第1577号 呼吁正确地表现真理
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第1577号 呼吁正确地表现真理
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MR No. 1577 - A Call to Rightly Represent the Truth
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（约于1861年写自密歇根州巴特尔克里克，致“在贝德福德的亲爱的弟兄姐妹们”）
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我还在大急流城的时候看到一些人的情况。我先是蒙指示看到亨格福德弟兄的情况——他离上帝很远。他很少意识到何为作一个真正的基督徒，一个跟从基督的人。我看到信仰并不在于喧哗吵闹，但亨格福德弟兄却有进入聚会长时间大声祷告的习惯，聚会结束后，他的热度和兴奋就消失了，然后他就轻浮琐屑了。他似乎毫无根基，没有内心的工夫——没有显出基督徒的果子。他在聚会以外的行为是令上帝憎恶的。他与姐妹们太亲昵了，他的生活与他的信仰表白完全不一致，每一天他都使他的信仰表白成为谎言。{21MR 364.1}[1]
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(Written circa 1861, from Battle Creek, Michigan, to Dear Brethren and Sisters at Bedford.)
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While at Grand Rapids I saw the cases of some. I was first shown the case of Brother Hungerford--that he was far from God. He realized but little what it was to be a true Christian, a follower of Christ. I saw that religion did not consist in making a noise, but that Brother Hungerford was in the habit of going into meeting and praying long and loud, and after the meeting closed, his heat and excitement were gone, and then he was light and trifling. He seemed to have no foundation, no heartwork--did not show the fruits of a Christian. His conduct out of meeting was such as God abhors. He was too familiar with the sisters, his life was not at all in accordance with his profession, and every day he gave his profession the lie. {21MR 364.1}[1]
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他是圣工的一个耻辱，要是他从未接受第三位天使的信息，就会比他采取这种做法要好——在聚会上显得充满热心，但你在聚会外找果子时，却找不到。我看到他太拖拉缓慢了。他应该用来亲手作工好养家并帮助圣工的许多时间都虚度了。我看到他将不得不为他已浪费的体力和光阴交账。他应该为他的光阴和体力负责任，正像那些有财产的人要为上帝所赐给他们的财产负责任一样。上帝已赐给亨格福德弟兄体力，他却没有好好使用。他没有用它来荣耀上帝，反而感到要是他能去很远的地方聚会并在那里浪费掉他的时间就很满意和自在，其实他要是在家亲手作工倒会好得多，因为他参加聚会不会有益处。{21MR 364.2}[2]
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He is a reproach to the cause, and it would be better if he had never embraced the third angels message than to take the course he does--appear to be full of zeal in meeting and when you look for the fruits out of meeting they are not to be found. I saw that he was too dilatory. Much of his time that he should spend in laboring with his hands to support his family and to help the cause was idled away. I saw that he would have to give an account for his strength and time that he has idled away. He is just as accountable for his time and strength as those who have property are accountable for what God has given them. God has given strength to Brother Hungerford and he has made a bad use of it. He has not spent it to the glory of God, but has felt satisfied and easy if he could go a distance to meeting and idle away his time there when it were much better for him if he was at home laboring with his hands, for he would be no benefit in meeting. {21MR 364.2}[2]
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亨格福德弟兄的心是远离上帝的。他轻率鲁莽的行为给圣工带来了不容易消除的耻辱。作基督徒就是要像基督一样，而亨格福德弟兄大喊大叫的习惯并不证明他是一个基督徒，因为他的喊叫在上帝看来不是喊叫。他自己有一半的时间不知道在喊叫什么。{21MR 364.3}[3]
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Brother Hungerfords heart is far from God. His imprudent conduct has brought a reproach upon the cause that will not be easily wiped away. To be a Christian is to be Christlike, and the habit Brother Hungerford has of shouting is no evidence that he is a Christian, for his shouting is regarded by God as no shouting. Half of the time he himself knows not what he is shouting at. {21MR 364.3}[3]
