10. Manna issue 87 - What God Has Joined, Let No Man Separate (part 1) 神配合的，人不可分開(第一回)
Aun Quek Chin—Singapore 新加坡 Aun Quek Chin
Compared to society in general, divorced couples are relatively uncommon in the True Jesus Church.
Undeniably, however, there are many couples whose hearts have long separated although they themselves have not.
The ripples of marital conflict and broken relationships spread far,
causing unhappiness for the entire family,
and eventually hurting even the larger church family.
It is thus critical for us to understand the fundamentals of marriage,
and God’s will in bringing a man and a woman together.
Marital difficulties may be inevitable,
but our Lord who esteems marriage is willing to help those in such situations.
Jesus performed His first miracle
—turning water into wine
—for the benefit of a newly-married couple.
Key to this miracle was the protagonists’ belief in the Lord
and their willingness to follow His instructions.
No problem is beyond the Almighty,
but we must do our part by repenting and turning back to His path.
By relying on Him, we can protect the institution of marriage,
bringing blessing to our families and glory to God.
與一般社會相比，真耶穌教會的離婚夫婦是相對少見的。
不可否認的是，有許多夫妻，雖然彼此之間並沒有分離，但他們的心早已分開。
婚姻衝突和破裂關係的後續效應，會蔓延很久，
造成整個家庭的不幸，
甚至最後傷害了更大的教會家庭。
因此，對於我們而言，了解婚姻的基礎根基，是至關重要的，
明白神將男人和女人聚在一起的旨意。
婚姻的困難可能無法避免，
但是我們敬重婚姻的主，會願意幫助這種情況的人。
耶穌施行了祂的第一個神蹟，
-把水變成酒
-為了幫助一對新婚夫婦。
這個神蹟的重點，是主角對主的信靠
以及他們願意聽從祂的指示。
沒有任何問題能超越神的萬能，
但是我們必須盡自己的本份，經由悔改，來回到祂的道路。
依靠他，我們可以保護婚姻制度，
為我們的家庭帶來祝福，為神帶來榮耀。
IS DIVORCE PERMITTED? 可允許離婚嗎？
They said,
“Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”
And Jesus answered and said to them,
“Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’
‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’;
so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
(Mk 10:4–9)
4他們說：摩西許人寫了休書便可以休妻。
5耶穌說：摩西因為你們的心硬，所以寫這條例給你們；
6但從起初創造的時候，神造人是造男造女。
7因此，人要離開父母，與妻子連合，二人成為一體。
8既然如此，夫妻不再是兩個人，乃是一體的了。
9所以神配合的，人不可分開。
(可 10：4-9)
Today, marriage rates are falling even as divorce rates rise.[1]
One reason for this is that society no longer esteems the institution of marriage in the same way it once did.
For those who do marry,
separating when things do not work out is a natural solution.
Such societal norms have crept into the church.
Some believers are adamant that marriage and divorce are private matters,
and do not welcome “interference” from the church.
They forget that marriage is instituted by God,
and that they are accountable to Him.
This was also a problem in Jesus’ time.
When He reminded the Pharisees of God’s will,
they challenged Him, saying,
“Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?”
(Mt 19:7).
Jesus replied,
“Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so”
(Mt 19:8).
今天，即使離婚率上升，結婚率也在下降。[1]
原因之一是，社會不再像以前那樣尊重婚姻制度。
對於那些已經結婚的人，
當事情無法以自然的解決方案處理的時候，就會分開。
這樣的社會常態，已經漸漸滲入教會。
有一些信徒堅信，婚姻和離婚是私人事務，
並且不歡迎來自教會的“干預”。
他們忘記了，婚姻是由神所設立的，
並且他們需要對神負責。
這種事情，在耶穌時代，也同樣是一種問題。
當他提醒法利賽人，什麼是神的旨意時，
他們質疑耶穌，說：
“那摩西為什麼會留下命令，可以提出離婚證明書，然後就把妻子趕走？”
（太 19：7）。
耶穌回答說，
“摩西，是由於你們內心的頑固，才充許你們可以與妻子離婚，
但是事情從一開始，就不是這樣的意思”
（太 19：8）。
To some, it may appear that Moses was giving in to those who stubbornly asserted a right to divorce.
