950 英翻中 (650)The Word became Flesh.道成了肉身,住在我們中間,充充滿滿的有恩典有真理。 12/29/2024
我們在天上的父, 求祢饒恕孩子貪婪的罪. 賜我在祢裡面的平安. 奉主耶穌基督的名禱告. 阿們.
1. 如果你的生活是比較以自我為中心，希望你也能嘗試擴大生活的圈子，「住在」你的同事或同學中間，叫他們也能從你身上經歷基督的愛。
2. 我們是上帝光明的兒女嗎？有沒有為光作見證？嘗試請你的朋友分享對你行事為人的看法，並根據他們所說的作出一些改進。
3. 約翰很小心地選上「道」這個字，作為向不同文化的人傳講基督的橋梁。當我們傳福音時，若先能認識對方的文化，以他們所熟悉的題材溝通，必能產生更大的果效。
. 施浸約翰是一位很願意將真理教導人的老師：安得烈則將福音介紹給他的兄弟：彼得就像石頭不容易改變，但神卻要改變他；腓力信主後立刻領朋友去見耶穌；拿但業是一個真誠的人。在這五個人中，你最像誰呢？你又最希望向誰學習？請寫下你的目標。
2. 腓力在這方面給我們一個的榜樣。請思想如何使別人從你身上看見耶穌，活出好的見證
949 英翻中 (649) A Wise God. 智慧的上帝. 12/27/2024
4. A Wise God 4. 智慧的上帝 Theologians tell us that God’s wisdom refers to His ability to devise perfect means to attain perfect ends. Nobody has to teach God anything. “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” (Rom. 11:34 nkjv; Isa. 40:13; Jer. 23:18). And nobody can ever say that God made a mistake, because in His wisdom, He does all things well (Rom. 8:28; 9:20–21). No wonder Paul called Him “God only wise” (16:27). 神學家告訴我們，上帝的智慧是指祂有能力設計完美的手段來達到完美的目的。沒有人必須教上帝任何事。 「誰知道主的心呢？或誰成為了他的顧問？ （羅 11:34 和合本；賽 40:13；耶 23:18）。沒有人可以說神犯了錯誤，因為憑著祂的智慧，祂把萬事都做得很好（羅馬書 8:28；9:20-21）。難怪保羅稱他為「唯獨上帝是全智的」（16:27）。 God has revealed His wisdom in creation. “By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place; by His knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew” (Prov. 3:19–20 niv). The astronomer watching a comet through a telescope and the biologist peering at a cell through a microscope are both discovering God’s wisdom, for scientific study is but the act of thinking God’s thoughts after Him. 神在創造中彰顯了祂的智慧。 「耶和華以智慧奠定了大地的根基，以聰明奠定了諸天；祂的知識使深淵分開，雲彩滴下露水」（箴 3:19-20 和合本）。天文學家透過望遠鏡觀察彗星，生物學家透過顯微鏡觀察細胞，都在發現神的智慧，因為科學研究不過是效法神的思想的行為。 While seeking to witness to a university student whose religion was science, I noticed that he kept using the word “universe.” 當我試圖向一位信仰科學的大學生作見證時，我注意到他一直使用「宇宙」這個詞。 “Why do you say ‘universe’ and not ‘multiverse’?” I asked. 我問, “為什麼說‘宇宙’而不是‘多重宇宙’？” Puzzled, the student said, “I don’t understand what you mean.” 學生疑惑地說：“我不明白你的意思。” “Well,” I replied, “the word ‘universe’ implies that everything around us is one, a unity. If that’s the case, where did this unity come from? What instituted the laws that you’re studying in your science classes? Why do all these things work together and produce a ‘universe’ instead of a ‘multiverse’?” 我回答道，" 嗯，『宇宙』這個詞意味著我們周圍的一切都是一個，一個整體。如果真是這樣，這種團結從何而來？您在科學課上學習的法律是由什麼制定的？為什麼所有這些東西共同作用並產生一個‘宇宙’而不是‘多元宇宙’？ He saw which way the conversation was going and quickly changed the subject! 他看出了談話的方向，連忙轉移了話題！ But my question is a valid one. If there weren’t wisdom and order built into the universe (what most people call “scientific laws”), the farmer couldn’t expect a harvest, the astronomer couldn’t predict an eclipse, the scientist couldn’t safely conduct an experiment, the pilot wouldn’t be able to fly his plane, and nobody on earth would know from one moment to another what the stars and planets would do next! Isaac Watts said it perfectly: 但我的問題是有效的。如果宇宙中沒有智慧和秩序（大多數人稱之為「科學法則」），農民就無法期待豐收，天文學家就無法預測日食，科學家就無法安全地進行研究。駕駛他的飛機，地球上沒有人會時時刻刻知道恆星和行星接下來會做什麼！艾薩克·瓦茨（Isaac Watts）說得很完美： I sing the wisdom that ordained 我歌唱智慧， The sun to rule the day; 命定太陽統治白晝； The moon shines full at His command, 月亮聽從他的命令而照耀， And all the stars obey. 所有的星星都聽從他的命令。
God’s wisdom is also seen in His providential ordering of events, not only for nations but also for individuals. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (21:30 niv). “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his” (Job 12:13 niv). The English word providence comes from the two Latin words video, “to see,” and pro, “before.” God in His wisdom “sees before,” that is, plans in advance and “sees to it” that His will is accomplished. 上帝的智慧也體現在祂對事件的安排上，不僅對國家，而且對個人。 「沒有任何智慧，任何洞察力，任何計劃都可以敵擋耶和華」（21:30 Niv）。 「智慧和力量屬於上帝；謀略和聰明都屬他」（約伯記 12:13 和合本）。英文單字 Providence 來自兩個拉丁文 video（「看到」）和 pro（「之前」）。神以祂的智慧“預先看見”，即預先計劃並“確保”祂的旨意得以實現。 Providence doesn’t mean that God simply “foresees” what lies ahead and “adjusts” Himself accordingly. God alone knows and controls future events. The Baptist theologian Augustus Hopkins Strong calls providence “that continuous agency of God by which he makes all the events of the physical and moral universe fulfill the original design with which he created it.”9 Without violating man’s ability to choose, God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11 nkjv) and rules and overrules in all things. “The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths” (Ps. 135:6 niv). 普羅維登斯並不意味著上帝只是「預見」未來的事情並相應地「調整」自己。只有上帝知道並控制未來的事件。浸信會神學家奧古斯都·霍普金斯·斯特朗(Augustus Hopkins Strong) 稱護理為「上帝的持續力量，透過它，他使物質和道德宇宙中的所有事件都實現了他創造宇宙的最初設計。 「耶和華在天上、地上、海中、一切的深處，都隨自己的意旨而行」（詩 135:6）。 God wants to share His wisdom with us, which, of course, is the emphasis of the book of Proverbs. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright” (2:6–7). The first step in receiving God’s wisdom is trusting Jesus Christ and becoming a child of God. The world is frantically seeking the wisdom to know what to do and the power to be able to do it, and these are found only in Jesus Christ, “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24). 神想與我們分享祂的智慧，這當然是箴言的重點。 「因為耶和華賜下智慧；知識和聰明都從他口中發出；他為正直人積存純正的智慧」（2:6-7）。接受神的智慧的第一步是相信耶穌基督並成為神的兒女。世界正在瘋狂地尋求知道該做什麼的智慧和能夠做到這一點的能力，而這些只能在耶穌基督裡找到，「神的能力，神的智慧」（哥林多前書 1:24） ） 。 The gospel of salvation sounds like a foolish message to the lost world, for it seems foolish to commit your life to somebody who died on a cross in weakness and shame. But the preaching of that cross releases the power of God to change lives (Rom. 1:16)! “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18 nkjv). 對於失落的世界來說，救贖的福音聽起來像是一個愚蠢的聖人信息，因為把你的生命託付給一個在軟弱和羞恥中死在十字架上的人似乎是愚蠢的。但十字架的宣講釋放了神的大能來改變生命（羅馬書1:16）！ 「因為十字架的信息對那些滅亡的人來說是愚拙的，但對我們得救的人來說卻是神的大能」（哥林多前書 1:18 NKJV）。 