第10章 晨更讲话
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第10章 晨更讲话 《评论与通讯》1889年10月8日
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Review and Herald, October 8, 1889
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进步的需要
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Chapter 9—To G. I. Butler
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怀爱伦夫人1888年10月18日在明尼苏达州明尼阿波利斯的晨更讲话
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By Mrs. E. G. White.
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我希望在这次会议的开始，我们就将救主明确的教训“离了我，你们就不能做什么”铭记在心。在这末后的日子里，有伟大而严肃的真理托付给我们，但仅仅赞同与相信这个真理不能使我们得救。真理的原则必须交织在我们的品格和生活中。我们应当珍惜照在我们道路上的每一线光芒，按上帝的要求生活。我们应该在属灵上成长。我们正在丧失本来可以从这次会议中得到的许多福气。因为当责任摆在我们面前时，我们没有在基督徒的生活上进步。这将是永远的损失。{1888 117.1}
§10
I hope that at the beginning of this meeting our hearts may be impressed with the positive statement of our Saviour, “Without me ye can do nothing.” We have a great and solemn truth committed to us for these last days, but a mere assent to and belief in this truth will not save us. The principles of the truth must be interwoven with our character and life. We should cherish every ray of light that falls upon our pathway, and live up to the requirements of God. We should grow in spirituality. We are losing a great deal of the blessing we might have at this meeting, because we do not take advance steps in the Christian life, as our duty is presented before us; and this will be an eternal loss. {1888 117.1}
§11
我们若是合理赏识我们工作的重要和伟大，且能有自知之明，就会满心惊奇上帝竟能使用我们如此不配的人从事引人进入真理的工作。有许多事我们应该能够明白，却没有领会，因为我们太落后于我们的特权了。基督对门徒说过：“我还有好些事要告诉你们，但你们现在担当不了”（约16:12）。我们也是如此。门徒们要是遵行了祂的话——他们要是善用了祂所讲的一个又一个真理要点，岂不是原能明白祂对他们所说的话吗？尽管他们当时不明白，祂还是告诉他们，祂要差保惠师来引导他们进入一切的真理。我们应该处在能领悟基督之灵的教导、引导和运行的地步。我们不可用我们有限的理解力或预想的观点来衡量上帝或祂的真理。{1888 117.2}
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If we had a just appreciation of the importance and greatness of our work, and could see ourselves as we are at this time, we should be filled with wonder that God could use us, unworthy as we are, in the work of bringing souls into the truth. There are many things that we ought to be able to understand, that we do not comprehend because we are so far behind our privileges. Christ said to his disciples, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” This is our condition. Would they not have been able to understand what he had to say to them, if they had been doers of his word—if they had improved point after point of the truth which he had presented to them? But although they could not then understand, he told them that he would send the Comforter, who would lead them into all truth. We should be in a position where we can comprehend the teaching, leading, and working of the Spirit of Christ. We must not measure God or his truth by our finite understanding, or by our preconceived opinions. {1888 117.2}
§13
有许多人看不出自己的现在景况，因为他们在属灵上是瞎眼的。“你们总要自己省察有信心没有；也要自己试验；岂不知你们若不是可弃绝的，就有耶稣基督在你们心里吗”（林后13:5）？我盼望我们中间没有什么人会被发现是可弃绝的。基督因信住在你们心里吗？祂的灵在你们里面吗？如果是这样，你的心灵就会非常渴望基督为之而死的那些人得救，自我就会沉沦到微不足道，惟有基督会被高举。弟兄姊妹们，我们此时最大的需要，就是要在上帝面前谦卑己心，好让圣灵能沛降到我们身上。{1888 117.3}
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There are many who do not realize where they are standing; for they are spiritually blinded. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” I trust that none of us will be found to be reprobates. Is Christ abiding in your hearts by faith? Is his Spirit in you? If it is, there will be such a yearning in your soul for the salvation of those for whom Christ has died, that self will sink into insignificance, and Christ alone will be exalted. Brethren and sisters, there is great need at this time of humbling ourselves before God, that the Holy Spirit may come upon us. {1888 117.3}