However, Moses did not condone divorce;
he merely set out the legal parameters.
在某些人看來，摩西似乎是屈服於那些固執的人，主張有離婚的權利。
但是，摩西並沒有容許離婚。
他只是列出了法律條例而已。
“When a man takes a wife and marries her,
and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes
because he has found some uncleanness in her,
and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand,
and sends her out of his house…”
(Deut 24:1)
1人若娶妻以後，見他有甚麼不合理的事，不喜悅他，就可以寫休書交在他手中，打發他離開夫家。
(申 24：1)
The Law of Moses clearly states that the only grounds for divorce was uncleanness in the wife.
Before a divorce was granted, the matter would have to be brought before the elders
who would judge whether the man’s reason was justified.
The Pharisaic challenge to Jesus arose
because the rabbis themselves were divided on what constituted reasonable grounds for divorce.
One group, the Shammaites, argued that only sexual immorality or unfaithfulness were acceptable;
another group, the Hillelites, held that the husband could divorce his wife simply for falling out of his favor.[2]
So Jesus had to remind the Jews that the only justification for divorce was infidelity:
摩西律法明確規定，離婚的唯一理由，就是妻子的不貞。
離婚前，必須在長老面前提起訴訟，
他們將會判斷，這個男人提出的理由是否合理。
法利賽人向耶穌提出挑戰
因為猶太拉比本身，對於構成合理離婚的理由上，存在分歧。
其中一個團體，Shammaites 沙買學派認為，只有姦淫或有不忠行為，才可以接受離婚。
另一個團體，Hillelites 希勒爾人認為，丈夫可以僅因為失去對妻子的愛，就離婚[2]
因此，耶穌不得不提醒猶太人，離婚的唯一理由是不忠：
“And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife,
except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery;
and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.”
(Mt 19:9)
9我告訴你們，凡休妻另娶的，若不是為淫亂的緣故，就是犯姦淫了；有人娶那被休的婦人，也是犯姦淫了。
(太 19：9)
Jesus’ teaching holds true for Christians today.
In the absence of infidelity, the covenant stays intact,
and the couple remains as one body in the sight of God.
If they divorce and one party re-marries, the latter commits sin.
Therefore, we must heed Jesus’ words:
“What God has joined together, let not man separate”
(Mk 10:9).
Since God made man and woman, and brought them together to be one body, one flesh, marriage is the will of God.
We must, thus, remember that marriage is a divine institution,
not a mere human invention.
耶穌的教導，對今的的基督徒來說，都是正確的。
在沒有不忠的情況下，婚約仍是保持完整的，
在神的眼中，這對夫妻，仍然是一個整體。
若他們離婚了，其中一方再婚，則後者就是犯罪。
因此，我們必須留心耶穌的話：
“9所以神配合的，人不可分開。”
（可 10：9）。
自從神造了男人和女人，使他們成為一整體，同一個肉體，婚姻就是神的旨意。
因此，我們必須記住，婚姻是一種神聖的制度，
不單單只是人類的發明。
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE 正確的選擇
Many cultures have the idea that each person is destined to marry his or her soulmate
—a match made in heaven.
We may also have heard people say that if you cannot win a person’s heart,
then it is not meant to be.
The truth is, although marriage is established by God,
He does not predetermine our spouse.
So we need not worry that we may choose someone whom God has not intended for us
—the “wrong rib bone,” as it were, or the wrong Adam.
We are free to choose whom we wish to marry,
subject to the important condition that God has set:
we should find our spouse from within the church.
Some misunderstand the rationale for this condition,
thinking that it is based on the assumption that individuals in church are better.
This is not the case, since none of us is perfect.
In fact, there are many individuals outside of True Jesus Church who have good qualities.
