142 約翰一書 Something old, Something new 有些是舊的, 有些是新的 2/1/2026
Lesson 3 SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW 1 John 2:7–11
第三課 有些是舊的, 有些是新的 约翰一书2:7-11
“I just love that hat!”
我就是喜欢那顶帽子!”
“Man, I
really love the old-fashioned kind of baked beans!”
“老兄,我真的很喜欢老式的烘烤豆!”
“But,
Mom, don’t you realize that Tom and I love each other?”
“但是,妈妈,您知不知道汤姆和我彼此相爱吗?”
Words,
like coins, can be in circulation for such a long time that they start wearing
out. Unfortunately, the word love is losing its value and is being used to
cover a multitude of sins.
語言有如硬币,它們可能会流行很长的一段时间,才开始磨損。不幸的是,“爱” 这词正在失去其意義,并被用来掩盖许多罪恶。
It is
really difficult to understand how a man can use the same word to express his
love for his wife as he uses to tell how he feels about baked beans! When words
are used that carelessly, they really mean little or nothing at all. Like the
dollar, they have been devalued.
真的很难理解,人能用同一个單词来表达对妻子的爱,就像他用来表达对烘烤豆的感觉一样!当粗心地使用詞藻时,就使它们的含义实际上模糊或根本没有。像美元的贬值一样。
As John
described the life that is real, he used three words repeatedly: life, love,
and light. In fact, he devoted three sections of his letter to the subject of
Christian love. He explained that love, life, and light belong together. Read
these three sections (1 John 2:7–11; 3:10–24; 4:7–21) without the intervening
verses, and you will see that love, life, and light must not be separated.
像约翰描述实存的生命时,他反复的使用了三个單词:生命,爱和光。实际上,在他的信中,他将這三段致力用于基督教之爱。他解释说,爱,生命和光是在一起的。读这三段經节(约壹2:7-11; 3:10-24; 4:7-21),不要讀中间插入经文,你会发现,爱,生命,和光绝對不能分开。
In our
present study (1 John 2:7–11), we learn how Christian love is affected by light
and darkness. A Christian who is walking in the light (which simply means he is
obeying God) is going to love his brother Christian. In 1 John 3:10–24, we are
told that Christian love is a matter of life or death: to live in hatred is to
live in spiritual death. In 1 John 4:7–21 we see that Christian love is a
matter of truth or error (cf. 1 John 4:6): because we know God’s love toward
us, we show God’s love toward others.
在我们目前這一課的研究中(约壹2:7-11),我们了解到基督徒的爱如何受到光明与黑暗的影响。行在光明中的基督徒(这仅仅意味着他順服上帝)爱他的基督徒兄弟。在约翰一书3章10至24等節中,我们得知基督徒的爱是生死攸关的问题:生活在仇恨中就是生活在属灵的死亡中。在约翰一书4章7至21等節中,我们看到基督徒的爱是有關真理或謬误的问题(参见 约壹4:6):因为我们知道上帝对我们的爱,我们对他人表现出上帝的爱。
In
these three sections, then, we find three good reasons why Christians should
love one another:
然后,在这三段經節中,我们找到了基督徒应该彼此相爱的三个很好的理由:
1. God
has commanded us to love (1 John 2:7–11).
2. We
have been born of God and God’s love lives in us (1 John 3:10–24).
3. God
first revealed His love to us (1 John 4:7–21). “We love … because He first
loved us.”
1.上帝命令我们相爱(约壹2:7-11)。
2.我们是上帝所生的,祂的爱生活在我们里面(约壹3:10-24)。
3.上帝首先向我们启示了祂的爱(约壹4:7-21)。“我们爱....因为祂首先爱了我们。”
暫停
John
not only wrote about love but also practiced it. One of his favorite names for
his readers was “Beloved.” He felt love for them. John is known as the “apostle
of love” because in his gospel and his epistles he gives such prominence to
this subject. However, John was not always the apostle of love. At one time
Jesus gave John and his brother James, both of whom had hot tempers, the
nickname “Boanerges” (Mark 3:17), which means “sons of thunder.” On another
occasion these two brothers wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy a
village (Luke 9:51–56).
约翰不仅写了关于爱的书,而且还实践了它。他的读者最喜欢的名字之一是“心爱”。他为他们感到爱。约翰被称为“爱的使徒”,因为在他的福音和书信中,他对这个主题如此突出。但是,约翰并不总是爱的使徒。一次,耶稣给了约翰和他的兄弟詹姆斯,他们俩都脾气暴躁,绰号“ Boanerges”(马可福音3:17),意思是“雷电之子”。在另外一个场合,这两个兄弟想从天上降下来烧毁一个村庄(路加福音9:51-56)。
Since
the New Testament was written in Greek, the writers were often able to use more
precise language. It is unfortunate that our English word love has so many
shades of meaning (some of them contradictory). When we read in 1 John about
“love,” the Greek word used is agape (ah-GAH-pay), the word for God’s love toward
man, a Christian’s love for other Christians, and God’s love for His church
(Eph. 5:22–33).
由于新约圣经是用希腊语写的,所以作家通常能够使用更精确的语言。不幸的是,我们的英语单词“爱”具有多种含义(其中有些是矛盾的)。当我们在约翰一书中读到“爱”时,希腊语是agape(ah-GAH-pay),是指上帝对人的爱,基督徒对其他基督徒的爱,以及上帝对他的教会的爱(以弗所书5) :22–33)。
Another
Greek word for love, philia (fee-LEE-ah), used elsewhere, carries the idea of
“friendship love,” which is not quite as profound or divine as agape love. (The
Greek word for sensual love, eros, from which we get our word erotic, is not
used at all in the New Testament.)