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有许多人满足于真理知识的表面。他们认为现代宝贵的真理已经在我们的刊物中清楚地阐明出来，这就足够了，不需要自己来查考圣经了。他们没有默想一些明白的教训，用法度和训诲衡量每一个主张，看看是否符合上帝的圣言。许多人没有感到有必要将经文对照经文，用属灵的话解释属灵的事；所以他们没有照所特许给他们的恩惠，在恩典和真理的知识上有长进。他们接受了真理，却缺乏深层地认罪，尚未幡然悔悟，就毛遂自荐参加上帝的圣工。这个说：“我要在真理的圣工上有所作为。”那个说；“我想做传道人。”在我们的弟兄非常渴望得到一切他们能得到的工人时，他们接纳了这些人，并未考虑到在他们身上是否有因认识基督而得救的证据。若非在上帝的事情上有真实、活泼的经验表现出来，就不要接纳任何人作为传道同工。教会呈现退后状况的一个原因，是因为有太多的人就这样来就真理，却根本没有体验过上帝改变人心的大能。{1888 117.4}
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There are many who are content with a superficial knowledge of the truth. The precious truths for this time are brought out so clearly in our publications, that many are satisfied, and do not search the Scriptures for themselves. They do not meditate upon the statements made, and bring every proposition to the law and to the testimony, to see if their ideas correspond to the word of God. Many do not feel that it is essential for them to compare scripture with scripture, and spiritual things with spiritual; and therefore they do not grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth, as it is their privilege to do. They accept the truth, without any deep conviction of sin, and present themselves as laborers in the cause of God when they are unconverted men. One says, “I want to do something in the cause of truth;” another says, “I want to enter the ministry;” and as our brethren are very anxious to get all the laborers they can, they accept these men without considering whether their lives give evidence that they have a saving knowledge of Christ. No one should be accepted as a laborer in the sacred cause of God, until he makes manifest that he has a real, living experience in the things of God. One reason why the church is in a backslidden state is, that so many have come into the truth in this way, and have never known what it is to have the converting power of God upon their souls. {1888 117.4}
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有许多传道人从来就没有悔改。他们来参加祷告聚会，一遍又一遍地重复那些陈旧无生气的祷告；他们将同样干巴巴的讲道讲了一遍又一遍，周复一周，月复一月。他们没有任何新的鼓舞人心的讲道呈现给会众，这就证明他们没有吃人子的肉，喝人子的血，因为在他们里面没有生命。他们与上帝的性情无份；基督没有因信住在他们心里。 {1888 117.5}
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There are many ministers who have never been converted. They come to the prayer-meeting and pray the same old, lifeless prayers over and over; they preach the same dry discourses over and over, from week to week, and from month to month. They have nothing new and inspiring to present to their congregations, and it is evident that they are not eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of man, for they have no life in them. They are not partakers of the divine nature; Christ is not abiding in their hearts by faith. {1888 117.5}
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自称与基督联合的人都应当与上帝同工。上帝的子民要警告世界，并要预备一班人在忿怒的日子站立得住，那时人子要驾天云降临。基督教会的成员应该收集来自耶稣的神圣光线，并且将之返照他人，在世上留下一道朝向天国的光明足迹。他们应该像聪明的童女那样，把灯剔净点着，向世人彰显基督的品格。否则我们就不甘心。我们不要满足于自己的义，也不要满足于没有上帝之灵的深刻感动。{1888 117.6}
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Those who profess to be united to Christ, should be laborers together with God. The people of God are to warn the world, and to prepare a people to stand in the day of wrath when the Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven. The members of the church of Christ should gather up the divine rays of light from Jesus, and reflect them to others, leaving a bright track heavenward in the world. They are to be as the wise virgins, having their lamps trimmed and burning, representing the character of Christ to the world. We are not to be satisfied with anything short of this. We are not to be satisfied with our own righteousness, and content without the deep movings of the Spirit of God. {1888 117.6}
