793 英翻中 (493) The Reality of Faith. 信心的實存. 09/07/2024

793 英翻中 (493)             The Reality of Faith.           信心的實存.                          09/07/2024

親愛的主內訪友,  編輯者在1952年在台灣新竹服役, 便在新竹信義會參與敬拜上帝, 並參加查經班研讀以弗所書.  指導的牧師是美國挪威的聶牧師一再重複的講到 " The Reality of Faith." 中文對Reality 這詞無恰好的相當語.  近日讀到 Princeton (普林斯頓大學)物理系教授黃小石博士,  既經思索, 覺得"實存"比較合適, 編輯者於1971年在德國達姆斯達大學(Darmstadt University)進修, 在該 城 的瑪麗姊妹基督教會聚會,  院母施寧(M. Basilea Schlink) 所著初版的德文書名 "Realitäten Gottes Wirken Realitäten heute erlebt Realitäten".  英文的再版就用 "Realities of Faith (信心的實存)."

編輯者一再強調, 我現在活著是為主耶穌基督作見證. 編輯者1955年, 能以軍人身分報上名考大學, 就是靠信主耶穌基督的信心.  這見證信心是真實的存在.

Having heard the Word, the Ephesians believed, and it is this faith that brought salvation (Eph. 2:8–9). This pattern follows what Paul wrote in Romans 10:13–15, so read that passage carefully. It is God’s plan for evangelism. When the Ephesians believed, they were “sealed with the Spirit.” “After that ye believed” should read “when ye believed.” You receive the Spirit immediately on trusting Christ. This is not an experience subsequent to conversion. (Read Acts 10:34–48.)           以弗所人听了道，就相信了，是信心带来的救恩（弗   2:8-9）。是遵循保罗在罗马书 10章13至15等節中所写内容的模式，因此请仔细阅读该段經文。这是上帝对传福音的计划。当以弗所人相信时，他们 “就打上圣灵的印記”。 “在那之后，你们就相信了” 应该读为 “当你们相信的时候”。你一信基督就立刻接受圣灵內住。这並不是悔改以后的体验。 （阅读   徒  10：34-48。）

What is the significance of this sealing of the Holy Spirit? For one thing, it speaks of a finished transaction. Even today, when important legal documents are processed, they are stamped with the official seal to signify the completion of the transaction. This sealing also implies ownership: God has put his seal on us because He has purchased us to be His own (1 Cor. 6:19–20). It also means security and protection. The Roman seal on the tomb of Jesus carried this meaning (Matt. 27:62–66). So, the believer belongs to God, and is safe and protected because he is a part of a finished transaction. According to John 14:16–17, the Holy Spirit abides with the believer forever. It is possible for us to grieve the Spirit and thereby lose the blessings of His ministry (Eph. 4:30). But He doesn’t leave us.                                                                                                                          圣灵的印记有什么顯著的意义？  一方面，它表示交易完成了。即使在今天，在处理重要的律法文件时，它们也会加盖印章以表示交易完成。 印记也意味着所有权：上帝已经在我们身上盖上了印记，因为祂已经付出贖款购买我们成为祂自己的人（林前   6：19-20）。这也意味着安全和保护。耶稣坟墓上的罗马印章具有这个含义（太  27：62-66）。所以，信徒是属于上帝的，是受祂保护和安全的，因为他是完成交易的一部分。根据约翰福音 14章16-17兩節，圣灵永远与信徒同在。我们有時可能會让圣灵担忧，从而失去祂作為賜給的福祉               （弗   4:30）。但祂永遠不會离开我们。

Another use for the seal is as a mark of authenticity. Just as a signature on a letter attests to the genuineness of the document, so the presence of the Spirit proves the believer is genuine. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Rom. 8:9). It is not simply our lip profession, our religious activity, or our good works, but the witness of the Spirit that makes our profession authentic.                                                                                                                                印記的另外用途是作为真实性的标志。正如信上的签名证明文件的真实性一样，圣灵的同在也证明信徒是真实的。 “人若没有基督的灵，就不属祂的”（罗   8:9）。不僅只是口頭信仰的表白，我们的宗教活动或善行，都是圣灵的见证我们信仰的表白的真实。

