1605 英翻中 The Ins and Outs of Christian Living 基督徒生活的底細 4/6/2026

1605 英翻中          The Ins and Outs of Christian Living           基督徒生活的底細                   4/6/2026

Lesson Six         The Ins and Outs of Christian Living               Philippians 2:12–18

第六課                基督徒生活的底細                                             腓立比書 2：12-18

 

 “Few things are harder to put up with,” wrote Mark Twain, “than the annoyance of a good example.” Perhaps the thing most annoying about a good example is its inability to accomplish the same achievements in our own lives. Admiration for a great person can inspire us, but it cannot enable us. Unless the person can enter into our own lives and share his skills, we cannot attain to his heights of accomplishment. It takes more than an example on the outside; it takes power on the inside.

馬克吐溫寫道：“沒有什麼比好榜樣的煩惱更難忍受的了。”也許最令人討厭的地方的好例子是，它無法在我們自己的生活中取得同樣的成就。對偉大的人的欽佩可以激勵我們，但它不能使我們成為像他的可能。除非這個人能夠進入我們自己的生活，並分享他的技能，否則我們就無法達到他高度的成就。這不僅僅是外表的樣子；而它需要內部的力量。

 

Paul has just presented Jesus Christ as our great Example in the exercise of the submissive mind. We read it, and we agree with it, but how do we go about practicing it? How could any mortal man ever hope to achieve what Jesus Christ achieved? It seems almost presumptuous to even try! Here we are, trying to develop humility, and we are exercising pride by daring to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ!

保羅剛剛將耶穌基督運用順服心志的偉大榜樣介紹給我們。我們讀了它，我們同意它，但是我們如何去實踐它呢？ 會死的凡人，怎麼可能希望達到耶穌基督的成就？ 甚至去嘗試一下，幾乎是有些冒昧！   好了，我們努力培養謙卑，並藉由驕傲的敢於模仿主耶穌基督來操練！

 

The problem is really not that difficult. Paul was not asking us to “reach for the stars,” though the higher the goal the more we ought to achieve. Rather, he was setting before us the divine pattern for the submissive mind and the divine power to accomplish what God has commanded. “It is God which worketh in you” (Phil. 2:13). It is not by imitation, but by incarnation—“Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:20). The Christian life is not a series of ups and downs. It is rather a process of “ins and outs.” God works in, and we work out. We cultivate the submissive mind by responding to the divine provisions God makes available to us.

其實問題沒有那麼難。保羅並不是要我們“摘星星，”雖然目標很高，我們就越應該去實現。甚至於，他將順服的心志的神聖模式擺在我們面前，並將神聖能力加給我們以完成上帝的命令。 “是上帝在你們裡面作為”（腓 2:13）。不是模仿，而是道成肉身 ---“基督住在我裡面”（加 2:20）。基督徒的生活並不是一連串的起伏不定。而是“呈現來龍去脈”的過程。上帝在作工，我們在工作。我們藉由回應上帝提供給我們的神聖供應，來培養順服的心志。

 

1.  There Is a Purpose to Achieve (2:12, 14–16)

1.  有目標要實現（2:12, 14-16）

 

“Work out your own salvation” (Phil. 2:12) does not suggest, “Work for your own salvation.” To begin with, Paul was writing to people who were already “saints” (Phil. 1:1), which means they had trusted Christ and had been set apart for Him. The verb “work out” carries the meaning of “work to full completion,” such as working out a problem in mathematics. In Paul’s day it was also used for “working a mine,” that is, getting out of the mine all the valuable ore possible; or “working a field” so as to get the greatest harvest possible. The purpose God wants us to achieve is Christ-likeness, “to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29). There are problems in life, but God will help us to “work them out.” Our lives have tremendous potential, like a mine or a field, and He wants to help us fulfill that potential.

