Manna issue 83 - Rebirth and Restoration: Canaanite Cults versus Living Water 重生與恢復：迦南地異教和活水的比較
Resist modern idols and seek true
spiritual renewal.
抵擋現代偶象，尋求真正靈性的更新
Vincent Yeung—Cambridge, UK
英國劍橋
One of the positive aspects of
travel is encountering new cultures,
and seeing things from a different
perspective. A brief encounter with a
Peruvian tour guide on the Inca Trail
left me pondering why people living in
the technologically advanced twentyfirst
century still worship Pachamama
(a fertility goddess) as the deity who
presides over planting and harvesting,
and can sustain earthly life. Things
took an even more bizarre turn in
Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala. I saw
a couple kneeling before a life-sized
wooden effigy of Maximon. The
worship of Maximon is an indigenous
folk cult which has been integrated
with the local Catholic faith. Ironically,
in the room where Maximon reposed
was a wooden statue of Jesus. For
some reason, the worshippers did not
see the contradiction.
旅行的積極面，就是會遇見許多新的國家，
從不同的角度來看事情。
在印加的小路上，與秘魯導遊的短暫相遇，
讓我想起，為何人們已經生活在21世紀，
這個科技已經非常進步的時代，
當地人仍然敬拜 Pachamama 大地之母 (生育女神)，
她是管理種植和收穫的神祇，
可以養育地上的生命。
在瓜地馬拉，聖地牙亞，亞蒂德蘭的時候，
事情卻更是奇怪的變化。
我看到一對夫妻，在一尊人身大小的馬克西蒙木雕像前，跪拜著。
馬克西蒙崇拜，是當地土著平民的邪教，
但是卻已經被整合在當地的天主教信仰中。
很諷刺的是，在供奉馬克西蒙的房間裡，
卻是耶穌的木雕像。
因為一些原因，這些拜拜的人，
並沒有看出這些矛盾的情形。
We may chuckle at the follies
of others, but syncretism—the
amalgamation of different religions
and belief systems into one—is
nothing new. It even plagued God’s
chosen people for centuries. Ezekiel
witnessed women weeping for
Tammuz in God’s temple (Ezek 8:14).
Josiah found all sorts of paraphernalia
of Baal-worship in the temple—
wooden images, sacred pillars, ritual
booths, and horses and chariots of the
sun (2 Kgs 23:4–12).
當看到別人愚蠢的行為時，
我們或許會笑笑的看著，
但是各種宗教混合在一起 -
不同宗教及信仰系統，融合成一個宗教 -
並不是什麼新的事。
這種情況，甚至讓神的選民，受苦好幾個世紀。
以西結看到婦女，在神的殿中，為巴比倫神祇搭模斯哀哭。
(結 8：14)
約西亞在聖殿中，找到各種敬拜巴力的設備 -
木像，崇拜用的木柱，進行儀式的亭子，
太陽神的戰馬和戰車。
(王下 23：4-12)
Why were God’s chosen people
influenced by these local Canaanite
cults? And what significance does this
ancient practice of syncretism hold for
us today?
為什麼神的選民受到那些迦南地異教的影響？
這種古代混合宗教活動，
對今日的我們而言，包含了什麼樣子的重要性呢？
THE CANAANITE CULTS 迦南地的異教
The Canaanite cults associated observations
of natural phenomena with
life.1 2 Spring and summer ushered
in a plenitude of food which sustains
life. The harsh winter, with its cold,
short days, brought starvation, suffering
and death. Since procreation
produces life, everything associated
with procreation served as symbols
of life: penis, semen, breast, milk.
These associations constitute the essence
of the Canaanite cults. Baal
and his consort are the god and goddess
of the earth. Ancient people believed
that these gods revitalized the
forces of nature upon which agriculture
depends. Hence, worship rituals
involved a sacred marriage which, in
turn, comprised sexual acts between
male members of the community and
sacred prostitutes dedicated to Baal.
The man represented Baal and the sacred
temple prostitutes, his consort. It
was believed that these rituals would
cause Baal to send rain to the earth,
yielding abundant harvests.
迦南地的異教，涉及到肉眼看見的生活自然現象。
(1)(2)
春天和夏天，帶來了很多的食物，
而這些食物則養育了很多的生命。
而艱苦的冬天，不但嚴寒，而且日照時間短，
伴隨著飢餓，痛苦和死亡。
因為繁殖的過程會帶來生命，
每一個和繁殖有關的事情，都被當成是一種生命的代表：
男性生殖器官，精子，乳房，奶水。
這些相關的東西，就是組成迦南地異教的本質。
巴力及其配偶，是大地的男神和女神。
古代的人相信，這些神祇會重新復甦自然的力量，
使他們可以從事農業的工作。
因此，崇拜的儀式，就與神祇的結婚儀式有關，
也就是這一群拜神的男人，一個接一個，
會與專屬供奉巴力的廟妓，發生性行為。
這些男人代表巴力，而神祇的廟妓代表了巴力的配偶。
人們都相信，這些儀式會讓巴力降雨在大地上，
讓土產有豐豐富富的產出。
1 EW Heaton, The Hebrew Kingdoms (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, Oxford, 1968), 42–48.
1 EW Heaton，希伯來的王國(牛津；牛津大學出版社，牛津市1968年)，42-48
2 JB Pritchard, ed., vol. 1 of The Ancient Near East
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1958), 119, 123, 127,
129.
2 JB Pritchard 版本，古代近東第一冊
(普林斯頓: 普林斯頓大學出版社，1958年), 119, 123, 127, 129.
These Canaanite cults proved to be
a strong attraction to the Israelites.
Many succumbed to the allurements
of the fertility-laden rituals and cultic
practices. After Joshua died, the sons
of Israel forsook God and followed
the gods of the people around them
by serving Baal and Ashtaroth3
(Judg 2:12–13). Periodically, under
the duress of a national crisis and
the guidance of God’s servants, the
Israelites would put away their idols (1
Sam 7:4). But these temporary returns
to the one true God did not last long.
Baal-worship was too entrenched in
the fabric of Israelite society.
