518 英翻中 雅各書 第五章 RICH MAN, POOR MAN 富人与穷人 05/03/2026

518 英翻中 雅各書 第五章          RICH MAN, POOR MAN    富人与穷人                        05/03/2026

Lesson five                             RICH MAN, POOR MAN                           James 2:1–13
第五课                                    富人与穷人                                                   雅各书 2:1-13
 
Not only is the mature Christian patient in testing (James 1), but he also practices the truth. This is the theme of James 2. Immature people talk about their beliefs, but the mature person lives his faith. Hearing God’s Word (James 1:22–25) and talking about God’s Word can never substitute for doing God’s Word.
並不只是成熟的基督徒患病須要经受考验（雅各书 1 章），而且他还要操練真理。这是雅各书 2 章的主题。不成熟的人谈论他们的信仰，但成熟的人活出他的信心。光听上帝的道（雅各书 1:22-25）和谈论祂的话语，是永远不能代替照上帝的话去行。
 
Every believer has some statement of faith or personal expression of what he believes. Most churches have such statements and members are asked to subscribe to the statement and practice it. Most churches also have a “covenant” that they read publicly, often when they observe the Lord’s Supper. Statements of faith and church covenants are good and useful, but they are not substitutes for doing God’s will. As a pastor, I have heard believers read the church covenant and then come to a business meeting and act in ways completely contrary to the covenant.
信徒對他們的信心都有一些陈述，或他的基督信仰的個人表顯。大多数教会都有这样的做法，并要求成员签署該声明加以操練。大多数教会通常是在他们守主的晚餐时，也有公开宣读的“圣约”。基督信仰宣言和教会圣约是好的，和有用的，但不能代替遵行上帝的旨意。作为牧师，我听说信徒们阅读了教会的圣约，然后来参加執事会议，并以完全违背圣约的方式行事。
 
James wanted to help us practice God’s Word, so he gave us a simple test. He sent two visitors to a church service, a rich man and a poor man, and he watched to see how they were treated. The way we behave toward people indicates what we really believe about God! We cannot—and dare not—separate human relationships from divine fellowship. “If a man say, ‘I love God,’ and hateth his brother, he is a liar : for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20).
雅各想帮助我们操練上帝的道，所以他给了我们简单的测试。他派了两位来参加教堂礼拜，一位是富人，另外一位是穷人，他觀察教會怎样來对待他們。我们对待人的方式顯明我们真正相信上帝！我们不能   — 也不敢将人际关系与神圣的团契分开。 “人若说，‘我爱上帝，却恨他的弟兄，他就是说谎的: 不爱他所看见的弟兄，他怎能爱看不见的上帝呢？” （约翰一书 4:20）。

In this section, James examined four basic Christian doctrines in the light of the way we treat other people.
在本段中，雅各根据我们对待他人的方式研究四種基督教的基本教义。
 
The Deity of Christ (2:1–4)
基督的神性（2:1-4）
 
“My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, by showing favoritism” (literal translation). Jewish people in that day coveted recognition and honor, and vied with one another for praise. Our Lord’s parables in Luke 14:7–14 deal with the problem, and also His denunciation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23.
“我的弟兄们，不要把對荣耀的主，我们的主耶稣基督的信心處於偏袒”（直译）。在那个时代的犹太人渴望得到认可和荣誉，相互争取表扬。我们主在路加福音 14 章 7-14 节的比喻处理了这问题，还有祂在马太福音 23 章也对問題谴责法利赛人。
 
We have this same problem with us today. Pyramid climbers are among us, not only in politics, industry, and society, but also in the church. Almost every church has its cliques, and often, new Christians find it difficult to get in. Some church members use their offices to enhance their own images of importance. Many of the believers James wrote to were trying to seize spiritual offices, and James had to warn them (James 3:1).
今天我们同样也有這问题。爬登金字塔者就在我们中间，不仅在政治，各行业和社会中，而且也在教会中。几乎任何教会都有獨特的派系，而新基督徒往往很难进入。 一些教会會友，利用他们的职位来提升自己的重要形象。雅各写信给的许多信徒，都试图占据属灵的职位，雅各不得不向他们提出警告（雅各书 3:1）。
 
