第68章 基督徒在家庭和教会的影响
§1
第68章 基督徒在家庭和教会的影响
§2
Chap. 68—Christian Influence in the Home and the Church
§3
亲爱的L弟兄和姐妹：我因你们而心情沉重。你们所需要的乃是上帝改变人心的恩典在你们心里。你们需要耶稣的精神。你们应该在基督的门下学习心里柔和谦卑。你们不觉得自己需要深刻的、内在的虔诚，因此你们正在自欺。你们耽延不做为你们自己的益处也为别人的益处应该立刻就做的决定。上帝要每个人尽自己的本分。祂要的是整个的心和全部的情意。祂不愿我们自称认识耶稣基督和真理，却不结果子。因为无论大小贫穷，饱学的还是无学问的，要求都是一样。{5T568.1}[1]
§4
Dear Brother and Sister L,My heart is burdened on your account. What you need is the converting grace of God in your hearts. You need the spirit of Jesus. You should learn meekness and lowliness of heart in the school of Christ. You do not feel your need of deep, inward piety, and on this account you are being self-deceived. You are delaying the decisions which you ought to make at once, for your own good and for the good of others. God requires every man to do his duty. He demands the whole heart, the entire affection. He would not have us profess a knowledge of Jesus Christ and the truth, and yet bear no fruit. For small or great, learned or unlearned, rich or poor, the requirement is just the same.?{5T 568.1}[1]
§5
每个人都蒙召按上帝所赐的能力行事。他必须忠心地献上自己的服务，否则他就会坏了良心，危害自己的心灵。谁都担不起丧失天国。要记得基督对凡跟从祂之人讲的话：“你们是世上的光”（太5:14）。上帝依赖那些知道那条路，并将之指给别人的人。祂已把祂真理的财宝委托给人。我们所需要的乃是对上帝的信心信赖和信任。内在的优美必表现在外在的行为上。我们需要那种精神，会向别人显明我们是在基督的门下学习而且在效法那所赐给我们之模范。我们需要一颗不自高自大偏向虚妄的心，一种不停留于自我的意念。每一个人都应不断渴望造福他人。上帝注意我们谦卑的努力，将之看为宝贵。你们两个都需要家庭的虔诚，甜美，满意知足，而不挑剔找错，闹情绪，责骂或严厉待人。要让仁慈与爱在你家作主。凡不在自己家中让真理的亮光照耀出来的，就是羞辱救主。{5T568.2}[2]
§6
Every one is called upon to act according to the ability God has given him. He must render his service faithfully or he will sully his conscience, and imperil his soul. No one can afford to lose heaven. Remember the words of Christ to all His followers: “Ye are the light of the world.” God depends on those who know the way, to show it to others. He has entrusted to men the treasure of His truth. It is faith and trust and confidence in God that we need. Inward grace will be revealed in the outward actions. We need that spirit which will show to others that we have been learning in the school of Christ and that we copy the pattern given us. We want a heart that is not lifted up unto vanity, a mind not settled on self. Each should have a constant desire to bless others. God notices our humble efforts, and they are precious in His sight. You both need home piety, sweet, satisfied contentment, without faultfinding, pettishness, scolding, or severity. Let kindness and love be the rule of your household. Whoever does not let the light of truth shine in his home dishonors the Saviour.?{5T 568.2}[2]
§7
那原本在耶稣里的真理为领受的人成就很多，不仅为他自己，也为凡在他影响范围内的人。真正悔改归正的心灵是从高天被照亮的，基督在那人心里成了“泉源，直涌到永生”（约4:14）。他的言语，他的动机，他的行为，可能被人曲解，被歪曲误传；但他并不介意，因为他有更大的权益要关切。他不考虑眼前的便利；不野心勃勃地想炫耀；也不渴望人的赞美。他的盼望是在天上，他注目耶稣，继续前行。他行义因为那是义的，因为唯有那些行义的人才会进入上帝的国。他是仁慈而谦卑的，关切别人的幸福。他从不说：“我岂是看守我兄弟的吗”（创4:9）？但他爱人如己。他的态度不苛刻严厉也不独断专行，象不虔不敬的人那样；而是将来自天上的亮光反照于人。他是基督十字架之真实勇敢的精兵，将生命的道表明出来。他的影响力既增长了，反对他的偏见就渐渐消逝，他的虔诚得到了公认，他圣经的原则也受到了尊敬。{5T569.1}[3]
§8
