Manna issue 77 - A Christ-centered Family Life 以基督為中心的家庭生活
What is our family’s common goal? 我們家庭的共同目標是什麼呢？
Vincent Yeung—Cambridge, U.K. 英國劍橋
The children gather wood, the
fathers kindle the fire, and the
women knead dough, to make cakes
… (Jer 7:18a)
18孩子撿柴，父親燒火，婦女摶麵做餅，(耶 7：18a)
This is a vivid description of a
functional family whose members
work in harmony—a dream that we
all hope to achieve. In modern society,
the activities in Jeremiah’s portrait
are no longer commonplace, but the
basic aspects of family life remain.
Parents give direction to their children,
sharing their experiences, acting as
role models, and passing on their
values, social skills and sometimes
technical skills, in order to prepare
them for independence when they
come of age. Children obey and learn
from their parents, often helping out
with household chores. Some children
even support their parents in their
livelihood. Parents and children alike
share a common goal: the social and
economic advancement of the family
as a whole.
這段經節，對一個正常發展的家庭有相當鮮明的描寫，其中的家庭成員都和睦相處-也是我們大家都希望所能擁有的夢想。
在現代社會裡，耶利米先知對家庭生活描寫是很特殊的，但是現在卻是家庭生活基本的幾個面向仍然一樣。
父母指導兒女生活的方向 ，分享他們個人的經驗，扮演一種典範的角色，
傳遞他們各種的價值觀，社會各種技能，有時候教導科技知識，為了讓兒女達到適當年紀的時候，可以自已獨立。
兒女順從，並且從父母身上學到各種知識，常常是幫忙處理家中的各種雜務。
有些小孩甚至會幫忙負擔父母的家計。
父母和小孩子雙方，都會共享相同的目標：同心一意為了讓家裡可以在社會及經濟上有所發展。
Because parents want the best for
their children, they will work hard
to give them a good education. For
some, this may mean paying for
private education so that their children
stand a better chance of entering a
top university. To prepare them for
a successful career, not only must
they excel academically, children also
need to participate in extracurricular
activities such as sports, music, speech
and drama. These develop the children
holistically, equipping them with the
right social and leadership skills.
因為父母一切都為了兒女著想，他們會努力工作，讓子女可以得到良好的教育。
對一些人來說，這就代表了付更多的學費去讀私立學校，這樣他們的小孩才可以得到更好的機會，進入頂尖的學校就讀。
為了準備讓子女們有更成功的職業，不只是要在學業上能夠超越別人，
小孩子也要參與各種課外活動，例如，運動，音樂，演講和戲劇演出。
這些可以讓小孩得到全面發展，讓他們學到真正的社會和領導方面技能。
However, everything comes with a
price—and not only in financial terms.
All these activities take time: parents
have to chauffeur their children from
lesson to lesson, waiting for them to
finish before moving on to another
appointment. Important dates are
dotted on the calendar—music exams,
concerts, sport fixtures, competitions,
etc. The tussle for time between
family, work, and church life is a
pressing issue—how often are we late
for church services or have to rush off
because of our children’s activities?
Yes, we console ourselves: “It is only
a one-off; surely God understands.”
However, as parents, should we not
look at the bigger picture? What is
our priority in life for ourselves and
our children?
然而，每一件事都有相對代價的 - 並不只有需要在財務上付出而已。
這一些所有的活動都需要花費時間：父母需要去接送小孩到每一堂上課的地方，
在他們完成課程到下一個約定的課程之前，也需要等待。
每一個重要的日子都在日曆上作了標註 - 音樂考試，音樂會，運動用品，競賽，等等。`
家庭，工作和教會之間，在時間的運用的選擇，是一個緊迫的問題 -
我們到底有多少次到教會聚會遲到了，或者是要趕著離開教會，因為小孩在聚完會之後有某些活動呢？
是的，我們安慰自已："這次只會發生一次，神會體諒的。"
然而，身為父母，難道我們不應該要看到更大的願景嗎？
為了我們自已和小孩，我們在生活中優先選擇什麼呢？
If we return to the description of
the harmonious family in Jeremiah,
we will notice that they are in fact
working together to serve, not God,
but an idol—the queen of heaven.
