第38章 工作的重要性
§1
第38章 工作的重要性
§2
Chap. 38 - Importance of the Work
§3
1875年1月3日，我蒙指示看到许多事情，涉及巴特尔克里克出版社、学校和保健院的重大利益。这些机构若管理得当，必能大大促进上帝圣工的发展，传播真理并拯救生灵。我们生活在末世的危险之中。只有献身于上帝，才能使我们每个人适合从事当今时代严肃重要的、即将结束的工作。只有很少完全无私的人充任负责的岗位，很少有人愿意将自己毫无保留地献给上帝，倾听祂的声音，研究如何增进祂的荣耀。只有很少的人愿意在需要的时候放弃自己的生命推进上帝的圣工。但上帝要求的正是这种献身。{3T 468.1}[1]
§4
January 3, 1875, I was shown many things relative to the great and important interests at Battle Creek in the work of the Publishing Association, the school, and the Health Institute. If these institutions were properly conducted, they would greatly advance the cause of God in the spread of the truth and in the salvation of souls. We are living amid the perils of the last days. Consecration to God can alone fit any of us to act a part in the solemn and important closing work for this time. There are but few wholly unselfish men to fill responsible positions, few who have given themselves unreservedly to God to hear His voice and study His glory. There are but few who would, if required, give their lives to advance the cause of God. Yet it is just such devotion as this that God claims. {3T 468.1}[1]
§5
许多人受了欺骗，以为自己是在侍奉上帝，其实是在服侍自己，而把上帝的事工放在第二位。他们的心并未成圣。主不喜悦这等侍奉。随着圣工的发展，上帝时常按祂天意的安排指定不同的人充任巴特尔克里克的工作岗位。这些人若能献身于上帝并将他们的精力奉献给祂的工作，原能充任要职。这些上帝拣选的人需要献身于祂的工作才能得到的训练。上帝会使他们与祂自己联络，并把祂的圣灵赐给他们，使他们有资格从事他们蒙召担负的责任，藉此尊荣他们。他们若不处在挑担子负责任的地位，就不能获得广泛的经验，认识上帝的旨意。{3T 468.2}[2]
§6
Men are deceived in thinking they are serving God when they are serving themselves and making the interest of the cause and work of God a secondary matter. Their hearts are not consecrated. The Lord takes no pleasure in the services of this class. From time to time, as the cause has progressed, He has in His providence designated men to fill positions at Battle Creek. These men could have filled important positions if they had consecrated themselves to God and devoted their energies to His work. These men of Gods selection needed the very discipline that a devotion to His work would give them. He would honor them by connecting them with Himself and giving them His Holy Spirit to qualify them for the responsibilities they were called to bear. They could not gain that breadth of experience and knowledge of the divine will unless they were in positions to bear burdens and responsibilities. {3T 468.2}[2]
§7
谁都不该受到欺骗，以为只要自己在巴特尔克里克参加上帝的的工作，就会比较少操心劳苦，少经受试炼。什么地方推进真理和拯救生灵的工作做得越多，撒但在那里也越活跃。他了解人性，如果有人可能变得更像基督，在上帝的圣工上成为更有效用的工人，他就不会放过他们。对于那些上帝显出意思要使用参加祂工作的人，撒但一定会制定计划，用试探猛烈地攻击他们。撒但所孜孜不倦研究的，就是如何最佳地敌对并破坏上帝的旨意。他熟悉人品格中的弱点和优点。他狡猾地用各样出于不义的诡诈作工，袭击人们品格中的弱点，藉以阻挡上帝的旨意；而当他这一招得逞后，便铺好的道路，去攻克人品格中的优点了。他控制人的思想，蒙蔽人的理解力。他引诱那些被他的诡计迷惑并战胜的人自信自负，而实际上此时他们的道德力却是最软弱的。他们变得自欺，以为自己处于良好的属灵状况中。{3T 469.1}[3]
§8
None should be deceived in thinking that in connecting themselves with the work of God in Battle Creek they will have less care, less hard labor, and fewer trials. Satan is most active where the most is being done to advance the truth and to save souls. He understands human nature, and he will not let these men alone if there is any prospect of their becoming more like Christ and more useful workers in the cause of God. Satan lays his plans to press his temptations upon the very men whom God has signified that He would accept to act a part in connection with His work. It is Satans study to know how he can best war against and defeat the purposes of God. He is acquainted with the weak as well as the strong points in the characters of men. And in a subtle manner he works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness to thwart the purposes of God by assailing the weak points in their characters; and when this is done, the way is prepared for him to attack and overcome the stronger points. He gains control of the mind and blinds the understanding. He leads men who are bewildered and overcome by his devices to self-confidence and self-sufficiency at the very time when they are the weakest in moral power. They become self-deceived and think they are in good spiritual condition. {3T 469.1}[3]
§9
仇敌要尽量利用每一件事情来毁灭生灵。主曾赐下一些表扬身负重任之人的证言。他们在开始时曾很好地负起责任。但撒但用各种试探向他们进攻，最后制胜他们。及至别人看见他们的错误行为时，撒但就暗示说，有关这些人的证言一定是错误的，否则他们就不会表现出自己不配担任上帝的工作。{3T 469.2}[4]
§10
The enemy will seize everything possible to use in his favor and to destroy souls. Testimonies have been borne in favor of individuals occupying important positions. They commence well to lift the burdens and act their part in connection with the work of God. But Satan pursues them with his temptations, and they are finally overcome. As others look upon their wrong course, Satan suggests to their minds that there must be a mistake in the testimonies given for these persons, else these men would not have proved themselves unworthy to bear a part in the work of God. {3T 469.2}[4]
