11. Manna issue 90 - Complete Faith: Whatever God’s Will May Be 完美的信心：無論什麼是神的旨意
Hosea—Ipoh, Malaysia 馬來西亞宜保 Hosea
The Bible records the wonderful testimonies of God’s deliverance.
There was Lot, who was brought out of fire and sulphur by angels.
There was Hezekiah, whose life was extended when he was about to die.
There was Peter, who was freed from a secure prison by an angel.
And there was Paul, whose boat did not sink in the storm because God had already assured him of safety.
聖經記載了神拯救的奇妙見證。
有羅得，他被天使從火和硫磺中救出來。
有希西家王，他即將死去的時候，生命得到延長。
有彼得，被天使從嚴密堅固的監獄中釋放出來。
還有保羅，他搭的船在風暴雨中沒有沉沒，因為神確保了他的安全。
The Bible describes the outcomes for people who obeyed the commandments of God and those who did not.
We know that the former receive peace, health, and blessings in abundance.
There are many biblical examples of God’s people who received His protection, healing, and deliverance.
On the other hand, the disobedient were punished
with curses, calamities, pestilences, illnesses, and afflictions.
聖經描述了，那些遵守神誡命，以及不遵守誡命百姓的結果。
我們知道遵守誡命的人，得到了豐盛的平安、健康和祝福。
聖經有許多故事，關於神的百姓得到神的保護、醫治和拯救。
另一方面，不聽話的人受到懲罰，
有咒詛、災禍、瘟疫、疾病和苦難。
These accounts lead us to a simple equation:
as long as we keep God’s commandments, His peace and joy will definitely come upon us.
And from there, we extrapolate, as long as we make our offerings to the Lord and serve Him,
He will shower us with abundance.
Hence, many churches
—particularly megachurches
—will declare that it is impossible for those with unwavering faith in God to meet with misfortune.
Is such a theological stance correct?
這些記載，引領我們走向一個簡單的方程式：
只要我們遵守神的誡命，神的平安和喜樂就一定會臨到我們。
從那裡開始，我們推測，只要我們向主耶和華獻祭，並事奉祂，
他會給我們降下豐富的恩典。
因此，有許多教會，
—尤其是大型教會，
——會宣佈，對神有堅定信仰的人，是不可能遭遇不幸的。
這樣的神學立場是正確的嗎？
IF THIS BE SO: FAITH IN GOD AND HIS WORKS 如果是如此：要對神和聖工有信心
In Daniel chapter 3, we read how Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon,
built an enormous image of gold.
Its height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits
—approximately the height of a six- to seven-story building,
and the width of a small car.
The king then invited high officials from all over the provinces to gather before the golden image.
He commanded these people of different nations and languages
to fall down and worship the image once they heard music played from various instruments.
When that moment came, everyone except Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-Nego, the three friends of Daniel, did so.
但以理書第 3 章，我們讀到巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒，
建立了一個黃金的巨大雕像。
它高六十肘，寬六肘，
—大約六到七層樓的高度，
和一輛小汽車的寬度。
國王隨後邀請各省的高級官員，聚集在金像前。
他命令這些來自不同國家和語言的人，
一旦他們聽到各種樂器演奏的聲音，就會跪拜雕像。
到了那一刻，除了但以理的三個朋友，沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌
都這樣做了。
The enraged King Nebuchadnezzar commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego
be brought before him.
And Nebuchadnezzar said to them:
憤怒的尼布甲尼撒王下命令，要人將沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌
帶到他面前。
尼布甲尼撒對他們說：
“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,
that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?
Now if you are ready at the time
you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery,
in symphony with all kinds of music,
and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good!
But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
(Dan 3:14–15)
14沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌，
你們不事奉我的神，也不敬拜我所立的金像，是故意的麼？
15你們再聽見角、笛、琵琶、琴、瑟、笙，和各樣樂器的聲音，
若俯伏敬拜我所造的像，卻還可以；
若不敬拜，必立時扔在烈火的窯中，
有何神能救你們脫離我手呢？
(但 3：14-15)
The king gave them one last chance to choose between life and death.
But instead of submitting quickly and gratefully,
they told the powerful Babylonian monarch:
王給了他們最後一次選擇生死的機會。
但相反的，他們沒有很快又感激的屈服，
他們告訴強大的巴比倫君主：
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace,
and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”
(Dan 3:16–17, ESV)[1]
16尼布甲尼撒啊，這件事我們不必回答你；
17即便如此，我們所事奉的神能將我們從烈火的窯中救出來。王啊，他也必救我們脫離你的手；
(但 3：16-17)
In a nutshell, the three men were saying
that a second chance to choose or speak further was unnecessary.