Are we similarly leading a life that
serves other gods rather than working
for the riches of the inheritance that
God has prepared for us?
若是我們再回頭看看，耶利米先知所說的，和睦的家庭，我們就會注意到，
事實上他們一起工作來服事，但是卻不是服事神，而是偶像 - 天國的皇后。
我們是不是也一樣，過著服事其他假神的生活，
而不是為了神為我們已經預備好，將來永生的時候，所要得到豐盛的獎賞來工作？
CELEBRATING THEIR SUCCESS 慶祝成功，但卻靜靜的悲傷
YET GRIEVING QUIETLY
We are undoubtedly proud of our
children’s achievements; indeed, the
Bible describes children as “the crown
of old men” (Prov 17:6). Children are
our support and strength (Ps 127:3–
5), and we treasure the material
things they bring to us. Consider the
gifts we receive on special occasions,
invitations to expensive restaurants,
paid-for holidays, and even the
occasional professional help from
them. Take the biblical example of
Isaac and Esau. Isaac loved Esau,
as Esau was a capable hunter and
brought Isaac the game he loved
(Gen 25:28). Isaac enjoyed these gifts
and was probably proud of Esau’s
prowess.
無可否認的，我們會對自已孩子的成就，感到非常的驕傲，聖經形容小孩就好像是"老人的冠冕"。(箴 17：6)
兒女是我們的幫助和力量(詩127：3-5)，而且我們非常重視他們帶給我們物質上的禮品。
一想到在特別場合時，我們所收到的禮物，受到邀請去享用高檔的餐廳，
或是他們出錢請我們去渡假，甚至是偶爾從他們身上得到專業上的幫助。
從聖經上例子來看，以撒和以掃。
以撒愛以掃，以掃是一個利害的獵人，並且把拿以撒愛吃的獵物給他。(創 25：28)
以撒很愛這些禮物，而且也或許對以掃的英勇感到很驕傲。
But when our children grow up,
they will lead an independent life
and do whatever they think fit, such
as in Esau’s case. When he was forty
years old, Esau took two Hittite
women as wives and his actions were
a “grief of mind” to his parents (Gen
26:34–35). Or take a look at Samson,
who demanded from his parents a
Philistine girl as his wife. His parents
could only question him timidly as to
why he wanted to marry someone
with a different belief (Judg 14:2–3).
Samson’s marriage was doomed and
ended tragically (Judg 14:20; 15:6).
但是當我們的小孩長大的時候，他們會過自已獨立的生活，作任何他們認為合宜的事情，就好像在以掃的例子一樣。
當他40歲的時候，以掃娶了2個女赫人作妻子，而他這個行為，成為他父母心裡愁煩。(創 26：34-35)
或者看看參孫，他要求父母為他娶一個腓利士女人作他的妻子。
他們父母只能瞻小的問他，為什麼他想要去聚一個不同信仰的人。(士 14：2-3)
參孫的婚姻就因此註定失敗，並且悲劇收場。
Our children could have successful
careers, yet we would have failed them
if they are not rooted in their faith,
leading a life that is not according to
the truth. Whatever material gain,
social standing, or success they have,
will not compensate for the grief
their wayward behavior will cause
us. We will have a constant sense of
guilt, frustrations, and sorrow, which
could burden us until the end of our
life. So, what should we do to ensure
our children remain steadfast in their
faith?
我們的兒女可以有成功的事業，然而我們卻可能讓他們變得失敗，
若是他們沒有在信仰上打好根基，並且過著一個沒有真理的生活。
無論他們得到什麼物質，社會地位，和成功，都無法補償他們因為任性的行為，而讓我們感到的憂傷。
我們一直都會有一股罪惡感，挫折感，以及心痛，這些都會成為我們內心的重擔直到我們生命最後的終了。
所以，到底我們應該要怎麼作，才可以確保他們的信仰一直保持堅定呢？
LIFE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE AND GOD 沒有真知識和神的生活
Jeremiah depicted a family life that
was offensive to God (Jer 7:18). There
was nothing wrong with gathering
wood, kindling a fire, or kneading
dough. However, the family was
working in unison to worship a false
deity, the queen of heaven.