The truth as it is in Jesus does much for the receiver, and not only for him, but for all who are brought within the sphere of his influence. The truly converted soul is illuminated from on high, and Christ is in that soul “a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” His words, his motives, his actions, may be misinterpreted and falsified; but he does not mind it because he has greater interests at stake. He does not consider present convenience; he is not ambitious for display; he does not crave the praise of men. His hope is in heaven, and he keeps straight on, with his eye fixed on Jesus. He does right because it is right, and because only those who do right will have an entrance into the kingdom of God. He is kind and humble, and thoughtful of others’ happiness. He never says, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” but he loves his neighbor as himself. His manner is not harsh and dictatorial, like that of the godless; but he reflects light from heaven upon men. He is a true, bold soldier of the cross of Christ, holding forth the word of life. As he gains in influence, prejudice against him dies away, his piety is acknowledged, and his Bible principles are respected.?{5T 569.1}[3]
§9
每一个真悔改归正了的人都是这样。他结出了宝贵的果子，如此他就象耶稣一样行走，象耶稣一样讲论，象耶稣一样作工，而那在耶稣里的真理便藉着他，在他的家中，在他的四邻，也在教会中造成了一种印象。他在为永恒造就品格，同时在恐惧战兢作成自己得救的工夫。他是在世人面前例证真理有价值的原则，表明真理会为真信徒的人生和品格做成什么。他不知不觉在基督救赎世界的崇高工作中尽着自己的本分，这项工作在其性质和影响上，都是深远的，破坏伪宗教和伪科学的根基。{5T569.2}[4]
§10
Thus it is with everyone who is truly converted. He bears precious fruit, and in so doing walks as Christ walked, talks as He talked, works as He worked, and the truth as it is in Jesus, through him, makes an impression in his home, in his neighborhood, and in the church. He is building a character for eternity, while working out his own salvation with fear and trembling. He is exemplifying before the world the valuable principles of truth, showing what the truth will do for the life and character of the genuine believer. He is unconsciously acting his part in the sublime work of Christ in the redemption of the world, a work which, in its character and influence, is far-reaching, undermining the foundation of false religion and false science.?{5T 569.2}[4]
§11
我被迫这样写是因为我知道你的弟兄们决不会向你说这些事。我不希望你和你的妻子丧失天上的住处；因为它们值得我们付出一切，我们应该付出与我们所追求之目标的价值相称的活力和热情。永生值得我们付出恒切、不倦的努力。{5T570.1}[5]
§12
I feel obliged to write thus because I know your brethren will never say these things to you. I do not want you or your wife to lose the heavenly mansions; for they are worth everything to us, and we should put forth energy and zeal proportionate to the value of the object of which we are in pursuit. Eternal life is worth persevering, untiring effort.?{5T 570.1}[5]
§13
主希望你和你的家人在完全的意义上做基督徒，在你们的品格中表明真理使人成圣的能力。你们若已形成了这种品格，你们的工作就会经得起审判的考验；要是末日的火烧在你现在的工作上，就会证明它们不过是草木禾秸。不要以为这话说重了；事实如此。在你一切的工作中都掺杂了自我。你愿意来上到高标准吗？那会象是学习基督徒品格的初步原理。基督曾对使徒彼得说：“你回头以后，要坚固你的弟兄”（路22:32）。照样，你在能为主做可蒙悦纳的工作以前，也必须回头。{5T570.2}[6]
§14
The Lord wants you and your family to be Christians in every sense of the word and to show in your characters the sanctifying power of the truth. If you had formed such characters, your works would stand the test of the judgment; should the fires of the last day kindle upon your works as they now are, they would prove to be only hay, wood, and stubble. Do not think this severe; it is true. Self has been mingled with all your labors. Will you come up to the high standard? It will be like learning the first principles of what constitutes a Christian character. Christ said to the apostle Peter: “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” You, likewise, must be converted before you can do acceptable work for the Master.?{5T 570.2}[6]
