8. Manna issue 61 - To Be One in the Lord 在主裡合一
The importance of unity in the church. 教會同心的重要性
FF Chong—London, UK 英國倫敦
With the world under Satan’s sway,
he uses its elements to ensnare us in his schemes
(1 Jn 5:19).
Knowing this, the church must identify and seal every crack
the evil one will fully take advantage of to split the church.
世界都在撒但的支配之下，
他利用它的本質讓我們陷入他的計劃
（約壹 5：19）。
知道了這一點，教會必須找出並填補每一個裂縫，
惡者會充分利用這一點來分裂教會。
Jesus knew that the disciples would constantly battle against the evil one
while in the world.
Keeping them in the Lord forms a major part of Jesus’ prayer in John chapter 17
and is heartily emphasized:
“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world,
but that You should keep them from the evil one”
(Jn 17:15).
耶穌知道門徒要不斷與惡者爭戰，
活在在世上的時候。
在約翰福音 17 章，保守他們在主裡是耶穌禱告的主題，
而且誠心的強調：
“15我不求你叫他們離開世界，
只求你保守他們脫離那惡者（或作：脫離罪惡）。”
（約 17：15）。
The church’s ability to overcome challenges
stems from the unity from Christ
that she strives to foster and continues to build on,
particularly among the servants of God.
For this reason, Paul urges individual believers
to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
(Eph 4:3).
教會克服挑戰的能力，
源自於基督裡的同心，
教會則努力培養並繼續發展，
特剛是在神的僕人之中。
因此，保羅勸告個別信徒，
3用和平彼此聯絡，竭力保守聖靈所賜合而為一的心。
（弗 4：3）。
The weight of this teaching is centered on Christ’s work of reconciliation.
Jesus sacrificed His own life in order to achieve peace.
As a result, He abolished enmity in relationships,
be they between man and man or between man and God
(Eph 2:14-16).
這個教導的重點就是以基督和好的工作為主。
為了實現和平，耶穌犧牲了自己的生命。
結果，他廢掉了冤仇的關係，
無論是人與人之間或人與神之間的關係
（弗 2：14-16）。
This reconciliation is not intended only for all to admire His greatness.
In fact, it brings to light Jesus Christ’s nature,
which believers need to adopt in order to defeat Satan
and to fend off relentless fiery attacks,
especially in holy work.
這種和好不僅僅是為了讓大家都讚義祂的偉大。
事實上，它顯出了耶穌基督的本性，
信徒需要採用這些特質來打敗撒但，
來抵禦無情的火攻，
尤其是在進行聖工的時候。
Since most problems in the church occur in the process of serving God with others,
constant spiritual cultivation is necessary.
We must understand that
a life of servitude does not mean
that we are confined to doing work alone.
It is a life that must be worthy of God’s calling,
just as Christ demonstrated on the cross.
His example of understanding and forgiveness
is one we should follow if we want to be one in Him.
因為教會的大部分問題都發生在人與人一起事奉神的過程中，
不斷的靈修是有必要的。
我們必須明白，
服事的生活並不是代表，
我們受限要獨自工作。
這是要配得神呼召的人生，
正如基督在十字架上展示。
祂體諒和寬恕的榜樣，
就是我們應該要遵循的典範，如果我們想要在祂裡面合而為一，。
SANCTIFY CHRIST 尊崇基督
Within the church,
unrefined words have proved to be a major cause of division.
When differing views surface during heated dispute,
words should be kept to a minimum
to prevent us from taking out our displeasure on others.
教會內，
事實證明，不雅的言語是造成分裂的主要原因。
當激烈的爭論出現不同的觀點時，
言語應該保持最低的限度，
以防止我們取用自已對他人的不滿。
We must learn to entrust matters into the Lord’s hand,
focusing on God above all else
in order to sanctify Him in our hearts
(cf. 1 Pet 3:15).
Thus, His meek and reverent nature
will be present in any difficult situation,
ensuring peace in a diverse group of servants.
我們要學習把事情交託在主的手裡，
專注於神高於一切，
為了在我們心中尊祂為聖
（參考，彼前 3：15）。
因此，祂謙柔和敬畏的本性，
將在任何困難的情況下顯現，
確保不同的眾僕人有平安。
Serving the church ultimately ends with accountability before God.