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基督说：“离了我，你们就不能做什么。”许多自称传扬真理之人在工作中所表现的这种显著的“不能做什么，”使我们惊恐。因为我们知道，这证明他们的心还没有感受基督改变人心的大能。你可以从树的顶梢到最底下的枝子观察它们的工作，结果发现只有叶子。上帝希望我们达到更高的标准。我们如此缺乏灵性，并不是祂的旨意。有些年轻人说他们已经献身作工，但他们在胜任基督的圣工之前必须在上帝的事上有真实的经验。这些新手没有出到营外，为基督的缘故忍受羞辱，没有到一些艰苦的地方努力将人带入真理，他们反而定居在安逸的地方，探访经验丰富的人，对那些更有资格教导他们而不是受他人教导的人作工。他们从一个教会到另一个教会，挑选一些安逸的地方，吃吃喝喝，让人家侍候他们。当你去查看他们的作为时，除了叶子以外什么也没有。他们汇报说：“我在这儿布道了。我在哪里也布道了。”但他们收的禾捆在哪里呢？藉着他们的努力接受真理的人在哪里呢？他们虔诚献身的证据在哪里呢？那些作耶稣基督的精兵，藉着恳切努力将教会提高到更高标准的人，正在成就一番善工。{1888 117.7}
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Christ says, “Without me ye can do nothing.” It is this marked nothingness, so apparent in the labors of many who profess to be preaching the truth, that alarms us; for we know that this is an evidence that they have not felt the converting power of Christ upon their hearts. You may look from the topmost bough to the lowest branch of their work, and you will find nothing but leaves. God desires us to come up to a higher standard. It is not his will that we should have such a dearth of spirituality. There are some young men that say they have given themselves to the work, who need a genuine experience in the things of God before they are fit to labor in the cause of Christ. Instead of going without the camp, bearing reproach for Christ’s sake; instead of seeking the hard places, and trying to bring souls into the truth, these beginners settle themselves in an easy position to visit those who are far advanced in experience. They labor with those who are more capable of teaching them than they are of teaching others. They go from church to church, picking out the easy places, eating and drinking, and suffering others to wait upon them. When you look to see what they have done, there is nothing but leaves. They bring in the report, “I preached here, and I preached there;” but where are the sheaves they have garnered? Where are the souls that have embraced the truth through their efforts? Where is the evidence of their piety and devotion? Those who are bringing the churches up to a higher standard, by earnest efforts as soldiers of Jesus Christ, are doing a good work. {1888 117.7}
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教会一再地被我所提到的那等人掠夺；因为他们从司库那里获得供给，却没有任何回报。他们不断地开支钱财，而这些钱财是应该用来维持称职工人的。应该将那些毛遂自荐从事圣工之人的情况都彻底调查一番。使徒警告你们“给人行按手的礼，不可急促”（提前5:22）。生活如果不能蒙上帝悦纳，工作就会毫无价值；但你们若因信而有基督住在心里，每一错行就会得到矫正，基督的精兵将会藉着井然有序的生活证实这一点。有许多人参与传道工作，他们的影响力会使教会败坏；而当他们被解雇时，他们却认为自己被免职是因为个人的错误。他们没有基督在心里，成为活水的泉源，直涌到永生。{1888 117.8}
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Too often the churches have been robbed by the class I have mentioned; for they take their support from the treasury, and bring nothing in return. They are continually drawing out the means that should be devoted to the support of worthy laborers. There should be a thorough investigation of the cases of those who present themselves to labor in the cause. The apostle warns you to “lay hands suddenly on no man.” If the life is not what God can accept, the labors will be worthless; but if Christ is abiding in the heart by faith, every wrong will be made right, and those who are soldiers of Christ will be willing to prove it by a well ordered life. There are many who enter the ministry, and their influence demoralizes the churches; and when they are rejected, they take their dismissal as a personal wrong. They have not Christ in the soul, as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. {1888 117.8}
