3. Manna issue 90 - Live Life Meaningfully In The Face Of The Pandemic 面對疫情，積極度日
FF Chong—London, UK 英國倫敦 FF Chong
If there is to be a reckoning over the second coming of Christ
and the urgency to get ourselves prepared,
it has been spotlighted by the coronavirus pandemic.
As this crisis unfolds, the world seems to be at a loss on how to deal with the situation.
Many countries have placed their cities in lockdown at some point
and enforced stringent social distancing rules to suppress the spread of the virus.
Once vibrant cities have ground to an abrupt halt.
如果要指望基督再臨，
以及自己要趕緊做好準備，
已經因為新冠狀病毒流行的原故，獲得大眾關注。
隨這場危機擴散，世界似乎對於如何應對這種情況感到茫然。
許多國家已在某個時候封城，
並執行嚴格的社交距離規則，以阻止病毒的傳播。
曾經充滿活力的城市突然暫停。
One major impact of the pandemic is on mental health.
For many people, the risk of catching the disease has brought feelings of stress, anxiety, and fear.
It has led to them limiting their interactions with others and to extreme behavior such as panic buying.
Over time, we have also seen the effects on the economy,
with businesses closing down due to inactivity.
It seems that no aspect of human life has escaped unscathed,
and who knows what the future holds?
疫情主要衝擊之一，就是影響心理健康。
對許多人來說，感染這種疾病的風險，形成壓力、焦慮和恐懼感。
這種情況導致他們限制與他人的交流，並導致恐慌性採購等極端行為。
經過一段時間，我們也看到經濟的影響，
企業因為停業而倒閉。
看起來，所有人類生活層面都深受影響，
誰知道未來會怎樣？
An Honest Assessment 認真的評估
As the world grapples with the pandemic and its aftermath,
it is a good time to review our relationship with God.
While we cannot escape from this difficult situation,
we can learn the lessons that God has given to us.
The Bible assures us that our heavenly Father, the Most High God, cares for us,
and therefore we do not need to be afraid of what is happening
(Mt 24:6; Jn 14:27).
隨著世界努力應對疫情及其後果，
現在也是反省自已與神關係的好時機。
雖然我們無法擺脫這種困境，
我們可以學習神給我們的功課。
聖經向我們保證，我們的天父，至高的真神，很關心大家，
因此我們不需要害怕正在發生的事情
（太 24:6；約 14:27）。
Our Relationship with God 與神的關係
When considering our relationship with God,
we also need to reflect on our state of mind.
For the people of the world, to experience fear amid a calamity is natural.
But what about us?
For Christians, the world will always be a hostile place that poses constant challenges to our faith.
And now, in these extraordinary times,
we face additional pressures.
How we are feeling is a good barometer of the state of our faith
and whether we need to strengthen our relationship with God.
在考慮我們與神的關係的時候，
我們還要反思自己的心態。
對於世上人民來說，災難中體驗恐懼是很自然的。
但是我們呢？
對於基督徒來說，世界將永遠是一個充滿敵意的地方，不斷對我們的信仰提出挑戰。
而現在這非常時期，
我們面臨額外的壓力。
我們的情緒感受，就是我們信仰狀態，一個很好的指針，
以及提醒我們，是否需要加強與神的關係。
However, strengthening our faith will be hard
if our relationship with God is strained.
This may be the case if we did not work on our spirituality during times of peace,
or if we focused our attention on matters of the world.
Nevertheless, it is not too late to turn our focus back onto our faith
and to consider how best we can mend our relationship with God.
Once reconciled with God,
we will have more courage to face the world and the power to resist its allure.
God’s peace shall then replace fear and begin ruling in our hearts
(Col 3:15).