The point here is not merely
how much church work should be done but how it is done.
The crucial concern is whether it reflects the nature of God.
服事教會最終以在神面前負責為結束。
這裡的重點不僅是，
教會應該做多少的聖工，而且要如何進行。
關鍵的問題是，它有沒有反映出神的本質。
When we have the right heart,
it generates and draws power from God.
It impels us to stay silent,
even as we are maligned,
so that we may remain blameless before God
(1 Pet 3:16).
This is precisely what Christ did
when He was fiercely reviled and brutalized
(1 Pet 3:21-23).
Instead of retaliating against those who harmed Him,
which He was more than capable of doing,
He chose to commit Himself to the Lord who judges righteously.
當我們有正確的心態時，
就會從神產生並汲取力量。
它迫使我們保持沉默，
即使我們受到誹謗，
使我們在神面前無可指摘
（彼前 3：16）。
這正是基督的行為，
當祂受到猛烈的辱罵和虐待
（彼前 3：21-23）。
與其報復那些傷害祂的人，
其實祂完全有能力這樣作，
祂卻選擇將自己交託給按公義審判的主。
The retaliatory instinct is sinful
and must be put to death
if we are to continue living in righteousness.
Honoring God in our hearts
while being oppressed allows us to forgive the wrongdoer.
In this way, we will experience that it is
“by [Christ’s] stripes [we are] healed”
(1 Pet 2:24b; Isa 53:3).
This is God’s mysterious way
of removing misunderstandings, differences, and ills.
報復的天性是有罪的，
而且要被處死，
如果我們想要繼續活在公義中。
在我們心中尊榮神，
在受到壓迫時，我們就可以原諒犯錯的人。
這樣，我們就會體驗到，其實是，
“24因他[基督]受的鞭傷，你們[我們]便得了醫治。”
（彼前 2：24b；賽 53：3）。
這就是神奧秘的方式，
消除誤解、分歧和問題。
An inseparable bond can always be maintained with Him
when peace rules within us.
To have a good conscience before God is what matters.
The strength from holding on to the truth
will lessen any harm done to us
and help us win over the wrongdoer.
By honoring God, the church can be in continual pursuit of unity.
與祂永遠保持著不會分離的聯結，
當平安可以主宰我們的內心。
在神面前有無虧的良心才是最重要的。
來自堅守真理的力量，
會減少給我們造成的傷害，
並幫助我們戰勝壞人。
經由榮耀神，教會就可以不斷的追求合一。
MAGNIFY CHRIST 彰顯基督
The church at Corinth caused much grief to Paul.
The members were divided in whom they perceived as the church leader,
and some believed that Paul was one of those at fault
(1 Cor 1:12).
哥林多教會給保羅帶來了很大的憂傷。
信徒對誰是教會的領袖意見分歧，
有些人認為保羅是有過錯的人之一
（林前 1：12）。
The schism became so serious
that the believers could no longer be considered spiritual
but were rather viewed as babes in Christ
(1 Cor 3:1-4).
Their coming together caused more harm than good
(1Cor 11:17).
The church could no longer function as the body of Christ
and became a congregation of repelling groups
that were in grave danger of destroying one another.
教會分裂變得很嚴重，
而信徒不再被認為是屬靈的，
而是被認為基督裡的嬰兒
（林前 3：1-4）。
他們的結合弊大於利
（林前 11：17）。
教會不能再像基督的身體來運作，
並成為一群令人互斥群體的集合，
而彼此處於自我毀滅的重大危險之中。
To deal with such a thorny issue required a completely spiritual mindset
that magnified Christ.
Paul made it clear that the church belonged to Jesus
(1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1).
It was Christ who had set the believers apart from the world
and done everything He could to call them to Himself
(1 Cor 1:13).
處理如此棘手的問題需要有完全的屬靈思維模式，
可以使基督彰顯為大。
保羅明確地表示，教會屬於耶穌
（林前 1：2；林後 1：1）。
因為是基督將信徒從世上分別出來，
並且盡祂一切所能呼召他們歸向自己
（林前 1：13）。
The attitude we show as workers
speaks volumes about how much we know about Christ and His work.