After you trust Christ and become a child of God (John 1:11–13), the next step is to ask God to give you His wisdom in the ordering of your life (James 1:5). “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor” (Prov. 15:33 niv). As you read His Word, meditate and pray, and seek to glorify Him, He will direct your steps (3:5–6). The way may not always be easy, but it will be the best way (Rom. 8:28). Remember that the will of God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11), so you don’t have to worry. 當你相信基督並成為神的孩子之後（約翰福音 1：11-13），下一步就是求神賜給你智慧來安排你的生活（雅各書 1：5）。 「敬畏耶和華使人有智慧；尊卑先有謙卑」（箴 15:33 Niv）。當你閱讀祂的話語、默想、禱告並尋求榮耀祂時，祂會指引你的腳步（3:5-6）。這條路可能並不總是容易的，但卻是最好的路（羅馬書8:28）。請記住，神的旨意來自神的心（詩篇 33:11），所以你不必擔心。 When you have decisions to make, take time to pray and meditate on the Word. Ask God to direct you and, if necessary, seek wise counsel from friends who are mature in the faith. At the start of each day, ask God to guide you in every decision you must make, big or small; a wrong “small” decision could lead to disturbing “big” decisions. As you grow in the wisdom and knowledge of God, and as you walk by faith, seeking to honor the Lord, you will increase in spiritual discernment and live skillfully. 當您需要做出決定時，請花時間祈禱並默想神的話語。求神指引你，如有必要，向信仰成熟的朋友尋求明智的建議。每天開始時，祈求上帝指引你必須做出的每一個決定，無論大小；錯誤的 “小” 決定可能會導致令人不安的“大”決定。當你在上帝的智慧和知識上不斷增長，並憑著信心行事，尋求榮耀主時，你的屬靈洞察力就會增強，生活也會更有技巧。 “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble” (Prov. 4:18–19 niv). 「義人的道路就像黎明的第一道曙光，越照越明，直到黎明。惡人的道路如同幽暗；他們不知道什麼使自己跌倒」（箴 4:18-19 niv）。 To quote A.W. Tozer again, “With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures.”10 引用 A.W.托澤再次說："上帝的良善渴望我們獲得最高的福利，上帝有智慧來計劃它，上帝有能力實現它，我們還缺少什麼？我們無疑是所有生物中最受青睞的。" 10
Notes 註 1 A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1961), 7. This is one of the finest devotional studies of the attributes of God in print. See also Richard L. Strauss, The Joy of Knowing God (Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1984). 1 A. W. Tozer，《神聖的知識》（紐約：Harper and Brothers，1961 年），7。另請參閱理查‧史特勞斯 (Richard L. Strauss)，《認識上帝的喜樂》（Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1984）。 2 Ibid., 11. 2 同上，11。 3 For a fuller treatment of the subject, see Be Holy, my exposition of Leviticus (Colorado Springs: Victor Books, 1994). 3 要更全面地討論這個主題，請參閱 Be Holy，我對利未記的闡述（Colorado Springs：Victor Books，1994）。 4 The quotation is from “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley. The word invictus is Latin for “invincible, unconquered.” Henley suffered from tuberculosis of the bones and bravely endured at least twenty operations, but one wishes he had given the Lord credit for some of the determination that kept him going. We admire any person’s courage in the face of seeming defeat, and his poem is an inspiring clarion call to personal courage, but the Christian believer would prefer 2 Corinthians 12:7–10. 4 引文摘自威廉‧歐內斯特‧亨利 (William Ernest Henley) 的《Invictus》。 invictus 這個字在拉丁文的意思是「不可戰勝的、不可征服的」。亨利患有骨結核，勇敢地忍受了至少二十次手術，但人們希望他能讓他堅持下去的一些決心歸功於上帝。我們欽佩任何人面對看似失敗時的勇氣，他的詩是對個人勇氣的鼓舞人心的號角，但基督徒信徒更喜歡《哥林多後書》12:7-10。 5 These were the opening words of his sermon preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, on Sunday evening, February 4, 1866. See vol. 58 of The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 13. 5 這是他 1866 年 2 月 4 日星期日晚上在倫敦大都會會幕佈道時的開場白。 《大都會會幕講壇》第58 章，13。 6 The word translated “redeemer” in Proverbs 23:11 is goel and refers to the kinsman-redeemer, such as Boaz in the book of Ruth. For the law governing the redemption of property, see Leviticus 25:47–55. The goel had to be a close relative who was willing to pay and able to pay. He is a picture of Jesus Christ, who in His incarnation took upon Himself flesh and blood (Heb. 2:14) that He might redeem us from our spiritual bankruptcy and sin. See my book Be Committed for an exposition of Ruth and an explanation of the law of the kinsman-redeemer (Colorado Springs: Victor Books, 1993). 6 有關財產贖回的法律，請參閱利未記 25：47-55。波瓦斯(Boaz)必須是願意付錢並且有能力支付的近親。祂是耶穌基督的寫照，祂道成肉身，化身為血肉之軀（希伯來書 2:14），以便將我們從精神銀行的破產和罪惡中拯救出來。請參閱我的書《Be Committed》，以了解對露絲的闡述以及對親屬救贖者法則的解釋（科羅拉多斯普林斯：Victor Books，1993）。 7 Most scholars believe that Psalm 23 was a product of David’s latter years and not the poem of a young shepherd. It’s possible that it grew out of the insurrection caused by his wicked son Absalom (2 Sam. 15—19). David had experienced many difficulties in his long life, yet he saw only God’s goodness and mercy. 7 大多數學者認為詩篇 23 篇是大衛晚年的作品，而不是年輕牧羊人的詩。它可能源自於他邪惡的兒子押沙龍所引起的叛亂（撒母耳記下 15-19）。大衛一生經歷了許多磨難，但他只看到神的良善和憐憫。 8 The hymn we call “I Sing the Mighty Power of God,” Isaac Watts titled, “Praise for Creation and Providence.” It was originally written for children. For some reason, we’ve lost one verse from some of our hymnals: 8 這首讚美詩我們稱之為“我歌頌上帝的強大力量”，艾薩克·瓦茨將其命名為“讚美創造和上帝”。它最初是為兒童而寫的。由於某些原因，我們失去了一些讚美詩中的一節經文:
His hand is my perpetual guard, 他的手是我永遠的守護者， He guides me with His eye; 他的眼睛引導我； Why should I then forget the Lord, 我為何要忘記主 Whose love is ever nigh? 祂的慈愛就在身邊呢？
Paul used divine creation as part of his proof that the Gentiles, who were never given the revelation of God’s law, are still guilty before God and will be judged by Him (Rom. 1:18ff.). 保羅用神聖的創造來證明外邦人雖然從未得到上帝律法的啟示，但他們在上帝面前仍然有罪，並將受到他的審判（羅馬書 1:18ff.）。 9 A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology, one-volume edition (Philadelphia: The Judson Press, 1949), 419. Strong goes on to say, “Providence does not exclude, but rather implies the operation of natural law, by which we mean God’s regular way of working…. Prayer without the use of means is an insult to God” (439). 9 A. H. Strong，《系統神學》，單卷版（費城：賈德森出版社，1949 年），419。 斯特朗接著說，「天意並不排除，而是暗示了自然法的運作，我們指的是神正常的工作方式…不使用手段的祈禱是對上帝的侮辱」（439）。 10 Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, 7 10 托澤爾，《神聖的知識》，7
聖經 : 箴言 完.