迦南地的異教，已經証明了對以色列人很有吸引力。
許多人都屈服了這些誘惑，
因為這些誘惑來自於充滿繁殖意義的宗教儀式，及異教活動。
約書亞死去之後，以色列的子女拋棄神，
跟著那些住在他們旁邊的人拜眾神，
就是去拜亞力和亞斯他錄。
(士 2：12-13)
一段時間之後，
因為國家毀滅威脅，以及有神所揀選的僕人出來帶領，
以色列人才會放棄他們所有的偶像。
(撒上 7：4)
但是這幾次暫時性回歸到獨一真神面前，並沒有持續很久。
敬拜巴力已經很深入於以色列社會的結構之中。
The kings of Israel were not
immune to foreign religious influences
either. Solomon built a high place for
Chemosh on the hill before Jerusalem
(1 Kgs 11:7, 33) which was maintained
until the reforms of Josiah (2 Kgs
23:13). The Bible describes Omri and
his son Ahab as having “walked in all
the ways and sin of Jeroboam” (1 Kgs
16:26, 29–31).
而許多的以色列國王，
也沒有辨法免去受到外來宗教的影響。
所羅門王在耶路撒冷對面的山上，為了神祇基抹建立邱壇，
(王上 11：7，33)
這種情況一直持續到約西亞王的改革措施。
(王下 23：13)
聖經這樣描寫，
以色列王暗利王和他的兒子亞哈王的作為，
就好像"當初以色列王耶羅波安作事的方式，
及他所作一切罪惡的事"。
(王上 16：26，29-31)
Despite such dalliances with foreign
gods, the worship of the Lord in
Israel never ceased. The Canaanite
cults were not a replacement, but an
addition, to the traditional worship.
On the one hand, people still went
to the temple to offer sacrifices (Isa
1:11–13) and call on God’s name
(Jer 7:9–10). On the other hand, the
prophets prophesied by Baal (Jer 2:8).
Clearly, then, serving two masters—
God and foreign deity—was the sin
that plagued the Israelites of old.
But this practice still ensnares the
multitude today.
雖然一直與外國神祇偶斷絲連，
但是以色列敬拜真神從沒有斷過。
對於傳統宗教而言，迦南地異教不是一種取代性的宗教，
而是一種讓人上癮的東西。
一方面，人們還是會去聖殿獻祭，
(賽 1：11-13)
呼求神的名。
(耶 7：9-10)
另一方面，卻還有巴力的先知在預言。
(耶 2：8)
然後，情況很明顯的是，
以色列人在服事兩個主人 -
以色列的神及外教的神 -
就是因為這個罪，讓以前的以色列人受到苦難。
而且這種活動，仍讓許多今日的人，深陷其中。
MODERN IDOLATRY 現代的偶象
In parts of Asia, it would not be
uncommon to see devout adherents of
traditional religions bringing offerings
of fruits, flowers, or more to manmade
images of their deities. However,
this would be a rare sight in western
society. Nevertheless, worshipping
idols is not just about paying homage
to an image; for example, Paul
equated covetousness to idolatry
(Eph 5:5). As well as covetousness,
idol worship is manifested in many
other forms today. What are the
modern “Cannanite cults” that have
the potential to ensnare us?
在亞洲很多地方，我們會看見傳統宗教虔誠的信徒，
他們會準備鮮花素果來獻祭，
更甚者，也會準備人們製作出來神祇的像，
這樣的情況一點也不會不平常。
然而，這種情況在西方社會裡，就非常的少見了。
雖然如此，但偶像崇拜，不是敬拜偶像的像而已；
例如，保羅就認為，貪心就等於拜偶像。
(弗 5：5)
如同貪心一樣，
拜偶像這種情況，在今日的世界中，
會以很多不同的型式展現出來。
那麼，什麼是現今時代中，所謂的"迦南地異教"，
有能力引誘我們，讓我們深陷其中呢？
3 The plural form of Ashtoreth, or Astarte, the Canaanite
queen of heaven. Ashtaroth “became a general term
denoting goddesses and paganism.” Source: “Astarte,”
Encyclopadia Britannica, Inc., last modified November 22,
2000, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Astarte-ancientdeity.
3. 亞斯他錄 Ashtoreth 的複數型態 Ashtaroth，阿斯塔蒂 Astarte
是迦南人的天后。
亞斯他錄"成為泛指許多女神和異教的通稱"。
來源："阿斯塔蒂 Astarte"，
Encyclopadia Britannica 大英百科全書，Inc.,
最後校訂日期，2000年11月22日，
來源網址：https://www.britannica.com/topic/Astarte-ancientdeity.
Liberal Values—“Everyone did what
was right in his own eyes”
自由主義的價值觀 - "各人任意而行"
Some of us live in democracies which
allow us to do whatever we like
within the constraints of the secular
law. However, the law and public
opinion change with the passage
of time. Behaviors that were once
unacceptable have become the norm,
and vice versa. Homosexuality was
legalized in the UK in 1967, and
same-sex marriage was instituted in
2014. The USA also legalized samesex
marriage in 2015. Many people
perceive religion as something mired
in the past, with teachings that are
out of sync with modern society. This
is compounded by the information
explosion that has become integral to
our everyday lives. Besides genuine
knowledge, we are constantly
bombarded with misinformation,
extreme biased views, and values and
beliefs that are contradictory to the
church’s basic beliefs.
我們許多人生活在民主社會中，
在世俗的法律限制中，可以允許我們任意而行。
然而，律法和大眾的想法，會隨著時代的不同而有所改變。
過去曾經不能為人所接受的行為，
有一些行為也變得正常了，很多情況都像這樣。
1967年英國讓同性戀合法化，
2014年，同性婚姻也正式入憲。
美國也在2015年合法化同性婚姻。
許多人都認為宗教已經很過時了，
其中的教導都已經和現代的社會脫節了。
這種情況，會隨著資訊爆炸的情形，，
已經融入了我們的日常生活之中。
除了真正的知識之外，我們常常受到一些轟炸，
這些都是錯誤的資訊，極端偏頗的看法，
還有與教會基督信條相互矛盾的價值觀和信念。
When the Israelites settled in the
promised land, the same temptations
beset them. From just believing in
the one true God, they were exposed
to rich foreign cultures, elaborate
religious practices, and myriad foreign
gods. Seeing what the neighboring
nations did, they wanted to do the
same.