另一个在希腊语中表示爱的词是philia(fee-LEE-ah),它带有“友谊之爱”的概念,它不像日本猿猴的爱那么深刻或神圣。 (新约中根本没有使用希腊语中的“性爱”这个词来表示色情)。
The
amazing thing is that Christian love is both old and new (1 John 2:7–8). This
seems to be a contradiction. Love itself, of course, is not new, nor is the
commandment—that men love God and each other— a new thing. Jesus Himself
combined two Old Testament commandments, Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18,
and said (Mark 12:28–34) that these two commandments summarize all the law and
the prophets. Loving God and loving one’s neighbor were old, familiar
responsibilities before Jesus ever came to earth.
令人惊讶的是,基督教的爱是新旧的(约翰一书2:7-8) 。这似乎是一个矛盾。当然,爱本身并不是什么新鲜事物,人们的爱神和彼此之间的诫命也不是新鲜事物。耶稣本人结合了旧约的两个诫命,申命记6:5和利未记19:18,并说(马可福音12:28-34)这两个诫命概括了所有律法和先知。在耶稣降世之前,爱上帝和爱邻居是古老而熟悉的责任。
In what
sense, then, is “love one another” a “new” commandment (1 John 2:8)? Again, a
look at the Greek helps to answer the question.
那么,从什么意义上说,“彼此相爱”是“新的”诫命(约壹2:8)?同样,看看希腊文有助于回答这个问题。
The
Greeks had two different words for “new.” One means “new in time,” and the
other means “new in quality.” For example, you would use the first word to
describe the latest car, a recent model. But if you purchased a car that was so
revolutionary that it was radically different, you would use the second word—
new in quality. (Our English words recent and fresh just about make this
distinction: “recent” means new in time, “fresh” means new in character.)
希腊人用两个不同的词来表示“新”。一种表示“时间上的新”,另一种表示“质量上的新”。例如,您将使用第一个单词来描述最新的汽车,最新的车型。但是,如果您购买的汽车如此具有革命性,以至于与以往截然不同,那么您将使用第二个词-质量上乘。 (我们最近的英文单词“ news”和“ fresh”几乎就是这样的区别:“最近”表示时间上的新事物,“新鲜”表示角色上的新事物。)
The
commandment to love one another is not new in time, but it is new in character.
Because of Jesus Christ, the old commandment to “love one another” has taken on
new meaning. We learn in these five brief verses (1 John 2:7–11) that the
commandment is new in three important ways.
相爱的诫命在时间上不是新事物,而是新特性。由于耶稣基督的缘故,“彼此相爱”的旧诫命有了新的含义。我们从这五个简短的经文(约壹2:7-11)中得知,诫命在三个重要方面是新的。
1. It Is New in
Emphasis (2:7)
1. 重点是新的(2:7)
In the
previous paragraph (1 John 2:3–6), John had
在上一段(约翰一书2:3-6)中,约翰
been
talking about “the commandments” in general, but now he narrowed his focus down
to one single commandment. In the Old Testament, the command that God’s people
love one another was only one of many, but now this old commandment is lifted
out and given a place of preeminence.
一直在谈论“诫命”,但现在他将注意力集中到了一条诫命上。在旧约中,上帝的子民彼此相爱的命令只是其中之一,但是现在,这条古老的诫命被解除了,被赋予了优越的地位。
How is
it possible for one commandment to stand head and shoulders above all the
others? This is explained by the fact that love is the fulfillment of God’s law
(Rom. 13:8–10).
一条诫命如何站在头和肩膀之上?爱是上帝律法的实现(罗马书13:8-10)。
Parents
must care for their children according to law. Child neglect is a serious
crime. But how many parents have a conversation like this when the alarm clock
goes off in the morning?
父母必须依法照顾子女。忽视儿童是一种严重的罪行。但是,当闹钟在早上关闭时,有多少父母像这样交谈?
She:
“Honey, you’d better get up and go to work. We don’t want to get arrested.”
她:“亲爱的,你最好起床去上班。我们不想被捕。”
He:
“Yeah, and you’d better get up and get breakfast for the kids, and get their
clothes ready. The cops might show up and put us both in jail.”
他:“是的,您最好起床给孩子们吃早餐,并准备好他们的衣服。警察可能会出现并将我们俩关进监狱。”
She:
“You’re right. Boy, it’s a good thing they have a law, or we’d stay in bed all
day!”
她:“你是对的。男孩,有法律是件好事,否则我们将整日躺在床上!”
It’s
doubtful that the fear of the law is often the motive behind earning a living
or caring for one’s children. Parents fulfill their responsibilities (even if
grudgingly on occasion) because they love each other and their children. To
them, doing the right thing is not a matter of law—it’s a matter of love.
令人怀疑的是,对法律的恐惧往往是谋生或照顾孩子的动机。父母履行彼此的责任(即使偶尔有些勉强),因为他们彼此相爱,彼此相爱。对他们而言,做正确的事不是法律问题,而是关爱的问题。
The
commandment “Love one another” is the fulfillment of God’s law in the same way.
When you love people, you do not lie about them or steal from them. You have no
desire to kill them. Love for God and love for others motivates a person to
obey God’s commandments without even thinking about them! When a person acts
out of Christian love he obeys God and serves others—not because of fear, but
because of his love.
“彼此相爱”的诫命以同样的方式实现了上帝的律法。当您爱人时,您不会撒谎或从别人那里偷窃。您不想杀死他们。对上帝的爱和对他人的爱促使一个人甚至不考虑上帝的诫命!当一个人出于基督徒的爱而行动时,他服从神并为他人服务-不是因为恐惧,而是因为他的爱。
This is
why John said that “Love one another” is a new commandment—it is new in
emphasis. It is not simply one of many commandments. No, it stands at the top
of the list!
这就是為什麼约翰说“彼此相爱”是一条新诫命的原因-强调这一点是新的。这不仅仅是许多诫命之一。不,它位于列表的顶部!
But it
is new in emphasis in another way too. It stands at the very beginning of the
Christian life. “The old commandment is the word which ye had from the
beginning” (1 John 2:7). This phrase “from the beginning” is used in two different
ways in John’s letter, and it is important that you distinguish them. In 1 John
1:1, describing the eternality of Christ, we read that He existed “from the
beginning.” In John 1:1—a parallel verse—we read, “In the beginning was the
Word.”
