746 英翻中 (446) By perseverance the snail reached the ark 通过毅力的蜗牛, 終於到达方舟. 4/27/2024

746 英翻中 (446)   By perseverance the snail reached the ark   通过毅力的蜗牛, 終於到达方舟.                  4/27/2024  

Be  Complete (全備的救恩) :      A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR(作者的話)            

I have often thought of that statement when I find myself in the midst of trying circumstances. It is not talent or training that guarantees victory: it is perseverance. “By perseverance the snail reached the ark,” said Charles Spurgeon.

当我发现自己在尝试中时，我经常想到上面的说法。保持胜利不是人才或培训，而是坚持不懈。司布貞说， “通过坚持不懈的蜗牛，終於到达方舟。”   (註:  在挪亞造方舟时, 他不可能引領各樣生物來到方舟,要憑夙自己的堅忍不懈, 像蜗牛通过坚持不懈的毅力爬到方舟得救, 這是名佈道家司布貞牧師的銘言, 給編輯者受用無窮.) 

CHAPTER TWO                  MIRACLES AT COLOSSE                Colossians 1:3–8                           第二章                                    發生在歌罗西教會的神跡                 歌罗西书1：3-8

The famous Scottish preacher Alexander Whyte was known as an appreciator. He loved to write postcards to people, thanking them for some kindness or blessing they had brought to his life. Those messages often brought a touch of encouragement to a heart just when it was needed most. Appreciation is great medicine for the soul.                                                                                           哥伦比亚有名的苏格兰传道人亚历山大 · 怀特（Alexander Whyte）称为感恩者。他喜欢寫明信片給人，感谢他们为他的生活带来恩慈或祝福。那些信息通常在最需要的时候，给與鼓励極為感人。感恩是灵魂伟大的補品。

The apostle Paul was a great encourager, and this epistle is a good example of the grace of thanksgiving. In this section (which is one long sentence in the original Greek), he gave thanks for what Christ has done in the lives of the Colossian Christians. But he also mentioned thanksgiving in five other places in this letter: Colossians 1:12; 2:7; 3:15, 17; and 4:2. When you recall that Paul wrote this letter in prison, his attitude of thanksgiving is even more wonderful.                     使徒保罗是伟大的鼓励者，这封信是感恩的很好的例子。在此段（其希腊语原文中是长句），他感谢基督在歌罗西基督徒的生活中所做的事工。但他在这封信中还提到了另外五處地方的感恩：歌罗西书1:12; 2：7; 3:15，17;和4：2。当你還记得保罗是在监狱里写這信时，他這感恩的心态度更加奇妙。

Like Paul, we should be grateful for what God is doing in the lives of others. As Christians, we are all members of one body (1 Cor. 12:12–13). If one member of the body is strengthened, this helps to strengthen the entire body. If one church experiences a revival touch from God, it will help all the churches. In this expression of thanksgiving, Paul traced the stages in the spiritual experience of the Colossian believers.                                                                                                                       我们应该像保罗一样，為上帝在别人的生活中所賜福要感謝祂。作为基督徒，我们都是合一的（林前   12：12-13）。如果身体的某一部份加强，有助于整個身体健康。如果教会经历了上帝的复兴，那将有助於所有的教会。在感恩的表达信中，保罗追述歌罗西信徒屬靈经验的進展。                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

1.  They Heard the Gospel (1:5b–7)                                                                                                      1.  他們聽到福音（1：5節下半段至7節） 

The good news of the gospel was not native to their city. It had to be brought to them, and in their case, Epaphras was the messenger. He was himself a citizen of Colosse (Col. 4:12–13), but he had come in contact with Paul and had been converted to Jesus Christ. This was probably during Paul’s great three-year ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:10).                                                                   福音的好消息不是本城土產的。是由以巴弗從以弗所教會带到他们那裡去的。他本人是歌罗西公民（西   4：12-13），但他已经与保罗接触，并相信耶稣基督。可能是保罗在以弗所三年的伟大事工中所結的果子（徒   19:10）。

Once Epaphras had been saved, he shared this thrilling news with his relatives and friends back home. Perhaps it would have been exciting for Epaphras to stay with Paul in Ephesus, where so many wonderful things were taking place. But his first responsibility was to take the gospel to his own home city (see Mark 5:19).                                                                                                              一旦以巴弗得救了，他就把這令人兴奋的福音帶到家里亲戚朋友。以巴弗在以弗所與保罗同在時，也许发生很多感人的事。但他的首要责任，是把福音带到自己的家乡（见  可5:19）。