當以色列人在應許之地定居的時候，
同樣的引誘仍然困擾他們。
原來只相信獨一真神，
他們曝露在精釆豐富的外國文化，
精心準備的宗教活動，及許許多多的外國神祇。
看見其他隔壁國家作什麼事，
他們也想學。
As previously mentioned, one of
the attractions of the local Canaanite
cult was the sexual element. Sexual
acts were part and parcel of religious
activities. Adherence to this form
of religion enabled the Israelites to
legitimately indulge in licentiousness.
At Acacia Grove, the people began
to fornicate with the daughters of
Moab. To avert the plague that had
broken out among the children of
Israel, righteous Phinehas pierced
through a man and woman during
their sexual act (Num 25:1, 8). A
psalm describes the couple’s act as
“[joining] themselves to Baal of Peor”
(Ps 106:28). In the modern context,
our members are exposed to the
same enticement. Their secular peers
can cohabit, break up, start new
relationships, divorce and remarry
with impunity—and not necessarily
with just people of the opposite
gender. Such liberal, carefree norms
must seem an attractive alternative
to a restrictive biblical regimen
characterized by many “dos” and
“don’ts.”
就像之前所說的，
當地迦南異教，其中一個吸引人的地方，
就是宗教裡面包含了性相關的元素在其中。
宗教活動一部份遷涉了性行為。
伴隨著這種宗教型式，
就讓以色列人正正當當的沉迷在淫亂的行為。
以色列人在什亭的時候，
百姓開始與稱為摩押的女兒的廟妓行淫。
為了防止災難在以色列百姓當中爆發，
虔誠的非尼哈用槍刺穿了一對正在行淫的男女。
(民 25：1，8)
詩篇的作著描寫這對男女的行為，就像是
"他們與毗珥的巴力連合"。
(詩 106：28)
在現代的環境之中，同樣有這些引誘。
而世俗世界的朋友，他們可以同居，
分手，開始新的戀情，離婚，再婚，而不會有任何懲罰 -
而且這些情況，不一定就只是針對不同性別的人。
這樣的自由，不用負責的行為準則，
一定要看起來很有吸引力，
可以用來替代聖經規定嚴格的原則，
就像我們已經分門別類出來的許多教條，
"什麼可以作"，"什麼不能作"。
God warned His people not to
be assimilated by the indigenous
people. To enable His chosen people
to avoid the pernicious influence of
the Canaanites, God commanded
the Israelites to completely destroy
them—their altars, images, groves,
graven images—on entering into the
promised land (Deut 7). Intermarriage
was forbidden, lest the idolworshipping
locals turn God’s people
away from following Him. It was
emphasized time and again that the
Israelites were a “holy people” and
“special” to the Lord (Deut 7:6).
神警告她的百姓，不要被那些當地的人民所同化。
這能讓祂的選民，避免受到迦南地民族的人的影響而受害，
神命令以色列人，在進入應許之地的時候，
(申 7)
要完全消滅這些迦南地的人 -
他們的祭壇，神像圖，園子，和雕像。
通婚是被禁止的，為了避免這些拜偶像的當地人，
改變了神的子民，離開神。
一次又一次，神向百姓強調，
以色列人對神而言，
是一群"聖潔的國民，是非常"特殊的"。
In the New Testament, Paul
exhorted the believers to hold on to
the word of life, and to shine as lights
in a crooked and perverse nation (Phil
2:15–16). We must separate ourselves
from the influence of this generation
as we are of Christ; we are created in
true righteousness and holiness (Eph
4:24). The people in this world may
appear free, but they are enslaved by
sin (Rom 6:17; Col 1:13). God’s Spirit
has set us free (2 Cor 3:17); we are
empowered to make the right choice,
a choice that frees us from sin and
death (Rom 8:2).
新約保羅勸勉信徒，要堅持守住生命的道，
在這彎曲背送的世代中，好好發光。
(腓 2：15-16)
因為我們是屬於基督的，
所以一定要分別自已，不要受到這個世代的影響；
我們是依照神真理的仁義和聖潔所造。
(弗 4：24)
世上的人，看起來很自由，
但是他們卻被罪所奴役。
(羅 6：17；西 1：13)
神的聖靈，已經讓我們得到了釋放；
(林後 3：17)
所以我們得到能力可以作出正確的選擇，
這是一種可以讓我們脫離罪惡和死已的選擇。
(羅 8：2)
The co-existence of religions,
ideals and values of the world with
true faith is abhorrent to God; such
syncretic beliefs have no place in
God’s kingdom. God is a jealous God
(Ex 20:5) and demands undivided
devotion; the first of the Ten
Commandments tells us that we shall
have no other gods (Ex 20:3). The
incident at Acacia Grove caused many
to perish in the wilderness (Num 25:9;
cf. 1 Cor 10:8). This should be an
enduring warning to everyone who
has experienced the grace of God and
is baptized into Christ (1 Cor 10)—
they should not concurrently hold the
doctrine of Balaam (Rev 2:14).
真正的信仰和世上的許多宗教，想法和價值觀同時存在，
對神而言，這是可憎惡的；
這種信仰的融合，是不能存在神的國度中。
神是一位有忌妒心的神，
(出 20：5)
神所要的，是不會分心的虔誠；
十誡的第一條告訴我們，
除了神以外，我們不能有別的神。
(出 20：3)
什亭所發生的事件，讓許多人死在曠野。
(民 25：9；參考，林前 10：8)
對每個人而言，這永遠是一種警告，
由其是對耶些得神恩典的人，
那些已經受洗歸入基督的人 -
(林前 10)
他們不應該同時又服從了巴蘭的教訓。
(啟 2：14)
Variety and Innovation—“There is
nothing at all except this manna”
變化和創新 -
"除這嗎哪以外，在我們眼前並沒有別的東西。"
The Israelites complained against
Moses in the wilderness because they
found life monotonous. There was
nothing to do other than to trudge
along and eat the same food day in
and day out. God had promised them
a land flowing with milk and honey
(Ex 13:5; 33:3; Num 13:27; 14:8). But
the people lost faith in this promise,
as their minds wandered back to their
perceived good lives in Egypt (Num
11:4–6). Things came to a head when
Korah revolted, accusing Moses of
failing to lead them to the promised
land (Num 16:14).