They were prepared to die.
Nevertheless, they had full confidence in the deliverance and protection of God.
This is the kind of faith many of us have or ought to have.
What should the basis of such a faith be?
簡而言之，這三個人當時說，
第二次選擇或再次勸說的機會，已是沒有必要。
他們已經做好赴死的準備。
然而，他們對神的拯救和保護充滿信心。
這是種，我們許多人已經擁有的信仰形態，或應該要追求擁有的。
這種信仰的根基，到底應該是什麼呢？
Critically, we must have faith in God’s divine attributes and His works.
God’s attributes include love, mercy, compassion, goodness, holiness, and righteousness.
Salvation is one of the works aligned with these attributes.
Other works of God arising out of His attributes
include His creation, punishment, protection, and examination of man.
We must believe that God’s works cannot and will not contradict His divine attributes.
Since the two are inseparable, if we question God’s works,
we would essentially be questioning His attributes,
which means that we doubt Him.
In the case of Daniel’s three friends,
their response to the king reflected their unwavering faith
that the God they worshiped is the Almighty God who will deliver them.
至關重要的是，我們必須對神聖潔的本性和神的作為有信心。
神的本性包括愛、慈悲、憐憫、良善、聖潔和公義。
拯救符合這些本性，是神的作為之一。
神因著本性，進而展開其他的作為，
包括他對人的創造、懲罰、保護和查驗。
我們必須相信，神的作為不可能，也不會與祂神聖的本性互相矛盾。
既然兩者密不可分，如果我們質疑神的作為，
基本上，我們就是在質疑神的本性，
這就代表了，我們懷疑神。
以但以理的三個朋友為例，
他們給國王的回答，反應了他們堅定不移的信心，
他們所敬拜的神，是能拯救他們的全能的真神。
From the Scriptures, we have seen God deliver men thrown into the fiery furnace,
and repeatedly save His people from the hands of powerful monarchs.
When the Israelites were trapped between Egypt’s pursuing army and a deep sea,
God parted the Red Sea for them to cross.
When a man died of an illness, God raised him to life.
This is the God we worship and serve today.
We must have the faith aptly articulated as an “if this be so” faith
—the absolute conviction that God is able,
and that nothing is impossible for God.
從聖經記載，我們看到神拯救被扔進火爐的人，
並一再從強大的君王手中，拯救百姓。
當以色列人被困在埃及追兵和深海之間時，
神分開紅海讓他們走過去。
當有一個人因病去世之時，神使他復活。
這就是今日，我們所敬拜和事奉的神。
我們必須將信心恰如其分的表達清楚，正如“如果事情會這樣”的信心
—絕對相信神有能力，
對神來說，沒有什麼是不可能的。
TESTING GOD VERSUS FAITH IN GOD 比較試探神和信靠神
While we believe wholeheartedly that our God can do anything,
faith is not an excuse or opportunity for us to test God.
Matthew 4:3 records that when Jesus was hungry in the wilderness, Satan said to him,
“If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
Jesus could have easily done this.
But He not only refused to,
He also said,
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”
(Mt 4:4b).
These were the words of God
(Deut 8:3).
What Jesus said was absolutely right,
though this statement would not assuage His hunger.
However, between being hungry and testing God, Jesus chose to be hungry.
Between food and the word of God,
Jesus chose the word of God.
雖然我們一心一意，相信神可以做任何事情，
信心卻不是我們試探神的藉口或機會。
馬太福音 4 章 3 節記載，當耶穌在曠野飢餓的時候，撒但對他說：
“3你若是神的兒子，可以吩咐這些石頭變成食物。。”
耶穌很容易可以做這事。
但他不僅拒絕，
還說，
“4人活著，不是單靠食物，乃是靠神口裡所出的一切話。”
(太 4：4b)。
這些是神的道理。
(申 8：3)。
耶穌說的完全正確，
儘管這句話並不能緩解他的飢餓感。
然而，在飢餓及考驗神之間，耶穌選擇了飢餓。
在食物和神的道理兩者之間，
耶穌選擇了神的道理。
It was not that God lacked power,
or that there was a problem with Jesus’ faith.
However, believing in the heavenly Father and the Father’s power
did not mean that Jesus could test God.
