6. Manna issue 85 - The Heritage of the True Church A Message to the Youths 真耶穌教會的傳承：給青年的訊息
Cherishing and passing on
our spiritual heritage of the
truth.
珍惜並傳承屬靈真理的傳承
Based on a sermon by Timothy Yeung—Vancouver, Canada
參照加拿大溫哥華 楊志豪 傳道証道
Having received so much grace from God,
the youths of the True Jesus Church must now ask themselves what they ought to give in return.
Today, the youths are heirs to the fruits of a century of God’s grace
and their predecessors’ perseverance.
Prior generations of youths have done and given so much over the past century;
yet, what is certain is the pivotal importance of youths in the century to come.
What awaits them?
因為從神領受了很豐盛的恩典，
真耶穌教會的青年，現在一定要自已，他們應該怎麼來回報神。
今日，年青人要繼承一百年來，神恩典及前輩忍耐的果實。
之前那一代的年青人，已完成任務，在過去的一百年，付出很多；
然而，我們能確定的是，在未來的百年，年青人仍是極其重要。
FOUNDATION 基礎
Before looking at what True Jesus Church youths can do for the church in this new era,
we ought to remind ourselves of our foundation.
Truth is the most important heritage God has given His true church.
We must ask ourselves, are we well rooted in the truth?
在我們查考真耶穌教會青年，在新世代，可以為教會作什麼，
就提醒自已注意自已的根基。
真理才是神給予她的教會，最珍貴的傳承。
要捫心自問，我們有好好札根在真理上嗎？
The significance of being securely rooted in the truth of the gospel is well known.
What happens to those with an insecure foundation?
Take church work: many well-intentioned youths enter zealously into the ministry, hoping to practice their faith.
Yet, as in any community service activity, doing church work involves collaborating with others.
Therefore, the possibility of conflicts and disagreements often arise.
The more some youths serve, the more challenges they face and the more dissatisfied they may become.
This is the crucial point.
If, at this moment, youths can learn to separate the social problems of service
from the value of their faith and its practice, they will be safe.
But if interpersonal challenges convince them that church work is not worth doing,
or worse, that this faith is not worth believing in,
then they come dangerously close to losing their spiritual life.
要安穩地札根在福音真理之上的重要性，大家都知道。
而那些沒有穩固根基的人，他們會怎樣呢？
作聖工：很多懷著善意的青年，熱心進入事奉工作中，盼望實行他們的信仰。
然而，就如同從事任何社區服務活動一樣，作教會的聖工會遷涉到與別人一起同工。
所以，衝突和意見不合的可能性，就時常會出現。
有些青年事奉越多，就會面對更多的挑戰，也就會變得越來越不滿。
這真是很重要的情況。
若是在這個時刻，青年會學著把事奉時的社交問題，
與他們信仰的價值和信仰的行為分開來看，他們就不會出問題。
但是若人際間的挑戰，讓他們確信了，不值得為教會聖工付出，
或更糟的是，這個信仰不值得保留，
那麼他們就會很危險地接近失去屬靈的生命。
This is why a firm foundation in the truth is critical.
First, we must be deeply rooted in our faith and know why we serve
—to express our love and gratitude for God, and to share His love with others.
Next, we need to understand the immutability of our faith.
However we may be dissatisfied with people, God does not dissatisfy, and He can help.
Knowing and believing this will minimize the risk that disagreements
and strife will lead us to give up our faith.
這就是為何，有真理堅固的根基是很重要的。
首先，我們一定要深深在信仰上札根，明白為何而服事-
是為了對神表達自已的愛心和感激，為了和別人分享神的愛。
接著，要明白我們的信仰是永遠不變的。
然而，我們或許會對別人感到不滿，但神卻不會不滿，而且祂會幫助人。
明白並且相信這一點，會減少不合和爭吵的風險，
而這些不合和爭端會導致我們最後放棄信仰。
The same applies to secular trends beyond the church.
Having experienced their thrills, youths may be eager to adopt similar features in their spiritual lives and in church.
They may question why the church does not incorporate secular methods in doing church work.
They may ask why the church does not adopt approaches used by other Christian denominations for gospel outreach.
However, if we understand that the power of the gospel is spiritual and God-led,
it will be apparent that dressing up the truth to make it more palatable is a senseless thing to do.
What matters most is the sincerity of our gospel, not how pleasing it is.