Jesus did not respect persons. Even His enemies admitted, “You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are” (Matt. 22:16 niv). Our Lord did not look at the outward appearance; He looked at the heart. He was not impressed with riches or social status. The poor widow who gave her mite was greater in His eyes than the rich Pharisee who boastfully gave his large donation. Furthermore, He saw the potential in the lives of sinners. In Simon, He saw a rock. In Matthew, the publican, He saw a faithful disciple who would one day write one of the four gospels. The disciples were amazed to see Jesus talking with the sinful woman at the well of Sychar, but Jesus saw in her an instrument for reaping a great harvest.
耶稣不注重人的外貌。甚至祂的敌人也承认說，“祢不受人左右，因为祢不注意他们是谁”（马太福音 22:16 新國際版）。我们的主不看人的外表；祂看內心。耶穌不注視财富或社会地位。奉獻投兩個小钱的穷寡妇在主眼中，比富人自稱伟大的法利赛人夸口捐献大笔捐款更為重要。此外，耶穌看到了罪人生命中的潜力。在西门身上，祂看见他是磐石。在税吏马太身上，耶穌看到一位忠心的门徒，他有一天会写四福音书之馬太福音。门徒们惊奇地看到耶稣在叙加井旁与有罪的妇人谈话，但耶稣在她身上看到，她是豐收罪人悔改為信徒的工具。
 
We are prone to judge people by their past, not their future. When Saul of Tarsus was converted, the church in Jerusalem was afraid to receive him! It took Barnabas, who believed in Saul’s conversion, to break down the walls (Acts 9:26–28). We are also prone to judge by outward appearance rather than by the inner attitude of the heart. We do not enjoy sitting with certain people in church because they “are not our kind of people.” Jesus was the Friend of sinners, though He disapproved of their sins. It was not compromise, but compassion, that caused Him to welcome them, and when they trusted Him, forgive them.
我们很容易判斷人，根据他們的过去，而不是他们的未来。当大数的扫罗归信主时，耶路撒冷的教会的人都不敢接待他！相信扫罗悔改的巴拿巴才拆毁這敵對他的城墙（使徒行传 9：26-28）。我们也倾向于通过外表，而不是内心的态度来判断人。我们不喜欢在教堂里与某些人坐在一起，因为他们“不是我们一類的人”。耶稣是罪人的朋友，虽然祂不赞成他们的罪。不是妥协，而是同情使耶穌欢迎他们，当他们信任祂时，就饒恕他们。
 
Jesus was despised and rejected. This fact was prophesied in Isaiah 53:1–3. He was “the poor man” who was rejected by the self-righteous nation. Unlike the foxes and the birds, He had no home. He grew up in the despised city of Nazareth in a home that knew the feeling of poverty. Had you and I met Him while He was ministering on earth, we would have seen nothing physically or materially that would attract us.
耶稣被人藐视和拒绝。以赛亚书 53章1至3節预言了这一事实。祂是被自以为是的民族所拒绝的“穷人”。不像狐狸和飞鸟都有洞，而祂没有家。耶穌在被人鄙视的拿撒勒城长大，家境贫寒。如果你和我生在祂在地上服事时，而遇见祂，不可能会看到任何物质或事物吸引我们。
 
Yet, He is the very glory of God! In the Old Testament, God’s glory dwelled first in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34–38) and then in the temple (1 Kings 8:10–11). When Jesus came to earth, God’s glory resided in Him (John 1:14). Today, the glory of God dwells in the believer individually (1 Cor. 6:19–20) and the church collectively (Eph. 2:21–22).
然而，祂還沒有得上帝的荣耀！在旧约中，上帝的荣耀首先住在会幕中（出埃及记 40:34-38），然后是圣殿（列王纪上 8:10-11）。当耶稣来到世上时，上帝的荣耀住在他里面（约翰福音 1:14）。今天，上帝的荣耀住在每個信徒身上（哥林多前書 6:19-20）和教会會友的集体（以弗所書 2:21-22）中。
 
The religious experts in Christ’s day judged Him by their human standards, and they rejected Him. He came from the wrong city, Nazareth of Galilee. He was not a graduate of their accepted schools. He did not have the official approval of the people in power. He had no wealth. His followers were a nondescript mob and included publicans and sinners. Yet He was the very glory of God! No wonder Jesus warned the religious leaders, “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment” (John 7:24 niv).
在基督时代，宗教专家以他们的人性标准來判断祂，他们拒绝了祂。祂来自错误的城
市，加利利的拿撒勒。祂不是他们接納的学校毕业生。祂没有得到当权者的正式批准的大能。祂没有财富。跟随祂的是一群不起眼的暴徒，包括税吏和罪人。然而祂是上帝的荣耀！难怪耶稣警告宗教领袖，“不要凭外表判断人，要作出正确判断”（约翰福音 7:24  新國際版）
 