§15
我的弟兄啊，你若愿意，就能在上帝里作一个刚强的人。你有上帝已托付你保存的才干，要被圣化用于祂的服务。但你若不将一切上交给基督，你的才能就会证明对你自己和他人来说都是危险的，会使他们偏行，远离真理，远离基督。{5T570.3}[7]
§16
My brother, if you will, you can be a strong man in God. You have talents of ability that God has entrusted to your keeping to be sanctified to His service. But if you do not yield up all to Christ, your ability will prove dangerous both to yourself and to others, leading them to walk apart from the truth and away from Christ.?{5T 570.3}[7]
§17
需要为某地教会的信徒做许多工作。他们必须有为基督火热的心，必须更为谦卑，更加耐心，更加仁慈，更可受教，在各方面都更象基督。他们应在自己的品格中向世人表明恩典的圣化之能。你千万不可藉着言传身教挡住这一重要工作的道路。你愿与耶稣同工吗？你愿忠于已买了你的主吗？你愿把一切次要事项都置诸幕后吗？你必须受洗进入更大的信心，更大的爱心。你需要对具有永恒重要性的事有更大的尊敬。我不可能太过强烈地使你心中铭记那种感化力的范围和能力，那种感化力来自个人虔诚的榜样，和由教会所展现的真理在品格上的圣化影响力。{5T570.4}[8]
§18
The members of the church in ----- need very much done for them. They must have fervent zeal for Christ, must be more humble, more patient, more kind, more teachable, more Christlike in every respect. In their character they should manifest to the world the sanctifying power of grace. God forbid that you should, by precept or example, bar the way to this essential work. Will you work with Jesus? Will you be true to the Lord who has bought you? Will you put into the background all matters of minor importance? You must be baptized into a larger faith, a larger charity. You need?greater reverence for things of eternal importance. It is impossible for me to impress upon your mind too strongly the extent and power of the influence which flows from the example of individual piety and from the exhibition, by the church, of the sanctifying influence of the truth upon the character.?{5T 570.4}[8]
§19
教会若愿在上帝面前进入正当的位置，每个人都寻求摆正自己的心，整顿自己的家，某地就会实现更大的收获。要少讲论，而要让真正的内在敬虔在好行为上发出光来。要仁慈；培养爱心与温柔。要多祷告；多读圣经。在基督的门下作殷勤的学生。然后教会的成员们就不会挑剔他们的弟兄姐妹了；这是撒但的工作。{5T571.1}[9]
§20
A much greater ingathering could be realized in ----- if the church would come into a right position before God, each seeking to set his own heart and his own house in order. Talk less, and let true inward piety shine forth in good works. Be kind; cultivate love and gentleness. Pray more; read your Bibles more. Be diligent students in the school of Christ. Then the members of the church will not be finding fault with their brethren and sisters; this is Satan’s work.?{5T 571.1}[9]
§21
我盼望你们会在真道上得到加强得以坚固。圣工必定前进，无论我们是不是与它一同前进。它也必得胜，但问题是：我们会与它一同得胜吗？愿上帝帮助你们二人感到需要有恩典在你们心中深深运行。须记得耶稣已牺牲祂自己的生命买了你们。“你们不是自己的人；因为你们是重价买来的。所以要在你们的身子上荣耀上帝”（林前6:19-20）。{5T571.2}[10]
§22
I hope you will be strengthened and established in the faith. The work will surely go forward, whether we advance with it or not. It will be victorious, but the question is: Shall we be victorious with it? May God help you both to feel the need of a deep work of grace in your hearts. Remember that Jesus has bought you with the sacrifice of His own life. “Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”?{5T 571.2}[10]