He has given us an earnest (v. 14). Earnest is a fascinating word! In Paul’s day, it meant “the down payment to guarantee the final purchase of some commodity or piece of property.” Even today you will hear a real estate agent talk about earnest money. The Holy Spirit is God’s first installment to guarantee to His children that He will finish His work and eventually bring them to glory. The “redemption of the purchased possession” refers to the redemption of the body at the return of Christ (Rom. 8:18–23; 1 John 3:1–3). “Redemption” is experienced in three stages:       祂给了我们保證金（第 14 节）。保證金是很吸引人的词！在保罗的时代，它的意思是“保证最终购买某些商品或财产的首付”。 即使在今天，也会听到房地产经纪人谈论保證金。 “圣灵” 是上帝第一次向祂的孩子们提出的保证，会完成祂的作為，并最终带他们进入荣耀。 “赎回所买的财产” 是指基督再来时，我們身体的救赎（罗   8：18-23；约壹  3：1-3）。 “救赎” 有三層的经历：

 • We have been redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7).                                                我们因信耶稣基督已經得救赎（弗   1:7）。

• We are being redeemed as the Spirit works in our lives to make us more like Christ (Rom. 8:1–4).                                                                                                                                                             当圣灵在我们的生活中的作為，使我们更像基督时，我们得救赎（罗   8:1-4）。

• We shall be redeemed when Christ returns and we become like Him. But the word translated “earnest” also means “engagement ring.” In Greece today you would find this word being used that way.                                                                                                                                                     当基督再来，并变得像祂时，我们的身體得赎。但翻译成 “保證金” 一词也有  “订婚戒指” 的意思。在今天在希腊仍这样使用它。

But, after all, isn’t an engagement ring an assurance—a guarantee—that the promises made will be kept? Our relationship to God through Christ is not simply a commercial one, but also a personal experience of love. He is the Bridegroom and His church is the bride. We know that He will come and claim His bride because He has given us His promise and His Spirit as the “engagement ring.” What greater assurance could we want?                                                            但是，订婚戒指能確保 — 保证 — 它所做出的承诺，肯定会遵守吗？  我们通过基督与上帝的关系不仅仅是類似商业关系，也是親自个人蒙爱的体验。 耶穌是新郎，祂的教会是新娘。 我们知道耶穌会来迎取祂的新娘，因为祂已給我們祂的应许，和祂的灵，赐给我们作为  “订婚戒指”。  我们还想要什么比這更大的保证呢？

We have examined a number of basic Bible doctrines in this chapter, all on the theme of our riches in Christ. It would be profitable for us to review what these verses teach us.                         我们在本章中研究了许多基本的圣经教义，所有这些教义都說明我们在基督里的丰富。我们复习这些经文教导，肯定对我们有益。

1. True riches come from God. It is a source of great encouragement to know that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all working on my behalf to make me rich. God not only gives us “richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17), but He gives us eternal riches without which all other wealth is valueless.                                                                                                                                                     1. 真正的豐盛恩典来自上帝。知道父、子和圣灵都恊力在为使我得豐盛而工作，这對我們是极大鼓励的源頭。上帝不仅赐给我们 “丰富的万物让我们享受”（提前   6:17），而且祂還赐给我们永生的豐盛，没有这豐盛，所有其他的财富都毫无价值。

 A distraught wife sought out a Christian marriage counselor and told her sad story of a marriage about to dissolve. “But we have so much!” she kept saying. “Look at this diamond ring on my finger. Why, it’s worth thousands! We have an expensive mansion in an exclusive area. We have three cars, and even a cabin in the mountains. Why, we have everything money can buy!”           有位心神烦乱的妻子找到基督徒婚姻輔導，讲述了她要離婚的悲伤故事。她一直说，“我们擁有这么多！  看我手指上的这鑽戒。为什么，價值几千！ 我们在特殊区域拥有一座昂贵的豪宅。有三辆车，甚至还有山间別墅。为什么，我们拥有金钱可以买到一切想要的！”

The counselor replied, “It’s good to have the things money can buy provided you don’t lose the things money can’t buy. What good is an expensive house if there’s no home? Or an expensive ring if there’s no love?”                                                                                                                             辅导员回答说，“有钱能买到东西，但要記住有些是钱买不到的东西。如果没有家，那么贵的房子有什么用？或者，如果没有爱，有昂贵的戒指又如何？”

In Christ, you and I have “what money can’t buy,” and these spiritual riches open up to us all the wealth of God’s vast creation. We enjoy the gifts because we know and love the Giver.                   在基督里，你我拥有  “金钱买不到的东西”，这些属灵的豐盛，向我们顯示上帝奇妙的创造所有的豐富。我们享受这些礼物，因为我们了解并热爱賜恩的上帝。

