11. Manna issue 82 - Against the Tide 對抗潮流
Resisting society’s wave of
pornography and sexual promiscuity.
Jachin—Singapore 新加坡 雅斤
Editor’s note: The message from this column was based on a counselling lecture,
addressed to teenagers (around ages 14
to 18) attending the short term students’ theological training course in Singapore.
編者：
本刊的資料是根據輔導講座，對象是14歲到18歲的青少年。
他們是新加坡參加學生短期神訓班的學員。
INTRODUCTION—A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE 開場 - 原則問題
During one’s adolescence, friends
play a very crucial role, and their
value systems can influence us. None
of us wants to be excluded from our
peer group. Hence good habits are
easily abandoned when we meet with
people who pressure us to abandon
our principles, to conform to their
lifestyles and practices. While caving
in to peer pressure may not always
harm us, there are areas where it is
absolutely necessary for us to maintain
an uncompromising stand and even
go against the norms of our peers.
青少年時期，朋友扮演非常重要的角色，
他們的價值觀會影響我們。
沒有人會希望自已被排除在同學朋友之外。
因此，當我們遇到別人，壓迫我們要放棄自已的原則時，
好習慣很容易就被放棄了，而去效法他們的生活方式和行為舉止。
雖然屈服事同儕壓力，或許不一定會傷害我們，
但有一些地方，我們絕對一定要堅守不妥協的立場，
即使要得罪同儕之間的共識。
During my teenage years, I had a
friend who kept bugging me, “Why
can’t you skip church just once?”
I thought very hard about how to
answer him; I could not use the Bible
because he did not even believe in the
Bible. But he finally stopped when I
told him that it was my principle. One
day, I asked him why he had stopped
questioning me. He replied, “Because
it’s your principle. Principles must be
upheld.”
青少年時期，我有一個朋友會一直吵我，
"為何你不能略過去教會一次呢？"
我認要回答祂這件事很難：
我沒法用聖經，因為他根本不相信聖經。
但是他最後停止了，當我告訴他，這就是我的原則。
有一天，我就問他為何停止質疑我了。
他回答，
"因為這是你的原則。一定要好好堅守住原則。"
LESSONS FROM NOAH 學習諾亞
A clear biblical example of one who
stood against the tide and held firmly
to his principles is Noah. In his time,
“the sons of God saw the daughters
of men, that they were beautiful;
and they took wives for themselves
of all whom they chose” (Gen 6:2).
The sons of God abandoned the
principle of marrying in the Lord; they
decided to choose wives according to
their own ideals, regardless of faith.
Imagine living in a world where all
your peers—siblings and friends in
church—married non-believers. Could
you still uphold your principle? Very
probably, we would soon conform to
popular belief and think that marriage
to someone with a different faith is
acceptable. Unlike his peers, Noah
stood his ground. This must mean
that he had married a daughter of
God. This is why the Bible describes
him as a man who found grace in the
eyes of God (Gen 6:8–9).
聖經裡有一個很清楚的例子，
他挺身而出對抗潮流，堅定持守原則，
這個人就是諾亞。
在他的時代，
2神的兒子們看見人的女子美貌，就隨意挑選，娶來為妻。
(創 6：2)
神的兒子放棄主內聯婚；
他們決定根據自已的理想，來選擇配偶，而不顧信仰。
讓我們想像住在一個世界，那裡所有你身邊的人 -
教會的弟兄姐妹和朋友 - 嫁娶未信者。
你仍會堅守原則嗎？
很有可能，我們會效法一般的想法，
認為和一個有不同信仰的人結婚，是可接受的。
而諾亞不像他當世的其他人，堅守自已的原則。
這一定代表了，他娶了神的女兒為妻。
這就是為什麼，聖經這樣描述他，
是一個在神眼前蒙恩的人。
For as in the days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day that Noah entered the
ark. (Mt 24:38)
38當洪水以前的日子，人照常吃喝嫁娶，直到挪亞進方舟的那日；
(太 24：38)
This verse may puzzle us—what
is wrong with eating, drinking, and
marrying? After all, Noah and his sons
also ate, drank, and got married. There
is nothing wrong with these activities.
However, what was wrong with the
people of the world was that they did
all of these excessively and exclusive
of God; God was not important
anymore. When God is no longer our
focal point, whatever we do can be a
sin, even activities as neutral as eating,
drinking and marrying. When we lose
sight of God in our life, everyday
actions can become distractions that
weaken our faith.