以色列人在曠野抱怨摩西，
因為他們覺得生活很單調。
一天又一天，除了長途拔涉，吃著相同無聊的食物之外，
他們沒有其他的事可以作。
神已經應許他們，可以得到一塊流奶與蜜的應許之地。
(出 13：5；33：3；民13：27；14：8)
但是百姓卻對這樣的應許失去了信心，
因為他們的內心，回想起以前埃及地的好生活。
(民 11：4-6)
這些事情到達了極點，就導致可拉黨的反叛，
他們控告摩西，沒有帶領他們到應許之地。
(民 16：14)
Such impatience to see promises
fulfilled was repeated in Peter’s
time. People mocked Christians
and their hope in the future, asking
derisively, “Where is the promise of
His coming?” (2 Pet 3:4). Today, it
would be easy to sympathize with the
sceptics. Two thousand years have
gone by, but Jesus has clearly not
come again. No wonder people have
lost faith in this promise.
沒有耐心看到應許之地成就，
彼得時代的時候，也一再重覆。
人們會嘲笑基督徒，及他們對未來的盼望，
嘲弄地問道："什麼時候才能實現神再臨的應許呢？"
(彼後 3：4)
今日就更加容易，讓人以懷疑的想法，同情基督徒。
二千年已經過去了，但是很清楚的，耶穌沒有再來。
難道人們對這個應許，已經失去了信心。
Such disbelief extends beyond
biblical promises. There are Christian
denominations today that do not
believe in the teachings of the Bible;
some even reject the existence
of heaven and hell. Examples of
“Christian disbelief” include the
following:
這種不信的想法，已經擴大超過了聖經上的應許。
今日有些基督教派，他們不信聖經的教導；
有些人甚至已經拒絕相信有天國和地獄。
"基督徒不相信"的情況，包含如下的例子：
1. Some denominations find it
embarrassing to tell non-Christians
that they are going to hell. They thus
compromise with a Universalist view—
all humankind will be saved, even the
worst mass murderers of history; 4 this
is an increasingly popular position in
mainstream western Christianity.
1. 有些教派覺得，要告訴非基督徒會去地獄，
是很尷尬的事。
因此，他們妥協於一神普救派的說法 -
所有的人類都會得救，即使是歷史上最壞的大殺人犯；
(4)
在西方主流的基督教中，
這種說法，正逐漸受到歡迎。
2. Another group cannot accept
that the majority would be condemned
and only a handful—those who believe
and are baptized—would be saved.
They ignore the key biblical message
that Jesus died for humankind, and
all those who do not believe in Jesus
are condemned (Jn 3:18); that no-one
comes to the Father but by Jesus (Jn
14:6). Worse, this group compromises
by reasoning that the soul is not
inherently immortal—unbelievers do
not suffer eternal torment, they are
simply extinguished.5 Some modify
the concept of hell to a state of
consciousness to be suffered here on
earth.
2. 另一群教派不能接受這種說法，
他們不想信大部份的人會受詛咒，只有一小群人 -
他們信相且受洗 - 才會得救。
他們忽略了聖經主要的訊息，
耶穌為了所有的人受死，
凡是一切不相信耶穌的人，都受詛咒；
(約 3：18)
若不藉著耶穌，沒有人能到父那裡去。
(約 14：6)
更糟的是，這群人作出了妥協，
理由是靈魂本質上不是永恒的 -
沒信耶穌的人，不會永久受到折磨，
靈魂只是會消失而已。
(5)
有些人修改了地獄的概念，
說地獄只是一種在地上受苦有意識的狀態。
3. Some do not believe in the
spiritual effect of sacraments such as
water baptism. They de-emphasize
the doctrine, but keep the ritual as a
symbolic act.
3.有些人不相信聖禮的功效，例如不信洗禮的功效。
他們不再強調聖經的教導，
但只保留儀式，作為象徵性的動作。
4 “Universalism,” Encyclopadia Britannica, Inc., last
modified July 20, 1998, https://www.britannica.com/topic/
Universalism.
4."一神普救派" Encyclopadia Britannica, Inc. 大英百科全書，
最後修訂 1998年七月20日，
ttps://www.britannica.com/topic/Universalism
5 Gavin Ortlund, “J.I. Packer on Why Annihilationism Is
Wrong,” The Gospel Coalition, Inc., accessed April 25, 2017,
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/j.i.-packer-onwhy-
annihilationism-is-wrong.
5. Gavin Ortlund, “J.I. Packer 論述為何靈魂毀滅說是錯誤的"，
福音聯盟，節錄此文的時間，2017年四月25日
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/j.i.-packer-onwhy-annihilationism-is-wrong
We must thus be wary of this desire
for “fresh insights on an old faith.”
Modern heresies are prompted by the
perceived need to repackage God’s
teaching. The proponents believe
God’s messages are outdated, that
they need to be modernized to meet
the need, and gain the acceptance,
of the public at large. To them,
daily manna is boring—the “same
old” biblical teachings need to be
embellished to make them palatable
for new audiences. Like Job’s three
friends, they use human thinking
to defend God’s justice, resulting in
muddled, adulterated and confused
messages.
因此我們一定要非常小心一種想法，
就是"想在舊有的信仰之中，找到新的領悟"。
現代的異端的出現，是因著感觀的需要，
要把神的教導再重新包裝。
那些支持者認為，神的訊息已經過時了，
需要將神的訊息加以現代化，才能符合需要，
得到大部份大眾更多的支持。
對他們而言，每日嗎哪靈糧是乏味的 -
這"同樣不變的老式"聖經教條，
需要再加以美化，以使其可以讓新的目標受眾覺得很容易接受。
就像約伯的三個朋友，他們用人的想法，
要來為神的公義辯護，
結果弄得一團糟，產生了不純訊息及混亂了真理。
For instance, the heresy regarding
Satan’s self-existence developed as
people attempted to address the
question of the origin of evil. By
saying that Satan is the source of evil,
would that imply that God created
evil? To “defend” God’s absolute
righteousness and the goodness
of His creation, the explanation of
Satan’s self-existence was proposed.