然而，堅定我們的信心是很困難的，
如果我們與神的關係很緊張。
可能就有這種情況，如果我們在平安的時期，不努力加強靈性，
或者，如果我們只集中注意世界的事。
儘管如此，現在將自已的注意力重新聚焦在信仰上，還為時不晚
要思考如何好好地修補我們與神的關係。
一旦能與神和好，
我們就會有更多的勇氣，可以面對世界，更有力量去抵擋誘惑。
神的平安才會取代恐懼，並開始在我們心中掌權
（西 3:15）。
Spending Time with God 與神共處
Living in a fast-paced world means we often have to juggle many things.
We could feel exhausted from, say, having to earn a living or pursuing our academic studies.
We may find that we have little time left for God
—to attend church services or for spiritual cultivation
—with the result that our faith suffers.
This, in turn, will negatively affect our ability to serve the Lord.
Trying to keep our faith afloat against the strong tide of the world can feel impossible.
生活在快節奏的世界，代表我們經常要處理很多事情。
例如，我們可能會感到精疲力盡，因為必須謀生或繼續學術研究。
我們可能會發現，留給神的時間不多，
—無法參加教會聚會或進行靈修，
—結果，我們的信仰受到影響。
這反過來，又會對我們事奉主的能力，產生負面影響。
試圖在強大的世界潮流中，保持自亡的信仰，可能感覺很難。
The lockdown has forced all of us to cease our regular routines and confined us to our homes.
This can lead to feelings of boredom, causing us to look for ways to pass the time.
If we are not careful, we may be tempted to while away the hours by watching TV dramas and movies,
or by surfing the internet mindlessly.
The latter could lead us to stray onto websites that go against the beliefs of the church.
We must take stock of the habits we have developed during this lockdown period,
and to remove those that are not helpful.
We must resolve to redeem the time and draw closer to God
(Col 4:5; Eph 5:16).
封城會迫使我們大家停止日常活動，並將我們限制在家。
這會產生無聊感，導致我們尋找方法來打發時間。
如果我們不小心，就可能會想通過看電視劇電影來消磨時間，
或者盲目上網。
上網可能會導致我們亂逛網站，而該網站會與教會信仰背道而馳。
我們必須評估自已封城期間，所養成的習慣，
並改掉那些沒有幫助的頑習。
要下定決心，善用時間來親近神
（西 4:5；弗 5:16）。
The pandemic reminds us that our life is in the hands of God.
As His children, we must spend the time we have on things that relate to God;
nothing should get in the way of our worship,
which the Bible says is the whole duty of man
(Eccl 12:13).
It means grasping hold of every opportunity to attend online services, kneeling before Him in prayer,
and searching into the word of God so that we know in Whom we have believed.
In this way, we can strengthen our heart of worship,
which will stand us in good stead even after the pandemic is over.
疫情提醒我們，生命是掌握在神的手中。
作為神的子女，必須把時間花在與神有關的事上；
沒有什麼事可以妨礙我們的敬拜神，
聖經也說，敬拜神就是人的全部責任
（傳 12:13）。
就是抓住每一次機會，參加線上聚會，跪在神面前禱告，
並查考神的道理，以便我們清楚自已所信的是誰。
只有這樣，才能堅定敬拜神的決心，
這樣才能在疫情結束後，使我們仍助益良多。
Fostering a Good Relationship with Family 營造情感緊密的家庭
Before the lockdown, some of us might not have had time for our family, giving priority to other matters.
This may have led to an emotional distance between family members
—even when living under the same roof.
As a result, we may not be aware of each other’s spiritual state,
or we may become indifferent when family members stray from God.
封城之前，我們有些人，可能沒有時間陪伴家人，優先處理其他事務。
這可能導致家陽之間的情感疏離，
—即使仍同住一個屋簷下。
結果，我們可能沒注意到彼此的靈命狀態，
或者，有家人遠離神的時候，我們可能漠不關心。
The lockdown has brought family members together physically,
creating the opportunity for us to become reacquainted with each other.
Through caring communication, we can start making an effort
to understand the spiritual condition of our family members, and willingly help each other.