這個經節可能讓我很困擾 -
到底吃，喝，嫁娶有什麼錯呢？
畢竟，諾亞和他的眾子也吃，喝，嫁娶。
這些活動本身沒有錯誤。
然而，世上的人會犯錯的原因，
就是他們太過度從事這些活動，把神排除在外；
神對他們而言，不再重要。
當神不再是我們留意的對象，
不論我們作了什麼事，都可能是犯罪，
甚至是那些很自然的事，如吃，喝，嫁娶。
當我們生活中，忽視了神，
每天行為舉止都可能變成讓我們分心的事，
讓我們的信心軟弱。
Noah was the head of his household.
Had he decided to be like the rest of
his society, his family would have also
ended up like them too. But Noah was
different. His persistent determination
to walk with God saved his entire
household. Our actions impact those
around us; we should also follow the
path that Noah chose.
諾亞是他家的家長。
若他決定要像社會的其他人一樣，
他全家到最後，也會像其他人所遭遇的後果一樣。
但是諾亞不一樣。
他決定持續與神同行，拯救了他全家。
我們的行為會影響我們身邊的人；
我們應該也要跟隨諾亞所選的道路走。
OUR LIFE CHOICES 我們生命中的選擇
As children and teenagers, our
decision and actions are often guided
by fear of parental reprimand. But
what happens when we outgrow our
fear of parental rebuke? Would we
gradually conform to the behavior of
our peers? Consider these examples:
身為子女和青少年，
我們的決定和行為，常常因為對父母責備的恐懼而驅使。
但是當我們超越父母斥責的恐懼時，到底會發生什麼事？
我們會不會漸漸效法同伴的行為舉止呢？
想想這些範例：
‧ If your friends asked you to forego
Sabbath for a day out with them,
what would you do?
*若你的朋友要你放棄一天安息日和他們去玩，
你會怎麼作呢？
‧ If all your classmates were
cheating in a test, what would you
do?
*若全部的同學都考試作弊，你會怎麼作呢？
‧ If your boss asked you to help plan
the Christmas party for the company,
what would you do? (If you don’t
make your stand, he will repeat his
request every year.)
*若你的老闆要你幫忙為公司規劃聖誕節派對，
你會怎麼作呢？
(若你不表明自已的立場，他會一直每年要你來辨)
‧ If your boss asked for volunteers
to work on the Sabbath day, what
would you do? (If you do not
volunteer, he will probably overlook
you for promotion.)
*若你的老闆要你在安息日志願加班，
你會怎麼作呢？
(若你不自願，他或許會忽略你的昇遷)
‧ If there were no suitable marriage
prospects for you in church, what
would you do?
*若教會裡，沒有適合結婚的機會，
你會怎麼作呢？
Life is about making hard decisions.
If our friends manage to persuade us
to make a decision contrary to our
faith by saying it will be “just once,”
our foundation weakens. After that
first compromise, we are likely to
make a second, a third, and perhaps
even more. Standing our ground
comes with a price. Noah probably lost
many friends. Everyone was eating
and drinking, but Noah was the only
one who chose to worship God. Noah
was the only one who decided he was
going to walk with God his entire life.
生命就是要面對困難的決定。
若我們的朋友計劃要勸我們，
作出一個和我們信仰相反的決定，
他們會這麼說，"只有一次而已"，
我們的立場就軟化了。
在作出第一次妥協之後，
我們很可能就會有第二次讓步，第三次，
或許更多次。
要堅守自已的立場，是有其代價的。
諾亞或許失去了許多朋友。
大家都在吃，喝，而諾亞是唯一的一個人，
選擇了要敬拜神。
諾亞是唯一的一個人，決定要用一生與神同行。
Besides our peers, time is
another form of pressure testing
our determination to uphold God’s
principles. For example, we may be
able to cling tightly to the principle
of marriage in the Lord when youth is
on our side. But if potential marriage
partners in church have decided they
are incompatible with you, and the
man/woman of your dreams appears,
outside of church, and pursues you
passionately, what would you do?
Some may choose to discard biblical
principles because lifelong loneliness
is too heavy a price. But it is really a
matter of perspective. When we walk
in God’s way, we walk with Him. So in
reality, we are never alone.
除了我們的同伴之外，
時間是壓力的另一種形式，
可以用來測試我們是不是有堅守神原則的決心。
例如，當自已還很年青的時候，
或許可以緊緊堅守主內嫁娶的原則。
但是，若教會內潛在的結婚對象，
他們決定你不太合適，
然而教會外，你理想的對象出現了，
並且很熱烈的追求你，你會怎麼作呢？
有些人或許會選擇忽略聖經的原則，
因為終身孤獨的代價是太過沉重了。
但這確實是一種看法。
當我們走在神的路上，我們和祂同行。
所以事實上，我們並不孤單。
But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord...Noah was a just man,
perfect in his generations. Noah
walked with God. (Gen 6:8–9)
8惟有挪亞在耶和華眼前蒙恩。...