We, whom God has called to serve,
must recognize that we are merely vessels.
No one should ever lay claim to the ownership of the church
or think that he controls the believers.
我們作為工人所表現出的態度，
充分說明了我們大大的認識基督和祂的工作。
我們，是所神呼召來服事的人，
必須認知自已只不過是器皿。
任何人都不應該聲稱擁有教會的主權，
或是認為他控制了信徒。
Sometimes, a conflict within the church
can flare out of control,
especially when we are self-seeking and unrepentant.
Instead of resolving differences,
we go about soliciting support for a course of action,
which only further exacerbates an already negative situation.
有時，教會內部會有衝突，
可能點燃大火而失控，
尤其是當我們自私自利，不會悔改的時候。
沒有去解決分歧，
我們會去尋求支持去採取一項行動，
這只會進一步惡化本已很負面的局勢。
At such times, serving God with a pure heart quickly vanishes,
straining every working relationship to the breaking point.
What preoccupies the church
is not how to come together to work out a solution in fear and trembling;
rather, whatever is conceived is intended to hurt each other.
這種時候，單純事奉神的心思很快就消失了，
使每一種同工關係變很緊繃到了崩潰的邊緣。
教會所關注的焦點，
不是如何聚在一起，以敬畏戰驚的態度找出解決方案；
相反的，無論想到是什麼方法，都是為了彼此傷害。
In rebuilding unity amongst the different groups in Corinth,
Paul lowered himself in order to promote Christ.
He shook off those who supported him
by saying that he neither died for them nor baptized them in his own name
but in the name of Christ
(1 Cor 1:13).
為了重建哥林多不同群體之間的連結時，
保羅謙卑自己為了高舉基督。
他擺脫了那些支持他的人，
就說，他既沒有為他們而死，也沒有以他自己的名義來為他們施洗，
而是以基督的名義來洗禮
（林前 1：13）。
The work of rebuilding has to start with ourselves, not others.
This generates peace and paves a way for patching up differences.
True harmony comes from understanding
that Christ is the Head of the church,
and only with Him can problems be truly resolved.
重建的工作必須從我們自己開始，而不是從別人開始。
這會帶來平安，並且為彌合分歧來鋪平道路。
真正的和諧來自於理解，
基督是教會的元首，
只有與祂在一起，問題才能真正解決。
BE HUMBLE 保持謙卑
Nowadays, humility is hard to come by.
Disguised pride has been another major cause of divisiveness in the church.
Many go to great lengths to justify their pride
more than the rightness of a case.
如今，謙卑是很難保持的。
偽裝的驕傲已經成為教會分裂另一個的主要原因。
許多人竭盡全力想證明自己的驕傲是合理的，
超過了事情的正當性。
Some, though clearly at fault, refuse to back down.
Still others believe that whatever they do is the best,
despising the works of others and feeding their own pride.
Frequently, what results is nothing less than a disservice to the community of faith.
有些人雖然很明顯有錯，卻拒絕退縮。
還有一些人會相信，他們無論做什麼事都是最好的，
輕視別人的工作，以填補自己的驕傲。
次數越來越多，所產生的結果就無異是一種對於信仰團體的傷害。
The Bible teaches that
the entire church must be clothed with humility
and submit under the mighty hand of God
(1 Pet 5:5,6).
A humble person does not boast of personal achievement.
聖經的教導，
教會全部都必須披上謙卑的外衣，
並且伏服在神大能的手下
（彼前 5：5，6）。
謙卑的人並不會誇耀個人的成就。
Though Paul received a double confirmation of the work he did at Corinth,
where many came to believe and where he saw a vision
(Acts 18:8-10),
he did not boast of himself to those who supported other workers.
Instead, he spoke to the church of his fear and ineloquence
while he was with them
(1 Cor 2:2-4).
雖然保羅得到了哥林多教會所做工作的雙重肯定，
那裡有許多人來信主，那裡他也看到了異象
（徒 18：8-10），
他沒有向那些支持其他工人的人吹噓自己。
相反的，他出於戰驚的態度及不以雄辯的方式勸說教會，
當他和他們在一起的時候
（林前 2：2-4）。
To create an atmosphere that was conducive for working together,
Paul did not hesitate to set an example of unity with Apollos
(1 Cor 4:6).