耶利米先知描述了一個家庭，他們過著得罪神的生活。(耶 7：18)
事實上，撿拾木材，點燃火苗，揉出一個麵團，都沒有犯任何錯。
然而，這個家庭卻是同心合心一起動作，來敬拜假神，天國的皇后。
In modern times, the “god of
this age” blinds the minds of the
unbelieving (2 Cor 4:4). Many families
work in harmony because they pursue
the world and the things in it, the
modern day “queen of heaven.” For
this reason, God has no place in their
lives (1 Jn 2:15).
在現代社會裡，"這個時代的神祇"已經遮住了未信主之人的雙眼。(林後 4：4)
許多家庭可以和睦工作，因為他們都在追求世界和其中的一切，就是所謂現代的"天國的皇后"。
因為這個原因，在他們的生活中，已經沒有神了。
Children are molded in the image
of their parents. The innocent boys
whom Jeremiah depicted did not
know what they did was wrong; they
were simply following instructions.
When they grew up they would take
a wife and instruct their children to
gather wood to prepare sacrifices
to the idol, and thus continue the
same offence. Therefore, it is vital for
parents to provide spiritual guidance
and to walk on the right path for their
children to follow.
兒好會跟據父母的形像加以模仿。
耶利米先知，描寫了許多天真的男孩，並不知道他們的所作所為是錯誤的；他們僅僅跟據以前的教導而已。
當他們長大之後，他們就會娶一個太太，教育他們的兒女來撿拾木材，
為的是來為偶像準備祭品，就是因為這樣，一直以同樣的事來得罪神。
所以，對父母來說，這是很重要的，要能為了自已的兒女，
提供屬靈上的指引，並且走在正確的道路上，讓他們的兒女能好好的跟隨他們的腳蹤。
The spiritual backsliding in the
time of the judges was partly a
failure of parental guidance. The new
generation did not know God and
the works He had done (Judg 2:10).
Naturally, they followed their own
desires and did evil in God’s sight (Judg
2:11). Micah’s mother did not chastise
him for stealing her money; instead,
when the money was restored to her,
she used part of it to make a graven
image as if it were an offering to God
(Judg 17:1–5). Micah even anointed
one of his sons to be the idol’s priest.
This sad story shows us that the
mother lacked moral and spiritual
insight, a deficiency that was passed
on to her son and grandchildren.
在審判的時候，靈性的退步和跌倒，有一部份也是父母指導的失敗。
新的一代並不認識神，也不知道他們到底作了什麼錯事。(士 2：10)
自然而然，他們隨從自已的慾望，作一些在神眼中看為惡的事。(士 2：11)
米迦 (彌迦)的母親並沒有因為他偷錢就責罵他；
相反地，當錢歸還她的時候，她用一部份的錢，來雕刻一個像，就好像是用來獻給神的祭物。
米迦 (彌迦)甚至指定他一個小孩來成為偶像的祭司。
這個悲哀的故事告訴我們，因為這位母親缺乏道德和靈性的洞察力，
這樣一來，就把這個缺點遺傳到她的兒子和孩子身上了。
Whenever we visit True Jesus
Church (TJC) members who have
lost contact with the church, their
common responses are: “All religions
are the same; they all lead people to do
good,” or, “All churches are the same.
It is inconvenient for you to visit me; it
is easier for me to go to a local (non-
TJC) church.” It is no surprise that, in
turn, their children become influenced
by their reluctance to come to church
and will often lose their faith.