9挪亞是個義人，在當時的世代是個完全人。挪亞與神同行。
(創 6：8-9)
Noah found grace in God’s eyes
because he stood against the ungodly
tide of his days. What are some of the
ungodly currents that characterize our
modern world?
諾亞在神的眼前蒙恩，
因為他挺身而出，對抗他當時那些不敬虔的潮流。
到底有些什麼不敬虔的潮流，
正在刻劃著現今的世界呢？
1. PORNOGRAPHY 色情
In the 21st century, pornography
appears to be an increasingly
acceptable part of life. The production
and distribution of pornographic films
are lawful in many countries,1 and have
been made more accessible via the
Internet. The allure of pornography
partly lies in its traditionally forbidden
nature. The fruit of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil may
not have been especially delicious
compared to the others, but Eve was
attracted to it—it was pleasing to her
eyes—because she was not allowed to
taste it. Similarly, many are attracted
to pornography both by its content
and the guilty thrill of accessing it.
在21世紀，色情逐漸越來越為人所接受，認為這是生活的一部份。
很多國家，都合法可以拍攝和銷售色情影片，
而且因為網際網路的原故，更加容易為人所取得。
色情的誘惑力，一部份是因為傳統上，大家就禁止色情的原故。
分別善惡樹的果子，比起其他的果子，
本來或許是沒有特別好吃，
但是夏娃受到的吸引 -
這個果子悅人眼目 - 因為她不被允許食用這種果子。
同樣的道理，許多人受到色情的吸引，
一方面是內容很吸引人，
另一方面是取得色情罪的刺激感。
According to the Bible, accessing
pornographic websites or reading
pornographic material is a sin. Sex
is good and should only be enjoyed
within a marriage. Any sexual activity
beyond the scope of marriage is a
sin. Although people who watch
pornography claim they are only
passive viewers, the Bible teaches that
if we look at a woman lustfully and
fantasize, we have already committed
adultery in our heart. Eve’s desires
were aroused by looking at the
forbidden fruit, and eventually she
succumbed to temptation. We must
withstand the sinful pleasures offered
by pornography.
根據聖經，接觸色情網站，
閱讀色情資料，都是罪。
性是美好的，只有那些已經結婚的人才能享受。
任何性行為，超出了婚姻的範圍，就是罪。
雖然看色情影片的人會說，他們只是被動的觀察者，
聖經教導我們，若我們看到女人就產生慾望，產生幻想，
我們已經在內心裡，犯姦淫了。
夏娃因為看了禁果，就引起來慾望，
到最後她屈服於這樣的引誘。
我們一定要抵擋那出於色情，所帶來的罪中之樂。
Pornographic content or
advertisements may pop up unsolicited
on our computer or mobile screens.
When we unintentionally view these,
it is not a sin. However, if we make
a deliberate decision to continue
watching, then that becomes sin.
色情內容和廣告，或許會從我們的電腦和手腦畫面中，
莫名奇妙就跑了出來。
我們無意識之間看到這些畫面，這不是罪。
1 Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography_
by_region
來源：維基百科對色情的定欺
Do not take this sin lightly and
dismiss it just because “everyone
is doing it.” Even if we dabble in
viewing pornography and experience
no adverse effects, it does not mean
that we can continue doing so without
spiritual consequences. Understand
what is at stake here—this is one of
the hooks that Satan is using to try to
reel you to his side.
不要輕乎這種罪，而忽略它，
只因為"大家都在作"。
即使我們涉人了色情影片，
也沒有感覺到任何不利的後果，
這不代表，我們可以繼續下去而沒有靈性的任何後果。
要了解到底有什麼風險 -
這是撒旦的毒勾之一，
試著把你拉到他那邊。
Recognize our addiction to pornography
認清自已會對色情上癮
Addiction means we cannot wean
ourselves off something. If we find
ourselves watching pornography on
a daily, weekly or monthly basis, we
have become addicted. If we do not
feel that we are addicted to it, it may
be because we do not think that it
is morally wrong, or we brush it off
as a naughty but harmless “habit,”
or a trivial sin. All these attitudes are
dangerous because they prolong our
addiction.
上癮的意思是，我們不能擺脫某件事。
若我們發現自已每天，每週，每月都會定期看色情的東西，
就是已經上癮了。
若我們自已覺得並沒有上癮，
有可能是因為，我們沒有認為這是道德上錯誤的事，
或是遮掩了罪，認為這是一種頑皮而無傷的"習慣"，
或只是一種小罪而已。
這一切的態度，都很危險，
因為這些態度會加深我們的上癮。
Addicts are often trapped in a
vicious circle of guilt and helplessness.