待續

Sad to say, we often make the same mistakes. When visitors come into our churches, we tend to judge them on what we see outwardly rather than what they are inwardly. Dress, color of skin, fashion, and other superficial things carry more weight than the fruit of the Spirit that may be manifest in their lives. We cater to the rich because we hope to get something out of them, and we avoid the poor because they embarrass us. Jesus did not do this, and He cannot approve of it.
可悲的是，我们经常犯同样的错误。当访客进入我们的教会时，倾向于根据他們的外表來判斷他们，而不是根據他们内心来判断。衣着、肤色、时尚，和其他肤浅的事物比可能在他们生活中彰显的圣灵的果子更重要。我们迎合富人是，因为希望从他们那里得到一些东西，我们避开穷人是，因为他们让我们难堪。耶稣没有这样做，祂也不能赞同。
 
How do we practice the deity of Christ in our human relationships? It is really quite simple: look at everyone through the eyes of Christ. If the visitor is a Christian, we can accept him because Christ lives in him. If he is not a Christian, we can receive him because Christ died for him. It is Christ who is the link between us and others, and He is a link of love. The basis for relationship with others is the person and work of Jesus Christ. Any other basis is not going to work. Furthermore, God can use even the most unlikely person to bring glory to His name. He used Peter and Zaccheus and John Mark, and He can use that poor man whom we might reject.
我们如何在人际关系中操練基督的神性？其实很简单：用基督的眼光看每个人。如果来访者是基督徒，我们可以接受他，因为基督住在他里面。如果他不是基督徒，我们可以接受他，因为基督为他而死。基督是我们与他人之间的繫繩，祂是爱的繫繩。与他人建立关系的基础是耶稣基督的位格和作為。任何其他基础都不起作用。此外，上帝甚至可以使用最不可能的人来荣耀祂的名。祂使用彼得、撒该，和约翰马可，他可以使用我们可能会拒绝的那个可怜窮苦的人。
 
The Grace of God (2:5–7)
上帝的恩典（2:5-7）
 
The emphasis here is on God’s choosing, and this involves the grace of God. If salvation were on the basis of merit, it would not be by grace. Grace implies God’s sovereign choice of those who cannot earn and do not deserve His salvation (Eph. 1:4–7; 2:8–10). God saves us completely on the basis of the work of Christ on the cross and not because of anything that we are or have.
这里强调上帝的拣选，並涉及到祂的恩典。如果救恩是基于功德，那就是說不靠恩典。恩典是說明上帝的主权，去选择那些无法赚取，也不配得救恩的人（以弗所書 1:4-7；2:8-10）。上帝拯救我们完全是基于基督在十字架上的作為，而不是因为我们的所是，或拥有什么。
 
God ignores national differences (Acts 10:34). The Jewish believers were shocked when Peter went to the Gentile household of Cornelius, preached to the Gentiles, and even ate with them. The topic of the first church council was, “Must a Gentile become a Jew to become a Christian?” (Acts 15). The answer the Holy Spirit gave them was, “No!” In the sight of God, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile when it comes to condemnation (Rom. 2:6–16) or salvation (Rom. 10:1–13).
上帝无视種族差异（使徒行传 10:34）。当彼得到哥尼流的外邦人家里，向他們传道，甚至与他们一起吃饭时，犹太信徒都震惊了。耶路撒冷大公会议的主题是：“外邦人必须成为犹太人才能成为基督徒吗？” （使徒行传 15章）。圣灵给他们的回答是，“不！”在上帝看来，犹太人和外邦人在定罪（罗马书 2:6-16）或救恩（罗马书 10:1-13）兩方面都没有区别。    
 