Nevertheless, God has stipulated this requirement because He cares about our faith.
許多文化都認為，每個人註定是要與他或她的靈魂伴侶結合，
-是上天的安排。
我們可能還聽別人說過，如果您無法贏得人心，
那就是天生註定無法達成。
事實是，儘管婚姻是神所建立的，
他並沒有預定我們的配偶。
因此，我們不必擔心，我們會選擇神不打算給我們的人
—就是遇到“錯誤的肋骨”或是錯誤的亞當 Adam。
我們可以自由選擇，想要結婚的人，
但必須遵守神所設定的重要條件：
我們應該在教會內，來尋找自已的配偶。
有些人誤解了這種條件的根本原因，
認為，這是基於，教會中的人，就比較好的假設。
事實當然並非如此，因為我們沒有人是完美的。
實際上，在真耶穌教會之外，有許多人素質很高。
然而，神已經規定了這一要求，因為祂更在乎我們的信仰。
In choosing a spouse, there are undoubtedly many considerations
—the most fundamental being whether two people love each other.
Another consideration may be health;
for example, what if the object of one’s affection has many serious ailments?
Looks are important for some people;
while others prioritize strength of character,
knowing that physical beauty eventually fades.
Aside from personal preferences, the opinions of parents may also be a factor.
All parents want a better life for their children.
Hence they would be concerned whether their child
and their child’s potential spouse have the financial resources to build a secure life together.
在選擇配偶的時候，無疑要考慮很多因素
-但最根本的是，兩個人是否彼此相愛。
另一個考慮因素，可能是健康。
例如，如果一個人的感情對象患，有許多嚴重的疾病，該怎麼辦？
外觀的要求，對某些人來說，可能也很重要。
而另有一些人，則優先考慮品格的強度，
因為知道，外表的美麗最終會消逝。
除了個人的偏好之外，父母的意見也可能是一個因素。
所有的父母，都希望自己的孩子，能過上更好的生活。
因此，他們會考量，自己的孩子
及孩子未來可能的配偶，是否擁有經濟資源，來一起構築安穩的生活。
How should the matter of faith feature in the choice of spouse? 選擇配偶時，應該如何著重信仰的狀態？
Some dismiss faith as a factor, arguing that good character transcends choice of religion.
However, the reality is that marrying someone of a different faith will bring many issues.
Not only will it affect our personal faith,
it will also have lasting implications for our children, grandchildren, and wider family.
The couple may love each other and agree on most issues,
but how will they decide in matters of faith?
Should children be baptized?
How should non-Christian in-laws be handled if they expect participation in their religious traditions?
And if we decided to give in and give up on our faith,
how will we give an account to God on the day of judgment?
有些人會拋棄信仰，作為擇偶的因素，認為良好的品格，能超越宗教的選擇。
但是，現實情況是，與信仰不同的人結婚，會帶來很多問題。
它不僅會影響我們的個人信仰，
也將對我們的子女，孫子孫女，及延伸出去的家族，產生長久影響。
夫妻可能彼此相愛，並在大多數問題上，達成共識，
但是他們要如何決定處理信仰問題呢？
孩子應該受洗嗎？
若有非基督徒的公婆，期望你們能參與其宗教傳統，那要應該要如何處理呢？
如果我們決定屈就，並放棄我們的信仰主張，
在審判之日來到時，我們將如何向神回報呢？
Parents need to encourage their children to marry in the Lord.
This starts with the correct mindset.
Rather than focusing on wealth, societal accomplishments or status,
parents should guide children to prioritize Christian virtues,
such as the fear of God, in their choice of spouse.
If we uphold the principle of marriage in the Lord in our lives,
then God will esteem our marriage and the marriages of our children.
On the other hand, if we consistently prioritize wealth over faith,
status over service to the Lord, love for leisure over love for the Lord,
how will God bless our marriages?
When things go wrong, we cannot say to God,
“Forgive me, I made the wrong choice. Let me switch spouses now.”