2. All of these riches come by God’s grace and for God’s glory. Did you notice that after each of the main sections in Ephesians 1:4–14, Paul added the purpose behind these gifts? Why has God the Father chosen us, adopted us, and accepted us? “To the praise of the glory of his grace” (Eph. 1:6). Why has the Son redeemed us, forgiven us, revealed God’s will to us, and made us part of God’s inheritance? “That we should be to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:12). Why has God the Spirit, sealed us and become the guarantee of our future blessing? “Unto the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:14).                                                                                                                                                 2. 所有这些丰盛都是出于上帝的宏恩，和祂的荣耀。你有没有注意到，在以弗所书 1章4-14等節 的每个主要部分之后，保罗都添加了这些恩赐背后的目的？ 为什么父上帝拣选，領养，并接纳我们？  “使祂荣耀的豐盛恩典大得赞美”（弗  1:6）。为什么圣子救赎赦免了我们，並向我们显明上帝的旨意，使我们成为了祂的基业？  “因此我们可以以赞美祂的荣耀”（弗   1:12）。为什么圣灵上帝要在我们額頭蓋上祂的印记，作為我们未来祝福的保证？  “是為赞美祂的荣耀”（弗   1:14）。

We often have the idea that God saves sinners mainly because He pities them, or wants to rescue them from eternal judgment, but God’s main purpose is that He might be glorified. His creation reveals His wisdom and power, but His church reveals His love and grace. You cannot deserve or earn these spiritual riches; you can only receive them by grace, through faith.                               我们经常有这样的想法，上帝拯救罪人，主要是为了怜悯他们，或者是想把他们从永恒的审判中拯救出来，但上帝的主要目的却是要所有的荣耀歸於祂。祂的创造彰显祂的智慧和大能，但祂的教会却彰显祂的爱和恩典。你无法配得或赚取这些屬靈的豐富；你只能经由恩典，靠信心来接受它们。

3. These riches are only the beginning! There is always more spiritual wealth to claim from the Lord as we walk with Him. The Bible is our guidebook; the Holy Spirit is our Teacher. As we search the Word of God, we discover more and more of the riches we have in Christ. These riches were planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and presented by the Spirit. There is really no need for us to live in poverty when all of God’s wealth is at our disposal!                                           3. 这些豐盛只是开始！当我们与主同行时，总会有更多的属灵豐盛可以向主索取。圣经是我们的指南；圣灵是我们的老师。当我们查考上帝的话语时，会发现越来越多的在基督里的丰盛。这些丰盛是父所计划的，聖子用血所購买的，圣灵所恩赐的。当上帝的所有豐盛都在我们手中时，真的没有必要仍生活在贫困中！                                     

My friend was discussing money matters with his wife, and neither of them realized that their little son was listening. Finally the boy broke in with the suggestion, “Why don’t you just write one of those pieces of paper?” Junior did not understand that it was necessary to have money in the bank to back up “those pieces of paper.” But we never face that problem when it comes to our spiritual wealth.                                                                                                                                         當我的朋友正在和他的妻子讨论金钱问题，他们都没有意识到他们的小儿子在听。最后男孩插嘴說，“你們为什么不写一張纸呢？”  兒子不明白银行里要有存欵，才能寫取款的  “那些纸張(支票)”。但是当涉及到我们的屬靈财富时，就从来没有遇到过这个问题。

 A little devotional book by Charles Spurgeon is titled A Checkbook on the Bank of Faith. A promise from the Bible was given for each day of the year, along with a short devotional message. The author described each promise as being as good as money in the bank to anyone who would claim it by faith, as a person would write a check against his bank account. By faith we can claim God’s promises and draw on His limitless wealth to meet every need we may face.                           司布真 (Charles Spurgeon) 的一本灵修小书名为 “信心银行的支票簿(A Checkbook on the Bank of Faith)”。 在圣经裡記載著，一年中的每一天都有上帝的应许，及帶著简短的灵修信息。作者将每一个应许都描述为对任何凭信心认领的人来说，就像他在银行里有存欵，他可以從银行账户上开支票一样。凭着信心，我们可以领取上帝的应许，并使用祂无限的财富，来满足我们可能會面临的任何需要。