God also ignores social differences. Masters andslaves (Eph. 6:9) and rich and poor are alike to Him. James taught us that the grace of God makes the rich man poor, because he cannot depend on his wealth; and it makes the poor man rich, because he inherits the riches of grace in Christ. (Review James 1:9–11.) “The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory” (1 Sam. 2:7–8a).
上帝也无视社会差异。主人和奴隶（以弗所书 6:9）、富人，和穷人对祂来说都是一样的。雅各教导我们，上帝的恩典使富人贫穷，因为他不能依靠自己的财富；祂的恩典穷人富有，因为他在基督里承受了丰富的恩典。 （复习  雅各书 1:9-11。）“主使人贫穷，也使人富有；祂使人卑微，又使人升高。祂从尘土中兴起穷人，从粪堆中提拔乞丐，将他们安置在王子中间，使他们承受荣耀的宝座”（撒母耳記上  2:7-8節上）。
 
From the human point of view, God chooses the poor instead of the rich. “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Cor. 1:26–27). The poor of this world become rich in faith; as sons of God, they inherit the wealth of the kingdom.
从人的角度来看，上帝选择穷人而不是富人。 “弟兄们哪，可見你们蒙召的，按著肉体有智慧的不多，有能力的不多，尊贵的也不多； 上帝却拣选世上愚拙的，叫有智慧的羞愧；又拣选了世上软弱的，叫那强壯的羞愧”（哥林多前書 1:26-27）。这世上的穷人在信心上变得富有；作为上帝的孩子，他们继承了天国的财富。
 
It is possible to be poor in this world and rich in the next, or rich in this world and poor in the next (1 Tim. 6:17–18). Or, you could be poor both in this world and the next, or rich in this world and the next. It all depends on what you do with Christ and the material wealth He has given you. God promises the kingdom to “those that love Him” (James 2:5), not to those who love this world and its riches.
有可能今世是贫穷，来世却富有，或今世富有，来世贫穷（提摩太前书 6:17-18）。或者，你可以在这世界和来世都很贫穷，或者在这世界和来世都很富有。这完全取决于你如何对待基督以及祂给你的物质财富。上帝应许給祂的国度給予“爱祂的人”（雅各书 2:5），而不是给那些爱世界及其上财富的人。
 
James gave a stern rebuke in James 2:6–7: “When you despise the poor man, you are behaving like the unsaved rich people.” In that day, it was easy for rich persons to exploit the poor, influence decisions at court, and make themselves richer. Unfortunately, we have the same sins being committed today; and these sins blaspheme the very name of Christ. Our Lord was poor, and He too was the victim of injustice perpetrated by the wealthy leaders of His day.
雅各在雅各书 2章6至7節中，他严厉斥责，“你藐视穷人，就像未得救的富人一样行事為人。”在那个时代，富人很容易影响法庭判决，剥削穷人，让自己变得更富有。不幸的是，今天我們犯了同样的罪；这些罪亵渎了基督的聖名。我们的主是贫穷的，祂也是在祂的时代，被富有的宗教领袖以不公正行为犯罪的受害者。
 
The doctrine of God’s grace, if we really believe it, forces us to relate to people on the basis of God’s plan and not on the basis of human merit or social status. A “class church” is not a church that magnifies the grace of God. When He died, Jesus broke down the wall that separated Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:11–22). But in His birth and life, Jesus broke down the walls between rich and poor, young and old, educated and uneducated. It is wrong for us to build those walls again; we cannot rebuild them if we believe in the grace of God.
若我们真的相信上帝恩典的教义，就会迫使我们根据上帝的计划，而不是依据人的功绩或社会地位。 “有阶级觀念的教会”不是擴大上帝恩典的教会。耶稣死后，拆毁了分隔犹太人和外邦人的墙（以弗所書 2:11-22）。但在耶稣的出生和生活中，祂打破了贫富、老少、受过教育和未受过教育之间的壁垒。我们再建那些隔墙是错误的；如果我们相信上帝的恩典，就不要重建它们。
 
The Word of God (2:8–11)
上帝的道（2:8-11）
 
In recent years, believers have waged battles over the inspiration and authority of the Word of God. Certainly, it is a good thing to defend the truth of God’s Word, but we must never forget that our lives and ministries are the best defense. D. L. Moody often said, “Every Bible should be bound in shoe leather!”
近年来，信徒们因为上帝的道的默示和权威展开了論战。当然，捍卫上帝的道的真理是對的，但绝不能忘记，我们的生活和職事是最好的辩护。 偉大宣教士慕廸(D. L. Moody) 常说，“每本圣经都应该用鞋帶捆綁！”
 