“作成你自己的救恩”（腓2:12）這 不是說“為自己的救恩作工”。 首先，保羅寫信給已經是“聖徒”的人（腓 1:1），說明他們已經相信基督，並為主分別為聖。 “作成 (動詞work out)”的意思，例如解決數學中的問題。在保羅的時代，它也被用於“開礦”，即盡可能將有價值的礦石從礦派中開採取出；或“耕田”盡可能取得最大的收穫。上帝希望我們達到的目的是學像基督，“效法祂兒子的樣式”（羅 8:29）。生活中有問題，但上帝會幫助我們“作成”。我們的生活有巨大的潛力，就像開礦或耕田一樣，上帝想幫助我們發揮這種潛力。

 

Cindy did not seem very happy when she arrived home from college to spend the holiday with her family. Her parents noticed her unusual behavior but were wise enough to wait until she was ready to share her problem with them. It happened after dinner.

當辛娣從大學回到家，與家人一起度假時，她似乎並不高興。她的父母注意到她不尋常的行為，但很明智等她自己願意說出她的問題。在晚飯後她說了。

 

“Mother, Dad, I have something to tell you, and I’m afraid it’s going to hurt you.”

“媽爸，有話要對你們說，我怕會傷害你們。”

 

“Just tell us what’s on your heart,” her father said, “and we’ll understand. We want to pray with you about it—whatever it is.”

她父親說，“只要告訴我們你的心思，我們就會明白。我們想和你一起為此祈禱

--- 不管它是什麼。”

 

“Well, you know that all during high school I talked about becoming a nurse, mainly because Mom is a nurse, and I guess you expected me to follow in her footsteps. But I can’t go on. The Lord just doesn’t want me to be a nurse!”

“好，你們知道我在高中時，一直想當護士，主要是因為媽媽是護士，我猜你們希望我以她為榮。但現在不行了。主就是不想讓我當護士！”

 

Her mother smiled and took Cindy’s hand. “Dear,  your father and I want God’s will for your life. If you do anything else, we’ll all be unhappy!”

媽媽微笑著握住辛娣的手說，“親愛的，妳父親和我都想要你照上帝的旨意活。若妳要做不是上帝的旨意的事，都會使我們不高興的！”

 

Cindy had done the courageous thing; she had faced God’s will and decided that she wanted to work out her own salvation—her own Christian life—and not what somebody else wanted her to do. One of the wonderful things about being a Christian is the knowledge that God has a plan for our lives (Eph. 2:10) and will help us to work it out for His glory. Our God is a God of infinite variety! No two flowers are the same, no two snowflakes are the same; why should two Christians be the same? All of us must be like Christ, but we must also be ourselves.

辛娣做了勇敢的事；她面對上帝的旨意，決定要作成自己的救恩 --- 她自己的基督徒生活 --- 而不是別人想讓她做的事。成為基督徒最美妙的事情之一就是知道上帝對我們的生活有一個計劃（弗 2:10），並且會幫助我們以祂為榮耀而努力。我們的上帝是無所不能的上帝！ 沒有兩朵一樣的花，沒有兩片雪花是一樣的；為什麼兩個基督徒應該是一樣？ 我們所有人都必須學像基督，但我們也必須是我們自己。

 

The phrase “work out your own salvation” probably has reference particularly to the special problems in the church at Philippi, but the statement also applies to the individual Christian. We are not to be “cheap imitations” of other people, especially “great Christians.” We are to follow only what we see of Christ in their lives. “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Every “great saint” has feet of clay and ultimately may disappoint you, but Jesus Christ can never fail you.

