第11章 基督徒代表上帝
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第11章 基督徒代表上帝
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Chap. 11—Christians to Represent God
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上帝的旨意是要藉祂的子民表明祂国度的原则。{CCh 78.1}[1]
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It is God’s purpose to manifest through His people the principles of His kingdom.?{CCh 78.1}[1]
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在生活和品格上，他们可以显示这些原则。祂渴望把他们从世界的风俗，习惯，与做法中分别出来。祂努力吸引他们与祂自己亲近，好使他们知道祂的旨意。?{CCh 78.2}[2]
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That in life and character they may reveal these principles, He desires to separate them from the customs, habits, and practices of the world. He seeks to bring them near to Himself, that He may make known to them His will.?{CCh 78.2}[2]
§7
上帝欲藉祂今日的子民去成全的旨意，正是祂昔日领以色列人出埃及时所要他们去成全的。世人观察到教会中所显示的上帝之良善，慈悲，公正，及仁爱，便可见到上帝品性的表现。而当上帝的律法这样在生活中被例证出来时，甚至世人都会承认，那些敬爱并事奉上帝的人们是超乎地上万民之上的。?{CCh 78.3}[3]
§8
The purpose which God seeks to accomplish through His people today is the same that He desired to accomplish through Israel when He brought them forth out of Egypt. By beholding the goodness, the mercy, the justice, and the love of God revealed in the church, the world is to have a representation of His character. And when the law of God is thus exemplified in the life, even the world will recognize the superiority of those who love and fear and serve God above every other people on the earth.?{CCh 78.3}[3]
§9
主的眼目注意祂的每一位子民；祂对于每一个人都有祂的计划。祂的旨意是要使那些实行祂神圣律例的人，成为一班卓著的子民。圣灵默示摩西而写的话，不但属于古代的以色列人，也属于今日上帝的子民：“你归耶和华你上帝为圣洁的民，耶和华你上帝从地上的万民中拣选你，特作自己的子民”（申7:6）。?（6T 9, 12）{CCh 78.4}[4]
§10
The Lord has His eye upon every one of His people; He has His plans concerning each. It is His purpose that those who practice His holy precepts shall be a distinguished people. To the people of God today as well as to ancient Israel belong the words written by Moses through the Spirit of Inspiration: “Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”?Deuteronomy 7:6.{CCh 78.4}[4]
§11
【基督化品格的形成】
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基督的宗教决不贬低接受的人，也决不会使他粗野，无礼或自大，易怒或硬心。反之，它却使人品味高雅，圣化人的见解，清洁及提高人的思想，使之顺服基督。上帝对祂子民所存的理想，较诸最高理想之人所能想到的更高。祂已在自己的圣洁律法之中，赐下了祂品格的副本。{CCh 78.5}[5]
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【The Forming of a Christlike Character】
§14
The religion of Christ never degrades the receiver; it never makes him coarse or rough, discourteous or self-important, passionate or hardhearted. On the contrary, it refines the taste, sanctifies the judgment, and purifies and ennobles the thoughts, bringing them into captivity to Christ. God’s ideal for His children is higher than the highest human thought can reach. He has given in His holy law a transcript of His character.?{CCh 78.5}[5]
§15
基督徒品格的理想，就是象基督一样。这展开在我们前面的路程，是继续前进而无止境的。我们要得一种目标，要达一种标准，凡是善良，纯洁，尊贵，高尚的事物，无不包括在内。我们应当时刻奋斗，不断进步，力求前进及上进，以达成完全的品格。（8T 63, 64）?{CCh 78.6}[6]
§16
The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. There is opened before us a path of constant advancement. We have an object to gain, a standard to reach, that includes everything good and pure and noble and elevated. There should be continual striving and constant progress onward and upward toward perfection of character.{CCh 78.6}[6]
