7. Manna issue 94 - Overcoming Indifference By Putting on Love 披上愛心，戰勝冷漠
River 河流
INTRODUCTION 簡介
In early 2020, the lives of people around the world drastically changed
as governments attempted to contain and minimize the impacts of COVID-19.
Strict rules and regulations were imposed to ban or restrict gatherings,
while social distancing requirements compelled churches to cease in-person worship services.
As a result, the True Jesus Church (TJC) in different locations
moved to online worship through various media platforms,
enabling members worldwide to worship without borders.
This created many additional opportunities for individual spiritual cultivation
that may have been impossible pre-pandemic.
So despite the limitations,
I gained many blessings during this period,
as the Holy Spirit helped me to conquer my weaknesses
and build stronger relationships with brothers- and sisters-in-Christ.
2020年初，全世界大家的生活發生了翻天覆地的變化，
各國政府試圖抑制且最小化新冠疫情的影響。
實行嚴格的規章制度，來禁止或限制聚會，
而社交隔離的要求，迫使教會停止實體的崇拜聚會。
結果，不同地點的真耶穌教會（TJC），
通過各種媒體平台轉到網路聚會，
使世界各地的信徒能夠無國界的進行聚會。
這為個人靈修創造了許多特別的機會，
這在過去疫情前是不可能的。
因此，儘管有很多限制，
這段時間我得到了很多的祝福，
因為聖靈幫助我克服了自已的軟弱，
並且與基督裡的兄弟姐妹建立更緊密的關係。
As COVID-19 restrictions have eased,
churches globally have resumed in-person worship services and activities.
Members may return to the church to joyfully observe the Sabbath
instead of joining a live stream from home.
Regardless of how long we may have worshipped from home,
the opportunity to gather at church again is exciting.
Human beings are inherently social creatures needing companionship and connection.
隨著新冠疫情禁令的解除，
全球教會已經恢復實體崇拜聚會和活動。
信徒可以返回教會，快樂的遵守安息日，
而不是在家中參加直播聚會。
無論我們在家聚會了多久，
再次聚集在教會的機會實在令人興奮。
人類本質上是社會性動物，需要陪伴和聯繫。
Returning to in-person worship is something to celebrate and give thanks for.
But for some, the prospect of returning to church may be daunting.
Once we are accustomed to the convenience of worshipping at home,
we may feel anxious about exposing ourselves to the virus
or reluctant to commute to and from church.
回歸實體聚會是一件值得慶祝和感恩的事情。
但對一些人來說，重返教會的景象可能令人感到害怕。
一旦我們習慣了家中聚會的便利性，
我們可能對自己暴露在病毒中感到焦慮，
或是不願意來回往返教會。
When COVID-19 restrictions eased in our city,
I felt hesitant about returning to church,
but for very different reasons.
當我們城市新冠疫情的限制鬆綁時，
我有沒有覺得很猶豫要不要重返教會，
但是有截然不同的原因。
Why Did I Feel Reluctant To Return? 為何我覺得不願回歸？
At the beginning of the pandemic,
my family settled comfortably into worship at home.
The family altar was part of our daily life before the pandemic,
so transitioning to online worship was easy,
and we were able to set apart the Sabbath day by devoting more time to prayer.
Sometimes we prayed with overseas family members
after the conclusion of our local live stream services.
We grasped opportunities to attend church events and fellowships worldwide,
giving us much-needed spiritual cultivation and the chance to draw closer to God.
It was a time of blessed spiritual growth.
在新冠疫情開始的時候，
我家人舒適的在家中進行聚會。
疫情發生之前，家庭祭壇已經是我們日常生活的一部份，
所以轉換到網路聚會很容易，
我們可以區別安息日，用更多的時間來禱告。
有時候，本地直播聚會結束後，
我們會和海外的家人一起禱告。
我們把握加入世界各地教會活動和團契的機會，
給我們急需的靈修和親近神的機會。
那是一段蒙福屬靈成長的時期。
For quite some time, I had felt
that members in my local church were merely brothers- and sisters-in-Christ,
different from close friends and not quite family.
I had moved to the area many years before but still felt that,
other than faith, I had nothing in common with the brethren.
Part of this sentiment stemmed from my inability
to accept the imperfections of others, my reserved personality, and cultural differences.
Additionally, the social cliques seemed more apparent
because the church is smaller than the one in which I grew up.
Being an introvert makes small talk challenging,
so I lacked the confidence to break through these barriers.