To err is human, and for some things in life,
we get second or third chances to try again.
But marriage is not one of them because two have become one,
and what God has joined, man cannot separate.
This is why we must exercise much care in choosing wisely.
父母需要鼓勵自己的孩子，在主內聯婚。
能這麼作，就一開始要有正確的心態。
與其注重於財富多寡，社會成就大小，或社會地位高低，
父母應引導孩子，優先考慮基督教的美德，
例如，在他們選擇配偶時，要敬畏神。
如果我們在生活中，秉承主內的婚姻原則，
神才會尊重我們的婚姻，和我們孩子的婚姻。
另一方面，如果我們一味重視財富超過信仰，
注重社會地位超過對主的事奉，對休閒的熱愛過於對主的熱心，
那麼神會如何祝福我們的婚姻呢？
當事情出錯時，我們不能對神說，
“請原諒我，我做了錯誤的選擇。現在讓我更換配偶。”
犯錯是人類的天性，但對於生活中的某些事情，
我們會有第二次或第三次機會再試一次。
但是婚姻就不在其中，可以讓人有重新再選擇的機會，因為兩人已經合而為一體，
神所配合的，人不可分開。
這就是為什麼，我們必須謹慎小心，作出明智的選擇。
GOD’S PLAN 神的計劃
Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman,
and He brought her to the man. And Adam said:
“This is now bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and they shall become one flesh.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
(Gen 2:22–25)
22耶和華神就用那人身上所取的肋骨造成一個女人，領他到那人跟前。
23那人說：這是我骨中的骨，肉中的肉，可以稱他為女人，因為他是從男人身上取出來的。
24因此，人要離開父母，與妻子連合，二人成為一體。
25當時夫妻二人赤身露體，並不羞恥。
(創 2：22-25)
When God made Adam, He said,
“It is not good that man should be alone;
I will make him a helper comparable to him”
(Gen 2:18).
He then proceeded to put Adam into a deep sleep, removed one of his ribs and used it to create a woman.
God could have created Adam and Eve simultaneously
but chose to do so sequentially.
This was not due to lack of planning for the Omniscient Creator.
Nor could Eve have been a mere afterthought for a Creator who loves all His creatures
(Ps 139:13–16).
God deliberately delayed the creation of Eve.
We can infer three possible reasons for this.
當神創造亞當時，祂說：
“18那人獨居不好，我要為他造一個配偶幫助他。”
（創 2:18）。
然後，祂開始讓亞當進入深層睡眠，移出他一根肋骨，來用它來創造一個女人。
神可以同時一起創造亞當和夏娃，
但反而選擇了，按這個順序來分別進行造人。
這不是由於全知的造物主，事先缺乏了規劃。
夏娃也不是剛好，因為有深愛萬物的的造物者，後來突發奇想而產生，
（詩 139：13-16）。
神是故意推遲了夏娃的創造。
我們可以推斷出三個可能的原因。
Being Alone Is Not Good 獨居不好
First, God wanted Adam to know that being alone was not good.
When God brought his wife to him, Adam’s reaction was telling:
“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man”
(Gen 2:23).
Adam had been lonely, and was extremely appreciative when God gave him a companion.
It is a blessing to have a God-given spouse.
However, there may be times when we do not treasure our companion.
Worse, we feel glad when we are away from them.
This ought not to be the case.
Cherish the time we have with our spouse.
Absence may make the heart grow fonder,
but let us not take each other for granted when we are together each day.
首先，神希望亞當知道，單身是不好的。
當神把他的妻子帶來給他時，亞當的反應是說了：
“23這是我骨中的骨，肉中的肉，可以稱他為女人，因為他是從男人身上取出來的。”
（創 2：23）。
亞當一直很孤獨，當神給他一個陪伴時，他非常感激。
有神賜予的配偶，是一種幸福。
但是，有時候我們不珍惜自已的伴侶。
更糟糕的是，當離開他們時，我們會感到很高興。
事情不應是這樣。
珍惜與配偶在一起的時間。
分離可能會使內心更加思念，
但是，讓我們每天在一起時，不要將彼此視為理所當然。
Needing a Helper 需要幫手
In Adam’s case, being alone was not good because he was without a helper
(Gen 2:20b).