但是它也以另一种方式成为新的重点。它站在基督徒生活的开始。 “旧的诫命是你们从一开始就有的话”(约翰一书2:7)。在约翰的书信中,“从头开始”一词有两种不同的用法,区分它们很重要。在约翰一书1:1中描述基督的永恒,我们读到他“从一开始就存在”。在约翰福音1:1(平行的经文)中,我们读到:“一开始就是道。”
But in
1 John 2:7, the subject is the beginning of the Christian life. The commandment
to love one another is not an appendix to our Christian experience, as though
God had an afterthought. No! It is in our hearts from the very beginning of our
faith in Jesus Christ. If this were not so, John could not have written, “We
know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren”
(1 John 3:14 nasb). And Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 nasb)
但是在约翰一书2:7中,主题是基督徒生活的开始。彼此相爱的诫命并不是我们基督徒经验的附录,好像上帝有事后的想法。没有!从我们对耶稣基督信仰的开始就在我们心中。如果不是这样,约翰就不会写:“我们知道我们已经死了,因为我们爱弟兄而死入了生命”(约翰一书3:14 nasb)。耶稣说:“到此,如果你们彼此相爱,所有人都将知道您是我的门徒”(约翰福音13:35 nasb)
By
nature, an unsaved person may be selfish and even hateful. As much as we love a
newborn baby, we must confess that the infant is self-centered and thinks the
whole world revolves around his crib. The child is typical of an unsaved
person. “We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived,
serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and
hating one another” (Titus 3:3). This unretouched photo of the unbeliever may
not be beautiful, but it is certainly accurate! Some unregenerate persons do
not display the traits here mentioned, but the works of the flesh (Gal.
5:19–21) are always potentially present in their dispositions.
从本质上说,一个未得救的人可能是自私的,甚至是可恨的。就像我们爱新生婴儿一样,我们必须承认婴儿是自我中心的,并认为整个世界都围绕着他的婴儿床旋转。这个孩子是一个典型的未保存的人。 “我们自己有时也愚蠢,不听话,受骗,为潜水员的欲望和娱乐服务,生活在恶意和嫉妒中,彼此仇恨和仇恨”(提多书3:3)。这张未经修饰的未经修饰的照片可能并不漂亮,但绝对准确!一些没有重生的人没有表现出这里提到的特征,但是肉体的行为(加5:19–21)总是潜在地存在于他们的性格中。
When a
sinner trusts Christ, he receives a new life and a new nature. The Holy Spirit
of God comes to live in him and the love of God is “shed abroad in [his] heart”
by the Spirit (Rom. 5:5). God does not have to give a new believer a long
lecture about love! “For ye yourselves are taught of God [i.e., by the Holy
Spirit within you] to love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9). A new believer
discovers that he now hates what he used to love, and that he loves what he
used to hate!
当罪人信靠基督时,他就会获得新的生命和新的天性。上帝的圣灵活在他里面,上帝的爱被“圣灵”“洒在他的心中”(罗马书5:5)。上帝不必给新信徒漫长的关于爱的演讲! “因为你们自己(就是你们内在的圣灵)教导上帝彼此相爱”(帖1:4:9)。一个新信徒发现他现在讨厌他曾经爱过的东西,并且他喜欢他曾经讨厌的东西!
So the
commandment to love one another is new in emphasis: it is one of the most
important commandments Christ gave us (John 13:34). In fact, “love one another”
is repeated at least a dozen times in the New Testament (John 13:34; 15:9, 12,
17; Rom. 13:8; 1 Thess. 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11–12; 2 John
5). And there are many other references to brotherly love.
因此,彼此相爱的诫命是新强调的:这是基督赐给我们的最重要的诫命之一(约翰福音13:34)。实际上,“彼此相爱”在新约中至少重复了十二遍(约翰福音13:34; 15:9、12、17;罗13:8;帖撒罗尼迦前书4:9;彼得后书1: 22;约翰一书3:11,23; 4:7,11-12;约翰二书5)。还有很多其他关于兄弟之爱的提法。
It is
important that we understand the meaning of Christian love. It is not a shallow
sentimental emotion that Christians try to “work up” so they can get along with
each other. It is a matter of the will rather than an emotion—an affection for
and attraction to certain persons. It is a matter of determining—of making up
your mind—that you will allow God’s love to reach others through you, and then
of acting toward them in loving ways. You are not to act “as if you loved
them,” but because you love them. This is not hypocrisy—it is obedience to God.
重要的是我们了解基督教之爱的含义。基督徒尝试“锻炼”以使彼此相处并不是一种浅薄的情感。这是意志的问题,而不是情感,是对某些人的喜爱和吸引力。这是确定(下定决心)让您的上帝的爱通过您到达他人,然后以爱心的方式对他们采取行动的问题。您的行为不是“好像您爱他们一样”,而是因为您爱他们。这不是伪善,而是对上帝的服从。
Perhaps
the best explanation of Christian love is 1 Corinthians 13. You should read a
modern translation of this chapter to get the full force of its message: the
Christian life without love is NOTHING!
也许对基督教爱的最好解释是哥林多前书13章。您应该阅读本章的现代译本,以获取其全部信息的含义:没有爱的基督徒生活是一无所有!
But the commandment “Love one another” is not
only new in emphasis. It is new in another way.
但是“彼此相爱”的诫命不仅是重点。它是另一种新的方式。
2. It Is New in
Example (2:8)
2. 例子中的新事物(2:8)
“Love
one another,” John pointed out, was first true in Christ, and now it is true in
the lives of those who are trusting Christ. Jesus Himself is the greatest
Example of this commandment.