Also, through regular family worship,
we can rebuild our bond of faith in Christ and ensure that it will remain strong.
封城使家人實體聚集在一起，
營造了機會讓我們重新認識彼此。
通過關心溝通，我們可以開始努力，
了解我們家人的屬靈程度，並且甘心樂意互相幫助。
此外，通過定期的家庭聚會，
我們可以重建與基督信仰的連結，並確保連繫很堅固。
Serving God in this Perilous Time 危難時代事奉神
The lockdown has removed our freedom of movement.
The way we do things during lockdown is entirely different from how we did things before.
This includes how we worship God.
Our ability to hold church services, to gather in members’ homes for Bible studies,
and to do pastoral visits has been put on hold.
But where there is a will, there is a way.
Technology and social media have enabled us to bridge the social distancing gap.
Indeed, many of us can take part in church activities online
such as daily Bible studies with other members from around the world.
Technology has also enabled us to send e-invites to friends and relatives
to join online evangelistic services.
This lockdown period is truly an excellent time
to rekindle our fire of evangelism on an individual and collective level.
It is hoped that this fervor can continue
and that it will lead to more evangelistic activity after the pandemic.
封城奪走了我們的行動自由。
我們封城期間做事的方式，與以前的做事方式完全不同。
這包括我們如何敬拜神。
我們沒有能力舉辦教會聚會，不行聚集在信徒家中查經，
並且暫停了教區內的信徒訪問。
但是有志者，事竟成。
科技和社群媒體，使我們能夠彌合社交距離的隔閡。
事實上，我們大家都可以參加線上教會活動，
例如每天與來世界各地的其他信徒一起查經。
科技還使我們能夠向親朋好友發送電子邀請函
邀請他們參與網路佈道會。
在封城期間，這確實是個好時機，
讓個人與整個群體，都重新點燃傳福音的熱情。
並希望這種熱情能夠持續下去，
並於疫情之後，引出更多的佈道活動。
Being Vigilant Against the Unseen Spiritual Pandemic 警醒面對看不見的屬靈疫病
While we are vigilant to reduce the risk to our physical well-being during this pandemic,
we need to be aware that Satan has engineered a spiritual virus, devised in the synagogue of Satan
(cf. Rev 2:9, 2:13).
Unseen and barely noticed, it is capable of inflicting widespread damage to the church globally.
The virus thrives on the imperfection of church leaders and believers,
leading people to doubt the trueness of the church and to rebel against God openly.
雖然疫情期間，我們很警戒，想要降低危害身體健康的風險，
就要知道，撒旦已經精心安排一種屬靈病毒，謀劃於撒旦的會堂中。
（參考，啟 2:9, 2:13）。
即看不見，也幾乎沒有為人注意，它能夠給全球教會強迫造成大範圍的破壞。
病毒於教會領導者和信徒的不完美中，茁壯成長，
引人懷疑教會的真實性，公然反抗神。
This situation requires us to take action
to correct based on the principles of the Bible so that we can protect the members.
As a church, we must all come before God to repent of our wrongdoings,
particularly our unfaithfulness towards God and His word
(cf. Dan 9:1–19).
We must put away all human suppositions, return to God,
and resolve to follow only what the Bible teaches.
Once we mend our broken relationship with God,
we will find that power will be restored to the church and her leaders.
With the abidance of the Lord, the church shall defeat the heretics.
這種情況要我們採取行動
根據聖經的原則進行糾正，使我們可以保護信徒。
教會的立場，我們大家都必須來到神面前，悔改自已的罪行，
特別是沒有遵從神和沒有遵守聖經的道理
（參考，但 9：1-19）。
我們必須摒棄一切人為的假設，回歸神，
並且決心只遵守聖經的教導。
一旦我們修補了與神破碎的關係，
我們會發現，教會和教會長執將恢復能力。
有主的同在，教會必能戰勝異端。
The church has an obligation to the believers:
to remind them of the Bible’s teachings relating to church organization and the Ten Articles of Faith,
making sure we reach every age group.
