatedly rebuked the Pharisees and the teachers of the law as “hypocrites.” This was once my own impression when reading these passages—I even felt that I, together with Jesus, had every right to accuse them. Yet as my experiences and study deepened, I gradually realized that I too was one of those “hypocrites”—in short, my repentance was incomplete, meaning that my professed trust in the Lord was not fully reflected in my actions.
- Salvation Resting on Trusting Jesus
The Bible teaches that salvation fundamentally depends on trusting in Jesus Christ, accepting Him as one’s personal Savior, and relying on Him in every aspect—not merely being a “Sunday Christian.” As John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Therefore, salvation is based on complete trust and acceptance of Jesus, and on living out that faith in the midst of a secular life full of contradictions—not merely on our human efforts and wisdom.
In another perspective, while actions themselves cannot save us, our faith is naturally manifested in the deeds that follow Christ’s teaching. James 2:17 tells us, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” True faith will inevitably produce righteous actions and a lifestyle in harmony with God’s will.
With this foundation in place, let us address today’s question: How should we worship?
- The Prerequisite for Worship: Self-Examination and Repentance
The true meaning of worship lies in our intimate relationship with God, which includes examining and correcting our sins rather than merely engaging in prayer and liturgy. The Bible instructs us to confess our sins and repent—for example, 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” After confessing and repenting during worship, Christians must be cautious not to continue in self-righteousness in daily life but rather to consistently live out God’s teachings, demonstrating genuine repentance and change. Otherwise, as mentioned at the beginning of this discussion, one might inadvertently slip into a life that resembles “hell” on earth.
- The Real-Life Manifestation of Hell
Here, “hell” is not only referring to eternal punishment after death; it also signifies the inner torment and spiritual bondage resulting from long-term enslavement to sin. Persistent guilt and the heavy burden on one’s soul can bring about emotional distress and even physical ailments. As the Bible states, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This “death” refers not only to physical decay but also to the emotional and spiritual anguish—worry, anxiety, and suffering—that results from being weighed down by sin, robbing us of true joy. The practical significance of worship “with spirit and truth” (John 4:24) is that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are to rely entirely on Him. We should not use our emotions as a substitute for salvation, nor should we allow the sins and faults of others to become a barrier between us and the Lord.
Dear brothers and sisters, our faith is rooted in a genuine relationship with God, in trusting Jesus Christ, and in examining and repenting of our sins—not in mere external religious practices or in the fleeting illusions of “spiritual chick-pea soup.” In the community, those who are truly saved will exhibit behaviors and attitudes that align with their faith, continuously examining and correcting their misdeeds, thereby living out the likeness of Christ. At the same time, we must recognize that the pain of hell is not just a future punishment, but the present consequence of sin’s grip on our hearts and bodies. Without a life marked by repentance, it is as if we live in hell each day, deprived of the joy of the Lord’s grace. May everyone break free from the bondage of sin through the word of the Lord and enjoy the inner peace and joy He offers.
Let us pray together!