约翰指出,“彼此相爱”在基督里首先是真实的,现在在那些信任基督的人的生活中也是如此。耶稣自己就是这诫命的最大典范。
Later
on we will think about that great statement “God is love” (1 John 4:8), but it
is anticipated here. When one looks at Jesus Christ, one sees love embodied and
exemplified. In commanding us to love, Jesus
稍后,我们将思考“上帝就是爱”这一伟大的说法(约翰一书4:8),但这是可以预期的。当人们看着耶稣基督时,就看到了爱的体现和体现。耶稣吩咐我们去爱
does
not ask us to do something that He has not already done Himself. The four
gospel records are the account of a life lived in the spirit of love—and that
life was lived under conditions far from ideal. Jesus says to us, in effect, “I
lived by this great commandment, and I can enable you to follow My example.”
Jesus
illustrated love by the very life that He lived. He never showed hatred or malice.
His righteous soul hated all sin and disobedience, but He never hated the
people who committed such sins. Even in His
暫停righteous
announcements of judgment, there was always an undercurrent of love. It is
encouraging to think of Jesus’ love for the twelve disciples. How they must
have broken His heart again and again as they argued over who was the greatest
or tried to keep people from seeing their Master. Each of them was different
from the others, and Christ’s love was broad enough to include each one in a
personal, understanding way. He was patient with Peter’s impulsiveness,
Thomas’s unbelief, and even Judas’s treachery. When Jesus commanded His
disciples to love one another, He was only telling them to do as He had done.
Consider too our Lord’s love for all kinds of people. The publicans and sinners
were attracted by His love (Luke 15:1), and even the lowest of the low could
weep at His feet (Luke 7:36–39). Spiritually hungry rabbi Nicodemus could meet
with Him privately at night (John 3:1–21), and four thousand of the “common
people” could listen to His teaching for three days (Mark 8:1–9) and then
receive a miraculous meal from Him. He held babies in His arms. He spoke about
children at play. He even comforted the women who wept as the soldiers led Him
out to Calvary. Perhaps the greatest thing about Jesus’ love was the way it
touched even the lives of His enemies. He looked with loving pity on the
religious leaders who in their spiritual blindness accused Him of being in
league with Satan (Matt. 12:24). When the mob came to arrest Him, He could have
called on the armies of heaven for protection, but He yielded to His enemies.
And then He died for them—for His enemies! “Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, italics mine). But
Jesus died not only for His friends, but also for His foes! And as they
crucified Him, He prayed for them: “Father, forgive them, for they know not
what they do.” In His life, in His teachings, and in His death, Jesus is the
perfect Example of this new commandment, “Love one another.” And this is what
helps to make the commandment “new.” In Christ we have a new illustration of
the old truth that God is love and that the life of love is the life of joy and
victory. What is true in Christ ought to be true in each believer. “As he is,
so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). A believer should live a life of
Christian love “because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is
already shining” (1 John 2:8 nasb). This reminds us of the emphasis on walking
in the light (1 John 1). Two ways of life are contrasted: those who walk in the
light practice love; those who walk in the darkness practice hatred. The Bible
repeatedly emphasizes this truth.
不要求我们做他自己还没有做的事情。这四本福音书记载了一种生活在爱的精神中的生活,并且该生活生活在远离理想的条件下。耶稣对我们说,实际上,“我遵守了这个伟大的诫命,我可以使你效法我的榜样。”耶稣以他所生活的生命来说明爱。他从未表现出仇恨或恶意。他的义人仇恨一切罪恶和反抗,但他从未恨过犯下这种罪恶的人。即使在他公义的宣告中,总会有爱的暗流。想到耶稣对十二个门徒的爱是令人鼓舞的。当他们争论谁是最伟大的人或试图阻止人们与他们的主人见面时,他们如何一次又一次地伤心。他们每个人都与众不同,基督的爱非常广泛,以个人的理解方式包括了每个人。他对彼得的冲动,托马斯的不信任甚至犹大的背叛感到耐心。耶稣命令门徒彼此相爱时,他只是告诉他们照做。也要考虑我们的主对各种人的爱。 public夫和罪人被他的爱所吸引(路加福音15:1),即使是低谷中的最低者也可能在他的脚前哭泣(路加福音7:36-39)。精神饥饿的拉比尼哥底母可以在晚上与他私下会面(约翰福音3:1-21),而四千个“普通百姓”可以听他的教导三天(马可福音8:1-9),然后得到奇迹从他那里用餐。他怀抱婴儿。他谈到了孩子们在玩耍。当士兵们将他带到Cal髅地时,他甚至安慰那些哭泣的妇女。耶稣的爱也许最伟大的事情就是它感动了他仇敌的生活。他满怀怜悯地看着宗教领袖,他们在属灵上的盲目中指责他与撒但同盟(太12:24)。当暴民来逮捕他时,他本可以呼吁天上的军队加以保护,但他却屈服于敌人。然后他为他们而死-为他的敌人而死! “没有比这更伟大的人了,一个人为自己的朋友献出生命”(约翰福音15:13,斜体)。但是耶稣不仅为他的朋友而死,也为他的敌人而死!当他们把他钉在十字架上时,他为他们祈祷:“父亲,请原谅他们,因为他们不知道自己在做什么。”在他的一生,他的教s以及他的死中,耶稣是这一新诫命“彼此相爱”的完美典范。这就是使诫命变得“新”的原因。在基督里,我们有一个古老的真理的新例证,那就是上帝是爱,爱的生命就是喜悦和胜利的生命。基督里的真理在每个信徒中都应该是真理。 “按他的样子,我们在这个世界上也是如此”(约翰一书4:17)。信徒应该过基督徒的生活,“因为黑暗已经过去,真正的光已经照耀了”(约翰一书2:8 nasb)。这使我们想起了在光明中行走的重点(约翰一书1章)。两种生活方式形成了对比:那些在光明中行走的人练习爱情;那些在黑暗中行走的人会仇恨。圣经反复强调这个真理
“The
darkness is passing away,” but the light does not yet shine fully all over the
world, nor does it penetrate every area of even a believer’s life. When Christ
was born, “the dayspring from on high” visited the world (Luke 1:78).