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我想劝告那些居负责岗位的人，要认识到自己的责任，不要雇佣一些无效率的人参加上帝的圣工，危及现代真理的事业。我们需要那些愿意进入新的园地，去为主作辛苦服务的人。我记得在访问爱荷华州新区的时候，曾看见农民们开垦荒地。我注意到他们成群结队，努力将田地犁得很深，但他们也通过劳动而增强了体力和筋骨。进入新的田园开垦人心的荒地会使我们的青年人强壮起来。这项工作会使他们更加亲近上帝。这会帮助他们看清自己本身毫无效率，必须完全归主。他们必须放弃一切自尊自负之心而投靠主耶稣基督。他们这样做的时候，就会乐意出到营外，负起责任做十字架的精兵。他们必须藉着克服困难和战胜障碍来提高效能和才干。需要能居于负责岗位的人，但他们必须是已经充分证明了自己的作用，乐于负基督之轭的人。上天嘉许这等人。{1888 117.9}
§26
I want to exhort those who are in positions of responsibility, to waken to their duty, and not imperil the cause of present truth by engaging 118inefficient men to do the work of God. We want men who are willing to go into new fields, and to do hard service for the Lord. I remember visiting in Iowa when the country was new, and I saw the farmers breaking the new ground. I noticed that they had heavy teams, and made tremendous efforts to make deep furrows, but the laborers gained strength and muscle by the exercise of their physical powers. It will make our young men strong to go into new fields, and break up the fallow ground of men’s hearts. This work will drive them nearer to God. It will help them to see that they are altogether inefficient in themselves. They must be wholly the Lord’s. They must put away their self-esteem and self-importance, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. When they do this, they will be willing to go without the camp, and bear the burden as good soldiers of the cross. They will gain efficiency and ability by mastering difficulties and overcoming obstacles. Men are wanted for responsible positions, but they must be men who have given full proof of their ministry in willingness to wear the yoke of Christ. Heaven regards this class with approval. {1888 117.9}
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我奉劝你们买眼药，使你们能看明上帝对你们的期望。太多的证道里面没有基督。一系列没有能力的话语只会使人退步。愿上帝帮助我们，让圣灵彰显在我们中间。我们不应等到回家才能获得天国的福气。传道人应该就在这里开始帮助人们寻求上帝，并要从正确的立场开始作工。那些长期从事圣工的人，远非满足于等候晚雨的沛降以便领受。我们这班人像约翰一样，是要为主预备道路的。我们如果在为基督复临作准备，就必须全力以赴，帮助别人也为基督复临作准备，正如基督的先锋为祂的第一次降临作准备，呼召人们悔改那样。上帝的真理必须进入人心灵的殿宇，清除一切的污秽。愿上帝帮助我们亲自查考圣经，而当我们都被上帝的真理所充满时，就会流出活水的泉源来。天上的泉源是取之不尽的。我们汲取得越多，就越乐于汲取生命的活水。唯愿我们得以悔改归正！我们需要悔改的传道人和年轻人。我们需要提高标准。愿众民都达到上帝在基督耶稣里的崇高恩召。让我们求主使我成为饥渴慕义之人吧，因为耶稣说：“饥渴慕义的人有福了；因为他们必得饱足”（太5:6）。{1888 118.1}
§28
I exhort you to have the eye-salve, that you may discern what God would have you do. There are too many Christless sermons preached. An array of powerless words only confirms the people in their backslidings. May God help us that his Spirit may be made manifest among us. We should not wait until we go home to obtain the blessing of Heaven. The ministers should begin right here with the people to seek God, and to work from the right stand-point. Those who have been long in the work have been far too content to wait for the showers of the latter rain to revive them. We are the people who, like John, are to prepare the way of the Lord; and if we are prepared for the second coming of Christ, we must work with all diligence to prepare others for Christ’s second advent, as did the forerunner of Christ for his first advent, calling men to repentance. The truth of God must be brought into the soul temple, to cleanse and purify it from all defilement. May God help us to search the Scriptures for ourselves, and when we are all filled with the truth of God, it will flow out as water from a living spring. We cannot exhaust the heavenly fountain, and the more we draw, the more we shall delight to draw from the living waters. O may we be converted! We want the ministers and the young men to be converted. We want to lift up the standard. Let all the people come up to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us pray that we may hunger and thirst after righteousness; for Jesus says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” {1888 118.1}