For instance, we feel guilty indulging
in our pornography habit. So we stop.
But we miss the “kick” it gives us so
we go back to it, which makes us feel
guilty all over again. We are miserable,
but we cannot stop sinning—therein
lies the devil’s hold over us.
上癮的人，常常陷入這種罪和無助的惡性循環。
例如，沉溺在看色情習慣中，會覺得有罪惡感。
所以我們停下來。
但我們常會忽略了它帶來的"衝擊"，
所以我們又回頭了，
因為這樣，所以我們再一次循環，又感到罪惡感。
我們很可悲，但是卻不能停止犯罪 -
在其中有著魔鬼對我們的控制。
In the wilderness, God provided
sustenance for Israel through manna.
God did not give them meat because
He was training them. But the
Israelites and the mixed multitude had
an intense craving for meat. Instead
of overcoming this and being thankful
to God for His providence, they
yielded to their lusts, and cried for
meat (Num 11:4–35). The final result
was death because they incurred the
Lord’s anger (Num 11:33). Therefore,
if we have an intense craving for
pornography (or anything sinful),
we must starve it! Yielding to these
intense desires will most certainly lead
to our spiritual death. Our friends
may enjoy pornographic material,
and even pass it around. But we must
remember Noah—stand against the
tide and reject these worldly trending
practices.
在曠野中，神用嗎哪給以色列人，提供食物。
神沒有給他們肉，因為神在訓練他們。
但是以色列人，這群混雜的群眾，
對吃肉有很強烈的慾望。
以色列人沒有去克服這個弱點，
感謝神給他們的安排，他們屈服了自已的慾望，
大聲哭求神賜給他們肉吃。
(民 11：4-35)
而最後帶來的結果就是死亡，
因為他們引起了神的憤怒。
所以，若我們很渴望接觸色情的東西，
(或其他任何犯罪的事)。
我們一定要扼止這種慾望的發展。
屈服於這種強烈的慾望，
很有可能會導致我們靈命的死亡。
我們的朋友或許很喜歡色情的東西，
而且甚至會四處傳播。
但是我們一定要想起諾亞 -
挺身而出對抗潮流，
拒絕這些世上潮流的活動。
A Biblical Perspective on Pornography 聖經對色情的觀點
The word “pornography” comes from the Greek word
pornia. This is the word used in the Bible for sexual immorality.
Watching pornography does not mean we have committed
sexual immorality. But Jesus tells us that everything starts
from the heart (Mt 5:28). Not guarding our hearts may lead
us into the sin of watching pornography or, worse, sexual
immorality. And all those who practise the works of the
flesh—adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, and so
on—cannot enter heaven (Gal 5:19–21). The sanctity of
marriage must be preserved; sexual acts outside marriage
are not permissible. Looking at the nakedness of another
person (who is not married to you) is abominable in the
sight of God (Hab 2:15).
"色情"這個字，來自於希臘文 pornia。
聖經裡面用到這個字來形容姦淫。
看色情影片不代表我們就犯了姦淫了。
但耶穌告訴我們，所有事情的源頭，都來自於內心。
(太 5：28)
若不警慎自守自已的內心，
就會導致我們去犯看色情的罪，而更糟的是，
犯姦淫。
而所有的人，若作了有關肉體情慾的事，
犯姦淫，苟合，不聖潔，猥褻等等 -
就不能進天國。
(加 5：19-21)
婚姻的聖潔一定要好好保守；
婚外的性行為是不被允許的。
看著別人的裸體，(沒有和你結婚人)，
在神的眼中是可憎惡的。
Do not be numb to sin! 不要對罪惡產生麻木
Some believers—despite much
admonition—continue to think there
is nothing wrong with watching
pornography. Such recalcitrant
ignoring of God’s word is an example
of willful sinning. And when we sin
willfully, there remains no sacrifice for
sins (Heb 10:26)!
有些信徒 - 雖然有很多的警告，
一直認為看色情影片沒有什麼關係。
這樣頑抗地忽略神的言語，
是是故意犯罪的例子。
而當我們故意犯罪，
26贖罪的祭就再沒有了；
(來 10：26)
For indeed the gospel was preached
to us as well as to them; but the
word which they heard did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in
those who heard it. (Heb 4:2)
2因為有福音傳給我們，像傳給他們一樣；
只是所聽見的道與他們無益，因為他們沒有信心與所聽見的道調和。
(來 4：2)
The devil prowls and constantly
seeks opportunities to devour God’s
children (1 Pet 5:8). The serpent
spews a flood from his mouth, hoping
to sweep away and drown believers
(Rev 12:15). We must, thus, be ever
watchful and anxious; overcome this
sin of pornography and uphold His
principles so that we do not fail God’s
exam of obedience.