§17
不论现在还是将来，我们的习惯要塑造我们的为人。人若养成正当的习惯，忠心执行每一本分，他们的生活就必发出光来，照亮别人的路；反之，人若放纵不忠心的恶习，让疏懈，怠惰和玩忽等恶习增强，那比午夜更黑的乌云，就必笼罩在今生的前途上，并要永远拦阻该人进入来生。（4T 452）?{CCh 78.7}[7]
§18
We shall be individually, for time and eternity, what our habits make?us. The lives of those who form right habits, and are faithful in the performance of every duty, will be as shining lights, shedding bright beams upon the pathway of others; but if habits of unfaithfulness are indulged, if lax, indolent, neglectful habits are allowed to strengthen, a cloud darker than midnight will settle on the prospects in this life and forever debar the individual from the future life.{CCh 78.7}[7]
§19
那听从永生之道的人有福了。那蒙“真理的圣灵”引导的人，必被引进全部真理之中。他虽不受世俗的敬爱，尊重及称赞，但在上天看来却是宝贵的。“你看父赐给我们是何等的慈爱，使我们得称为上帝的儿女；我们也真是祂的儿女；世人所以不认识我们，是因未曾认识祂”（约壹3:1）。（5T 439）{CCh 79.1}[8]
§20
Blessed is he who heeds the words of eternal life. Guided by “the Spirit of truth,” he will be led into all truth. He will not be loved, honored, and praised by the world; but he will be precious in the sight of heaven. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.”?1 John 3:1 {CCh 79.1}[8]
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【今日勇敢地生活】
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上帝的真理被接到心里，就能使你有得救的智慧。你若信而从之，就可得到恩典，足够应付当天的责任与磨练。明天的恩典，你在今天是不需要的。你应觉得，所该作的只是今天的事而己。为今天过得胜的生活，为今天而克己，为今天而儆醒祈求，为今天而在上帝里得胜。我们的景况与环境，和每天在我们周围发生的变化，以及圣经看透与证明万事的记载，──这些都足以教我们明白自己的责任，和我们一天天应作的是什么。你不应让心思流入那些无益的思潮，乃当每日查考圣经，及尽到在日常生活中那些于目前或使你厌烦，但总得有人去尽的责任。（3T 333）?{CCh 79.2}[9]
§23
【Live Courageously Today】
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The truth of God received into the heart is able to make you wise unto salvation. In believing and obeying it you will receive grace sufficient for the duties and trials of today. Grace for tomorrow you do not need. You should feel that you have only to do with today. Overcome for today; deny self for today; watch and pray for today; obtain victories in God for today. Our circumstances and surroundings, the changes daily transpiring around us, and the written word of God which discerns and proves all things—these are sufficient to teach us our duty and just what we ought to do, day by day. Instead of suffering your mind to run in a channel of thought from which you will derive no benefit, you should be searching the Scriptures daily and doing those duties in daily life which may now be irksome to you, but which must be done by someone.{CCh 79.2}[9]
§25
许多人注目于周围可怕的罪恶，及各方的叛道与软弱，他们谈论这些事，以致心中充满了忧苦与怀疑。他们的脑筋老是最先想到那大骗子的杰作，念念不忘自己灰心失意的经验，同时似乎是失去了眼光，看不见天父的权能与其无比大爱。这一切都正合于撒但的心愿。何时我们想到公义之敌拥有极大的权力，同时对上帝的爱及大能却少予注意，那就是一种错误。我们应当谈论基督的大能大力。我们完全无力救自己脱离撒但的掌握，但上帝已指定了一条逃生之路。至高者之子有力为我们作战，靠着“爱我们的主”，我们可以“得胜有余”（罗8:37）。{CCh 79.3}[10]
§26