“作成你自己的救恩”這句話，可能指的是腓立比教會的特殊問題，但這句話也適用於個別的基督徒。我們不應該成為其他人“廉價的模仿者”，尤其是“偉大的基督徒”。 我們只能追隨那在他們生活中能看到基督的信徒。 “你們該效法我，就像我效法基督一樣”（林前 11:1）。每個“偉大的聖徒”都不純潔，最終可能會讓你失望，但耶穌基督永遠不會讓你跌倒。

 

In Philippians 2:14–15, Paul contrasted the life of the believer with the lives of those who live in the world. Unsaved people complain and find fault, but Christians rejoice. Society around us is “twisted and distorted,” but the Christian stands straight because he measures his life by God’s Word, the perfect standard. The world is dark, but Christians shine as bright lights. The world has nothing to offer, but the Christian holds out the Word of life, the message of salvation through faith in Christ. In other words, as we allow God to achieve this purpose in our lives, we become better witnesses in a world that desperately needs Christ. Apply these characteristics to Jesus and you will see that He lived a perfect life in an imperfect world.       

在腓立比書 2章14-15兩節中，保羅將信徒的生活與屬世的人生活進行對比。未得救的人會抱怨和挑剔，但基督徒卻是喜樂。我們周圍的社會是 “扭曲和變行的”，但基督徒使人無可指責，因為他照上帝的話語來衡量自己的生活，是完全美好的標準。世界是黑暗的，但基督徒却像明燈照亮。世界不能提供什麼，但基督徒堅持生命之道，藉由在基督裡的信心而得救的信息。換句話說，當我們允許上帝在我們的生活中實現這個目的時，就會在迫切需要基督的世界中，作成更為好的見證人。把這些特徵應用到耶穌身上，你會看到他在一個不完美的世界裡過著完美的生活。

 

It is important to note that this purpose is achieved “in the midst of crooked and perverse generation” (Phil. 2:15). Paul did not admonish us to retreat from the world and go into a spiritual isolation ward. It is only as we are confronted with the needs and problems of real life that we can begin to become more like Christ. The Pharisees were so isolated and insulated from reality that they developed an artificial kind of self-righteousness that was totally unlike the righteousness God wanted them to have. Consequently, the Pharisees forced a religion of fear and bondage on the people (read Matt. 23), and they crucified Christ because He dared to oppose that kind of religion. It is not by leaving the world but by ministering to it that we see God’s purpose fulfilled in our lives.

值得注意的是，該目的是在“彎曲悖謬的世代中”來實現的（腓  2:15）。保羅並沒有勸告我們要遠離世俗，進入屬靈的孤立場所。只有當面對現實生活的需要和有問題時，我們才能開始彰顯出更像基督。法利賽人是如此的與實存孤立和隔絕，以至於他們作成的義人為的，與上帝希望他們擁有的義完全不同。因此，法利賽人促使恐懼和束縛的宗教給信的人（讀  太  23 章），他們將基督釘在十字架上，因為他敢反對基督教。不是藉由脫離世界，而是要進入世界去事奉，才能看到上帝的旨意作成在我們的生命裡。

 

2.  There Is a Power to Receive (2:13)

2.  是上帝大能的運作 (2:13)

 

The principle Paul laid down is this: God must work in us before He can work through us. This principle is seen at work throughout the Bible in the lives of men like Moses, David, the apostles, and others. God had a special purpose for each man to fulfill, and each man was unique and not an imitation of somebody else. For example, it took God forty years to bring Moses to the place where He could use him to lead the people of Israel. As Moses tended sheep during those forty years, God was working in him so that one day He might work through him. God is more interested in the workman than in the work. If the workman is what he ought to be, the work will be what it ought to be.

保羅定下的原則是：上帝必須先在我們裡面有所作為，然後才能藉著我們作成祂的工 。整本聖經中都是藉由該原則，上帝在摩西，大衛，使徒和其他人的生活中運作。祂對每個人都有特殊的旨意，每個人都是獨特的，而不是模仿別人。例如，上帝用四十年時間，才把摩西帶到祂可以使用他的地方 --- 領以色列人出埃及。摩西在那四十年裡牧羊時，上帝在他裡面作工，以便有一天祂可以藉由他有所作為。上帝對工人的作為比對事工更感興趣。如果工人是他應該作成為的樣子，那麼事工就會自然作成應該有的形象。

 

 

 

 

Too many Christians obey God only because of pressure on the outside, and not power on the inside. Paul warned the Philippians that not his presence with them but their desire to obey God and please Him was the important thing (Phil. 1:27; 2:12). They could not build their lives on Paul because he might not be with them very long. It is sad to see the way some ministries in the church weaken or fall apart because of a change in leadership. We have a tendency to please men and to obey God only when others are watching. But when you surrender to the power of God within you, then obedience becomes a delight and not a battle.