同樣的情況，適用於教會之外，世俗的潮流。
若是經歷了其中的另人激動的情況，青年會很想在靈命及教會的事上，採用同樣特別花招。
他們會質疑，為何教會作聖工的時候，不採用世俗的方式。
他們會詢問，為何教會不採用其他基督教派為向外傳福音，所採用的方法。
然而，若我們明白，福音的力量是來自聖靈和神的帶領，
很明顯地讓人知道，為真理套上其他的外衣，讓人看起來更容易接受，這樣作是一種不合理的情況。
最重要的是，我們傳福音是真心誠意的，而不是福音很有趣用來取悅人。
Paul reminds us of the value of remaining steadfast in our faith
amid the turbulence of worldly ways,
“that we should no longer be children,
tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men,
in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph 4:14).
保羅提醒我們，堅守住信仰的珍貴，以及世俗之道的混亂，
"14使我們不再作小孩子，中了人的詭計和欺騙的法術，被一切異教之風搖動，飄來飄去，就隨從各樣的異端；"
(弗 4：14)
Children are particularly vulnerable in the two senses given above.
First, they are governed by their passions.
Second, they are especially influenced by their environment.
A mature Christian does not allow his frustrations with fellow brothers and sisters to defeat his faith,
and will not permit his conviction in the truth to be thrown into confusion by the secular forces around him.
As the youths of the True Jesus Church prepare to take over the reins,
they should bear these marks of maturity in mind.
兒童面對上面提到的兩種情境，特別無法抵抗。
第一，他們是由自已的情慾所操控。
第二，他們會特別受到環境的影響。
成熟的基督徒，不會因為與弟兄姐妹矛盾，而受到打擊影響信心，
不會讓自已由深信真理，因為四周世俗環境力量的影響，而陷入混亂。
身為真耶穌教會的青年，準備好要去接棒，
他們要帶著這些成熟的印記在心裡。
PERSECUTIONS 逼迫
True Jesus Church youths must be prepared for persecution of a variety more intense than ever seen before,
as darkly prophesied in Revelation:
真耶穌教會青年，一定要準備好面對各式各樣的逼迫，
是比以前所見更加嚴重的逼迫，隱隱之間記載在啟示錄：
And another sign appeared in heaven:
behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.
And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth,
to devour her Child as soon as it was born. (Rev 12:3–4)
3天上又現出異象來：有一條大紅龍，七頭十角；七頭上戴著七個冠冕。
4他的尾巴拖拉著天上星辰的三分之一，摔在地上。
龍就站在那將要生產的婦人面前，等他生產之後，要吞吃他的孩子。
(啟 12：3-4)
This is a menacing picture that is already forming before our eyes.
The tenor of public discourse today is increasingly one of religious intolerance.
This only heightens in pitch as we continue to make our stand against those forces that strive to draw souls away from God.
What is more menacing is the threat from within,
as the devil works to confuse the truth and deceive the believers of the true church.
We cannot pray that this will not happen, for the Bible has warned us that it will.
We can only pray that we will not be of the one-third who will fall from the skies.
In order to be safe, knowing and upholding the truth is vital.
As the apostle Paul exhorts:
這是一幅具有威脅性的圖畫，已經活生生出現在我們眼前。
今日大眾論述的重點，漸漸變得沒有宗教的寬容性。
當我們持續堅守自已的立場，對抗那些努力要吸引靈魂遠離神的力量，
這些只是在口頭上高調。
更高危險的是，內在的威脅，
因為魔鬼作工要混亂真理，欺騙真教會的信徒。
我們不能禱告，這種情況不會發生，因為聖經已經警示我們那些都會發生了。
我們只能祈禱，自已不會是那三分之一的人群，從天空掉落下來。
為了能得到安全，認清真理，持守真理是重要的。
就如使徒保羅勸勉：
[S]peaking the truth in love, may [we] grow up in all things into Him who is the head
—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,
according to the effective working by which every part does its share,
causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Eph 4:15–16)
15惟用愛心說誠實話，凡事長進，連於元首基督，
16全身都靠他聯絡得合式，百節各按各職，照著各體的功用彼此相助，便叫身體漸漸增長，在愛中建立自己。
(弗 4：15-16)
As members of the true church, the inevitability of an increasingly challenging Christian life forces us
to confront some basic questions:
Do we truly know what we believe in?
And if we do, are we willing to stand up for these beliefs?
