第23章 致祷告周聚会的弟兄们
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第23章 致祷告周聚会的弟兄们
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Chapter 23—To Brethren Who Assemble in the Week of Prayer
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《信函》1888年20a号B-20a-1888圣经是充分的向导
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Chapter 22—To G. I. Butler and wife
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祷告周安息日宣读，1888年12月15日
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Week of Prayer Reading for Sabbath, December 15, 1888
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在祷告周聚集的亲爱弟兄们：
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Dear Brethren who assemble in the Week of Prayer:—
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我们深深地感悟到这次大会将是我们这班人中间的一次重要会议。这应该是一段恳切寻求上帝，在祂面前谦卑己心的日子。我盼望你们将此次大会视为祈祷及彼此劝勉的绝佳机会。你们如果高度重视使徒的吩咐：“要看别人比自己强”，就会心里谦卑，以基督的精神，认真地查考圣经，要明白什么是真理。殷勤的研究不会使真理损失什么。让圣经自己说话，成为自己的解释者，真理就会像珍贵的宝石在灰尘中发光。{1888 196.1}
§10
We are impressed that this will be an important time among us as a people. It should be a period of earnestly seeking the Lord and humbling your hearts before him. I hope you will regard this as a most precious opportunity to pray and counsel together; and if the injunction of the apostle to esteem others better than ourselves is carefully heeded, you can in humility of mind, with the spirit of Christ, search the Scriptures carefully to see what is truth. The truth can lose nothing by close investigation. Let the word of God speak for itself; let it be its own interpreter, and the truth will shine like precious gems amid the rubbish. {1888 196.1}
§11
我蒙指示：我们当中有许多传道人抱着理所当然的态度，没有藉着缜密地研究圣经来亲自了解他们所信的是真理还是谬论。我们的人如果少依赖讲道，而多用时间跪在上帝面前祷告，恳求祂启迪他们的悟性能明白圣经的真理，以便亲自拥有一种知识，将脚立在坚固的磐石上，上帝的天使就会环绕他们，帮助他们尽力而为。{1888 196.2}
§12
It has been shown me that there are many of our people who take things for granted, and know not for themselves, by close, critical study of the Scriptures, whether they are believing truth or error. If our people depended much less upon preaching, and spent far more time on their knees before God, pleading for him to open their understanding to the truth of his word, that they might have a knowledge for themselves that their feet were standing on solid rock, angels of God would be around about them, to help them in their endeavors. {1888 196.2}
§13
我们有一大批人沉湎于一种极其惊人的懒惰，乐意别人为他们查考圣经，将别人口中说出的真理当作确凿的事实，却不晓得应该藉着个人亲自的查考和上帝之灵在他们心思意念中的深刻感服，认识到那真理是圣经的真理。现在人人都要排除忌恨、嫉妒和恶意的猜测，且使心灵与上帝保持密切的联络。如果大家都这样行，就会有爱的火焰在心坛上燃烧，有基督为他们作证。各方都将拥有基督的良善与柔和。彼此之间就不会争吵，因为上帝的仆人不可争竞，不会有分门结党的精神，也不会有自私的野心。{1888 196.3}
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There is a most wonderful laziness indulged in by a large class of our people, who are willing others should search the Scriptures for them; and they take the truth from the lips of these as a positive fact, but they do not know it to be Bible truth, through their own individual research, and by the deep convictions of the Spirit of God upon their hearts and minds. Let every soul now be divested of envy, of jealousy, of evil surmising, and bring his heart into close 197connection with God. If all do this, they will have that love burning upon the altar of their hearts which Christ evinced for them. All parties will have Christian kindness and Christian tenderness. There will be no strife, for the servants of God must not strive. There will be no party spirit; there will be no selfish ambition. {1888 196.3}
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我们的人必须亲自更加透彻地理解圣经的真理，因为他们将蒙召站在议会之前，被那些爱好挑剔的人批评。赞成真理是一回事，仔细深入地研究圣经，明白真理是什么，则是另一回事。主已把我们的危险、试炼和所面临的诱惑告诉我们。现在我们当努力预备自己迎战面前的试探和突发事件。{1888 197.1}