太多的基督徒只是因為外在的壓力順服上帝，而不是內在的心甘情願。保羅警告腓立比人，重要的不是保羅與他們同在，而是他們要渴望順服上帝並取悅祂

（腓 1:27；2:12）。他們不能把自己的生活建立在保羅身上，因為他可能不會和他們在一起很長時間。可悲的是看到在教堂的一些事工的作法削弱或分裂，是因為領導人的更替有關。我們喜好討人的喜悅，只有在別人注視你時才順服上帝。但是，當你內心向上帝降服時，順服就會變成樂趣，而不是一場爭戰。

 

The power that works in us is the power of the Holy Spirit of God (John 14:16–17, 26; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 6:19–20). Our English word energy comes from the word translated “worketh” in Philippians 2:13. It is God’s divine energy at work in us and through us! The same Holy Spirit who empowered Christ when He was ministering on earth can empower us as well. But we must recognize the fact that the energy of the flesh (Rom. 7:5) and of the devil (Eph. 2:2; 2 Thess. 2:7) are also at work. Because of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, God’s divine energy is available to us (Eph. 1:18–23). The power is here, but how do we use it? What “tools” does God use, by His Spirit, to work in our lives? There are three “tools”: the Word of God, prayer, and suffering.

在我們裡面運行的是上帝聖靈的大能（約 14:16-17, 26；徒 1:8；林前 6:19-20）。英文字 “能力(energy)” 來自腓立比書2章13節，翻譯為“作成(worketh)”。那是上帝的神聖的大能在我們身上，並藉由我們的作為！基督在世上服事時，賦予祂大能的同一位聖靈也可以賦予我們祂的大能。但我們必須確認，肉體的力量

（羅 7:5）和魔鬼的邪惡力氣（弗  2:2；帖後  2:7）也在工作。由於基督的捨命，復活，和升天，我們可以使用上帝的神聖大能（弗 1:18-23）。上帝大能就在這裡，但我們如何使用它呢？上帝藉由祂的靈使用什麼“工具”在我們的生活中施放祂的大能？  有三樣“工具”： 上帝的話語，禱告，和受苦。

 

The Word of God. “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thess. 2:13). God’s divine energy is released in our lives through His inspired Word. The same Word that spoke the universe into being can release divine power in our lives!  But we have a responsibility to appreciate the Word, and not treat it the way we treat the words of men. The Word of God is unique: it is inspired, authoritative, and infallible. If we do not appreciate the Word, then God’s power cannot energize our lives.

上帝的話。 “為此，我們也不住地感謝上帝，因為你們聽見我們所傳上帝的道，就領受了，不以為是人的道，乃以為是上帝的道，這道實在是上帝的，並且有效地運行在你們信主的人心中”（帖前 2:13）。上帝的神聖的大能藉由祂啟示的話，在我們的生活中釋放出來。創造宇宙同一樣上帝的話語，可以在我們的生活中釋放神聖的大能！ 但是我們有責任感謝上帝的話語，而不是像對待人的話那樣對待聖言。上帝的話語是獨特的：聖言是受啟發的，帶權威的，絕無謬誤的。若不銘謝聖經，那麼上帝的大能就無法激勵帶動我們的生命。

 

But we must also appropriate the Word—“receive it.” This means much more than listening to it, or even reading and studying it. To “receive” God’s Word means to welcome it and make it a part of our inner being. God’s truth is to the spiritual man what food is to the physical man.

