第139章 致 A. T. 琼斯
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第139章 致 A. T. 琼斯
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Chapter 142—To S. N. Haskell
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《信函》1893年第44号J-44-18931893年4月9日Napier, New Zealand写于新西兰纳皮尔April 9, 1893.A. T.琼斯长老Elder A. T. Jones亲爱的弟兄：Dear Brother:
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有一个问题使我的心很烦恼。我虽看不出用法律强制实施在公立学校阅读圣经有什么公平公义，但有些事压在我心头，是关于我们的人在这个问题上使自己的意见突出的。我确信这些事会使世人以错误的眼光看我们。主就这事给了我要注意的事项。我蒙指示看到一些事，论到基督的话语把这个问题置于教会无权将具有宗教性质的事强加给世界的地方，祂说：“恺撒的物当归给恺撒；上帝的物当归给上帝”（太22:21）。{1888 1164.1}
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There is a subject which greatly troubles my mind. While I do not see the justice nor right in enforcing by law the bringing the Bible to be read in the public schools: yet there are some things which burden my mind in regard to our people making prominent their ideas on this point. These things I am sure will place us in a wrong light before the world. Cautions were given me on this point. There were some things shown me in reference to the words of Christ, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s,” placing the matter where the church have no right to enforce anything of a religious character upon the world. {1888 1164.1}
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然而，连同这一点还赐下了警告的话。要是这样的法规生效，主就会对它施加为善的影响，一个有利的论据就会放在守安息日的人手中，就第四诫的安息日坚持圣经的根据。而国家和基督教界强迫人们注意的圣经既然要在各学校中阅读，它岂不要发言，经上的话岂不要照着他们所读的得到解释吗？{1888 1164.2}
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Yet, in connection with this were given words of caution. If such a law were to go into effect the Lord would overrule it for good, that an argument should be placed in the hands of those who keep the Sabbath, in their favor, to stand on the Bible foundation in reference to the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. And the book which the state and Christian world have forced upon the notice of the people to be read in the schools, shall it not speak, and shall not the words be interpreted just as they are read? {1888 1164.2}
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我的弟兄啊，这样反对通过一条使圣经进入学校的法规会对我们不利，持有我们信仰的人正在大力倡导圣经。一年以前，我曾看到关于这些事的异象，我们将不得不用圣经作为证据，说明我们信仰的根据。我们在每一个细节上都要极其小心，免得遮住一线亮光，使之不能临到在黑暗中的人。我特别想起这一点：“任何会使人认识上帝和祂所差来的耶稣基督的事，都一点不应该受到阻碍。”有些事我无法以清晰的脉络呈现出来，但对我来说足够清楚的是，我希望你对所踏之地非常小心，因为我们要是给敌人们一点机会，他们就会炮制一个明确论据反对我们。我认为即使不是现在，在不远的将来，立法的权势就会在这个细节上说服别人同意他们的观点。我们作为一班子民，非常有必要极其小心，不要给我们的敌人有任何挑衅，免得被他们利用来在将来的危机中，在反对象使圣经进入公立学校这么好的事上反对我们这班人。{1888 1164.3}
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My brother, this objecting to the passing of a law to bring the Bible into the schools will work against us, those of our faith who are making so much of the Bible. A year ago there was something presented before me in reference to these things, and we shall have to use the Bible for our evidence to show the foundation of our faith. We shall be exceedingly cautious in every particular lest we shut out a single ray of light from those who are in darkness. I remember particularly this point “That anything that should give the knowledge of God, and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent, should not be obstructed at all.” Some things I can not present in distinct lines, but enough is clear to me that I want you to be very careful on what ground you tread, for our enemies will make a decided argument against us if we shall give them a semblance of a chance. I think the law-making powers will carry their point in this particular, if not now, a short period ahead. And it is very essential, as a people, we take the greatest care that no provocation be given our enemies which they will make capital of against us as a people, in a future crisis, in the matter of opposing so good a work as the introduction of the Bible into the public schools. {1888 1164.3}
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我希望我能在上次参加的总会上按手在我就这个问题所写的什么东西上。但我不能将它公开。我希望主会帮助我们不至采取一个错误举动；然而请在这一点上谨慎。{1888 1164.4}