Though certain factions of the church considered them to be rivals,
he quelled the idea not by superimposing his seniority and dominance over Apollos
but by introducing peace
(1Cor 3:5-10).
為營造一起好好合作的氛圍，
保羅毫不猶豫的樹立了與亞波羅同心的榜樣
（林前 4：6）。
雖然教會的某些派別認為他們是敵人，
他壓制了這種想法，並不強制以自己的資歷及支配地位加於亞波羅身上，
而是導入和諧
（林前 3：5-10）。
Paul first spoke about the work they shared in building up the church
—Paul planted and Apollos watered
(1 Cor 3:6).
He did not state that he had done more than Apollos
even though he had been stationed in Corinth for eighteen months
under the instruction of the Lord
(Acts 18:9-11).
保羅首先談到他們共同建造教會的工作，
—保羅栽種了，亞波羅澆灌了
（林前 3：6）。
他並沒有說自已比亞波羅作了更多，
即使他待在哥林多教會駐牧已經十八個月了
在主的指示之下
（徒 18：9-11）。
Not only that,
Paul was given the understanding and wisdom
to deal with this potentially explosive situation:
when Paul was at Corinth,
Apollos had yet to understand baptism in the name of Jesus.
Yet, Paul made Apollos of equal importance in the eyes of the believers
with regard to establishing the church.
不僅是那樣，
保羅展現體諒和智慧，
可以處理這種可能爆炸的情況：
當保羅在哥林多的時候，
亞波羅還不明白要奉耶穌的聖名洗禮。
然而，保羅使亞波羅在信徒的眼中同等重要，
在關於建立教會的事上。
He was willing to humble himself, downplaying his work,
so that the church could recognize that
it was God who gave the increase.
There can be no greater power to drive away the black cloud of disunity.
他願意謙卑自己，貶低自己的工作，
以便使教會可以認為，
只有神才會使教會增長。
再沒有更大的力量可以驅散分裂的烏雲。
THEME 主題
THE SAME FOUNDATION 同樣的根基
Distorting the truth has been the most deadly tactic
Satan has employed to confuse believers.
This has been one of the most harmful causes of division in the church.
扭曲真理一直都最致命的戰術，
是撒但一直用來迷惑信徒的。
這是一直以來教會分裂最有害的原因之一。
Being a God of order,
He does not change His word.
Therefore, no other foundation can be laid
than that which has already been laid, which is Jesus Christ
(1 Cor 3:11).
The pattern of sound words has to be kept in the Holy Spirit
(2 Tim 1:13, 14).
It is imperative that we know that no prophecy in Scripture is of private interpretation
(2 Pet 1:20).
作為規律秩序之神，
祂並不會改變自已的言語。
因此，再也沒有其他的根基，
除了那已經被設立的根基，就是耶穌基督
（林前 3：11）。
必須在聖靈中保守純正話語的規模
（提後 1：13，14）。
極其重要的是，我們要知道，聖經的預言都不是出於私人隨意解釋的
（彼後 1：20）。
To prevent any heresy from splitting the church,
the two sources of false teachers,
within the church and outside the church,
must be identified
(Acts 20:29).
In addition, believers must be trained
to discern right teachings from wrong teachings.
為了防止異端分裂教會，
假教師的兩個來源，
教堂之內及教堂之外，
都必須找出來
（徒 20：29）。
此外，信徒必須接受訓練，
可以分辨正確與錯誤的教導。
There have been countless incidences of false teachers
coming as savage wolves to harm the church.
When they found a foothold in the sanctuary,
they cast the truth down to the ground
(cf. Dan 8:12).
早就已經有多不勝數的假教師事件
就像兇猛野狼來傷害教會。
當他們在聖殿找到立足點之時，
他們就推翻真理在地
（參閱，但 8：12）。
The Jerusalem Conference is a notable example
in which an onslaught of members advocating circumcision
had troubled and unsettled the church
(Acts 15:24; Gal 1:7-9).
The infiltration of heresies into the churches at Galatia and Colosse is another example.