但我們也必須以“接受”聖言銘感於心。 我們不僅僅是聽聖言，甚至閱讀研究聖經。 “接受”上帝的話語是迎接聖言，並使之成為我們內心的一部分。上帝的真理對屬靈的人就像食物對屬肉體的人一樣重要。

 

Finally, we must apply the Word; it works only in those “that believe.” When we trust God’s Word and act on it, then God’s power is released in our lives. The angel’s promise to Mary in Luke 1:37—“For with God nothing shall be impossible”—is translated “For no word from God shall be void of power” in the American Standard Version (1901). God’s Word has the power of accomplishment in it, and faith releases that power.   

最後，我們必須應用上帝的話；它只對那些“相信”的人有效。當我們相信祂的話，並付諸行動時，上帝的大能就會在我們的生活中釋放出來。在路加福音 1章37節中，天使對馬利亞的應許 ---“因為在上帝沒有難成的事”--- 在美國標準版 (1901) 中，翻譯為“因為來自上帝的話語沒有不帶能力”。祂的話有成就的大能，而信心能釋放出祂的大能。

 

We see this truth operating in the life of Jesus. He commanded the crippled man to stretch out his hand, and the very command gave him the power to obey and be healed (Matt. 12:13). He commanded Peter to walk to Him on the water, and the command enabled Peter to do so, as long as he exercised faith (Matt. 14:22–33). It is faith in God’s promises that releases God’s power. His commandments are His enablements. The Holy Spirit wrote down the promises for us in the Word, and He gives us the faith to lay hold of these promises. “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Cor. 1:20 niv).

我們知道真理在耶穌的生活中運作。祂命令瘸手的人伸出他的手，這個命令給了他大能來順從和得醫治（太 12:13）。耶穌命令彼得在水面上走到祂跟前，該命令使彼得能夠照著做，只要他運用信心（太 14:22-33）。 對上帝應許有信心，就能釋放上帝的大能。祂的誡命就是祂的大能。聖靈在聖言中為我們寫下了應許，並賜給我們信心去持守這些應許。 “不論上帝作出多少應許，它們在基督裡都是‘是的’。因此，藉由祂我們說‘阿們’是為了榮耀上帝”（林後 1:20 新國際版）。

 

Prayer --- So, if we want God’s power working in us, we must spend time daily with the Word of God. But we must also pray, because prayer is the second “tool” God uses to work in the lives of His children. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20). The Holy Spirit is closely related to the practice of prayer in our lives (Rom. 8:26–27; Zech. 12:10). The book of Acts makes it clear that prayer is a divinely ordained source of spiritual power (Acts 1:14; 4:23–31; 12:5, 12), and the Word of God and prayer go together (Acts 6:4). Unless the Christian takes time for prayer, God cannot work in him and through him. In the Bible and in church history, the people God used were people who prayed.

禱告 --- 因此­ ­，如果想要上帝的大能在我們裡面運行，必須每天要在上帝的話上用心研讀。但是，也必須祈禱，因為祈禱是上帝用來在祂孩子的生活事工中的第二個“工具”。 “願上帝能照著在我們心裡運行的大能，充充足足的成就超過我們所求所想的”（弗  3:20）。聖靈與我們生活中的禱告操練有密切相關（羅 8：26-27；亞 12：10）。使徒行傳清楚地表明，禱告是上帝命定的屬靈大能之源頭（徒 1：14；4：23-31；12：5、12），而祂的話語和禱告是相輔相成的（徒 6：4 ）。除非基督徒花時間禱告，否則上帝就不能在他裡面，並藉由他有所作為。在聖經和教會歷史中，上帝所使用的人都是禱告的人。

 

Suffering --- God’s third “tool” is suffering. The Spirit of God works in a special way in the lives of those who suffer for the glory of Christ (1 Peter 4:12–19). The “fiery trial” has a way of burning away the dross and empowering the believer to serve Christ. Paul himself had experienced God’s power in that Philippian jail when he was beaten and thrust into the stocks in the inner prison, for he was able to sing and praise God in spite of his suffering (Acts 16:19–33). His “fiery trial” also enabled him to forgive the jailer. It was not the earthquake that brought conviction to the man; the earthquake almost led him to suicide! It was Paul’s encouraging word, “Don’t do it! We are all here!” (tlb). This kind of love broke the man’s heart, and he fell before Paul asking how to be saved.