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I wish I could lay my hand on something I wrote on this subject at the last General conference that I attended. But I cannot bring it to light. I hope the Lord will help us to not make one wrong move; but please be cautious in this point. {1888 1164.4}
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A. T.琼斯弟兄啊，我希望叫你注意另一件事。我正在参加一个会议，有大批会众在场。梦中我看见你在介绍信心，以及因信接受基督所赐之义的题目。你一再说行为算不得什么，而且没有任何条件。我认为你这样表述会造成思想的混乱，使人对信心与行为产生错误的观念，所以我决定给你写信。你的言辞太激烈了。我们接受称义、成圣和基督的义都是有条件的。我知道你的意思，但是你给许多人留下了错误的印象。{1888 1165.1}
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Brother A. T. Jones, I wish to call your attention to another matter. I was attending a meeting, and a large congregation were present. In my dream you were presenting the subject of faith and the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith. You repeated several times that works amounted to nothing, that there were no conditions. The matter was presented in that light that I knew minds would be confused, and would not receive the correct impression in reference to faith and works, and I decided to write to you. You state this matter too strongly. There are conditions to our receiving justification and sanctification, and the righteousness of Christ. I know your meaning, but you leave a wrong impression upon many minds. {1888 1165.1}
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好行为虽然不能救任何一个人，但是没有好行为，任何一个人也不可能得救。上帝拯救我们有一条法则，那就是我们若要得着，就必须祈求，若要寻见，就必须寻找，若要让主给我们开门，就必须叩门。基督献上了自己。凡到祂面前来的人，祂都愿意拯救到底。祂邀请所有的人都到祂这里来。“到我这里来的，我总不丢弃他”（约6:37）。你对这些问题的看法实际上是和我的一样的，但是你的表达方式造成了人们思想的混乱。你发表了关于行为的过激言辞之后，人们会对这个问题产生疑问，而你的思路也不很清晰，不能清楚地向别人解释正确的原则，也无法使你的话与你自己的原则和信仰协调起来。{1888 1165.2}
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While good works will not save even one soul, yet it is impossible for even one soul to be saved without good works. God saves us under a law, that we must ask if we would receive, seek if we would find, and knock if we would have the door opened unto us. Christ offers Himself as willing to save unto the uttermost all who come unto him. He invites all to come to Him. “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” You look in reality upon these subjects as I do, yet you make these subjects, through your expressions, confusing to minds. And after you have expressed your mind radically in regard to works, when questions are asked you upon this very subject it is not laying out in so very clear lines in your own mind that you can not define the correct principles to other minds, and you are yourself unable to make your statements harmonize with your own principles and faith. {1888 1165.2}
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有个青年来问耶稣：“良善的夫子，我当作什么事，才可以承受永生”（可10:17）？基督对他说：“你为什么称我是良善的？除了上帝以外，没有一个良善的。你若要进入永生，就当遵守诫命。”他说：“什么诫命？”耶稣引了几条诫命，那青年回答说：“这一切我都遵守了，还缺少什么呢？”耶稣对他说：“你若愿意作完全人，可去变卖你所有的，分给穷人，就必有财宝在天上，你还要来跟从我。”这就是条件。圣经充满着条件。{1888 1165.3}
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The young man who came to Jesus with the question, “Good Master, what thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” and Christ saith unto him, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God: but if you wilt enter into life keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which?” Jesus quoted several, and the young man said unto him, “All these things have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” Here are conditions, and the Bible is full of conditions. {1888 1165.3}
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“那少年人听见这话，就忧忧愁愁地走了，因为他的产业很多”（太19:17, 20, 21, 22）。你说到没有条件时，有些措辞过于笼统，让人难以理解，觉得你说话前后不一致。他们不知道如何把你的话语与圣经的清晰教训协调起来。请在这些问题上加以注意。有关行为的强烈措辞决不能加强我们的立场，反而会削弱我们的立场，因为有许多人会把你看成极端分子，从而放弃你给他们的宝贵教训。这些教训正是他们所需要明白的。{1888 1165.4}
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“But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” Then when you say there are no conditions, and some expressions are made quite broad, you burden the minds, and some can not see consistency in your expressions. They cannot see how they can harmonize these expressions with the plain statements of the Word of God. Please guard these points. These strong assertions in regard to works, never make our position any stronger. The expressions weaken our position, for there are many who will consider you an extremist, and will lose the rich lessons you have for them, upon the very subjects they need to know. {1888 1165.4}