James reached back into the Old Testament for one of God’s laws, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself ” (Lev. 19:18). In His parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus told us that our neighbor is anyone who needs our help (Luke 10:25–37). It is not a matter of geography, but opportunity. The important question is not, “Who is my neighbor?” but “To whom can I be a neighbor?”
雅各回到旧约中記載上帝的一條律法:“你要爱人如己”（利未記19:18）。在祂有关于好撒玛利亚人的比喻中，耶稣告诉我们，我们的邻居是凡需要我们帮助的人（路加福音 10：25-37）。这不是地理问题，而是机会问题。问题的重要不是在，“谁是我的邻居舍”，而是，“我可以成为谁的邻舍？”
 
Why is “love thy neighbor” called “the royal law”?  For one thing, it was given by the King. God the Father gave it in the law, and God the Son reaffirmed it to His disciples (John 13:34). God the Spirit fills our hearts with God’s love and expects us to share it with others (Rom. 5:5). True believers are “taught of God to love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9).
为什么稱“爱你的邻舍”为“君王的律法”？  首先，它是王给的。父上帝在律法中赋予爱你的邻舍，子上帝向祂的门徒重申了這律法（约翰福音 13:34）。圣灵上帝則用爱充满我们的心，并期望我们与他人分享（罗马书 5:5）。真正的信徒“被上帝教导要彼此相爱”（帖撒羅尼迦前書 4:9）。
 
But “love thy neighbor” is the royal law for a second reason: it rules all the other laws. “Love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:10). There would be no need for the thousands of complex laws if each citizen truly loved his neighbors.
但“爱你的邻居”是君王律法的第二个原因：它支配着所有其他律法。 “爱就完全了律法”（罗马书 13:10）。若每位公民都真正爱他的邻居，就不需要成千上万条复杂的律法。
 
But the main reason why this is the royal law is that obeying it makes you a king. Hatred makes a person a slave, but love sets us free from selfishness and enables us to reign like kings. Love enables us to obey the Word of God and treat people as God commands us to do. We obey His law, not out of fear, but out of love.
但該律法為什麼是君王律法的主要原因是，遵守它会使成为王。仇恨使人成为奴隶，但爱使我们摆脱自私，使我们能够像王一样行事為人。爱使我们能够遵守上帝的话语，并按照上帝的旨意来对待人。我们遵守祂的律法，不再是由于恐惧，而是出于爱祂。
 
Showing respect of persons can lead a person into disobeying all of God’s law. Take any of the Ten Commandments and you will find ways of breaking it if you respect a person’s social or financial status. Respect of persons could make you lie, for example. It could lead to idolatry (getting money out of the rich) or even mistreatment of one’s parents. Once we start acting on the basis of respecting persons and rejecting God’s Word, we are heading for trouble. And we need not break all of God’s law to be guilty. There is only one Lawgiver, and all of His laws are from His mind and heart. If I disobey one law, I am capable of disobeying all of them; and by rebelling, I have already done so.
榮耀人会导致我們违背上帝的所有律法。如果你要榮耀某人的社会或经济地位，你就会在十诫中找到任何一条，用方法不遵守它。例如，為榮耀人，可能使你会撒谎。这可能会导致偶像崇拜（从富人那里拿钱）或甚至虐待父母。一旦我们开始為了榮耀人，及拒绝上帝的道为基础行事，我们就会遇到麻烦。我们不需要违反上帝的所有律法就可以成为罪人。上帝是立法者，祂所有的律法都出自祂的思想和心灵。如果我违反一项律法，我就有可能违反所有律法；通过背叛，我已经做了。
 
Christian love does not mean that I must like a person and agree with him on everything. I may not like his vocabulary or his habits, and I may not want him for an intimate friend. Christian love means treating others the way God has treated me. It is an act of the will, not an emotion that I try to manufacture. The motive is to glorify God. The means is the power of the Spirit within (“for the fruit of the Spirit is love”). As I act in love toward another, I may find myself drawn more and more to him, and I may see in him (through Christ) qualities that before were hidden to me.
基督徒的爱并不意味着我必须喜欢一个人，并在所有事情上都同意他。我可能不喜欢他說的話語或习惯，也可能不希望成为他亲密的朋友。基督徒的爱意味着以上帝对待我的方式对待他人。这是一种意願的行为，而不是出於我试图制造的情感。其动机是荣耀上帝。方法是出自圣灵的大能（“因为圣灵的果子就是爱”）。当我对別人表现出爱时，可能会发现我自己越来越被他所吸引，并且可能我会（藉由基督）在他身上看到以前隐藏在我身體內的品质。
 