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Our people individually must understand Bible truth more thoroughly, for they certainly will be called before councils; they will be criticised by keen and critical minds. It is one thing to give assent to the truth, and another thing, through close examination as Bible students, to know what is truth. We have been apprised of our dangers, of the trials and temptations just before us; and now is the time to take special pains to prepare ourselves to meet the temptations and emergencies which are just before us. {1888 197.1}
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如果人们忽略在生活中实践真理，藉着真理而成圣，以致能存温柔敬畏的心说明自己心中盼望的缘由，他们就会被一些异端和谬道所摇动，丧失灵魂。我奉劝我的弟兄们，为基督的缘故，要放弃自私的野心。 {1888 197.2}
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If souls neglect to bring the truth into their lives, and be sanctified through the truth, that they may be able to give a reason of the hope that is within them, with meekness and fear, they will be swept away by some of the manifold errors and heresies, and will lose their souls. I beg of you, my brethren, for Christ’s sake, to have no selfish ambitions. {1888 197.2}
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当你们在这次大会聚集之时，我恳劝你们要做出个人的努力，洁净心灵脱离一切使你们与上帝隔绝的污秽影响。许许多多的人会失丧，因为他们没有屈膝在上帝面前学习圣经，没有藉着恳切地向上帝祷告进入上帝的圣言，这圣言会给他们的悟性带来亮光。所有自私的野心要放在一边。你们应该恳切地祈求上帝的灵降在你们身上，犹如五旬节降在聚集的门徒身上一样。“门徒都聚集在一处。忽然，从天上有响声下来，好像一阵大风吹过，充满了他们所坐的屋子；又有舌头如火焰显现出来；分开落在个人头上。他们就都被圣灵充满，按着圣灵所赐的口才说起别国的话来”（徒2:1-4）。愿每一个人的心都屈服在上帝面前。要用活泼的信心保持对自己、对撒但的胜利。{1888 197.3}
§20
As you shall assemble together at these general meetings for prayer, I beseech of you to make personal efforts to cleanse soul and spirit from every defiling influence which would separate you from God. Many, many will be lost because they have not studied their Bibles upon their knees, with earnest prayer to God that the entrance of the word of God might give light to their understanding. All selfish ambition should be laid aside, and you should plead with God for his Spirit to descend upon you as it came upon the disciples who were assembled together upon the day of Pentecost. “They were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Let every heart be subdued before 198God. Let there be a taking hold by living faith for victory over ourselves, victory over Satan. {1888 197.3}
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倘若所有自称相信圣经的人真正相信这是上帝的话语，实实在在是上帝的书信，教导每一生灵怎么做才能得救，那么伴随他们努力的结果该是何等地不一样啊！因为有如此之多的人手拿圣经向别人传讲，自己却没有殷勤地研究圣经，没有遵行上帝的话语，在恩典上没有什么长进，没有长成基督耶稣的身量。他们大都接受别人对圣经的解释，心灵没有感到有责任自己找出圣经的证据，好知道什么是真理。{1888 198.1}
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If all who claim to believe the Bible did believe it as the oracles of God, as actually a divine communication teaching every soul what to do in order to be saved, what a different effect would follow their labors. It is because so many who handled the word of God in opening the Scriptures to others are not diligent students of the Scriptures or doers of the word themselves, that they make so little advancement in growth of grace and in coming to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. They take largely the interpretation of the Scriptures from others’ lips, but do not put their minds to the tax of searching the evidences for themselves, to know what is truth. {1888 198.1}
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借着圣经活泼的证言，所有的误会与争论都可以愉快成功地消除。我们属灵成功的最大障碍便是极为缺乏爱心，以及彼此之间缺乏尊重。我们应该非常恳切地寻求，藉着每一言语及行为，回应基督的祈祷，促进基督在祷告中所表达的团结，使我们能合而为一，正如祂与父合而为一那样。彼此之间的每一隔阂都应竭力消除。每一使弟兄之间不和的因素都应从我们中间清除。存在于心中的耶稣基督的爱将会化解这一切使人心不和的大小矛盾。撒但知道团结就是力量；纷争与不和会导致软弱。所需要的是上天的启迪。这样，当我们看到弟兄们的面容时，我们就会想到：这些人是基督宝血的重价买来的，在祂眼中看为宝贵。我应该爱他们就像基督爱了我一样。这些人是我收割园地上的同工，我必须与他们完全合而为一；我必须在他们前进的道路上只说鼓励与劝勉的话语。{1888 198.2}