“Dayspring” means sunrise. The birth of Christ was the beginning of a new day
for mankind! As He lived before men, taught them, and ministered to them, He
spread the light of life and love. “The people who sat in darkness saw a great
light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung
up” (Matt. 4:16). But there is a conflict in this world between the forces of
light and the forces of darkness. “And the light is shining in the darkness,
and the darkness is not able to put it out” (John 1:5, literal translation). Satan
is the Prince of darkness, and he extends his evil kingdom by means of lies and
hatred. Christ is the “Sun of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2), and He extends His
kingdom by means of truth and love. The kingdoms of Christ and of Satan are in
conflict today, but “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth
more and more unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4:18). The darkness is passing away
little by little, and the True Light is shining brighter and brighter in our
hearts. Jesus Christ is the standard of love for Christians. “A new commandment
I give unto you, that ye love one another,” He said, “as I have loved you, that
ye also love one another” (John 13:34). And He repeated: “This is my
commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12,
italics mine). We are not to measure our Christian love against the love of
some other Christian (and we usually pick somebody whose life is more of an
excuse than an example!) but against the love of Jesus Christ our Lord. The old
commandment becomes “new” to us as we see it fulfilled in Christ. So the
commandment “Love one another” is new in emphasis and new in example. It is
also new in a third way. It Is New in Experience (2:9–11) Our passage continues
the illustration of light and darkness. If a Christian walks in the light and
is in fellowship with God, he will also be in fellowship with others in God’s
family. Love and light go together, much as hatred and darkness go together. It
is easy to talk about Christian love, but much more difficult to practice it.
For one thing, such love is not mere talk (1 John 2:9). For a Christian to say
(or sing!) that he loves the brethren while he actually hates another believer
is for him to lie. In other words (and
“黑暗正在消失,”但是光还没有在世界上完全照耀,甚至没有渗透到信徒生活的每个领域。基督出生时,“从高处的后代”走遍了世界(路加福音1:78)。 “ Dayspring”是指日出。基督的诞生是人类新的一天的开始!当他在世人面前生活,教导他们并服侍他们时,他传播了生命和爱的光芒。 “坐在黑暗中的人们看到了大光。 “坐在那里的人,死光的影子就弹起来了”(太4:16)。但是,在这个世界上,光的力量和黑暗的力量之间存在冲突。 “光在黑暗中照耀,黑暗无法熄灭”(约翰福音1:5,直译)。撒但是黑暗之王,他通过谎言和仇恨扩大了他的邪恶王国。基督是“公义的太阳”(玛4:2),他通过真理和爱心扩展了自己的国度。基督和撒但的国度今天处于冲突之中,但“义人的道路如同光辉,照耀到完美的日子越来越多”(箴4:18)。黑暗渐渐消失,真光在我们的心中越来越亮。耶稣基督是基督徒的爱的标准。他说:“我给你们一个新的诫命,就是你们彼此相爱。正如我爱过你们一样,你们也彼此相爱了”(约翰福音13:34)。耶稣又说:“这是我的诫命,你们要彼此相爱,就像我爱过您一样”(约翰福音15:12,斜体)。我们不要将基督徒的爱与其他基督徒的爱相比较(我们通常会挑选一个生活更像是一个借口而不是榜样的人!),而是针对我们的主耶稣基督的爱。当我们看到旧的诫命在基督里实现时,旧的诫命对我们成为“新的”。因此,“彼此相爱”的诫命在重点上是新的,在例子上是新的。这也是第三种新方法。它是经验中的新事物(2:9-11)我们的段落继续说明光明与黑暗。如果基督徒走在光明中并与上帝相交,他也将与上帝家庭中的其他人相交。爱与光会并存,就像仇恨与黑暗会并存。谈论基督教爱很容易,但实践起来却困难得多。一方面,这样的爱不仅仅是谈话(约翰一书2:9)。基督徒要说(或唱歌!)他爱弟兄,而他实际上却讨厌另一个信徒,这是他撒谎的原因。换句话说(和
this is
a sobering truth), it is impossible to be in fellowship with the Father and out
of fellowship with another Christian at the same time. This is one reason why
God established the local church, the fellowship of believers. “You can’t be a
Christian alone”; a person cannot live a complete and developing Christian life
unless he is in fellowship with God’s people. The Christian life has two
relationships: the vertical (Godward) and the horizontal (man-ward). And what
God has joined together, man must not put asunder! And each of these two
relationships is to be one of love one for the other. Jesus dealt with this
matter in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 5:21–26). A gift on the altar was
valueless as long as the worshipper had a dispute to settle with his brother.
Note that Jesus did not say that the worshipper had something against his
brother, but that the brother had something against the worshipper. But even
when we have been offended, we should not wait for the one who has offended us
to come to us; we should go to him. If we do not, Jesus warned us that we will
end up in a prison of spiritual judgment where we will have to pay the last
penny (Matt. 18:21–35). In other words, when we harbor an unforgiving, unloving
spirit, we harm ourselves most. The contrast between “saying” and “doing” is
one we have met before (1 John 1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6). It is easy to practice a
Christianity of “words”—singing the right songs, using the right vocabulary,
praying the right prayers—and, through it all, deceiving ourselves into
thinking we are spiritual. This mistake also ties into something Jesus taught
in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:33–37). What we say should be the true
expression of our character. We should not need extra words (“oaths”) to
fortify what we say. Our yes should mean yes, and our no should mean no. So, if
we say we are in the light, we will prove it by loving the brethren. Many
Christians urgently need to be accepted, loved, and encouraged. Contrary to
popular opinion, Christian love is not “blind.” When we practice true Christian
love, we find life getting brighter and brighter. Hatred is what darkens life!
When true Christian love flows out of our hearts, we will have greater
understanding and perception in spiritual things. This is why Paul prayed that
our love may grow in knowledge and perception, “that ye may distinguish the
things that differ” (see Phil. 1:9–10). A Christian who loves his brother is a
Christian who sees more clearly. No book in the Bible illustrates the blinding
power of hatred like the book of Esther. The events recorded there take place
in Persia, where many of the Jews were living after the captivity. Haman, one
of the king’s chief men, had a burning hatred for the Jews. The only way he
could satisfy this hatred was to see the whole nation destroyed. He plunged
ahead in an evil plot, completely blind to the fact that the Jews would win and
that he himself would be destroyed. Hatred is blinding people today too.