無論什麼時候，我們去訪問那些已經和真耶穌教會失去連繫的信徒，
他們通常會這麼回答："所有的宗教都是一樣的；他們都會帶領人行善"，或者，"所有的教會都是一樣的。
你來拜訪我可能很不方便；但我去參加非真耶穌教會的當地教會，會比較容易一點。"
接下來，他們的兒女因為受到他們的影響，因為他們不願來教會，就常常會失去他們的信仰，這一點並不令人驚訝。
A LIVING FAITH—EDUCATE BY EXAMPLE 活潑的信仰 - 以身作則
Perhaps we comfort ourselves that we
have done our part by taking our family
to church regularly. Our children have
gone through the religious education
(RE) system, and they should be rooted
in the faith by the time they grow up.
The responsibility of nurturing our
children’s faith appears to have been
passed on to the RE teachers. It is not
uncommon for parents to complain
to RE teachers when their children
are misbehaving. As parents, we have
not completed our duty if we simply
go through the motion of taking our
children to church. We need to reflect
on our own faith and way of life. We
need to have a faith that is manifested
in our life so that people around us
and our family are blessed.
或許我們自我安慰，我們已經盡了自已的責任，有帶領自已的家庭時常到教會去。
我們的小孩也已經接受了宗教教育，他們應該在長大的時候，已經在信仰上有根基了。
培育兒女信仰的責任，看起來已經都交給了宗教教育的老師了。
當小孩子有偏差行為的時候，常常可以看到父母跑去抱怨宗教教育的老師。
身為父母的人，我們若是只有作到有帶小孩到教會的行為，這樣並沒有盡到自已的責任。
我們要好好想想自已的信仰和生活的方式。
我們要在自已的生活中，顯示出自已的信仰，這麼一來，我們身邊的人和自已的家庭才會受到祝福。
The Bible tells us to train and teach
our children so that they will not
depart from the way when they are
older (Prov 22:6; Deut 6:7). This is a
holistic process. It starts from how we
lead our life—when we are walking,
sitting, lying, or rising up, God’s words
should be in our heart (Deut 6:6–7).
And the love of God should manifest
from our heart in all we do (Deut 6:5).
We cannot just tell our children, “Do
as I say, not as I do.” Jesus deemed
the Pharisees to be hypocrites as they
did not practice what they preached
(Mt 23:2–3). In contrast, Paul did not
just preach the gospel of salvation
and uphold the doctrines, but also
presented his way of life in Christ Jesus
as an example (1 Cor 4:7). He exhorts
us to imitate him as he imitated Christ
(1 Cor 11:1). We need to actualize this
Christ-like image in our daily living to
allow our family and other people to
see Jesus in us. This transformation
should come from within (Rom 12:2),
a character change that transcends
the outward display of piety by the
Pharisees (Mt 6:2, 5, 16).
聖經告訴我們，教養孩童，使他走當行的道，就是到老他也不偏離。(箴 22：6；申 6：7)
這是一個全面性的過程。
開始時，就看我們怎麼過自已的生活 - 無論你坐在家裡，行在路上，躺下，起來，神的話都應該存在我們的感中。(申 6：6-7)
在我們的所作所為，我們的心中應該要存在神的愛。(申 6：5)
我們不能只是告訴兒女，"照我教你的作，不要學我所作的。"
耶穌認為，法利賽人是偽善的人，因為他們自已也不實行自已所教導的事。(太 23；2-3)
相反地，保羅並沒有只是傳揚救贖的福音，或是只支持傳教條而已，
而且也在基督耶穌裡，活出他生活的方式，成為一種模範。(林前 4：7)
他鼓勵我們來效法他，就像他效法基督一樣。(林前 11：1)
我們一定要在生活中，實現這種像基督一樣的方式，讓我們的家庭和其他人，可以在我們身上看見耶穌。
這種改變應該來自內心，(羅 12：2)，是一種性格的改變，改變像法利賽人一樣虔誠外表。
Elder Peter exhorts us to answer, in
meekness and fear, those who ask us
the reason for our hope (1 Pet 3:15).
Why would anyone ask us about
our hope if we have not exhibited
this hope in our behavior? If we act,
behave, and speak like non-believers,
no one will see that we have a hope
that is different from anyone else’s.