There is always a great sense of achievement when we are able to succeed independently.
However, sometimes in life,
one pair of hands is not enough and an additional pair of helping hands is warmly welcome.
This is the second reason God created Eve through this process:
He wanted Adam to realize that he had limitations before He brought him a helper.
This is our amazing heavenly Father and Creator
—He knows that no matter how capable one is,
there will be occasions where support and help are needed.
He provides such a person for us.
In turn, we ought to thank God and treasure this helper for life.
若在亞當的情況下，獨自一人是不好的，因為他沒有助手
（創 2：20b）。
當我們能夠獨自成功的時候，總會很有大大的成就感。
但是，有時候在生活中，
只有一雙手還不夠應付，若有另一雙手來幫忙，就會受到熱烈的歡迎。
這就是神經由這個過程，創造夏娃出來的第二個原因：
他希望亞當明白，在神給他帶來幫手之前，自己是有局限性。
這就是我們奇妙的天父和造物主
他知道，我們無論多麼有能力，
在某些情況下，還是需要支持和幫助。
他為我們預備了這樣的幫手。
反過來，我們應該感謝神，並好好珍惜這個幫手一生。
Two Become One 二者合而為一
The third reason for this sequence of events is that God wanted Adam to know that
His will was for two to become one.
Eve was taken from Adam’s body, but through marriage, God joined them back into one.
When Adam saw Eve, he said,
“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”
God enabled Adam to understand this truth,
and He wants us to understand as well.
這一系列事件發展的第三個原因是，神希望亞當知道
神的旨意，就是要兩人合為一體。
夏娃被從亞當的身體取出來，但經由婚姻，神再將他們重新合為一體。
當亞當看到夏娃的時候，他說：
“這是我骨中的骨，肉中的肉。”
神使亞當明白了這項真理，
祂也希望我們也能了解。
If we understand God’s will in relation to marriage,
we will not be casual over our relationships.
Engaging in pre-marital sex is wrong
because we are treating this most intimate of relationships as a game.
God only permits sexual relationships within the confines of marriage.
When two become one, they are husband and wife and cannot be separated.
In addition, there cannot be a third party, for this would be adultery
—the breaking of the marriage covenant.
如果我們了解，神對婚姻的旨意，
我們就不會對自已的婚姻關係，隨意的對待。
有婚前性行為是錯誤的，
因為我們將這種婚姻關係中，最親密的行為，視為一種遊戲。
神只允許在婚姻關係內，夫妻的性關係。
當兩人合而為一時，他們就是夫妻，不能分開。
此外，不能有第三方，因為這樣就是通姦
-會導致婚約的破裂。
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled;
but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
(Heb 13:4)
4婚姻，人人都當尊重，床也不可污穢；因為苟合行淫的人，神必要審判。
(來 13：4)
We must honor marriage, the One who instituted marriage,
and we must honor our spouse.
Many forget they have to honor the marriage bed
and ensure it remains undefiled.
As a result, some defile the bed even before they are married.
Others defile the marriage bed after they are married through adultery.
God sees all things: even though the spouse may not know, God will know.
The guilty party may view it as a one-off affair, or a bit of fun,
but in God’s eyes that person has defiled the marriage bed, and He will judge.
Therefore, we need to stay holy before and during marriage,
and be alert to possible temptations.
The devil would like to destroy our marriage,
and some have been enticed to sin against God in this way.