Christian love is not a shallow sentiment, a passing emotion that we perhaps
experience in a church service. Christian love is a practical thing; it applies
in the everyday affairs of life. Just consider the “one another” statements in
the New Testament and you will see how practical it is to love one another.
Here are just a few (there are over twenty such statements):
这是一个发人深省的真理),不可能与天父相交,而又不能与另一位基督徒相交。这就是上帝建立本地教会,信徒团契的原因之一。 “你不能一个人成为基督徒”;一个人除非与上帝的子民相交,否则就无法过上完整而发展的基督徒生活。基督徒生活有两种关系:垂直关系(神向)和水平关系(人向)。上帝所凝聚的东西,人类绝不能屈服!这两种关系中的每一种都将成为彼此相爱的一种。耶稣在山上的讲道中处理了此事(见太5:21–26)。只要朝拜者与他的兄弟有争执,在祭坛上的礼物就毫无价值。请注意,耶稣并没有说拜拜者对他的兄弟有什么害羞,而是说拜拜兄弟有对崇拜者的某种害羞。但是,即使我们被冒犯了,我们也不应等待冒犯了我们的那个人来到我们身边。我们应该去找他。如果我们不这样做,耶稣警告我们,我们将最终被关押在精神审判的监狱中,在那里我们将不得不支付最后一分钱(太18:21-35)。换句话说,当我们怀着一种不宽容,不热爱的精神时,我们最会伤害自己。 “说”与“做”之间的对比是我们之前遇到的(约翰一书1:6、8、10; 2:4、6)。练习“单词”的基督教很容易-唱正确的歌,使用正确的词汇,祈祷正确的祷告-并通过所有这些欺骗自己,使我们认为自己是属灵的。这个错误也与耶稣在山上的讲道中所教导的有关(太5:33-37)。我们所说的应该是我们品格的真实表达。我们不需要多余的词(“誓言”)来强化我们所说的话。我们的“是”应该表示“是”,我们的“否”应该表示“否”。因此,如果我们说我们处于光明之中,我们将通过爱弟兄们来证明这一点。许多基督徒迫切需要接受,爱护和鼓励。与流行观点相反,基督教的爱不是“盲目的”。当我们实践真正的基督徒爱时,我们发现生活越来越光明。仇恨使生活变得黑暗!当真正的基督徒爱从我们心中流出时,我们将在属灵的事物上获得更大的理解和感知。这就是为什么保罗祈祷我们的爱可以在知识和知觉中增长,“让你们可以区分不同的事物”(见腓1:9-10)。一个爱他兄弟的基督徒就是一个看得更清楚的基督徒。圣经中没有哪本书能像以斯帖记那样说明仇恨的盲目力量。那里记录的事件发生在波斯,被囚禁后许多犹太人居住在那里。国王的酋长之一哈曼(Haman)对犹太人怀有强烈的仇恨。他满足这种仇恨的唯一方法是看到整个国家被摧毁。他陷入了邪恶的阴谋中,对犹太人获胜并且他本人将被摧毁这一事实完全视而不见。仇恨今天也使人们目眩。基督徒的爱并不是一种浅薄的情感,而是我们在教堂礼拜中可能经历的一种短暂的情感。基督徒的爱是一门务实的事;它适用于日常生活。只要考虑一下《新约》中的“彼此”陈述,您就会看到彼此相爱是多么实用。这里只是几个(有超过二十种这样的语句):
Wash
one another’s feet (John 13:14). Prefer one another (Rom. 12:10). Be of the
same mind one to another (Rom. 12:16). Do not judge one another (Rom. 14:13).
Receive one another (Rom. 15:7). Admonish one another (Rom. 15:14). Edify
[build up] one another (1 Thess. 5:11). Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).
Confess your faults to one another (James 5:16). Use hospitality one to another
(1 Peter 4:9). In short, to love other Christians means to treat them the way
God treats them—and the way God treats us. Christian love that does not show
itself in action and in attitude is spurious (see 1 Cor. 13:4–7). What happens
to a believer who does not love the brethren? We have already seen the first
tragic result: he lives in the darkness, though he probably thinks he is living
in the light (1 John 2:9). He thinks he sees, but he is actually blinded by the
darkness of hatred. This is the kind of person who causes trouble in Christian
groups. He thinks he is a “spiritual giant,” with great understanding, when
actually he is a babe with very little spiritual perception. He may read the
Bible faithfully and pray fervently, but if he has hatred in his heart, he is
living a lie. The second tragic result is that such a believer becomes a cause
of stumbling (see 1 John 2:10). It is bad enough when an unloving believer
hurts himself (1 John 2:9), but when he starts to hurt others the situation is
far more serious. It is serious to walk in the darkness. It is dangerous to
walk in the darkness when stumbling blocks are in the way! An unloving brother
stumbles himself, and in addition he causes others to stumble. A man who was
walking down a dark street one night saw a pinpoint of light coming toward him
in a faltering way. He thought perhaps the person carrying the light was ill or
drunk, but as he drew nearer he could see a man with a flashlight carrying a
white cane. “Why would a blind man be carrying a light?” the man wondered, and
then he decided to ask. The blind man smiled. “I carry my light, not so I can
see, but so that others can see me. I cannot help being blind,” he said, “but I
can help being a stumbling block.” The best way to help other Christians not to
stumble is to love them. Love makes us stepping-stones; hatred (or any of its
“cousins,” such as envy or malice) makes us stumbling blocks. It is important
that Christians exercise love in a local church, or else there will always be
problems and disunity. When we are falling over each other, instead of lifting
each other
洗另一只脚(约翰福音13:14)。彼此偏爱(罗马书12:10)。彼此同心(罗马书12:16)。不要互相评判(罗马书14:13)。互相接待(罗15:7)。彼此告诫(罗15:14)。互相培养[建立](1 Thess。5:11)。承担彼此的重担(加6:2)。互相承认自己的过错(詹姆斯5:16)。彼此待客(彼得一书4:9)。简而言之,爱其他基督徒意味着以上帝对待他们的方式以及上帝对待我们的方式对待他们。没有表现出行动和态度的基督徒爱是虚假的(见林前13:4-7)。不爱弟兄的信徒会怎样?我们已经看到了第一个悲剧性的结果:他生活在黑暗中,尽管他可能认为自己生活在光明中(约翰一书2:9)。他认为自己看到了,但实际上他对仇恨的黑暗视而不见。这种人在基督徒团体中造成麻烦。他认为自己是一个“精神巨人”,很有理解力,而实际上他是一个很少有精神感知的宝贝。他可以忠实地阅读圣经,并热切地祈祷,但是如果他内心深恶痛绝,他就是在撒谎。第二个悲惨的结果是,这样的信徒成为绊脚石的原因(见约翰一书2:10)。当一个不敬虔的信徒伤害自己时,这已经很糟糕了(约翰一书2:9),但是当他开始伤害他人时,情况就更加严重了。在黑暗中行走很严重。绊脚石在黑暗中行走是危险的!一个不讨人喜欢的兄弟绊倒了自己,此外,他还使别人绊倒了。一天晚上,一个人在黑暗的街道上行走,看见一道细微的光以步履蹒跚的方式向他扑来。他以为携带光的人病了或喝醉了,但是当他走近时,他可以看到一个手电筒里拿着白色的拐杖的人。 “为什么一个盲人会带灯?”这个男人想知道,然后他决定问。瞎子笑了。 “我扛着我的光,不是让我看见,而是让别人看见我。他说:“我忍不住瞎了,但我却成为绊脚石。”帮助其他基督徒不要绊倒的最好方法就是爱他们。爱使我们成为踏脚石。仇恨(或嫉妒或恶意的任何“表兄弟”)使我们绊脚石。基督徒在当地的教堂里行使爱很重要,否则,总会有问题和不团结。当我们跌倒时,而不是互相提起时