Also, Christian love does not leave the person where it finds him. Love should help the poor man do better; love should help the rich man make better use of his God-given resources. Love always builds up (1 Cor. 8:1); hatred always tears down.
此外，基督徒的爱不会离开他找到的地方。爱应该帮助穷人做得更好；爱应该帮助富人更好地利用上帝赐予他的资源。爱总是建造（哥林多前書 8:1）；仇恨总是拆毀。
 
We only believe as much of the Bible as we practice. If we fail to obey the most important word—“love thy neighbor as thyself”—then we will not do any good with the lesser matters of the Word. It was a glaring fault in the Pharisees that they were careful about the minor matters and careless about the fundamentals (Matt. 23:23). They broke the very law they thought they were defending!
我们只相信我们所操練的圣经。如果我们不遵守最重要的上帝的话，“爱人如己”。那么对上帝话语中所涉及次要的事，就没有任何益处。法利赛人的明显错误是他们在小事上小心翼翼，对基本的事却粗心大意（马太福音 23:23）。他们违反了自认为在捍卫的律法！
 
The Judgment of God (2:12–13)
上帝的审判（2:12-13）
 
Every orthodox statement of faith ends with a statement about the return of Jesus Christ and the final judgment. Not all Christians agree as to the details of these future events, but the certainty of them none denies. Nor would any deny the importance of a final judgment. Both Jesus (John 5:24) and Paul (Rom. 8:1) assured us that Christian believers will never be judged for their sins, but our works will be judged and rewarded (Rom. 14:10–13; 2 Cor. 5:9–10).
每條東正教有關信心的声明都以耶稣基督再来和最后审判來结束。并非所有基督徒都同意这些未来事件的细节，但没有人否认它们的确定性。也不会否认最终判决的重要性。耶稣（约翰福音 5:24）和保罗（罗马书 8:1）都向我们保证，基督信徒永远不会因他们的罪而受到审判，但我们的職事将受到审判和奖赏（罗马书 14:10-13；哥林多後書 5:9-10）。
 
Our words will be judged. Note the words spoken to the two visitors in James 2:3. What we say to people, and how we say it, will come up before God. Even our careless words will be judged (Matt. 12:36). Of course, the words we speak come from the heart; so when God judges the words, He is examining the heart (Matt. 12:34–37). Jesus emphasized caution when speaking in some of His warnings in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:21–26, 33–37; 7:1–5, 21–23).
我们的话会受到审判。请注意雅各书 2 章 3 节对两位访客所说的话。我们对人所说的话，以及我们如何说，都会出现在上帝面前。甚至我们粗心的话也会受到审判（马太福音 12:36）。当然，我们所说的话都是发自内心的；因此，当上帝判断话语时，祂是在察看人心（马太福音 12:34-37）。耶稣在登山宝训中的一些警告中强调谨慎（马太福音 5:21-26、33-37；7:1-5、21-23）。
 
Our deeds will be judged. Read Colossians 3:22–25 for additional insight. It is true that God remembers our sins against us no more (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 10:17), but our sins affect our character and works. We cannot sin lightly and serve faithfully. God forgives our sins when we confess them to Him, but He cannot change their consequences.
我们的行事为人将受到审判。阅读歌罗西书 3章22至25等節可以获得更多了解。的确，上帝不再记念我们对我们所犯的罪（耶利米書 31:34；希伯来书 10:17），但我们的罪会影响我们的品格和行为。我们不能轻視罪而能忠心事奉。当我们向祂认罪时，上帝会赦免我们的罪，但祂无法改变犯罪所造成的后果。
 
Our attitudes will be judged (v. 13). James contrasted two attitudes: showing mercy to others, and refusing to show mercy. If we have been merciful toward others, God can be merciful toward us. However, we must not twist this truth into a lie. It does not mean that we earn mercy by showing mercy, because it is impossible to earn mercy. If it is earned, it is not mercy! Nor does it mean that we should “be soft on sin” and never judge it in the lives of others. “I don’t condemn anybody,” a man once told me, “and God won’t condemn me.” How wrong he was!
我们的心态将受到审判（第 13 节）。雅各对比了两种心态：对他人表现出怜悯，和拒绝顯示出怜悯。如果我们對他人施捨怜悯，上帝也会怜悯我们。然而，我们绝不能把这真理扭曲变成為谎言。这并不意味着我们藉由對別人现出怜悯，来赢得上帝的怜悯，因为不可能赢得怜悯。如果憐憫是赚来的，那不是怜悯！ 这也不意味着我们应该“对罪心软”，永远不要评判别人的生活中犯罪。  有個人曾经告诉我，“我不谴责人，上帝不会谴责我。”他大错特！
 