948 英翻中 (648) The Word became Flesh (THIS GOD IS OUR GOD). 道成肉身(這上帝是我們的上帝). 12/26/2024
CHAPTER THIRTEEN 第十三章 “THIS GOD IS OUR GOD” “這位上帝是我們的上帝”
We study the Word of God so that we might better know the God of the Word. The better acquainted we are with God, the more we become like Him and acquire the skills we need for life and service. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov. 9:10 nkjv). You can make a living without knowing many things, but you can’t make a life without knowing God. 我們研究上帝的話語，以便我們可以更認識話語中的神。我們對神越熟悉，我們就越像他，並獲得生活和服務所需的技能。 「敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端，認識聖者是明智的」（箴 9:10 新欽定版）。你可以在不知道很多事情的情況下謀生，但你無法在不認識神的情況下生活。 “It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate,” wrote A. W. Tozer. “If we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as He is.”1 A.W.托澤爾寫道：“如果我們對上帝的看法是錯誤的或不充分的，那麼我們就不可能保持良好的道德實踐和正確的內心態度。” 「如果我們想讓屬靈力量重新回到我們的生活中，我們就必須開始更加接近上帝。」1 If we read the book of Proverbs, or any book in the Bible, seeking only for doctrinal truth but ignoring God Himself, we’ll miss what the Holy Spirit wants to say to us and do for us. It would be like a child devoting hours to studying the family album but not spending time with his family, getting to know them personally. If we have no growing acquaintance with God, then what we think we know about Him may be misleading; this hinders us from building a godly life. To quote Tozer again, “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.”2 If that’s true, and I believe it is, then it’s possible to be a Bible student and also an idolater! 如果我們閱讀箴言書或聖經中的任何一本書，只尋求教義真理，卻忽視了上帝我們自己也會錯過聖靈想要對我們說的話和為我們做的事。這就像一個孩子花很多時間研究家庭相冊，卻沒有花時間與家人在一起，親自了解他們。如果我們對神沒有越來越多的認識，那麼我們所認為的關於祂的認識可能會產生誤導；這阻礙我們建立敬虔的生活。再次引用托澤的話，「偶像崇拜的本質是對上帝的不配的思想娛樂。」2 如果這是真的，而且我相信是這樣，那麼一個聖經學生同時也是一個偶像崇拜者是可能的！ The book of Proverbs reveals to us the wonderful God whom we should trust, obey, love, and get to know in a deeper way. As we grow in our intimacy with God, we will develop the wisdom and skills we need to be successful in making a life. 箴言向我們揭示了這位奇妙的神，我們應該相信、順服、愛戴他，並更深入地認識他。隨著我們與神的親密關係不斷加深，我們就會發展出成功創造生命所需的智慧和技能。
1. A Holy God 1. 聖潔的神 According to Proverbs 9:10 and 30:3, God is “the Holy One”; the word translated “holy” means “utterly different, wholly other.” God’s very nature is holy: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8, 15; 22:9, 16, 32; 1 Peter 1:16).3 “God is light and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). 根據箴言 9:10 和 30:3，神是「聖潔的」；翻譯為「神聖」的字的意思是「完全不同，完全不同」。神的本質是聖潔的：「你們要聖潔，因為我是聖潔的」（利11:44-45；19:2；20:7, 26；21:8, 15；22:9, 16, 32；彼前書1:16).3 「神是光，在他毫無黑暗」 But we must not think of God’s holiness simply as the absence of defilement, like a sterilized surgical instrument. Nor is God’s holiness an inert, negative attribute. It’s something positive and active, His perfect nature accomplishing His perfect will. It’s like the “sea of glass mingled with fire” that John saw before the throne of God in heaven (Rev. 15:2). “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29; see Deut. 4:24). 但我們絕不能簡單地將上帝的聖潔視為沒有污穢，就像消毒過的手術器械一樣。祂的聖潔也不是惰性的、消極的屬性。這是積極主動的，祂完美的本性成就了祂完美的旨意。這就像約翰在天上帝的寶座前所看到的「調和火的玻璃海」（啟 15:2）。 「因為我們的神是烈火」（來 12:29；參考申 4:24）。 Because He is holy, God hates sin (Prov. 6:17–19). Evangelists remind us that “God hates sin but He loves sinners,” and certainly nobody will question God’s love for a lost world (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). But people can willfully sin so much that they become abominable to God. The perverse man is an abomination to God (Prov. 3:32; 11:20), and so are the proud (16:5), liars (12:22), cheats (11:1; 20:10, 23), hypocrites (15:8; 21:27; 28:9), and the unjust (17:15). Sin becomes so identified with the sinner that the very person becomes reprehensible to the Lord. This doesn’t negate His love, but we must keep in mind that God’s love is a holy love as well as a sacrificing love. It’s a dangerous thing to play with sin and defy the living God. “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (29:1 nkjv). 因為上帝是聖潔的，所以祂恨惡罪（箴 6:17-19）。福音傳道者提醒我們，“祂恨惡罪，卻愛罪人”，當然沒有人會質疑祂對失喪世界的愛（約翰福音 3:16；羅馬書 5:8）。但人們可能故意犯很多罪，以至於成為上帝所憎惡的罪。乖僻的人為上帝所憎惡（箴 3:32；11:20），驕傲的人（16:5）、說謊的人（12:22）、欺騙的人（11:1；20:10）也是如此。 23）、偽善者（15:8；21:27；28:9）和不公義的人（17:15）。罪變得如此與罪人等同，以至於罪人變得受到主的譴責。這不是否定神的愛，但我們必須記住，神的愛是聖潔的愛，也是犧牲的愛。玩弄罪惡並藐視永生神是一件危險的事。 「屢次受責備而硬著頸項的人，會突然被毀滅，而且無法補救」（29:1 新欽定版）。 Proverbs 21:12 calls God “the Righteous One” (niv) or “the righteous God” (nkjv) and states that He judges the wicked for their wickedness. A holy God must be righteous in all His ways and just in all His dealings (24:11–12). “The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just” (3:33 nkjv). Sometimes God sends immediate judgment on the wicked (2:22), but sometimes He merely takes away His restraining hand and allows the sinners’ sins to judge them. “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast” (5:22 niv; see Rom. 1:18ff.). 箴言 21:12 稱神為「公義者」(niv) 或「公義的神」(nkjv)，並指出祂因惡人的邪惡而審判他們。一位聖潔的神必須在祂一切所行的事上都是公義的，在祂一切的作為上都是公義的（24:11-12）。 「耶和華咒詛惡人的家庭，賜福與義人的家庭」（3:33 NKJV）。有時神會立即審判惡人（2:22），但有時祂只是收回祂限制的手，讓罪人的罪來審判他們。 「惡人的惡行自陷網羅；他的罪的繩索將他緊緊抓住」（5:22 niv；參考羅馬書 1:18ff）。