Unfortunately, such reasoning is
only human thinking; the attempt
to defend God’s righteousness
ends up contradicting God’s word.
Therefore, the Bible warns us to be
on guard against “contradictions of
what is falsely called knowledge” (1
Tim 6:20b), and we must beware of
“philosophy and empty deceit…[that
is] not according to Christ” (Col 2:8).
例如，關於撒旦自存異端的出現，
就是有人想要陳述邪惡起源的問題。
因著撒旦是邪惡起源的說法，
難道這就不是在暗示，是神創造了邪惡嗎？
為了"辯護"神絕對的公義，及祂創造的良善，
就有人提出了撒旦自存這種解釋的說法。
很不幸的是，這樣的推論只是人的想法；
想要辯護神的公義，到最後變成與聖經互相矛盾。
所以，聖經警告我們，要小心警慎，
"被錯誤稱為知識的矛盾說法"，
(提前 6：20b)
我們一定要小心"哲學及空泛騙人的說法...等等，
因為這一切都不是來自於基督"。
(西 2：8)
Non-religiosity—“A faithless
generation”
不敬虔 - "沒有信仰的一代"
Jesus bemoaned the faithless
generation who had witnessed
miracles and wonders, and yet did
not believe (Mk 9:19; Lk 9:41; Mt
17:17). Today we live in an irreligious
society—a 2014 British Social
Attitudes survey found that 48.5% of
the population in England and Wales
claimed to have no religion. There is
an increase in the number of people
who not only do not practise their
faith on a regular basis, but are not
even ticking the box as a believer!
Another report claimed that for every
person they recruit, the Church of
England loses twelve followers, and
the Catholic Church loses ten.6 And
among those who label themselves
as Christian, not many are practising
their faith.
耶穌為了這沒有信心的一代而嘆息，
他們見証了神蹟奇事，然而算不相信。
(可 9：19；路 9：41；太 17：17)
今日，我們活在一個沒有信仰的社會 -
有一篇2014年，所作的英國社會態度調查發現，
48.5%的英國人，還有威爾斯這裡的人，
說自已沒有宗教信仰。
不只有很多人，他們平常不進行宗教活動，
而且問卷上，問是不是信徒的時候，他們也不打勾，
而這種人出現的情況，正逐漸的增加。
另一篇報導宣稱，他們每吸收到一個不信的人，
英國國教就會失去12信徒，而天主教就會失去10個信徒。
(6)
而且在那些會自稱是基督徒的人中間，
並沒有很多人會真正實踐他們的信仰。
6 Harriet Sherwood, “People of no religion outnumber
Christians in England and Wales - study,” The Guardian,
May 23, 2016, accessed April 21, 2017, https://www.
theguardian.com/world/2016/may/23/no-religionoutnumber-
christians-england-wales-study
6 Harriet Sherwood
"沒有宗教信仰的人，超過了英國和威爾斯的基督徒 - 研究"，
英國衛報，2016年五月23日，
節錄此文的時間，2017年四月21日
https://www.
theguardian.com/world/2016/may/23/no-religionoutnumber-christians-england-wales-study
A reason for the decline in religiosity
is the conflict between biblical
principles and the liberal attitude
and ideals of the west. As a result,
people choose to reject the Bible
and even God’s existence. To retain
public mindshare, some churches
choose to temper the tone of their
teachings; like modern corporations,
they transform to suit the taste of
the customers. Instead of proclaiming
that Jesus is the only way to salvation,
they are prepared to teach that there
is no absolute right or wrong—“it is
true if it is true to you.”
人們對宗教虔誠的心，逐漸下降的原因，
就是聖經的原則，和西方自由態度及想法，有些矛盾。
後來的結果就是，人們選擇拒絕聖經，
以及甚至是神是存在世上的想法。
為了能夠留住大家的注意力，
有一些教會選擇調和他們教會教訓的語調；
就像現代公司組織，
他們改變了，轉而去迎合客戶的口味。
不但沒有宣稱，耶穌是得救唯一的道路，
他們也準備要宣傳，沒有絕對的對與錯 -
"若對你而言是真的，那這就是真的"。
Worryingly, we have True Jesus
Church (TJC) members who want to
camouflage themselves and blend
into such liberal societies. While they
continue to maintain their belief in
the truth, they are too afraid to tell
others about the doctrines of the
church, or invite their friends and
family to evangelistic services. They
do not want to embarrass themselves
or upset their friends with “narrowminded”
teachings about the one
true church, the unacceptability of
homosexuality, and so on. Some
of them may even agree with their
non-believer friends that churches
should “preach moralism instead of
preaching Jesus,” because, after all,
religion is meant to be a force for
good in society. Paul had long warned
that people in the last days would
hold a form of godliness but deny
its power (2 Tim 3:5), leading to the
immoral behavior and distorted ethics
that we witness around us today (2
Tim 3:3-4). The Bible warns us that
God’s word brings no profit to those
who do not have the faith, believer
and non-believer alike (Heb 4:2; cf.
Jas 1:22).