Many fix their eyes upon the terrible wickedness existing around them, the apostasy and weakness on every side, and they talk of these things until their hearts are filled with sadness and doubt. They keep uppermost before the mind the masterly working of the archdeceiver and dwell upon the discouraging features of their experience, while they seem to lose sight of the heavenly Father’s power and His matchless love. All this is as Satan would have it. It is a mistake to think of the enemy of righteousness as clothed with so great power, when we dwell so little upon the love of God and His might. We must talk of the mightiness of Christ. We are utterly powerless to rescue ourselves from the grasp of Satan; but God has appointed a way of escape. The Son of the Highest has strength to fight the battle for us, and “through Him that loved us” we may come off “more than conquerors.”?{CCh 79.3}[10]
§27
我们若念念不忘自己的软弱与冷淡退后，并为撒但的能力而叹息，就不会有属灵的力量。主为我们所作之牺牲的功效，这伟大的真理，我们应当奠定在自己的心意中，作活泼长存的原理。因凡照祂的话所提明的条件而来到上帝面前的人，祂能够而且一定要救他们到底。我们的工作就是将自己的心意放在上帝的旨意这一边。然后，藉着赎罪之血，我们变得与上帝的性情有份；藉着基督，我们成为上帝的儿女，并得到保证，确信上帝爱我们，正如祂爱自己的圣子一样。我们与耶稣合而为一。我们行在基督所引导的路上；祂有权柄能驱散撒但投在我们路上的黑影；并且有祂荣耀的阳光照亮我们的心，取代了黑暗与颓丧。?{CCh 79.4}[11]
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There is no spiritual strength for us in constantly brooding over our weakness and backslidings, and bemoaning the power of Satan. This great truth must be established as a living principle in our minds and hearts—the efficacy of the offering made for us; that God can and does save to the uttermost all who come unto Him complying with the conditions?specified in His word. Our work is to place our will on the side of God’s will. Then, through the blood of the atonement, we become partakers of the divine nature; through Christ we are children of God, and we have the assurance that God loves us even as He loved His Son. We are one with Jesus. We walk where Christ leads the way; He has power to dispel the dark shadows which Satan casts across our path; and, in place of darkness and discouragement, the sunlight of His glory shines into our hearts.?{CCh 79.4}[11]
§29
弟兄姐妹们哪，我们藉着仰望才能有改变。藉着思想上帝及我们救主的爱，藉着默想上帝完全的品格，并因信要求基督的义作为我们的义，我们就可被改变成同样的形像。我们且莫将一切不快乐的影像──罪恶，败坏，失望，撒但权力的凭据等等──挂在我们记忆厅堂的墙上，谈论它，为它而哀恸，以致我们的心灵上充满了沮丧与失望。一个灰心的人就是一个黑暗的物体，不但他自己不能接受上帝的光，反而阻挡了别人也得不到。撒但乐于见到自己胜利的景象所起的作用，使人灰心及失去了信心。（5T 741-745）{CCh 80.1}[12]
§30
Brethren and sisters, it is by beholding that we become changed. By dwelling upon the love of God and our Saviour, by contemplating the perfection of the divine character and claiming the righteousness of Christ as ours by faith, we are to be transformed into the same image. Then let us not gather together all the unpleasant pictures—the iniquities and corruptions and disappointments, the evidences of Satan’s power—to hang in the halls of our memory, to talk over and mourn over until our souls are filled with discouragement. A discouraged soul is a body of darkness, not only failing himself to receive the light of God, but shutting it away from others. Satan loves to see the effect of the pictures of his triumphs, making human beings faithless and disheartened.{CCh 80.1}[12]
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【以无私的生活来表显上帝】
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那被人放肆至极的罪，使我们与上帝分离，及酿成最多属灵传染病的罪，就是自私。人若不克己自制，就不能回头归主。靠着自己，我们就不能做什么。只有藉着上帝加强力量，我们才能在世上向别人行善，并用此法驱退自私的祸害。我们无需到外邦人之地，去表现我们完全献身上帝的心愿，过一种无私而有贡献的人生。我们应当在家乡之内，在教会之中，及在我们所交游、来往的人中，实现此种人生。我们在日常生活的行动上，应当克制自我，使其顺服，以至像保罗那样能说：“我是天天死。”在人生的小事上，天天让自我死去，才可使我们成为得胜的人。我们应当存利他的心愿，而忘记自己。许多人切实缺少爱人的心。他们没有忠心履行自己的本分，反而宁愿寻求自己的欢乐。?{CCh 80.2}[13]
