Aug. 18, 2019 信心 Faith－Eric@TRM 的部落格

復原耶穌基督教會 台灣佈道所

August 18th, 2019 信心 Faith

馬太牧師 Pastor Matthew Moellmann

The Church of Jesus Christ

Taiwan Restoration Mission

看到安娜包裹著毯子, 心裡想: 不會吧, 中秋都還沒過, 怎麼冷成這樣? Jai-yu解釋說: 今午氣溫突降, 確實是有點冷颼颼的, 難怪Joshua一直握著安娜的手, 給與溫暖的呵護.

馬太牧師說, 今天要談的是信心Faith, 應該是老生常談的課題了, 不過我會強調“起而行Just do it”的部分, 就是以信心做為後盾, 把愛心分享到各個層面.

[詩歌 71;27;57;42;7 頌唱] [Joshua Moellmann 課前禱告]

[71/中525 靠主耶穌必得勝 Victory in Jesus]

[27 神要開道路 God will make way]

[57 我高舉主的名 Lord, I lift your name on high]

[42 耶穌恩友 What a friend we have in Jesus]

[7 憑祢意行 Have thine own way, Lord]

今天要導讀的經文有點多, 我們依序來把它們都唸一遍, 我再來解釋經文的涵義.

雅各書-James 2:14-17; 18-26

2:14 我的弟兄們，若有人說自己有信心，卻沒有行為，有什麼益處？難道這信心能救他麼？

What is the profit, my brothers, if anyone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

2:15 若有弟兄或姊妹經常是赤身露體的，又缺了日用的食物，

If a brother or sister is without clothing and lacks daily food,

2:16 而你們中間有人對他們說，平平安安的去吧，願你們穿得暖，吃得飽；卻不給他們身體所需用的，有什麼益處？

And any one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, yet you do not give them the necessities of the body, what is the profit?

2:17 信心也是這樣，若沒有行為，就是死的。

So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.

雅各福音談到信心, 在日常生活中是走實際面的, 也就是我今天要談的起而行, 這樣活在當下, 才能追求永恆的價值.

耶和華面諭先知摩西, 往後要帶領出埃及的路上, 會有很多的試煉, 持守誡命為首要, 而以追求永恆的生命為終極目標.

基督來到人世間, 召喚我們追隨祂的腳步, 好比剛所說的摩西一樣, 被召喚帶領在埃及為奴的以色列同胞, 前往那個應許之地 Promise of land.

2:18 有人會說，你有信心，我有行為；你將你沒有行為的信心指給我看，我便由我的行為，將我的信心指給你看。

But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

2:19 你信神祇有一位；你信的不錯；鬼也信，卻是戰驚。

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and shudder.

2:20 虛浮的人哪，你願意知道沒有行為的信心是無用的麼？

But are you willing to know, O vain man, that faith without its works is useless?

2:21 我們的祖宗亞伯拉罕，把他兒子以撒獻在壇上，豈不是本於行為得稱義麼？

Was not Abraham our father justified by works in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

2:22 你看，信心是與他的行為同工，而且信心本於行為才得完全；

You see that faith worked together with his works, and by these works faith was perfected.

2:23 這就應驗經上所說的：「亞伯拉罕信神，這就算為他的義。」他又得稱為神的朋友。

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness''; and he was called the friend of God.

2:24 可見人得稱義是本於行為，不是單本於信。

You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith only.

2:25 妓女喇合接待使者，又放他們從別的路上出去，不也是一樣本於行為得稱義麼？

And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works in that she received the messengers and sent them out by a different way?

2:26 身體沒有靈是死的，照樣，信心沒有行為也是死的。

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

摩西的任務或試煉, 世人皆同, 都是 神賜給才能Talent, 憑藉信心來跟隨和侍奉 神; 好比說, Jai-yu在台灣曾是老師, 目前我是保安人員, 在 神的召喚下, 各司其職.

而主內弟兄們, 也會被召喚來服事祂. 一如雅各書所說的, 用各人所擁有的才能, 憑藉信心來服事祂. 這裡的信心, 並不是坐而不動就能增強, 而是要如本文中所指出的, 定要起而行, 才能增長信心.

又比如說, 在街頭看見衣不蔽體的露宿者, 心中動念說要幫助他們, 確沒有付諸行動, 這種動動嘴皮子的幫忙, 於事無補, 屬一種消極的信心表現; 如果能夠給與衣物, 實質上的助益, 才能說是個有信心的基督徒, 成為有意義的幫助者.

摩賽亞書 Mosiah 2:13-40

１３　相信　神；相信他的存在，相信創造了天上和地上的萬物。

13 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things both in heaven and in earth;

１４　相信他具有天地間一切替慧和權力。

14 Believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; 15 Believe that man doth not comprehend all things which the Lord can comprehend.