魔鬼在四處徘徊，一直尋找機會要吞吃神的子女。
(彼前 5：8)
這蛇從口中，吐出一片洪水，
想要把信徒沖走，淹沒。
(啟 12：15)
因此，我們一定要永遠小心和憂心；
克服這種色情的罪，堅守神的原則，
這樣我們在神給我們順服的考試中，不會失敗。
Resolve to stop! 下決心停止
Pornography addiction must be
stopped. There is no such thing as
“trying our best.” Just like people
trying to quit smoking or drug
abuse, we must go cold turkey, i.e.,
immediately break the vicious circle by
resolving to stop from today. No man
can serve two masters. We cannot
enter the kingdom of heaven if we
continue serving pornography. If we
find that we do not have the strength,
there are some general principles in
the verse below that we can apply in
our lives.
對色情上癮一定要停止。
天底下決定沒有那種事，
"我會儘量試看看"而已。
就好像是人在戒煙，或是戒毒一樣，
我們一定要全部突然就停下來。
也就是立刻打破這種惡性循環，決定從今天就開始停止。
沒有人可以事奉二個主人。
若我們一持接觸色情，就不能進入天國。
若我們發現自已沒有力量，
這裡有一些通用的原則，在下面的經節裡，
我們可以用在自已的生活中。
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue
righteousness, faith, love, peace with
those who call on the Lord out of a
pure heart. (2 Tim 2:22)
22你要逃避少年的私慾，同那清心禱告主的人追求公義、信德、仁愛、和平。
(提後 2：22)
1. Flee youthful lusts: Run away. 遠離少年的私慾：逃走
Do not put ourselves in a situation
where we are vulnerable. However,
although we may have put distance
between ourselves and the source
of sin, if there is nothing to fill the
emptiness that is in us, we will go
back to the sin. So the next step is
equally important.
不要讓自已陷入容易受到攻擊的情況。
然而，雖然我們或許會遠離罪惡的起源，
但若是沒有任何事物，可以填滿自已內心的空虛，
我們回頭走入罪惡之中。
所以下一步也同樣很重要。
2. Pursue righteousness, faith,
love and peace: Run towards God.
追求公義，信心，仁愛和和平：跑向神
Fill ourselves and our time with
something positive. We would not
be comfortable watching porn after
we have prayed for half an hour or
after reading the Bible. Our laziness
to undertake consistent spiritual
nurture is what endangers and kills
us. We have to continually run away
from sin and run towards God. We
have to fill our lives with healthy and
godly pursuits. Only God can fill that
emptiness in us.
讓我們自已把自已的內心和時間，
都放入正面的東西。
在禱告半小時或讀經之後，
若去看色情影片也不會覺得很舒服。
我們自已的懶惰，不持續進行靈修，
才是真正危害，或是殺死自已的主因。
我們要一直從罪惡之地跑開，
而回到神身邊。
我們要讓自已的生活中，充滿健康和追求敬虔的事。
只有神才能真的填滿我們內心的空虛。
3. With those who call on the Lord
out of a pure heart: Run with people
who are holy.
和那些帶著純潔內心依靠神的人在一起：
和聖潔的人一起奔跑
We may have the best
of intentions and strongest resolve,
but if we try to keep our resolution
by ourselves, we are likely to fail.
Spiritual companions can help to warn
and keep us from returning to our sin.
我們或許有最好的相法，堅定的決心，
但若我們只是依靠自已，來堅守自已的決心。
就很有可能會失敗。
屬靈的同伴可以幫忙給我自警告，
讓我們不會回到自已的罪惡之中。
Take drastic defense measures 用最激烈的防衛方式
For those who are in the process
of wading into this sin, you must
immediately activate extreme
measures to protect yourself.
For instance, if you are watching
pornography on your smartphones,
replace this with one that can just
call and send text messages. If you
are watching porn on your personal
laptops, give up the laptop or use it
only in a public area.