§11
这正是撒但所预谋的情形。他要让人们怀疑上帝所赐的亮光。这些人若是一直警醒谨守，感到自己的不足，信赖耶稣的圣名和力量，坚定地忠于职责，原是可以抵挡撒但试探的。但是我们应当记得，这些人得到鼓励是有条件的：他们必须保持无私的精神，必须感悟到自己的软弱，愿意倚赖上帝，不依靠自己的智慧和判断，而以上帝为自己的力量，如此，他们就能极大地造福上帝的事工。但是撒但却带着他的试探前来，并且几乎次次得胜。他布置环境，攻击这些人品格中的弱点，好胜过他们。他们多么可耻地伤害了上帝的圣工啊！他们因随从自己败坏的心而多么完全地与上帝分离，他们自己知道！但是在上帝的大日会显明所有令我们失望之人的真正缘由。上帝是决不会出错的！上帝按条件给他们鼓励，但他们却没有满足这些条件。他们信赖自己的力量，便在试探之下跌倒了。{3T 469.3}[5]
§12
This is just as Satan designed it should be. He would throw doubt in regard to the light that God has given. These men might have withstood the temptations of Satan had they been watchful and guarded, feeling their own insufficiency, and trusting in the name and strength of Jesus to stand faithful to duty. But it should be borne in mind that conditions have ever been connected with the encouragement given these men, that if they would maintain an unselfish spirit, if they would feel their weakness and would rely upon God, not trusting in their own wisdom and judgment, but making Him their strength, they could be a great blessing in His cause and work. But Satan has come in with his temptations and has triumphed almost every time. He has so arranged circumstances as to assail the weak points in the characters of these men, and they have been overcome. How shamefully they have injured the cause of God! How fully they have separated themselves from Him by following their own corrupt hearts, their own souls may answer! But the day of God will reveal the true cause for all our disappointments in man. God is not at fault. He gave them encouraging promises upon conditions, but they did not comply with these conditions. They trusted to their own strength and fell under temptation. {3T 469.3}[5]
§13
在某种情况下针对一些人所说的话，在其他情况下未必能这么说。人的道德力是薄弱的，又非常自私，自满，容易产生虚荣骄傲，以致上帝不能与他们合作，于是他们便被撇下，如盲人摸索，表现出这么严重的软弱和愚昧，令许多人惊讶为什么这样的人会被接纳和承认为配参与上帝圣工的。这正是撒但所预谋的。他从起初特别引诱他们羞辱上帝的圣工和责难证言时，就抱着这样的目的。他们如果处于对上帝的圣工没有特别影响的位置，撒但就不会如此剧烈地攻击他们，因他不能利用他们作为工具，作一番特别的工作，来实现他的目的。{3T 470.1}[6]
§14
That which can be said of men under certain circumstances cannot be said of them under other circumstances. Men are weak in moral power and so supremely selfish, so self-sufficient and so easily puffed up with vain conceit, that God cannot work in connection with them, and they are left to move like blind men and to manifest so great weakness and folly that many are astonished that such individuals should ever have been accepted and acknowledged as worthy of having any connection with Gods work. This is just what Satan designed. This was his object from the time he first specially tempted them to reproach the cause of God and to cast reflections upon the Testimonies. Had they remained where their influence would not have been specially felt upon the cause of God, Satan would not have beset them so fiercely; for he could not have accomplished his purpose by using them as his instruments to do a special work. {3T 470.1}[6]
§15
在推进上帝工作的时候，论到个人的话，一时确实是实情，但在另一时那么说他们就不一定正确了。之所以如此，原因是他们或许这个月还能站在纯洁无罪的地步，实践所拥有的全部亮光；但下个月他们就因自信而被撒但的诡计所胜，落入严重的罪恶中，不适合作上帝的工作了，这个时间间隔对他们来说一点儿也不短。{3T 471.1}[7]
§16
In the advancement of the work of God that which may be said in truth of individuals at one time may not correctly be said of them at another time. The reason of this is that one month they may have stood in innocency, living up to the best light they had, while the month following was none too short for them to be overcome by Satans devices and, through self-confidence, to fall into grievous sins and become unfitted for the work of God. {3T 471.1}[7]
§17
人心太容易因撒但狡猾的试探而改变，所以对我和我丈夫来说，承担责任说出我们对于人们充任不同岗位资格的意见，不是最佳的方策。尽管如此，当他们被推荐担任重责时，如果他们保持谦卑和对上帝的坚定信赖，他们原可以是那些岗位的合适人选。这些人发生了变化，可是他们自己却没有觉察到。他们落入试探之下，受引诱偏离了自己坚定的立场，割断了自己与上帝的联系。于是他们就被仇敌控制，说话做事令上帝和祂的圣工蒙羞。之后，当我们的弟兄姐妹因我们曾给过这些人鼓励和支持，而对我们表示怀疑时，撒但便不胜欢欣雀跃。{3T 471.2}[8]
§18
Minds are so subject to change through the subtle temptations of Satan that it is not the best policy for my husband or myself to take the responsibility of even stating our opinions of the qualifications of persons to fill different positions, because we are made responsible for the course that such individuals pursue. Notwithstanding, if they had maintained the humility and firm trust in God which they possessed when recommended to take responsibilities they might have been the very persons for the place. These persons change, yet are not sensible of the change in themselves. They fall under temptation, are led away from their steadfastness, and sever their connection with God. They are then controlled by the enemy and do and say things which dishonor God and reproach His cause. Then Satan exults to see our brethren and sisters looking upon us with doubt because we have given these persons encouragement and influence. - {3T 471.2}[8]