另人憂心的是，我們有一些真耶穌教會的信徒，
他們想要偽裝自已，然後讓自已可以融入這樣自由的社會。
一方面，他們繼續持守著自已對真理的信靠，
同時也很害怕告訴別人，教會的教條，
也害怕邀請他們的朋友和家人，來參加佈道會。
他們不想讓自已變得很尷尬，
不想用獨一真教會，不接受同性戀，等等，
這些"心胸狹小"的教條，讓友人生氣。
他們有一些人，甚至同意沒信主朋友的說法，
教會應該"只要宣傳道德就好，而不需要去宣傳耶穌"，
因為，畢竟宗教的意義，就是要成為社會上，一股向善的力量。
保羅很早以前就警告，
末日的人，會帶著敬虔的外表，但內心裡，卻不承認神的能力，
(提後 3：5)
這種情況，導致了各種不道德的行為，扭曲的道德觀，
就像今日我們所見識到四周的情況一樣。
(提後 3：3-4)
聖經給我們警告，
神的言語，對那些沒有信心的人，
是沒有任何益處的，
不論是信徒，還是沒有信主的人，都一樣。
After settling in the promised land,
the chosen people did not expel
the Canaanites as the Lord had
commanded (Josh 1). As a result, the
same problems were perpetuated for
generations to come. God told Samuel
that from the moment His people
left Egypt, they had forsaken Him
(1 Sam 8:8). When Elijah confronted
the people and forced them to choose
between God and Baal, the people
remained silent because they could
not make up their minds (1 Kgs
18:21). This type of half-baked and
lukewarm faith has plagued God’s
elect up till today. Many secondand
third-generation TJC believers in
the western world have literally lost
faith—some no longer believe in the
true church, others believe that all
religions are the same, and some do
not even believe in God. No wonder
Paul repeatedly reminded Timothy
to guard what had been committed
to him, and hold fast the pattern of
sound words in faith and love, by the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Tim
6:20; 2 Tim 1:12–14). Only when we
set our minds to safeguard our faith,
and rely on the empowerment of the
Holy Spirit—the source of love and
faith—will we be able to uphold our
faith in the Lord.
定居在應許之地後，選民並沒有遵守神的命令，
把迦南人驅逐出去。
(書 1)
結果，同樣的問題就一直持續到接下去的好幾個世代。
神告訴撒母耳，從選民離開了埃及地一開始，
他們就拋棄了神。
(撒上 8：8)
當以利亞面對百姓，強迫他們在神和巴力之間作選擇，
百姓就保持沉默，因為他們沒有辨法下定決心。
(王上 18：21)
這種信心，半熟的餅，微溫的水，
讓神的選民受苦直到今日。
許多西方社會中，第二代第三代的真耶穌教會信徒，
早就已經失去了信仰 -
有些人不再相信真教會，另有些人相信所有的宗教都是一樣的，
而又有些人，甚至不信有神。
難怪保羅一再重覆提摩太，
要小心保守那已經交託給他的真理，
要好好持守住，那信仰和愛之中，神話語純正的規模，
所用的方式就是，隨時與聖靈同在一起。
(提前 6：20；提後 1：12-14)
只有當我們下定決心，要好好的守住自已的信仰，
依靠聖靈所賜下的力量 -
愛與信心力量的源頭 -
我們才能夠在主裡堅守住這份信仰。
Control of Destiny—“Come, let us
build ourselves a city, and a tower
whose top is in the heavens; let us
make a name for ourselves”
命運的掌控 -
"來罷！我們要建造一座城和一座塔，塔頂通天，為要傳揚我們的名"
The Canaanites believed that
they could secure their harvest by
worshipping Baal. To some extent,
ancient cultic religions were a
form of primitive science with no
methodology, in other words, pseudoscience.
Applied to modern contexts,
there are many who believe that
advances in science and technology
can secure our future, obviating the
need for religion. It has been argued
that religion is a static set of values,
whereas science is dynamic and
nothing is absolutely true. Religion
was once used to explain natural
phenomena, but science has now
replaced it. Science transfers control
of the universe into our hands, while
religion takes it away and gives it to
a higher power. Science is for people
who like facts and not interpretations,
for people who like to understand,
not to believe. Of course, the above
comparison between religion and
science is somewhat sweeping. There
are many scientists who believe in
God, and science is indeed critical
to our lives. Notwithstanding this,
there are people who trust only in
themselves, and believe their abilities
and actions enable them to manage,
if not control, their own future. They
thus feel they do not need to trust in
God; in fact, they do not need a God
at all.
迦南地的人相信，若是敬拜巴力，
就能保証有好收成。
某種程度來看，古代邪教就是一種原始科學的形式，
只是用錯了方法，換句話說，就是假科學。
若是把這個場景搬到現代的情境，有許多人相信，
科學和科技的進步，就保証未來很美好，
消除人對宗教的追求。
一直以來就有這樣的爭議，
宗教只是一套靜態的價值觀，
反而科學是動態的，並沒有什麼事物可以絕對為真。
宗教曾經被用來解釋自然界的各種現象，
但是現在科學已經取代了宗教。
科學把對於宇宙的控制權，改到我們的手中，
而宗教是把這個權力拿走，交在更高的主權手中。
科學是對那些喜愛事實的人，這些人不愛各種解釋，
卻喜愛去了解事情，而不是去相信。
當然，上面的比較方式，是有點以偏蓋全。
有許多科學家，他們都相信神，
由其在我們的生活中，科學真的對我們很重要。
儘管是這樣，仍有些人，他們只相信自已，
相信他們有能力和行為，可以讓他們自已經營自已的未來，
即使不是牢牢的控制。
因此他們覺得，自已不需要去信神；
事實上，他們一點也不需要神。
The “other gods” in the first
commandment does not just refer
to Baal or other graven images, but
represents anything that supplants
or supplements God, or dilutes our
trust towards Him. What are some of
these usurpers of God’s throne in our
hearts?
第一條誡命裡，所提到的"別的神"，
並不是只有指著巴力和其他雕刻的神像，
而是代表著一切會替代神的事物，或是增加神力的任何事物，
或是可能會讓人信靠的神祇。
在我們的內心裡，到底會有那些篡位者，
會來和神競爭我們內心的神的寶座呢？
1. Money 金錢
Money has become an idol for many.
Money itself is not evil; instead, it is
the love of money that causes man’s
downfall. For example, greed can drive
people to unlawful actions. During
His ministry, Jesus sternly warned that
“no one can serve two masters” (Mt
6:24). Inevitably, if we try to have both
God and mammon, part of our love
for God will be diverted towards the
world and its glittering pleasures (1 Jn
2:15). Money can also be a stumbling
block if it engenders in us the belief
that it can bring power, prosperity and
peace. The rich fool in Jesus’ parable
was condemned for putting his trust
in his wealth (Lk 12:15–21). Paul
warned the rich that they should not
trust in uncertain riches (1 Tim 6:17).
