第03章 为什么上帝要人为祂施舍
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第03章 为什么上帝要人为祂施舍
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Chap. 03 - Why God Employs Men as His Almoners
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【施给者】
§4
上帝推进祂的圣工并不依赖人。祂本来可以用天使作为祂真理的使者；或者像在西奈山上宣布律法那样，亲口宣布祂的旨意，但祂为了在我们心中培养慈善的精神，就决定用人来从事这项工作。{CS 20.1}[1]
§5
God is not dependent upon men for the advancement of His cause. He might have made angels the ambassadors of His truth. He might have made known His will, as He proclaimed the law from Sinai with His own voice. But in order to cultivate a spirit of benevolence in us, He has chosen to employ men to do this work. {CS 20.1}[1]
§6
每一个造福别人的自我牺牲之举，都能加强施给者心中的慈善精神，使他与世界的救赎主更加亲密。祂“本来富足，却为你们成了贫穷，叫你们因祂的贫穷，可以成为富足”（林后8:9）。我们唯有实现上帝创造我们的神圣旨意，生命才成为我们的福气。上帝赐给人类的一切美好恩赐，如果不用来造福同胞，推进祂在地上的圣工，便是一项咒诅。（《评论与通讯》1886年12月7日）{CS 20.2}[2]
§7
Every act of self-sacrifice for the good of others will strengthen the spirit of beneficence in the givers heart, allying him more closely to the Redeemer of the world, who was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich. And it is only as we fulfill the divine purpose in our creation that life can be a blessing to us. All the good gifts of God to man will prove only a curse, unless he employs them to bless his fellow men, and for the advancement of Gods cause in the earth.--R. & H., Dec. 7, 1886. {CS 20.2}[2]
§8
【追求财利的结果】
§9
越来越强烈的发财欲望和敛财所造成的自私自利，会导致教会灵性的灭亡，使上帝不再喜悦她。当我们的思想充满了积累财富的计划，双手在不住地为此而努力时，就会忘却上帝和同胞的要求。{CS 20.3}[3]
§10
【The Fruit of Seeking Gain】
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It is this increasing devotion to money getting, the selfishness which the desire for gain begets, that deadens the spirituality of the church, and removes the favor of God from her. When the head and hands are constantly occupied with planning and toiling for the accumulation of riches, the claims of God and humanity are forgotten. {CS 20.3}[3]
§12
上帝既然赐给我们幸运，我们的光阴和精力就不可转离祂而集中在这些借给我们的东西上。施主总比礼物伟大。我们是用重价买来的。我们不是自己的人。我们有没有忘记为救赎我们所付出无限代价呢？我们感恩的心是否消失了呢？难道基督的十字架没有使自私安逸放纵的生活蒙羞？……我们正在享用无限自我牺牲的果实。然而正要开展工作，需要我们奉献金钱来支持救赎主的救灵工作时，我们却规避责任要求退出。闲懒怠惰、漠不关心和邪恶的自私自利，麻痹了我们对上帝要求的感觉。{CS 20.4}[4]
§13
If God has blessed us with prosperity, it is not that our time and attention should be diverted from Him and given to that which He has lent us. The giver is greater than the gift. We have been bought with a price, we are not our own. Have we forgotten that infinite price paid for our redemption? Is gratitude dead in the heart? Does not the cross of Christ put to shame a life of selfish ease and indulgence? . . . We are reaping the fruits of this infinite self-sacrifice; and yet, when labor is to be done, when our money is wanted to aid the work of the Redeemer in the salvation of souls, we shrink from duty and pray to be excused. Ignoble sloth, careless indifference, and wicked selfishness seal our senses to the claims of God. {CS 20.4}[4]
§14
难道我们就忍心让这位天上的至尊，荣耀的王基督背负沉重的十字架，头戴荆棘冠，喝那苦杯，而我们自己却享受安逸，贪图虚荣，忘记祂舍命用自己的宝血所救赎的生灵吗？不！让我们有能力时就奉献；有力量时就行动；趁着白日作工；用我们的时间和金钱为上帝服务。这样，我们就能蒙祂喜悦，得祂赏赐。（《评论与通讯》1882年10月17日）{CS 21.1}[5]
§15