彼得長老勉勵我們，用謙卑及敬畏的態度，來回答那些對我們的盼望有問題的人。(彼前 3：15)
若是我們沒有在行為中，展現出這樣的盼望，就怎麼可能，會有人會來問我們對未來的盼望？
若是我們作事，行為，和說話的方式都像沒信主的人一樣，就沒有人會認為我們有盼望，所以我們和別人才會有不一樣的地方。
Knowing the impact of Christian
living on our family, we need to
prioritize and refocus our life, making
room for God and cutting back on
unnecessary worldly pursuits. The
church has advocated the setting
up of a family altar for a number
of years. Worshipping God is not
confined to a few hours per week in
church; it should be our way of living.
Daily prayers, regular Bible reading
and study, and sharing spiritual
experiences gained at work and in
church, are key components of this
family altar. We should take every
opportunity to instill this way of life
and Christian values in our family
members through our day-to-day
interactions with them. Moreover,
we should create opportunities for
our family to experience God and to
receive His blessings.
知道了基督徒生活方式，對我們家庭的衝擊，我們一定要把自已的生活優先順序重新加以整理，重新加以聚焦，
把更多經的空間留給神，把一些世上不必要的追求，加以移除。
教會已經很多年都在提倡家庭祭壇的設立。
敬拜神的事，並不是只限制在每個星期花幾個小時的時間在教會裡面；敬拜神真正的方式應該是以我們的生活方式來加以呈現。
每天禱告，時常讀聖經及研究聖經，並且分享在工作中及教會裡，所得到的屬靈體會，這才是家庭祭壇最重要的部份。
我們應該要用任何機會逐漸灌輸這種生活方式，透過我們每天和家中成員的互動，把且把基督徒的價值觀，灌入我們家中。
不只如此，我們應該為自已的家庭，創造機會來體會神，並且來領受祂的祝福。
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
OUR FAMILY TO EXPERIENCE
GOD
為自已的家庭創造機會來體驗神
Faith is not simply an assent to doctrine,
as the Catholics put it. It begins with
the knowledge of God, which can be
learned during church services, Bible
study, RE classes and theological
training. However, faith is not
grounded in knowledge alone. Having
a personal relationship with God is
another matter. Our understanding of
Him begins with knowledge. But we
need to augment our knowledge with
wisdom and spiritual understanding
as we experience God on our journey
of faith. We may become discouraged
by failure and mishaps, but with trust
and perseverance, our knowledge of
Him will gradually take shape as we
walk in the Lord (Col 1:9–10). This is
why we must lead our children to not
only know God, but also to walk with
Him and develop their own personal
faith.
信仰並不是只有同意遵守教條而已，就像天主教的作法一樣。
一開始要來認識神，要在教會的聚會崇拜中來學會認識神，查經，宗教教育的課程，和神學訓練。
然而，信仰並不是只有根源於在對神的知識而已。
與神有屬於個人的關係，又是另一件事。
我們對祂的了解一開始從知識開始。
但是我們要用智慧和屬靈的體會，來擴大自已對神的知識，那麼我們才能在自已的信仰旅程中，體驗到神。
當我們遇到失敗和災禍時，或許會變得氣餒，失去了勇氣，
但是因為信靠神，一直堅持下去，我們對祂的認識，才會逐漸在我們主裡行走之中，漸漸成形。(西 1：9-10)
這也是為什麼，我們一定要帶領自已的小孩，讓他們不只認識神，也和祂一起同行，建立他們自已個人的信仰。
Jacob was brought up in a family
of faith, yet to him God was the
God of his fathers (Gen 31:5; 32:9).
His faith finally became his own
when he encountered God, and was
subsequently delivered by Him (Gen
32; 35; cf. Gen 28:21). He cleansed
himself and his household, removing
all strange gods from their midst (Gen
35:2–4). And on his deathbed, he
recalled his lifelong experience with
God, acknowledging Him as the God
who fed him throughout his life (Gen
48:15).