有相當長一段時間，我一直覺得，
我本地教會的信徒，只是基督裡的兄弟姐妹，
不同於親密的朋友，也不完全是家人。
很多年前我就搬到這個地區，但仍然這樣感覺，
除了信仰之外，我和弟兄姐妹沒有任何的共同點。
一部份這種情緒是起源於自已的無能
去接受別人的不完美、自已內向的性格，和文化差異。
此外，社交的小團體看起來很明顯，
因為這間教會比起我長大的教堂還小。
身為一個內向的人，要與別人閒聊是很有挑戰性的，
所以我沒有突破這些障礙的信心。
In contrast, when I visited the TJC in other locations previously,
I felt genuine love from being part of the one true church with the abidance of the Holy Spirit.
Even when attending online seminars,
I feel a strong connection with my brothers and sisters
even though I have never physically met them.
These connections are the work of the Holy Spirit within our hearts
and evidence of the love of God that abides in us
(1Jn 4:11-13).
相比之下，我之前參訪其他地方的真耶穌教會時，
在聖靈的同在下，我作為獨一真教會的一員，感受到真正的愛。
即使是參加網路講習會，
我覺得與自已的兄弟姐妹有著親密的聯繫，
儘管我從未實體見過他們。
這些聯繫是我們心中聖靈的工作，
是神的慈愛住在我們心裡面的明證
（約壹 4：11-13）。
BE PERFECT JUST AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT 你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。
Love Our Brethren 愛弟兄
“You have heard that it was said,
‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
…Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
(Mt 5:43–48)
“43你們聽見有話說：
當愛你的鄰舍，恨你的仇敵。
44只是我告訴你們，要愛你們的仇敵，為那逼迫你們的禱告。
45這樣就可以作你們天父的兒子
48所以，你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。”
（太 5:43-48）
Here, Jesus tells us that we must overcome our innate human instinct
of only loving those who love us and hating our enemies.
Instead, we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us
so that we can be called sons of God.
在這裡，耶穌告訴我們，必須克服人類天生的本能，
只愛那些愛我們的人，恨惡那些討厭我們的敵人。
相反的，我們必須愛自已的仇敵，並且為那些迫害我們的人禱告，
使我們可以稱為神的兒子。
Hatred and dislike, prevalent in our sinful nature,
are significant obstacles to reaching perfection.
It is easier to love those who love us but difficult to love those with whom we do not see eye to eye.
Therefore, Paul reminds us to be transformed by the renewal of our minds
(Rom 12:2),
through applying God’s word and following the Holy Spirit’s guidance
to help us grow in the likeness of Christ.
在我們的罪性中，仇恨和厭惡是很普通的，
是達到完美的重大阻礙。
疼愛那些愛自已的人比較容易，但要愛那些與我們看法不同的人卻很困難。
因此，保羅提醒我們，要使自已心意更新而變化
（羅 12：2），
經由運用神的話語，跟隨聖靈的引導，
幫助我們有基督樣式的成長。
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God;
and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
(1Jn 4:7-8)
7親愛的弟兄阿，我們應當彼此相愛，因為愛是從神來的。
凡有愛心的，都是由神而生，並且認識神。
8沒有愛心的，就不認識神，因為神就是愛。
(約壹 4：7-8)
We may not hate our brethren but,
instead, feel indifferent toward them.
Indifference is not an expression of love,
as it denotes being devoid of feeling.
Further along the scale, dislike often stems from differences of opinion or mindset,
which can lead to hate if left unresolved.
If we rationalize and accept our dislike of others,
it hinders us from being like our heavenly Father.
Our heavenly Father is righteous, merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.
Love is, therefore, an essential characteristic of spiritual perfection.
Hence, we must love as the Lord Jesus instructs us in Matthew 5.
我們可能不會怨恨自已的弟兄，但是，
相反的，對他們感到冷漠。
冷漠不是愛的表現，
因為它表示沒有感覺。
進一步來說，不喜歡往往源自於想法或心態的差異，
如果不解決，可能會導致仇恨。
如果我們合理化，並且接受自已厭惡別人，
它就會阻礙我們效法天父。
我們的天父是公義、有憐憫、施恩典、不輕易發怒、並且有豐盛的慈愛。
因此，愛是一個屬靈完美的基本特性。
因此，我們必須像主耶穌馬太福音第五章教導的那樣，去付出愛心。
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another,
God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
(1 Jn 4:12)
12從來沒有人見過神，我們若彼此相愛，
神就住在我們裡面，愛他的心在我們裡面得以完全了。
（約壹 4：12）
Overcoming My Mindset 戰勝自已的意念
Our mindset often affects our ability to see things clearly.