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基督说过：“若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，天天背起他的十字架来跟从我”（路9:23）。我感到切愿每一个人都会看到、明白并且陶醉于真理的一致性。我们爱基督的证据不在于自称，而在于实践。我的弟兄啊，人心难以领会这一点，不要用与圣经不符的想法使任何一个人困惑。请思想在基督的教导下，许多门徒还是可悲地无知；然而当耶稣所应许的圣灵临到他们身上，就使犹豫动摇的彼得成了信心的勇士。他的品格有了何等的改变啊。然而不要用过分的言辞或表情给一个信心软弱的人放下绊脚石，使之绊跌。总要始终如一、从容、深刻、稳固。不要在任何事上走极端，而要始终站在稳固的磐石上。哦，宝贵，宝贵的救主！“有了我的命令又遵守的，这人就是爱我的；爱我的必蒙我父爱他，我也要爱他，并且要向他显现”（约14:21）。{1888 1165.5}
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Christ said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” I feel such an intense interest that every soul shall see, and understand and be charmed with the consistency of the truth. The evidence of our love to Christ is not pretension; but practice. My brother, 1166it is hard for the mind to comprehend this point, and do not confuse any mind with ideas that will not harmonize with the word. Please to consider that under the teaching of Christ many of the disciples were lamentably ignorant; but when the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised, came upon them and made the vacillating Peter the champion of faith. What a transformation in his character. But do not lay one pebble for a soul that is weak in the faith to stumble over, in over-wrought presentations or expressions. Be ever consistent, calm, deep, and solid. Do not go to any extreme in anything, but keep your feet on solid rock. O precious, precious Saviour. “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he is it that loveth me, and he that believeth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” {1888 1165.5}
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这是真正的试金石——遵行基督的话。这也是人爱耶稣的证据。凡遵行祂旨意的人，将给世人提供实际的证据，证明他在顺从、纯洁和品格的圣洁上所结的果子。“人若爱我，就必遵守我的道；我父也必爱他，并且我们要到他那里去，”“我们，”就是父、子、圣灵，要“与他同住”（约14:23）。我的弟兄啊，你要小心地与上帝同行。但要记住有些人的眼睛一直盯着你，希望你越界跌倒。然而你如果谦卑地与耶稣亲近，就会一切顺利。{1888 1166.1}
§23
This is the true test—the doing of the words of Christ. And it is the evidence of the human agent’s love to Jesus, and he that doeth his will giveth to the world the practical evidence of the fruit he manifests in obedience, in purity, and in holiness of character. “If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him.” We, that is, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, and make our abode in him. O my brother, walk carefully with God. But remember that there are some whose eyes are intently fixed upon you, expecting that you will over-reach the mark, and stumble and fall. But if you keep in humility close to Jesus, all is well. {1888 1166.1}
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彼后1:1-11。这是我们必须拥有的信心，就是生发仁爱并且洁净心灵的信心。在基督的学校里，永远没有毕业的时候。我们是用加法做，主却要用乘法做。靠着基督的恩典，通过不懈的努力，我们将实行加法的计划，使我们所蒙的恩召和拣选坚定不移，因为你们若是行这些事“有了信心，又要加上德行；有了德行，又要加上知识；有了知识，又要加上节制；有了节制，又要加上忍耐；有了忍耐，又要加上虔敬；有了虔敬，又要加上爱弟兄的心；有了爱弟兄的心，又要加上爱众人的心；……你们若行这几样，就永不失脚。这样，必叫你们丰丰富富地得以进入我们主救主耶稣基督永远的国”（彼后1:5-11）。
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2 Peter 1:1-11. This is the faith which we must have, that works by love, and purifies the soul. There is no place in the school of Christ where we graduate. We are to work in the plan of addition, and the Lord will work on the plan of multiplication. It is through the constant diligence that will through the grace of Christ live on the plan of addition, making our calling and election sure, for if ye do these things “add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.... For if ye do these things ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” {1888 1166.2}
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(签名)怀爱伦Ellen G. White
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副本寄给了奥尔森长老、琼斯长老、丹尼尔斯长老和L. J.卢梭长老。{1888 1166.2}
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Copy sent to Elders Olsen, Jones, Daniells, and L. J. Rousseau.