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All misunderstandings and controversies may be happily and successfully adjusted by the living testimonies of the word of God. One of the greatest hindrances to our spiritual success, is the great want of love and respect evidenced for one another. We should seek most earnestly, by every word and action, to answer the prayer of Christ, and to encourage that unity which is expressed in the prayer of Christ, that we may be one as he is one with the Father. Every feeling of indifference for one another should be strenuously overcome, and everything that would tend to variance with brethren should be put away from us. The love of Jesus Christ existing in the heart will consume these little things, or greater things, which tend to divide hearts. Satan sees that in unity there is strength; that in variance and dis-union there is weakness. Heaven’s enlightenment is what is needed, so that when we look upon the faces of our brethren, we may consider: “These are they that have been purchased by the price of the blood of Christ. They are precious in his sight. I must love them as Christ has loved me. These are my fellow-laborers in the harvest field. I must be perfectly united with them; I must speak only words that will tend to encourage and advance them in their forward movement.” {1888 198.2}
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我的弟兄们：你们是基督的军兵，要与撒但及其大军积极作战。你们若彼此恶意猜测，心思由那昼夜专门在上帝面前控告他们的大控告者的能力所控制，就会使上帝的灵忧伤。撒但已训练他的军兵进行特别的的工作，破坏基督付出巨大牺牲所建立的弟兄之间的和睦。我们因神圣的纽带而彼此团结在一起。仇敌的工作就是要造成党派精神，让人有党派情绪。有些人在弟兄中强化偏见与嫉妒，还以为是在做上帝的工作。上帝希望祂的同工们保持神圣的秩序，以便基督将他们一起维系在以色列的主上帝里面。我们应当信实、坦诚、忠于彼此的权益。我们要不断地听从我们元帅的命令，不要去听一些对弟兄不利的传闻，或是对弟兄的恶意猜测而使自己犯罪。我们要与我们的弟兄利益与共。在我们彼此之间引起猜疑与嫉妒完全是魔鬼的工作。我们是在同一位主之下为同一事业而奋斗，所做的同一项工作就是在这些末后的日子预备上帝的百姓。必须热心地维护弟兄们的兴盛与名誉，正如维护我们自己的尊荣与名誉一样。每一句恶言恶语，每一句含有讽刺挖苦意味的话，每一贬损我们弟兄或上帝圣工任何部门的影响力都是在违背基督的祈祷。撒但在这方面一直做工，使基督的祷告不能实现。他在自称做上帝圣工的人当中找到了帮手。每一句说出来会引起猜疑，贬损别人的名誉，或诋毁在这些指定的机构中工作之人的话语，都是在替撒但效劳，只能削弱我们自己的心灵，成为推展上帝圣工的巨大障碍。{1888 198.3}
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My brethren, you are Christ’s soldiers, making aggressive warfare against Satan and his host; but it is grievous to the Spirit of God for you to 199be surmising evil of one another, and letting the imagination of your hearts be controlled by the power of the great accuser, whose business it is to accuse them before God day and night. Satan has his soldiers trained for the special work of breaking up the union which Christ made so great a sacrifice to establish between brethren. We are to be bound to one another in sacred bonds of holy union. But it is the work of the enemy to create a party spirit, and to have party feelings, and some feel that they are doing the work of God in strengthening prejudices and jealousies among brethren. God would have a sacred order to exist among his co-workers, that they may be bound together by Christ in the Lord God of Israel. We are to be faithful, frank, and true to the interests of each other. We are constantly to be listening for orders from our Captain, but not be guilty of listening to reports against our brethren, or imagining evil of our brethren. Our interests must be bound up with our brethren’s, and it is decidedly nothing but the work of the Devil to create suspicion and jealousies between each other. We are working for the same cause and under the same Master. It is one work,—the preparation of the people of God in these last days. The prosperity and reputation of our brethren are to be zealously guarded, as we would have our own honor and reputation preserved. Everything like evil-speaking, every word that savors of sarcasm, every influence that would demerit our brethren or any branch of the work of God, are all working away from the prayer of Christ. Satan is at work in this matter, that the prayer of Christ may not be answered, and he has helpers in the very men who claim to be doing the work of God. Everything that is said to create suspicion, or to cast a slur, or to demerit those engaged in appointed agencies, is working on Satan’s side of the question. It brings only weakness to our own souls, and is a great hindrance to the advancement of the work of God. {1888 198.3}