Oh, must Christ, the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, bear the heavy cross, and wear the thorny crown, and drink the bitter cup, while we recline at ease, glorify ourselves, and forget the souls He died to redeem by His precious blood? No; let us give while we have the power. Let us do while we have the strength. Let us work while it is day. Let us devote our time and our means to the service of God, that we may have His approbation, and receive His reward. --R. & H., Oct. 17, 1882. {CS 21.1}[5]
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【我们最大的战斗是与自我作战】
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我们今生的财富是有限的，但上帝赐给世界的财富是无限的，远超过人类的计算，包含了人类的一切愿望。在那最后决定的大日，当每一个人按照他的行为接受审判时，一切自我辩白的声音都要止息。我们会看到天父藉着祂赐给人类的礼物，赐下了祂的一切。他们没有理由拒绝这丰盛的恩赐。{CS 21.2}[6]
§18
【Our Greatest Conflict With Self】
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In this life our possessions are limited, but the great treasure that God offers in His gift to the world, is unlimited. It comprehends every human desire, and goes far beyond our human calculations. In the great day of final decision, when every man shall be judged according to his deeds, every voice of self-justification will be hushed; for it will be seen that in His gift to the human race the Father gave all He had to give, and that they are without excuse who have refused to accept the gracious offering. {CS 21.2}[6]
§20
我们身外没有需要畏惧的仇敌。我们最大的作战对象是不愿奉献的自我。当我们靠着爱我们的主战胜自我时，我们就是得胜有余了。弟兄们：永生等待我们去争取。让我们打那信心美好的仗。我们的宽容时期不在将来，而是在现在。要趁着还有一点点的时候，“先求祂的国和祂的义；这些东西”──常被撒但用作陷阱施行欺骗和毁灭的东西──“都要加给你们了”（太6:33）。（《评论与通讯》1908年3月5日）{CS 21.3}[7]
§21
We have no enemy without that we need to fear. Our great conflict is with unconsecrated self. When we conquer self, we are more than conquerors through Him who has loved us. My brethren, there is eternal life for us to win. Let us fight the good fight of faith. Not in the future, but now, is our probation. While it lingers, seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things,--the things which now so often serve Satans purpose as snares to deceive and destroy,--shall be added unto you.--R. & H., March 5, 1908. {CS 21.3}[7]
§22
不要忘记我们被安置在世上是要接受考验，以决定我们来生资格的。我们的品格若有自私的污点，就不能进天国。所以上帝藉着交托我们暂时的财富来考验我们，看我们如何使用它，以证明能否交给我们永恒的财富。（《评论与通讯》1893年5月16日）{CS 22.1}[8]
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【A Foul Blot】
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We should never forget that we are placed on trial in this world, to determine our fitness for the future life. None can enter heaven whose characters are defiled by the foul blot of selfishness. Therefore, God tests us here, by committing to us temporal possessions, that our use of these may show whether we can be entrusted with eternal riches.--R. & H., May 16, 1893. {CS 22.1}[8]
§25
【我们的财产只是委托给我们的】
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一个人的财富不论多少,都要记住只是委托给他的。无论是体力、技能、光阴、才干、机会和金钱，他都必须向上帝交账。这是一项个人的工作。上帝赐福给我们，是要我们藉着转赠他人而像祂那样慷慨、高尚和慈善。那些忘记自己的神圣使命，只顾敛财或挥霍于放纵骄傲和自私的人，虽然可以获得今生的利益和快乐，但在上帝眼中，按他们的属灵造诣来评估，却是贫穷、可怜、不幸、盲目和赤身的。{CS 22.2}[9]
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【Our Possessions Only in Trust】