2. A Sovereign God 2. 至高主權的上帝 The fact that God is holy and just assures us that there are righteous principles that govern the universe and His dealings with us. As Dr. A. T. Pierson put it, “History is His story.” “The Lord works out everything for his own ends—even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Prov. 16:4 niv). “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (19:21 niv). The Christian believer remembers Colossians 1:16: “All things were created by him [Christ], and for him.” Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things. 上帝是聖潔的、公正的，這一事實向我們保證，有公義的原則統治著宇宙以及他對待我們的方式。正如 A.T.皮爾森博士所說，“歷史就是他的故事。” 「耶和華所安排的一切，都是為了自己的目的；甚至惡人，也為了遭禍的日子」（箴 16:4 新國際版）。 「人心多有計謀，惟有主的旨意才得勝」（19:21 N新國際版）。基督教徒記得歌羅西書 1 章 16 節：“萬物都是藉著他（基督）創造的，又是為他創造的。”耶穌基督是阿拉法和俄梅戛，是萬物的開始和終結。 The proud mind of sinful man rebels against the very thought of the sovereignty of God and affirms, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”4 Charles Spurgeon said, “No doctrine in the whole Word of God has more excited the hatred of mankind than the truth of the absolute sovereignty of God. The fact that ‘the Lord reigneth’ is indisputable, and it is this fact that arouses the utmost opposition of the unrenewed human heart.”5 罪人的驕傲思想反抗上帝主權的思想，並斷言：「我是我命運的主人：我是我靈魂的統帥。」4 司布真 (Charles Spurgeon) 說：「聖經中沒有任何教義。上帝比上帝絕對主權的真理更能激起人類的憎恨。 ‘主作王’ 的事實是無可爭議的，正是這個事實引起了未更新人心的最大反對。5 Divine sovereignty doesn’t destroy human responsibility and turn humans into robots. “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue” (16:1 niv). “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (v. 33 nkjv). “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (v. 9 nkjv). God expects us to study, think, weigh possibilities, and make decisions, but we dare not “lean on [our] own understanding” (3:5). God promises to give wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5) and to direct those who are willing to obey (Prov. 3:5–6). 神聖主權不會摧毀人類的責任並將人類變成機器人。「心裡的謀算在乎人，舌頭的應對卻出於耶和華」（16:1 Niv）。 「簽子放在懷裡，一切決定卻出於耶和華」（33節）。 「人心籌算自己的道路，唯有耶和華指引他的腳步」（9節）。神期望我們研究、思考、權衡可能性並做出決定，但我們不敢「依靠自己的理解」（3:5）。神應許賜智慧給那些祈求的人（雅各書 1：5），並指引那些願意服從的人（箴 3：5-6）。 Because He is the Creator of all things, God is sovereign in nature (3:19–20; 8:22–31; 30:4). He’s also sovereign in history and geography, controlling the rise and fall of rulers and nations (Acts 17:22–28; Dan. 4:17, 34–35). “By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice” (Prov. 8:15). “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes” (21:1 nkjv). “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord” (v. 30 nkjv). 因為神是萬物的創造者，所以祂在自然界中擁有至高無上的主權（3:19-20；8:22-31；30:4）。他在歷史和地理上也擁有主權，掌管統治者和國家的興衰（使徒行傳 17:22-28；但以理書 4:17, 34-35）。 「君王借我掌權，臣宰秉公行義」（箴 8:15）。 「王的心在耶和華的手中，有如水的河；他將它轉向他所希望的任何地方」（21:1 新欽定版）。 「沒有人有智慧、聰明、謀略可以敵擋耶和華」（30節）。 Keep in mind that the God who decrees the end— His purposes—also decrees the means to the end. If He determines to overthrow Pharaoh and deliver Israel from Egypt, He also decrees that Moses and Aaron go to Egypt to confront Pharaoh. If He purposes to bring Israel into the Promised Land, He also decrees that Joshua shall be trained to lead them. If He purposes to win lost souls, He also decrees that a witness will share the gospel. “And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Rom. 10:14–15 nkjv). 請記住，上帝既規定了目的──祂的目的──也規定了達到目的的手段。如果他決定推翻法老王並將以色列人從埃及拯救出來，他也會下令摩西和亞倫前往埃及對抗法老。如果他打算將以色列帶入應許之地，他也會下令訓練約書亞來帶領他們。如果他的目的是贏得失喪的靈魂，他也會下令見證人分享福音。 「如果沒有傳道人，他們怎麼能聽到呢？除非他們被差遣，否則他們怎麼能傳道呢？ （羅 10:14-15 新欽定版）。 The sovereignty of God is one of the greatest motivations for Christian life and service, because we know that God is on the throne and controls all things. His commandments are His enablements, and “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28 nkjv). Instead of being a deterrent to evangelism, an understanding of divine sovereignty is a stimulus to biblical evangelism; for we are sure that God is “taking out” a “people for His name” (Acts 15:14 nkjv; see 18:1–11) and that His Word will not return void (Isa. 55:10–11). God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9) but desires all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), and Jesus commanded us to go into all the world with the message of salvation (Matt. 28:18–20). Our task is to obey and share the message; His responsibility is to save those who believe. 神的主權是基督徒生活和事奉的最大動力之一，因為我們知道神坐在寶座上並掌管一切。祂的誡命就是祂的能力，「我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，就是按祂旨意被召的人」（羅馬書 8:28 新欽定版）。對神聖主權的理解非但不會成為傳福音的障礙，反而會刺激合乎聖經的福音。因為我們確信神正在「為祂的名」「取出」一群「百姓」（使徒行傳15：14 新欽定本；參考18：1-11），並且他的道不會徒然返回（以賽亞書55：10-11）。神「不願有一人滅亡」（彼得後書3:9），但希望所有人都得救（提摩太前書2:4），耶穌命令我們帶著救恩的信息到普天下去（馬太福音） 28:18-20）。我們的任務是遵守並分享信息；祂的責任是拯救那些相信的人。 As sovereign Ruler over all things, the Lord sees and knows what’s happening, the thoughts, actions, words, and motives of all people. “For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths” (Prov. 5:21 niv). “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good” (15:3 niv). “The Lord weighs the hearts” (21:2 nkjv; see 17:3; 24:12). When God judges, He judges justly, whether He’s punishing the wicked or rewarding the righteous. 作為萬物的至高統治者，主看到並知道正在發生的事情、所有人的想法、行動、言語和動機。 「因為人所行的道都在耶和華面前鑑察，他也鑑察人一切的路」（箴 5:21 新國際版）。 「耶和華的眼目無所不在，惡人善人，他都鑑察」（15：3）。 「主衡量人心」（21:2 新欽定本；參閱 17:3；24:12）。當神審判時，祂的審判是公正的，無論祂是懲罰惡人還是獎賞義人。 It’s encouraging to know that “the Lord reigns” (Ps. 93:1) and that His righteous purposes will be fulfilled. Let’s be sure that we’re walking with Him on the path of life, surrendered to His will and seeking to honor His name. 知道「耶和華作王」（詩篇 93:1）而祂公義的目的將會實現，這是令人鼓舞的。讓我們確保我們在生命的道路上與祂同行，降服於祂的旨意並尋求榮耀祂的名。