higher,
we will never become a truly happy spiritual family. Apply this, for instance,
to the delicate matter of “questionable things” (Rom. 14—15). Since believers
come from different backgrounds, they do not always agree. In Paul’s day, they
differed on such matters as diets and holy days. One group said it was
unspiritual to eat meat offered to idols. Another group wanted strict
observance of the Sabbath. There were several facets to the problem, but basic
to its solution was “Love one another!” Paul put it this way: “Let us not,
therefore, judge one another anymore; but judge this, rather, that no man put a
stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.… But if thy
brother be grieved with thy food, now walkest thou not in love” (Rom. 14:13, 15
srb). A third tragic result of hatred is that it retards a believer’s spiritual
progress (1 John 2:11). A blind man—a person who is walking in darkness—can
never find his way! The only atmosphere that is conducive to spiritual growth
is the atmosphere of spiritual light—of love. Just as the fruits and flowers
need sunshine, so God’s people need love if they are going to grow. The
commandment “Love one another” becomes new to us in our own day-by-day
experience. It is not enough for us to recognize that it is new in emphasis and
say, “Yes, love is important!” Nor is it enough for us to see God’s love
exemplified by Jesus Christ. We must know this love in our own experience. The
old commandment “Love one another” becomes a new commandment as we practice
God’s love in daily life. Thus far, we have seen the negative side of 1 John
2:9–11; now let’s look at the positive. If we practice Christian love, what
will the wonderful results be? First of all, we will be living in the
light—living in fellowship with God and with our Christian brothers. Second, we
will not stumble or become stumbling blocks to others. And, third, we will grow
spiritually and will progress toward Christlikeness. At this point, we should
think about the contrast between the ugly “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19–21)
and the beautiful fruit of the Spirit—“Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness,
goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23). When we are
walking in the light, the “seed of the Word” (Luke 8:11) can take root and bear
fruit. And the first cluster the Spirit produces is love! But love does not
live alone. Love produces joy! Hatred makes a man miserable, but love always
brings him joy. A Christian couple came to see a pastor because their marriage
was beginning to fall apart. “We’re both saved,” the discouraged husband said,
“but we just aren’t happy together. There’s no joy in our home.” As the pastor
talked with them and they considered together what the Bible has to say, one
fact became clear: both the husband and wife were nursing grudges. Each
recalled many annoying little things the other had done!
更重要的是,我们永远不会成为一个真正幸福的精神家庭。例如,将其应用于“可疑事物”的微妙问题(罗马书14-15)。由于信徒来自不同的背景,他们并不总是同意。在保罗时代,他们在饮食和圣日等问题上存在分歧。一组人说,吃偶像肉是不健康的。另一个团体希望严格遵守安息日。这个问题有很多方面,但解决方案的基础是“彼此相爱!”保罗这样说:“因此,让我们不再互相审判;但要这样判断,不要让任何人绊脚石或碰到一个绊倒他兄弟的路。……但是,如果您的兄弟因您的食物而受苦,现在您就不要恋爱了”(罗14:13,15 srb )。仇恨的第三个悲剧性结果是它阻碍了信徒的属灵进步(约翰一书2:11)。一个瞎子,一个在黑暗中行走的人,永远找不到路!唯一有助于精神成长的气氛是爱的精神光气氛。正如水果和花朵需要阳光一样,上帝的子民若要成长就需要爱。在我们自己的日常经验中,“彼此相爱”的诫命对我们来说是新的。我们还不足以意识到它是新的重点并说:“是的,爱很重要!”让我们看到耶稣基督所代表的上帝的爱还不够。我们必须以自己的经历来了解这种爱。当我们在日常生活中实践上帝的爱时,旧的诫命“彼此相爱”变成了新的诫命。到目前为止,我们已经看到了约翰一书2:9-11的消极面。现在让我们看一下正面。如果我们实践基督教的爱,那么美好的结果将会是什么?首先,我们将生活在光明中,与上帝和我们的基督教兄弟会相伴。第二,我们不会绊倒或成为别人的绊脚石。第三,我们将在属灵上成长,并朝着基督化的方向前进。在这一点上,我们应该考虑一下丑陋的“肉体行为”(加5:19-21)和圣灵的美丽果实-“爱,喜乐,和平,耐心,柔和,善良,忠诚”之间的对比。 ,温柔和自制力”(加5:22-23)。当我们在光明中行走时,“圣言的种子”(路加福音8:11)可以生根发芽。圣灵产生的第一个簇是爱!但是爱并不孤单。爱产生快乐!仇恨使一个人痛苦不堪,但爱总会给他带来欢乐。一对基督教夫妇来找牧师,因为他们的婚姻开始破裂。灰心丧气的丈夫说:“我们俩都得救了,但我们在一起并不开心。我们的家没有欢乐。”当牧师与他们交谈时,他们一起考虑了圣经所说的话,一个事实变得很清楚:夫妻双方都在怀恨在心。每个人都回想起对方所做的许多烦人的小事
“If you
two really loved each other,” said the pastor, “you wouldn’t file these hurts
away in your hearts. Grudges fester in our hearts like infected sores and
poison the whole system.” Then he read, “[Love] thinketh no evil” (1 Cor.