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【Represent God by an Unselfish Life】
§34
The sin which is indulged to the greatest extent, and which separates us from God and produces so many contagious spiritual disorders, is selfishness. There can be no returning to the Lord except by self-denial. Of ourselves we can do nothing; but, through God strengthening us, we can live to do good to others, and in this way shun the evil of selfishness. We need not go to heathen lands to manifest our desire to devote all to God in a useful, unselfish life. We should do this in the home circle, in the church, among those with whom we associate and with whom we do business. Right in the common walks of life is where self is to be denied and kept in subordination. Paul could say: “I die daily.” It is the daily dying to self in the little transactions of life that makes us overcomers. We should forget self in the desire to do good to others. With many there is a decided lack of love for others. Instead of faithfully performing their duty, they seek rather their own pleasure.?{CCh 80.2}[13]
§35
在天庭，没有一位只知道考虑自己，并仅求本身之乐的居民；反之，大家都是存着纯洁真实的爱，为他们四周的天上众生谋求福乐。我们若要在新天新地中享受与天庭社会交游之乐，就必须在今生此世先受天庭原理的管束。?（2T 132, 133）{CCh 80.3}[14]
§36
In heaven none will think of self, nor seek their own pleasure; but all, from pure, genuine love, will seek the happiness of the heavenly beings around them. If we wish to enjoy heavenly society in the earth made new, we must be governed by heavenly principles here.{CCh 80.3}[14]
§37
我蒙指示，在我们之中有太多彼此比较的事，拿那有错的必死的世人为模范，而其实我们已有了一个确实无误的“模范”。我们不应当按着世界，按着人的意见，及按着我们信奉真理之前的情形，来衡量自己。但我们却当以现有的信德及在世的地位，拿来与我们承认为基督门徒之后若有不住前进及上进所可有的情形相比较。只有这样的比较才是稳妥的；其他的各种比较都会有自欺的危险。如果上帝子民的道德品格及灵性情形，不与那赐给他们的福气，特权，及亮光相称，他们就要被秤在天平上，天使也要报告说：有亏欠。（1T 406）?{CCh 80.4}[15]
§38
I was shown that there was too much comparing ourselves among ourselves, taking fallible mortals for a pattern, when we have a sure, unerring pattern. We should not measure ourselves by the world, nor by the opinions of men, nor by what we were before we embraced the truth. But our faith and position in the world, as they now are, must be compared with what they would have been if our course had been?continually onward and upward since we professed to be followers of Christ. This is the only safe comparison that can be made. In every other there will be self-deception. If the moral character and spiritual state of God’s people do not correspond with the blessings, privileges, and light which have been conferred upon them, they are weighed in the balance, and angels make the report, WANTING.{CCh 80.4}[15]
§39
【不可饶恕的罪】
§40
什么构成得罪圣灵的罪呢？那就是故意把圣灵的工作归功于撒但。举例来说，假使一个人是为上帝圣灵特别的工作作见证，他有令人信服的凭据，证实这工作是与圣经相符，而且圣灵也与他的心一同证明那是出于上帝的。可是到了后来，他陷于试探之下；骄傲，自满，或是其他的恶习性制服了他；并且他否认一切足以证明这工作神圣性的凭据，竟称他以前所承认的圣灵之能力是撒但的能力。上帝是藉着圣灵为媒介在人心上作工；当人故意拒绝圣灵，说它是出于撒但之时，他们就是割断了上帝能与他们交往的通路。他们既否认上帝所乐于赐给他们的凭据，就杜绝了那曾照亮他们心上的光，结果他们就落在黑暗之中。基督的话便这样证明了：“你里头的光若黑暗了，那黑暗是何等大呢”（太6:23）？在短时期之内，犯这种罪的人外表上看来仍是上帝的子民；但到了环境改变，要显明他们的品格，及表现他们的精神态度究竟如何之时，便发现他们是在仇敌的立场上，站在他的黑旗之下。（5T 634）{CCh 81.1}[16]
§41
【The Unpardonable Sin】
§42