對那些正在走入罪惡之中的人，
你一定要立刻啟動最極端的方式，來保護你自已。
例子，若你用手機在看色情影片，
就把這個手機換掉，用那種就只能打電話和傳簡訊的電話就好。
若我們你用自已的筆電在看色情，
把這個筆電丟了，
或是只有公眾的地區才用它。
But I say to you that whoever looks
at a woman to lust for her has
already committed adultery with her
in his heart. If your right eye causes
you to sin, pluck it out and cast it
from you; for it is more profitable
for you that one of your members
perish, than for your whole body to
be cast into hell. And if your right
hand causes you to sin, cut it off
and cast it from you; for it is more
profitable for you that one of your
members perish, than for your whole
body to be cast into hell.
(Mt 5:28–30)
28只是我告訴你們，凡看見婦女就動淫念的，這人心裡已經與他犯姦淫了。
29若是你的右眼叫你跌倒，就剜出來丟掉，寧可失去百體中的一體，不叫全身丟在地獄裡。
30若是右手叫你跌倒，就砍下來丟掉，寧可失去百體中的一體，不叫全身下入地獄。
(太 5：28-30)
The Bible says that it is better
to enter heaven with our hand
chopped off than to lose our soul.
If we are unwilling to give it up, we
will not be able to stand against the
tide of our own desires. There is no
way we can stop unless we put our
minds to it. This habit of indulging in
pornography will be much easier to
overcome when we have someone
whom we trust watching over us. If
we do not feel comfortable telling the
preachers or our parents, find friends
who can keep tabs on us (and maybe
vice versa). Being accountable forces
us to be responsible.
聖經告訴我們，
若是砍掉一隻手，而可以進入天國，
而不是失去自已的靈魂。
若我們不願意放棄色情，
就不能挺身而出，抵擋自已慾望的潮流。
除非我們決定要停止，不然我們沒有方式停止。
沉溺在色情的習慣，若是有一個我們信賴的人，
可以幫忙警告我們，就比較容易克服。
若我們覺得告訴傳道或父母，覺得很不舒服，
找可以幫忙監視你的朋友，
(或是其他類似的人)
讓我們去負責，可以逼我更加有責任心。
2. SEXUAL PURITY 純潔的相愛
In the world today, sexual relations
are seen as part and parcel of dating.
Sleeping with the person you are
attracted to, sleeping with your
serious crush, sleeping with different
partners, etc.—these are deemed
acceptable between consenting
adults. But all these are unacceptable
for the true Christian. Sexual relations
outside marriage is a sin. Youths must
stand against this tide and maintain
their purity until they marry in the
Lord.
在今日的世界中，
性關係被看作是約會行程的一部份。
和你覺得很吸引你的人，
和你看見一見鐘情的人，
和不同的對象，等等，發生性關係 -
在二位互為同意的成人之間，這被人被認為是可接受的。
但是這一切，對真正的基督徒而言，是不能接受的。
婚姻外的性關係，就是罪。
年青人一定要站出來對抗這種潮流，
維持自已的純潔，直到在主裡聯婚。
The devil is a roaring lion patiently
seeking his prey. At the smallest
opportunity—when we display the
slightest inclination to yield to lust
and desire—the devil will pounce. He
is the greatest and wiliest opportunist,
so we have to be extra careful. Do not
overestimate our ability to withstand
temptation. Do not think yielding
to sexual sin only happens to other
people. Do not trust your boyfriend or
girlfriend, do not even trust yourself.
魔鬼是吼叫的獅子，很有耐心的尋找他的獵物。
即使是最微小的機會 -
當我們展現出一點點的傾向，
要屈服於自已的慾望 -
魔鬼會很兇猛的來攻擊。
Adolescent dating 青少年約會
The sin of Noah’s time was that they
married whomever they liked. God
destroyed them because of this sin!
While this seems unnecessarily harsh
in the eyes of modern liberals, God
sees much farther than man. He
knows the danger that the daughters
of men can pose to the sons of God.
If you are dating someone outside of
church, cut it off as quickly as possible.
Non-believers who do not share our
faith may not subscribe to the same
moral values as ours. Because they are
neither guided nor constrained by the
word of God, they will do whatever
seems right in their own eyes. Once
you are emotionally attached to
them, you are likely to compromise
on the church’s stand regarding
sexual purity. In particular, adolescent
romantic relationships tend to be
emotionally intense and short-lived.2
So teenagers who are in a relationship
with non-believers must cut these off,
lest they fall into a situation that they
will regret for the rest of their lives.