Satan challenged Jesus to turn the stones into food to prove He really was God’s Son.
But Jesus was not led by the flesh.
Nor did He allow hunger to impair His judgment.
He knew that if He fell for Satan’s ploy and turned the stones into bread,
He would have tested God and dishonored His holy name.
不是神沒有能力，
或是耶穌的信仰有問題。
然而，相信天父，天父的權能，
並不代表，耶穌可以試探神。
撒但挑釁耶穌，去把石頭變成食物，以證明他真的是神的兒子。
但耶穌沒有被肉體誘惑的。
他也沒有讓飢餓影響了他的判斷力。
他知道，如果他中了撒旦的詭計，把石頭變成餅，
他就是試探神，並無法榮耀神的聖名。
Imagine we were in a similar situation today:
if we lack spiritual wisdom,
we may feel the need to defend our status as the child of God.
We may be driven by a sense of bravado to respond to Satan’s challenge
—to “produce” a miracle that confirms God is with us.
We would justify to ourselves that we are protecting God’s honorable reputation.
We may also think that
such occasions are an excellent opportunity to prove our status as God’s child,
flaunt our heavenly Father’s power, and silence God’s enemy
by showing that God is protecting us.
And so we call on God, and push Him to perform the miracle we want to see,
without first reflecting whether this is the miracle God wants to perform.
In times such as these, we need to honestly ask ourselves:
What are we trying to prove?
That we are right?
Or that God is true?
想像一下，我們今天處於類似的情況：
如果我們缺乏屬靈的智慧，
我們可能覺得，有必要保衛自已身為神子女的身份。
我們可能會被一種虛張聲勢的情感驅使，去回應撒旦的挑戰，
—“制造”奇蹟，證實神與我們同在。
我們會為自己辯解，自已正在維護神的榮耀的聖名。
我們也會認為，
這樣的場合，是表明自已是神子女身份的絕佳機會，
炫耀我們天父的力量，讓神的敵人陷入沉默，
以表明神正在保護我們。
所以我們呼求神，強迫神執行我們想看到的神蹟，
而沒有事先思考，這是否是神想要施行的神蹟。
若處在這樣的時刻之時，我們需要誠實反問自己：
我們想要證明什麼呢？
是說，我們是對的呢？
還是說，神是對的呢？
When the three friends of Daniel defied the king’s command,
they were not trying to prove that they were sons of God.
They were not trying to flaunt God’s power by showing
that they would never be physically harmed.
Their starting premise was simple:
they believed that there is only one true God,
and man must not bow down to any other.
Obeying the king’s command to worship the golden image
was in direct violation of the Ten Commandments, the absolute foundation of their faith.
So their words and actions were driven not by a desire to test God,
but by a reverence for God.
當但以理的三個朋友，違抗國王的命令時，
他們並沒有想要證明，自己是神的兒子。
他們並沒有試圖，通過炫耀神的力量來展示，
他們身體永遠不會受到傷害。
他們的出發點很簡單：
他們相信，只有一位真神，
人不得向任何其他人低頭。
遵從王命跪拜金像，
直接違反十誡，違反他們信仰的絕對基礎。
所以他們的言行，不是為了想試探神，
而是出於敬畏神。
This is thus the crucial difference between testing God and having faith in God.
In the former, we elevate ourselves above God, treating Him as our on-call miracle performer.
But in the latter, we do all things to honor God and God alone.
因此，這就是試探神和信靠神之間的關鍵區別。
前面的情況，是我們將自己抬高位於神之上，視神為我們隨時待命的神蹟執行者。
而後面的情況，我們所做的一切，都是為了榮耀神，唯獨榮耀真神。
BUT IF NOT: STEADFAST BELIEF IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY 即或不然：堅定相信神的權能
“But if not, be it known to you, O king,
that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
(Dan 3:18, ESV)
"18即或不然，王啊，你當知道我們決不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的金像。"
(但 3：18)
After declaring their confidence that God would deliver them,
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego added that
even if God was not going to deliver them,
they would still not serve the Babylonian deities.
This is an equally important aspect of faith.
We must not stop at the stage of Daniel 3:17,
declaring “If this be so…” and manifesting our trust in God’s deliverance.
True faith encompasses the following verse,
where we also declare, “But if not…”.
This second aspect demonstrates our acceptance of God’s sovereignty.