身為真教會的信徒，無可避免地，基督徒生活所面對的挑戰增加，
會迫使我們要面對一些基本的問題：
我們真的認識了自已的信仰嗎？
若我們認識清淅，會願意站出來為這些信念辯護嗎？
UNITY OF FAITH 信仰的合一
Lastly, the youths must persist in the unity of their faith and commission. As Paul declares:
最後，青年一定要堅持他們在信仰及使命上的統合。
就如保羅所宣稱：
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all,
who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph 4:4-6)
4身體只有一個，聖靈只有一個，正如你們蒙召同有一個指望。
5一主，一信，一洗，
6一神，就是眾人的父，超乎眾人之上，貫乎眾人之中，也住在眾人之內。
(弗 4：4-6)
Just as the fractures between the world and God's church are inevitable,
so the Bible warns us of impending divisions within the church.
God has promised to carry His church through to the last days.
By God’s grace, the True Jesus Church has made it through a tumultuous century with one accord.
Even before our basic beliefs were officially itemized during the first two World Delegates’ Conference (WDC),
the True Jesus Church has never wavered in the truth she received from the beginning.[1]
This momentous achievement is the fruit of a complete unity
—a group of believers in one God, united by the mission to preserve and promote the only gospel that saves.
就如世界及神的教會之間的落差，是無法避免的，
所以聖經提醒我們，那即將來到教會裡的分裂。
神已經應[]許要背負教會走過末後的日子。
因著神的恩典，真耶穌教會已經同一合意，走過紛紛亂亂的一百年。
甚至於前二屆世界代表大會之前，我們的基本信條可以正式條列出來，
真耶穌教會未曾在一開始所領受的真理上，有所動搖。[1]
這重要的時刻，就是可以完全聯合的結果-
有一群信徒事奉同一個真神，因著使命聯合在一起，持守宣揚唯一能讓人得救的福音。
We are now heirs to a rich tradition of sincere, single-minded conviction and loving, selfless faith.
Any youth who grows up in the religious education system of the church,
receives the sacraments, and worships beside his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ,
will undoubtedly experience the power of God’s grace and love upon His church.
This heritage of truth is ours to possess and ours to protect.
現今我們繼承了豐富了遺傳，有真誠，專心確信，親愛人，無私的信仰。
任何在教會宗教信仰體係裡長大的人，
領受了聖禮，旁邊有基督裡弟兄姐妹在一起同敬拜神，
無可置疑的會感受到，神給教會恩典慈愛的力量。
這真理的傳承，是我們所擁有，要去守護的。
CONCLUSION 結論
Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart. (Ps 119:111)
111我以你的法度為永遠的產業，因這是我心中所喜愛的。
(詩 119：111)
Our heritage from the Lord is the testimony and law that He has given us.
This heritage keeps us going, with hearts full of joy.
No matter what, we must keep God’s word in our hearts.
Let us not be anxious over our career, marriage, or daily cares.
Our spiritual inheritance is God’s word in our hearts, so we rely on His guidance.
我們從神而來的遺產，就是祂給我們的見証和律法。
這些傳承，讓我們帶著充滿喜樂的心，向前行。
不管發生什麼事，我們一定要在自已的心中，保守神的話。
讓我們不會因為職業，婚姻，日常的煩惱而憂心。
我們屬靈的遺產，就是神的話存在心中，依靠祂的帶領。
As we usher the True Jesus Church into the next era,
and we make our plans for church growth and personal development,
let us always remember that one Man died so that many would take up His truth and pass it on to the generations to come.
It is now in your hands—what will you do?
隨著我們引領真耶穌教會走入下一個世紀，
要作出教會成長及個人發展的計劃，
總要記得，因著一個人的死，所以有許多人討論真理，把真理傳給下一代。
如今真理在你的手上-你會怎麼作呢？
[1] Six proposals were passed at the first WDC in 1967,
regarding the one true God, water baptism, footwashing, Holy Communion, Holy Spirit and Sabbath.
Proposals on the true church, the Holy Bible, salvation
and the Lord’s second coming were passed at the second WDC in 1975.
[1] 1967年，第一次世界代表大會，通過了六件提案，
關於獨一真神，浸禮，洗腳禮，聖餐禮，聖靈，安息日。
1975年，第二次世界代表大會，通過了，
真教會，聖經，救贖，主再臨的議案。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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