諾亞時代的罪惡，就是他們嫁娶自已喜歡的人。
因為這個罪，神毀滅了他們！
在現代自由派人士的眼中，似乎沒有必要這麼的嚴厲，
但神卻可以比人看到更遠的地方。
神知道人女子可以對神的兒子，造成什麼樣子的危險。
若是你和一個教會外的人約會，儘量趕快把這個關係斬斷。
未信主的人，他們和我們沒有共同的信仰，
或許不會接受和我們同樣的道德觀。
因為他們即不是由神的言語來帶領，
也沒有受到神的言語來約束，
他們會行出，在他們看中看為正的任何事情。
一旦你和他們在情感上有了連繫，
在關於性的純潔上，你就有可以會在教會所堅守的標準上，有所妥協。
特別是，青少年的感情關係，很容易情感上非常的強烈，但是卻極其短暫。
所以若和未信主有情感關係的青少年，一定要把這些關係剪除。
以色他們陷入一種情況，
他們終於會後悔作了這個決定。
Dating a church member in our
teens is also inappropriate. If we do
this, we will be susceptible to the
same temptations that dating a nonbeliever
brings. Hence, if we are
not yet ready to be married, do not
engage in activities—dating, pursuing
girlfriend-boyfriend relationships—
that provide ample opportunity to sin.
在青年年的時候，和主內信徒約會，也是不太合適。
若我們這麼作，就容易受到和未信主之人約會相同的引誘。
因此，若我們沒有準備好要結婚，
就不要啟動任何活動-如約會，尋求男女朋友的關係-
這很容易給罪惡有充足的機會。
2 Feiring, C. (1999). Other-sex friendship networks and
the development of romantic relationships in adolescence.
Journal of Youth & Adolescence, 28(4), 495–512.
2. 費林，異性友誼網路及青少年感情世界的發展。
青年和青少年的感情歷程。
Sexual activities 性行為
Teenagers in church often like to
ask what the definition of “sex” is.
Perhaps the underlying question is
“how far” they can go. The Bible
does not say what sex constitutes,
only that it is when “a man lies with
a woman.” The church’s stand is that
oral sex and mutual masturbation
are also considered sex. If you have
engaged in these, then you have no
choice but to marry the party with
whom you have indulged. Therein lies
the danger. If the other person does
not want to marry you, then you will
have to remain single and celibate for
as long as the other person is alive.
If the other person wants to marry
you but you do not want to, then
that is being irresponsible. Worse,
if you marry someone else instead,
you would have committed adultery,
which is a mortal sin.
教會的青少年，常常會問，到底什麼是"性"的定義。
或許在這問題裡面，他們想問是的，到底他們可以作到"什麼地步"。
聖經沒有說，到底性的組成為何，
只有說，當"男人和女生躺在一起"。
教會的立場是，口交和互相自慰，也都認為是性。
若你已經作了這些事，那麼你沒有選擇，
只能和你一起放縱的人結婚了。
其中也潛藏著危險。
若另一方不想和你結婚，
那麼你就只能維持單身，
並且在對方都還活著的情況之下，一直維持禁慾。
若另一方想要和你結婚，但你不想要結婚，
那麼就是一種不負責任的事。
更糟的是，你若以和別人結婚來取代，
你就已經犯了姦淫，這是很嚴重的罪。
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that
a man does is outside the body, but
he who commits sexual immorality
sins against his own body.
(1 Cor 6:18)
18你們要逃避淫行。人所犯的，無論甚麼罪，
都在身子以外，惟有行淫的，是得罪自己的身子。
(林前 6：18)
If anyone defiles the temple of God,
God will destroy him. For the temple
of God is holy, which temple you are.
(1 Cor 3:17)
17若有人毀壞神的殿，神必要毀壞那人；因為神的殿是聖的，這殿就是你們。
(林前 3：17)
Apostle Paul tells us how seriously
God views sinning against our own
bodies, because we are His temple.
We must thus honor Him by upholding
His principle.
使徒保羅告訴我們，
神是多麼的嚴肅在看待我們犯罪，得罪自已的身體，
因為我們是祂的聖殿。
我們因此一定要堅守祂的原則，
歸榮耀給神。
Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
(Prov 6:27)
27人若懷裡搋火，衣服豈能不燒呢？
(箴 6：27)
It is often a tendency of youth to
explore the limits of our capabilities.
Similarly, teenagers like to test the
boundaries; they want to see whether
they can run all the way to the cliff’s
edge, lean over, and try not to fall
into the ravine below! However, the
reality is that those who lean over
once too often fall to their deaths;
those who play with fire will burn
themselves. An example of such risky
behavior is heavy petting. While the
couple may claim they “know when
to stop,” there may be one occasion
where it leads to oral or penetrative
sex. Therefore, do not be swayed
by arguments that “everybody is
doing it.” Do not allow yourself to be
emotionally blackmailed into physical
intimacy, and do not be afraid of
losing the other party. Teenage
romances rarely lead to marriages, let
alone long-lasting marriages.