Our pride and innate nature may cloud our judgement
and we become unaware of our imperfections.
A minister once made a comment to me in a not-very-tactful manner.
Despite recognizing the good intentions, I felt wounded.
After the incident, I shared what had happened with another sister,
who told me the minister would have spoken similarly to her.
This made me realize that my mindset or pride led me to think
that the minister looked down on me, causing deep resentment.
Thankfully, God changed my attitude in prayer, and those feelings disappeared.
The Holy Spirit will guide and teach us
if we spend time in prayer, meditating, and reflecting on God’s word.
我們的心態常會影響自已看清事物的能力。
我們的驕傲和天生的本性可能會影響我們的判斷，
我們變得沒有察覺自己的不完美。
有一次，一位長執以不太委婉的方式給我評論。
儘管了解有善意，但我還是感覺受傷。
這次事件發生後，我與另一位姐妹分享了事情的經過，
祂告訴我，這位長執也有對她說過類似的話。
這讓我意識到，自已的心態或驕傲，讓我認為，
這位長執輕視我，並且引起了很深的怨恨。
感謝神禱告中，改變了我的態度，那些感覺都消失了。
聖靈會引導並指教我們，
如果我們花時間禱告、沉思和反省神的話語。
Before returning to in-person services,
there were prayer requests for terminally ill members and their families.
While praying for them, I felt more connected to them in Christ.
They were no longer merely brothers and sisters.
I started to care for them genuinely.
In the same way,
when I posted a prayer request on social media in my time of need,
my heart was overwhelmed with a feeling of love and warmth
that can only come from God through the prayers of family-in-Christ.
返回實體聚會之前，
有為身患絕症的信徒及其一家的代禱請求。
為他們祈禱的時候，我覺得自己在基督裡與他們的連結更加緊密。
他們不再只是兄弟姐妹。
我開始真誠的關心他們。
同樣的，
當我需要在社交媒體貼出祈禱請求的時候，
我的心充滿了慈愛和溫暖的感覺，
這只能從神而來，通過基督家庭的祈禱。
In the past, as I got to know different members,
I would quickly notice their weaknesses or flaws.
As I have developed more friendships and connections within the church,
my eyes have been opened to see the strengths and positive character of others instead.
Endeavoring to set aside some quiet time each morning
to intercede for others also helped me overcome my previous mindset.
The Holy Spirit transformed my heart, drawing me closer to my family-in-Christ.
This was confirmed when one day, a sister started chatting with me.
She seemed to be making a particular effort to engage with me around the church.
My heart instinctively knew that this was the work of the Holy Spirit,
allowing me to connect with her.
過去，正好我認識不同的信徒，
我很快就會注意到他們的軟弱或缺點。
隨著我在教會內建立了更多的友誼和聯繫，
我的眼睛被打開了，相反的看到別人的優點和正面的性格。
每天早上努力留出一些安靜的時間，
來為別人代禱也幫我克服了以前的想法。
聖靈改變了我的心，使我與基督的家庭更加親近。
有一天，一位姐妹開始和我聊天，這一點得到了證實。
她似乎特別努力在教堂附近與我互動。
我心裡本能地知道，這是聖靈的動工，
讓我能夠與她聯繫。
One in Christ 基督裡合而為一
For as the body is one and has many members,
but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body
—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free
—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
For in fact the body is not one member but many.
(1 Cor 12:12–14)
12就如身子是一個，卻有許多肢體；
而且肢體雖多，仍是一個身子；基督也是這樣。
13我們不拘是猶太人，是希利尼人，是為奴的，是自主的，
都從一位聖靈受洗，成了一個身體，
飲於一位聖靈。
14身子原不是一個肢體，乃是許多肢體。
（林前 12：12-14）
Through baptism, our sins are forgiven,
and we become one in Christ.
God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us in our spiritual journey
(Jn 14:26),
cultivating and strengthening us.
We can be renewed through the Spirit and truth
and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice with our brethren-in-Christ.
