Manna74-The Church as Described in the Bible 聖經中的教會
A sister finds true assurance of salvation.
一位姐妹找到真實全備的救贖
著 Lily Ng Shim—Singapore 新加坡
譯 SaSaYa
Growing up in a traditional Chinese
family, I always thought that
Christianity was a Western religion.
Although I was educated in a Catholic
school, all I knew about Christendom
were some lovely hymns that I had
learned during hymn singing classes.
自小在傳統中國家庭成長的我，一直認為基督教是西方人的信仰。
雖然我曾就讀過一所天主教學校，但就我對基督教的認知，便是我在唱詩課中所學的可愛詩歌。
In December 1980, I saw a Bible
for the first time in my life. I was
attending a school camp, and in
order to occupy myself during free
time, I read the first few chapters of
the Bible. I was left wondering why
it was so different from all the other
books that I had ever read.
在1980年12月，我在我的生命中，與聖經這本書有了第一次的相遇。
當時我參加了學校的露營，為了打發閒暇的時間，我閱讀了聖經的前幾章。
我在想，為何他和我所閱讀的其他書籍有這樣的不同呢?:
FINDING JESUS, YET DOUBTING MY SALVATION
找到耶穌，但懷疑所得的救贖
The following year, I was invited to
join a Bible study group, organized by
one of the seniors from my school.
I learned about Jesus and how He
died on the cross to save us from
our sins. I was interested to know
this Jesus personally, so I continued
to study the Bible with this senior.
It was impressed upon me that all I
needed to do was to receive Jesus
Christ into my life as my personal
Savior by saying the sinner’s prayer,
and I would receive eternal salvation.
I longed to have Jesus in my life, so
I accepted my senior’s guidance and
said the sinner’s prayer.
次年，我被邀請到一個查經小組，由我學校的一位前輩所主辦的。
我從其中學習到耶穌，是如何為拯救我們的罪來釘死在十字架上。
親自來認識這位耶穌，令我興趣盎然，因此我持續的跟著這位前輩來研究聖經。
尤其讓我印象深刻的是，只要透過罪人的禱告，來接納耶穌基督進入我的生命，讓他成為我的救主，我將獲得永遠的救贖。
我非常渴望在我的生命中有耶穌，我便接受了前輩的引導做了罪人的禱告。
Despite having said the prayer
sincerely and being assured that
saying it once was sufficient, I
often doubted my salvation. When
my cousins learned of my interest
in Christianity, they brought me
to Sunday worship services at the
Bible-Presbyterian (BP) church they
attended. However, through the
years, I repeated the sinner’s prayer
innumerable times, as I was not
convinced that I was indeed saved
into the arms of Jesus.
盡管我有由衷的禱告，且確信只要訴說一次便足夠了。但我卻仍時常懷疑我的救襩。
當時我的表兄弟們的知我對基督教有興趣，他們將我帶到他們所屬的聖經長老會進行主日崇拜服侍。
然而，這些年來，我反覆的做了罪人的禱告，只因我不認為我確實被耶穌的大能手所保護。
MEETING A GIRL FROM THE TRUE JESUS CHURCH
與一位來自真耶穌教會的女孩相遇
In January 1983, I underwent a major
operation and had to recuperate for
six months in a children’s hospital.
During part of this stay, my bed
was next to that of another girl
who was also recovering from a
similar operation. We had nothing in
common except that we were both
Christians, so we talked about our
faith in God.
在1983年1月，我接受了一個大手術，並要在兒童醫院療養6個月。
在此駐足的一段時間，我的旁邊有位進行了與我相似手術，且也正在療養的女孩。
我們倆沒有甚麼共通點，除了我們都是基督徒以外，因此我們談論我們對神的信仰。
One day, I asked her if she had
said the sinner’s prayer. She told me
that she had been baptized as a child,
at which point her sins had been
washed away, so there was no need
for her to say the sinner’s prayer. I
was bewildered that she had never
said the prayer despite having been
a believer all her life. I expressed my
concern, but she was adamant that
it was unnecessary to say the prayer.
有天，我詢問他，他是否做過罪人的禱告。
他告訴我，他在孩兒時期就受洗了，在此時他的罪就被沖洗淨了，所以對她來說不需要做罪人的禱告。
我被搞糊塗了，儘管她已成為一位信徒，但在她畢生中從未做過罪人的禱告。
我告訴她我的擔心，但她堅持地認為做這樣的禱告是不必要的。
Shortly after we were discharged
from the hospital, this girl invited
me to her church. Out of courtesy,
I accepted her invitation and joined
her family for service at the True Jesus
Church in Telok Kurau, Singapore,
one Saturday afternoon.
不久後我們都出院，那個女孩邀請我到她的教會。
出於禮貌，我接受了她的邀請，並在禮拜六下午和她的家人一起在Singapore Telok Kurau 真耶穌教會作服侍的工作。
The worship service was as solemnly
conducted as in the BP church. One
major difference was that the True
Jesus Church worshippers kneeled
and prayed individually, though at
the same time, and many prayed in
tongues.