雅各是在一個有信仰的家庭被扶養長大，然而神對他而言，神是他父親，祖父的神。(創 31：5；32：9)
當他遇到神的時候，他的信仰最後才變成他自已的信仰，並且接下來才被神所拯救。(創 32：35；cf. 創 28：21)
他潔淨了他自已和他的全家，從他們中間，移除所有許多奇怪的神祇。(創 35：2-4)
當他快要死去躺著床上的時候，他回想起自已一生與神的經驗，
認為自已的一生，都是由神來餵養。(創 48：15)
For a positive example of how to
create opportunities for our family
to experience God, we can look to
Abraham. Hebrews 11:11 describes
Sarah as faithful because she believed
she could deliver a child when she was
past the age. However, she initially
doubted God’s promise (Gen 18:13;
17:16, 19, 21). Her faithlessness was
laid bare when Abraham unknowingly
received God (Gen 18:1–2, 14).
Abraham’s hospitality and good work
allowed Sarah to encounter God and
to reflect on her own shortcoming.
And through this experience, her faith
and trust were strengthened.
若是我們想要找一個正確的例子，想尋找如何來為我們家庭建立機會來體驗到神，我們可以看看亞伯拉罕。
希伯來書 11 章 11 說到，撒拉非有有信心，因為她相信自已可以生一個小孩，即使她已經過了生育的年紀了。
然而，她一開始也質疑神的應許。(創 18：13；17：16，19，21)
她沒有信心的情況，完全被曝露出來，當亞伯拉罕在無意之間接待了神。(創 18：1-2，14)
亞伯拉罕的善心和善行，讓撒拉有機會來遇到神，並且反省她自已的缺點。
因為有這個經驗，她的信心和信賴才得以被強化。
Additionally, Abraham’s obedience
and trust in the Lord had an impact
on his son Isaac. Abraham followed
God’s command to sacrifice his only
son, and when the angel appeared,
Abraham’s faith was reaffirmed and
Isaac experienced God firsthand (Gen
22:11). Isaac witnessed God’s power,
purpose, and good nature. In both
cases, Abraham’s obedience, good
behavior, and faith allowed his family
to personally experience God, which
in turn strengthened their faith.
除此之外，亞伯拉罕對神的順服和信靠，已經深深的影響了他的兒子以撒。
亞拍拉罕聽從神的命令，要獻上自已的獨生子，而這個時候，天使顯現，
亞伯拉罕的信心再次得到証實，而以撒自已也親自體驗到神。(創 22：11)
以撒見識到神的力量，用心良苦，及以美好旨意的本質。
在這兩個例子裡，亞伯拉罕的順服，好行為，和信心，讓他的家庭成員都可以親自體驗到神的存在，
而且接著也讓他們的信心可以加強。
CONCLUSION 結論
We should long for the immeasurable
and unfathomable treasures of God
rather than for achieving greatness in
this world. This means striving to lead
a life that is worthy of our calling, and
in such a way that brings opportunities
for our family to experience God
and develop their own relationship
with Him. The whole family works in
unison for a common goal—to serve
God and to project a Christ-like image
in our life so that our family and
friends can experience God through
us. In this way, we will have no regrets
in our old age—only sweet memories
of God’s lifelong blessings upon our
family.
我們應該渴望，不可測量，深不可測，來自於神的賞賜和財寶，
而不是想要在這個世界成就一個偉大的事業。
這就代表了，要努力去過著一種生活方式，與我們所得到神的呼召，得以相稱，
就是這樣的方式，可以把機會帶給我們自已的家人來體驗到神，並且建立他們自已與神個人的關係。
整個家庭都可以同心工作，為了一個共同的目標 - 來服事神，來把一個基督徒樣式的形象投射出來在我們的生活中，
這麼一來，我們的家人，朋友可以透過我們來體驗到神。
這個方式，在我們年老的時候，才不會後悔 -
只會記得神在我們自已的家中，賜下了一生之久的許多祝福，並且留給我們美好甜蜜的回憶。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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