As a result, the church became badly divided.
耶路撒冷會議就是一個顯著的例子，
會議時信徒倡割禮的攻擊，
就令教會感到為難和不安
（徒 15：24；加 1：7-9）。
異端滲透進加拉太和歌羅西教會就是另一個例子。
結果，教會變得嚴重分裂。
We must pray that
we will not become false teachers.
There are many reasons, apart from pride,
for a worker to stray from the foundation of truth.
It is a risky exercise
to probe into an issue about which the Bible does not even speak.
The initial intention may be good,
but, over the course of time,
the mind can become obsessed with the subject
and be unable to disentangle from it.
我們必須祈禱，
自已不會成為假教師。
除了驕傲之外，還有很多原因，
使工人去偏離真理的根基。
這是一項冒險的行為，
去探究聖經甚至沒有提到的問題。
或許初衷是好的，
但是，隨著時間的推移，
頭腦心思可能會沉迷於這個主題，
而且無法擺脫這個想法的糾纏。
Though searching the Bible with great diligence is essential,
keeping simple in what we have received is a powerful means to move forward.
Through a simple faith coupled with trust in God,
we can break down every stronghold through our obedience
(2 Cor 10:4, 5).
雖然勤奮查考聖經很重要，
保守從自已所領受的單純之心是前進的有力方法。
透過單純的信心加上信靠神，
經由自已的服從，我們就可以打破每一座營壘
（林後 10：4，5）。
We must learn to be truthful to the truth.
First and foremost,
imparting God’s word is not about a rigorous intellect,
nor is it about a mastery of the Bible
or a demonstration of the ability to hone in on key biblical points
and provide clear answers to life’s questions.
Rather, it is about relying on God to cultivate ourselves and other members.
我們必須學會說實話。
首先也是最重要的，
傳達神的話語並不需要心思縝密，
也不是關於對聖經的熟悉度，
或是展示鍛煉出聖經主要特點的能力，
並給生活的問題提供明確的答案。
而是要依靠神來造就自己和其他信徒。
Second, we must be able to recognize the limits to our understanding.
God has given to the church what He wants her to know.
There must be no attempt to enter into uncharted biblical waters,
extrapolating into the unknown.
其次，我們必須能夠認知到自已理解力的限制。
神已經將祂希望教會知道的事賜給了她。
絕不可想要進入未知的聖經領域，
來推斷未知的事物。
The role of an imparter is to let the Bible speak for itself
by disclosing, not inventing, biblical truths;
to explain biblical concepts without any preconceived notions
(particularly in ideology or ambition)
and with an utter commitment to the truth that we have received;
a respect for traditions
(2 Thess 2:15);
and a determination to practice faithfully what has been taught.
傳遞者的角色就是讓聖經自己表達，
是披露出來，而不是發明了聖經真理；
不帶任何先入為主的觀念來解釋聖經觀念，
（特別是在意識形態或野心方面）
並且徹底投入了解自已已經領受的真理；
尊重傳統
（帖後 2：15）；
且堅定忠心實踐之前所領受的教導。
In this way, the church is molded into a mindset of honoring God
and being equipped with the whole armor of God
(Eph 6:6-18)
to stand against the wiles of Satan.
這樣，教會就被塑造成榮耀神的心態，
並且裝備了神所賜的全副軍裝
（弗 6：6-18）
可以對抗撒但的詭計。
TURN TO JESUS 轉向耶穌
It is hardly surprising to note that
every one of us is having some sort of problem in our service to God.
Sometimes, we are not the cause of the problem.
At other times, the difficulty stems from us being unspiritual.
When things are not prayerfully handled,
they can quickly spiral out of control,
causing nearly irreversible damage to the church and blurring the will of God.
毫不驚奇的是，可以注意到
我們每個人事奉神的時候，都會有某種問題。
有時候，我們並不是問題的原因。
其他的時間，困難是根源於我們不夠屬靈。
當事情沒有虔誠禱告去處理時，
他們很快就會惡化而失去控制，
給教會造成幾乎不可逆轉的傷害，並模糊了神的旨意。
When the church is in disarray,
a problem that is compounded by division,
the will to resolve conflicts must not be greater than the will to rely on God.