通過洗禮，我們的罪孽得到寬恕，
我們在基督里合而為一。
神賜給我們聖靈，來幫助行走我們屬靈的旅程
（約 14：26），
造就我們和加添力量。
我們可以通過聖靈和真理得到更新
並且與我們基督裡的弟兄姐妹一起，獻上自己當作活祭。
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men,
but chosen by God and precious,
you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
(1 Pet 2:4–5)
4主乃活石，固然是被人所棄的，
卻是被神所揀選、所寶貴的。
5你們來到主面前，也就像活石，被建造成為靈宮，作聖潔的祭司，
藉著耶穌基督奉獻神所悅納的靈祭。
(彼前 2：4–5)
One living stone, combined with many other living stones,
builds up a spiritual house to become a royal priesthood
offering up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God.
This one body can only achieve spiritual perfection
when all parts cooperate and work together to help one other in Christ
(Eph 4:16).
From these verses, I understood
that we cannot walk this spiritual journey alone and apart from our fellow members.
成為一顆活石，與許多其他的活石聯結在一起，
建造一座靈宮，成為君尊的祭司，
獻上神所悅納的靈祭。
只有當所有的肢體合作，在基督裡共同努力彼此幫力時，
當這具身體才能夠達成屬靈的完美，
（弗 4:16）。
從這幾節經文中，我明白了，
我們不能獨自行走這條屬靈的旅程，離開我們的同伴。
Emulate the Humility of Our Lord Jesus 效法主耶穌的謙卑
In Philippians 2:2–9, Paul exhorts us to be like-minded,
have the same love, to be of one accord and one mind.
We must esteem others as better than ourselves, in humility,
just as our Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself
and became obedient to the point of death on the cross.
腓立比書二意 2-9 節中，保羅勸勉我們要意念相同，
愛心相同，有一樣的心思，有一樣的意念。
我們必須謙卑的尊重別人比自己強，
正如我們主耶穌基督謙卑自己一樣，
並且在十字架上順服至死。
Let us examine ourselves to recognize our weaknesses,
assessing ourselves by God’s standards to overcome them in prayer.
Suppose we have a difference of opinion with another member
that does not conflict with the truth.
In this case,
we should humbly consider how we can be of one mind
instead of expecting others to conform to our opinions.
Through the Holy Spirit, God will help us overcome our nature
and be forgiving, accepting, and understanding,
to prevent misunderstandings that could cause us to stumble.
讓我們反省自己，認識自己的軟弱，
用神的標準來評估自己，以禱告克服這些軟弱。
假設我們與另一位信徒意見分歧，
那與真理並不衝突。
在這種情況下，
我們應該謙卑思考自已如何才能同心合意，
而不是指望別人同意我們的意見。
通過聖靈，神會幫助我們克服自已的天性，
並且可以饒恕、接受、和理解，
以防止誤解，而可能導致我們跌倒。
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged.
Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
(Lk 6:37)
“37你們不要論斷人，就不被論斷；
你們不要定人的罪，就不被定罪；
你們要饒恕人，就必蒙饒恕（饒恕：原文作釋放）；”
（路 6：37）
If we do not gather at church and interact with our fellow brethren,
we will not be able to see where we fall short of God’s standard.
For myself, I realized I had pride and the wrong mindset.
In the eyes of God, we are far from perfect,
yet He patiently embraces us with all our shortcomings,
giving us opportunities to sanctify ourselves with His word and the Holy Spirit.
Though differences between brethren may arise,
should we not embrace one another with the same love and forgiveness God bestows on us?
如果我們不在教會聚集，與弟兄姐妹互動，
我們將看不到自己哪裡沒有達到神的標準。
就我自己而言，我意識到自已有驕傲和錯誤的心態。
在神眼中，我們遠非完美，
但祂耐心包容我們所有的缺點，
給我們機會以祂的話語和聖靈使我們潔淨成聖。
雖然弟兄姐妹之間可能會有分歧，
難道我們不應該以神給我們的同樣的愛和寬恕，來互相包容嗎？
Online Worship versus In-Person Worship 網路聚會對比實體聚會
[N]ot forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some,
but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Heb 10:25)
25你們不可停止聚會，好像那些停止慣了的人，
倒要彼此勸勉，既知道（原文是看見）那日子臨近，就更當如此。
（來 10：25）
Though I experienced the joy and convenience of online worship and fellowship,
they are incomparable to the benefits of gathering in person.
The sensation of praising God with the congregation
or the sound of prayer enveloping us are much more powerful
than experiencing them through speakers or earphones.
When my son received the Holy Spirit at home, he felt uncertain.
A week later at church, a minister confirmed that my son had received the Holy Spirit.