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他还非常缺乏整洁和秩序。上帝希望祂在这些末后日子的儿女要整洁干净。祂给以色列人的关于清洁的命令是明确的。上帝没有改变或变更。祂希望祂在这些末后日子的儿女要干净、圣洁，口中没有诡诈。上帝不会承认一个肮脏的人是基督徒。在天国没有地方给这样的人，因为那里一切都是整洁有序的。{21MR 364.4}[4]
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There is also a great lack of neatness and order. God wants His children in these last days to be neat and clean. His commands to the children of Israel were definite in regard to cleanliness. God has not changed or altered. He wants His children in these last days to be clean and holy and have no guile found in their mouth. God will not own a filthy person as a Christian. There is no place for such in heaven, for all is neatness and order there. {21MR 364.4}[4]
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我看到一些在贝德福德的人有错误；没有认识到他们的光阴多么宝贵，他们必须殷勤，并在这世界的事上忠心，否则上帝就不会将真正的财富托付他们。我看到不是人人都认识到他们的光阴、他们的力量是主的，而不是他们自己的。他们若是认识到了这一点，就会更加殷勤，不会地上加地，楼上加楼，而会藉着使用上帝为祂宝贵的圣工而赐给他们的力量去获得他们能获得的一切，于是他们来世才会得赏赐。{21MR 365.1}[5]
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I saw that some in Bedford were at fault; did not realize how precious their time was, and that they must be diligent and faithful in the things of this world, or God would not trust them with the true riches. I saw that not all realized that their time, their strength, was the Lords, that it was not their own. If they did realize this, they would be more diligent not to add land to land and building to building, but to obtain all they could by using the strength God has given them for His precious cause, and then they will receive their reward hereafter. {21MR 365.1}[5]
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我看到在贝德福德没有那种应有的牺牲精神，一些人在决定参加聚会时，并没有细心到足以考虑他们是要荣耀自己还是要荣耀上帝。那些知道真理并且已经在真理上坚定的人应该剥夺自己的特权，以便帮助其他在别的地方渴求现代真理的人。有太多像这样的精神和感觉了——认为那些殷勤于自己在国内的事务，剥夺自己参加国外聚会的特权的人，是追求名利的，其实他们是在牺牲自己的爱好和愿望，亲手作工好获得上帝的仆人们所需要的东西。上帝注意到这一切的事。{21MR 365.2}[6]
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I saw that there was not that spirit of sacrifice in Bedford that there should be, that some were not careful enough to study, when they decided to attend meetings, whether they were going to gratify themselves or to glorify God. Those who know the truth and are established in it should deprive themselves of privileges in order to assist other souls who are hungry and starving for present truth in other places. There is too much of a spirit and feeling like this--that those who are diligent in their affairs at home, and deprive themselves of the privileges of attending meetings abroad, were worldly minded, when the truth of the matter was they were making a sacrifice of their inclinations and desires, and with their hands were laboring to obtain something for the necessity of Gods servants. All these things were noticed of God. {21MR 365.2}[6]
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上帝的旨意不是让祂的儿女全神贯注于忧愁挂虑和追求名利。不，不，要是受苦的圣工始终在他们面前，他们就决不会这么做。他们必须向自己死。上帝并非不喜悦，而是赞成祂的儿女每一个安息日聚在一起，听彼此的见证。祂也并非不喜悦他们每年一次或更加经常地去远方参加聚会。然而当人们享受筵席——而且是一次丰盛的筵席——听来自圣经的宝贵真理时，那就是他们善用他们所听过之内容的时候。他们不要再三地去听更多，而要反复深思他们所听到的。许多人将不得不为他们有特权参加聚会听到真理却没有予以善用而交账。{21MR 365.3}[7]
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It is not the will of God for His children to be engrossed in cares and get worldly-minded. No, no, and they will never do this if the suffering cause is ever before them. They must die to self. God is not displeased, but approbates His children getting together every Sabbath and listening to the testimonies of each other. Neither does He frown upon their going once a year or perhaps oftener to a distance to meeting. But when souls have had a feast--and a rich one--hearing from Gods Word of His precious truth, then is the time for them to improve upon what they have heard. Instead of going again and again to hear more, let them ponder over and over what they hear. Many will have to render an account for privileges they have had in attending a meeting and hearing the truth they have made no improvement upon. {21MR 365.3}[7]