3. A Compassionate God 3. 慈悲的上帝 God’s tender compassion and concern are seen in His care of the poor and needy. Widows and orphans in Israel were especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, and God warned His people in His law to beware of mistreating them (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 10:18; 14:29; 26:12; 27:19). 上帝溫柔的慈悲和關懷體現在祂對窮人和有需要的人的照顧上。以色列的寡婦和孤兒特別容易受到剝削和虐待，上帝在律法中警告祂的子民要謹防虐待他們（出埃及記22:22；申命記10:18；14:29；26:12；27 :19） ）。 “He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Prov. 14:31 nkjv; see 17:5). “The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all” (22:2 nkjv). When the Savior came to earth, He identified with the poor and the outcasts (Luke 4:16–21; 2 Cor. 8:9), and God wants to show His compassion for them through His people. To harm the needy is to give pain to the heart of God. 「欺壓窮人的，就是辱罵造他的主；尊重造物的，憐憫貧窮的人」（箴 14:31 新欽定本；參閱 17:5）。 「富人和窮人有一個共同點，耶和華是他們所有人的創造者」（22:2 新欽定版）。當救主來到世上時，祂認同窮人和被遺棄的人（路加福音 4：16-21；哥林多後書 8：9），神希望透過祂的子民向他們表達祂的憐憫。傷害有需要的人就是傷害神的心。 “Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them” (Prov. 22:22–23 nkjv). “The gate” was ancient Israel’s equivalent of our modern courtroom, for there the elders met to settle village disputes. The poor might not be able to afford a lawyer, but God would come to their defense (23:10–11). 6 「不可因窮人貧窮而搶奪他的物，也不可在門口欺壓困苦人；因為耶和華必為他們伸冤，也必奪取那些擄掠他們的人的性命」（箴 22:22-23 新欽定版）。 「門」相當於古代以色列的現代法庭，因為長老們在那裡開會解決村莊糾紛。窮人可能請不起律師，但神會為他們辯護（23:10-11）。6 Stealing the property of the poor was one way to get rich quick, even though the law commanded that the ancient landmarks not be moved (22:28; Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Isa. 1:23; Hos. 5:10). God owned the land (Lev. 25:23) and loaned it to His people, and they were to keep their property within the tribes and clans. Family farms were marked off by stones, not fences; these ancient landmarks were to be honored and protected. “The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow” (Prov. 15:25). The Lord keeps an eye on the property lines. 申命記19:14；27:17；以賽亞書1:23；何西阿書5:10）。上帝擁有這片土地（利25:23），並將其藉給祂的子民，他們要在部落和氏族中保留他們的財產。家庭農場是用石頭而不是柵欄來劃分的。這些古老的地標應該受到尊重和保護。 「耶和華必拆毀驕傲人的家；卻必堅立寡婦的境界」（箴 15:25）。主注視著財產界線。 We can sin against the poor by neglect as well as by oppression. “Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard” (21:13 nkjv). “He who gives to the poor will not lack, but he who hides his eyes will have many curses” (28:27 nkjv). If we shut our ears and close our eyes, pretending to be ignorant of their plight, God will take note of it and shut His eyes to our needs and His ears to our prayers—and so will other people. We will reap what we sow. (See Deut. 15:7–11.) 我們可能因忽視或壓迫而得罪窮人。 「誰對窮人的呼求充耳不聞，他自己的呼聲也不會被人聽見」（21:13 新欽定版）。 「賒濟窮人的，不致缺乏；閉眼的，必多受咒詛」（28:27 新欽定版）。如果我們閉上耳朵，閉上眼睛，假裝對他們的困境一無所知，上帝就會注意到這一點，並對我們的需要視而不見，對我們的祈禱視而不見——其他人也會如此。我們種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆。 （參考 申命記 15：7-11。） “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given” (Prov. 19:17 nkjv). When we give to help others, we’re actually giving to the Lord; He puts it on account and pays rich dividends (Phil. 4:15–17). “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matt. 25:40 nkjv). By the way, this principle also applies to the way we treat our enemies (Prov. 20:22; 25:21–22; Rom. 12:18–21). 「憐憫窮人的，就藉給耶和華，他所施的，他必償還」（箴 19：17）。當我們奉獻幫助他人時，我們實際上是在奉獻給主；他將其記入帳上並支付豐厚的股息（腓 4:15-17）。 「既然你對我弟兄中最小的一個做了這事，你就是對我做的」（太 25:40 新欽定版）。順便說一句，這個原則也適用於我們對待敵人的方式（箴 20:22；25:21-22；羅馬書 12:18-21）。 God is a shield to those who trust Him (Prov. 30:5) and a strong tower for those who run to Him for help (18:10). “The name of the Lord” in verse 10 signifies all the glorious attributes of the Lord. Because of who He is and what He is, those who trust Him don’t have to worry—because He is always their refuge and strength (Ps. 46:1). 帝是那些信靠祂的人的盾牌（箴 30:5），也是那些向祂尋求幫助的人的堅固塔（18:10）。十節中的「主的名」表徵主一切榮耀的屬性。由於祂是誰以及祂是什麼，那些相信祂的人不必擔心－因為祂永遠是他們的避難所和力量（詩篇 46:1）。 One of God’s compassionate ministries to us is that of divine guidance. Proverbs 3:5–6 is a promise God’s people have been claiming for centuries, and it has never failed. As I said earlier in this book, God expects us to assess a situation and get all the facts we can, but we must never lean on our own understanding. We must humble ourselves before Him and seek His direction in all things, and we must be sure that our motives are right. 上帝對我們慈悲的事工之一就是神聖的引導。箴言 3:5-6 是上帝子民幾個世紀以來一直在宣告的應許，而且從未落空。