對許多人而言，金錢已經變成一種偶像了。
金錢本身不是邪惡；
相反的，是人們對金錢的貪婪，讓人墮落了。
例如，貪心會驅使人作出犯罪的行為。
在耶穌傳道期間，祂很嚴肅的警告，
"人不能事奉兩個主人"。
(太 6：24)
無可避免地，若我們試著同時事奉神和瑪門，
我們對神愛的一部份，就會轉向世界，及其中閃閃發光的享樂。
(約一 2：15)
金錢也可能成為拌腳石，若是金錢在我們我心中，
讓我們相信，金錢可以帶來權力，豐盛和平安。
在耶穌的比諭中，那些富有的愚昧人最後受到咒詛，
因為他們只相信自已所擁有的財富。
(路 12：15-21)
保羅也警告有錢人，
不要信任那不定的錢財。
(提前 6：17)
2. Allies 同盟
For some, their ability, authority and
alliances are their gods. The prophet
Isaiah condemned the leaders in his
time because they took refuge in the
strength of Pharaoh and his chariots
and horses, rather than trust in God (Isa
30:1–2; 31:1). As a society becomes
more developed, its institutions
necessarily become more complex in
order to meet society’s multifarious
and multifaceted needs. People in
Samuel’s time demanded a king so
that they could have someone to judge
them and fight their battles, just like
“all the [other] nations” (1 Sam 8:5,
20). Similarly, the modest apostolic
church became more institutionalized
as it transmogrified into the colossal
Catholic Church (Mt 13:32). Modern
management theories tell us that a
more sophisticated and professional
church system, comprising networks,
by-laws and governance practices,
will mobilize resources more efficiently
compared with a group of less
educated and disorganized amateurs.
However, one cannot ignore the fact
that the early church thrived despite
such amateurism, and achieved much
more than we today. Therefore, the
church must know how to balance
between “doing our best with God’s
help” and “taking matters into our
own hands.” We must be vigilant to
avoid falling into the trap of hubris
based on human sophistry.
對某些人而言，他們的能力，權力和關係，
就是他們的神。
以賽亞先知責備當時的領導者，
因為他們以法老，及其下的戰車馬兵，為避難所，
而不是信靠神。
(賽 30：1-2；31：1)
隨著社會隨得更加有發展，
其組織結構就有必要變得更加複雜，
為的就是可以滿足社會上各式各樣，各種層面的需求。
撒母耳時代的人，要求按立一位國王，
這樣，他們中間才有人可以施行審判，為他們爭戰，
就像"其他的國家一樣"。
(撒上 8：5，20)
同樣的，簡樸的使徒教會變得更加組織化之後，
使徒教會就轉變成巨大的天主教。
(太 13：32)
現在管理理論告訴我們，
當教會的組織管理系統，變得更加複雜及專業化，
包含了組織網路，章程，及管理的方法之時，
和一群沒有受教育，及有組織化業餘的人比較，
就會更有效率的動員各項資源。
然而，我們不能忽略一個事實，
早期教會雖然是沒有組織的業餘狀態，但卻很興盛，
比起今日的我們，完成更多的事情。
所以，教會一定要知道如何，
在"以神的幫助下，盡到人力"及"把事情交在自已的手中"之間，
保持平衡。
我們要警醒避免出現基於人們強詞奪理，狂妄自大的陷阱之中。
3. False teachings 錯誤的教導
Paul decried the Galatians’ turning
to another gospel (Gal 1:6), turning
to the Jewish Law (Gal 4:9) on top
of believing in Jesus. Specifically, the
Galatians were told that believing
in Jesus alone was insufficient, and
that they needed to be circumcised
to make them complete. Today,
there are people in the church who
over-interpret the Bible and add
on many rules and regulations to
biblical teachings; they believe these
rules are essential guidelines on how
they should lead their daily lives.
However, as the rules multiply, they
obscure the original and true meaning
of the teachings. Mishna Hagiga
1:8 describes the Jewish Sabbath
regulations as “mountains hanging by
a hair”—indicating that there is little
scriptural basis for many laws. We
should be mindful of human traditions
that blind us from the true meaning of
the Scripture (Mk 7:8; Mt 23:23).
保羅責備加拉太教會，改信另一種福音，
(加 1：6)
改信猶太律法，
(加 4：9)
認為律法比信耶穌更重要。
特別是，加拉太教會的人聽別人的吩咐，
單單只相信耶穌是不夠的，
他們還要接受割禮，才能得完全。
今日教會有一些人，會過度解釋聖經，
在聖經原本的教條之上，又增添了許多的原則和規定；
他們相信這些原則，就是基本的教條，
教別人要如何過日常生活。
然而，隨著這些原則越來越多，
就導致這些原則，遮掩了原來這些教條的原本真正的意思。
猶太經典 1：8 寫著猶太人安息日的規定，
"這些規定是整個宗教的基本要道"，
指的是，許多律法都有一小部份聖經的根據。
我們要注意人的傳統習俗，
會遮蓋了我們，來了解聖經真正的意思。
In short, anything that we trust and
rely on other than Jesus can constitute
an idol that pulls us away from God.
總之，若我們信任及依靠別人任何事，
而不是耶穌，
就是形成一種偶像，把我們拉離神的身邊。
RESISTING IDOLATRY,
REMEMBERING THE TRUE GOD
拒絕偶像，記住真神
The Canaanites sought rain for their
crops by worshipping Baal. But Moses
emphasized that the rains come from
the Lord (Deut 11:14, 17). He warned
the chosen people that they should
not be deceived into worshipping
other gods (Deut 11:16). God’s
people were ensnared because they
did not trust in God’s words.
迦南地的人，以敬拜巴力，為農作物求雨。
但是摩西強調，雨水是從神而來。
(申 11：14，17)
他警告選民，不要受騙，去拜別的神。
(申 11：16)
神的百姓掉入的陷阱，
是因為他們不相信神的話。
Today, we are surrounded by
people who worship foreign gods, be
it worldly riches, glamour or status,
philosophies of different kinds, or
simply dumbed-down Christian
teachings. They seek to fill the voids
in their hearts with transient and
immediate gratification. They are
temporarily satisfied but always crave
more; human desire and imagination
are bottomless pits that can never
be filled. They labor for what never
satisfies (Isa 55:2).