年青人常有這個傾向，我去探索自已能力的極限。
同樣，青少年會測試自已的界限；
他們想看看，是不是可以一直跑到懸崖邊。
趴在那裡，試著不掉落下面的峽谷。
然而，事實是，那些一旦趴在危險地方的人，
常落入自已的死亡之中；
那些玩火的人，會燒到自已。
這種高風險的例子，就是性的愛撫。
雖然這二個人會說，他們"知道何時要停止"，
但有可以有機會 就會導致口交或性交。
所以，不要受到一些爭論的影響，
"認為每個人都這麼作"。
不要讓自已在情感上受到威脅，而付出肉體上親密行為，
不要害怕失去另一方。
青少年的感情，很少可以走到結婚那一步，
更不用說可以維持長久的婚姻。
Best Friends Forever? 永遠最好的朋友？
We must also be careful if we have
a best friend of the opposite gender.
While there is nothing wrong with
communicating with someone of
the opposite gender, be aware that
one-sided romantic feelings may
develop. One person’s platonic care
and concern may be misinterpreted
by the other. The principle to uphold
in this case is that we must not be a
stumbling block to our brethren (cf.
Lk 17:2). Think twice (or even three
or four times) about our actions. For
example, if someone of the opposite
gender keeps on texting you, do not
reply to every message.
我們一定也要小心，若自已有異性最好的朋友。
能和一個異性的朋友，有良好的溝通，並沒有錯，
要小心，可能會有單戀的情況會發展出來。
一個朋友柏拉圖式的關懷和關心，
可能會被別人錯誤的認知。
在這種情況，要堅守原則，
我們一定不要成為自已弟兄姐妹的絆腳石。
(參考，路 17：2)
對自已的行為，思考二次(或甚至三次，四次)。
例如，若有一個異性，一直傳簡訊給你，
不要每次都回覆她的訊息。
Minimum contact, maximum restraint 最少的接觸，最大的克制
This is the principle we should be
always guided by. We maintain
minimum contact because we do
not want to give either our carnal
desires or the devil an opportunity to
work. We exercise maximum restraint
because we have seen even ministers
of the church fall prey to sexual sin.
這就是我們應該要遵守的原則。
要維持最小的接觸，
因為我們即不想把自已慾望，
或是給魔鬼，有機會作工。
我們要盡最大的克制力，
因為我們有看過甚至是教會的負責人，
落入姦淫罪惡的陷阱中。
The Bible describes David as a man
after the heart of God. He was not
lustful. Yet, in his carelessness, he
yielded to his desires and committed
the egregious sin of sexual immorality.
This reminds us that no human is
impervious to this sin. Do not think
too highly of yourself (Rom 12:3).
Never overestimate your strength,
never underestimate your weakness.
聖經描寫大衛是一個合神心意的人。
他並不充滿慾望。
然而，在不小時的時候，
他向自已的慾望屈服了，
犯了淫亂這惡名昭彰的大罪
這點就是在提醒我們，
沒有人可以不受這個罪的影響。
不要自視甚高。
(羅 12：3)
不要高估自已的力量，
不要低估自已的軟弱。
CONCLUSION—WAIT ON GOD 結論 - 等候神
Your friends may all be dating and
enjoying their teenage romances, but
as sons and daughters of God, we
must stand firm against the tide. Do
not worry that the person you like will
be taken, or that you will be left on
the shelf. God has already prepared
someone for us, if His will is for us to
be married. There is no need to jump
the gun by dating a series of partners,
and, worse, lose our spiritual life in
the process.
你身邊的朋有，或許都在約會，
享有自已青少年的感情生活，
但身為神的子女，我們一定要站穩，抵擋這股潮流。
不要憂慮你愛的人會被娶走，
或是你會被留在貨架上。
神已經為我們，都準備好某個配偶，
若祂的旨意是，我們需要結婚。
沒有必要草草率率和一堆人約會，
而且更糟的是，在這過程中，失去靈命。
In addition, if you are ready to
engage in a serious relationship
leading to marriage, always remember
that true love waits. No partner who
honors God and loves you will force
you to indulge in sexual activities,
prohibited by the Bible. It is important
to God that you stay holy. If your
holiness is as important to you as it is
to God, you will find a way to stand
against the tide.
此外，若你準備好，要認真開始一段最終要結婚的感情關係，
只要記住，真愛是值得等待。
沒有一個尊敬神又愛你的對象，
會強迫你沉溺於聖經所禁止的性行為。
對神而言，重要的是，可以保持聖潔。
若你的聖潔，對你而言，就像對神一樣的重要，
你會將到方法站立來抵擋潮流。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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