My son told me that all his doubts had disappeared
when he knelt to pray in the chapel,
because he felt the power of the Holy Spirit
when the whole congregation joined in prayer.
雖然我體驗到網路聚會和團契的喜樂和便利，
這是比不上親自聚會的。
與會眾一起讚美神的感覺，
或是圍繞我們的禱告聲更有力量，
而不是經過喇吧或耳機才感受到它們。
當我兒子在家裡得到聖靈的時候，他覺得很不確定。
一周後去教會，一位長執證實，我的兒子已經得到了聖靈。
我的兒子告訴我，他所有的疑慮都消失了，
當他在會堂跪下禱告時，
因為他感受到聖靈的力量
當全體會眾一起祈禱的時候。
Some believers may still feel anxious about gathering in person
while the virus is still in our midst.
But if we put our trust in God, we abide under the shadow of His wings
and make Him our refuge and fortress.
He will deliver and protect us from the pestilence that walks in darkness
(Ps 91:1–13).
有一些信徒可能仍對實體聚會感到焦慮，
因為病毒仍然在我們中間。
但如果我們信靠神，我們住在祂翅膀的蔭庇之下，
並使祂成為我們的避難所和堡壘。
祂將會拯救保護我們，免受黑暗流行瘟疫的侵害
（詩 91：1-13）。
God especially commands us to assemble to worship on the Sabbath
(Lev 23:3).
Furthermore, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that we will receive precious spiritual blessings
if we turn from doing our own will, and delight in the Sabbath
(Isa 58:13–14).
God’s love, peace, and joy will abide in our hearts.
When we gather, worship, and have fellowship together,
we mutually encourage and exhort one another,
strengthening our hope of eternal rest in the kingdom of heaven.
神特別吩咐我們，安息日要聚集敬拜
（利 23：3）。
此外，以賽亞先知提醒我們，我們會獲得寶貴屬靈的祝福，
如果我們回轉，不再按自己的意思行事，並且以安息日為樂
（賽 58：13-14）。
神的慈愛、平安和喜樂，將常駐於我們心中。
當我們聚集在一起、敬拜、團契的時候，
我們互相鼓勵、互相勸勉，
加強我們天國永遠安息的盼望。
CONCLUSION 結論
To be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect
requires us to be built up and joined together with our fellow members.
God reveals our hidden weaknesses through our interpersonal relationships
so that we can strive to spiritually cultivate ourselves,
to emulate the divine nature of Christ in righteousness, humility, mercy, and love.
要成為完美，就像我們的天父完美一樣，
需要我們與其他信徒一起被建造和聯合起來。
神通過我們的人際關係，揭露我們隱藏的軟弱，
以便我們能夠努力自己靈修，
來效法基督的公義、謙卑、憐憫和仁愛的神性。
We are the household of God, with our faith built on our chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ.
In Him, we are fitted together to grow into a holy temple in the Lord,
built for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit
(Eph 2:19–22).
我們是神的家，而我們的信仰建立，有基督耶穌自己為房角石。
在祂裡面，各房靠他聯絡得合式，漸漸成為主的聖殿，
成為神藉著聖靈居住的所在
（弗 2:19-22）。
My spiritual journey continues daily,
as God gives me opportunities to build stronger connections with those whom I seem incompatible.
Through the transforming power of God’s Spirit and word,
and fellowship with the brethren,
I can overcome my prior indifference
and put on love so that I can be built up with my fellow brethren.
May we all continue to strive for perfection through God’s love.
我屬靈的旅程每天都一直持續，
因為神給我機會，與那些看來不相容的人，建立更牢固的聯繫。
藉著神聖靈和話語改變的力量，
並與弟兄姐妹團契，
我可以克服之前的冷漠
並且披上慈愛，使我能與同靈一同得蒙建造。
願我們都能藉著神的愛繼續追求完美。
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
bearing with one another, and forgiving one another,
if anyone has a complaint against another;
even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
But above all these things put on love,
which is the bond of perfection.
(Col 3:12–14)
12所以，你們既是神的選民，聖潔蒙愛的人，
就要存（原文作穿；下同）憐憫、恩慈、謙虛、溫柔、忍耐的心。
13倘若這人與那人有嫌隙，總要彼此包容，彼此饒恕；
主怎樣饒恕了你們，你們也要怎樣饒恕人。
14在這一切之外，要存著愛心，愛心就是聯絡全德的。
（西 3：12-14）
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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