我們必須尊重婚姻，神設立了婚姻，
我們必須敬重自已的配偶。
許多人忘記了，必須要尊重婚姻的床
並且要確保它一直保持沾污。
結果，有些人甚至在結婚前，就沾污了床。
有些人婚後則因通姦，而沾污了婚姻的床。
神清楚到萬事萬物：即使配偶可能不知道，神還是會知道。
有罪的一方，可能會將這件事，看作是一次性出軌的事件，或是一點樂趣，
但在神的眼中，那個人沾污了婚姻的床，神將來會加以審判。
因此，我們需要在婚前及婚姻中，保守聖潔，
並警惕可能遇到的誘惑。
魔鬼很想破壞我們的婚姻，
有些人就因為這樣，被引誘因為得罪神。
In 1 Corinthians 7:1–9,
Paul advises those who have not received the special gift of singleness to marry.
He explains that it is best for a man to have his own wife,
and a woman her own husband.
Paul’s further advice is that a married couple should only abstain from sexual relations for a time, with consent
—for example, to devote themselves to fasting and prayer.
Afterwards, they should come together again and not deprive one another.
1God established sexual union as a gift to humans.
Thus, we should not view it as something unwholesome.
Neither should we use it as a weapon, withholding it against our spouse:
the husband should render to his wife the affection due to her, and vice versa.
The wife does not have authority over her own body,
but the husband does.
Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
在哥林多前書7章1–9節中，
保羅建議，那些還沒有得到單身特別恩賜的人，要結婚。
他解釋說，男人最好有自己的妻子，
一個女人有自己的丈夫。
保羅的進一步建議，，已婚夫婦必須在獲得同意的情況下，才暫時放棄性關係
-例如，要專心禁食禱告。
之後，他們應該再次聚在一起，不要相互剝奪親近的權利。
1神設立了性關係的結合，作為人類的禮物。
因此，我們不應將其視為不健康的事物。
我們也不應將其視作武器，抑制性行為來制衡配偶：
丈夫應表示，對妻子的感情，反之妻子亦然。
妻子無權主張如何對待自己的身體，
但是丈夫則有權利作決定。
同樣地，丈夫無權如何對待自己的身體，但妻子則有權利作決定。
Sexual relations are less frequently addressed in the True Jesus Church’s pulpit ministry
and, within more conservative societies,
there may be some embarrassment about open discussion on this topic.
But there is some urgency to facilitating a clear understanding in this area,
as sexual relations is a key issue in the marital problems faced by couples in the church.
When a husband and wife have problems,
their sexual relationship will inevitably be affected.
This leaves a foothold for the devil and, left unresolved,
can lead the parties concerned to fall into temptation
—that is, to look for fulfilment outside their marriage.
真耶穌教會的台上講道比較少討論到性關係，
而且，也因位於趨於保守的社會中，
公開討論這個有關的主題，可能會有些尷尬。
但是，在此範圍中，有些急迫需要，來促使大家清晰的認識，
因為教會夫妻在面臨的婚姻問題上，性關係是個重要的問題。
當夫妻有問題的時候，
他們的性關係，將不可避免地受到影響。
因為這不但給魔鬼留地步，而且留下問題懸而未決，
可能導致兩邊某一方，陷入誘惑，
也就是說，進而在婚姻之外，尋求其他滿足的機會。
CONCLUSION 結論
Satan would like to see marriages destroyed
—for us to defile the marriage bed,
and for us to hurt our spouse by withholding the intimacy
that is due to them as part of this sacred covenant.
Therefore, it is important that we understand God’s will
and His purpose in instituting marriage.
In His infinite wisdom and love,
He does not want us to be alone and lonely.
He wants us to have a helper,
someone with whom we can share a life and grow together as one in faith and love.
Marriage is a gift from God that we should honor.
What God has joined, let no man separate.
撒但希望看到婚姻被毀滅
-好讓我們去沾污婚姻的床，
並通過抑制親密關係，來傷害我們的配偶，
而親密關係亦是伴侶於理所該擁有的權利，因為這是婚姻聖約的一部分。
因此，重要的是，我們要了解神的旨意，
以及神建立婚姻的目的。
以神無限的智慧和慈愛，
祂不想要，我們只有一個人，並覺得孤獨。
祂要我們有個幫手
是一個我們可以與之分享一生，於信仰和愛中，一起共同成長的人。
婚姻是神贈予的恩賜，所以要加以尊重。
神所配合的，人不可分開。
APPENDIX 附錄
REMAINING SINGLE IS A GIFT 單身是種恩賜
It is a fact of life that, for a variety of reasons,
some believers are still single despite being of marriageable age.