崇拜聚會也像在聖經長老教會中進行時是非常莊嚴。
真耶穌教會和他們有一個最大的區別，真耶穌教會的崇拜是跪著且個別禱告，雖然在當下，有許多的方言此起彼落。
When the BP church pastor
learned of my visit to this church,
he was very concerned. He asked
me if I didn’t think it strange that
they called themselves the True
Jesus Church, thereby falsifying all
other churches. The pastor advised
that I should distance myself from
this church because her teachings
were unorthodox and different from
mainstream churches worldwide.
I had no reason to challenge my
pastor, so I continued worshipping
God in the BP church.
當聖經長老教會的牧師得知我去參觀這個教會，他非常的關切。
她問我是否覺得這間教會很奇怪，他們自稱真耶穌教會，因而毀謗了其他教會。
牧師勸我應該和這個教會保持距離，因為她所教導的是異端，是和世上的主流教會不同的。
我毫無理由來挑戰我的牧師，所以我持續在聖經長老教會敬拜神。
As we led very different lives, the
girl from the True Jesus Church and I
lost touch barely a year after we had
been discharged from hospital.
當我們持續我們截然不同的人生。在出院不到一年，真耶穌教會的女孩就與我失去聯繫了。
STUDYING THE BOOK OF ACTS
研讀使徒行傳
A couple of years later, a theological
student from the BP church
organized a Bible study for young
women on the Acts of the Apostles.
I was keen to be instructed in this
book, so I joined the group’s weekly
sessions. Given my outspoken and
questioning personality, I participated
vocally, albeit in a friendly manner,
asking week after week why
mainstream church practices have
changed so much since the days
of the apostles. Patiently, the Bible
study leader explained to me that
because Christendom today is very
established, it does not require the
full manifestation of the Holy Spirit,
as compared to the apostles’ era
when speaking in tongues, miracles,
signs, and wonders were required to
actively manifest the power of God.
兩三年之後，一個聖經長老會的神學生組織了年輕女性們共同研讀使徒行傳。
我非常渴望有人能指導我閱讀這本書，所以也加入每週一次的的課程。
儘管我非常的友善地發表意見，但有鑑於我那敢言且探究的個性，我每周都提出這樣的問題了，
為什麼現今主流教會的作法和過去使徒時代有如此巨大的差異呢?
讀經會的主領人不厭其煩得向我解釋，因為現今的基督教是非常成熟的，不需要聖靈充分的表現，
相比之下，使徒時代的講舌音、神蹟、標誌、奇事都是著重在體現神的大能。
When I enquired why the BP
church baptized by sprinkling of
water instead of immersion in
water, as mentioned in the Acts of
the Apostles, the Bible study leader
answered that the mode of baptism
is insignificant, because baptism itself
does not save one unto God but is
only a public proclamation of one’s
inner faith in God.
當我詢問聖經長老教會為何洗禮是用灑水，而不是像使徒行傳中那樣浸入水中呢?
讀經會的主領人回答我，洗禮的方式是不重要的，
因為洗禮本身是無法拯救人到神面前的，唯有公開承認內心是信仰神便足夠了。
The leader explained to me
that the Acts of the Apostles was
documented as a historical record of
the works of God in the early church.
Christianity has evolved into different
denominations, each imperfect on
its own and practicing a variation
of what is recorded in the Book of
Acts. When Jesus comes again, all
denominations will merge together to
become the one true perfect church,
which will then be brought into the
eternal heavenly kingdom.
主領人向我解釋，使徒行傳是紀錄神在早期教會所做工的歷史紀錄。
基督教以經演變成了不同的教派了，自身的每一個不完美之處，都確實的被記錄在使徒行傳當中。
當耶穌再臨時，所有的教派將會合而為一，成為一個完美的教會，而這一切都將被帶入永恆的天國。
IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT CHURCH 找尋完美的教會
I was not confused; I just could not
accept any of these explanations.
I could not believe that the Acts of
the Apostles had no practical value
for current-day believers apart from
being a historical reference. Is the
Bible not the word of God? Does the
Bible not say that the word of God
is living and sharper than any twoedged
sword? Then how can it be
that this biblical book is considered a
historical document only?
我並不困惑，我只是有點無法接受任何像這樣的解釋。
我無法就這樣相信，使徒行傳對現代信徒來說，是沒有任何實際價值，只是一個歷史鑑誡。
聖經難道不是神的話嗎?
聖經不是說，神所說的話是活著的，而且以任何一把雙刃劍都還銳利？
那為何還認為聖經只是一個歷史史料呢?
I decided that somewhere,
somehow, there must be a church
that practices all the teachings in
the Book of Acts. I set out Sunday
after Sunday in search of this perfect
church, attending worship services
at several Christian denominations.
Indeed, just as the Bible study leader
had said, each church practiced a
variation of the teachings in Acts,
but none embraced them fully. After
several weeks, I decided to stop
attending church altogether, because
I did not want to accept a modified
doctrine.