We need to embrace the precious doctrines with humility, honesty, and willingness.
The workers of the church should encourage the brethren
to hold fast to the pattern of sound words that God has given to the church through the Holy Spirit.
With this steadfastness,
God will unleash the power of His word to pull down strongholds and to cast down arguments
(2 Cor 10:4–5).
教會對信徒負有義務：
要提醒他們，關於教會組織和十大信條的聖經教導，
確保我們觸及每個年齡層。
我們需要以謙卑、誠實和願意的態度，持守這寶貴的教義。
教會工人應該鼓勵弟兄姐妹，
堅守神通過聖靈，賜給教會純正話語的規模。
帶著這份執著，
神會釋放祂話語的力量，來拆除堅固的營壘，駁倒爭論
（林後 10：4-5）。
It is time for us to wake up from our slumber,
to see that a plethora of demonic weapons surrounds the true church.
They include materials posted on social media,
with articles targeted to poison and corrupt the believers’ simplicity of faith.
Faced with this situation,
the church must address the issue of members
not knowing the basic beliefs of the church and their susceptibility to deception.
The church should make members aware of
the proliferation of websites and social media accounts set up by heretics and ex-workers.
She should advise members only to read materials from official church websites
and to avoid being curious about other sites that have the potential to inflict spiritual harm.
我們要從沉睡中醒來的時刻已到，
要看到有很多魔鬼武器正包圍著真教會。
這些攻擊，包括社群媒體上很多的貼文內容，
有許多文章，有意毒害和腐化信徒單純的信心。
面對這種情況，
教會必須處理這些信徒的問題，
他們不明白教會的基本信條，以對於迷惑欺騙的警覺性。
教會應該讓信徒意識到，
異端和叛教工人所建立網站，和社交媒體帳號激增。
教會應該輔導信徒，只閱讀教會官方網站上的資料內容，
並避免對可能傷害靈命的其他網站，感到好奇。
Conclusion 結論
The current COVID-19 pandemic serves as a stern warning to us.
We have been taking things for granted for too long.
We must quickly rectify our lifestyle if we are to improve spiritually,
through serious prayers and confession of our wrongs before God.
When God is our main focus,
the church will be energized to carry out His great commission to preach the gospel readily.
When God’s abiding presence is felt in the church,
it is natural for us to keep a check on one another’s faith.
Searching the word of God and praying will be the norm
—an essential part of life for every family.
目前的新冠疫情給我們發出了嚴厲的警告。
長久以來，我們一直認為很多事情是理所當然的。
如果我們要提昇靈性，就必須迅速糾正自已的生活方式，
在神面前，認真禱告和承認自已的錯誤。
當神是我們的重要焦點時，
教會將會充滿力量，可以執行神偉大的使命，隨時隨地傳福音。
當教會中感受到神的同在時，
我們自然而然，就會查看彼此的信仰。
查考神的道理，和禱告生活將成為常態，
—成為每個家庭生活中，必不可缺少的一部分。
The detrimental effects of the coronavirus
have also brought to light the devastation
caused by the spiritual pestilence created by the synagogue of Satan.
The church must avoid the risk of infection by putting measures in place
—biblically stringent measures which amount to nothing less than
a complete severance from the evil being disseminated.
We must immunize the church through the process of re-teaching the basic beliefs
to every believer and every worker,
with unceasing prayers for God’s divine intervention to save the church.
冠狀病毒的危害影響，
也揭露了，撒旦一會謀劃屬靈瘟疫產生的破壞。
教會必須採取措施，避免感染的風險
—採取嚴格符合聖經的措施，
這些方法甚至要比完全隔絕惡者傳播邪惡，更加嚴謹。
我們必須通過，給每一個信徒和工人，重新教導基本信仰的過程，
使教會免疫，
不斷禱告求神聖靈的保守，以拯救教會。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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