正如我在本書前面所說的，上帝希望我們評估情況並盡可能了解所有事實，但我們絕不能依賴自己的理解。我們必須在祂面前謙卑自己，凡事尋求祂的指引，我們必須確保我們的動機是正確的。 But what if we make a mistake, as we’re all prone to do, and start to move in the wrong direction? “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (16:9 niv). “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (19:21 niv; see 16:33). If we sincerely want to know and obey God’s plan, the Lord will direct us and providentially guide our steps in ways that we may not understand. “A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?” (20:24 nkjv). 但是，如果我們犯了一個錯誤（我們都容易犯這樣的錯誤）並開始朝著錯誤的方向前進呢？ 「人心裡籌算自己的道路，惟有耶和華決定他的腳步」（16:9 新國際版）。 「人心多有計謀，惟有主的旨意才得勝」（19:21 新國際版；參 16:33）。如果我們真誠地想了解並服從神的計劃，主就會以我們可能不理解的方式指導我們並天意地引導我們的腳步。 「人的腳步為耶和華；那麼一個人如何能夠了解自己的方式呢？ （20:24 新欽定版）。 The Danish philosopher Sören Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.” One day we shall look back and say with David, “Surely [only] goodness and mercy [have followed] me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6).7 Knowing that God lovingly guides our steps as we seek to follow Him is a great encouragement when we don’t know which way to go. “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (25:12 nkjv). Even the great apostle Paul wasn’t always sure of the next step, but the Lord guided him (Acts 16:6–10). 丹麥哲學家索倫·克爾凱郭爾（Sören Kierkegaard）說過：“生活只能向後理解，但必須向前生活。”有一天，我們回首往事，會和大衛一樣說：「我一生一世，〔唯有〕恩惠和慈愛隨著我。」（詩篇23:6）。我們的腳步。 「誰是敬畏耶和華的人呢？他必照他所選擇的方式教導他」（25:12 新欽定版）。即使是偉大的使徒保羅也不總是確定下一步該做什麼，但主引導了他（使徒行傳 16：6-10）。
947 英翻中 (647) The Word became flesh. 道成肉身. 12/25/2024
我們在天上的父, 感謝祢賜下祢的愛子給我們, 為我們的罪, 死在十字架上, 使信祢的人有永生的盼望. 今天孩子在眾人面前作謝飯禱告時, 沒有見證說出祢賜下祢的愛子是為拯救我這罪人. 求主耶穌基督饒恕. 奉主的聖名禱告. 阿們.
4. Greed 4. 貪婪 “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house” (Prov. 15:27 nkjv). “Hell and Destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied” (27:20 nkjv). 「貪圖財利的，禍害自己的家」（箴 15:27 NKJV）。 「地獄與毀滅永遠不會滿；因此，人的眼睛永遠不會滿足」（27:20 NKJV）。 A 1994 Money magazine survey indicates that Americans are a greedy lot and will even cheat to “make money.” Twenty-four percent said they wouldn’t correct a waiter who undercharged them, up from 15 percent in 1987; 9 percent said they’d keep money found in a wallet, up from 4 percent in their 1987 survey.10 Here’s the saddest of all: Twenty-three percent said they’d be willing to commit a crime to “get $10 million” if they knew they wouldn’t get caught! The love of money is still a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). 1994年《金錢》雜誌的一項調查表明，美國人是一個貪婪的人，甚至會為了「賺錢」而欺騙。 24% 的人表示，他們不會糾正少收他們費用的服務員，而 1987 年這一比例為 15%； 9% 的人表示他們會把發現的錢放在錢包裡，這一比例高於 1987 年調查中的 4%。 「如果他們知道就不會被抓住了！貪愛金錢仍是一切罪惡的根源（提摩太前書 6:10）。 God calls covetousness idolatry (Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5) because a covetous heart puts something else in the place that God rightfully should occupy in our lives. But the modern business society applauds covetousness and calls it “ambition” and “the first step to success.” Business magazines praise the “pyramid climbers” who get to the top, no matter how they got there. Unfortunately, this contemporary view of success has invaded the church, and some Christian workers have thrown ethics and godliness aside in their quest to become important and successful. 神稱貪婪為偶像崇拜（弗 5:5；歌羅西書 3:5），因為貪婪的心將其他事物置於神在我們生命中理應佔據的位置。但現代商業社會對貪婪表示讚賞，並稱之為「野心」和「成功的第一步」。商業雜誌稱讚那些登上頂峰的“金字塔攀登者”，無論他們是如何到達那裡的。不幸的是，這種當代的成功觀已經侵入了教會，一些基督教工人在追求變得重要和成功的過程中把道德和敬虔拋在了一邊。 An Arabian proverb says, “Covetousness has for its mother unlawful desire, for its daughter injustice, and for its friend violence.” Is it any wonder that our modern covetous society witnesses so much injustice and violence? The only cure is to change the heart and replace desire for things with devotion to God, and only Jesus Christ can perform that miracle. 阿拉伯諺語說：“貪婪，其母親有不正當的慾望，其女兒有不公正，其朋友有暴力。”我們現代貪婪的社會目睹瞭如此多的不公義和暴力，這有什麼奇怪的嗎？唯一的治療方法是改變內心，用對上帝的奉獻取代對事物的渴望，只有耶穌基督才能創造這個奇蹟。 If believers today would read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, they’d meet Mr. Hold-the-World, Mr. Save-All, and Mr. Money-Love; they’d discover what Bunyan thought about Demas, the one-time associate of Paul who fell in love with “this present world” (Col. 4:14; Philem. 24; 2 Tim. 4:10). While it isn’t a sin to be wealthy—Abraham and David were both wealthy men and yet godly men—it is a sin to want more than we really need and to keep what we ought to give. Covetousness is like cancer: It grows secretly and robs us of spiritual health, and the only remedy is to cut it out. 如果今天的信徒讀約翰·班揚的《天路歷程》，他們就會遇到「掌管世界」先生、「拯救一切」先生和「愛錢」先生；他們會發現班揚對底馬的看法，底馬是保羅曾經的同事，愛上了「今世」（西 4:14；腓利門書 24；提後書 4:10）。雖然富有並不是罪——亞伯拉罕和大衛都是富有的人，同時也是敬虔的人——但想要超過我們真正需要的東西並保留我們應該給予的東西就是罪。貪婪就像癌症：它悄悄地生長，剝奪我們靈性的健康，唯一的補救辦法就是把它切除。 In chapter 7 of this study, we studied what Proverbs says about wealth, and there’s no need to repeat it. The emphasis in Proverbs is on seeing material possessions as the gift of God, thanking Him for them, and using them for the glory of God and the good of others. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, taught his people: 在本研究的第七章中，我們研究了箴言中關於財富的說法，無需重複。箴言的重點是將物質財富視為上帝的恩賜，為此感謝上帝，並利用它們來榮耀上帝和造福他人。衛理公會創始人約翰衛斯理教導他的人民：