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我看到这是很必要的：人人都应该有真正的目标摆在面前，于是他们就应该殷勤，心里火热，常常服侍主。他们必须记住，耶稣为他们受难并牺牲了，他们必须注意机会以便为上帝和祂的圣工有所牺牲——警醒注意他们怎样才能成为向他人行善的手段。有太多像这样的感觉了——我的时间是我自己的；然而实际不是这样。它不是你自己的。你是重价买来的，是精兵，你必须总是在你的岗位上，无论它在哪里，在国内还是在国外。上帝憎恶闲散和懒惰。必须克服安逸和对自我满足的贪爱，人人都必须有一种牺牲的精神。{21MR 365.4}[8]
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I saw that it was necessary that all should have the true object rest before them, and then they should be diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. They must remember what Jesus has suffered and sacrificed for them, and they must be watching for an opportunity that they may sacrifice something for God and His cause--watch and see how they can be the means of doing others good. There is too much of a feeling like this--my time is my own; but it is not so. It is not your own. You are bought with a price, and are soldiers, and you must be ever at your post, wherever it is, at home or abroad. Idleness and slothfulness God abhors. Ease and love of self-gratification must be overcome, and all must have a spirit of sacrifice. {21MR 365.4}[8]
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那些有放纵情欲和不耐烦习惯的人将不得不克服它。他们将会也必须藉着恩典得以完全折服，否则他们决不能进入天国。耶稣是摆在我们面前的榜样。祂忍受了能够堆积在祂身上的一切轻视和侮辱，可是祂却不开口。祂要是求祂的父，本来能够让一大批天使帮助祂，可是祂却作了温顺的羔羊，被人唾弃，戴上荆棘冠，且被钉在髑髅地的十字架上，在那里为我们的罪遭受了一种可耻的死。基督遭受这一切好为失丧的人类开一条逃生之路是合宜的！祂是无辜的受难者，我们岂敢抱怨我们已经做出或能够做出的任何牺牲呢？我们为自己的罪受苦难道还要抱怨吗？不要！让我们渴求与基督的苦难有分吧。{21MR 366.1}[9]
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Those who are in the habit of indulging in passion and of being impatient will have to overcome it. They will, and must, be perfectly subdued by grace or they can never enter heaven. Jesus is the example that is set before us. He endured all the slight and indignity that could be heaped upon Him, yet He opened not His mouth. He that could have had a legion of angels to assist Him had He asked His Father, was the meek Lamb and was spit upon, crowned with the crown of thorns, and stretched on Calvarys cross, there to die an ignominious death for our sins. Oh, it behooved Christ to suffer all this to make a way of escape for lost man! He was the innocent Sufferer, and shall we dare to complain of any sacrifice we have made or can make? Shall we murmur, who shall suffer something for our own sins? Oh, no! Let us crave the suffering part. {21MR 366.1}[9]
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在贝德福德的弟兄姐妹们，要学会承受更多。要学会更多地舍己。需要这样。要向自我死。不要太喜爱你们的安逸。要在你们日常的操劳中和上帝的圣工中有活力。你们的赏赐不在这里。耶稣已为我们买了一份不朽的基业，为此我们能够忍受任何的事。天父的爱子向我们表现了何等的爱，何等奇妙的爱呀！你们任何一个人都不要忽视必要的准备，最终被称在天平里，显出亏欠！（《信函》1861年14号）怀爱伦著作托管委员会1991年4月18日全文发表于马里兰州银泉市。{21MR 366.2}[10]
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Brethren and sisters in Bedford, learn to suffer more. Learn to deny yourselves more. There is need of it. Die to self. Do not love your ease too much. Have energy in your daily labors and energy in the cause of God. Your reward is not here. Jesus has purchased for us an immortal inheritance, and for that we can endure anything. Oh, what love, what wondrous love has been manifested for us by the Beloved of the Father! Oh, do not, any of you, neglect the preparation necessary and finally be weighed in the balances and found wanting!--Letter 14, 1861. Ellen G. White Estate Silver Spring, Maryland April 18, 1991. Entire Letter. {21MR 366.2}[10]