13:5). He explained, “This means that love never keeps records of things others
do that hurt us. When we truly love someone, our love covers their sins and
helps to heal the wounds they cause.” Then he read, “And above all things have
fervent love among yourselves; for love shall cover the multitude of sins” (1
Peter 4:8 sco). Before the couple left, the pastor counseled them: “Instead of
keeping records of the things that hurt, start remembering the things that
please. An unforgiving spirit always breeds poison, but a loving spirit that
sees and remembers the best always produces health.” A Christian who walks in
love is always experiencing some new joy because the “fruit of the Spirit” is
love and joy. And when we blend “love” and “joy,” we will have “peace”—and
peace helps to produce “patience.” In other words, walking in the light,
walking in love, is the secret of Christian growth, which nearly always begins
with love. Now, all of us must admit that we cannot generate Christian love
under our own power. By nature, we are selfish and hateful. It is only as God’s
Spirit floods our hearts with love that we, in turn, can love one another. “The
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto
us” (Rom. 5:5). The Spirit of God makes the commandment “Love one another” into
a new and exciting day-by-day experience. If we walk in the light, God’s Spirit
produces love. If we walk in darkness, our own selfish spirit produces hatred.
The Christian life—the life that is real—is a beautiful blending of “something
old, something new.” The Holy Spirit takes the “old things” and makes them “new
things” in our experience. When you stop to think about it, the Holy Spirit
never grows old! He is always young! And He is the only Person on earth today
who was here centuries ago when Jesus lived, taught, died, and rose again. He
is the only One who can take “old truth” and make it fresh and new in our daily
experience at this present time. There are other exciting truths in the rest of
John’s letter, but if we fail to obey in this matter of love, the rest of the
letter may well be “darkness” to us. Perhaps the best thing we can do, right
now, is to search our hearts to see if we hold anything against a brother, or
if someone has anything against us. The life that is real is an honest life—and
it is a life of doing, not merely saying. It is a life of active love in
Christ. This means forgiveness, kindness, longsuffering. But it also means joy
and peace and victory. The love life is the only life, because it is the life
that is real!
牧师说:“如果你们两个真的彼此相爱,您就不会把这些伤害埋在心里。像感染的疮一样使我们的心烦恼,使整个系统中毒。”然后,他读到:“ [爱]不认为邪恶”(林前13:5)。他解释说:“这意味着爱永远不会保留别人伤害我们的事情的记录。当我们真正爱一个人时,我们的爱掩盖了他们的罪过,并有助于治愈他们造成的创伤。”然后他读到:“最重要的是,你们之间热爱爱情。因为爱将掩盖众多的罪过”(彼得一书4:8)。在这对夫妇离开之前,牧师劝告他们:“与其记录受伤的事情,不如记起那些令人愉悦的事情。无情的精神总会滋生毒药,而看到并记住最好的善良的精神总能带来健康。”一位热爱基督徒的人总会遇到一些新的快乐,因为“圣灵的果实”就是爱与快乐。当我们将“爱”与“喜悦”融合在一起时,我们将拥有“和平”-而和平有助于产生“耐心”。换句话说,走在光明中,走在爱中,是基督徒成长的秘诀,这几乎总是从爱情开始。现在,我们所有人都必须承认,我们无法凭自己的力量产生基督徒的爱。从本质上讲,我们是自私的和可恨的。只有当上帝的灵充满爱时,我们才能彼此相爱。 “上帝的爱被赐予我们的圣灵在我们心中散布在国外”(罗5:5)。上帝的灵使诫命“彼此相爱”成为新的令人兴奋的日常体验。如果我们在光明中行走,上帝的灵就会产生爱。如果我们在黑暗中行走,我们自己的自私精神就会产生仇恨。基督徒生活-真实的生活-是“旧事物,新事物”的完美融合。在我们的经验中,圣灵接受“旧事物”并使它们成为“新事物”。当您停止思考时,圣灵永远不会变老!他总是年轻!耶稣是当今地球上唯一的一个世纪以来,耶稣在世的人生活,教导,死亡和复活。他是目前唯一能够接受“古老的真理”并使之在我们的日常经验中新鲜和新的人。约翰书信的其余部分还有其他令人振奋的真理,但是如果我们在爱情问题上未能服从,书信的其余部分很可能对我们来说是“黑暗”。也许我们现在能做的最好的事情是,发掘自己的内心,看看我们是否对兄弟持反对态度,或者有人对我们持反对态度。真实的生活是诚实的生活,而且是做事的生活,而不仅仅是说。这是在基督里积极爱的生活。这意味着宽恕,友善和忍耐。但这也意味着欢乐,和平与胜利。爱情生活是唯一的生活,因为这是真实的生活!
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