The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ has solved the problem of sin through His death, burial, and resurrection. The word gospel means “good news.” Unfortunately, some people witness as though the gospel is the bad news of condemnation.                                                          福音是耶稣基督經由祂的捨命，埋葬和复活来解决世人罪的问题的好消息。福音是 “好消息”。不幸的是，有些人却見證它是咀咒的坏消息。

I recall one church officer who was more of a prosecuting attorney than a Christian witness. Though he constantly reproved people for their sins, he failed to share the good news of forgiveness through faith in Christ.                                                                                                       我還记得教会某執事，他比基督徒提出的見证，更多的提出控诉。虽然他不断地责备人为他們自己的罪，但他却没有以依靠對基督的信心，来分享宽恕的好消息。

But we can learn a lesson from him. In our witnessing, we should remember to emphasize the good news of the gospel (see 1 Cor. 15:1–8). In this section in his Letter to the Colossians, Paul reviews the characteristics of this exciting gospel message.                                                                 但是，我们可以从他那里学到教训。在作见证时，应该记得强调福音是好消息（参见  林前15：1-8）。保罗在他给歌罗西教會的這段書信中，他回顾了令人兴奋的福音信息的特点。

It centers in a Person —— Jesus Christ,  The theme of this epistle is the preeminence of Jesus Christ, and He is certainly preeminent in the gospel. The false teachers who had invaded the fellowship in Colosse were trying to remove Jesus Christ from His place of preeminence; but to do this was to destroy the gospel. It is Christ who died for us and who arose again. The gospel message does not center in a philosophy, a doctrine,  or a religious system.   It centers in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.                                                                                                                             以道成肉身 —— 耶稣基督为中心，這封書信的主題是耶穌基督的至高無上，祂在福音中無疑是超越的。 入侵歌羅西團契的假教師，試圖將耶穌基督從祂的超越地位移開;  但這是摧毀福音 —— 基督為我們而死，三天後又復活。 這福音信息並不以哲學，教義，或宗教制度為中心。 它是以耶穌基督為中心，上帝的兒子為中心。

It is the “Word of truth” (v. 5 niv). This means that it came from God and can be trusted. “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). There are many messages and ideas that can be called true, but only God’s Word can be called truth. Satan is the liar; to believe his lies is to be led astray into death (John 8:44). Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6); when we trust Him, we experience life. Men have tried to destroy God’s truth, but they have failed. The Word of truth still stands!                          这是 “真理之道”（第5節  新國際版）。这話是從上帝来的，值得信赖。 “祢的话就是真理”（约   17:17）。有许多信息和想法可能称为真实，但只有上帝的话称为真理。撒旦是骗子，相信牠的谎言會被误入死的歧途（约   8:44）。耶稣是真理（约14：6）;  当我们相信祂时，就会体验生命。人常常试图摧毁上帝的真理，但却失败了。真理的话仍然確立！

Everybody has faith in something. But faith is only as good as the object in which a person puts his trust. The jungle pagan worships a god of stone; the educated city pagan worships money or possessions or status. In both cases, faith is empty. The true Christian believer has faith in Jesus Christ, and that faith is based on the Word of truth. Any other kind of faith is but superstition—it cannot save.                                                                                                                                              每个人都對某些事物有信心。但信心只是人對某事物為信任的对象。丛林异教徒崇拜石頭神; 受过教育的城市异教徒崇拜金钱或财产或地位。在这两种情况下，信心都是空白的。真正的基督信仰者是对耶稣基督有信心，信仰是建立在真理上的。任何其他信仰都是迷信 —— 它无法使人得救。

It is the message of God’s grace (v. 6b). Two words in the Christian vocabulary are often confused: grace and mercy. God in His grace gives me what I do not deserve. Yet God in His mercy does not give me what I do deserve. Grace is God’s favor shown to undeserving sinners. The reason the gospel is good news is because of grace: God is willing and able to save all who will trust Jesus Christ.                                                                                                                                     上   帝恩典的福音（6節下半段）。基督徒用語中，有两个字词经常被混淆：恩典和怜悯。上帝的恩典给了我這不配得到的人。然而上帝在祂的憐憫裡，的確還沒有给我我应得的懲罰。恩典是上帝对不应得的罪人表示的憐憫。福音是好消息，因为它是恩典：上帝愿意，并能够拯救所有相信耶稣基督的人。