Whenever there is a desire to be led,
there is always an urge to foster a better relationship with God.
當教會陷入混亂時，
問題因為分裂而變得更加複雜，
要解決衝突的念頭不能大於依靠神的想法。
每當有被帶領的渴望時，
就會有動力來與神建立更好的關係。
The will to submit to God in prayer
is a humbling experience that makes us realize how insignificant we are.
In this way, God’s abiding presence will surely be felt and fill the church.
Though disunity can be a fatal weakness,
he sting can be alleviated
when the parties concerned are bent on offering prayers of trust.
在禱告中順服神的意願
這是一次謙卑的經歷，讓我們意識到自己是多麼的微不足道。
這樣，教會就一定能感受到神的持久臨在，並充滿教會。
雖然不團結可能是致命的弱點，
刺痛可以減輕
當有關各方一心獻上信任的禱告。
The rivalry amongst the disciples was practically incurable
—it even continued after the institution of the Holy Communion
(Lk 22:23).
Had it not been settled,
it would have been a huge obstacle to the work of establishing the church
after the ascension of Christ.
門徒之間的競爭幾乎是無可救藥的，
—那甚至在聖餐制度設立之後仍然延續
（路 22：23）。
若事情沒有解決，
它對會對建立教會的工作，形成一個巨大的障礙，
在基督升天之後。
After Jesus’ resurrection,
He instructed the disciples to go to Galilee
(Mt 26:32, 28:7, 10, 16),
where He rebuked them for their unbelief and rivalry
(Mk 16:14).
Turning to Jesus in sincerity changed them completely,
and they were able to continue with one accord in prayer and supplication
(Acts 1:14, 2:1, 46).
耶穌復活之後，
祂吩咐門徒去加利利
（太 26：32，28：7，10，16），
那時祂斥責他們的不信和爭競
（可 16：14）。
虔誠轉向耶穌徹底的改變他們，
他們才能夠繼續同心一起禱告和祈求
（徒 1：14，2：1，46）。
There is always a limit to how much we can do.
In doing all that we can to the best of our ability,
our work must always revolve around God and prayer.
We must set our mind on Christ
to usher the church into a mode of trust and obedience to the truth.
我們能做多少的事情總是有限制的。
在我們盡已能力所能，去完成一切我們能做的事，
我們的工作必須始終圍繞著神和禱告。
我們必須將注意力放在基督身上，
去引導教會進入一種信靠和順服真理的模式。
The power to keep the church united emanates from God.
He knows what is best for the church
and how she is to be guided.
Our trust is that He will do what is beneficial to the church,
though it may not be easily understood.
Only the Lord alone can save His church from being divided.
維持教會同心的力量來自神。
祂知道什麼才是對教會最有利的事，
以及要如何引導她。
我們信靠祂會進行對教會有益的事情，
儘管很可能不容易可以了解。
單單只有主才能拯救祂的教會免於分裂。
PRAY FOR PEACE
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May they prosper who love you.’”
(Ps 122:6)
“6你們要為耶路撒冷求平安！
‘耶路撒冷啊，愛你的人必然興旺！”
（詩 122：6）
6你們要為耶路撒冷求平安！耶路撒冷啊，愛你的人必然興旺！
For peace to rule in us,
we are required to pray unceasingly for the church
and lead the brethren to intercede for one another.
為了讓我們有平安，
我們需要不止息的為教會禱告，
並帶領弟兄姐妹彼此代禱。
When concerted prayers are offered,
believers are more inclined to care for the church.
God’s work becomes more noticeable.
Differences and misunderstandings melt away in the power of His presence.
Characters are shaped in the Spirit.
當大家齊心協力禱告時，
信徒會更願意來關心教會。
神的工作則會變得更加引人注目。
分歧和誤解亦會在祂同在的力量而消融。
眾人的品行則得到聖靈的造就。
Love and faith can thus be stirred up with words from changed attitudes.
Surely and prayerfully, the church shall be united,
just as the Father is one with Jesus
(Jn 17:22).
因此，改變態度的言語可以激發愛和信心。
毫無疑問且虔誠禱告時，教會將會同心，
正如天父與耶穌合而為一
（約 17：22）。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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