不知怎的，我認為一定有間教會是實行使徒行傳教導的。
我便下定決心尋找，在星期六、星期日，我開始著手尋找我心中完美的教會，在幾個教派中作了禮拜。
確實，就像查經主辦人所說，每個教會，在實行使徒們的教導時，皆有所改變，沒有全然接受的教派。
過了幾周，我決定完完全全停止參加教會，因為我不想接受這修改過的教義。
For months, I stayed home on
Sundays. I missed going to church,
but I was adamant that I would not
go anywhere until the right church
came along.
幾個月來，我周日時都待在家。
我錯過聚會，但我堅決認為，我哪裡都不去，直到正確的教會的到來。
RECONNECTING WITH MY HOSPITAL ROOMMATE 與我的醫院室友再次聯繫
One day in 1988, for no particular
reason, I remembered the Christian
girl who had slept next to me in
hospital years ago, whose parents
had once come to my neighborhood
to take me to church. I recalled that
their church had a different way of
praying, but I could not remember its
name, only that it was in Telok Kurau.
在1988年的一天，沒來由的，我想起多年前那個在醫院時在我隔壁的女孩，她的父母曾來到我家附近來帶我去他們教會。
我印象中他們禱告的方式有點不同，但我記不清那間教會的名字，只記得好像座落於Telok Kurau。
A plan came into my head: If ever
I have the opportunity to reconnect
with this girl, I will ask her to take
me to her church. I was intent on
investigating the teachings of that
church based on what I had studied
in the Book of Acts.
這時有個想法竄入我的腦海；
要是我還能和那位女孩在次聯繫上，我必會叫她帶我到他們教會。
並且我打算調查他們教會的教義，是否依據我所研讀的使徒行傳。
A few days later, this girl telephoned
me. I was both shocked and excited
by the call. We made arrangements
and, within days, she brought me
to church for worship service. In
the following weeks, I asked the
girl many questions about the Bible,
similar to those I had asked my Bible
study leader at the BP church. She
decided to arrange a regular Bible
study so that we could discuss my
questions more systematically. Every
Saturday, after worship services, I
diligently studied the teachings of
this church with the assigned youths.
幾天後，這個女孩打電話給我。
這通電話令我又震驚又興奮。
我們做了些許安排計畫，在幾天內，她將帶我到她的教會做禮拜。
在接下來的幾個星期，我像女孩詢問了許多關於聖經的問題，類似那些我在聖經長老會問主領人的問題。
她決定安排定期的聖經學習，使我們能更有系統的討論我們的問題。
每到周六，聚會結束，我與被指派來幫我的年輕人，認真的研究教會的教義。
FINDING FULL ASSURANCE OF SALVATION 找到全備的救贖
From the Bible study lessons and the
diligent reading of church literature, I
was convinced that this church is the
living church that was detailed in the
Acts of the Apostles. In September
1988, three months after my second
visit, I was baptized into the True
Jesus Church.
從聖經學習課程，以及認真閱讀聖經的文獻。
使我確信，這間教會的生活，是和使徒行傳當中所詳述的一切相同的。
在1988年9月，在我去第二次這間教會後的第三個月，我受洗於真耶穌教會了。
Before my baptism, we sang a
hymn with these lyrics:
在我洗禮前，我們所唱的一首讚美詩的歌詞:
There is a fountain filled with blood,
drawn from Immanuel’s veins …
and there may I though vile as he
[the thief], wash all my sins away ...
I do believe, truly believe, that Jesus
died for me ….
今有一處流血之泉，
從耶穌身發源；
我罪雖然像他沉重，
也能洗得潔淨。
我真相信，我定相信，耶穌為我受害；
My own words could not describe
any better what I was about to do.
At the moment I was baptized in
the blood of Jesus, He redeemed me
unto Himself. Through baptism in His
name, with the presence of the Holy
Spirit, in the living water of the open
sea, I was finally certain that my sins
had been cleansed by the blood that
Jesus shed on the cross for me.
他身我無法用任何文字來描述，我正要去作的事情是比任何事都要美好的。
在那時，我被耶穌寶血的洗禮，他將我贖回到他身邊。
透過奉他的名受洗，聖靈的存在，在大海的活水，我終於確信，我的罪已被洗淨，靠著耶穌在十字架上為我流下的寶血。
At last, I have the true and complete
assurance of the forgiveness of my
sins and a claim to the salvation that
Jesus promised to all who obey Him. I
have found the truth, the redemption
of my soul, the light of my salvation.
Hallelujah, praise be to the Lord
Jesus.
最後，我有了這份真真實實且完完全全將我的罪孽赦免的保證，和主耶穌答應要給所有敬拜他的人的救贖。
我已經找到這個救贖我靈魂、我拯救之光的真理。
哈利路亞，願一切的讚美歸於主耶穌。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
歡迎主內同靈來信加入英翻中的事工
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