１５　相信世人不能領悟一切上主能領悟的事情。

15 Believe that man doth not comprehend all things which the Lord can comprehend.

１６　還要相信你們必須悔改你們的罪，離棄你們的罪，在　神前謙抑你們自己；用虔誠的心祈求他饒恕你們。

16 And again: Believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you:

１７　現在，如果你們相信這一切，注意你們一定要做到。

17 And now, if you believe all these things, see that ye do them.

１８　我再告訴你們，像我以前所說的，當你們已知道　神的榮耀，

18 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God,

１９　或者，如果你們已知道他的仁慈，嘗受到他的愛、得到你們罪的赦免，使你們的靈魂中有了這樣大的快樂，

19 Or if ye have known of his goodness, and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceeding great joy in your souls,

２０　即使這樣，我還希望你們要記住，一直牢牢的記住，　神的偉大，你們自己的微不足道，他對你們這些不配之人的仁慈和長期容忍，

20 Even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long suffering towards you unworthy creatures,

２１　並要深深地謙抑你們自己，天天呼求上主的名，對天使口中所講的將要到來的事，堅守住你們的信心。

21 And humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel;

２２　我告訴你們，如果你們這樣做，你們必常快樂，充滿　神的愛，並一直保留著你們的罪的赦免；

22 And behold, I say unto you, that if ye do this, ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins;

２３　你們對於那位創造你們者的榮耀的知識，或那正確而真實的知識，必然會增長。

23 And ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.

２４　你們必不會有互傷害之心，卻會和平相處，並按照每人所應得的分給他們。

24 And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due.

２５　你們不會讓你們的孩子受到饑餓或寒冷；

25 And ye will not suffer your children, that they go hungry, or naked;

２６　也不會讓他們違反　神的律法，互相打鬧，事奉那罪的主人魔鬼或我們祖先所說的惡靈，他是，一切正義的敵人；

26 Neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers; he being an enemy to all righteousness;

這是班傑明王 King Benjamin 對他的人民的喊話, 大家要互相友愛, 和平相處, 不起爭執, 對於生活困苦的人, 給予適當的幫助. 那要怎麼去幫助別人呢?

２７　你們卻會教導他們行走在真理和嚴肅的道路上；會教導他們彼此相愛，彼此服務。

27 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another;

２８　你們自己也會救助那些有需要你們救助必要的人們；你們會把你們的財物施與有需要的人；

28 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need;

２９　你們不會讓乞丐向你們提出的乞求落空，將他趕出去，由他死亡。

29 And ye will not suffer that the begger putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

３０　也許你們要說：那人自己招來了他的不幸；所以我要停住我的手，不把我的食物給他，也不把我的財物給他，使他不至受苦，因為他得的那些懲罰是公正的。

30 Perhaps thou shalt say, The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance, that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just.

３１　但是我對你們說，世人啊，誰這樣做誰就有極大悔改的理由；除非他對他所做的事悔改，他必永遠滅亡，與　神的國度無緣。

３２　因為看啊，我們不都是乞丐嗎？我們所有的一切財物，食物和衣服，金和銀，以及我們所有的種種財富，不都是依靠著那同一位　神嗎？

32 For behold, are we not all beggers? Do we not all depend upon the same being, even God, for all the substance which we have; for both food, and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

３３　即使這時候，你們也在呼他的名，乞求他赦免你們的罪。

33 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins.

３４　他曾讓你們的乞求落空嗎？

34 And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain?

３５　沒有；他已將他的靈傾注在你們的身上，他已使你們的心充滿快樂，使你們的快樂極大以致講不出話來。

caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped, that ye could not find utterance, so exceeding great was your joy.

３６　如果那位創造你們的　神，也就是你們生命和你們一切所有所成所依靠的　神，賜給你們任何你們用信心祈求，相信必能得到的正當的東西，然後，你們應當如何把你們所有財物彼此分贈呢？

36 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives, and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how had ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have, one to another?

３７　如果你們論斷那個為求生而向你們提出物質請求的人，並譴責他，你們因扣住你們的物質而受到譴責豈不公正得多，因為你們的物質並非屬於你們的，而是屬於　神的，就是你們的生命也是屬於他的；

37 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance, that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation, for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you, but to God, to whom also, your life belongeth;

３８　然而你們並不提出乞求，也不悔改你們所做的事。

38 And yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.

３９　我對你們說，那個人有禍了，因為他的財物要和起滅亡；我這些話是對那些富於屬世財物人們說的。

39 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich, as pertaining to the things of this world.