苦難 ---上帝的第三個“工具”是苦難。上帝的靈以特殊的方式，在為榮耀基督而受苦的人生活中作工（彼前  4：12-19）。 “火的試煉”有辦法燒掉渣滓，使信徒有上帝的大能事奉基督。保羅本人在腓立比監獄中受鞭打，並推入裡面木柵圍住的監獄時，也經歷上帝的大能，不怕受苦，反而歌頌讚美上帝（徒 16：19-33）。他的“火的審判”也使他寬恕了獄卒。不是地震給獄卒帶來了信念；地震差點讓他自殺！ 是保羅鼓勵的話，“不要自殺！我們都沒逃！” (tlb版本)。這種愛激動他的心，他跪在保羅面前，求問如何得救。

 

The Word of God, prayer, and suffering are the three tools that God uses in our lives. Just as electricity must run through a conductor, so the Holy Spirit must work through the means God has provided. As the Christian reads the Word and prays, he becomes more like Christ, and the more he becomes like Christ, the more the unsaved world opposes him. This daily “fellowship of his sufferings” (Phil. 3:10) drives the believer back to the Word and prayer, so that all three tools work together to provide the spiritual power he needs to glorify Christ.

上帝的話，禱告，和受苦是祂在我們生活中使用的三個工具。正如電流必須藉由電導體運行一樣，聖靈也必須藉由上帝提供的方式作工。當基督徒讀聖經和禱告時，他變得更像基督，也越像基督，未得救的世界就越反對他。每日“與祂一同受苦”（腓 3:10）驅使信徒回到上帝的話語和禱告中，從而使這三種工具共同發揮作用，提供榮耀基督所需的屬靈大能。

 

If we are to have the submissive mind, and the joy that goes with it, we must recognize that there is a purpose to achieve (God’s plan for our lives), a power to receive (the Holy Spirit), and a promise to believe.

若要擁有順服的心志，並隨之而來的喜樂，我們必須確認有一個要實現的目標（上帝為我們生命所定的計劃）、接受（聖靈）的大能，以及相信祂的應許.

 

3.  There Is a Promise to Believe (2:16–18)

3.  相信聖靈的應許（2:16-18）

 

What is this promise? That joy comes from submission. The world’s philosophy is that joy comes from aggression: fight everybody to get what you want, and you will get it and be happy. The example of Jesus is proof enough that the world’s philosophy is wrong. He never used a sword or any other weapon, yet He won the greatest battle in history—the battle against sin and death and hell. He defeated hatred by manifesting love; He overcame lies with truth. Because He surrendered He was victorious! And you and I must dare to believe His promise, “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11). “How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs” (Matt. 5:3 ph).

什麼是聖靈的應許？ 就是來自順服心志的喜樂。 屬世的哲學說喜樂是來自侵略：與每個人戰鬥以獲得你想要的東西，你就會得到它，而且快樂。耶穌的榜樣足以證明這屬世哲學是錯誤的。耶穌從不使用劍或任何武器，但祂贏得歷史上最偉大的勝利 --- 戰勝罪惡，死亡，和地獄的權勢。耶穌以愛來戰勝仇恨；祂用真理戰勝謊言。因為祂向上帝降服，祂得勝了！你我必須敢於相信祂的應許，“凡自高的，必降為卑；謙卑自己的，必升為高”（路 14:11）。 “謙卑的人有福了，因為天國是他們的”（太 5:3）。

 

There is a twofold joy that comes to the person who possesses and practices the submissive mind: a joy hereafter (Phil. 2:16) and a joy here and now (Phil. 2:17–18). In the day of Christ (see Phil. 1:6, 10), God is going to reward those who have been faithful to Him. “The joy of thy Lord” is going to be a part of that reward (Matt. 25:21). The faithful Christian will discover that his sufferings on earth have been transformed into glory in heaven! He will see that his work was not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). It was this same kind of promise of future joy that helped our Savior in His sufferings on the cross (Heb. 12:1–2).