今日，我們身邊的人，都在敬拜異教的神，
無論世上是財富，榮華或地位，
各種不同類型的哲學思想，
還是簡化的基督教條。
他們想要去滿足內心的空虛，
最好瞬間立刻就能滿足。
雖然暫時得到滿足，但是總想得到更多；
人的慾望和想象力，就像無底洞一樣，
是永遠滿足不了的。
他們勞碌買那永遠不能讓人滿足的東西。
(賽 55：2)
So wherein lies true and enduring
satisfaction?
所以真正長久的滿足在那裡呢？
Seek Living Water 尋找活水
Jesus reminds us that physical water
can slake our thirst, but we will
thirst again (Jn 4:14). Physical water
represents all the things that man can
imagine and invent. No matter how
amazing, these earthly creations are
ultimately temporal, and will soon
lose their novelty. In contrast, the
living water that Jesus gives springs
up into everlasting life (Jn 4:14).
耶穌提醒我們，世上的水可以解我們的口渴，
但是一定會再次感到口渴。
(約 4：14)
世上的水，代表了人們可以想像發明出來的一切事物。
無論這些東西是多麼的奇妙，
這些世上創造出來的東西，最終都是短暫的，
不久之後就會讓人失去了新鮮感。
相反的，耶穌賞賜的活水，
會泉湧直到永生。
(約 4：14)
The Jews seek signs, the Greeks
seek wisdom, and the world seeks
freedom and enjoyment, but we only
have the crucified Christ. The world
ignores Jesus and has no trust in Him
or His words. As God’s chosen people
we must fully trust in Him; only He
can give life in its fullness (Jn 10:10).
猶太人尋找神蹟，
希臘人尋求智慧，
世上的人追求自由和享樂，
但我們只要有釘十字架上的基督就足夠了。
世界忽略了耶穌，不相信神，
不相信祂說的話。
身為神的選民，我們一定要全心信靠祂；
只有祂能讓我們得到生命圓滿。
God is a faithful God (Deut 7:9) and
He fulfills the promise of giving rain in
its season (Deut 28:12). Likewise, the
coming of the Messiah, and the giving
of the Spirit to all who seek Him in the
last days are God’s eternal promises
(Heb 1:1–2; Acts 1:16; 2:33). We have
every confidence that His promises
will come to fruition because God has
given us His Spirit as a guarantee (2
Cor 5:5). The latter rain has come in
the form of His Holy Spirit dwelling
in us—the living water that flows
out from our heart ushering us into
eternal life (Jn 7:37–38). We have the
abidance of God because He dwells in
us and has given His Spirit to us (1 Jn
4:13). The Spirit teaches us all things
(Jn 14:26), sanctifies us (Rom 15:16; 1
Cor 6:11), renews us (Tit 3:5), instills
God’s love in us (Rom 5:5), and sets
us free from the law of sin and death
(Rom 8:2). As a result, we are of God,
and are worthy to be called His sons
as long as we are willing to be led by
His Spirit (Rom 8:9, 14).
神是信實的神，
(申 7：9)
神會在適當的時節，完成祂的應許，降下雨水。
(申 28：12)
同樣的情況，彌賽亞的降臨，賞賜聖靈給每個末世尋求祂的人，
這一切都是神永恒不變的應許。
(來 1：1-2；徒 1：16；2：33)
我們都非常有信心，祂的應許必定會開花結果，
因為神給我們聖靈，就像是一種保証。
(林後 5：5)
晚雨，以聖靈的形式降臨，居住在我們每個人心中 -
從我們內心裡面，流出來的活水，帶領我們進入永生。
(約 7：37-38)
我們有神的同在，因為神住在我們心中，
賞賜聖靈給我們。
(約一 4：13)
聖靈會指教我們一切的事情。
(約 14：26)
讓我們可以成聖，
(羅 15：16；林前 6：11)
讓我們更新，
(多 3：5)
把神的愛澆灌在我們身上，
(羅 5：5)
將我們從罪和死亡的律之中，釋放出來。
(羅 8：2)
後來，我們是屬於神，
是值得被稱為是祂的子女，
只要我們願意被聖靈帶領。
(羅 8：9，14)
Remove False Gods and Teachings 除去假神和錯誤的教導
The post-apostolic era saw a decline
of the church as heresies crept in, and
false teachers wrought havoc. As the
revived apostolic church of the last
days, the true church must be ready
to contend for the faith (Jude 3). She
must undertake the reforms of Josiah,
removing all false teachings from
God’s temple. She must seek to be
guided by the Holy Spirit to become
the pillar and foundation of the truth.
後使徒時期，可以看見教會的袞弱，
因為異端偷偷滲入了教會，
而假教師也進行了很大的破壞。
隨著末世的使徒教會的復興，
真教會一定要準備好，為了信仰而爭戰。
(猶 3)
教會一定要約西亞王式的改革，
從神的聖殿中，移除一切虛的教導。
教會一定要尋求聖靈的帶領，
成為真理的的基礎和柱石。
On an individual basis, we must
never take our faith for granted.
There is no room for complacency.
We may have achieved great works
for the Lord but we cannot rest on
our laurels. Many who drank of the
spiritual drink from the spiritual Rock
did not make it to the promised land
(1 Cor 10:4–5). They failed to enter
into the Lord’s eternal rest because
the word they heard was not mixed
with faith (Heb 4:1–11). Therefore we
must cast away our unbelief and strive
to enter into His rest (Heb 4:10).
對個人而言，我們一定不可以把自已的信仰當成是理所當然的。
因為教會是無法容許自得意滿的。
我們或許為主完成了大工作，
但是我們不能依靠過去的榮耀。
過去許多從靈磐石，喝著屬靈活水的人，
並沒有撐到最後，進入應許之地。
(林前 10：4-5)
他們失敗了，不能進入神永遠的安息之地，
因為他們所聽到的事，並沒有帶著信心。
(來 4：1-11)
所以，我們一定要拋棄自已不信的心，
努力進入得享神的安息。
(來 4：10)
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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