４０　我再對窮人說，你們這些沒有甚麼卻又足夠一天一天活著的人們；我的意思是指所有你們這些因為沒有甚麼而拒絕乞丐的人們；我希望你們在心裏這樣說：我不給甚麼是因為我沒有甚麼，但是如果我有的話我一定給。

40 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the begger, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts, that I give not because I have not; but if I had, I would give.

班傑明王 King Benjamin 說: 以 神的觀點來看, 我們出生時一無所有, 因個人的際遇不同, 而得到不同的才能, 本著才能, 我們就業來換取衣食, 而得到物質上的成就.

聖靈本來就在人心中, 所以我們應當信靠 神和持守誡命, 發揮愛心並分享所有, 這是成為前往永生之道, 必經的歷練. 這些道理, 淺顯易懂, 大家也都明白, 大部分的人, 卻不把它當一回事, 認真看待.

每一天, 世人都需要食物和飲水維生, 以供應生理機能之所需, 但是更重要的是, 聖靈在心中的滋長, 才能得到全面的救贖; 有機會前往永生之道.

所以說, 物質足以維生, 但是聖靈才是得到救贖的門檻, 而要跨越門檻的鑰匙, 就是本著基督耶穌的愛心, 建立起信靠基督的心, 再付諸實際的行動, 秉持著人飢己飢、人溺己溺的愛心, 努力的把愛心分享出去.

歌羅西書-Colossians 1:10

1:10 行事為人配得過主，以致凡事蒙祂喜悅，在一切善工上結果子，藉著認識神而長大，

To walk worthily of the Lord to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and growing by the full knowledge of God,

在使徒保羅的年代, 到過很多不同教派的地區傳福音, 發現各地教派的供奉儀式, 大不相同; 看在使徒保羅眼裡, 心中恆念惟有基督耶穌的精神, 才是內在生命, 得以延續到永恆生命的契機.

時至今日的台灣, 各個釋道儒教派的供奉儀式, 就有很多的區別. 有的供奉三牲, 甚至是大豬公, 也有只獻上鮮花蔬果的; 有的焚香燒金紙, 有的走環保路線的, 香紙都禁用; 還有淨身祈福等等儀式, 大異其趣.

以弗所書-Ephesians 2:8-10

2:8 你們得救是靠著恩典，藉著信；這並不是出於你們，乃是神的恩賜；

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God;

2:9 也不是出於行為，免得有人誇口。

Not of works that no one should boast.

2:10 我們原是神的傑作，在基督耶穌裡，為著神早先預備好，要我們行在其中的善良事工創造的。

For we are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand in order that we would walk in them.

信靠神, 最直接的表現, 就是在 神的召喚下, 去服事祂所要我們做的事; 比如使徒保羅時代, 四處傳福音, 也四處建立起教會, 就是追隨基督, 走在 神的道上.

記得當年在台北時, 路過一座大廟, 香煙繚繞, 焚燒紙錢, 造成濃煙蔽天; [現在有信用卡替代紙錢, 不用大把大把的燒紙錢, 算是環保許多了] 在我看來, 這就是信與迷信的區別.

焚香燒紙, 應是迷信的指標之一, 真正的信, 是分享愛心, 幫助別人在需要的時候; 而不是焚香燒紙- 這看似賄絡神明的舉止, 多只用在祈求自己平安、健康和發大財. 不是嗎?

在1500年前, 羅馬王國時代, 天主教興盛, 虛華無實, 竟還有以錢財來疏通, 甚至犯罪也可免刑, 種種在 神前不公不義的事發生.

於今, 末世來臨之際, 我們追求永恆的生命, 就不該讓這不公義的事, 再度存在於此; 只是, 基於各教派的宗旨, 往往還有尋求物慾的享受, 尤其是撒但, 時不時就在誘惑我們, 一步步的走入它的陷阱, 身陷其罪, 而不自知.

加拉太書-Galatians 5:19-21; 22-26

5:19 肉體的行為，都是明顯的，就是淫亂、污穢、邪蕩、

And the works of the flesh are manifest, which are such things as fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

5:20 拜偶像、邪術、仇恨、爭競、忌恨、惱怒、私圖好爭、分立、宗派、

Idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, divisions, sects,

5:21 嫉妒、醉酒、荒宴以及類似的事；關於這些事，我現在事先告訴你們，正如我先前說過的：行這樣事的人，必不得承受神的國。

Envyings, bouts of drunkenness, carousings, and things like these, of which I tell you beforehand, even as I have said before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

以上的罪, 是入不得 神的眼目的, 卻是世人最易陷落的淵藪, 我們既信入基督耶穌, 就要把持自己, 時時悔改、禱告, 更要常常感恩 神的賜與.