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However large, however small the possessions of any individual, let him remember that it is his only in trust. For his strength, skill, time, talents, opportunities, and means, he must render an account to God. This is an individual work; God gives to us, that we may become like Him, generous, noble, beneficent, by giving to others. Those who, forgetful of their divine mission, seek only to save or to spend in the indulgence of pride or selfishness, may secure the gains and pleasures of this world; but in Gods sight, estimated by their spiritual attainments, they are poor, wretched, miserable, blind, naked. {CS 22.2}[9]
§29
财富若用之得当，就会成为人与人之间的友爱和感恩的金链，并使人的情意与救赎主连结在一起。上帝爱子的无穷恩赐，需要接受的人真实地表达他们的感恩。凡接受基督慈爱亮光的人，负有最大的责任，要将这恩光照耀其他黑暗中的生灵。（《评论与通讯》1882年5月16日）{CS 22.3}[10]
§30
When rightly employed, wealth becomes a golden bond of gratitude and affection between man and his fellow men, and a strong tie to bind his affections to his Redeemer. The infinite gift of Gods dear Son calls for tangible expressions of gratitude from the recipients of His grace. He who receives the light of Christs love, is thereby placed under the strongest obligation to shed the blessed light upon other souls in darkness.-- R. & H., May 16, 1882. {CS 22.3}[10]
§31
【激发基督化的品性】
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上帝容许苦难和不幸临到一些人，是要呼召我们脱离自私，唤起我们的基督化品性──怜悯、温柔和仁爱。{CS 23.1}[11]
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【To Awaken Attributes of Christs Character】
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The Lord permits suffering and calamity to come upon men and women to call us out of our selfishness, to awaken in us the attributes of His character,-- compassion, tenderness, and love. {CS 23.1}[11]
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上帝的爱发出最感人的恳劝，呼吁我们彰显基督的温柔和同情。祂常经忧患，多受痛苦。祂品尝过我们的一切苦难。祂深爱人类，因为祂用自己的宝血赎回了他们。祂对他们说：“我赐给你们一条新命令，乃是叫你们彼此相爱；我怎样爱你们，你们也要怎样相爱”（约13:34）。（《评论与通讯》1906年9月13日）{CS 23.2}[12]
§36
Divine love makes its most touching appeals when it calls upon us to manifest the same tender compassion that Christ manifested. He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. In all our afflictions He is afflicted. He loves men and women as the purchase of His own blood, and He says to us, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.--R. & H., Sept. 13, 1906. {CS 23.2}[12]
§37
【最高的荣誉，最大的喜乐】
§38
上帝是全宇宙生命、光明和喜乐的泉源。祂的福惠就象太阳的光线那样，撒向祂所造的一切生物。祂凭着祂无限的爱，给人以变得与上帝的性情有分的特权，以便将这些福气转赠给同胞。这是上帝能赐给人类的最高的荣誉和最大的喜乐。那些与创造主最接近的人，会参与爱的工作。而那些拒绝与上帝同工，因放纵私欲而忽略同胞的需要，只顾积聚金钱而成为守财奴的人，就是拒绝了上帝所能赐与的最丰盛的福惠。（《评论与通讯》1887年12月6日）{CS 23.3}[13]
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【The Highest Honor, the Greatest Joy】
§40
God is the source of life and light and joy to the universe. Like rays of light from the sun, blessings flow out from Him to all the creatures He has made. In His infinite love He has granted men the privilege of becoming partakers of the divine nature, and, in their turn, of diffusing blessings to their fellow men. This is the highest honor, the greatest joy, that it is possible for God to bestow upon men. Those are brought nearest to their Creator who thus become participants in labors of love. He who refuses to become a laborer together with God,--the man who for the sake of selfish indulgence ignores the wants of his fellow men, the miser who heaps up his treasures here,--is withholding from himself the richest blessing that God can give him.--R. & H., Dec. 6, 1887. {CS 23.3}[13]