Mercy and justice both come from God, so they are not competitors. Where God finds repentance and faith, He is able to show mercy; where He finds rebellion and unbelief, He must administer justice. It is the heart of the sinner that determines the treatment he gets. Our Lord’s parable in Matthew 18:21–35 illustrates the truth. The parable is not illustrating salvation, but forgiveness between fellow servants. If we forgive our brothers, then we have the kind of heart that is open toward the forgiveness of God.
怜悯和公义都是来自上帝，所以不互相竞争。上帝在找到悔改和信心的地方，祂就能够施捨出怜悯；在上帝发现叛逆和不信的地方，祂必须执行公义。罪人的心决定了他應得到的判決。我们主在马太福音 18章21至35等節中的比喻，说明這真理。这比喻不是说明救恩，而是说明同伴之间的宽恕。如果我们宽恕我们的兄弟，那么我们就会有一颗愿意敞開接受上帝宽恕的心。
 
We shall be judged “by the law of liberty.” Why did James use this title for God’s law? For one thing, when we obey God’s law, it frees us from sin and enables us to walk in liberty (Ps. 119:45). Also, law prepares us for liberty. A child must be under rules and regulations because he is not mature enough to handle the decisions and demands of life. He is given outward discipline so that he might develop inward discipline, and one day be free of rules.
我们将“根据自由律”受审判。为什么雅各为上帝的律法使用这个称号？ 首先，当我们遵守上帝的律法时，便使我们脱离罪恶，使我们能够自由行事為人（诗篇 119:45）。此外，律法让我们为自由做好准备。孩子必须遵守规章制度，因为他还不够成熟，无法处理現實生活中的决定和要求。他被给予外在的纪律，以便他可以发展内在的纪律，有一天他可以摆脱规则。
暫停
Liberty does not mean license. License (doing whatever I want to do) is the worst kind of bondage. Liberty means the freedom to be all that I can be in Jesus Christ. License is confinement; liberty is fulfillment.
自由并不意味着 “许可执照”。许可执照（做任何我想做的事）是最糟糕的束缚。自由意味着我可以在耶稣基督里做我所能做的一切。许可证是禁闭；自由是实现。
 
Finally, the Word is called “the law of liberty” because God sees our hearts and knows what we would have done had we been free to do so. The Christian student who obeys only because the school has rules is not really maturing. What will he do when he leaves the school? God’s Word can change our hearts and give us the desire to do God’s will, so that we obey from inward compulsion and not outward constraint.
最后，圣言被称为“自由的律法”，因为上帝看到我们的心，知道如果我们有自由，我们会做什么。仅仅因为学校有规则而服从的基督徒学生并没有真正成熟。他离开学校后会做什么？神的话语能改变我们的心，使我们渴望遵行神的旨意，使我们顺服是内在的强迫，而不是外在的约束。
 
There is one obvious message to this section: our beliefs should control our behavior. If we really believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that God is gracious, His Word is true, and one day He will judge us, then our conduct will reveal our convictions. Before we attack those who do not have orthodox doctrine, we must be sure that we practice the doctrines we defend. Jonah had wonderful theology, but he hated people and was angry with God (Jonah 4).
本节有一个明显的信息：我们的信念应该控制我们的行为。如果我们真的相信耶稣是上帝的儿子，上帝是有恩典的，他的话是真实的，有一天他会审判我们，那么我们的行为就会揭示我们的信念。在我们攻击那些没有正统教义的人之前，我们必须确保我们实践我们所捍卫的教义。约拿有奇妙的神学，但他恨人，对神发怒（约拿书 4）。
 
One of the tests of the reality of our faith is how we treat other people. Can we pass the test?
对我们信心实存的考验，是我们如何对待他人。我们能通过  “愛人如己” 的考试吗？
 
 
謝謝上帝饒恕我的罪。