§27
多年以来我蒙指示：这类事情会使上帝的灵忧伤，使我们信仰的仇敌大得机会，使上帝的工人努力推广的真理被人误解。有些认为自己是真正在做主的工作的人，事实上却是背叛主的事业。嫉妒比我们想象的还要普遍。偏见得到了滋长并在人心中因放纵得到加强。他们应看明它的有害影响并从心灵的殿宇中清除这类特性。嫉恨如阴间之残忍，撒但已使它成为一种巧妙的试探，不仅离间朋友，而且使弟兄彼此疏远。{1888 199.1}
§28
For years it has been shown me that everything of this character was grievous to the Spirit of God, and was giving the enemies of our faith great advantage to take misconceptions of the truth that God’s laborers were seeking 200to advance. Some who think that they are really doing the Lord’s work, are traitors in the cause. Envy is more common than we imagine, and prejudice is encouraged, and becomes strong by indulgence, in the hearts of those who should discern its baleful influence and spurn it from the soul-temple. Jealousy is as cruel as the grave, but Satan makes this a masterly temptation, not only to estrange friends, but brethren. {1888 199.1}
§29
被赋予责任之人的当务之急便是借着上帝圣言的光照，仔细地省查自己的内心，是否真正拥有信心和真理的爱。彼此相爱的精神，就如基督为我们所显出的爱那样，会引导我们借着上帝圣洁律法的光照仔细地检查每一欲望，每一情感，每一放纵的情绪，使我们的内心得以敞开，确信是否在遵守圣洁律法的原则。这是上帝吩咐我们去尽的明确本分，要使我们的意志力以及心灵处于上帝圣灵的神圣影响力的控制之下。当我们如此行的时候，我们就会超越一切低劣的品质和未成圣的情感，对于弟兄获得的每一胜利，我们都将视为自己获得胜利一般地感到高兴。{1888 200.1}
§30
It is high time that every soul intrusted with responsibilities should examine his own heart diligently by the lighted candle of God’s word, to see whether he is indeed in the faith and in the love of the truth. The spirit of love for one another, as Christ has evidenced for us, will lead us to examine closely every impulse, every sentiment and feeling indulged, in the light of the law of God, that the heart may be opened to conviction whether or not we are keeping the principles of that holy law. It is a positive duty, which God enjoins upon souls, to bring our will and spirit under the control of the divine influence of the Spirit of God. When we do this, we shall rise above all these cheap and unconsecrated feelings, and every victory that is gained by our brethren we shall be just as glad to see as if it were gained by ourselves. {1888 200.1}
§31
弟兄们：我们要行道，不要单单听道。要少想到自我，看别人比自己强。现今我们的人中最大的弊病便是争高位，自以为了不起，没有认识到不断需要基督的恩典与我们一切的努力同工。你无论干什么，基督化的品格，纯正，持久的精力，献身的虔诚，都会使你有地位并获得人们的重视。我们现在应该仔细查考圣经。自以为义的外袍要放在一边。要单纯地研究你手中上帝的话语。心存敬畏地存记于心，带着真诚的目的研究圣经。我们不要自己设立柱标，然后一切解释都围绕着这个既定的论点。这就是我们一些伟大的改革家失败的地方，也是今日本应大力维护上帝和真理的人反倒与真理作对的原因。要让我们每一思想，每一句话和行为举止都带着谦恭和基督化的礼貌彼此相待，正如圣经所吩咐的。上帝的旨意是让我们成为学生，首先学习活泼的圣道，其次从上帝那学习如何对待我们的同胞。这是上帝的命令。{1888 200.2}
§32
Brethren, when we are doers of the word and not hearers only, we shall think much less of self, and esteem others better than ourselves. The greatest curse among our people today is, seeking for the highest place. Full of self-importance and self-esteem, we do not feel our need of the constant grace of Christ to work with all our efforts. Whatever you are in character, in purity, in persevering energy, in devoted piety, will give you position and will make others appreciate you. We should now closely examine the oracles of God. The garments of self-righteousness are to be laid aside. Let the word of God which you take in your hands be studied with simplicity. Cherish reverence for it, and study it with honesty of purpose. We are not to set our stakes, and then to interpret everything to reach this set point. Here is where some of our great reformers have failed, and this is the reason that men who today 201might be mighty champions for God and the truth, are warring against the truth. Let every thought, every word, and the deportment savor of that courtesy and Christian politeness toward each other which the Scriptures enjoin. God designs we should be learners, first, from the living oracles, and secondly, from our fellow-men. This is God’s order. {1888 200.2}