在宣布了他們有信心，神會拯救他們之後，
沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌，接著說，
即使神不拯救他們，
他們仍不會事奉巴比倫的眾神祇。
這是同樣是信仰上重要的一個面向。
我們不能只停留在但以理書 3 章 17 節的階段，
宣告“如果真是這樣發生……”並且表明自已信靠神的拯救。
真正的信心還包括了以下的經文，
我們還會聲明，“但如果不是這樣的話……”。
這第二個面向，表明我們承認了神的主控權。
God is almighty and can do all things.
He can heal, deliver from death, or save anyone at any time.
But as the sovereign Creator, He has the absolute right to decide whether He wants to act.
As His creatures, none of us can supersede His sovereignty.
And as His believers, none of us should challenge it.
However, not every believer has this “but if not” faith.
Some are unable to accept
that God’s plans for them are different from their own.
If they are sick, God must heal them.
If they are in trouble, God must deliver them in the way,
and at the time, that they (and not God) decide.
They believe that as long as they obey His words, attend church frequently, pray regularly,
serve Him diligently and offer willingly,
God has no choice but to protect them, heal them, and grant their requests.
Although their lips mutter,
“Thy will be done,” their hearts think, God,
You have to answer our prayer because of our faith in You, our godliness, and our loyalty towards You!
This is tantamount to wresting sovereignty from God.
神是全能的，可以完成所有的事情。
他任何時候，都可以醫治、救人脫離死亡，或拯救任何人。
但作為至高無上的造物主，他有絕對的權利，決定他是否要行動。
作為神的受造之物，我們沒有人可以取代他的主權。
作為神的信徒，我們沒有人可以質疑這件事。
然而，並不是每個信徒都有這種“即或不然”的信心。
有些人無法接受，
就是神對他們的計劃，與自已的想法不同。
如果他們生病了，神就必須醫治。
如果他們有困難，神必須一路上拯救他們，
事情發生當時，是他們（而不是神）作決定。
他們相信，只要聽從神的道理，經常去教會，常常禱告，
殷勤事奉神，甘心奉獻，
神別無選擇，只能保護他們、醫治他們，並滿足他們的要求。
雖然他們的嘴唇一直喃喃自語，
“願你的旨意成完，”他們的內心卻想著，神阿，
你必須回應我們的禱告，因為我們對你有信心、敬畏神，盡心盡力，！
這無異於從神手中爭奪主權。
A complete faith encompasses both
“if this be so” and “but if not.”
A complete understanding of God is both a belief in His almightiness and an acceptance of His sovereignty.
When we recognize God’s sovereignty and have the faith to say “but if not,”
we will be able to submit to all His arrangements and to His commands.
完全的信仰包括兩件事，
“如果是這樣發生”和“但如果不是這樣”。
對神完整的認識，既是對神的全能有信心，也接受神的掌控。
當我們承認神的主權，並且有信心說“但如果不是這樣”的時候，
我們就將能夠順服神一切的安排，服從祂的命令。
He went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed, saying,
“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me;
nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
(Mt 26:39)
39他就稍往前走，俯伏在地，禱告說：
我父阿，倘若可行，求你叫這杯離開我。
然而，不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。
(太 26：39)
When Jesus was on earth, the heavenly Father wanted Him to die on the cross.
Jesus prayed three times over this matter,
not wishing to drink the bitter cup
(Mt 26:36–44).
However, His “but if not” faith
can be seen from His words “nevertheless,
not as I will, but as You will.”
He believed in the heavenly Father’s better and more beautiful will.
He submitted to God to the point of dying on the cross.
當耶穌在世時，天父要他死在十字架。
耶穌為了這事禱告了三次，
不想喝下這苦杯
(太 26：36-44)。
然而，他“但如果不是這樣”的信心，
可以從他的話中看出信心，說出“儘管如此，
不是按照我的意思，而是按照神的旨意。”
他相信天父會有更美好良善的旨意。
他順服神，以至於死在十字架上的程度。
When we can submit to God’s sovereignty,
we can accept whatever situation He puts us in, whatever lesson we have to learn.
This “but if not” faith is beautifully manifested as humble submission.
Biblical examples show us that faithful people of God
may not always enjoy materially rich or plain-sailing lives.
They may not always enjoy good health and safety.
Job, the upright man who feared God and shunned evil, was afflicted
—all his children died, and his body was covered with sores
(Job 1–2).
Jeremiah, the prophet of God, preached God’s message faithfully,
but was thrown into an empty well
(Jer 38).
Lazarus lived the difficult life of a beggar, was covered with sores,
and yearned to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table
(Lk 16:19–31).