擁有並實踐順服心志的人有雙重的喜樂：來世的喜樂（腓 2:16）和今時此地的喜樂（腓 2:17-18）。在基督的日子（見  腓 1:6，10），上帝將會獎賞那些忠於祂的人。 “享受你主人的喜樂”將成為獎賞的一部分（太  25:21）。忠心的基督徒會發現，他在地上的苦難會轉化為在天上的榮耀！會看到他的事工沒有白費（林前 15:58）。是未來喜樂的應許幫助救主能忍受在十字架上苦處（來 12:1-2）。

 

But we do not have to wait for the return of Christ to start experiencing the joy of the submissive mind. That joy is a present reality (Phil. 2:17–18), and it comes through sacrifice and service. It is remarkable that in two verses that discuss sacrifice, Paul used the words joy and rejoice—and repeats them! Most people would associate sorrow with suffering, but Paul saw suffering and sacrifice as doorways to a deeper joy in Christ.

但是，我們不必要等到基督再來，才開始體驗順服心志的喜樂。這種喜樂是現在的實存（腓  2:17-18），並且是來自於奉獻和服事。值得注意的是，在這兩節討論奉獻的經文中，保羅使用了喜樂和歡欣 --- 並重複的使用！ 大多數人會將悲傷與苦難聯繫在一起，但保羅將苦難和犧牲視為藉由在基督裡，進更深層次喜樂的大門。

 

In verse 17, Paul was comparing his experience of sacrifice to that of the priest pouring out the drink offering (Num. 15:1–10). It was possible that Paul’s trial would go against him and he would be executed. But this did not rob Paul of his joy. His death would be a willing sacrifice, a priestly ministry, on behalf of Christ and His church, and this would give him joy. “Sacrifice and service” are marks of the submissive mind (Phil. 2:7–8, 21–22, 30), and the submissive mind experiences joy even in the midst of suffering.

 

在第 17 節，保羅將他的獻祭經歷與祭司傾倒油和酒的奠祭進行比較（民  15：1-10）。保羅的判決可能會對他不利，或許會被處決。但這並沒有奪走保羅的喜樂。他的死將是自願的獻祭，是祭司的事奉，代表基督和祂的教會，這會給他帶來喜樂。 “獻祭和事奉”是順服心志的標誌（腓  2:7-8, 21-22, 30），順服的心志即使在苦難中也能體驗到喜樂。

 

It takes faith to exercise the submissive mind. We must believe that God’s promises are true and that they are going to work in our lives just as they worked in Paul’s life. God works in us through the Word, prayer, and suffering, and we work out in daily living and service. God fulfills His purposes in us as we receive and believe His Word. Life is not a series of disappointing “ups and downs.” Rather, it is a sequence of delightful “ins and outs.” God works in—we work out! The example comes from Christ, the energy comes from the Holy Spirit, and the result is—JOY!

操練順服的心志需要信心。 必須相信上帝的應許是真實的，並且會在我們的生活中運作，就像它們在保羅的生活中運作一樣。 上帝藉由聖言，祈禱和苦難在我們裡面作為，作成我們在日常生活和服事。 當我們接受並相信上帝的話語時，祂就會在我們身上實現祂的旨意。 生活不是一系列令人失望的“起起落落”。 相反，而是一系列令人喜樂的“底細”。 喜樂的源頭是，上帝的促使，藉由我們的努力作成！榜樣來自基督，大能來自聖靈，結果是 --- 喜樂！