Do all the good you can, 盡你所能， By all the means you can, 用你能用的一切手段， In all the ways you can, 用你能用的一切方式， In all the places you can, 在你能用的所有地方， At all the times you can, 在你能用的時間， To all the people you can, 對你能用的所有人， As long as you ever can. 只要你能做到。
If ever there was a prescription for curing greed, that’s it! 如果有治療貪婪的藥方，那就是它了！
5. Pride 5. 驕傲 Many theologians believe that pride is the “sin of all sins,” for it was pride that changed an angel into the devil (Isa. 14:12–15). Lucifer’s, “I will be like the Most High” (v. 14) challenged the very throne of God; in the Garden of Eden, it became, “You will be like God” (Gen. 3:5). Eve believed it, and you know the rest of the story. “Glory to man in the highest” is the rallying cry of proud, godless humanity that’s still defying God and trying to build heaven on earth (11:1–9; Rev. 18). 許多神學家相信驕傲是“萬罪中的罪”，因為正是驕傲將天使變成了魔鬼（賽 14:12-15）。路西弗的「我要與至高者一樣」（14節）挑戰了神的寶座。在伊甸園裡，它變成了：「你們便如神」（創 3:5）。夏娃相信了，你也知道故事的其餘部分。 「榮耀歸與至高者」是驕傲、不敬虔的人類的戰鬥口號，他們仍然反抗上帝並試圖在地上建立天堂（11：1-9；啟示錄18）。
“The proud and arrogant man—‘Mocker’ is his name; he behaves with overweening pride” (Prov. 21:24 niv). “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor” (18:12 niv; see 29:23). God hates “a proud look” (6:16–17) and promises to destroy the house of the proud (15:25). Just about every Christian can quote Proverbs 16:18, but not all of us heed it: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (nkjv). 「驕傲自大的人－『嘲笑者』是他的名字；他行事驕傲自大」（箴 21:24 niv）。 「人在沒落之前，心是驕傲的；但在尊榮之前，先要謙卑」（18:12 niv；參閱29:23）。神討厭「驕傲的面容」（6:16-17），並應許要毀滅驕傲人的家（15:25）。幾乎每個基督徒都會引用《箴言》16:18，但並非所有人都留意它：「驕傲在滅亡之前，狂傲的靈在跌倒之前」（NKJV）。 The saintly Scottish preacher James Denney said, “No man can bear witness to Christ and to himself at the same time. No man can give the impression that he himself is clever and that Christ is mighty to save.” That quotation should be printed in large letters and displayed in every church sanctuary and conference auditorium where God’s people gather. It might humble some of the preachers and musicians who call so much attention to themselves that the hungry sheep can’t see Jesus. If the greatest sin is the corruption of the highest good, then people who use the Christian religion to promote themselves are guilty of great transgression. 聖潔的蘇格蘭傳教士詹姆斯‧丹尼說：「沒有人可以同時為基督作見證，也為自己作見證。沒有人能給人留下這樣的印象：他自己很聰明，而基督有大能來拯救。引文應以大字印刷，並展示在上帝子民聚集的每個教堂聖所和會議禮堂中。這可能會讓一些傳道者和音樂家感到謙卑，他們把太多的注意力放在自己身上，以至於飢餓的羊看不見耶穌。如果最大的罪惡是對最高善的敗壞，那麼利用基督教來推銷自己的人就犯了極大的罪。 Solomon illustrated our desire for recognition and praise by writing about honey. “It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory” (25:27 nkjv). Balance this with 25:16: “Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit” (25:16). If honey represents praise, then beware of trying to digest too much of it! More than one celebrity has admitted being “sick of it all” and wishing he or she could just enjoy life as a normal average citizen. I think it was the late radio comedian Fred Allen who defined celebrities as “people who work hard to be famous so they have to wear dark glasses so as not to be recognized.” 所羅門透過描寫蜂蜜來表達我們對認可和讚美的渴望。 「蜂蜜吃多了不好；所以，追求自己的榮耀並不是榮耀」（25:27 NKJV）。與 25:16 平衡：「你找到蜂蜜了嗎？你要吃多少就吃多少，免得你吃飽而吐」（25:16）。如果蜂蜜代表讚美，那麼要小心不要消化太多它！不只一位名人承認“厭倦了這一切”，並希望自己能夠像普通公民一樣享受生活。我認為是已故廣播喜劇演員弗雷德艾倫將名人定義為「努力工作以出名的人，因此他們必須戴上墨鏡以免被認出」。 “The pride of life” is one of the commodities that the world system offers (1 John 2:15–17), and most people will pay anything to acquire it. Bible commentator William Barclay said, “Pride is the ground in which all the other sins grow, and the parent from which all the other sins come.” If we’re going to get rid of the poisonous fruit, we have to attack the dangerous root; that’s a painful thing to do. For the believer, the answer is found in obeying the Christ described in John 13:1–17 and Philippians 2:1–18. 「今生的驕傲」是世界體系所提供的商品之一（約翰一書2：15-17），大多數人願意不惜一切代價來獲得它。聖經評論家威廉·巴克利說：“驕傲是所有其他罪惡生長的土壤，也是所有其他罪惡的根源。”如果我們要除掉有毒的果實，我們就必須攻擊危險的根源；這是一件痛苦的事。對信徒來說，答案可以在服從約翰福音 13:1-17 和腓立比書 2:1-18 中描述的基督中找到。 The five “popular sins” I’ve discussed—drunkenness, disrespect, illusion, greed, and pride—have been with mankind since the days of the flood, but for some reason, they seem to be even more prevalent today. Perhaps it’s because the news coverage is better. Or maybe it’s because we’re in the last days. We expect to find these sins prevalent among lost people, but we don’t expect to find them in the church. If the church ever hopes to witness to the lost world, it must be different from the lost world. 我討論過的五種「流行罪」——酗酒、不尊重、幻想、貪婪和驕傲——自洪水時代以來就一直伴隨著人類，但出於某種原因，它們在今天似乎更加普遍。也許是因為新聞報導比較好。也或許是因為我們正處於末世。我們期望發現這些罪在失喪的人中普遍存在，但我們不期望在教會中發現它們。如果教會希望向失落的世界作見證，它就必須與失落的世界有所不同。 Paul learned that believers at Corinth were getting drunk at their church meetings (1 Cor. 11:21), and he warned them that drunkards would not inherit the kingdom of God (6:10; see 5:11). 保羅得知哥林多的信徒在教會聚會中喝醉了（哥林多前書 11:21），他警告他們醉酒的人不能承受神的國（6:10；參考 5:11）。 Some children in the Ephesian church were not respecting and obeying their parents, and Paul reminded them that the fifth commandment still applied (Eph. 6:1–3). 