當我們能夠順服神的主權之時，
我們可以接受，無論神將我們放在什麼情況之下，無論神要我們必須學習什麼功課。
這種“但是如果不是這樣”的信心，完美顯出謙卑順服。
聖經的故事告訴我們，神忠心的子民，
可能並不總能享受物質豐富，或過著一帆風順的生活。
他們可能並沒有總是享有良好的健康和安全保護。
約伯，敬畏神遠離惡事的正直人，受苦
—他所有的孩子都死了，他的身上長滿了瘡
(伯 1-2)。
神的先知耶利米，忠心傳講神的信息，
卻被扔進了空井裡
(耶 38)。
拉撒路過著乞丐的艱困生活，身上長滿了瘡，
渴望撿到從富人桌上掉下的麵包屑來吃
(路 16：19-31)。
Some received deliverance, such as the three friends of Daniel.
However, others did not.
Jesus’ disciples were faithful workers,
but God did not give each of them a nice, peaceful death in old age.
According to church history, the apostle Paul was beheaded,
and Peter was crucified upside down.
Some exemplary believers were raised to heaven without going through death, like Enoch
(Gen 5:21–24).
But some died a horrible and agonizing death,
such as Stephen, who was stoned
(Acts 7:59–60).
No matter what, as children of God,
the most important things are to obey and practice His commandments,
to love Him with all our heart and might, and to love others.
We may be afflicted and persecuted on earth,
but our endurance will not be in vain
(Rev 6:11).
有些人得著拯救，例如但以理的三個朋友。
然而，亦有其他人沒有拯救。
耶穌的門徒是忠心的工人，
但神並沒有讓他們每個人，都在年老時，能安享晚年。
根據教會歷史，使徒保羅被斬首，
彼得身體被倒過來，釘在十字架。
有些模範信徒，不經過死亡就升到天堂，例如以諾
(創 5：21-24)。
但有些人的死亡，很可怕又痛苦，
例如司提反被石頭打死
(徒 7：59-60)。
無論怎樣，作為神的兒女，
最重要的是順服，和實行神的誡命，
盡心盡力愛主你的神，也疼愛其他人。
我們可能在世上受苦受逼迫，
但我們的忍耐將不會白費
(啟 6：11)。
CONCLUSION 結論
If we have been fervent in hearing and practicing the word of God,
but still experience afflictions, pestilences, illnesses, or other difficulties,
let us not doubt God’s almightiness or His faithfulness.
We have to fully believe in His great love
and continue to trust that nothing is impossible for Him
—He can save, heal, and protect.
Such faith should not include the intention to test God.
Also, we need to believe in God’s sovereignty,
and that He has His timing.
God has prepared a better arrangement, an ideal way, a more beautiful will.
Whether God’s will and path for us be smooth or otherwise, it will be for our good
(Rom 8:28).
Cling on to this promise, and we will be able to submit to all of God’s plans.
如果我們一直熱心聆聽實行神的話語，
但仍會經歷痛苦、瘟疫、疾病，或其他困難，
讓我們不要懷疑神的全能和信實。
我們要完全信靠神的大愛，
並持續相信，對他來說，沒有什麼是不可能的，
—祂能拯救、醫治和保護。
這種信心不該包括試探神的意圖。
此外，我們要相信神的主權，
並且神有祂的時機。
神有更好的安排，更理想的方式，更美好的旨意。
無論神對我們的旨意和道路是否順利，都是為了我們好
(羅 8：28)。
堅持這個應許，我們就能順服全部神的計劃。
May God help us to cultivate this complete faith that allows us to truly declare:
願神幫助我們，培養這種完全的信仰，使我們能夠真的宣告：
“If this be so” that we have to suffer sickness, God will deliver us;
“but if not,” we will still praise Him.
“If this be so” that we are faced with pestilence, God will destroy it;
“but if not,” we will not abandon our faith.
“If this be so” that we encounter difficulties, God will solve our problems;
“but if not,” we will not leave Him, and we will remain faithful until death.
“如果是這樣”，我們不得不忍受疾病，神會拯救我們；
“但如果不是，”我們仍會讚美神。
“如果是這樣”，我們要面對瘟疫，神會消滅它；
“但如果不是，”我們不會放棄自已的信仰。
“如果是這樣”，我們會遇到困難，神會解決我們的困難；
“但如果不是”，我們不會離開神，我們將保持忠心直到死亡。
[1] The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESVR Text Edition: 2016.
Copyright c 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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