Anxious parents may fret and urge them to quickly settle down.
Well-meaning friends may incessantly offer to matchmake them,
some going even so far as to propose non-believers!
出於各種原因，事實是，在生活中，
儘管有一些信徒已達適婚年齡，但仍然單身。
焦慮的父母可能會擔心，並摧促他們要儘速安頓下來。
善意的朋友，可能會不斷提出要幫他們相親，
有些信徒甚至因此衝了太超過，而去向非信徒求婚！
While having a companion is good
(Eccl 4:9–11),
remaining alone can be a positive thing for some believers.
The Lord Jesus Himself spoke about this:
有同伴比較好的
（傳 4：9-11），
對某些信徒而言，單身是一件好事。
主耶穌親自談到了這一點：
“For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb,
and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men,
and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.
He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”
(Mt 19:12)
12因為有生來是閹人，也有被人閹的，並有為天國的緣故自閹的。這話誰能領受就可以領受。
(太 19：12)
Jesus mentions three categories of individuals who may opt out of marriage.
The first are those whom He terms “eunuchs from birth”
—those who have certain congenital conditions
that prevent them from being married.
Putting pressure on them to do so would be inappropriate.
The second are “eunuchs” because of a situation or their environment:
for example, illnesses that make them unsuitable for marriage.
The third category consists of those who wish to serve the Lord wholeheartedly,
making a personal decision to stay single.
The True Jesus Church does not impose marriage as an eligibility criterion on her full-time workers,
as the church understands that marriage has its share of issues.
If a worker of God decides that he or she does not want to bear the potential burdens that arise from marriage
—and this worker has the special gift from God to remain single
(1 Cor 7:7)
—then we should respect and commend his or her decision.
耶穌提到了，有三類人，可能選擇退出婚姻。
第一種，是那些祂定義，所謂“出生就被閹”的人
-也就是有某些天生疾病的人，
因為妨礙了他們去結婚。
若是向他們這種施壓，這麼作就有些不合適。
第二種，是因為特殊情況，或特別的環境，而決定“被閹割”：
例如，有特殊疾病，讓他們不適合結婚。
第三種，包括了那些，願意全心全意事奉神的人，
依照個人決定，而選擇保持單身。
真耶穌教會，並沒有將婚姻，作為限制其全職工人的資格標準，
因為教會理解，婚姻也有所帶來的很多問題。
如果神的工人決定，他或她不想背負，婚姻所帶來的潛在負擔，
-而這個工人從神那裡，得到了特殊的恩賜，使他可以保持單身
（林前 7：7）
-那麼我們就應該尊重，並讚揚他或她所作的決定。
In short, we should not presume that being single is undesirable.
We must never ridicule those who are single,
or assume they have a problem;
if we do, then we are undiscerning and do not know the word of God.
總之，我們不應假定，成為單身是因為沒人要。
我們亦絕可嘲笑那些單身的人，
或假設他們有問題；
如果我們這麼作，那麼我們就沒有分辨的能力，也不知道何謂神的話語。
[1] OECD (2018), Family Database, SF3.1 Marriage and divorce rate, accessed December 16, 2018,
http://www.oecd.org/els/family/SF_3_1_Marriage_and_divorce_rates.pdf.
[1]經濟合作暨發展組織（2018），家庭數據庫，SF3.1 婚姻和離婚率，於2018年12月16日查詢資料，
http://www.oecd.org/els/family/SF_3_1_Marriage_and_divorce_rates.pdf。
[2] The ESVR Study Bible, The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionR
(Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 1860.
[2] ESV 研讀版聖經，聖經，英語標準版
（惠頓：Crossway 十字路口出版社，2008年），1860年
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