What constitutes the sin against the Holy Ghost? It is willfully attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit. For example, suppose that one is a witness of the special work of the Spirit of God. He has convincing evidence that the work is in harmony with the Scriptures, and the Spirit witnesses with his spirit that it is of God. Afterward, however, he falls under temptation; pride, self-sufficiency, or some other evil trait, controls him; and rejecting all the evidence of its divine character, he declares that that which he had before acknowledged to be the power of the Holy Spirit was the power of Satan. It is through the medium of His Spirit that God works upon the human heart; and when men willfully reject the Spirit and declare it to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. By denying the evidence which God has been pleased to give them, they shut out the light which had been shining in their hearts, and as the result they are left in darkness. Thus the words of Christ are verified: “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”?Matthew 6:23. For a time, persons who have committed this sin may appear to be children of God; but when circumstances arise to develop character and show what manner of spirit they are of, it will be found that they are on the enemy’s ground, standing under his black banner.{CCh 81.1}[16]
§43
【承认或否认基督】
§44
我们置身于社会之中，家庭之内，以及在任何生活环境里，不论其范围大小，都可在许多方面承认我们的主，也可在许多方面否认祂。我们也许在言语上否认祂，例如，说别人的坏处，说愚昧的话，笑话，无聊的话，不仁的话，模棱两可的话，及与真理相反的话等。我们也许的言语上承认基督没有居住在我们的心内。我们或许在自己的品格上否认祂，例如，贪爱安乐，畏避生活上必须有人担负的责任与本分，及贪爱罪中之乐等。我们也或许因虚荣的服装，迎合世俗，及无礼貌的行为而否认祂。我们或许因偏爱自己的意见，设法维持自己和自以为义而否认祂。此外，我们也或许因放纵心思流于相思，沉于情感，念念不忘假想的苦命和磨难，而否认我们的主。.人若没有基督的心志和精神，就不能真正在世人面前承认基督。我们不能把自己所没有的传递给别人。言谈举止应当是内心真理和恩典的真实可见的表现。若是内心已经成圣、顺服、谦卑，其果效就必在外面表现出来，并要成为承认基督的最有效方法。?（3T 331, 332）{CCh 81.2}[17]
§45
【Confessing or Denying Christ】
§46
In our mingling in society, in families or in whatever relations of life we are placed, either limited or extended, there are many ways wherein we may acknowledge our Lord and many ways wherein we may deny Him. We may deny Him in our words, by speaking evil of others, by foolish talking, jesting and joking, by idle or unkind words, or by prevaricating, speaking contrary to truth. In our words we may confess that Christ is not in us. In our character we may deny Him by loving our ease, by shunning the duties and burdens of life which someone must bear if we do not, and by loving sinful pleasure. We may also deny Christ by pride of dress and conformity to the world, or by uncourteous behavior. We may deny Him by loving our own opinions and by seeking to maintain and justify self. We may also deny Him in allowing the mind to run in the channel of lovesick sentimentalism and to brood over our supposed hard lot and trials.?No one can truly confess Christ before the world unless the mind and spirit of Christ live in him. It is impossible to communicate that which we have not. The conversation and the deportment should be a real and visible expression of grace and truth within. If the heart is sanctified, submissive, and humble, the fruits will be seen outwardly and will be a most effectual confession of Christ.{CCh 81.2}[17]