以弗所教會的一些孩子不尊重和服從他們的父母，保羅提醒他們第五誡仍然適用（弗 6:1-3）。 The apostle John warned the saints to whom he sent his first epistle that the world was passing away, with all of its illusions, and that they had better keep themselves from idols (1 John 2:15–17; 5:21). 使徒約翰警告他寫第一封書信的聖徒們，世界和一切幻想都將過去，他們最好遠離偶像（約翰一書2：15-17；5：21）。 Jesus warned His disciples, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness” (Luke 12:15); Paul wrote to the Colossian believers that covetousness was idolatry (Col. 3:5). 耶穌警告祂的門徒：「你們要謹慎，防備貪心」（路 12:15）；保羅寫信給歌羅西信徒說，貪婪就是拜偶像（歌羅西書 3:5）。 Paul cautioned the churches not to appoint young Christians to places of spiritual leadership, “lest being lifted up with pride [they] fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6). And John had to deal with proud Diotrephes, who was running the church and wouldn’t submit to the authority of God’s apostle (3 John 9–11). 保羅告誡教會不要任命年輕的基督徒擔任屬靈領袖，「免得他們驕傲自大，落入魔鬼的刑罰」（提摩太前書 3:6）。約翰也得對付驕傲的丟特腓，他管理教會，不肯服從上帝使徒的權柄（約翰三書 9-11）。 Alas, these sins are found in the church! 唉，這些罪惡都存在於教會中！ James was right: “My brethren [and sisters], these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10). 雅各是對的：「我的弟兄們，這是不應該的」（雅各書 3:10）。
Notes 註 1 Arnold M. Washton and Donna Boundy, Willpower’s Not Enough (New York: Harper & Row, 1989), 7–18. 1 阿諾德·M·華盛頓和唐娜·邦迪，《意志力不夠》（紐約：Harper & Row，1989 年），7-18。 2 See Habakkuk 2:15; Isaiah 5:11–22; 28:1–3; Amos 6:3–6; Deuteronomy 21:20. 2 參閱哈巴谷書 2:15；以賽亞書 5:11-22； 28:1-3；阿摩司書 6:3-6；申命記 21:20。 3 I haven’t been able to learn when the Jews added wine to their Passover meal, although some authorities claim the custom goes back to the days of the first temple. Wine isn’t mentioned in Exodus 12:11–27, but by the time you get to the New Testament, wine is a part of the meal (Matt. 26:26–30). Would they use unleavened bread and leavened (fermented) wine? Since four different cups of wine were used in the ceremony, the wine was diluted. 3 我無法得知猶太人何時在逾越節晚餐中添加葡萄酒，儘管一些權威人士聲稱這一習俗可以追溯到第一座聖殿的時代。出埃及記 12:11-27 中沒有提到酒，但當你讀到新約時，酒就成了膳食的一部分（太 26:26-30）。他們會使用無酵麵包和發酵（發酵）酒嗎？由於儀式中使用了四杯不同的酒，所以酒被稀釋了。 4 The Lincoln (Neb.) Star, July 15, 1994. 4 《林肯（內布拉斯加州）星報》，1994 年 7 月 15 日。 5 It’s worth noting that immorality is closely associated with drunkenness (Prov. 23:27–28), for the two often go together. 5 值得注意的是，不道德與醉酒密切相關（箴言 23：27-28），因為兩者經常同時出現。 6 The Hebrew word translated “redness” in the KJV and “bloodshot” in the NIV, means “dullness, dimness.” The drunkard’s vision is blurred so that he doesn’t see clearly what is there and claims he sees what isn’t there. Too much alcohol can produce bloodshot eyes as well as a ruddy face. Some expositors think that the word suggests “blacked eyes,” i.e., as the result of a fight; yet true as it is, that probably isn’t what the writer had in mind. 6 希伯來文在英皇欽定本 (KJV) 中被翻譯為“紅色”，在新國際版 (NIV) 中被翻譯為“血絲”，意思是“暗淡、昏暗”。醉漢的視力模糊，看不清那裡的東西，卻聲稱看到了不存在的東西。過多的酒精會導致眼睛充血以及臉色紅潤。一些解經者認為這個詞暗示“眼睛變黑”，即打鬥的結果；但事實上，這可能不是作者的初衷。 7 Lemuel means “devoted to God” and may have been another name for King Solomon. God’s special name for Solomon was Jedidiah, which means “beloved of Jehovah.” We don’t know for sure who King Lemuel and his mother were, and it’s useless to speculate. 7 雷米爾的意思是“獻身於上帝”，可能是所羅門王的另一個名字。上帝給所羅門的特別名字是耶底底亞，意思是「耶和華所愛的」。我們不確定雷米爾國王和他的母親是誰，猜測是沒有用的。 8 In Paul’s day, wine was used for medicinal purposes (1 Tim. 5:23), but this doesn’t give us license to make an ancient practice into a modern norm. Many people seize this one verse but reject everything else Paul wrote in this epistle. If we’re going to obey one admonition, why not obey all of them? 8 在保羅的時代，酒被用於醫療目的（提摩太前書 5:23），但這並不意味著我們有資格將一種古老的做法變成現代的規範。許多人抓住這一節經文，卻拒絕保羅在這封信中所寫的其他一切內容。如果我們要遵守一項勸告，為什麼不遵守所有的勸告呢？ 9 A report issued by the Commission on Substance Abuse at Colleges and Universities, sponsored by Columbia University, states that drinking is a serious problem on American campuses. Ninety-five percent of violent crime on campus is alcoholrelated. Sixty percent of the female students who had sexually transmitted diseases were “under the influence of alcohol at the time of intercourse,” and alcohol was involved in 90 percent of all campus rapes. At the time of the survey, 42 percent of the students (men and women) admitted “binge drinking” within the previous two weeks. One-third of the students drink primarily to get drunk. Students who live in fraternity and sorority houses drink more than other students. One ponders the future of the nation if the next generation of leaders is already suffering from “bottle fatigue.” 9 由哥倫比亞大學贊助的大學藥物濫用委員會發布的一份報告指出，飲酒是美國校園的一個嚴重問題。校園內百分之九十五的暴力犯罪與酒精有關。 60%患有性病的女學生“在性交時受到酒精的影響”，而90%的校園強姦案都與酒精有關。調查時，42% 的學生（男性和女性）承認在過去兩週內「酗酒」。三分之一的學生第一次喝酒是為了喝醉。住在兄弟會和聯誼會的學生比其他學生喝酒更多。如果下一代領導人已經遭受“瓶子疲勞”，人們就會思考國家的未來。 10 Twenty-one percent of the people ages eighteen to thirty-four would keep the money, but only two percent of the people sixty-five and older would do so. Where is our younger generation getting its ethical standards. 10 21% 的 18 歲至 34 歲的人會保留這筆錢，但只有 2% 的 65 歲及以上的人會這樣做。我們的年輕一代的道德標準在哪裡？