§33
上帝的圣言是伟大的谬误检测器。我们认为一切观点都应带到圣经面前。要以圣经为我们每一教义的标准。我们必须虔诚地研究它。我们在与圣经对照之前，不要接受任何人的观点。这在信仰问题上是最高的神圣权威。要让永生上帝的话解决所有的争端。当人将自己的聪明掺入到上帝真理的话语之中，对与他们争论的人发出尖刻的攻击时，他们就表明自己对于上帝灵感的话语没有神圣的敬畏。他们将属人的与属神的，圣与俗的混合在一起，贬低了上帝的话语。我们在研究圣经时必须充满超越人类的智慧和能力，藉此柔化及降服我们刚硬的内心，使我们成为殷勤研究圣经的学生，并且愿意领受所栽培的道，以便明白真理，并将耶稣里的真理教导他人。{1888 201.1}
§34
The word of God is the great detector of error; to it we believe everything must be brought. The Bible must be our standard for every doctrine. We must study it reverentially. We are to receive no one’s opinion without comparing it with the Scriptures. Here is divine authority which is supreme in matters of faith. It is the word of the living God that is to decide all controversies. It is when men mingle their own human smartness with God’s words of truth in giving sharp thrusts to those who are in controversy with them, that they show that they have not a sacred reverence for God’s inspired word. They mix the human with the divine, the common with the sacred, and they belittle God’s word. We must in searching the Scriptures be filled with wisdom and power that is above the human, which will so soften and subdue our hard hearts that we will search the Scriptures as diligent students, and will receive the ingrafted word, that we may know the truth, that we may teach it to others as it is in Jesus. {1888 201.1}
§35
正确地解释圣经并不是上帝的全部要求。祂吩咐我们不仅要明白真理，而且要实践耶稣里的真理。我们要将赐我们真理之主的精神带到实际生活中，带到与同胞的交往中。我们不仅要搜寻真理如同隐藏的珍宝，而且确实必需如此。我们如果是上帝的同工，就必须这样做，才符合祂圣言规定的条件，让基督的灵进人到我们的心中，使我们的理解力得到加强，成为合格的教师，将圣经向我们所显示的真理教导别人。上帝的子民必须清除一切的轻浮，戏谑，玩笑，一切粗鄙、低劣的精神。要靠着基督的恩典克服一切的骄傲，一切的嫉妒和一切的恶意猜测。要在生活和品格中鼓励和显示自制、谦卑、纯正和虔诚。我们必须吃上帝儿子的肉，喝上帝儿子的血。那就是遵行祂的话，将基督的精神与作为交织在我们的生活与品格中。这样我们就会与基督合而为一，正如基督与父合而为一一般。我们既脱离世上从情欲而来的败坏，就与上帝的性情有份。我们如果不日日遵行上帝的旨意，就无法确信我们的道理是正确的，不含糠秕与谬误。我们如果遵循祂的旨意，就会明白道理，看见真理神圣的美，怀着虔诚敬畏的心领受真理，然后将我们所知道的真理介绍给他人。在这项神圣的工作中，不应掺有优越感或自高的情绪。爱上帝和祂圣工的人是光明磊落的。
§36
The correct interpretation of the Scriptures is not all that God requires. He enjoins upon us that we should not only know the truth, but that we should practice the truth as it is in Jesus. We are to bring into our practice, into our association with our fellow-men, the Spirit of Him who gave us the truth. We must not only search for the truth as for hidden treasures, but it is a positive necessity, if we are laborers together with God, that we comply with the conditions laid down in his word, and bring the Spirit of Christ into our hearts, that our understanding may be strengthened, and we become apt teachers to make known to others the truth as it is revealed to us in his word. All frivolity, all jesting and joking, all commonness and cheapness of spirit, must be put away by the people of God. All pride, all envy, all 202evil surmisings and jealousies, must be overcome by the grace of Christ; and sobriety, humility, purity, and godliness must be encouraged and revealed in the life and character. We must eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God. This is in doing his word, in weaving into our lives and characters the spirit and works of Christ. Then we are one with Christ as Christ was one with the Father. Then we are partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. There is no assurance that our doctrine is right, and free from all chaff and error, unless we are daily doing the will of God. If we do his will, we shall know of the doctrine. We shall see the truth in its sacred beauty. We shall accept it with reverence and godly fear, and then we can present that which we know is truth to others. There should be no feeling of superiority or self-exaltation in this solemn work. The soul that is in love with God and his work will be as candid as the day. {1888 201.2}
§37
怀爱伦夫人 {1888 201.2}Mrs. E. G. White.